As if we, the oppressed college football fans of the United States of America, weren't sick enough of the heinous BCS system and its atrocities, Bill Hancock (the chosen "protector" of the BCS) has opened up a HUGE can of worms and fueled the anti-BCS fire into a blaze of brimstone-like hate for his recent comments. Go ahead and read it for yourself here and draw your own conclusions and ideas from the pile of garbage that it is.
Before I read this, what I perceived as the pageantry and excitement of a bowl game was what made me not want to give up the BCS system. In fact, I absolutely loved it more than any normal person should (read this post and see for yourself). Now I find myself back-peddling faster than a cornerback trying to cover Titus Young. This has made me realize that being able to travel to Mobile, Alabama to see your team play the Ohio Bobcats in the papajohns.com bowl does not make up for them missing out on the chance to prove themselves on the field. Call me a flip-flopper if you want, but a guy is allowed to change his mind when new evidence finds its way to the forefront.
The thing that upsets me the most and is beyond ridiculous is Hancock's tone. "TCU is lucky that they were even able to play in the Rose Bowl" is what he is saying.
If a playoff was in college football, who would be the George Mason? What 12 seed would upset a 5 and find themselves face to face with an Oklahoma or an Auburn? The athletes would tell stories for years and glory in the sack they got on Cam Newton, the interception of a Darron Thomas pass, scoring a TD on LSU, or almost upsetting Ohio State. That is what makes college sports so great. We see it every year in basketball, but not in football. It's not even an arguable point that the BCS is screwing us out of the chance to find a true national champion. But beyond that, it's screwing these players out of chance to make memories and stories that will last in their family lore forever. Miami (OH) vs. Middle Tennessee State does not do it for them like Miami (OH) vs. MIami (FL) would.
The main reason why I like college football better than the NFL is the fact that most of these kids play for the love of the game, for the chance to make the big play, pull the upset, have a chance to compete for something of value and worth, and to have something to enjoy during the stressful college years. Unfortunately, Bill Hancock makes them play his way because he loves money.
The fact that he has to justify himself over and over again in such adamant, condescending ways clearly proves that the system is broken. Our complaints make for a good start, but it's not enough. Eventually the uprising will be too much that not even a few out-of-context and possibly fake quotes from coaches and players that Bill Hancock throws at us will save his money-grubbing system.
It makes me think of Family Guy when during role call at the signing of the Declaration of Independence we learn that John Hancock's name used to be John Footpenis. Thus we see that in fact, Bill Hancock is a giant dick, regardless of the term for male anatomy that is used in his name.
Showing posts with label BCS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label BCS. Show all posts
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Friday, December 10, 2010
Jim Delany and co. Resort to Empty Threats, Name Calling
"It" has really hit the fan now. Big 10 commissioner and giant egotistical d-bag Jim Delany has finally said what he and the rest of the BCS head honchos have all been thinking for years, and it is exactly what you think it is. The selfish, entitled elitists like him have really dug themselves in deep. Delany's statements are asinine. I was never able to fathom what kind of massive bullcrap is floating around that ugly balding head of his until now. But let's go back to the beginning and set the table for what went down yesterday.
It all started last Sunday, December 5th when the final BCS Rankings were released on ESPN. For some reason Boise State fell from 10th to 11th, swapping places with LSU. Nobody thought much of it because the computer ranking system is as ridiculous as it is convoluted. However, on Monday morning, BCS analyst Jerry Palm discovered an error in one of the computer's formula. Wes Colley didn't include the Appalachian State/Western Illinois playoff game in his rankings and that was enough to put the Tigers ahead of the Broncos. Go ahead and read the story here. Fortunately, Colley is the only one of the 6 computer that makes his formula public. He and BCS director Bill Hancock have since apologized.
First things first; what in the world does a Division 1-AA (FCS) playoff game have to do with the current BCS Rankings? It blows my mind. Add in the fact that whatever happened between Appalachian State and Western Illinois was enough to change the order of the rankings, and you have a problem. What if the erroneous computer scores had put the wrong team in a BCS Bowl? There would me mass hysteria and backlash for Mr. Colley and the BCS system. Also, how do we know the other 5 computers didn't make similar or more egregious mistakes? There's no way to check them because they are kept secret. In other words, the BCS blows and we have just another example why.
Anyway, as we all know, Boise State president Bob Kustra is never short on words. He is always at the front, carrying the "abolish the BCS" flag. Well he lit into Hancock, Colley, and anybody else who would listen about the lack of transparency and honesty in the computer ranking system. He sent a heated e-mail to all conference commissioners saying just that, which you can read here.
I agree with the points that Kustra made in the e-mail, but you knew that his actions and words were just going to escalate things even more, which they did.
Delany's and other conference heads' threats, or ultimatums if you will, can be read here. Here are some excerpts that sum of how he and the rest of the BCS-Conference schools feel;
From Jim Delany:
"The problem is your big stage takes away opportunities for my teams, to play on the stage they created in 1902."
"We gave up the Rose Bowl, the SEC gave up access to the Sugar Bowl, others were included but they never had access to any of this before. You have to understand who brought what to the table. Who's continuing to give and who's continuing to get."
From Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe:
"Don't push it past this because if you push it past this, the Big 12's position is we'll just go back to the old (bowl) system. You're getting the ability to get to places you've never gotten before. We've Jerry-rigged the free market system to the benefit of those institutions and a lot are institutions that don't even fill their stadiums."
Pac 10 commish Larry Scott:
"The six (BCS) conferences have bent over backwards and tried to be politically correct to their own detriment, probably further than they had to, maybe should have."
These are the juiciest parts. At least they finally told us how they really feel. What gives them the right to dictate and decide who is good enough to participate in their prestigious bowl games? Are all schools not playing the same game? It's like all non-AQ schools have leprosy. Basically, Delany and the rest are saying that Boise State, TCU, and Utah are lucky that they even get the scraps off of the big boys' BCS table. Ridiculous. It can only get worse for them. Saying things like this are like sending an open invitation to Congress and other government entities to investigate them even deeper for anti-trust violations.
So I ask; is the BCS a cartel? A corporation? A company? A business? A bunch of arrogant know-it-alls sitting in a room conspiring ways to maximize their financial intake while excluding deserving programs because they see them as inferior? Yes to all! The truth is finally out there straight from the horses' mouth, and it is not pretty.
It all started last Sunday, December 5th when the final BCS Rankings were released on ESPN. For some reason Boise State fell from 10th to 11th, swapping places with LSU. Nobody thought much of it because the computer ranking system is as ridiculous as it is convoluted. However, on Monday morning, BCS analyst Jerry Palm discovered an error in one of the computer's formula. Wes Colley didn't include the Appalachian State/Western Illinois playoff game in his rankings and that was enough to put the Tigers ahead of the Broncos. Go ahead and read the story here. Fortunately, Colley is the only one of the 6 computer that makes his formula public. He and BCS director Bill Hancock have since apologized.
First things first; what in the world does a Division 1-AA (FCS) playoff game have to do with the current BCS Rankings? It blows my mind. Add in the fact that whatever happened between Appalachian State and Western Illinois was enough to change the order of the rankings, and you have a problem. What if the erroneous computer scores had put the wrong team in a BCS Bowl? There would me mass hysteria and backlash for Mr. Colley and the BCS system. Also, how do we know the other 5 computers didn't make similar or more egregious mistakes? There's no way to check them because they are kept secret. In other words, the BCS blows and we have just another example why.
Anyway, as we all know, Boise State president Bob Kustra is never short on words. He is always at the front, carrying the "abolish the BCS" flag. Well he lit into Hancock, Colley, and anybody else who would listen about the lack of transparency and honesty in the computer ranking system. He sent a heated e-mail to all conference commissioners saying just that, which you can read here.
I agree with the points that Kustra made in the e-mail, but you knew that his actions and words were just going to escalate things even more, which they did.
Delany's and other conference heads' threats, or ultimatums if you will, can be read here. Here are some excerpts that sum of how he and the rest of the BCS-Conference schools feel;
From Jim Delany:
"The problem is your big stage takes away opportunities for my teams, to play on the stage they created in 1902."
"We gave up the Rose Bowl, the SEC gave up access to the Sugar Bowl, others were included but they never had access to any of this before. You have to understand who brought what to the table. Who's continuing to give and who's continuing to get."
From Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe:
"Don't push it past this because if you push it past this, the Big 12's position is we'll just go back to the old (bowl) system. You're getting the ability to get to places you've never gotten before. We've Jerry-rigged the free market system to the benefit of those institutions and a lot are institutions that don't even fill their stadiums."
Pac 10 commish Larry Scott:
"The six (BCS) conferences have bent over backwards and tried to be politically correct to their own detriment, probably further than they had to, maybe should have."
These are the juiciest parts. At least they finally told us how they really feel. What gives them the right to dictate and decide who is good enough to participate in their prestigious bowl games? Are all schools not playing the same game? It's like all non-AQ schools have leprosy. Basically, Delany and the rest are saying that Boise State, TCU, and Utah are lucky that they even get the scraps off of the big boys' BCS table. Ridiculous. It can only get worse for them. Saying things like this are like sending an open invitation to Congress and other government entities to investigate them even deeper for anti-trust violations.
So I ask; is the BCS a cartel? A corporation? A company? A business? A bunch of arrogant know-it-alls sitting in a room conspiring ways to maximize their financial intake while excluding deserving programs because they see them as inferior? Yes to all! The truth is finally out there straight from the horses' mouth, and it is not pretty.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Kellen Moore=Heisman Finalist
Was there ever any doubt? I would say no. Especially since he has improved himself and his game extensively since he has come to Boise State. Seriously, it amazes me how good he is. This is a great article about Kellen by obnug's Kevan Lee. I implore you to read it.
Think about his first year, a former two-star recruit leading Boise State into Autzen Stadium, manhandling the Ducks (I hate the Ducks, by the way), going undefeated, and coming so close to beating TCU in the Poinsettia Bowl. He finished with a passer rating of 157.11.
He followed that up with another undefeated regular season, cut his interception total down from 10 down to 3, and avenged the loss to TCU by beating them on a much larger stage in the Fiesta Bowl. His passer rating improved to 161.65. I didn't think that there was any way that he could get better. I was wrong yet again.
Flash forward to the now, Kellen's junior year. He has already shattered the record books for Boise State, and he still has another year in front of him (unless you are Jesse Palmer or Mark May, of course). How does 33 touchdowns to 5 interceptions sound? He has also added another dimension to his game - the quarterback scramble. Sure, it isn't "Cam Newton" pretty, but it gets the job done. Beyond that, he is able to squirm out of would-be sacks game after game and either fire a rocket to Austin Pettis or run down the sideline for 10 yards and a first down. Amazing. At the end of the regular season his passer rating was a staggering 185.04, second only to Cam Newton.
Here are Moore's stats for his career;
97 touchdowns, 18 interceptions (10 came his freshman year), 10,528 yards, sacked 23 times (13 his freshman year), 167.93 passer rating, and a 37-2 record as a starter. That is unbelievable in every definition of the word. But think about this, Kellen is only 6 feet tall and was lightly recruited. He only had offers from Eastern Washington, Idaho, and Boise State. There are quite a few schools in the West that are now kicking themselves repeatedly for missing out on him. Their loss is obviously our gain. I contend, and correct me if you think I am wrong, that there has never been a smarter, more prepared, or more disciplined quarterback to ever play college football. There won't ever be again, either.
But there is more. Each Heisman Trophy candidate/winner has to have something more besides numbers. The Heisman Trust statement says, "The Heisman Memorial Trophy annually recognizes the outstanding college football player whose performance best exhibits the pursuit of excellence with integrity." Integrity, huh? That should disqualify Scam Newton and LaMichael James right off the bat. I don't want to go into detail about either, but you can google plenty of information about both of them.
Anyway, Kellen has more than proved his integrity and excellence both on and off the field. He will graduate next week (it took him just over three years to complete his bachelor's degree) with a communications degree and will stay in school to get his masters. He is also an academic all-American athlete, second team. That's not too shabby.
Think about this as well - Kellen Moore is a dying breed. In a world where a quarterback has to be a dual threat to have success, Moore has excelled in being a pure pocket passer. The only other quarterback in the nation that is even close to that is Andrew Luck. But even then there is plenty of video of Luck running down the field, trucking defenders as he goes. He is more NFL-ready and capable than Moore is, according to the "experts." No, Kellen is in a class of his own. Defensive backs are keyed in on stopping the pass, especially the long ball. Without a running threat taking snaps, they only have to worry about one thing. Yet, Moore always finds a receiver down field that he can get the ball to, even if the receiving window is the approximately the same size as a Big Gulp Slurpee from 7-Eleven. Kellen can fit it in there. How can he just sit back there, picking defenses apart? Aren't quarterbacks supposed to be able to challenge a defense in multiple ways, creating plays, opportunities, and openings with his sheer athletic ability and prowess? Kellen does not. Yet he still dissects defenses with precision and intelligence. It's remarkable.
So let me get this straight. He isn't a prototypical NFL height, weight, and pedigree quarterback (Andrew Luck, Matt Ryan). He's not your super-big, super-fast, dual-threat, freak of an athlete (Cam Newton, Terrelle Pryor, Tryod Taylor). He is his own thing. That alone is his special, intangible something that sets him as unique and qualifies him for winning the trophy. In a college football landscape where defenses, mis-perceived "lack of competition" reigns, and an ever-changing idea of what a quarterback is supposed to be are stacked against him, Kellen Moore defies all odds and rises above and beyond. Will there ever be another player like Moore to grace college football with his presence? The clear and obvious answer is a resounding "no." Kellen is unique. He is one of a kind. He is one in a million. He is every other cliché that you can think of. He is just a regular guy, Someone once said that if you didn't know who Kellen Moore was, you'd think he was the guy that comes over to help you fix your computer. Better yet,
Kellen is Kellen, Dork Assassin, the (reluctant) cool, calm, and collected leader of an amateur athlete rebellion, shattering the mold that recruit rankings, college football elitists, BCS conference schools, NFL scouts, and no-good, dribbling doubters and haters have forced upon the game itself and us as fans of it.
Think about his first year, a former two-star recruit leading Boise State into Autzen Stadium, manhandling the Ducks (I hate the Ducks, by the way), going undefeated, and coming so close to beating TCU in the Poinsettia Bowl. He finished with a passer rating of 157.11.
He followed that up with another undefeated regular season, cut his interception total down from 10 down to 3, and avenged the loss to TCU by beating them on a much larger stage in the Fiesta Bowl. His passer rating improved to 161.65. I didn't think that there was any way that he could get better. I was wrong yet again.
