Friday, May 30, 2008.

Exactly three months from tonight, it's Boise State and Idaho State to kick off the 2008 season. Don't blink, it'll be here before you can exhale. But for Bronco players, three months seems like forever. Actually, the start of fall camp seems like forever for them. There's so much yet to be decided as the player-run practices of summer are upon them. The quarterback battle is one thing, and there's a lot of anxiety about the offensive line jelling. But other inquiring Broncos want to know: who will replace Marty Tadman at safety and Ian Smart at defensive tackle? Will Chris O'Neill be the go-to tight end with Ryan Putnam gone? Stay tuned. Three months.

BSU didn't bring in a quarterback with its 2008 recruiting class, but it's no secret the Broncos have been going hard at that position for 2009. They now have their first commitment, Joe Southwick, who Scout.com calls the top-rated QB in Northern California. Southwick is 6-2, 185 pounds going into his senior year at San Ramon Valley High in Danville, CA. He led San Ramon to the California North Coast 3A championship last season, throwing for 3,165 yards and 37 touchdowns. There may have been an earlier verbal commitment in BSU football history, but I don't know who it would be. Now, Scout.com is reporting two more commits this morning, cornerbacks Ebo Makinde of Paradise Valley, AZ, and Quaylon Ewing of Sugar Land, TX.

Southwick reportedly visited Boise earlier this week and committed on the spot, telling Scout.com, "That's a place I want to be. The town is crazy. Boise State fans are crazy for football. They're doing a huge renovation, all their home games are sold out; it's just a crazy town for football." Chris Fetter of Scout.com was on Idaho SportsTalk yesterday and said offers from BSU, Nevada and San Jose State were the "tip of the iceberg" in scholarship possibilities for Southwick, and the Broncos were able to trump it. So, if this verbal holds for the next eight months, Southwick would become an apprentice in a 2009 quarterback cupboard that would include, at this point, Kellen Moore, Nick Lomax and Mike Coughlin (Bush Hamdan will be departed).

After challenging for first place in the af2 West Division just three weeks ago, the Boise Burn just try to rejuvenate now for a playoff run as they head for the Tri-Cities tomorrow. Spokane remains undefeated at 8-0 as the season has hit its halfway point. The Burn are 5-3 and find themselves three games behind the Shock. Boise is also reinventing itself after the suspension of the top-scoring player in league history, wide receiver George Williams, who coach Lee Leslie finally released yesterday. The Burn would be happy to halfway replicate what happened in Qwest Arena April 19 when they flogged the Tri-Cities Fever, 74-28.

Sunday morning at 7AM, in the biting waters of Barclay Bay at Lucky Peak, the Ironman 70.3 Boise begins. It's the first time the Treasure Valley's been part of a major national triathlon series. To get that 70.3 number, you add together a 1.2-mile swim, a 56-mile bike race, and a 13.1-mile half marathon. And there's plenty of places to watch. For competitors and spectators, shuttle buses will depart Downtown Boise at 4:15 and 5:30. Again, that's AM. The bike portion of the race heads down Highway 21 and out into the southwest side of the city, with a major turning point at the World Center For Birds of Prey. Then the half-marathon spends most of its time downtown and on the Greenbelt, with the finish line in BoDo.

In track and field, the NCAA West Regional commences today at Cal State Northridge, with Ryan Grinnell and Simon Wardhaugh leading the 11-member Boise State contingent. Grinnell is the WAC Field Performer of the Year and will compete in the triple jump, where he's ranked second in the nation, and the long jump. Wardhaugh is the third-ranked hammer thrower in the country. Russ Winger tops a group of 21 Idaho athletes in Northridge this weekend. Winger is the nation's second-ranked shot putter.

It's become an annual rite of spring: the wholesale overhaul of Idaho's basketball roster. But this year new coach Don Verlin's credentials make you believe there's a method to the madness. The long-time Stew Morrill assistant from Utah State is saying goodbye to three more players, including the Vandals' top two returning scorers, Jordan Brooks and Mike Hall. Those two are having their scholarships revoked for disciplinary reasons, while Mike Kale is graduating this summer and has elected to move on with his life. Verlin takes over a program that has won just 16 of its 89 games over the last three seasons.

This has to be a colossal drag for Troy Percival. The former Boise Hawk was in his closer's role for Tampa Bay Wednesday night, just about to shut the door on Texas for his 15th save with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. Then Percival felt tightness in his left hamstring and had to leave the game. He had a MRI yesterday that showed no damage, but the Rays have chosen to put the 38-year-old righthander on the 15-day disabled list to let him fully heal. Percival has been one of baseball's great stories this spring, regaining the form that made him the L.A. Angels' career leader in saves. He has 14 saves and a 2.95 ERA this season for the surprising Rays.

This Day In Sports...May 30, 1998, 10 years ago today:

In the Cardinals' 3-2 loss to San Diego, St. Louis first baseman Mark McGwire continues the artificially torrid pace that will make him baseball's all-time single season home run champion. Overly Big Mac hits his 27th homer in the Cards' 53rd game, jumping well ahead of Roger Maris' pace when he set the record with 61 homers in 1961. The previous record for home runs prior to June was 24, set the previous year by Ken Griffey Jr. of the Mariners.

(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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