Know your enemy (for this week, anyway)

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Boise State kicks their WAC season into high gear tomorrow night as they take on the defending *ack* WAC champion Hawaii Warriors on the blue. The Broncos are coming off an impressive defensive performance in Hattiesburg while the Warriors took care of Louisiana Tech. Most fans, like me, know little about Hawaii outside of mutual June Jones hatred. Needless to say, there is a lot to be learned about this week's foe (don't worry, Kellen Moore already knows their defense intimately)...so let's explore through the magic of factoids and childish jokes. For the mutual benefit of the Warrior faithful, I will let you get to know us a little bit too...so take notes.

Ten things Bronco fans might not know about Hawaii

10. In 1923, after defeating Oregon State on Moiliili Field, a rainbow appeared, causing local reporters to start calling the UH football team the "Rainbows". The Warriors dropped the "Rainbow" from their name and logos in 2001 (only 23 years after it became a symbol of the gay pride movement...way to get right on that)

9. The John A. Burns school of medicine, the Medical School of the University of Hawaii, is ranked 12th in the nation for geriatrics. Could this be why Greg McMackin always looks so happy?

8. The University of Hawaii won the 2004 Intercollegiate Sailing Association National Championship. I'm told the championship trophy resides in a case titled: "Championship trophies that no one knew existed"

7. Hawaii's State motto is: Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ʻĀina i ka Pono. Boy, you can say that again.

6. Graduated star wideout Davone Bess was recruited by June Jones' henchmen while serving a 15 month sentence at a juvenile facility. Why June Jones had recruiters at prison-sponsored flag football games is obvious to anyone who's ever watched The Longest Yard.

5. Current UH coach, Greg McMackin authored a book, titled Coaching the Defensive Backfield that is currently in its 7th printing. If you like that, you may also want to check out June Jones' memoir, The Gentlemen's Guide to Mustaches, Leis, and Prison Recruiting

4. In 1926, Hawaii coach Otto Klum's squad scored 101 points twice against opponents "Field Artillery" and "Heilani AC". Interestingly, 101 points is what June Jones' 2007 squad would've scored on San Jose State, had field conditions not been so poor.

3. Singer/Actress Bette Midler attended the University of Hawaii. It is widely believed that Timmy Chang is the wind beneath her wings.

2. Hawaii has won 3 WAC conference titles in their 29 years in the league. Boise State has two more than that in 7 years...so...well...yeah, just suck on that.

1. Runningback Thomas Kaulukukui's number 32 is the only number to date that has been retired by the UH football program. Kaulukukui was only 5'4" and weighed a whopping 145 lbs.

Ten things Warrior fans might not know about the Broncos

10. Boise State sophomore wideout Austin Pettis is the nephew of former major league baseball player Gary Pettis. Gary Pettis still holds the record for most stolen bases in the Angels organization (186)...Austin holds the Boise State record for stealing the most corner fade routes from defensive backs (all of them).

9. NHL Legend Bobby Hull's son Bart played running back for Boise State in the early 90s. Bart's brother Brett is a future NHL Hall of Famer and is 3rd all-time in the league in goals scored. I guess this makes Bart the least successful member of the Hull family.

8. Boise State University's motto is: Splendor Sine Occasu, which I believe is Latin for "place of very few parking spaces"

7. Boise was once a key trading post for the Hudson Bay Trading Company. Now Boise is a known mainly as a key trading post for Starbucks coffee and JoAnn Fabrics.

6. Coach Chris Petersen was the 2006 Bear Bryant National Coach of the Year, but lost the WAC Coach of the Year title to Hawaii's June Jones. We demand reparations!

5. Dee Pickett (father of NFL and CFL QB Cody Pickett) was the Broncos quarterback in 1976-77. Pickett was a prolific player for the Broncos, but left the sport to pursue rodeo "fame" and fortune in 1977. Pickett was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 2003, which, I believe entitles him to some sort of huge belt buckle.

4. Boise State freshman QB Kellen Moore set state records for career completions (787), career touchdown passes (173), completions in a season (317), passing yards in a season (4,600) and touchdown passes in a season (67) at Prosser High, in Washington, but he never won state. Timmy Chang knows how you feel, Kellen.

3. Boise State freshman walk-on runningback Carlo Audagnotti, probably had the longest trip to the blue of any current player...he's from Johannesburg, South Africa.

2. Backup QB Bush Hamdan was born in Kuwait and his birth name is Bashar...his brother, Gibran is a backup QB for the Buffalo Bills. "Bash" is a cooler name then "Blaze", isn't it?

1. Boise State hasn't lost a WAC game at home...ever. You hear that Hawaii? EVER.