In The World…

The World Cup is here again.

I enjoy the World Cup.  I like how the whole world gets fired up for it.  I like how the USA can hold their own in international competition.

However, there is something I absolutley do NOT like.  It is the constant “angry bee hive” buzz of those friggin’ vuvuzelas.  I’ve watched exactly 45 minutes of play and I already want to stab red hot pokers into my ears.  Those things are horrible.  My rule of thumb for FIFA when determining which country to host the World Cup… first elimination criteria?  If your fans blow those infernal horns nonstop you are OUT of the running.  I’m sorry, but it just ruins the game for the billions watching on TV.

ESPN, here is my idea for you to help us fans get through this World Cup with our sanity intact.  First, we need to isolate the commentators in a sound proof booth.  I still want to hear the commentary.  Second, kill all microphones anywhere in the arena.  Third will take a little work.  First, you build a software program that connects “fan noise” to an electronic keyboard.  Then, you get some guy who is a soccer expert and musician and technical star to ‘play’ this keyboard while watching the game.  He can fill in all the cheers, “ohhhh’s”, singing, groans, etc.  It’s perfect!  We get the ambience of the game without the horns.  Even better, is evenutally you could sell this software to all of the little league dads out there who would want to add that sort of thing to the highlights of their kids playing all kinds of sports.  It’s a win win!

Or, you could just pay the South African officials to ban those damn things.  Either way works for me.

As an aside, can you imagine what would happen if we funneled our best athletes into soccer?  How about LeBron James 6′6″ with a 40″ vertical as a striker?  Troy Palomalu running a 4.2 40 as a midfielder?  Kobe Bryant in goal?  Shawne Merriman as a defender?  Not that our guys aren’t good now, but wooo… we’d domintate all these 5′8″ guys from everywhere else.

Ok, time for the second half.  Let’s root for another weak ass goal from the England keeper!

U-S-A! U-S-A!

That is what all the pundits like to say every year come this first week in April.  “It’s the best week in sports!”

Yeah, there is a lot going on, what with the NCAA basketball championship game tonight, Major League Baseball’s opening day today, The Masters starting on Thursday, and the NBA and NHL winding down their regular seasons with teams fighting for playoff spots.  Sure is a lot going on.  But “best”? Not a chance.

A week without football, be it college or pro, is simply discarded from the discussion out of hand.  By my definition, there are no sports going on this week.  Yeah, there are some distractions.  There are some TV events.  But you know what?  I’m watching about 1 SportsCenter a week now.  Obviously, if I’m not watching SportsCenter, there ain’t no sports.

I know a lot of you out there are fans of baseball, basketball or hockey.  I get that.  I get that you have favorite teams and love the sport and get all wrapped up in it.  Here is what they mean to me.  Basketball = something on TV in the winter that I don’t watch… fill out a bracket in March.  Baseball = ahh, summer time.  Great to “watch” while napping on Sunday afternoons… hey doesn’t football start soon?  Hockey = Hmmmm, didn’t that used to be on TV? Golf?  Come on.  I’m interested if Tiger’s playing, but I’m certainly not interested in the goings on of Tiger otherwise. (As an aside, can we please stop having press conferences about his dalliances? It’s all been said at this point. I LONG ago lost interest.)

Which leads me to football.  I am the same guy who damn near overdosed on football a few years ago.  For my money, the greatest week in sports is that last weekend in August / first week in September.  College football kicks-off their first weekend, and ESPN in all their glory have games Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and maybe Tue and Wed too. Boise State starts their season in there somewhere.  Thursday night is usually the kickoff of the NFL season, followed by more college football week 2 on Friday and Saturday.  The rest of the NFL gets it going on Sunday and caps it off with Monday Night.  Plus, baseball actually starts to matter as the regular season is winding down and there is nary a basketball game in sight clogging up my sports channels.  You want my definition of heaven?  That’s it.  And I get to experience it every single year.

Second place in the best week in sports list would probably be rivalry week in college football, 3rd week in November.  That’s always good.

