Brian Murphy gets people talking, flaming

Everybody's favorite Statesman columnist is back to what he does best: incite anger.

Murphy jumped on a story on FOXSports.com about the Broncos that we linked to this morning regarding their being ranked as the best college football team from the last decade. The story is really not that big of a deal. FOX Sports didn't write it. Some Bleacher Report guy did. Bleacher Report is an open community for sports writers to give their opinions, and FOX Sports picks up an occasional story here and there.

Nevertheless, Murphy found the story important enough to blog about, and needless to say, he disagreed with it.

Still, it's tough to see how a team with one top-5 finish in the polls and no national titles (Boise State) is better than a team like USC, which won back-to-back national titles in the last decade.


Come on, Fox. This is plain ridiculous.

And then all hell broke loose in the comments section. Here is just a taste of the maelstrom of opinion:

I hate Murphy. Even if you feel that way as a local sports writer you have a lot of hate for our team and it is so easy to see in your writing of them. No one likes you in Boise except Vandal fans!

...and...

I do not know how he still has a job. Move to Moscow or Pocatello. OR if you dont have anyting nice to say just shut up

...not to mention...

You are entitled to your opinion and that is fine, you hate BSU, ok. My point again is that I do not think a local sports writer should have your negative opinion and always express teh negative side and view of our local team that most of us love in our local paper. He doesn't fit. I should not get angry every time I have to read his negative views of our team in MY LOCAL PAPER every day. You say then don't read it. It is one of the only things I have to keep up on my team. Most of us want a writer that gets us excited about our team and points out the positives. That is the point.

...and one more for good measure...

PLEASE STATESMAN PLEASE READ THIS. Give us a writer who gets excited about our local team and get us a writer who is excited about writing about them and actually likes them. Get rid of this bum. You would be doing us and from his writing I believe him a favor by doing so.

There were plenty more where that came from. At the time of this post, Murphy's article had racked up 56 comments. To put that in perspective, Chadd Cripe openly solicited comments about the quarterback race in a blog post last week. He got 46 replies.

Fortunately, some good came of this. One level-headed commenter set Murphy straight and gave everyone hope that there is a better alternative out there.

Murph, I am sure you read these comments. Understand that I don't live in Idaho. I live in St. George, UT. There is nothing in the way of Boise State coverage down here. I look to the Statesman to keep me informed. While I applaud you for remaining objective and fair most of the time, I have to agree with the masses this time. You purposely are misleading your readership with this blog entry.


For the rest of you out there who feel like I do, there is a little known website out there that I've found has all the Boise State information one could want. It's called 'One Bronco Nation Under God' and you can access it at www.obnug.com.


I wouldn't be one bit surprised if Murph found this FoxSports.com piece by going to OBNUG himself and seeing the link that was posted this morning.

Glad to see this whole thing could come to a fair and just conclusion.

Boise State #1 football team over last decade? [Murph's Turf] 

Update: Murphy has been compelled to respond.

Morning paper: Boise State football links 8/4

Brian Murphy on QB competition [Statesman]
Coach Pete and Harsin have been there before.

Chadd Cripe on QB competition [Statesman]
Well, at least the Statesman isn't blowing this thing out of proportion.

Alex Guerrero doing color on Spanish radio [Fight Fight BSU]
Donde esta el futbol? En el endzone! Seis puntas!

Broncos ranked #26 by NYT [New York Times]
A good read, if you're into looking up words in dictionaries.

15 minutes of fame for the laundry guy [Statesman]
No word on the Tide-to-go pen.

Dinwiddie CFL player of the week [CFL.ca]
Bags of milk for everyone!

If Aztecs are out, will Broncos be in? [Union-Tribune]
SDSU may be without stadium, which makes it hard to play football.

Nevada gets QB commit [Gazette-Journal]
See? Early recruits can happen outside of Boise.

