Thursday: Links with religion

Story of the day:

Peak redeems itself with Jadon Dailey [Statesman]

With the hiring of former BSU center Jadon Dailey as the new color commentator for Bronco football games, Peak Broadcasting has done something that has thus far eluded them: appear competent. If the reaction to Dailey's hiring is any indication, then Bronco fans are feeling pretty good about life after Paul J.--at least as good as they could feel.

Bob Behler's already a fan.

Behler, who said he has worked with many first-timers in the booth, was impressed with Dailey's intelligence and enthusiasm. "He's going to add a lot in stories and knowledge," Behler said. "He's going to help me a heck of a lot, knowing personnel, history and coaches. He's going to bring a lot to the table."

Will Dailey's lack of experience be an issue? Not with Behler, the father of modern radio, in the booth! Besides, if things get bad, Peak can always just play snippets of Dailey's Out of the Blue commentary in between Behler's live-action play-by-play calls. Don't think anyone would mind that. 

Other links:

New recruit Mooney not taking other campus visits after all [Press-Tribune]
Guess he was okay missing out on all the fun times at Army.

Bush Hamdan is a better man than you are [Scott Slant]
Thanks to Tom Scott we suddenly feel much less charitable for giving that homeless guy a dollar.

Boise State season preview [Don Best]
Always trust a man with a mustache...except for Robb Akey.

Cocaine hoax fuels Big XII rivalry [SI.com]
We anxiously await the Idaho "pirated Norbit DVD" hoax.

Bob Behler reaction...with perspective!

Welcome to Bronco Nation, Bob Behler.

The long local nightmare that was the Peak Broadcasting radio search is finally over, and now that the dust is settling, we are starting to get a feel for the new guy, Bob Behler. We know that he is from the University of Massachusetts. We know he has done March Madness and a few big-time sporting events. But there is still so much we don't know about the guy. For instance, who is his favorite character on LOST? We'll have to check Brian Murphy's blog in two months to find out.

Our immediate observation is that he seems like a great candidate. The immediate observation of most Bronco fans is that he is not Paul J. That he can be both a great candidate and not Paul J. Schneider is a blessing and a curse, but we feel that a few years down the road, the former will be much more apparent than the latter.

What gives us our blind hope? Mostly Behler's photo. Merely looking at Behler, it appears he oozes professionalism. We feel like we should not go up and talk to him unless we are wearing a cardigan and drinking something named after a golfer. And good thing, too, because Boise State deserves someone of Behler's caliber who will handle the radio position with class, talent, and expertise. Will there be duck au gratin in the broadcast booth? Maybe. Will we hear the word "conflagration" during a BSU blowout? Don't be surprised. One thing's for sure is that Chris Fowler will no longer be the most nattily dressed man in the media room when ESPN comes to town.

Taking a step back from the situation, there are a lot of interesting subplots to notice.

1. Replacing Paul J in the minds of Bronco fans will not be easy.

Hours after the Statesman posted a Behler story, there were 50 comments discussing, to a varying grammatical degree, the merits of Behler versus Paul J. For every fan that is happy to see Paul J sail off into the sunset (and take his broadcast mistakes with him), there are two who cannot even fathom having any other voice on the radio.

2. The effusive praise of Behler from UMass fans.

If the heartfelt reaction from Behler's former listeners is any consolation, Bronco fans are in good hands. We have yet to come across anyone who thought poorly of him.

It won't be the same without him, the ultimate pro and was in my opinion
the best we ever had in my 40 years following UMass. Best of luck Bob
you will be sorely missed!

Bob - If you see this thanks for all of your hard work. You behind the mike enhanced UMass sports for me...whether I was there or not. You'll be missed. Enjoy the potatoes.

3. Behler was third on Peak's list.

We're not sure which is a worse offense--that Peak was forced to settle for its third choice or that an announcer of Behler's caliber was third on the list to begin with. We mentioned earlier today that Peak will be interviewing two candidates for the color commentator position; shouldn't they get three just to be safe?