Flash forward to the now, Kellen's junior year. He has already shattered the record books for Boise State, and he still has another year in front of him (unless you are Jesse Palmer or Mark May, of course). How does 33 touchdowns to 5 interceptions sound? He has also added another dimension to his game - the quarterback scramble. Sure, it isn't "Cam Newton" pretty, but it gets the job done. Beyond that, he is able to squirm out of would-be sacks game after game and either fire a rocket to Austin Pettis or run down the sideline for 10 yards and a first down. Amazing. At the end of the regular season his passer rating was a staggering 185.04, second only to Cam Newton.
Here are Moore's stats for his career;
97 touchdowns, 18 interceptions (10 came his freshman year), 10,528 yards, sacked 23 times (13 his freshman year), 167.93 passer rating, and a 37-2 record as a starter. That is unbelievable in every definition of the word. But think about this, Kellen is only 6 feet tall and was lightly recruited. He only had offers from Eastern Washington, Idaho, and Boise State. There are quite a few schools in the West that are now kicking themselves repeatedly for missing out on him. Their loss is obviously our gain. I contend, and correct me if you think I am wrong, that there has never been a smarter, more prepared, or more disciplined quarterback to ever play college football. There won't ever be again, either.
But there is more. Each Heisman Trophy candidate/winner has to have something more besides numbers. The Heisman Trust statement says, "The Heisman Memorial Trophy annually recognizes the outstanding college football player whose performance best exhibits the pursuit of excellence with integrity." Integrity, huh? That should disqualify Scam Newton and LaMichael James right off the bat. I don't want to go into detail about either, but you can google plenty of information about both of them.
Anyway, Kellen has more than proved his integrity and excellence both on and off the field. He will graduate next week (it took him just over three years to complete his bachelor's degree) with a communications degree and will stay in school to get his masters. He is also an academic all-American athlete, second team. That's not too shabby.
Think about this as well - Kellen Moore is a dying breed. In a world where a quarterback has to be a dual threat to have success, Moore has excelled in being a pure pocket passer. The only other quarterback in the nation that is even close to that is Andrew Luck. But even then there is plenty of video of Luck running down the field, trucking defenders as he goes. He is more NFL-ready and capable than Moore is, according to the "experts." No, Kellen is in a class of his own. Defensive backs are keyed in on stopping the pass, especially the long ball. Without a running threat taking snaps, they only have to worry about one thing. Yet, Moore always finds a receiver down field that he can get the ball to, even if the receiving window is the approximately the same size as a Big Gulp Slurpee from 7-Eleven. Kellen can fit it in there. How can he just sit back there, picking defenses apart? Aren't quarterbacks supposed to be able to challenge a defense in multiple ways, creating plays, opportunities, and openings with his sheer athletic ability and prowess? Kellen does not. Yet he still dissects defenses with precision and intelligence. It's remarkable.
So let me get this straight. He isn't a prototypical NFL height, weight, and pedigree quarterback (Andrew Luck, Matt Ryan). He's not your super-big, super-fast, dual-threat, freak of an athlete (Cam Newton, Terrelle Pryor, Tryod Taylor). He is his own thing. That alone is his special, intangible something that sets him as unique and qualifies him for winning the trophy. In a college football landscape where defenses, mis-perceived "lack of competition" reigns, and an ever-changing idea of what a quarterback is supposed to be are stacked against him, Kellen Moore defies all odds and rises above and beyond. Will there ever be another player like Moore to grace college football with his presence? The clear and obvious answer is a resounding "no." Kellen is unique. He is one of a kind. He is one in a million. He is every other cliché that you can think of. He is just a regular guy, Someone once said that if you didn't know who Kellen Moore was, you'd think he was the guy that comes over to help you fix your computer. Better yet,
Kellen is Kellen, Dork Assassin, the (reluctant) cool, calm, and collected leader of an amateur athlete rebellion, shattering the mold that recruit rankings, college football elitists, BCS conference schools, NFL scouts, and no-good, dribbling doubters and haters have forced upon the game itself and us as fans of it.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Cam Newton Ruled Eligible to Play...What?
Word has officially come down from the NCAA that Auburn quarterback Cam Newton is an eligible amateur athlete and can compete for the 1st-ranked Tigers in the SEC Championship game and whatever bowl game they end up playing in. That is good news for Auburn, and even better news for the SEC, which is always looking to maintain their "we are better than everyone else, especially non-AQ teams" egotistical, self-glossed, media-hyped reputation. During the whole period of allegations against and investigation of Newton and his father, I withheld judgment and decided to wait for the NCAA to complete what they were doing. I am fine with their recent decision and I would have been as well had it gone the other way for Cam. With that said, not all is well in the land of college football. Read the Idaho Statesman's story on it here, and I will go ahead and highlight a few parts that I have found to be a little fishy.
From the second paragraph we read:
"The NCAA released its finding in a statement on Wednesday. The college sports governing body had concluded on Monday that a violation of Newton's amateur status had occurred. Auburn quietly declared Newton ineligible on Tuesday and requested his eligibility be reinstated."
Continuing:
"Newton now has been cleared to compete without conditions, after weeks of questions about whether he would be allowed to continue playing."
Wait what? So he's ruled ineligible, Auburn requests it to be reinstated, and 3 seconds later the NCAA says "OK, sounds good. He can play." Just like that, huh? I don't understand. Here is more:
"The NCAA said Auburn and NCAA enforcement staff agreed that Newton's father and an owner of a scouting service worked together to on a pay-for-play scam."
They are aware that this had happened but yet he is still allowed to play?! Sounds pretty absurd to me. Here is the explanation given from Kevin Lennon, NCAA vice president for academic and membership affairs:
"Based on the information available to the reinstatement staff at this time, we do not have sufficient evidence that Cam Newton or anyone from Auburn was aware of this activity, which led to his reinstatement."
Then why even rule him ineligible in the first place? I am flabbergasted! Regardless if he is innocent or not, the NCAA screwed up big time, discrediting themselves as well as college football (even more than it already is with the BCS in place). The NCAA makes obscene amounts of money from the SEC and even more when teams from that conference go to BCS Bowl games. They made sure that was going to continue. Here's the part that kills me, if Auburn wasn't a National Title contender then the hammer would have been dropped big time on Newton. Guaranteed. The conspiracy theorists (you know, the guys who wear tin foil on their heads so that satellite beams can't penetrate their brains and read their thoughts) will chalk it up to an elaborate hoax to keep TCU out of the National Championships. I don't want to take it that far, but the NCAA's decision will keep their own pockets full and maintain the system how it currently is; corrupt.
I'm confused as well Cam.
I wish the best of luck to Cam Newton and his Auburn Tigers against South Carolina this Saturday and then against Oregon in the NC Game (especially against Oregon). While you are out there torching defenses with your powerful arm and quick legs, just know that you have contributed to the defamation of something that we as fans hold dear, something that didn't need any more blemishes on its already mangled reputation.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Broncos Fall Short at Nevada, Pretty Much Give it Away in the Second Half
Ouch, that really hurts. As upset and dejected as I felt last night watching Boise State's BCS Bowl and title hunt go sailing wide right and then wide left of the upright, it is important that we as Bronco fans and supporters look at the big picture of this season and what is to come. The result of the game was unexpected yes, but kudos to Nevada for being up to the task, not backing down, and pulling it out in the end. Life goes on and this football team is only going to get better as the years go by, there is no doubt about that. Let's look at some numbers and see just how bad it was.
Yardage:
......Broncos......Wolfpack
Rushing-145...........269
Passing-348...........259
..Total-493...........528
First Downs:
......Broncos......Wolfpack
........21............28
There really isn't that much more to look at. These stats tell the entire story. Uncharacteristically, Boise State gave up a lot of yards. I mean a lot. That is just ridiculous. The worst part is I can't quite put my finger on what happened. The Broncos had the Wolfpack stuffed the entire first half and were also firing on all cylinders offensively. The second half started and it looked like the teams had switched jerseys. Hats off to Nevada for making adjustments and earning the victory. I still can't believe that the Wolfpack was able to move the ball that easily against what has been a more than stellar Bronco defensive front. It was shocking. What was even more incredible was the fact that Boise State's offense sputtered against the Nevada defense. They were able to get pressure on Moore and make him uncomfortable in the pocket. The offensive line was disappointing in that regard. All of these things make up why Nevada had more yards and more first downs than the Broncos. It's baffling.
What We Learned:
Nevada was confident and it showed. They were not scared to play the Broncos. Credit to Chris Ault for preparing his guys and making the adjustments at half time. Maybe he is a good coach after all. The Wolfpack never flinched as Boise State got out to an early lead but they remained focused. A few hours before the game I told my wife that this game felt a lot like the one at Hawai'i in 2007 when they earned a trip to the Sugar Bowl. It felt like a trap and it sure was.
That was the worst officiated game I have seen in a really long time. By no means is that the reason that Boise State lost, but it made it just that much harder to watch. The punt catch interference call was one of the worst referring decisions I can recall. It was a great play by Boise State. The pass interference against Jamar Taylor was ludicrous, and completely gave the momentum to the Wolfpack. Plus they missed an obvious one against Nevada the next drive where the defender grabbed Titus Young's facemask. Ridiculous. Like I said, the refs didn't lose the game for the Broncos, but it sure made me mad.
Coach Pete and the team are classy as always. Just listen to the post game press conferences. I am seriously glad that he is the coach.
Kyle Brotzman is still the man. How anyone has the audacity to threaten his life is ludicrous. There were reports that his family's house in Meridian was getting phone calls threatening to kill him. I am completely ashamed as a Bronco fan for that. I love Kyle Brotzman. He has been a great player for Boise State since he was a freshman and that does not change now. Blaming the loss on him is ridiculous. He wasn't out there missing tackles and letting Nevada's defense get in Moore's grill all night. Yes, his job is to make field goals and those two were pretty easy ones to make, but the defense and offense shouldn't have put him in that position. Death threats are asinine. How quickly we forget. Remember at the Fiesta Bowl when he did this and everybody fell in love with him?
Areas of Concern:
There are so many. Run defense. It was good all season up until this point. Protecting our quarterback. Special teams. You name it. Mainly in the second half, this was not a good performance for Boise State.
Favorite Play:
It has to be either the Doug Martin screen for an 80-something yard touchdown or the bomb to Titus Young that put the Broncos in field goal range to win the game. Too bad neither mattered in the end.
Thoughts and Tidbits:
This loss was completely deflating for fans. We go from national title contenders to the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl against a crappy 6-6 team probably from the Pac-10 in just one game. Such is the life of college football fans. Kellen is still the man and will be in New York for the Heisman ceremony.
Weekly Player to Watch Recap:
Doug Martin was a complete beast last night. He scored three touchdowns and accounted for 230 total yards, both rushing and receiving. It was beautiful. The Muscle Hamster strikes again!
Perception:
The whole "style points" thing is now over as is the importance of national perception. Still, I think most voters and non-biased mature college football fans will recognize how good of a team Nevada is and that Boise State losing to them is not the biggest shock in the history of the sport. I will be cheering for the Horned Frogs in the Rose Bowl come January 1st! We as Bronco fans need to see the bigger picture. We have been spoiled with a great team and most schools in the nation would be more than happy with a 10-1 (possibly 11-1 or 12-1) season. We can't win all of them. Boise State has established itself as a premier program in the country and nothing will change that. The team will be good for years to come. I see many more BCS Bowls in Boise State's future. I am very proud to be a Bronco fan for the way that our team fought in a tough environment against a good team. The loss is disappointing and sad yes, but it is important to take it for what it is. If you say anything different than you might not be a true fan as it is. I love Boise State and everything the coaches and players stand for. Remember Stephen Kinsey at the Hawai'i game. We still have Utah State and then the bowl game to cheer for. Let's go Broncos!
Photos:
Click here!
Make sure you check back in on Monday for the Weekend Recap!
Yardage:
......Broncos......Wolfpack
Rushing-145...........269
Passing-348...........259
..Total-493...........528
First Downs:
......Broncos......Wolfpack
........21............28
There really isn't that much more to look at. These stats tell the entire story. Uncharacteristically, Boise State gave up a lot of yards. I mean a lot. That is just ridiculous. The worst part is I can't quite put my finger on what happened. The Broncos had the Wolfpack stuffed the entire first half and were also firing on all cylinders offensively. The second half started and it looked like the teams had switched jerseys. Hats off to Nevada for making adjustments and earning the victory. I still can't believe that the Wolfpack was able to move the ball that easily against what has been a more than stellar Bronco defensive front. It was shocking. What was even more incredible was the fact that Boise State's offense sputtered against the Nevada defense. They were able to get pressure on Moore and make him uncomfortable in the pocket. The offensive line was disappointing in that regard. All of these things make up why Nevada had more yards and more first downs than the Broncos. It's baffling.
What We Learned:
Nevada was confident and it showed. They were not scared to play the Broncos. Credit to Chris Ault for preparing his guys and making the adjustments at half time. Maybe he is a good coach after all. The Wolfpack never flinched as Boise State got out to an early lead but they remained focused. A few hours before the game I told my wife that this game felt a lot like the one at Hawai'i in 2007 when they earned a trip to the Sugar Bowl. It felt like a trap and it sure was.
That was the worst officiated game I have seen in a really long time. By no means is that the reason that Boise State lost, but it made it just that much harder to watch. The punt catch interference call was one of the worst referring decisions I can recall. It was a great play by Boise State. The pass interference against Jamar Taylor was ludicrous, and completely gave the momentum to the Wolfpack. Plus they missed an obvious one against Nevada the next drive where the defender grabbed Titus Young's facemask. Ridiculous. Like I said, the refs didn't lose the game for the Broncos, but it sure made me mad.
Coach Pete and the team are classy as always. Just listen to the post game press conferences. I am seriously glad that he is the coach.
Kyle Brotzman is still the man. How anyone has the audacity to threaten his life is ludicrous. There were reports that his family's house in Meridian was getting phone calls threatening to kill him. I am completely ashamed as a Bronco fan for that. I love Kyle Brotzman. He has been a great player for Boise State since he was a freshman and that does not change now. Blaming the loss on him is ridiculous. He wasn't out there missing tackles and letting Nevada's defense get in Moore's grill all night. Yes, his job is to make field goals and those two were pretty easy ones to make, but the defense and offense shouldn't have put him in that position. Death threats are asinine. How quickly we forget. Remember at the Fiesta Bowl when he did this and everybody fell in love with him?
Areas of Concern:
There are so many. Run defense. It was good all season up until this point. Protecting our quarterback. Special teams. You name it. Mainly in the second half, this was not a good performance for Boise State.
Favorite Play:
It has to be either the Doug Martin screen for an 80-something yard touchdown or the bomb to Titus Young that put the Broncos in field goal range to win the game. Too bad neither mattered in the end.