WAC recruiting budgets [ESPN]
Blogger is out to get us [Blogger Buzz] 

Thursday: Links with anonymity

Story of the day:

More reasons to fear Southern Miss [NCAAFootball.com]

In addition to Southern Miss being big, athletic, and playing at home, Boise State will now have to contend with the Eagles being loaded. Conference USA has released its preseason polls and rankings, and Southern Miss is well represented to say the least.

Golden Eagle junior running back Damion Fletcher was chosen as the league’s preseason Offensive Player of the Year. Fletcher carried the ball 29 times for 155 yards in the Papajohns.com Bowl to finish last season with a single-season best 1,586 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Another Golden Eagle, reigning C-USA Defensive Player of the Year Gerald McRath, was picked as the preseason favorite to repeat as the conference’s top defensive player. He led C-USA in tackles with 139 (71 solo, 68 assist) in 2007 and averaged 10.7 per game.

Preseason Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year?  Yikes, indeed. Is there any way we can get Weber State back on the schedule?


Other links:

Is Brian Murphy famous enough to interview? [Kellis Robinett]
Relative to Pocatello people, he is.

Budweiser to support Hawaii athletics [Honolulu Advertiser]
Coca-cola to support head coach Greg McMackin.

BSU's new South African walk-on [Fight Fight BSU]
He plays running back, receiver, and philanthropist.

Oregon to sell single-game tickets tomorrow night [GoDucks]
Fifty-four dollars per seat. Seeing the Broncos win in Autzen? Priceless.

Tuesday: Links with Diet Coke

Story of the day:

Broncos hire Nevada alumnus [BroncoSports.com]

Boise State head athletic trainer Gary Craner will be retiring next month after 36 years on the job. Paul J. wishes he had the same opportunity.

Craner will be replaced by Marc Paul, a Nevada alumnus and the head trainer for the Wolfpack for the past eight years.

“We are very pleased to have attracted a person of Marc’s experience and background,” Bleymaier said. “We knew that replacing Gary Craner, who has been here for 36 years, would be a difficult task, but we think Marc is the right person at the right time. We feel he will be a great addition to the program.”

We're crossing our fingers that Bleymaier hired Marc Paul the athletic trainer and not Marc Paul the mentalist and mind-reader. Although, we would like to know what Coach Pete is thinking vis a vis the quarterback situation.

Other links:

Losing to BSU could cost Oregon's Bellotti [OregonLive]
His contract is tied to performance and gaudy uniform incentives

This is the first we've heard of a Jared Zabransky statue [Bleacher Report]
And the last we'll hear of it, hopefully.

Brian Murphy's long-awaited Indy Car column [Idaho Statesman]
Long-awaited if you actually wait for that kind of thing.

Blogging's place in local media

Warning: There is some serious stuff in here. If you are looking for a typical OBNUG fluff piece, try this link. Proceed with appropriate seriousness.

Blogging has been in the news recently thanks to the ambush-discussion on HBO with Deadspin editor Will Leitch and a bunch of crotchety old men who aren't open-minded. Websites have lit up with talk of blogging's virtues (mostly on blogs) and blogging's faults (mostly on newspaper sites). The Statesman's Brian Murphy used his Sunday column to tackle the issue.

Now it is our turn.

Obviously, we have an opinion on the blog debate. But instead of rehashing breakdowns of blogging's validity, we want to turn the tables to blogging's place among the local media in Boise. OBNUG, Fight Fight BSU, and Statue Left are the three most predominant Bronco blogs, and there has yet to be a proper discourse on how our influence affects the big boys of the Idaho Statesman, Idaho Press-Tribune, KTVB, and others.

To start with, let's get a few basic facts out of the way:
1. Blogs are here to stay.
2. Traditional media doesn't need to understand or appreciate blogs in order for them to succeed.
3. Blogs serve a meaningful purpose in the new era of media.

We truly believe all those points, and we feel that in a few years, these tenets will be common knowledge. As such, we feel the discussion of whether or not blogs are relevant is pointless. Our numbers after three months in existence testify to this, and the popularity of OBNUG, Fight Fight BSU, and Statue Left is further proof.

Blogging, in general, provides a significant supplement to traditional news coverage. Blogging, in Boise, has the potential for far greater traction.