4. When will Behler's first broadcast be?

Everyone has written about Behler's first broadcast at the season-opener on August 30, but we are not naive enough to think that we won't hear Behler's voice before then. Peak would be doing a disservice to fans if they did not broadcast at least the final fall scrimmage. Although, on second thought, doing a disservice to BSU fans is what Peak seems to do best.

An open letter to Peak Broadcasting

Dear Peak Broadcasting,

Where do we even begin? I guess first off, let us wish you a happy Monday, or as Bronco fans have come to know it, the 10-day anniversary of the day you were supposed to decide on a radio team. Hope you're having a great day doing whatever it is that you do at Peak headquarters, which we imagine includes sitting around with your thumbs up your noses, making Darth Vader voices into the audio equipment, and trying to figure out how you can convince Gene Bleymaier to dissolve Paul J's pension. Best leave by 3:30 so you can beat the traffic!

Oh, by the way, tomorrow is July 1, which usually only means turning a page on your giant Garfield wall calendar but actually has a fair amount of significance this year. Starting tomorrow, you are the official home of Boise State football and basketball.

Kind of sneaked up on you, didn't it? Well, it is not always easy to program reminders into your company-issued smartphone (yes, the one that plays Bejeweled 2). Tomorrow is the first day of your governance of BSU radio, and from the looks of things, you couldn't be more unprepared.

Quite frankly, we are disappointed. When you won the Boise State contract a few months back, we had tangible excitement over what you could bring to the broadcast. Boise State football is a growing entity, and we felt that your winning the contract could help usher in a new era of BSU media.

Certainly, that was what needed to happen. The way that local legend Paul J. Schneider was unceremoniously dumped opened wide the doors of criticism and anger, and it placed extra responsibility on you to make Bronco fans forget the past and move into the Peak Broadcasting future. Mission not accomplished.

That future, by the way, looks pretty awful. Based on the events of the past 14 days, you have shown yourselves rather incapable of doing anything right, and Boise State fans have no choice but to worry about having this radio contract in your hands. We know you've lost a candidate to another school. We know you are bad with deadlines. If all this holds true, your football broadcasts will begin in the second quarter of the game and will feature the riveting radio duo of Peak general manager Kevin Godwin and a BSU communication major doing work study. Godwin: "The kicker put the ball through the uprights. He gets some points for that!" Student: "You told me I wouldn't have to talk."

How you'll recover from this is anyone's guess. A good place to start would be naming a radio team. As Idaho Radio News pointed out, if you chose someone today, that person would have about one month to gain an expertise on Boise State athletics, develop chemistry with a play-by-play partner, and discover the wonders of the Fanci Freez. Expediency is an issue, but quality and name recognition are just as important. Boise State fans are expecting something big, which your track record suggests may be a Nigerian child expecting an African-American Santa to come down the chimney. A let-down is almost certainly inevitable.

Our advice: turn off Days of Our Lives, find whoever it was that put your contract pitch together (she obviously knows what she's doing), have her teach you Organizational Management 101, and then start acting like you deserve to be the home of Boise State football. It's not too late to find a qualified candidate who will do an excellent job. It is, however, too late to have Bronco fans ever trust you again.

Sincerely,
OBNUG

BSU radio job to be announced by week's end

The search to find a replacement for Paul J has hit the homestretch.

The Idaho Press-Tribune is reporting that Peak Broadcasting has narrowed its search down to four candidates and that final interviews will be conducted this week.

“We hope to make an announcement by the end of the week,” Peak Broadcasting senior vice president Kevin Godwin said.

Should we be concerned that we've had an awfully hard time getting a hold of Larry Gebert this week?

Peak interviewing final four [Press-Tribune]

OBNUG's radio application

The search is on for the next voice of the Boise State Broncos. We think it should end with OBNUG.

That's right. After a good 15 minutes of deliberation, we have decided to throw our hat into the ring of potential candidates for Paul J. Schneider's successor. We want to be the Isaac to his Abraham, the Frasier to his Cheers, the BK Breakfast Sandwich to his Whopper Jr.

And we think we have what it takes to do it.

Here is the job description, as listed by Idaho Radio News:

Boise State University Play-by-Play

Boise State University has a football and basketball radio play-by-play opening.