Thoughts and Tidbits:
This loss was completely deflating for fans. We go from national title contenders to the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl against a crappy 6-6 team probably from the Pac-10 in just one game. Such is the life of college football fans. Kellen is still the man and will be in New York for the Heisman ceremony.
Weekly Player to Watch Recap:
Doug Martin was a complete beast last night. He scored three touchdowns and accounted for 230 total yards, both rushing and receiving. It was beautiful. The Muscle Hamster strikes again!
Perception:
The whole "style points" thing is now over as is the importance of national perception. Still, I think most voters and non-biased mature college football fans will recognize how good of a team Nevada is and that Boise State losing to them is not the biggest shock in the history of the sport. I will be cheering for the Horned Frogs in the Rose Bowl come January 1st! We as Bronco fans need to see the bigger picture. We have been spoiled with a great team and most schools in the nation would be more than happy with a 10-1 (possibly 11-1 or 12-1) season. We can't win all of them. Boise State has established itself as a premier program in the country and nothing will change that. The team will be good for years to come. I see many more BCS Bowls in Boise State's future. I am very proud to be a Bronco fan for the way that our team fought in a tough environment against a good team. The loss is disappointing and sad yes, but it is important to take it for what it is. If you say anything different than you might not be a true fan as it is. I love Boise State and everything the coaches and players stand for. Remember Stephen Kinsey at the Hawai'i game. We still have Utah State and then the bowl game to cheer for. Let's go Broncos!
Photos:
Click here!
Make sure you check back in on Monday for the Weekend Recap!
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
A Smorgasbord of Info. for Bronco Fans
Just as the title suggests, today's post is going to be a whole mix of things. I figured it was only appropriate because there is a lot to discuss and only so many days in which I can post. I will itemize each subject and go from there. I know for a fact that I am going to contradict myself, but you will understand why.
Item #1: I feel obliged to start with the scene that went down in Bronco Stadium Saturday afternoon. I already mentioned it in my take on the beat down of the Rainbow Warriors here, but I wanted to go into more detail on it. I was thinking about this over the weekend and these are my thoughts: I am so proud of the team and coaching staff for what they did on Saturday. I mean that sincerely. Stephen Kinsey is a little hero and deserves everything he got and more. When he and Shea McClellin walked out onto the field holding hands, carrying their hammers, it was like everybody in the stadium was watching a Nicholas Sparks movie. Waterworks galore. My eyes were sweating…At least that’s what I told my wife…The performance of the team coupled with Coach Pete’s treatment of the Kinsey family made me so proud to be a Bronco. At some point I may get back to my proactive BCS-hating ways, but right now I do not care. If you could tell me of a coach or a team that would do what Petersen and the Broncos did, you would be making it up. Bronco Nation is amazing, and it all starts with the coach. The BCS can have their fun this year, we all know who the real winners are. Take a look at Bronco-loved Pat Forde's perspective on Coach Pete and the team. It is really touching in so many ways. Pete is known for not trying to make a statement or earn "style points" when his team plays. Forde explains why it makes sense that he is how he is. Seriously, I was crying when I saw Kinsey and McClellin come onto the field, and then again when I read about it the next day. For a moment in time, I was able to see what is important in life, forget this garbage about the BCS, and enjoy myself on a surprisingly sunny Saturday in Boise. I am a big baby sometimes, and this was one of those times. If we could strive to be like Chris Petersen, not just with our actions but in our thoughts as well, we would be better fans and enjoy the game more. It was indeed a needed break from the BCS madness.
Item #2: With that said, I now wish to harp on the BCS (I told you I was going to contradict myself. But hey, the Stephen Kinsey-induced euphoria can only last so long, right?). Start by reading Brian Murphy's take on TCU jumping BSU in the polls and BCS Rankings. It is a really good article. These two teams are so close in talent, coaching, offensive and defensive production, and skill, that it is so hard to determine who should be ranked higher. All that you have to help you make a decision is who they played against, common opponents, and strength of schedule. Boise State's is ranked 78th and TCU's is 85th. Boise State's marquee win was over Virginia Tech, who currently sits 20th in the BCS Standings. TCU's signature win was against an extremely overrated Utah team (strength of schedule; 99th), who now sits at 14th. As long as the Hokies keep winning, they will be in the top 10 and at BCS Bowl by the end of the season. Utah will lose at Notre Dame. Boise State also beat a red hot Hawaii team, and will still face a tough Fresno State squad as well as a ranked Nevada unit. TCU plays nobody for their last two games. With that said, there is still plenty of time and the possibility for the Broncos to pass the Horned Frogs in the Rankings. Time will tell. My main gripe is the voters. With as close as these teams are, how in the world can the Frogs be getting that much more love than Boise State? The difference in respect is astounding and ridiculous at the same time. Boise State beat them last year. You can and have to use last year's results. Everything that happens this year is based on it. Boise State has a lot of ground to make up on TCU, biased voters are not going to help. In the bitter end, the Broncos could be left out of a BCS Bowl Game, which would be ridiculous. Come on voters! Get over yourselves! As far as common opponents, there are two; Oregon State and Wyoming. Boise State was more dominant over the Beavers than TCU was, beating them by a larger margin. They also dismantled Wyoming on the road, not allowing a point to be scored and held the Cowboys to negative rushing yards. The Horned Frogs beat them at home by the same margin, but allowed Wyoming to score. It is important to point out that the Cowboys were without their starting quarterback against TCU. Without this, how else could you compare the teams? Boise State was more impressive against them, but yet again the voters do not care. Insanity.
Item #3: I received a comment on "Boise State's Nice List" from Raul. He was wondering why Andrea Adleson wasn't on there. In all honesty, I had never heard of her before then. But as a blogger aspiring to be a journalist, I did my due diligence and researched everything I could about Mrs. Adelson. I found that she is very supportive of the non-AQ schools, including Boise State. The most interesting piece I found from her is actually a conversation she had with Mark Schlabach. In it they debate the merits of these schools. Check it out here and see for yourself. She definitely belongs on the Nice List, so thank you very much Raul. I would put her at number three, bumping the former numbers 4 through 8 back one spot. She is that high because of how enthusiastic she is with her non-AQ supporting position. I will now pay plenty of attention to what Andrea Adelson does. It feels good to have another one on our side.
That is all I have for today. Thanks again to Raul for commenting and contributing to this blog. I hope there is a lot more from him as well as everyone else that reads. As a farewell and in honor of the rivalry game that will go down on Friday, enjoy this picture! I saw it in person at Bronco Stadium three years ago! Check back in tomorrow for more!
Item #1: I feel obliged to start with the scene that went down in Bronco Stadium Saturday afternoon. I already mentioned it in my take on the beat down of the Rainbow Warriors here, but I wanted to go into more detail on it. I was thinking about this over the weekend and these are my thoughts: I am so proud of the team and coaching staff for what they did on Saturday. I mean that sincerely. Stephen Kinsey is a little hero and deserves everything he got and more. When he and Shea McClellin walked out onto the field holding hands, carrying their hammers, it was like everybody in the stadium was watching a Nicholas Sparks movie. Waterworks galore. My eyes were sweating…At least that’s what I told my wife…The performance of the team coupled with Coach Pete’s treatment of the Kinsey family made me so proud to be a Bronco. At some point I may get back to my proactive BCS-hating ways, but right now I do not care. If you could tell me of a coach or a team that would do what Petersen and the Broncos did, you would be making it up. Bronco Nation is amazing, and it all starts with the coach. The BCS can have their fun this year, we all know who the real winners are. Take a look at Bronco-loved Pat Forde's perspective on Coach Pete and the team. It is really touching in so many ways. Pete is known for not trying to make a statement or earn "style points" when his team plays. Forde explains why it makes sense that he is how he is. Seriously, I was crying when I saw Kinsey and McClellin come onto the field, and then again when I read about it the next day. For a moment in time, I was able to see what is important in life, forget this garbage about the BCS, and enjoy myself on a surprisingly sunny Saturday in Boise. I am a big baby sometimes, and this was one of those times. If we could strive to be like Chris Petersen, not just with our actions but in our thoughts as well, we would be better fans and enjoy the game more. It was indeed a needed break from the BCS madness.
Item #2: With that said, I now wish to harp on the BCS (I told you I was going to contradict myself. But hey, the Stephen Kinsey-induced euphoria can only last so long, right?). Start by reading Brian Murphy's take on TCU jumping BSU in the polls and BCS Rankings. It is a really good article. These two teams are so close in talent, coaching, offensive and defensive production, and skill, that it is so hard to determine who should be ranked higher. All that you have to help you make a decision is who they played against, common opponents, and strength of schedule. Boise State's is ranked 78th and TCU's is 85th. Boise State's marquee win was over Virginia Tech, who currently sits 20th in the BCS Standings. TCU's signature win was against an extremely overrated Utah team (strength of schedule; 99th), who now sits at 14th. As long as the Hokies keep winning, they will be in the top 10 and at BCS Bowl by the end of the season. Utah will lose at Notre Dame. Boise State also beat a red hot Hawaii team, and will still face a tough Fresno State squad as well as a ranked Nevada unit. TCU plays nobody for their last two games. With that said, there is still plenty of time and the possibility for the Broncos to pass the Horned Frogs in the Rankings. Time will tell. My main gripe is the voters. With as close as these teams are, how in the world can the Frogs be getting that much more love than Boise State? The difference in respect is astounding and ridiculous at the same time. Boise State beat them last year. You can and have to use last year's results. Everything that happens this year is based on it. Boise State has a lot of ground to make up on TCU, biased voters are not going to help. In the bitter end, the Broncos could be left out of a BCS Bowl Game, which would be ridiculous. Come on voters! Get over yourselves! As far as common opponents, there are two; Oregon State and Wyoming. Boise State was more dominant over the Beavers than TCU was, beating them by a larger margin. They also dismantled Wyoming on the road, not allowing a point to be scored and held the Cowboys to negative rushing yards. The Horned Frogs beat them at home by the same margin, but allowed Wyoming to score. It is important to point out that the Cowboys were without their starting quarterback against TCU. Without this, how else could you compare the teams? Boise State was more impressive against them, but yet again the voters do not care. Insanity.
Item #3: I received a comment on "Boise State's Nice List" from Raul. He was wondering why Andrea Adleson wasn't on there. In all honesty, I had never heard of her before then. But as a blogger aspiring to be a journalist, I did my due diligence and researched everything I could about Mrs. Adelson. I found that she is very supportive of the non-AQ schools, including Boise State. The most interesting piece I found from her is actually a conversation she had with Mark Schlabach. In it they debate the merits of these schools. Check it out here and see for yourself. She definitely belongs on the Nice List, so thank you very much Raul. I would put her at number three, bumping the former numbers 4 through 8 back one spot. She is that high because of how enthusiastic she is with her non-AQ supporting position. I will now pay plenty of attention to what Andrea Adelson does. It feels good to have another one on our side.
That is all I have for today. Thanks again to Raul for commenting and contributing to this blog. I hope there is a lot more from him as well as everyone else that reads. As a farewell and in honor of the rivalry game that will go down on Friday, enjoy this picture! I saw it in person at Bronco Stadium three years ago! Check back in tomorrow for more!
Monday, November 1, 2010
Boise State's Naughty List
So, as the season continues along past the half way mark, Boise State's current bowl outlook is as murky as it ever was. Hawai'i has already accepted an invite to the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl, and with TCU jumping the Broncos in the BCS Standings, there are still plenty of possibilities as to where they will end up playing. These possibilities range from the Humanitarian Bowl to the National Championship, along with multiple teams that could end up being their opponents. There are many groups, individuals, teams, and entities that are doing their best to keep the Broncos in the worst bowl game against the worst team possible. In the spirit of Christmas, I have decided to make a "Naughty List" of these evil people. Boise State fans loathe them and I will provide an explanation for each. They are in order of their evilness, level of Bronco hatred towards them, and their state of suckiness. In no way am I making this personal (unless I state that it is personal). I just want everybody to know where they stand and how terrible they are. Enjoy!
8.
Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors
The team that came out of nowhere has evolved into a force to be reckoned with. The same can be said for their suddenly stingy defense. They feasted on Idaho turnovers and converted them into short-field scores. The Rainbow Warriors come into Saturday's game at Bronco Stadium with their high-flying, pass-happy offense, boasting a 5-0 WAC record and are at 7-2 overall, only losing to USC on opening night and a tough game at high-altitude Colorado. They will do their best to take out Boise State. If they do, they will most likely win the WAC championship and will definitely knock the Broncos out of National Championship and BCS Bowl discussions. Guess who the last WAC team to beat Boise State was? Yep, the Rainbow Warriors. This is why we, as Bronco fans, hate you Hawai'i. Please lose on Saturday.
7.
Utah Utes
The most over-rated team in the country is now a legitimate threat to jump Boise State in the BCS Rankings. How in the world are they ranked 5th in the country? Suddenly we see them right right behind us as their showdown with 3rd ranked TCU comes to a TV near you in just a few days. The winner will be looking good in the eyes of the computers and voters. Somehow Boise State fans hope that they can beat the Horned Frogs and yet lose to BYU (I don't see the latter happening). The Utes have not played anybody remotely close to being a decent team yet and still they find themselves high enough in the rankings to be considered National Championship contenders. This is why we, as Bronco fans, hate you Utah. Is there anyway both teams can lose?
6.
TCU Horned Frogs
It seems like we just can't get away from the purple clad folks from Fort Worth. Two years in a row as bowl opponents and then they jump us in the BCS rankings. Analyst Jerry Palm does not expect it to stay like that, but we just can't shake them. Their game with Utah on Saturday is huge for many programs nationally, including the Broncos. We beat them last year, how can they be ahead of us when they are essentially the same two teams? Don't tell me that you can't use results from last year to decide how things will be this year. The whole rankings, especially preseason, are based on last year. If they win out, they could get a spot in a BCS Bowl ahead of Boise State, just like last year. This is why we, as Bronco fans, hate you TCU. My head hurts...
5.
Voters
The reason why poll voters aren't higher on the list is because they are at least still keeping the Broncos in the picture. Still, jumping Oregon over Boise State was a travesty for which I will have a very hard time forgiving them. The same thing I said about TCU applies to the Ducks. Boise State moved from 2nd to 3rd in the coaches poll for blowing out an opponent. What would happen if they played a somewhat close game? It seems that no matter what, the voters will do their best to keep us just out of reach of the NC game. Thais is why we, as Bronco fans, hate you voters. Your bias is insulting.
4.
