3.31.2009

Sticker time!

This is the most masculine sticker I could find.

Kids love stickers. I should know...I used to be one (not a sticker, but a kid). I used to have a whole book full of scratch-n-sniffs and Garbage Pail Kids stickers. Now, my kid is wracking up the stickers every time we go to Fred Meyers and he's loving them too. Well, the Boise State coaches are handing out star-shaped stickers during Spring Camp, and like the attendance sheet in elementary school, it's paying dividends.

"The coaches would say 'it's amazing what the (high school) kids will do for a sticker,'" (Coach Pete) said. "Well, the high school kids and college kids aren't that much different."
Nor are any of us, Coach Pete, stickers are awesome (especially potstickers from Oriental Express)!

The most heavily stickered player on the team is Richie Brockel...and not due to his on-field prowess. Brockel is injured this Spring and the tight-end crew has taken it upon themselves to sticker up Brockel's visage in the team room whenever they can.

Other childhood carryovers that may help motivate the Broncos this Spring:
Coach Pete draws a smiley face on players' playbooks.
10 minutes extra recess.
High fives.
Pizza party.
May pick one toy out of bin.


Star Power in Spring [Press Tribune]

3.22.2009

You don't see this crossover much...

Could you put topspin on the football?

Crossover athletes. They were made all the rage by Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders. There have been scores of athletes in the modern-era who were great at multiple sports...or great at one and had enough cache to at least attempt another...Michael Jordan? Oftentimes a soccer player will become a place-kicker, or a basketball player will become a wide-receiver—well how about this one: a tennis player becoming a football player? Did you immediately picture Pete Sampras returning punts? Didn't end well did it? Well, Boise State fans may just get a chance to see what would happen when a tennis player trades in his headband and sneakers for a facemask and cleats. Clancy Shields, nationally-ranked tennis player and brother of Luke, may just take a run at the blue next season.

According to the Montgomery Observer, Clancy thinks his athleticism, competitiveness, and unusual build (by tennis standards) may lend themselves well to the gridiron. After all, he'll have a year of eligibility left when he plays his final match for the Broncos.

"My brother who played tennis for Boise last year told me I should give football a shot," Shields said. "I mean when I work out in the gym I'm as big or bigger then some of our football players."
Shields later admitted he was talking about Brock Jaramillo.

Coach Greg Patton thinks that Clancy may have the right stuff as well:
"I love Clancy like a son," Patton said. "I'm a little biased because I'm a tennis coach, but I would love to see Clancy become a professional tennis player. But, I talk with our football coaches about Clancy possibly playing defensive back or running back. They like the idea."
They "like" the idea means that they'd love to have another practice squad tackling dummy that doesn't risk injury to any of the starting defensive backs or running backs. I mean, the idea is intriguing, but it's hard to imagine Clancy (love the name, by the way) pushing Kyle Wilson or Jeremy Avery for playing time. You have Bronco Nation's blessing though Clancy, you deserve a nice rest riding pine after an illustrious career on the courts.

Boise's Shields may catch football fever [Montgomery Observer]

3.17.2009

This didn't hurt.

Must be the shoes...

After Ian Johnson turned heads and calmed nerves at the NFL Scouting Combine last month many just hoped he would sit back and ride out the wave of goodwill till Draft day. Ian wasn't hearing any of that. On St. Patrick's Day, IJ took to the FieldTurf again to show the scouts what he's got, and once again, impressed those in attendance. Johnson, who wisely chose to stand on his Combine 40-time of 4.4, ran agility drills for about 12 NFL scouts at the Caven-Williams Complex on Tuesday afternoon and garnered high praise from the reigning BMOC, Coach Pete:

“He’s as big as he’s ever been and moving as well as he’s ever moved,” Boise State coach Chris Petersen said. “… He looked fast and he looked powerful.”
Chrissy, must be slipping some whey protein into the Hamburger Helper.

Also showing off for the scouts were Vinny Perretta and Jeremy Childs. Perretta may have piqued some interest from scouts with his blazing 40 times of 4.48 and 4.43 as well as some solid numbers in the agility tests, and Childs had to have improved his stock as he was able to make them forget his so-so Combine sprints by finally posting some sub-4.5 marks.

All-in-all...a good day for the newly-minted Bronco alums. Hopefully we'll see all three of the aforementioned sneak onto Kiper's big board.

Ian Johnson looks 'fast, powerful'...[Statesman]
Intriguing prospects work out at Boise State Pro Day [NFL.com]

3.16.2009

Are you ready for some volleyball?