I used to consider myself an all around sports fan.  But as I’ve grown up, it has become abundantly clear that I’m a football fan and lightly pay attention to other sports.  Just the way I roll.  If my love of football was on a 0-100 scale, I’d put it at about a 98. Baseball would be next, with about a 65 (will go higher if it’s going to a game in person, or watching late season/playoff games).  Hockey used to be about a 90, but after the lockout and TV fiascoes over the past years it is now probably about a 30 (which kinda makes me sad).  College basketball would be about a 25 (will bump to 40 if Boise State is any good).  The NBA?  Um… probably like about a 15.  It’s a dark day if I EVER sit down and watch an NBA game on purpose.

That being said, it is It is 150 days, 6 hours, 34 minutes and 58 seconds until college football kicks off on ESPN with Southern Miss at South Carolina on September 2nd.  More importantly, it is 154 days, 7 hours, 3 minutes and 26 seconds until Monday, September 6, and Boise State vs. Virginia Tech.  Oh man, I cannot wait!

Bring on football.

I’m just blowing up all over the place!

I was contacted via Twitter by the editor-in-chief of the Arbiter (Boise State’s Student Newspaper) the other day as they were seeking true die-hard Boise State fans to profile leading up to kick-off of the Fiesta Bowl yesterday.  Needless to say, if you’re looking for die-hard, you need look no further.

Here is the profile they posted.  Basically a handful of questions that I answered.

Pretty cool stuff!

By the way, I will be getting to my Fiesta Bowl reaction soon.  I’m still digesting that one.  What a game!

Go Broncos!

It’s that day.  Fiesta Bowl.

Am I nervous?  Um… most certainly.  I think the worst part of bowl games is the huge long break you have from the end of the season until the game.  It just gives you more and more time to think about all the permutations on what could happen.  During the regular season, all you usually have is a week to think about a big upcoming opponent.  Bowl games, however, give you over a month to stew in your own juices.

My only saving grace is that I’ve managed to distract myself more this year.  That was intentional, and probably good for me in the long run.  Worrying about this game wouldn’t get me anywhere.

Unfortunately, I was unable to make the pilgrimage this time around.  Of course, as the game got closer and closer the regret grew, but what can ya do?  Last time, I was single and really had no bills at all.  Now, I’m married with different priorities.  Yeah, I could have probably scrounged up the thousand dollars or more it would have cost me to go down (by myself) but in all actuality that money could be better spent elsewhere.  That doesn’t make game day any easier, however.  I guess it would be different if the only way to see the game was to be there.  But it’s not.  I get to watch it on my giant flat screen in glorious HD.  That isn’t too bad of consolation prize, if you ask me.

I did have a thought about this whole thing.  Now, stick with me because this could be a little blasphemous… Winning or losing a bowl game, specifically this bowl game, really doesn’t matter a lot in the grand scheme of things.  Now, I know what you’re thinking… but hear me out.  This line of reasoning only works for a non-AQ (automatic qualifier for the BCS).  Obviously, the ultimate goal for any non-AQ school, hell for any school, is to make it to a BCS game.  That is what everyone is shooting for.  That is the cherry on top.  For a non-AQ school to get there, more than likely they have to go undefeated.  There is no other option.  So, that makes EVERY game of the regular season incredibly important.  Week after week.  Even those snoozers against 1-AA opponents.  You can’t relax.  You can’t have an off day.  You lose, you’re done.  Back to the Preparation-H bowl that nobody watches.  It’s 3 full months of on the edge of your seat football.

So, after surviving the season long meat grinder to get to the big game, ultimately the outcome of that game means far less than the games leading up to it.  Will a win or loss in the Fiesta Bowl affect next season?  Perhaps emotionally, but unless we get absolutely blown out, our pre-season ranking will have more to do with our overall record and number of returning starters, not the outcome of one game.