Oregon Ducks
They are a great team, there is no doubt. But something about them just rubs me the wrong way. It probably has a lot to do with how arrogant and condescending Chip Kelley is as he attempts to compensate for his lack of manhood. We know you are a great squad, but don't run up the score as you look around, making sure the nation sees how many points you can throw down in a game that was decided two quarters ago. A quote from Mr. Kelley after the USC game; "I'm not into messages, just winning." Right. You're a d-bag. Once they play somebody with a decent defense on the road I think they might be given a run for their money. Meanwhile their ridiculously pompous fans continue to gloat and also wave their "six-footers" around the message boards and blogs. The Ducks are in the driver's seat to play for the crystal football come January 10th. The fan reaction would be hideously egotistical and unbearable. This is why we, as Bronco fans, hate you Oregon Ducks. Please lose and go back to where you belong in the polls.
3.
Craig James
This one is personal. I googled his name in Google Images and a whole bunch of pictures of James Bond came up. How inaccurate and ironic is that? Somehow a wimpy, annoying, and butt-ugly loser from Jacksonville, Texas become a self-glossed voice of reason and elitism? Probably the same way his tool of a son single-handedly got Mike Leach fired from Texas Tech for allegedly locking him in a shed when he was concussed. Apparently, d-bagness runs in the family. He constantly gives Boise State its lowest ranked vote and then does nothing but trash them on ESPN in the rudest, most egotistical way that he possibly can. Good thing he thinks he's way more influential than he really is. Still, being on ESPN carries some weight and he could hurt the Broncos' chances of getting to the National Championship. This is why we, as Broncos fans, hate you Craig James. Please somehow get seriously maimed with at least permanent damage to your vocal chords.
2.
Mark May
This one is also personal. I'm not sure what he is doing in this picture, but it is similar to what he does to the head honchos who run the BCS system. If you were to poll Boise State fans and ask them who is the most anti-Bronco, hated, elitist, and rude d-bag of them all, Mark May would win hands down. It wouldn't even be close. When it comes to keeping the little guy down and stomping on his face with an elitist, egotistical boot, MayDay is leading the way. Whether he is demeaning any accomplishment that Boise State achieves or having an huge "O" in his pants over the SEC, everything he does, lives for, or says is an attack on Boise State. It makes it worse that he is teamed up with perma-lisp grandpa Lou Holtz, who actually tries to defend the Broncos. May just demeans him as well. It's like he's picking on your grandfather, kicking your puppy, and making inappropriate advances at your mother all at the same time when he talks. He is that bad. If ever there was a time when I contemplated suicide it was when Mark May and Craig James both appeared on my television set at the same time. I'm surprised May's massive ego-laden head fits on camera by itself. He has much more influence than James does, and his anti-Boise State lifestyle is enough to sway many people and voters away from the Boys in Blue. This is why we, as Bronco fans, hate you Mark May. You're lucky we don't know where you live.
1.
The BCS Rankings/Computers
Again, this is very personal. The only reason that the BCS takes number in my Naughty List is because it is comprehensive of many of the things that have already been discussed, but also has its own set of terrible qualities that make it even worse. It's like the worst traits usually spread out amongst many people combined into one hideous conglomerate of blinding horror. As I have mentioned many times, it was created as a way to benefit the power conferences and traditional schools, something that is plainly evident today, even as upstart programs are becoming as good or better than said traditional power universities. It involves computer rankings that rate strength of schedule, opponents' strength of schedule, oponents' oponents' strength of schedule (etc.), conference status and rank, how hot the girls at the school are, and how many students like Neapolitan ice cream (I may have made up the last two). All of this combined creates some ludicrous formula that spits out numbers that rank the teams. It's retarded, I know. But it is all part of a system that somehow decides who will play for the National Championship. I found this comic and it is so true about the BCS and how it is now;
Gross, huh? With a combination of voters, computer rankings (which are as ridiculous as a palm tree in Minnesota), big conference bias, elitist trustees, and absolutely no involvement from the NCAA, somehow schools are ranked and rated. It is a beauty contest in which schools from the WAC and Mountain West have absolutely no shot of winning. In every possible way that those in charge can come up with, non-AQ schools are left out in the cold week in and week out. They will be jumped by less-deserving "power conference" schools left and right. Boise State, TCU, and Utah are constantly getting screwed. For this reason we, as Broncos fans, hate you BCS Rankings/Computers. You are as outdated as my 1992 Plymouth Acclaim. We hate you.
8.
Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors
The team that came out of nowhere has evolved into a force to be reckoned with. The same can be said for their suddenly stingy defense. They feasted on Idaho turnovers and converted them into short-field scores. The Rainbow Warriors come into Saturday's game at Bronco Stadium with their high-flying, pass-happy offense, boasting a 5-0 WAC record and are at 7-2 overall, only losing to USC on opening night and a tough game at high-altitude Colorado. They will do their best to take out Boise State. If they do, they will most likely win the WAC championship and will definitely knock the Broncos out of National Championship and BCS Bowl discussions. Guess who the last WAC team to beat Boise State was? Yep, the Rainbow Warriors. This is why we, as Bronco fans, hate you Hawai'i. Please lose on Saturday.
7.
Utah Utes
The most over-rated team in the country is now a legitimate threat to jump Boise State in the BCS Rankings. How in the world are they ranked 5th in the country? Suddenly we see them right right behind us as their showdown with 3rd ranked TCU comes to a TV near you in just a few days. The winner will be looking good in the eyes of the computers and voters. Somehow Boise State fans hope that they can beat the Horned Frogs and yet lose to BYU (I don't see the latter happening). The Utes have not played anybody remotely close to being a decent team yet and still they find themselves high enough in the rankings to be considered National Championship contenders. This is why we, as Bronco fans, hate you Utah. Is there anyway both teams can lose?
6.
TCU Horned Frogs
It seems like we just can't get away from the purple clad folks from Fort Worth. Two years in a row as bowl opponents and then they jump us in the BCS rankings. Analyst Jerry Palm does not expect it to stay like that, but we just can't shake them. Their game with Utah on Saturday is huge for many programs nationally, including the Broncos. We beat them last year, how can they be ahead of us when they are essentially the same two teams? Don't tell me that you can't use results from last year to decide how things will be this year. The whole rankings, especially preseason, are based on last year. If they win out, they could get a spot in a BCS Bowl ahead of Boise State, just like last year. This is why we, as Bronco fans, hate you TCU. My head hurts...
5.
Voters
The reason why poll voters aren't higher on the list is because they are at least still keeping the Broncos in the picture. Still, jumping Oregon over Boise State was a travesty for which I will have a very hard time forgiving them. The same thing I said about TCU applies to the Ducks. Boise State moved from 2nd to 3rd in the coaches poll for blowing out an opponent. What would happen if they played a somewhat close game? It seems that no matter what, the voters will do their best to keep us just out of reach of the NC game. Thais is why we, as Bronco fans, hate you voters. Your bias is insulting.
4.
Oregon Ducks
They are a great team, there is no doubt. But something about them just rubs me the wrong way. It probably has a lot to do with how arrogant and condescending Chip Kelley is as he attempts to compensate for his lack of manhood. We know you are a great squad, but don't run up the score as you look around, making sure the nation sees how many points you can throw down in a game that was decided two quarters ago. A quote from Mr. Kelley after the USC game; "I'm not into messages, just winning." Right. You're a d-bag. Once they play somebody with a decent defense on the road I think they might be given a run for their money. Meanwhile their ridiculously pompous fans continue to gloat and also wave their "six-footers" around the message boards and blogs. The Ducks are in the driver's seat to play for the crystal football come January 10th. The fan reaction would be hideously egotistical and unbearable. This is why we, as Bronco fans, hate you Oregon Ducks. Please lose and go back to where you belong in the polls.
3.
Craig James
This one is personal. I googled his name in Google Images and a whole bunch of pictures of James Bond came up. How inaccurate and ironic is that? Somehow a wimpy, annoying, and butt-ugly loser from Jacksonville, Texas become a self-glossed voice of reason and elitism? Probably the same way his tool of a son single-handedly got Mike Leach fired from Texas Tech for allegedly locking him in a shed when he was concussed. Apparently, d-bagness runs in the family. He constantly gives Boise State its lowest ranked vote and then does nothing but trash them on ESPN in the rudest, most egotistical way that he possibly can. Good thing he thinks he's way more influential than he really is. Still, being on ESPN carries some weight and he could hurt the Broncos' chances of getting to the National Championship. This is why we, as Broncos fans, hate you Craig James. Please somehow get seriously maimed with at least permanent damage to your vocal chords.
2.
Mark May
This one is also personal. I'm not sure what he is doing in this picture, but it is similar to what he does to the head honchos who run the BCS system. If you were to poll Boise State fans and ask them who is the most anti-Bronco, hated, elitist, and rude d-bag of them all, Mark May would win hands down. It wouldn't even be close. When it comes to keeping the little guy down and stomping on his face with an elitist, egotistical boot, MayDay is leading the way. Whether he is demeaning any accomplishment that Boise State achieves or having an huge "O" in his pants over the SEC, everything he does, lives for, or says is an attack on Boise State. It makes it worse that he is teamed up with perma-lisp grandpa Lou Holtz, who actually tries to defend the Broncos. May just demeans him as well. It's like he's picking on your grandfather, kicking your puppy, and making inappropriate advances at your mother all at the same time when he talks. He is that bad. If ever there was a time when I contemplated suicide it was when Mark May and Craig James both appeared on my television set at the same time. I'm surprised May's massive ego-laden head fits on camera by itself. He has much more influence than James does, and his anti-Boise State lifestyle is enough to sway many people and voters away from the Boys in Blue. This is why we, as Bronco fans, hate you Mark May. You're lucky we don't know where you live.
1.
The BCS Rankings/Computers
Again, this is very personal. The only reason that the BCS takes number in my Naughty List is because it is comprehensive of many of the things that have already been discussed, but also has its own set of terrible qualities that make it even worse. It's like the worst traits usually spread out amongst many people combined into one hideous conglomerate of blinding horror. As I have mentioned many times, it was created as a way to benefit the power conferences and traditional schools, something that is plainly evident today, even as upstart programs are becoming as good or better than said traditional power universities. It involves computer rankings that rate strength of schedule, opponents' strength of schedule, oponents' oponents' strength of schedule (etc.), conference status and rank, how hot the girls at the school are, and how many students like Neapolitan ice cream (I may have made up the last two). All of this combined creates some ludicrous formula that spits out numbers that rank the teams. It's retarded, I know. But it is all part of a system that somehow decides who will play for the National Championship. I found this comic and it is so true about the BCS and how it is now;
Gross, huh? With a combination of voters, computer rankings (which are as ridiculous as a palm tree in Minnesota), big conference bias, elitist trustees, and absolutely no involvement from the NCAA, somehow schools are ranked and rated. It is a beauty contest in which schools from the WAC and Mountain West have absolutely no shot of winning. In every possible way that those in charge can come up with, non-AQ schools are left out in the cold week in and week out. They will be jumped by less-deserving "power conference" schools left and right. Boise State, TCU, and Utah are constantly getting screwed. For this reason we, as Broncos fans, hate you BCS Rankings/Computers. You are as outdated as my 1992 Plymouth Acclaim. We hate you.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Broncos Earn Gritty Win Over the LA Tech Bulldogs
Everything about this game felt weird. It was a Tuesday night in Boise, Idaho, freezing cold, and the starters had not played a complete game in a month. Couple that with the fact that Louisiana Tech had finally found itself offensively and you have a recipe for a sloppy, closer than it probably should have been contest. In the end and without playing anything close to their best game, Boise State was able to come out on top and still win by 29 points. It was definitely hard to watch at times, but we will take the "W." Let's look at some numbers and go from there. A few of them are a little surprising, you will see.
Yardage:
......Broncos......Bulldogs
Rushing-163..........172
Passing-305..........222
..Total-468..........394
Rushing attempts:
......Broncos......Bulldogs
........36............49
First Downs:
......Broncos......Bulldogs
........21............25
Yards per pass:
......Broncos......Bulldogs
.......10.5..........5.6
Fourth down conversions:
......Broncos......Bulldogs
........1-1..........3-7
Penalties-Yardage:
......Broncos......Bulldogs
.......3-21..........5-45
It's weird to see that Boise State was outgained in rushing yards, as that has been the strong point of the defense this year. Tech running back Lennon Creer is a beast, to say the least, and deserves a lot of credit. He was very physical throughout the night and his high rushing total (149 yards) can be attributed to that (remember, he transferred from Tennessee. He has talent, there is no question). But you also must realize that it took LA Tech 49 attempts to gain those 172 yards on the ground. Also, the Bulldogs played very fast, not wasting any time between snaps, and mixed up their play selections very well. I think that had more to do with the rushing total than anything. They had Boise State guessing for 2 quarters of the game or so. As you would guess, Boise State was able to pass for more yards than Louisiana Tech. That is great to see, especially since they put up 422 yards through the air against Idaho in their last game. It was great to see the Broncos stiffen up and stop the Bulldogs when it mattered, especially in the red zone and in fourth down situations, hence the 3 for 7 4th down conversion stat. Boise State will need to do much of the same against Hawai'i in their next game. My favorite stat is the number of penalties. Boise State finally cut down on those. It has gotten better this season as you can see.
What We Learned:
Louisiana Tech is the best WAC team that Boise State has played. I'm not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing. Even with the sloppiness and mistakes, they still won by 29 points. It was also a good warm up for the teams to come (Hawai'i, Nevada). The Bulldogs will be a very tough team in a few years once Sonny Dykes can get his type of players in. Too bad Boise State won't be in the WAC to see it (who knows if LA Tech will be in this conference either).
Kellen Moore might actually be human, maybe. He did throw an interception for the first time since the Wyoming game (it's still only his second one this year), but he did have a beautiful pooch punt, tackled somebody, and caught a touchdown pass from Austin Pettis. So, I guess he's still not human. He is so freaking good! Give him the Heisman now!
Sonny Dykes needs to chill out. I cannot believe that a large, southern man could get as upset as he did about an offsides call on an onside kick, especially when his player was clearly past the ball before it was kicked. In other words, he was offsides. Dykes (he, he...Dykes) will be eating some crow when he sees the tape on that one. He even got a flag for unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for screaming at the referees about it, which I'm sure was laced with every kind of profanity and inappropriate slur known to mankind. Good times...
Doug Martin is amazing, especially when he gets to play a full game. How does 150 yards on 21 carries sound? That is an eye-popping 7.1 yards per carry! It's nice to see him trucking fools as he carries the rock up the middle. He broke out on some huge runs and scored 2 touchdowns along the way. He is great for eating up clock when protecting a lead. Plus he is just fun to watch. By they way, the muscle hamster thing needs to go away. They even mentioned it a few times last night. Time to move on...