To say that the local media does not cater to a demanding Boise State audience would be an understatement. There is simply not enough constant, streaming news and information to satisfy a diehard fan, which is why forums and message boards have gained so much popularity. We started our website because we saw a need for Boise State content that was written by Boise State fans, for Boise State fans. We target our content to be accessible to casual fans, but we have found that the diehard fan gets just as much use out of it.

Why? Because they have no other choice. The traditional Boise media does not do a good enough job of providing content on a consistent, regular basis.

Case in point: the NFL Draft. Brian Murphy decided to dedicate his Murph's Turf blog to the NFL draft for the week leading up to draft day. He started on Monday; his last post was on a Tuesday. For the next few days, he posted various short items related to the Broncos.

Similarly, we decided to dedicate OBNUG to draft coverage for the entire week. We had multiple stories each day on the prospects of Boise State players and the latest news leading up to the draft. We live-blogged the draft on Saturday and we followed up with breaking news and video on Sunday.

If BSU fans wanted instant updates, they had to go to the blogs. And they did. During draft weekend, we received some of our highest ratings yet because we were live-blogging, updating, and breaking news. The Statesman wasn't, and knowledge-hungry fans recognized this.

Another prime example is the latest Marty Tadman news. Last night, while we were prepping for the week ahead, we came across a story about Marty Tadman being in Jets camp. At first, we couldn't believe our eyes. We had been searching feverishly for Tadman news ever since the draft ended. As one of our favorite Broncos, we were shocked when his name never turned up on initial free agent signings, but all of a sudden, here he was in Jets camp.

We searched the Statesman and the Press-Tribune for any similar stories, and they had nothing. Then, we had to double-check the source just to make sure it wasn't a mistake (that's right, we're a blog that actually checks sources). It wasn't. Tadman was indeed in Jets camp.

We posted the story late last night, as soon as we found out. We thought Bronco fans would want to know, and again, we were right. Fight Fight BSU linked to the story, and we've had a great number of hits today from fans who want more.

Our point is that Boise State blogs are committed to the Boise State football team. Other local media are decidedly less so. Having a team page devoted to Boise State isn't going to cut it in today's day and age. Fans want websites of news and information. They want devoted writers. They want quality and quantity.

The amazing thing is that local blogs provide their services with absolutely no pay. We do not have resources or funding or financial backers. What we do have is jobs--real, tangible, 9-to-5 jobs. We do the blogging on the side because we love the team and because we want to help support the Bronco football program. Imagine what we could do if we were getting paid a salary to report on the Broncos. OBNUG would be ten times this size!

The world is changing, and the next generation of consumers have a different approach to news and information. Instant gratification and instant knowledge is the new standard. The Statesman doesn't have it. The Idaho Press-Tribune doesn't have it. KTVB.com doesn't have it. Broncosports.com certainly doesn't have it.

Blogs do.

If we were granted the access and resources and support of a traditional media outlet, the competition would be over. As it stands, we still depend on outlets like the Statesman and KTIK for stories and news. But their autonomy won't last forever. Boise State bloggers have started cultivating our own sources and breaking our own news. We certainly have an edge when it comes to research and knowledge. And, most importantly, we understand the needs of our audience.

The future is bright for Bronco bloggers. Until the local media catches up, the same cannot be said of them.

Brian Murphy doesn't get college football

Brian Murphy continues to amaze us. After belittling Bronco fans in his March columns, Murphy has turned his attention to taking the wrong side in the BCS/Congress debate. In his Statesman story over the weekend, the Murph claimed that there are more important things for the Justice Department to concerned about.

Mike Simpson, R-Ida. and co-sponsors Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawaii, and Lynn Westmoreland, R-Ga., have decided that what Congress should be worrying about is the college football bowl system. Even in this period of persistent war, a collapsing dollar, a mortgage crisis, all-time high gasoline prices and troubled healthcare system what Congress should really be worrying about is the college football bowl system.

Huh?

