Monday, July 9, 2007.

The Statesman ran Matt Hayes’ column from The Sporting News Friday. The one that has Hawaii coach June Jones explaining why the Warriors’ schedule has softened. In no uncertain terms. “They come here, we kick their a**, they go home.” The headline in TSN read, “Don’t rip the schedule after Hawaii goes 12-0.” If Hawaii’s in the discussion for a BCS bowl, the discussion will be about that schedule. There was a sidebar next to that in this week’s Sporting News, presenting “the skinny on five other potential non-BCS party crashers and their odds of making it to a BCS bowl. There are no odds listed for Hawaii, but Hayes puts Boise State on top of the rest at 3-to-1.

“The Broncos have a ton of name recognition after last season’s ridiculous Fiesta Bowl finish,” writes Hayes. “The schedule? Washington (stop laughing) on the road in Week 2 is the toughest game until the November 23 showdown at Hawaii.” Next on his list is BSU’s September 27 opponent, Southern Miss, at 100-to-1. Then it’s BYU at 175-to-1, although Hayes notes that the Cougars could turn things inside out if they open the season with wins at home against Arizona and on the road versus UCLA. Same for TCU (200-to-1) if the Horned Frogs win at Texas in the second week of the season. They’d “shoot to the top of the BCS list no matter what happens with Boise State and Hawaii.” Rounding out the five is Utah at 500-to-1.

Boise State got a peek into the future at the third Idaho All-State Game Saturday in Eagle. Three soon-to-be Broncos played prominent parts in Team Treasure Valley’s 17-13 win over Team Idaho. The valley’s leading rusher was Skyview’s Matt Kaiserman, who averaged over six yards a carry (69 yards on 11 carries). Capital’s Jarrell Root blocked a punt and an extra point, the latter keeping Team Idaho from pulling within a field goal after a Team Idaho touchdown. And Mountain View’s Tyler Shoemaker hauled in what would ultimately be the winning touchdown reception. Shoemaker, who’ll be a walk-on at BSU, caught a 20-yard pass from Skyview’s Colorado-bound star quarterback, Matt Ballenger, and made a dazzling dash into the end zone.

The Bakersfield Blitz came along at just the right time for the Boise Burn—both teams struggling, but the home team ready to roll lucky 7’s on 7-7-07 to break a seven-game losing streak. And roll the Burn did, 47-16 over the bewildered Blitz. Bakersfield outgained the Burn by 34 yards on the night, but the Boise defense was perfect on fourth down stops (five of ‘em) and held the Blitz to just one score inside the red zone. On offense, coach Lee Leslie’s “rotating Broncos” experiment at quarterback was successful—B.J. Rhode was workmanlike with 195 yards and two touchdowns, and Bart Hendricks made the most of his chances down close, throwing for one TD and running for two more. It was the Burn’s first win in 63 days.

WAC basketball continues to take interesting twists and turns. A couple weeks ago it was New Mexico State’s Reggie Theus to the Sacramento Kings. Now it’s Larry Farmer signing on as an assistant to Bobby Nash at Hawaii. Taco Bell Arena will bring back some memories for Farmer when he returns this winter. It was there his coaching career at UCLA took a fateful turn, when the Bruins were upset by Utah in the West Regional in 1983. He lasted one more year in the demanding post-Wooden era in Westwood—his record there was 61-23.

Then it was on to Weber State, where Farmer was winless in three tries in the then-Pavilion. But he did hand Boise State one of only six losses it experienced during its best season ever in 1987-88. Farmer most recently was a color commentator for college games on ESPN and Fox Sports.
Farmer, 56, was the head coach at UCLA from 1981-84, when he posted a record of 61-23.

Some of the Boise Hawks bats that annihilated Everett 17-5 Friday night must have been left behind at Memorial Stadium, because the offense has gradually quieted in the first two games of a three-game set at Tri-City. Consequently, the four-game winning streak has turned into a two-game losing streak after a 4-1 loss last night in Pasco. The Hawks didn’t even manage a baserunner in the first seven innings off Dust Devils starter Bruce Billings and reliever Cory Riordan and managed only three hits for the night. The Tri-City series wraps up tonight—then the Hawks have their first night off of the season (to watch the All-Star Game if they so choose).

One former Boise Hawk we haven’t talked about this season is Scot Shields. You can put the Angels setup man in the “last but not least” category. Shields threw three scoreless innings in the Halos’ 2-1 win at Yankee Stadium Saturday—a common occurrence. The 31-year-old righthander, now in his seventh season in Anaheim, is one of the most durable relievers in the big leagues. He made a club record 78 appearances two years ago and had 74 last year. Shields is on pace to do that again, as Saturday’s stint was his 40th this season. And this could be his best campaign yet; his ERA is down to 1.70. He’s a classic Tom Kotchman success story, having been personally signed by Kotch in 1997 and beginning his pro career in Boise that summer.

Tellingly, Derek Nesbitt wasn’t on the Steelheads’ official season-ending roster released three weeks ago. It was telling because now we know he won’t be on it for Opening Night this October, either. Nesbitt, the Steelheads’ second-leading scorer during the Kelly Cup championship season, has elected to sign with the Gwinnett Gladiators, the team from whence he came. The 25-year-old forward was obtained from Gwinnett last October, and now he’s going back to Georgia to get some of his own. Nesbitt racked up 81 points in 66 regular season games and finished with a team-high +12 plus/minus rating during the postseason.

This Day In Sports…July 9, 1946:

Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox has four hits, scores four runs, and knocks in five as the American League defeats the National League, 12-0, in the All-Star Game. The Midsummer Classic was back after a one-year hiatus due to World War II. In the eighth inning, the Splendid Splinter hit a Rip Sewell blooper pitch for a home run, a feat no one else had ever accomplished.

(Tom Scott hosts the Scott Slant segment Sunday nights at 10:30PM on KTVB’s Sunday Sports Extra and anchors five sports segments each weekday on 1350 KTIK/The Ticket. He also handles color commentary on KTVB’s telecasts of Boise State football.)

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