Even on an imperfect night, the Broncos still dominate. Titus Young fumbled a kick off, Kellen Moore threw an interception and fell down on a hand off (which was also fumbled), and Jeremy Avery fumbled a wildcat snap. But through all that, Boise State still won by 29 (as I have mentioned). They also converted two of those fumbles into immediate touchdowns. The game was never really in doubt, either. Time to continue the rest of the WAC farewell tour. Bring 'em on!
Areas of Concern:
Injuries; I know there is nothing Boise State can do about it but Brandyn Thompson, Kyle Brotzman, Aaron Tevis, Cedric Febis, Jeron Johnson, Chase Baker, and Joe Kellogg all either did not play due to injuries or left the game because of injuries. The Broncos will need all of them to be healthy in order to compete the best that they can as the schedule gets a bit tougher. Kicking game; Kyle Brotzman being out had a lot to do with it, but a missed field goal and some bad kickoffs is something that needs to be fixed. I would have thought by now the kickoffs would have gotten better, but they really haven't. The secondary; They played well, but a couple of lapses and mistakes led to points for Louisiana Tech. Hawai'i comes in next week for a huge showdown. Other than that, they played well.
Favorite Play:
Is there any doubt what I am going to pick? Kellen Moore takes the snap in the shotgun. He turns to the left and tosses the ball to Jeremy Avery who proceeds to run to the left side of the field. Coming the other way is Austin Pettis who gets the pitch from Avery. As Pettis runs to the right side in what appears to be a straight up reverse run, he holds up and tosses the ball toward the end zone. Standing there to receive the pass is a wide open Kellen Moore. Touchdown Broncos! That's right, Pettis to Moore! It's usually the other way around! I knew it was just a matter of time before Moore caught a pass, and it was beautiful! Let's see some more of that!
Thoughts and Tidbits:
Boise State had scored on every single opening drive of the season until last night. Jimmy Pavel missed a field goal on the Broncos first possession to end the streak. Tyler Shoemaker had a career night catching 6 passes for 124 yards and a touchdown. Boise State did not sell out the stadium as the student section had a lot of empty seats. A lot of that can be contributed to fact that it was a Tuesday night and it was really cold.
Weekly Player to Watch Recap:
Austin Pettis had a great game. He caught 5 passes for 55 yards and a touchdown. It was his first TD since the Oregon State game. He also threw a touchdown pass to quarterback Kellen Moore on what is sure to be a play that goes down as a legendary tale in Boise State history, and will also cause headaches for future opponents' defensive coordinators to try and defend. It was great to see him (as well as the rest of the starters) play a complete game. Pettis is the man. Get used to it.
Perception:
We are at the point now when no matter what Boise State does, it is not going to make a difference as far as perception goes. Whether or not the Broncos end up in the National Championship game will depend on what happens with the other top teams in the nation. Oregon, Auburn, Alabama (still), Oklahoma (still), Missouri, TCU, and Utah will have a lot of say in determining where Boise State ends up. They could get passed in the polls and BCS Rankings by one or all of them, depending on who wins and who loses. The winner of the TCU vs. Utah game has a great chance of leap-frogging them (frog pun intended). Let's just hope Utah loses to Air Force or BYU but also somehow beats TCU. No matter who loses nationally, the BCS and the pollsters will surely be looking for and probably find a reason to not move Boise State up to number 1 or 2. That sucks, but that's how it is. As I have said multiple times and will continue to say, a lot has to happen for the Broncos to be in the NC Game. It has to be a perfect storm of unforeseen chaos. Time will tell. For now, let's enjoy the weekend's action and root for USC, Nebraska, Iowa, Hawai'i, and Nevada!
Photos:
I love idahostatesman.com. Thanks again for the photos. They sure take some good ones!
Check back in tomorrow for something. I haven't decided what it will be yet. Go Broncos!
Yardage:
......Broncos......Bulldogs
Rushing-163..........172
Passing-305..........222
..Total-468..........394
Rushing attempts:
......Broncos......Bulldogs
........36............49
First Downs:
......Broncos......Bulldogs
........21............25
Yards per pass:
......Broncos......Bulldogs
.......10.5..........5.6
Fourth down conversions:
......Broncos......Bulldogs
........1-1..........3-7
Penalties-Yardage:
......Broncos......Bulldogs
.......3-21..........5-45
It's weird to see that Boise State was outgained in rushing yards, as that has been the strong point of the defense this year. Tech running back Lennon Creer is a beast, to say the least, and deserves a lot of credit. He was very physical throughout the night and his high rushing total (149 yards) can be attributed to that (remember, he transferred from Tennessee. He has talent, there is no question). But you also must realize that it took LA Tech 49 attempts to gain those 172 yards on the ground. Also, the Bulldogs played very fast, not wasting any time between snaps, and mixed up their play selections very well. I think that had more to do with the rushing total than anything. They had Boise State guessing for 2 quarters of the game or so. As you would guess, Boise State was able to pass for more yards than Louisiana Tech. That is great to see, especially since they put up 422 yards through the air against Idaho in their last game. It was great to see the Broncos stiffen up and stop the Bulldogs when it mattered, especially in the red zone and in fourth down situations, hence the 3 for 7 4th down conversion stat. Boise State will need to do much of the same against Hawai'i in their next game. My favorite stat is the number of penalties. Boise State finally cut down on those. It has gotten better this season as you can see.
What We Learned:
Louisiana Tech is the best WAC team that Boise State has played. I'm not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing. Even with the sloppiness and mistakes, they still won by 29 points. It was also a good warm up for the teams to come (Hawai'i, Nevada). The Bulldogs will be a very tough team in a few years once Sonny Dykes can get his type of players in. Too bad Boise State won't be in the WAC to see it (who knows if LA Tech will be in this conference either).
Kellen Moore might actually be human, maybe. He did throw an interception for the first time since the Wyoming game (it's still only his second one this year), but he did have a beautiful pooch punt, tackled somebody, and caught a touchdown pass from Austin Pettis. So, I guess he's still not human. He is so freaking good! Give him the Heisman now!
Sonny Dykes needs to chill out. I cannot believe that a large, southern man could get as upset as he did about an offsides call on an onside kick, especially when his player was clearly past the ball before it was kicked. In other words, he was offsides. Dykes (he, he...Dykes) will be eating some crow when he sees the tape on that one. He even got a flag for unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for screaming at the referees about it, which I'm sure was laced with every kind of profanity and inappropriate slur known to mankind. Good times...
Doug Martin is amazing, especially when he gets to play a full game. How does 150 yards on 21 carries sound? That is an eye-popping 7.1 yards per carry! It's nice to see him trucking fools as he carries the rock up the middle. He broke out on some huge runs and scored 2 touchdowns along the way. He is great for eating up clock when protecting a lead. Plus he is just fun to watch. By they way, the muscle hamster thing needs to go away. They even mentioned it a few times last night. Time to move on...
Even on an imperfect night, the Broncos still dominate. Titus Young fumbled a kick off, Kellen Moore threw an interception and fell down on a hand off (which was also fumbled), and Jeremy Avery fumbled a wildcat snap. But through all that, Boise State still won by 29 (as I have mentioned). They also converted two of those fumbles into immediate touchdowns. The game was never really in doubt, either. Time to continue the rest of the WAC farewell tour. Bring 'em on!
Areas of Concern:
Injuries; I know there is nothing Boise State can do about it but Brandyn Thompson, Kyle Brotzman, Aaron Tevis, Cedric Febis, Jeron Johnson, Chase Baker, and Joe Kellogg all either did not play due to injuries or left the game because of injuries. The Broncos will need all of them to be healthy in order to compete the best that they can as the schedule gets a bit tougher. Kicking game; Kyle Brotzman being out had a lot to do with it, but a missed field goal and some bad kickoffs is something that needs to be fixed. I would have thought by now the kickoffs would have gotten better, but they really haven't. The secondary; They played well, but a couple of lapses and mistakes led to points for Louisiana Tech. Hawai'i comes in next week for a huge showdown. Other than that, they played well.
Favorite Play:
Is there any doubt what I am going to pick? Kellen Moore takes the snap in the shotgun. He turns to the left and tosses the ball to Jeremy Avery who proceeds to run to the left side of the field. Coming the other way is Austin Pettis who gets the pitch from Avery. As Pettis runs to the right side in what appears to be a straight up reverse run, he holds up and tosses the ball toward the end zone. Standing there to receive the pass is a wide open Kellen Moore. Touchdown Broncos! That's right, Pettis to Moore! It's usually the other way around! I knew it was just a matter of time before Moore caught a pass, and it was beautiful! Let's see some more of that!
Thoughts and Tidbits:
Boise State had scored on every single opening drive of the season until last night. Jimmy Pavel missed a field goal on the Broncos first possession to end the streak. Tyler Shoemaker had a career night catching 6 passes for 124 yards and a touchdown. Boise State did not sell out the stadium as the student section had a lot of empty seats. A lot of that can be contributed to fact that it was a Tuesday night and it was really cold.
Weekly Player to Watch Recap:
Austin Pettis had a great game. He caught 5 passes for 55 yards and a touchdown. It was his first TD since the Oregon State game. He also threw a touchdown pass to quarterback Kellen Moore on what is sure to be a play that goes down as a legendary tale in Boise State history, and will also cause headaches for future opponents' defensive coordinators to try and defend. It was great to see him (as well as the rest of the starters) play a complete game. Pettis is the man. Get used to it.
Perception:
We are at the point now when no matter what Boise State does, it is not going to make a difference as far as perception goes. Whether or not the Broncos end up in the National Championship game will depend on what happens with the other top teams in the nation. Oregon, Auburn, Alabama (still), Oklahoma (still), Missouri, TCU, and Utah will have a lot of say in determining where Boise State ends up. They could get passed in the polls and BCS Rankings by one or all of them, depending on who wins and who loses. The winner of the TCU vs. Utah game has a great chance of leap-frogging them (frog pun intended). Let's just hope Utah loses to Air Force or BYU but also somehow beats TCU. No matter who loses nationally, the BCS and the pollsters will surely be looking for and probably find a reason to not move Boise State up to number 1 or 2. That sucks, but that's how it is. As I have said multiple times and will continue to say, a lot has to happen for the Broncos to be in the NC Game. It has to be a perfect storm of unforeseen chaos. Time will tell. For now, let's enjoy the weekend's action and root for USC, Nebraska, Iowa, Hawai'i, and Nevada!
Photos:
I love idahostatesman.com. Thanks again for the photos. They sure take some good ones!
Check back in tomorrow for something. I haven't decided what it will be yet. Go Broncos!
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Rick Reilly is Really Righteous
How's that for some alliteration? My English teachers would be so proud of me! Anyway, I just wanted to share this lovely article with my readers. ESPN's Rick Reilly jumps in to defend Boise State and he does a marvelous job. Take a look at it for yourself here. Mr. Reilly is known for making really funny videos for whatever programs are airing on ESPN. What I personally like about him is the puns and witty comparisons that he makes. Exhibit A: When referring to how the BCS continually screws the Broncos, Reilly says; "It's the biggest rip-off since the Nigerian prince scam. It makes you wonder why you watch college football at all. What Boise State is being asked to do isn't doable. It's like trying to win a Cuban election. Or break into the Genovese family." Hilarious! He then follows it up with this; "People think of Boise State as some kind of Tahitian ice skating team. It's not like the Broncos have to wait for the high school girls' field hockey team to get off the field at 5 p.m. before they can practice." It's true. It's a load of crap that is continually heaped upon the Broncos' football team no matter what they do to win or who loses ahead of them. What can they do? The BCS blows.
The part that I like the best is the way that BCS blowhards and officials patronize Boise State. Rick Reilly exclaims; "...and they'll come home with a win and a hatful of "You kids sure play with a lot of heart up there" put-downs from the BCS blazers." Yeah, they do play hard. They've also beaten everybody they've gone up against in the past 4 years by "playing with a lot of heart." It's a joke and it starts to bug us as fans of the team. At least Coach Chris Petersen and his team tries to ignore all of it. It's probably for the best that they maintain that state of self-innocence.
The other day on Facebook I posted something to the effect that the BCS sucks and somehow the Big East, which has no ranked teams currently, will get a team into one of their bowls automatically and in essence have a better shot at the National Championship than third ranked Boise State. Two of my friends proceeded to have a heated discussion in the comments section about the merits, fairness, and legitimacy of the BCS system. To protect the innocent, the names of said friends will be changed. "Joseph" took the side that the BCS is an anti-trust laden entity set out to screw the little guy and support the big boys. "Alex" took the side that the BCS thrives off of negative commentary. They crave it and need it to promote themselves and grow exponentially. I just sat back and let it fly. It was really funny how upset they got. They ended up making up and being cool with each other when all was said and done.
This is what I ended up deciding afterward; The BCS financial system/sharing still sucks. It indeed was set and is now protected by money-hungry elitists who illegally exclude many smaller non-traditional power schools from the money that is awarded to the big conferences, even if they don't deserve it. In other words, nothing has changed. With that said, I am addicted to it. I love the college football regular season and what each game means for each team. There is so much passion in these kids, especially the ones that got shafted recruiting-wise by the big schools. I also love the postseason. All of the hype, pageantry, and build up of bowl games makes me overly ecstatic and really giddy. Yes, possibly school girl giddy. I will watch Middle Tennessee State vs. Louisiana Monroe in the Papajohns.com Pizza Topping Mug Root Beer Chef Boyardé Memphis Bowl. I'm that into it! Being at the Fiesta Bowl last year was one of the greatest experiences of my life. Every moment was thrilling and exciting. If college football switches to a playoff a la the FCS level, all of that would be gone. No more week long parties in Glendale, Arizona. No more massive month long build up before it all explodes into a no-holds-barred contest between two teams giving everything they have for a one game glory. No more pageantry and excitement for bowl season. There, I said it. That doesn't mean that I agree with how the money gets dispersed. Did you know that if Boise State got to and won the National Championship game, they would only get 5 or 6 million dollars for their conference? BCS schools get 20 to 21 million. Other than that and the fact that it is ridiculously difficult (dare I say impossible?) for a non-AQ school to get into the title game, I love the system. I think a few tweaks here and there would make it better. But please, don't exclude the Broncos just because they are in the WAC. Thank you Rick Reilly for your words. I agree with you, but I just can't let go.
Monday, October 11, 2010
WAC Weekend Recap, Week 6
There were some good games to watch this weekend in the WAC. Also, I have successfully picked the upset special two weeks in a row. Although, I will admit that this week's decision of choosing South Carolina over Alabama was due to purely selfish reasons. If Alabama loses then Boise State moves back up in the polls. Ask and ye shall receive baby! Let's get started with reviewing this weekend's action.