Big Hank and Bocephus want you to attend.

The annual rite of Spring is upon us. No, I'm not talking about flowers blooming or daylight savings time...I'm talkin' about ex-Bronco football players spiking volleyballs at J Bates head (for charity). Bronco legend and comentarista del color Alex Guerrero alerted me to this Saturday's proceedings at Sawtooth Middle School in Meridian. This year's event, sponsored by the Boise Area Crime Stoppers will feature the aforementioned Guerrero as well as BSU Alums Korey Hall, Vinny Perretta and Jerard Rabb...and if we're to take cues from the event poster...the game may or may not include a volleyball the size of a small planet. If you ever found yourself wondering what sound it would make when an NFL-caliber athlete bounced an inflated ball off of Joe Hughes' mustache*...this is the event for you.

Event starts at 6. Be there or be a quadrilateral.

*Joe Hughes and his mustache may not be in attendance.

3.07.2009

Blue collar team...white collar business

We're gonna need a bigger hammer.

As a freshman at Boise State in 1999, I used to pick up my free game tickets at the Student Union info desk on the day of the game. A couple of years and a couple of championships later, I was camping out in front of the ticket office the Mondays before games for hours. By the time I was a senior...the writing was on the wall—I had to become a season ticket holder while the getting was good. Now, after 5 years as a season-ticket holder—more writing-on-the-wall arrived in my mailbox on Thursday: I don't know if I can afford it anymore.

The "Decade of Dominance" factsheet was what you were supposed to see first. That part was supposed to make us feel better...maybe a twinge of guilt that we might be taking all of this success for granted. Keep reading...turn the page. "We're raising ticket prices almost 20% AND you'll be paying BAA membership fees on top of that". Nice.

I always pictured myself being a lifelong season ticket holder...I got in when the getting was good...now my kids can attend games with me. Sure, there would be lean years with the pocketbook, but we could always just renew and sell the tickets to someone for the season. That way, we'd keep our tickets for a better day. But, the thing is—I'm starting to see a trend and I'm just not sure I can keep up. The worst part is, it may affect the lifelong ticket holders and the younger fans alike...the younger fans, incidentally, being the lifelong ticket holders in the future. Now, the dilemma...the winning has brought the fans in droves—but will the fans be there to see the winning product if they keep getting priced right out of their seats?

So, I've got till May to figure out what to do. For the short term...for the long term. Do we downgrade our seats? Sell them off for the year in hopes that next year's a better fit? Do we drop them altogether (perish the thought)? Should I sell off a kidney?

I know, Gene, I know...we have to support the team and "keep up with the Joneses"...but weren't those shiny new Skysuites supposed to foot the bill for future expansion? I'd sooner part with a limb than my season tickets, but in the grand scheme of things, tickets aren't life's top priority. I'll continue mulling it over...in the meantime, make room in the South End Zone...we may be coming down!

3.03.2009

Doug Mad...Doug Smash

"Did somebody misplace this hammer?"

Horrifying news, everyone...Doug Martin wants to tackle you. Well, not you personally, but all the offensive "yous" out there. The coaches seem to feel that Martin has just had too few opportunities to kill someone while blocking or carrying the ball—so this Spring will turn him loose on a terrified second-team offense in Spring Ball. Just for the record...THIS is what Doug Martin looks like on offense...and THIS is an artist's rendering of what he may look like on defense. Nate Enderle just peed a little.

Coaches announced today that Martin will be given the opportunity this Spring to try out for the hybrid/linebacker position vacated by Ellis Powers...and he's already a finalist...

Martin, junior safety Jason Robinson and junior-college transfer Winston Venable are the top contenders to replace Powers, who turned nickelback into a staple of the Broncos’ defense last season.
God, I love Boise State football.

In other awesome news, linebacker Dan Paul has jumped the line of scrimmage as well and will be playing fullback in 2009. Personally, I thought that Paul was a natural at fullback when he filled in for a gimpy Richie Brockel last season...this too is a great move. Oh yeah, and DL Chuck Hayes couldn't stand all the exciting switches going on and decided to move to Offensive Guard.

Remember, Bronco Nation...position switches are our friend—WR Legedu Naanee came in as a QB, DE Ryan Winterswyk walked on as a Safety, RB Lee Marks came in as a cornerback and Coach Chris Petersen came in as an Offensive Coordinator. The coaches routinely get these guys in the best position to contribute so look for these to be very fruitful changes for the Bronco squad this Fall.

Martin to try defense full-time [Statesman]
Oh, look...the Lombardi Award watch-list just got Swiked [Statesman]