Bronco radio home for sale

The radio broadcasting rights for Boise State football and men's basketball will be up for grabs following the current men's basketball season. The Boise Weekly has a fascinating story on the topic:

Citadel Broadcasting has held the contract for Boise State football and men's basketball since 1970, but the group's latest contract expires at the end of this year's basketball season.

With the increasing popularity of the teams, due in large part to the football program's winning record and strong reputation, Boise State has become a desirable brand to be associated with.

"We've obviously gotten more interest than in past [opportunities to bid]," said Curt Apsey, senior associate athletic director at Boise State. "It comes with the success.

"Hopefully, BSU can take advantage of a better bid than in the past," he said.

The call for bids went out last fall, dangling a tantalizing four-year contract in front of broadcasters. Since then, IdahoRadioNews.com, a Web site dedicated to the Boise radio broadcasting business, has been buzzing with theories about tactical bidding plans of the area's heavyweight companies.

The main players are Citadel (the current owner), Peak, and Tester Broadcasting, and there is no timeline for BSU's decision.

Personally, I could not be happier. I love it when media changes hands because it injects a new, lively feel into things. Bringing in new people means new ideas and new ways of of thinking. What could be better than that?

I can think of one thing: no more Paul J. Schneider. Part of me respects the man for being the voice of the Broncos for 35 years, but another part of me wonders if he really knows anything about football or broadcasting. I downloaded the radio call from the Fiesta Bowl because I wanted to hear Paul J.'s take on things, and I got four hours of him misidentifying plays and players, talking over Jeff Caves, and getting excited at the completely wrong times. I'm sure that pretty much every other game is like this, and I'm sure that we are in need of a change.

If OBNUG had a vote (and we most certainly do not), we would take Tester Broadcasting...provided Claudia Weathermon .

Bronco Broadcast [Boise Weekly]

BSU players are smart AND good

Sixteen Bronco players were named to the WAC all-academic team this week. Now we know what was distracting everyone at the Hawaii Bowl! Here is the list from the Idaho Statesman:

Football - Josh Bean, Jeff Biedermann, Tim Brady, Richie Brockel, Jeff Cavender, Pete Cavender, Dallas Dobbs, Kyle Gingg, Michael Lose, Jeff Lowe, Chris O'Neill, Orlando Scandrick, Nick Schlekeway, Austin Smith, Taylor Tharp and Kyle Wilson.

It appears Jeremy Childs did not qualify.

34 Broncos named to WAC all-academic team [Idaho Statesman]

New football league drafts two BSU players

I have no idea who these people are.

The All-American Football League (motto: "Football is football, right?") held its first annual draft Saturday, and two former Boise State players were chosen.

Antuan Carter, a backup running back to Lee Marks on the 2005 team, went in the eighth round to Alabama. The eighth round doesn't sound so hot, but due to the fact that the new league has only six teams, he was actually the 43rd overall pick and third running back chosen. Not bad.

Lawrence Bady, a wide receiver who graduated in 2005, was picked by Arkansas in Round 42.
Your number one overall pick? Zarah Yisrael, an offensive lineman from Troy. Yeah, this league is headed places.

Round by round draft [All-American Football League]

Photo courtesy AAFL website

The price of plagiarism? Not all that high

Good morning, Bronco fans. I hope you all slept well knowing that Jeremy Childs will indeed be back for his junior season. I know I did. I even had a dream in which Childs was catching touchdowns from a two-headed, Bush Hamdan-Nick Lomax quarterback robot. It was kind of weird.

The Statesman reports that Childs has been suspended from school for one semester for plagiarism--a sentence that could have been worse.

Childs originally was suspended from school for a year because of plagiarism, said Jared Duren, Childs' brother and a former Boise State football player.

Through two appeals, the penalty was reduced to one semester, according to Duren, who said he talks to Childs every day.

Childs set a Bronco record for catches last year, and he was a first-team All-WAC selection. Having him back is a great sign for Bronco fans, especially with the Hawaii Bowl debacle still fresh in our mouths.

The receiving corps for BSU should be great again with Childs back. This way, whoever nails down the starting QB gig will have a way easier time of things.

Brother says Boise State's Jeremy Childs is suspended for semester [Idaho Statesman]

Photo courtesy of Idaho Statesman