Utah State Aggies at Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
My prediction was Aggies win 28 to 24
Final score: Bulldogs 24, Aggies 6
Alright, fine Utah State! I give up! You guys are killing me! Two weeks in a row I have picked the opposite of what went down on the field. Enough with the Jekyll and Hyde garbage. Will you just play consistent please? You would make my life a lot easier. After owning the BYU Cougars at home in week 5, Utah State laid a complete egg on the road at Louisiana Tech. This game wasn't even close. 197 yards of total offense, 5 of 15 on third down conversions, and only 13 first downs is not going to get it done Aggies. LA Tech isn't even that good. Sigh...They did, however, look like the better team as QB Ross Jenkins threw for 149 yards and a score. Even more impressive was the running gain. LA Tech amassed 278 yards on the ground, led by Lennon Creer who gained 120 himself. Next week the Bulldogs host the Idaho Vandals and the Aggies have the week off (Good, it will give them time to think about what they are doing to me!).
New Mexico Lobos at New Mexico State Aggies
My prediction was Aggies win 24 to 17
Final score: Aggies 16, Lobos 14
In what must of been a complete waste of time to even consider watching, the New Mexico State Aggies claimed their first victory of the season. Both these teams are so bad and now have a combined record of 1-10. The Lobos actually outgained the Aggies in total yardage 274 to 206, but it was their 5 turnovers that did them in, one of which was a fumble recovered in the end zone for a touchdown. It makes sense that the offenses wouldn't be able to get it done. The winning score was a late 22 yard field goal by New Mexico State's Tyler Stampler with 1:56 left on the clock. I'm sure Stampler was mauled and dogpiled on by his teammates in celebration. At the same time, the citizens of Las Cruces peed themselves out of sheer excitement and surprise and then proceeded to drink themselves silly throughout the victorious night. The Lobos will host San Diego State in two weeks. In the meantime, they will lick their wounds and not go into public for fear of being tarred and feathered. The Aggies travel to take on the Fresno State Bulldogs next weekend.
Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors at Fresno State Bulldogs
My prediction was Bulldogs win 45 to 38
Final score: Rainbow Warriors 49, Bulldogs 27
What the heck happened? Suddenly Hawai'i is hearkening back to the days of Timmy Chang or Colt Brennan. They outgained and outplayed the Bulldogs in every aspect of the game. Bryant Moniz threw for only 376 yards this time, a step down from his 532 against Louisiana Tech last week. The Rainbow Warriors did only amass 96 yards rushing, and I don't even know how or why they got that many. Just throw the ball, that's all you're good at anyway. The Bulldog secondary could not control Greg Salas and his friends at wide receiver. 3 turnovers were too much for Fresno State to overcome, even with QB Ryan Colburn throwing for 258 yards. He accounted for the 3 turnovers, all of them interceptions. It seems like it was an off night for Fresno, and it was a bad moment to have one of those. At the same time, Hawai'i is turning into a pretty scary team. Boise State better have their secondary in tip-top form when the Rainbow Warriors come into town. Next week, Hawai'i will host a dangerous Nevada Wolfpack squad and Fresno State will look to rebound at home against the New Mexico State Aggies.
San Jose State Spartans at Nevada Wolfpack
My prediction was the Wolfpack wins 52 to 14
Final score: Wolfpack 35, Spartans 13
Nevada mailed this one in for sure. There is absolutely no way they shouldn't have dropped at least 50 on a really bad San Jose State team. This game was really close at halftime at 21-13. Somehow San Jose State was able to gain 372 yards total, 194 through the air and 178 rushing. They did have 3 turnovers, however, 2 interceptions and 1 lost fumble. The Spartans did not play particularly well, but were able to keep the game close throughout. Nevada running back Vai Taua was a beast (like always)! He rushed for 196 yards and 3 touchdowns. Just another typical night for Mr. Taua. The Wolfpack is much better than they played Saturday night. It seems like they took the night off. They will need to regroup and play much better next week at Hawai'i in order to avoid a devastating loss. Do not expect Nevada to play this poorly when Boise State goes into Reno in November. For their next game, the San Jose State Spartans host the Broncos on Saturday in northern California. Can anyone say slaughter!?
Alabama Crimson Tide at South Carolina Gamecocks
UPSET SPECIAL FULFILLED!!!!
My prediction was Gamecocks win 21 to 17
Final score: Gamecocks 35, Crimson Tide 21
Bronco Chase's upset special strikes again! Two weeks in a row now as a matter of fact. I did, however, underestimate how good of a team South Carolina was. They dominated in many ways and were able to control the game from the beginning. In fact, coming into this contest, the most points that Alabama had given up this season was 20. It is now 35. Embattled Gamecock quarterback Stephen Garcia had a great night and threw for 201 yards and 3 touchdowns. Like I said, my reasons for picking this upset was so that Boise State could move back up in the polls. Well they did and the Crimson Tide fell back to 8th. Next week Alabama hosts Ole' Miss and South Carolina travels to take on the Kentucky Wildcats. I would be scared if I were Ole' Miss. Alabama has a lot of anger to take out.
Previous week's total: 18-5
This week (including Boise State's win over Toledo):4-2
Overall: 22-7
The Broncos have moved back up to number 3 in the nation in both the AP poll and the USA Today poll (see it for yourself here on espn.com). They received 8 first place votes in the AP and even better, 1 in the USA Today. This marks the first time that Boise State has gotten a first place vote from USA Today. Yeah baby! Even more exciting, the BCS rankings come out next Sunday and as of yesterday, it is projected that Boise State will be number 1! That is awesome, but do not expect it to last. I think that as the weeks go by and the Broncos continue to play the weakest part of their schedule, their point total that is spit out by the BCS computers will get lower and they will get passed by other schools. As long as they continue to win, they should be number 3 or 4 by season's end. But if combinations of teams like Oregon, Ohio State, TCU, Auburn, LSU, Oklahoma, and/or Nebraska lose, Boise State will be looking really good and should retain the 1st or 2nd ranking. I still remain convinced that chaos needs to happen in the BCS conferences and the "right" teams need to lose in order for them to get into the National Championship game. With that said, being ranked number 1 to start it out will help a lot as they work towards their final goal of a at least a BCS Bowl game.
Keep checking back in to see what else Bronco Chase has to share! There is always something that strikes me as interesting and I always blog about it.
This is a pretty cool drawing of Bronco Stadium. Enjoy!
Utah State Aggies at Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
My prediction was Aggies win 28 to 24
Final score: Bulldogs 24, Aggies 6
Alright, fine Utah State! I give up! You guys are killing me! Two weeks in a row I have picked the opposite of what went down on the field. Enough with the Jekyll and Hyde garbage. Will you just play consistent please? You would make my life a lot easier. After owning the BYU Cougars at home in week 5, Utah State laid a complete egg on the road at Louisiana Tech. This game wasn't even close. 197 yards of total offense, 5 of 15 on third down conversions, and only 13 first downs is not going to get it done Aggies. LA Tech isn't even that good. Sigh...They did, however, look like the better team as QB Ross Jenkins threw for 149 yards and a score. Even more impressive was the running gain. LA Tech amassed 278 yards on the ground, led by Lennon Creer who gained 120 himself. Next week the Bulldogs host the Idaho Vandals and the Aggies have the week off (Good, it will give them time to think about what they are doing to me!).
New Mexico Lobos at New Mexico State Aggies
My prediction was Aggies win 24 to 17
Final score: Aggies 16, Lobos 14
In what must of been a complete waste of time to even consider watching, the New Mexico State Aggies claimed their first victory of the season. Both these teams are so bad and now have a combined record of 1-10. The Lobos actually outgained the Aggies in total yardage 274 to 206, but it was their 5 turnovers that did them in, one of which was a fumble recovered in the end zone for a touchdown. It makes sense that the offenses wouldn't be able to get it done. The winning score was a late 22 yard field goal by New Mexico State's Tyler Stampler with 1:56 left on the clock. I'm sure Stampler was mauled and dogpiled on by his teammates in celebration. At the same time, the citizens of Las Cruces peed themselves out of sheer excitement and surprise and then proceeded to drink themselves silly throughout the victorious night. The Lobos will host San Diego State in two weeks. In the meantime, they will lick their wounds and not go into public for fear of being tarred and feathered. The Aggies travel to take on the Fresno State Bulldogs next weekend.
Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors at Fresno State Bulldogs
My prediction was Bulldogs win 45 to 38
Final score: Rainbow Warriors 49, Bulldogs 27
What the heck happened? Suddenly Hawai'i is hearkening back to the days of Timmy Chang or Colt Brennan. They outgained and outplayed the Bulldogs in every aspect of the game. Bryant Moniz threw for only 376 yards this time, a step down from his 532 against Louisiana Tech last week. The Rainbow Warriors did only amass 96 yards rushing, and I don't even know how or why they got that many. Just throw the ball, that's all you're good at anyway. The Bulldog secondary could not control Greg Salas and his friends at wide receiver. 3 turnovers were too much for Fresno State to overcome, even with QB Ryan Colburn throwing for 258 yards. He accounted for the 3 turnovers, all of them interceptions. It seems like it was an off night for Fresno, and it was a bad moment to have one of those. At the same time, Hawai'i is turning into a pretty scary team. Boise State better have their secondary in tip-top form when the Rainbow Warriors come into town. Next week, Hawai'i will host a dangerous Nevada Wolfpack squad and Fresno State will look to rebound at home against the New Mexico State Aggies.
San Jose State Spartans at Nevada Wolfpack
My prediction was the Wolfpack wins 52 to 14
Final score: Wolfpack 35, Spartans 13
Nevada mailed this one in for sure. There is absolutely no way they shouldn't have dropped at least 50 on a really bad San Jose State team. This game was really close at halftime at 21-13. Somehow San Jose State was able to gain 372 yards total, 194 through the air and 178 rushing. They did have 3 turnovers, however, 2 interceptions and 1 lost fumble. The Spartans did not play particularly well, but were able to keep the game close throughout. Nevada running back Vai Taua was a beast (like always)! He rushed for 196 yards and 3 touchdowns. Just another typical night for Mr. Taua. The Wolfpack is much better than they played Saturday night. It seems like they took the night off. They will need to regroup and play much better next week at Hawai'i in order to avoid a devastating loss. Do not expect Nevada to play this poorly when Boise State goes into Reno in November. For their next game, the San Jose State Spartans host the Broncos on Saturday in northern California. Can anyone say slaughter!?
Alabama Crimson Tide at South Carolina Gamecocks
UPSET SPECIAL FULFILLED!!!!
My prediction was Gamecocks win 21 to 17
Final score: Gamecocks 35, Crimson Tide 21
Bronco Chase's upset special strikes again! Two weeks in a row now as a matter of fact. I did, however, underestimate how good of a team South Carolina was. They dominated in many ways and were able to control the game from the beginning. In fact, coming into this contest, the most points that Alabama had given up this season was 20. It is now 35. Embattled Gamecock quarterback Stephen Garcia had a great night and threw for 201 yards and 3 touchdowns. Like I said, my reasons for picking this upset was so that Boise State could move back up in the polls. Well they did and the Crimson Tide fell back to 8th. Next week Alabama hosts Ole' Miss and South Carolina travels to take on the Kentucky Wildcats. I would be scared if I were Ole' Miss. Alabama has a lot of anger to take out.
Previous week's total: 18-5
This week (including Boise State's win over Toledo):4-2
Overall: 22-7
The Broncos have moved back up to number 3 in the nation in both the AP poll and the USA Today poll (see it for yourself here on espn.com). They received 8 first place votes in the AP and even better, 1 in the USA Today. This marks the first time that Boise State has gotten a first place vote from USA Today. Yeah baby! Even more exciting, the BCS rankings come out next Sunday and as of yesterday, it is projected that Boise State will be number 1! That is awesome, but do not expect it to last. I think that as the weeks go by and the Broncos continue to play the weakest part of their schedule, their point total that is spit out by the BCS computers will get lower and they will get passed by other schools. As long as they continue to win, they should be number 3 or 4 by season's end. But if combinations of teams like Oregon, Ohio State, TCU, Auburn, LSU, Oklahoma, and/or Nebraska lose, Boise State will be looking really good and should retain the 1st or 2nd ranking. I still remain convinced that chaos needs to happen in the BCS conferences and the "right" teams need to lose in order for them to get into the National Championship game. With that said, being ranked number 1 to start it out will help a lot as they work towards their final goal of a at least a BCS Bowl game.
Keep checking back in to see what else Bronco Chase has to share! There is always something that strikes me as interesting and I always blog about it.
This is a pretty cool drawing of Bronco Stadium. Enjoy!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
I Got my Tickets, Did you Get Yours?
As a true Boise State Bronco fan, I try as hard as I can to make sure I have game times free so as to indulge myself in the treat that is BSU football. When it is a huge game and within my financial, geographical, and wife-permitting range, I make freaking sure that I am there to watch in person. Such is the case when the Beavers of Oregon State (hailing from the beautiful city of Corvallis) come to play on the Blue against the Boise State Broncos! After days of fighting, worrying, and chatting with former peers and still current students at that great school, I have obtained two tickets; one for me and one for my wife. We have arranged for my mother to take care of our 3 month old baby in hopes of getting our mugs on ABC (I have appeared 3 times on ESPN, but I've never gone big time with some network channel face time!)! In other words, all is set for me to return to my second home, Bronco Stadium, and scream my face off in support of the Broncos. All is well!
While I am preparing my weekend picks and weekly PTW, I decided it would be appropriate to add some comments and tidbits that will not make the two aforementioned posts. As you know, this is a huge game for Boise State and I need myself and you to be as psyched as possible (it is scientifically proven that getting completely geeked up and jacked for a football game allows for louder, longer cheering). Read on.
Number one; I am really excited for this game, if you cannot tell. As I no longer live in the Boise area (work took us away from that great place), I will not have as many chances as before to get to the games. In this particular case, both teams are ranked and it will be the home opener. You cannot get much better than that.
Number two; Every time the Broncos play the Beavers, it reminds me of a hilarious newspaper headline that Jay Leno used on his "Headlines" segment. The year was 2006, Boise State was early in its quest to get to a BCS Bowl game (They ended up in the Fiesta Bowl, beating Oklahoma. You know the rest). Sophomore running back Ian Johnson had his breakout game, scoring 5 touchdowns. The headline said;
"Broncos' Johnson Runs All Over Beavers"
Whoever edited that newspaper was probably fired the next day. It was awesome! My only wish is that Malcolm Johnson was able to play. He was a huge recruit for Boise State but has struggled academically to the point where he is not enrolled in schools this semester. I want him to play and start, all in hopes of seeing another headline like that one...Oh innuendos! You never get old, no matter how much I do! In case you forgot what Ian did that day, look at this:
Number three; LET'S GO BRONCOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is all.