Now don’t get me wrong.  I dearly want to win this game.  But to lose to TCU (whom I’ve repeatedly said is the best team in the country this year) in this game wouldn’t be as bad as, say, losing to Nevada at home and knocking ourselves completely out of the BCS picture.  We made the big dance.  We get the big stage.  We get the big payout.  Lose in the regular season and all that is gone.  Does that make any sense?

Today, I’m wearing my lucky football gear.  Orange ‘06 Nike coaches polo with a white mock turtleneck with the Boise State logo on the collar and orange Nike hat.  This is the most powerful gameday getup I have.  It’s undefeated.  I only break it out for the really big games.  I’m afraid it will lose it’s power over time and I don’t want to waste it on games that don’t matter as much.  It worked at the first Fiesta Bowl in ‘07, and against Oregon State that same year.  It worked at Oregon last year.  It worked against Oregon again this year.  When I went to Washington in ‘07, I forgot the hat, and we lost.  That one was on me, I take full responsibility.  Yes, I have considered the fact that I may well be completely insane.

So, that’s all I got.  Game day is here.  Let’s get on with this already.

Go Broncos!

This past Halloween afternoon, we were treated to another Bronco victory against the Spartans of San Jose State University.  Included in this game were Kellen Moore’s first touchdown pass to his little brother Kirby.  Kyle Wilson’s pick six.  Some tough defense.  And ultimately, another blow out win.

As always, you can view these photos and more by going to Flickr.com to view the entire set (not all were posted here).  Also, click on each image to go to flickr and see more info about each pic.  I would also like to remind you fine folks, that all of these pictures are being taken from my seats in the stands.  Row Z in the upper deck.  Six rows from the top of the stadium.

Enjoy!

Kyle Wilson fights for the ball

Jeremy Avery running through traffic. This was indicative of the run game most of the day.  San Jose State did a great job of bottling up our run game.

The next two pictures capture a seminal moment in this Bronco program, and perhaps a glimpse of things to come in the next 3 years.  Kellen Moore throws left and finds his younger brother Kirby Moore.

Kirby catches the ball, is able to shake the defense and turns it into his first collegiate touchdown and the first score of the game.

This next pic is also representative of Saturday’s game.  Kellen Moore spent a LOT of time getting hit.  Luckily for us, the vast majority of the time it was right after he got rid of the ball.  The offensive line needs to do a much better job of protecting him.  I bet he spent the bulk of Sunday in an ice bath.

Austin Pettis catches a touchdown in the 3rd quarter.

Kyle Wilson picks off a pass, and scampers 27 yards for his first pick 6 of his career.  Very exciting play.

Billy Winn just misses another sack.  But he did force the incomplete pass.  My favorite shot of the day.

Doug Martin totes the rock in the 4th quarter.

This last image is of the sunrise we saw as we were getting ready to hit the tailgate party.  It was quite majestic and Jess and I both stopped for a few minutes to take it in.  If you look close, it almost appears that the tree branches on the right are on fire.  I didn’t notice that until  I saw the picture!

Game 2 of the Boise State season is in the books and it appears we have a “for real” defense this year.  Very exciting!  If the offense can clean up some mistakes (if you can call only scoring 48 points a mistake) then we’ll really be in business.

Any way here are a selection of photos I took at that game.  As always, click each one to go to the Flickr page to view them larger if you so desire.

Enjoy!

Remember that defense I was talking about? Well notice if you will in this picture that there are 4 Miami offensive linemen blocking NOBODY. I’m fairly certain that wasn’t how Miami drew that particular play up…

I’m including this one… I know it violates some photography rules, but dammit, that is an outstanding, unmolested gradient fade. Orange to blue. Personally, I like this photo.

We’ve made it. The day 9 full months in the making is finally here.

Boise State vs Oregon.  On the Blue. Kickoff in exactly 10 hours.

I have broken out my good luck gear.  See, this is the gear that won the Fiesta Bowl in 2007.  It is the good luck orange coaches polo and orange Bronco hat.  It worked at the Fiesta Bowl.  It worked at Oregon last year.  2 years ago, I forgot the hat when we went to Washington.  So that loss is on me.