"We can do more than one thing at a time," Simpson said, defending the bill. "It doesn't mean we're not doing other things."

Um, that's precisely what it means.

Leave it to Murphy to ignore quotes from his main source in order to keep on the path to his original point. Sure, there are other issues in this country, but the government is well aware of them and working hard to fix them. Simpson is right; a bunch of grown-ups can multi-task.

Besides, as a Boise State fan, Murphy should be thrilled about this bill. The Broncos are the poster child for fairness and equality, and their success is exactly why this kind of legislation is being proposed. Should it pass, Boise State will have an infinitely better shot at a national title.

The issue is not an issue solely reserved for college football because obviously college football cannot handle it. If left alone in the hands of Myles Brand and Co., the BCS will continue in its current inequitable state for years. College football needs outside intervention, and the best place to get it is in Congress.

Murphy needs to get off his soapbox and appreciate this great opportunity. Forget the energy crisis. Be glad that college football won't be broken forever.

Congress should be dealing with bigger problems [Idaho Statesman]

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.
  

Completely inappropriate April Fool's jokes

In honor of April Fool's Day, we've compiled a list of some of the worst possible April Fool's jokes you could make to a Boise State fan. Please don't get any ideas.

• Oregon pulled out of the schedule, and Bleymaier got Weber State to take their spot.
• Brian Murphy would like to write your autobiography.
• Marty Tadman was just a figment of your imagination.
• Fresno State is leaving the WAC to be replaced by Cole Valley Christian High School.
• Nick Lomax is the 2008 starting quarterback.
• Head coach Chris Peterson has been traded to Utah State for Brent Guy, a copy of Tony Dungy's book Quiet Strength, and the Mormon salvation of the 2008 Boise State roster.
• The WAC is folding due to apathy.
• David Augusto's one-on-one interview with David Augusto will air in a continuous loop on KTVB tonight from 7:00 to 10:00.
  
• You've just won Idaho Vandal season tickets.

An open letter to Brian Murphy

Dear Brian Murphy,

You continue to amaze us.

Days after throwing the Bronco men's basketball team under the bus, you are back on the bandwagon. Who let you on? Was it the FOX 12 News at Nine guy? We knew we should have kept a better eye on him.

Your article about the Broncos' winning the WAC championship was a 180 from your previous stance, and it was dripping with condescension and fragments. But amidst the rambling and feelings, you still found time to slip in a shot at BSU fans:

New rule: The bandwagon is accepting all comers. The first sign-up is today at Taco Bell Arena, where the Broncos will watch the NCAA Tournament selection show.

Doors open at 3 p.m. Bring your dancing shoes. Maybe the fans will fill it up. For once.

Ouch! Touche!

We know you'll be busy patting yourself on the back between now and the Broncos' first game on Friday, and you might not have a chance to put the usual half an hour of time and effort into your column. So we figured we would try our hand at writing your column for you. How hard could it be? Answer: not very. See for yourself:

"Who would have thought that the Boise State Broncos would be sitting in Birmingham, Alabama, about to play Rick Pitino and Co. in the NCAA tournament? Certainly not the media. Certainly not the WAC. Certainly not BSU fans.

Bandwagon.

But here they are. The team that wouldn't quit. Head coach Greg Graham has readied his troops for the greatest moment of their careers and the greatest moment in Boise State basketball history--perhaps even the history of amateur basketball.

Statesman.

The lessons learned through the regular season and the WAC tournament will serve this team well. They will not get discouraged if they get down early. Perseverance. They will not panic in crunch time. Relaxed. They will not be intimidated. Vikings.

This Boise State team is different, and it is a shame that more people don't know about them. But perhaps that is why the Broncos are standing here today: to prove everyone wrong.

Bandwagon again.

When Reggie Larry, Matt Nelson, and company hit the court in Alabama on Friday night, the whole world will be watching. What will that world see? It will see grit and toughness, passion and fire, excitement and courage. The world will see the best Boise State Broncos men's basketball team in ever, and no one can take that away from them.

Murph Turf."