While I am preparing my weekend picks and weekly PTW, I decided it would be appropriate to add some comments and tidbits that will not make the two aforementioned posts. As you know, this is a huge game for Boise State and I need myself and you to be as psyched as possible (it is scientifically proven that getting completely geeked up and jacked for a football game allows for louder, longer cheering). Read on.
Number one; I am really excited for this game, if you cannot tell. As I no longer live in the Boise area (work took us away from that great place), I will not have as many chances as before to get to the games. In this particular case, both teams are ranked and it will be the home opener. You cannot get much better than that.
Number two; Every time the Broncos play the Beavers, it reminds me of a hilarious newspaper headline that Jay Leno used on his "Headlines" segment. The year was 2006, Boise State was early in its quest to get to a BCS Bowl game (They ended up in the Fiesta Bowl, beating Oklahoma. You know the rest). Sophomore running back Ian Johnson had his breakout game, scoring 5 touchdowns. The headline said;
"Broncos' Johnson Runs All Over Beavers"
Whoever edited that newspaper was probably fired the next day. It was awesome! My only wish is that Malcolm Johnson was able to play. He was a huge recruit for Boise State but has struggled academically to the point where he is not enrolled in schools this semester. I want him to play and start, all in hopes of seeing another headline like that one...Oh innuendos! You never get old, no matter how much I do! In case you forgot what Ian did that day, look at this:
Number three; LET'S GO BRONCOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is all.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Again People, Enough with the Overreaction!
Oh my freaking goodness gracious! The second Virginia Tech lost to FCS opponent James Madison on Saturday night Boise State fans and haters all went berserk with complete moronic overreactions and mass hysteria. It was like the movie "The Happening" when some random virus or infection took over peoples' brains and made them do really stupid things, like kill themselves. While no one died this time around (that I know of), everything I read on blogs, Facebook, articles, and message boards made it sound like the Broncos' season is over because VT is the biggest fraud of a good team in the history of the world. Take a chill people, life will go on and things should be OK. I say should be OK, but only time will tell. Let me explain to you why.
Our nation and I think humans in general often succumb to knee-jerk reactions when something undesirable occurs. For example, a terrorist attack leads Americans to hate all Muslims and want to obliterate the Middle East into a nuclear crater. Again, chill out. It's not what it may look like. Back to Boise State, there are many claims now that the Hokies are absolutely terrible and that the Broncos' win over them means nothing. Their chance for the BCS National Championship is shot and they suck all of the sudden. Anti-Boise State people (especially Vandal lovers) are glowing with excitement and "ha ha's" are abundant. I had to demoralize a teenager and destroy his soul for getting smart with this kind of garbage. The kid will probably never recover. Anyway, again I will say; chill the freak out!
Look at it this way, Virginia Tech had 4 days between games. They played Boise State on Monday and the James Madison Dukes on Saturday of the same week. That is hard enough as it is. Short weeks are the worst for sports teams to try and prepare themselves and break down game film of their next opponent. Usually a short week means 6 days, though, and the Hokies only had four. To make things worse and more dooming for them, their match up with the Broncos literally drained them physically, emotionally, and mentally. They had injuries all around and four days is not sufficient time to heal. It's not even enough time to get rid of soreness after working out. Combine these previous facts with one that should ease some of the desire to freak out: James Madison is a top ten FCS football program. The Dukes are not the regular cream puff opponent that a lot of FBS schools play. All of those things combined made for a huge trap game for the Hokies, and they fell for it. The athletic director should be hung for not giving them a week off.
Don't get me wrong, the loss feels like Boise State lost a game when they didn't even play. But like I said, the season is young and there is a lot of football left to play. Let's let it play out a little more and see what happens. Virginia Tech could completely implode and finish with 4 or 5 losses. Then and only then would it be a bad thing for the Broncos. On the other hand, they could regroup, unite, and win the ACC championship. Then we wouldn't hardly remember them starting 0-2 and that would be good for the Broncos. We should know which side of things Virginia Tech is going to be on this coming Saturday. They host East Carolina in Lane Stadium and can start their climb out of the hole with a win over the Pirates. I have a feeling that it is going to suck to be an East Carolina Pirate this weekend. The Hokies have a lot of rage to take out and it could happen then.
The polls did not change much for the Broncos. It appears the voters understand the concept of a long season where anything can happen. The fans don't, obviously. The voters kept Boise State at number 3 in the nation, but they lost all but one of their first place votes. So again people, stop the freak out. At least put it on hold until later on in the season, depending on what happens.
Our nation and I think humans in general often succumb to knee-jerk reactions when something undesirable occurs. For example, a terrorist attack leads Americans to hate all Muslims and want to obliterate the Middle East into a nuclear crater. Again, chill out. It's not what it may look like. Back to Boise State, there are many claims now that the Hokies are absolutely terrible and that the Broncos' win over them means nothing. Their chance for the BCS National Championship is shot and they suck all of the sudden. Anti-Boise State people (especially Vandal lovers) are glowing with excitement and "ha ha's" are abundant. I had to demoralize a teenager and destroy his soul for getting smart with this kind of garbage. The kid will probably never recover. Anyway, again I will say; chill the freak out!
Look at it this way, Virginia Tech had 4 days between games. They played Boise State on Monday and the James Madison Dukes on Saturday of the same week. That is hard enough as it is. Short weeks are the worst for sports teams to try and prepare themselves and break down game film of their next opponent. Usually a short week means 6 days, though, and the Hokies only had four. To make things worse and more dooming for them, their match up with the Broncos literally drained them physically, emotionally, and mentally. They had injuries all around and four days is not sufficient time to heal. It's not even enough time to get rid of soreness after working out. Combine these previous facts with one that should ease some of the desire to freak out: James Madison is a top ten FCS football program. The Dukes are not the regular cream puff opponent that a lot of FBS schools play. All of those things combined made for a huge trap game for the Hokies, and they fell for it. The athletic director should be hung for not giving them a week off.
Don't get me wrong, the loss feels like Boise State lost a game when they didn't even play. But like I said, the season is young and there is a lot of football left to play. Let's let it play out a little more and see what happens. Virginia Tech could completely implode and finish with 4 or 5 losses. Then and only then would it be a bad thing for the Broncos. On the other hand, they could regroup, unite, and win the ACC championship. Then we wouldn't hardly remember them starting 0-2 and that would be good for the Broncos. We should know which side of things Virginia Tech is going to be on this coming Saturday. They host East Carolina in Lane Stadium and can start their climb out of the hole with a win over the Pirates. I have a feeling that it is going to suck to be an East Carolina Pirate this weekend. The Hokies have a lot of rage to take out and it could happen then.
The polls did not change much for the Broncos. It appears the voters understand the concept of a long season where anything can happen. The fans don't, obviously. The voters kept Boise State at number 3 in the nation, but they lost all but one of their first place votes. So again people, stop the freak out. At least put it on hold until later on in the season, depending on what happens.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Let the Haterade drinking begin
It has been 3 days since Boise State snatched victory from the jaws of defeat against Virginia Tech. Just as one would expect and for lack of a better term, the crap has hit the fan. Not bad crap, just a bunch of people who hate the Broncos for being so incredibly good and consistent. These are the same people that threw on their Hokie jerseys Monday night and became good enough friends with the VT quarterback to refer to him as Tyrod as he scrambled his way all over Fedex Field. They wanted nothing more than to see the Broncos lose so that they could feel better about themselves and their own teams. Talk about insecurities. The excuses and hate topics range from bad calls by the referee to some obscure insane point rating system that has the Broncos at the back end of all Division 1 colleges. Let me bring a few to your attention today.
This one was actually not too bad as far as hate goes. I just really don't like when people blame the referees for a loss. If your team plays well enough to not let the opponent get close, then the referee's calls don't get questioned. But when it is close, the ref sucks. Like I said, this one was a little subdued, and the comments on it below were very civil as well. It's from "Gobbler Country," a blog for the Hokie faithful. Check it out.
Our next specimen is probably the most ludicrous excuse for a ranking system that I have ever seen in my life. To no surprise it comes from an Oklahoma Sooner blog (still bitter about Fiesta Bowl 2007 I see). As I mentioned earlier, this system would have Boise State ranked towards the back end of college football. Ridiculous. Here it is.
This guys who does the "Crimson and Cream Machine" blog for Oklahoma really likes to throw out a bunch of random numbers and claim that the Broncos aren't as good as they are ranked. Again, Fiesta Bowl 2007, get over it. Another one here.
This guy is a complete tool. He writes for CBS sports and had a huge article about why he hates Boise State before the game was even played. Now he has readers comments after the win and he proceeds to make fun of them. Gregg Doyel, the world is not as bad as you make it sound. Get over yourself and enjoy the little things. Read this POS.
This guy is just a complete moron. I don't even need to say much. I will just quote a line from it and let your minds wander; "If Boise met a powerhouse (take Alabama for example) in the title game, it would get crushed. It wouldn’t be a game, it would be a massacre. Despite what many people would say, the parity of college football displayed in a matchup like that wouldn’t help college football. It would hurt it. Immensely." What a ridiculous statement! This is the same Alabama team that got walloped by Utah a couple of years ago, right? Saying something like that and making such a claim is completely off course and destroys any legitimate argument in his article. What a freaking loser! Check it out here.
The Sports Nickel gives us a general "we hate the Broncos" article, covering everything possible. They do it in sort of a comical way, but it is still haterade. It is also the same stuff that we hear every day. The "Boise State does not deserve to be in the national championship" comments are plentiful. Here is this last one.
Now some of you may ask me, do I think the Broncos deserve to be in the BCS National Championship? As of right now, my answer is; I am not sure. It is really early in the season and there are way too many things that need to play out first. If there are 3 or 4 undefeated teams in the country when all is said and done (including, Boise State, Alabama, Ohio State, Texas, Florida, etc.) then no, they don't deserve to be in the game and nor will they be. If they do finish undefeated, they have qualified themselves for it, but everything depends on how the rest of the top teams finish. I even feel that a one-loss Ohio State, Alabama, Texas, or Florida would get the nod ahead of the Broncos. Part of that is the weaker WAC schedule compared to a full SEC, Big 12, or Big 10 schedule, and part is the history and reverence that these big schools have in their corner. As I said, if the Broncos finish 12-0 and the SEC, Big 12, and Big 10 beat themselves up with every team losing at least once or twice, Boise State will be in the BCS National Championship game. At 12-0 they will have qualified, but it is up to the rest of the national powers to win and that will be that, no more wondering. It will all be settled and the Broncos will be out to play in the Rose or Fiesta Bowls, which isn't a bad thing in itself. Like I said, a lot needs to play out before they are in the game.
This one was actually not too bad as far as hate goes. I just really don't like when people blame the referees for a loss. If your team plays well enough to not let the opponent get close, then the referee's calls don't get questioned. But when it is close, the ref sucks. Like I said, this one was a little subdued, and the comments on it below were very civil as well. It's from "Gobbler Country," a blog for the Hokie faithful. Check it out.
Our next specimen is probably the most ludicrous excuse for a ranking system that I have ever seen in my life. To no surprise it comes from an Oklahoma Sooner blog (still bitter about Fiesta Bowl 2007 I see). As I mentioned earlier, this system would have Boise State ranked towards the back end of college football. Ridiculous. Here it is.
This guys who does the "Crimson and Cream Machine" blog for Oklahoma really likes to throw out a bunch of random numbers and claim that the Broncos aren't as good as they are ranked. Again, Fiesta Bowl 2007, get over it. Another one here.
This guy is a complete tool. He writes for CBS sports and had a huge article about why he hates Boise State before the game was even played. Now he has readers comments after the win and he proceeds to make fun of them. Gregg Doyel, the world is not as bad as you make it sound. Get over yourself and enjoy the little things. Read this POS.
This guy is just a complete moron. I don't even need to say much. I will just quote a line from it and let your minds wander; "If Boise met a powerhouse (take Alabama for example) in the title game, it would get crushed. It wouldn’t be a game, it would be a massacre. Despite what many people would say, the parity of college football displayed in a matchup like that wouldn’t help college football. It would hurt it. Immensely." What a ridiculous statement! This is the same Alabama team that got walloped by Utah a couple of years ago, right? Saying something like that and making such a claim is completely off course and destroys any legitimate argument in his article. What a freaking loser! Check it out here.
The Sports Nickel gives us a general "we hate the Broncos" article, covering everything possible. They do it in sort of a comical way, but it is still haterade. It is also the same stuff that we hear every day. The "Boise State does not deserve to be in the national championship" comments are plentiful. Here is this last one.
Now some of you may ask me, do I think the Broncos deserve to be in the BCS National Championship? As of right now, my answer is; I am not sure. It is really early in the season and there are way too many things that need to play out first. If there are 3 or 4 undefeated teams in the country when all is said and done (including, Boise State, Alabama, Ohio State, Texas, Florida, etc.) then no, they don't deserve to be in the game and nor will they be. If they do finish undefeated, they have qualified themselves for it, but everything depends on how the rest of the top teams finish. I even feel that a one-loss Ohio State, Alabama, Texas, or Florida would get the nod ahead of the Broncos. Part of that is the weaker WAC schedule compared to a full SEC, Big 12, or Big 10 schedule, and part is the history and reverence that these big schools have in their corner. As I said, if the Broncos finish 12-0 and the SEC, Big 12, and Big 10 beat themselves up with every team losing at least once or twice, Boise State will be in the BCS National Championship game. At 12-0 they will have qualified, but it is up to the rest of the national powers to win and that will be that, no more wondering. It will all be settled and the Broncos will be out to play in the Rose or Fiesta Bowls, which isn't a bad thing in itself. Like I said, a lot needs to play out before they are in the game.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
It is here...
The day has arrived (almost. It's tomorrow, actually). The Boise State Broncos versus the Virginia Tech Hokies. The biggest and most important game in Boise State regular season history goes down tomorrow. There is so much hype, pressure, angst, restlessness, and desire weighing down on the Broncos. Lose, and their critics have all the ammo they need for years to come. Win, and the solidify themselves as a contender for this season and stave off the haters for a while. I will break down what the key points are and what I think will happen. I have butterflies as I type this. I get way too worked up about Boise State football games, just ask everyone who was around me in January at the Fiesta Bowl. It is worth it when they win big games and it sucks when they lose them (which luckily and thankfully, they have not lost many big ones in the last few years).
The Broncos have to at least contain the Hokies' rushing attack. Ryan Williams, Darren Evans, and Tyrod Taylor will eat you alive if you don't have the talent and/or if you aren't prepared. Tackling is huge! The Broncos better look like they did against Oregon and TCU last year and not like they did against Fresno State (Ryan Mathews, eat your heart out!). If Boise State can get up early then Virginia Tech will have to rely on Taylor's arm, of which he has absolutely no one of merit to throw it to. That could spell doom for the Hokies.