This could be either a part or full-time opportunity based in part upon the preference of the successful candidate. Similarly, potential additional responsibilities will be determined based upon the strengths and desires of the successful candidate.

Sportscasters Talent Agency of America is screening for this position. Email applications are preferred but not mandatory. Please do not include more than two mp3 attachments with your submission.

"Strengths and desires"? We have those! In fact, we have just about everything it takes to be a successful play-by-play voice, and we said as much in our cover letter:

To Whom It May Concern:

Love acronyms? Enjoy sarcastic reparteé? Then OBNUG is the perfect candidate for the Boise State Broncos' play-by-play position.

Over the past three months, we have filled the Internets with Bronco news and information, leading a charge of quantity over quality that has earned us rave reviews for our general lack of censorship. We feel that these skills would translate beautifully into a radio booth.

During games, we have the ability to shoot the breeze about a wide variety of topics: Dairy Queen, politics, the Office, Marty Tadman, Madden 07 Gamecube strategy, and when robots will achieve singularity. There will never be a quiet moment in the booth (except for when we take bathroom or snack breaks, which will be often).

But that's not all. Here is a list of other assets that we would bring to a Bronco broadcast:

• We are young and hip.
• We speak fluent English.
• We own radios.
• We’ll be at the Bronco games anyway.

If you are still unsure of our qualifications, then know this: We love the Boise State Broncos. We love the radio. We love self-promotion. If that doesn't convince you, then nothing will.

Our two mp3 attachments will be a mixtape of selections from our Bronco Nation NOW podcasts and a cover song we did of Rhianna's "Umbrella." We'll let you know what we hear back.

Job: Boise State play-by-play [Idaho Radio News]

BSU to name press area after Paul J.

Turns out 35 years of broadcasting is worth something.

After being relieved from play-by-play duties for Bronco athletics, Paul J. Schneider will at least be honored by the school to which he became synonymous. Here is a list of ways that Boise State intends on showing their appreciation for Schneider's service.

• Press area to be named "Paul J. Schneider Press Area"
• $10,000 scholarship in his name for a Bronco football or men's basketball player
• Lifetime seats for him and his family in the new skybox
• Nomination for BSU Hall of Fame
• Honored at halftime of home opener

Congratulations, Paul J. You deserve it.

BSU to honor Paul J. [Idaho Radio News]

Did Bleymaier want Paul J. out?

A few days ago, Idaho Radio News uncovered details from the contract negotiations for Boise State's radio rights, and all signs point to a conspiracy theory to have Paul J. Schneider removed.

If Citadel were to win the contract, it would have only kept legendary host Paul J. Schneider for one year of the two year agreement, and has hired Dan Karcher, who is scheduled to start work for KBOI in September. If Citadel had won the agreement, Karcher would have been involved with pre- and post-game shows “to become acclimated.”

According to notes of a March 7th meeting, BSU athletic director Gene Bleymaier asked Citadel executives “If we want to make a change immediately, is that an option?” Citadel bosses said they “would do it,” and said that they would have to have someone hired in two to three months.

Also, Bleymaier put a hit out on David Augusto.

Conspicuously absent from the radio story posted on the Bronco website was any mention of Paul J., who had been a part of Boise State radio for 35 years. Was Bleymaier out to get Paul J.? What did the Boise State AD have against the voice of the Broncos? Was there pressure from an outside source? Blackmail? Nepotism? And most importantly, where is Brian Murphy during all of this? His silence is deafening.

Draw your own conclusions about Bleymaier v. Schneider. Personally, we're taking Todd Miles' side.

Peak...demonstrated a true enthusiasm [Idaho Radio News]
Peak broadcasting awarded radio rights [Broncosports.com]

Bold predictions for the week ahead

The week of the Blue & Orange game is upon us, and from the looks of Friday's scrimmage, there will be plenty of room for improvement for the offense. We expect to see big plays, long runs, and center-quarterback exchanges that don't result in turnovers. We're really not asking that much.

Here is what else we see happening this week.

