Wednesday: Links with dread

The WAC preseason picks are out. Click here for the results. (Spoiler alert: the good guys win.)

Story of the day:

Boise State making play for MWC? [Review Journal]

For awhile now, it seems like the Broncos have been exploring options on how to get out of the WAC. Their latest accomplice may be...the Humanitarian Bowl?

The Mountain West could send a team to that game this season if the Atlantic Coast Conference fails to qualify an eighth bowl team, but a deal would be for a guaranteed spot in 2009 for the No. 5 MWC team. MWC commissioner Craig Thompson didn't deny Boise State might use the bowl as a means to gain admission into the Mountain West.

What strange bedfellows. Boise State and the H-Bowl have a tenuous history, mostly because BSU treats the home game as a fall-back option, not unlike our dating history in high school. "Well, if the Hawaii Bowl asks us out, then we're going, but I guess we could always play mini golf with the H-Bowl if all else fails." We love mini golf.


Not sure how everyone is making the presumption that a MWC team in the H-Bowl means Boise State is making a play to join the conference. From what we can tell, the Broncos might have more incentive to stay home and face a MWC team (ugh, Wyoming again?) to prove that they belong with Mountain West teams.

It's worth following to say the least, but we'd rather the Broncos be looking for subversive ways to join the Pac-10.

Other links:

Tim Brady on cover of media guide [Press-Tribune]
Sorry, Brock Jaramillo. Maybe next year.

Colt Brennan blogs Colt Brennan-ness [Redskins.com]
Thanks, Warriors Will Throw. We appreciate the extra ammunition.

The Bronco Nation podcast is big time [BNN]
Voting FSU ahead of BSU in preseason polls, however, is not big time.

Sporting News' Boise State preview [Sporting News]
#33 in the country: we'll take that.

Interesting stats on the WAC [Sporting Network]
An original WAC preview. How refreshing.

Statesman's preview of media days [Statesman]
Brent Guy rationalizing his career record should be fun.

Chase Holbrook, Heisman candidate [Reno Gazette-Journal]
We just threw up in our mouth a little.

Interesting take on mid-majors [Sunday Morning Quarterback]
Kudos to blogger journalism.

Idaho State may not even be competitive in Big Sky [ISZ]
Merril Hoge sheds a tear.

Wednesday: Links with virtue

Story of the day:

Still waiting for BSU radio announcement [Idaho Radio News]

Last week, the Statesman got everyone's hopes up with a giant hint toward a Bronco radio announcement on Friday. Five days later, we are all still waiting.

Kevin Godwin, Peak's head honcho, made it seem clear that we would know something by now. Dragging this decision on is only further souring the whole radio ordeal in the minds of Boise State fans.

It’s interesting to set a public deadline… then miss it by several business days. KBCI says there are four finalists - and the last candidate was interviewed last week. The four candidates have experience from college to NFL levels.

What we don’t know is who it will be… or when we’ll find out.

We're not the only ones getting antsy, either. Channel 2's website had a story up about the long wait. Fight Fight BSU discovered a possible reason why the decision is taking so long. And Rush Limbaugh's face on the KIDO website has a pained, anticipatory expression.

At any rate, we are still anxiously looking forward to some sort of announcement...and anxiously waiting by our phones should Peak try to call.

Other links:

ESPN's Schlabach does bowl predictions [ESPN.com]
Roady's Humanitarian Bowl, here we come!

Schlabach does conference predictions, too [ESPN.com]

BSU apparently is not BCS bowl material

More bowl predictions [Bleacher Report]
Not sure whether or not to be excited about the GMAC Bowl

Blue Turf Towel guy surrenders [Statesman]
This has the makings of a gripping Law and Order episode

ACC says good-bye to H-Bowl

The ACC has finally had enough of the Humanitarian Bowl, and the conference will end its bowl ties following the 2008 postseason.

For seven years, ACC teams have traveled to Boise, complained about Boise, and lost to small-conference schools. Conference officials decided they had had enough.

"The people in Boise have always done a fantastic job for us but there was a strong feeling that we needed to get our No. 8 team back into this part of the country," ACC commissioner John Swofford said.

Swofford continued: "Plus, the ACC hates humanitarians."

With an opening for 2009, the Humanitarian Bowl will be looking to fill a vacant spot in its bowl lineup. And although late-December, afternoon bowl games are not exactly hot tickets, we think that the H-Bowl should be able to get an entertaining opponent. Here are our suggestions:

• Another WAC team. Although, for this to be possible, the NCAA might need to lower its bowl-eligible requirements.
• Idaho's 5A high school football champion. David Augusto's head might explode.
• Notre Dame. Every year. They won't have anything else to do.
• Fast food and mobile phone mascots. The Idaho Powerball can officiate.
• The Hosei (Japan) University football team. Konnichiwa, college bowl season.
• A team of WAC bloggers. OBNUG calls dibs on wide receiver!
  

No more trips to Boise for ACC [Atlanta Journal-Constitution]

Friday: Links with motivation

Story of the day:
Bold WAC predictions [CUSAbbs.com]

Yesterday, we linked to a site that predicted the Broncos would face Maryland in the Humanitarian Bowl this year. Today, the same site goes one step further in guessing Boise State's 2008 record.

WAC
1. Fresno State (7-1, 9-3)
T2. Boise State (6-2, 9-3)
T2. Hawaii (6-2, 8-5)
4. Nevada (5-3, 7-5)
T5. New Mexico State (4-4, 5-7)
T5. San Jose State (4-4, 5-7)
7. Louisiana Tech (3-5, 3-9)
8. Utah State (1-7, 1-11)
9. Idaho (0-8, 1-11)

Seriously? 9-3? This is the worst news we've heard all day. Plus, if the Broncos finish 6-2 in the WAC, we might go into severe depression.

At least he got Utah State and Idaho right.

Other Links:

Humanitarian Bowl set for Dec. 30th at 2:30pm [Idaho Press-Tribune]
Fortunately we always keep our Tuesday afternoons free just in case a bowl game should happen.

T.J. Acree switches CFL teams [Scott Slant via J Bates]
An Eskimo to an Argonaut. Sounds like a Guillermo Del Toro movie.

Fight Fight skewers Akey for his comments [Fight Fight BSU]
Also skewered: the mustache.

Women soccer stars to visit Eagle [Idaho Statesman]
Mia Hamm and Brandi Chastain?! We haven't been this excited since the Humanitarian Bowl date and time were announced!

Rimington watch list [Rimington Trophy]
Idaho, Nevada, and Utah State made the list. Just another thing for them to lose.

June Jones update: still thinks the run 'n shoot works [ESPN.com]
Isn't that cute?