Returning the most prolific and efficient passing attack from last season, the Broncos will give the Hokie secondary everything they could ever want and then some. Cornerback Rashad Carmichael will need to be at his best as a player and as a defensive leader out there. Boise State has always used the pass to set up the run and that will not change come tomorrow evening in Maryland. Do not sleep on Doug Martin, Jeremy Avery, and DJ Harper toting the rock. They will kill you if you don't pay attention. That is when Boise State is most dangerous, when they have you thinking pass and they run it and vice versa. That is a lot to ask a young, inexperienced Virginia Tech defense, even with Bud Foster and all those amazing, talented athletes he sends onto the field year after year.
Special teams could be the key to swinging the momentum one way or the other and keeping it there. There will be two teams out there who pride themselves on making plays and who use starters for key positions on special teams. This one is a toss up as to who has the advantage. A blocked kick or a good return could mean a lot for either team.
This game is a difficult one to pick a winner for. Boise State is ranked 3rd and VT is ranked 10th in the coach's poll. The rankings don't mean much. If Boise State would have lost the Fiesta Bowl last year they would not be in the top 10 this year, yet they will have the same team out there either way. I think both teams are evenly matched and if the game were to be played later on in the season, I think the Broncos would be in big trouble. However, returning 20 of 22 starters from a BCS Bowl winning team bodes well for Boise State. That will be the difference against a younger, more inexperienced team in the opening game of the season for both teams. I think the Broncos score early, holding off the Hokies for most of the game until scoring a couple TD's late to seal the deal. Ryan Williams does not break 100 yards, and neither does Evans, but Williams gets a touchdown or two. Tyrod Taylor has a decent night, but struggles to hit his unheralded receivers and throws a couple of picks. Kellen Moore dissects the Hokies for about 250 yards and 3 touchdowns. Doug Martin and co. eat up clock in the third quarter and get on the board with a score. Kyle Brotzman finally hits a field goal from the left hash to start the late scoring for the Broncos. The final is Boise State 35, Virginia Tech 17 and the Broncos stay on top and in the title hunt for the time being. It should be a good game and it will be a lot of fun!
The Broncos have to at least contain the Hokies' rushing attack. Ryan Williams, Darren Evans, and Tyrod Taylor will eat you alive if you don't have the talent and/or if you aren't prepared. Tackling is huge! The Broncos better look like they did against Oregon and TCU last year and not like they did against Fresno State (Ryan Mathews, eat your heart out!). If Boise State can get up early then Virginia Tech will have to rely on Taylor's arm, of which he has absolutely no one of merit to throw it to. That could spell doom for the Hokies.
Returning the most prolific and efficient passing attack from last season, the Broncos will give the Hokie secondary everything they could ever want and then some. Cornerback Rashad Carmichael will need to be at his best as a player and as a defensive leader out there. Boise State has always used the pass to set up the run and that will not change come tomorrow evening in Maryland. Do not sleep on Doug Martin, Jeremy Avery, and DJ Harper toting the rock. They will kill you if you don't pay attention. That is when Boise State is most dangerous, when they have you thinking pass and they run it and vice versa. That is a lot to ask a young, inexperienced Virginia Tech defense, even with Bud Foster and all those amazing, talented athletes he sends onto the field year after year.
Special teams could be the key to swinging the momentum one way or the other and keeping it there. There will be two teams out there who pride themselves on making plays and who use starters for key positions on special teams. This one is a toss up as to who has the advantage. A blocked kick or a good return could mean a lot for either team.
This game is a difficult one to pick a winner for. Boise State is ranked 3rd and VT is ranked 10th in the coach's poll. The rankings don't mean much. If Boise State would have lost the Fiesta Bowl last year they would not be in the top 10 this year, yet they will have the same team out there either way. I think both teams are evenly matched and if the game were to be played later on in the season, I think the Broncos would be in big trouble. However, returning 20 of 22 starters from a BCS Bowl winning team bodes well for Boise State. That will be the difference against a younger, more inexperienced team in the opening game of the season for both teams. I think the Broncos score early, holding off the Hokies for most of the game until scoring a couple TD's late to seal the deal. Ryan Williams does not break 100 yards, and neither does Evans, but Williams gets a touchdown or two. Tyrod Taylor has a decent night, but struggles to hit his unheralded receivers and throws a couple of picks. Kellen Moore dissects the Hokies for about 250 yards and 3 touchdowns. Doug Martin and co. eat up clock in the third quarter and get on the board with a score. Kyle Brotzman finally hits a field goal from the left hash to start the late scoring for the Broncos. The final is Boise State 35, Virginia Tech 17 and the Broncos stay on top and in the title hunt for the time being. It should be a good game and it will be a lot of fun!
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
The Andy Staples that we like
Finally, something to which si.com gave equal and fair coverage! After all the bashing on Andy Staples I administered and here he has Boise State's back. He must have filmed this before the piece he wrote. Enjoy1
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Andy Staples is way off base (for the most part)
It seems that recently my posts have been reactions to different articles or pieces I see on si.com. Today will be no different. After coming across THIS MESS OF A STORY on the previously mentioned website, I was rubbed the wrong way. I bristled a little bit when I read what Andy Staples is inferring. Just read it before we go one here. I'll wait...
Ready? OK. I agree with some of what he says. Well, I guess not really what he says but the notion that indeed the attitude around Boise State football has changed, I just not to the degree that he says, is my argument. It is not a night and day change that just magically took place with one comment from the University president. It seems like BSU skipped a step or missed something along the way. It took so incredibly long and a billion dollar effort over years of successful football seasons for the Broncos to get any sort of respect from the national media (ESPN), and even when they did it was very little and laced with hints of skepticism and dislike. Just read most of the pieces after the Fiesta Bowl win over TCU last January. But now all of the sudden Boise State goes from no/little respect to being one of the pompous, stuck up big boys of college football? No, Mr. Staples, you are mistaken. Here is his quote that I really disagree with and illustrates my point in this paragraph;
"Could it be that you Broncos, who now have one of the nation's best programs, have turned into the same kind of snobs you used to despise? It's quite a bit different when the cleat is on the other foot, isn't it?" (bold added by me to emphasize the important part of the quote)
Again, a step or two (or more) were missed in Boise State's progression in the college football world. Hey Staples, it's either one way or the other, not both. Boise State is either one of the football powerhouses to be feared and respected across the nation, with some cockiness and swagger thrown in there, or it is a cute, little program that can rally the troops enough to knock off a big boy every now and then. Which is it?
Are they not allowed to feel good about their accomplishments and at the same time move on to bigger and better things? That is called a double standard that you are employing, Mr. Staples. At the same time, how can you base an article that calls out and belittles an entire program and fan base because of a quote from one man? Could it be that Bob Kustra really feels like that and that the rest of the Bronco Nation may not agree? Heck, as far as I've heard most people want the rivalry to continue as is. So Andy Staples, let's not jump the gun so hastily and paint with such a broad stroke.
Let's get to the comments from Bob Kustra that led up to this article from Staples. I have already mentioned them in a previous post, but let me sum it up simply; Idaho's fan base is a bunch of inebriated children that don't respect Boise State. Why should the Broncos have to go up there and play the Vandals ever again, or even at Bronco Stadium for that matter? That is the gist of what Kustra said and Andy Staples took it and ran with it. Here is his main point;
"You Broncos claim to want to play big-time opponents. Then use the Vandals to practice for the inebriated, less-than-civil fans you'll see at better stadiums across the country."
There are two points to handle in this quote. The first one is this: It is true that Boise State has had a hard time finding opponents to play that are of a decent caliber to boost their strength of schedule. Now he claims that the Broncos are doing to the Vandals the same thing that big time BCS schools have been doing to the Broncos for years; not playing them because of the smaller market and dollar amount involved in making the trip. There is a difference, Mr. Staples. Let me lay it out to you; Boise State has no reason or purpose to go and play up in Moscow after they join the Mountain West. The Kibbie Dome is tiny, Idaho offers no competitive value, and their fans are ridiculously violent and out of control. When big schools don't want to come and play Boise State, it is because they are scared of losing and messing up their record for the season. See the difference? Why go up there every other year only to leave with another 63 to 25 smash-job under their belts? What does that prove? What is there to gain? The second point is that there is heckling and drunk fans at every stadium in the nation, so why did Kustra call out Idaho fans? To quote Derek Zoolander, let me answer your question with another question; Andy Staples, have you ever been to a BSU/Idaho game? It gets really bad and out of control from both sides. It's called an in state rivalry, maybe you've heard of one of those. It is not the same as Boise State going to play Nebraska. It could develop into a similar loathing and distaste for one another if the Broncos and Cornhuskers played each other for 40 years in a row, which is as long as the Gem State rivalry has been going on. Big difference there.
Staples tries to make the claim that the Broncos just might be afraid of what the Vandals are brewing up there after a successful season. He bases that off of a quote that Idaho coach Robb Akey said in humor. You know, like as a joke. While Idaho may establish some sort of consistency football-wise (other than sucking really bad every year), they will never be even close to what Boise State has become and still will become. There are two main reasons for that; The city of Moscow is in the middle of nowhere in northern Idaho and is incredibly difficult to get to. For years Idaho's claim was that they were the Harvard of the west academically. That is not the case anymore. Between BSU and Idaho, which school has lost scholarships from the NCAA for not meeting academic standards on the football team? I'll give you a clue, it's not Boise State. So they can't attract big time recruits, or students for that matter, due to these facts. So the fear factor of playing Idaho does not exist in the Broncos' minds.
Again, I agree that there has been a change in attitude in Boise State football and yes, that does include some cockiness and swagger. It is well deserved after two BCS Bowl wins in 4 years and a consistent top 25 or even top 15 ranking to boot. The Broncos, however, have not become the thing that they despise, as Andy Staples claims. The chip on the shoulder will remain as the Broncos continue to climb the ladder towards college football glory and prestige, and they will keep that swagger and pride as well. They deserve it. Even you can admit that, Andy Staples.
Ready? OK. I agree with some of what he says. Well, I guess not really what he says but the notion that indeed the attitude around Boise State football has changed, I just not to the degree that he says, is my argument. It is not a night and day change that just magically took place with one comment from the University president. It seems like BSU skipped a step or missed something along the way. It took so incredibly long and a billion dollar effort over years of successful football seasons for the Broncos to get any sort of respect from the national media (ESPN), and even when they did it was very little and laced with hints of skepticism and dislike. Just read most of the pieces after the Fiesta Bowl win over TCU last January. But now all of the sudden Boise State goes from no/little respect to being one of the pompous, stuck up big boys of college football? No, Mr. Staples, you are mistaken. Here is his quote that I really disagree with and illustrates my point in this paragraph;
"Could it be that you Broncos, who now have one of the nation's best programs, have turned into the same kind of snobs you used to despise? It's quite a bit different when the cleat is on the other foot, isn't it?" (bold added by me to emphasize the important part of the quote)
Again, a step or two (or more) were missed in Boise State's progression in the college football world. Hey Staples, it's either one way or the other, not both. Boise State is either one of the football powerhouses to be feared and respected across the nation, with some cockiness and swagger thrown in there, or it is a cute, little program that can rally the troops enough to knock off a big boy every now and then. Which is it?
Are they not allowed to feel good about their accomplishments and at the same time move on to bigger and better things? That is called a double standard that you are employing, Mr. Staples. At the same time, how can you base an article that calls out and belittles an entire program and fan base because of a quote from one man? Could it be that Bob Kustra really feels like that and that the rest of the Bronco Nation may not agree? Heck, as far as I've heard most people want the rivalry to continue as is. So Andy Staples, let's not jump the gun so hastily and paint with such a broad stroke.
Let's get to the comments from Bob Kustra that led up to this article from Staples. I have already mentioned them in a previous post, but let me sum it up simply; Idaho's fan base is a bunch of inebriated children that don't respect Boise State. Why should the Broncos have to go up there and play the Vandals ever again, or even at Bronco Stadium for that matter? That is the gist of what Kustra said and Andy Staples took it and ran with it. Here is his main point;
"You Broncos claim to want to play big-time opponents. Then use the Vandals to practice for the inebriated, less-than-civil fans you'll see at better stadiums across the country."
There are two points to handle in this quote. The first one is this: It is true that Boise State has had a hard time finding opponents to play that are of a decent caliber to boost their strength of schedule. Now he claims that the Broncos are doing to the Vandals the same thing that big time BCS schools have been doing to the Broncos for years; not playing them because of the smaller market and dollar amount involved in making the trip. There is a difference, Mr. Staples. Let me lay it out to you; Boise State has no reason or purpose to go and play up in Moscow after they join the Mountain West. The Kibbie Dome is tiny, Idaho offers no competitive value, and their fans are ridiculously violent and out of control. When big schools don't want to come and play Boise State, it is because they are scared of losing and messing up their record for the season. See the difference? Why go up there every other year only to leave with another 63 to 25 smash-job under their belts? What does that prove? What is there to gain? The second point is that there is heckling and drunk fans at every stadium in the nation, so why did Kustra call out Idaho fans? To quote Derek Zoolander, let me answer your question with another question; Andy Staples, have you ever been to a BSU/Idaho game? It gets really bad and out of control from both sides. It's called an in state rivalry, maybe you've heard of one of those. It is not the same as Boise State going to play Nebraska. It could develop into a similar loathing and distaste for one another if the Broncos and Cornhuskers played each other for 40 years in a row, which is as long as the Gem State rivalry has been going on. Big difference there.
Staples tries to make the claim that the Broncos just might be afraid of what the Vandals are brewing up there after a successful season. He bases that off of a quote that Idaho coach Robb Akey said in humor. You know, like as a joke. While Idaho may establish some sort of consistency football-wise (other than sucking really bad every year), they will never be even close to what Boise State has become and still will become. There are two main reasons for that; The city of Moscow is in the middle of nowhere in northern Idaho and is incredibly difficult to get to. For years Idaho's claim was that they were the Harvard of the west academically. That is not the case anymore. Between BSU and Idaho, which school has lost scholarships from the NCAA for not meeting academic standards on the football team? I'll give you a clue, it's not Boise State. So they can't attract big time recruits, or students for that matter, due to these facts. So the fear factor of playing Idaho does not exist in the Broncos' minds.
Again, I agree that there has been a change in attitude in Boise State football and yes, that does include some cockiness and swagger. It is well deserved after two BCS Bowl wins in 4 years and a consistent top 25 or even top 15 ranking to boot. The Broncos, however, have not become the thing that they despise, as Andy Staples claims. The chip on the shoulder will remain as the Broncos continue to climb the ladder towards college football glory and prestige, and they will keep that swagger and pride as well. They deserve it. Even you can admit that, Andy Staples.
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