You can thank us later, Brian Murphy.

Sincerely,
OBNUG

Let OBNUG plan your Thursday night

Yesterday, Idaho Statesman columnist Brian Murphy wrote an article calling out Bronco football fans for not being Bronco basketball fans. Specifically, he wanted Bronco Nation to attend tonight's men's basketball against Utah State as if it were some sort of obligation.

We didn't appreciate Murphy's presumptive tone, and we certainly didn't like that he was trying to plan our Thursday night. But anything Murphy can do, OBNUG can do better, so here are our humble suggestions for Thursday night activities.

1. Watch LOST.
Maybe this week we find out why the statues only have four toes.

2. Go to Dairy Queen.
Medium Oreo Blizzards for everyone!

3. Plan a road trip to a BSU away game.
Eugene is only 530 miles away.

4. Re-watch the 2007 Fiesta Bowl.
Fast-forward past the Zabransky interception.

5. Write Brian Murphy a letter.
Preferably one telling how to spend his free time.

Let Brian Murphy plan your Thursday night

In today's Idaho Statesman, columnist Brian Murphy pleaded with Boise State football fans to attend Thursday's Bronco basketball game.

...I'm making an exception today for all of those who call themselves Boise State fans - for the tens of thousands who show up at football games, who flocked to the Fiesta Bowl, who snap up hats and T-shirts and posters.

There is a pretty important men's basketball game Thursday night at Taco Bell Arena. The Broncos - your beloved Broncos, right? - host Utah State with the WAC regular-season championship and a postseason berth on the line...

Seems like a fan should be there.

We have a few problems with this. First off, he questioned Bronco Nation's loyalty. Second, he deigned to affect our social calendar. And third, he failed to understand that being a Bronco football fan has nothing to do with being a Bronco basketball fan.

We don't tell you how to write your condescending columns, so please don't tell us how to spend our free time.

BSU fans need to be at Thursday's game [Idaho Statesman]

Clady's combine grade: incomplete

Ryan Clady suffered a pectoral injury during the bench press and was forced to sit out the rest of the drills during the NFL Combine on Saturday. He was able to bench 225 pounds 24 times, which didn't even place him in the top 10 of linemen. Michigan's Jake Long had the highest number at 37.

Will his performance hurt his draft stock? Not if Brian Murphy has anything to say about it!

He probably doesn't have enough time to pass Long on draft charts, but Clady's status as the second-best tackle in the draft should not change much - even in a draft teeming with quality offensive tackles.

"There are six offensive tackles that might go in the first round," NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock said. "Eight offensive tackles might go in the first two rounds. I've never seen that kind of depth."

Clady's spot in the first round should be secure. His million-dollar future should be OK.

That is quite some eisegesis he put on that quote.

Pectoral injury costs Clady a chance to shine... [Idaho Statesman]

Statesman recruiting coverage: A+

The Idaho Statesman did a tremendous job of covering the new BSU recruits last week. It is nice to see an Idaho media outlet understand technology and the way it improves communication.

We at OBNUG would like to particularly point out the contributions of Brian Murphy, who spent all day Wednesday blogging the recruits. You are okay in our book, Mr. Murphy.

In addition, the Statesman has video clips from all of the new Bronco players.

BSU football videos [Idaho Statesman]
Murph's Turf recruiting blog [Idaho Statesman]

Is Chadd Cripe on vacation?

The Idaho Statesman is getting with the future by blogging Letter of Intent Day (LOI) on its website. Brian Murphy of the popular(?) Murph's Turf column kicked things off yesterday, and he already has a few posts up this morning. He seems like a nice guy, and if he's getting up at 7:30 to post BSU info, then he is okay in my book. Take a look at some of the hot leads:

Chris Potter made his decision to attend Boise State in June — and never
wavered.

He's breaking news from June! Amazing!

In all seriousness, though, Murphy might have some good stuff up there today, so we would recommend checking it out. That is, if you don't already know everything from having read sites like Scout.com and Rivals.com.

National Signing Day blog [Idaho Statesman]