More than just Boise State v Oregon (if it is possible to be bigger than that) it is the official kickoff of the football season.  I cannot describe how happy that makes me.  I get to wak e up on Saturday to the dulcet tones of Corso and Herbstreit on College Gameday.  I get to park my ass on the couch and watch 4 games at once for about 16 hours.  That may well be my definition of heaven.

I’m bringing my camera tonight so watch this space for any good pics I may capture.  However, if Boise State loses, you may not hear from me for a while.

C’mon Broncos.  Let’s do this.

Well, they still do.

The latest abomination was foisted upon the unsuspecting public this previous weekend.  They shipped out with Sunday’s paper an insert… Their college football preview piece.  Needless to say, this city is pretty jacked up about the rapidly approaching Boise State game vs the vaunted Ducks of Oregon down on the Blue.  Obviously, there has been a lot of hype for this game during this past 8 months.  Appropriately, they titled their guide “Hype”.

Now, I’m not critiqueing their content.  It was good enough apart from some exceptionally lame “overrated” pieces on each page, (really?  Bashing Twitter is not fresh) but I digress.  No, I have a problem… wait, check that… I have NUMEROUS problems with the image they created for their cover.

For the record, I am NOT a designer.  I think I have a marginal eye for design, but the designers I work with make me realize I have exactly ZERO skill compared to them.  Wirestone has some of the best designers I have ever seen in their employ.  Obviously, the Statesman does not.

Warning, the following image is so horrible, it could scar you for life.

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Sorry for the delay folks.  As many of you already know, I’ve been a bit under the weather since my return last Monday…  Ok, that could be a tad understated.  Actually, I’ve been sicker than hell.  Sicker than I have been in a LONG time.  I am 100% certain it has to do with the 5 different flights in 3 days that made me sick.  Friggin airplanes… Flying Hot Zones if you ask me.

Anyway, I was totally healthy for the trip, which was the good thing.  George and I had a great time.  Although he was already sick, which put a slight damper on our late night carousing.  The experience however was worth it. As always, click on the photos for bigger versions and you can view all my pictures here: Lambeau Pilgrimage

Saturday we flew out bright and early from Boise to Minneapolis.  There, we caught the flight to Milwaukee.  Picked up the rental car and were on our way.

This being my first time in Milwaukee, I was struck by one thing.  Granted, I could only see what I could from the freeway, but all I saw were the following… Churches (there were spires EVERYWHERE), smokestacks, row houses and neighborhood bars.  Very interesting.  Especially to a guy who has spent his whole life in the west, where everything is new.

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Yes, I know I haven’t blogged in a while.  And yes, I do realize it is Boise State v Idaho week and I have yet to say a word.  If you were in my shoes, you’d be well advised to keep it shut too.  I’ll let my team do my talking for me tomorrow.

Anyway, in bigger news, George and I are heading to legendary Lambeau field tomorrow morning.  Not only that, but we are going to see one of the tried and true NFL rivalries, Bears v Packers.  In November.  In Green Bay.  How cool is that?

George, a big GB fan, is hyped beyond belief, even going to say he’s going to have to “roofie” himself Friday night so he can fall asleep.  I am a little less excited than that, but I have never been to a “classic” stadium in any sport.   Well, I guess you could say Dodger Stadium is a classic, and I’ve been there, but since most of the bigtime stadiums are back east, and I’ve never been east of North Dakota, I’ve never seen them.

We fly out to Milwaukee early Saturday and return late Monday.  In between will be copious amounts of Shlitz, brats, and football.   I bet even some cheese might be consumed, but I can’t be sure.  We’ll both have our fancy cameras with us, so expect a lot of pictures.

At least the BSU game is on the ESPN gameplan service, meaning there is a chance that George and I can find a sports bar in GB and catch some, if not most, of the game.  Of course, I’ll be recording it for a more intensive viewing upon my return.

So, until my return, may I leave you with a hearty “Go Broncos” and “Go Pack” and we’ll catch up next week.