• Former BSU CB Chris Carr, now officially a Tennessee Titan, will take another step toward replacing Adam "Pac-Man" Jones when Carr comes up with his own video-game-themed nickname: Chris "Qbert" Carr.
• After the success of the Beat Coach Pete 5k race last weekend, college coaches across the country will set up their own races to benefit scholarship programs. Mark Mangino and Charlie Weis will replace running with chalupas.
• Paul J. Schneider will find a place where his unique voice truly belongs: play-by-play at the gates of heaven.

WIR: Radios and scrimmages

Week in Review (WIR) feels that the big news about the Boise State radio contract has taken quite a bit of attention off of the Broncos' spring practice. This afternoon is the second public scrimmage, and it seems to be flying under the radar.

Not our radar. We have had this date circled since it was announced, and we can't wait to see how the Broncos are progressing. Our prediction: touchdowns, tackles, and turnovers. Not necessarily in that order.

In the meantime, here is the best from the last week.

• Carr going to Titans?
• Hawaii rebuilding with the help of Coca-cola.
• Enjoy Duke, Sean Renfree.
• OBNUG picks linebackers and cornerbacks.
• Beefcake photography courtesy of the Vandals.
• Ellis Powers changing positions.
• Brennan goes under the knife.
• Bronco Nation podcast featuring us.
• Boise State football goes global.
• Blue Turf Towel controversy.
• No more Paul J.; KBOI loses contract.

We'll post a scrimmage recap later tonight, and we'll be back with much more scrimmage talk on Monday. See you then, Bronco fans.

Bronco radio job up for grabs

With the apparent ousting of Paul J. Schneider as voice of the Broncos, Boise State fans will have to get used to a new announcing team this season. Peak Broadcasting, the new owner of the radio rights to Bronco football, has yet to decide on who the play-by-play team will be for the 2008 broadcasts, so we feel an obligation to steer them in the right direction. Here is a short list of potential candidates:

• David Augusto and David Augusto. With sideline reporting from David Augusto.
  
• Caves and Prater. No, thank you.
  
• Wayne Dzubak and Father Time. We figure they hang out a lot together.
  
• Larry Gebert and Scott Dorval. Everyone loves a good weather metaphor.
  
• Dave Tester and Claudia Weathermon. Let's hope they don't fight over air time.
  
• A Magic 93.1 DJ and random callers. Bronco games would be played over a backdrop of Rhianna music.
  
• The Power Ball and the Verizon Wireless phone. Perhaps a three-man booth with the Carl's Jr. star?
  
• Brian Murphy and a hungry lion. This partnership might not last long.
• OBNUG. We would definitely make the broadcasts entertaining.
  

KBOI loses contract, angers Bronco Nation

Reaction from Boise State fans over the loss of Bronco sports broadcasting by KBOI has been remarkable. Many are not ready to see Paul J. Schneider go; he has been the voice of the Broncos for 35 years.

"It's obviously been a great part of my life," Schneider said. "Obviously I'm closely identified with Boise State. I feel bizarre right now. I kind of thought it was coming, but it's kind of like when you have someone who's not doing good and not expected to live long and when they die, you go, 'Whoa!' And that's kind of where I am.

"I thought I'd do it until I turned into Harry Caray and I couldn't see anymore."

The games will switch from 670 KBOI to 580 KIDO beginning in the fall. Peak Broadcasting, which won the rights over Citadel, does not have as strong of a signal as KBOI did, but Peak won the contract in part due to its reach into markets statewide.

“We have a network that we’ve put in place that we’re going to be working on now that we’re Boise State’s choice for the broadcasts,” Peak General Manager Kevin Godwin said. “We have some great relationships inside and outside the state of Idaho that have shown a lot of interest in airing the football product.”

Many fans want Paul J. to remain the voice of the Broncos, and while Godwin did not rule out the possibility, the odds of Paul J. returning seem slim. Who might replace the BSU legend? Statue Left has posted a poll of possibilities, and we'll weigh in with our choices later today. As for now, we're going to go listen to the radio call of the Fiesta Bowl and take ourselves back to a simpler time.

Peak gets BSU radio rights [Idaho Radio News]
The voice of the Broncos is saddened... [Idaho Statesman]
Paul J. Schneider interview [KTVB.com]