Thursday, November 20, 2008.

What's Kellen Moore, chopped liver? The Boise State freshman has taken a back seat to Colin Kaepernick in the hype over the BSU-Nevada game this week. Sure the Broncos need to shackle Kaepernick, but Moore will have a lot to say about whether the Broncos go to 11-0 or not. You've heard how the Wolf Pack is second in the nation in rush defense. But let's make sure we don't gloss over the fact that Nevada is last in the nation in pass defense. Dead last--at 316 yards per game. How tempting is that for Moore and offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin? They're going to be themselves, though. Remember going into the New Mexico State game that the Aggies were No. 1 in the country at the time in pass defense. And the Broncos proceeded to throw for 279 yards. So maybe they run on Nevada? Airing it out with Moore still seems like a good way to go in Reno.

Moore will face a lot more pressure this week, more than in any of his previous 10 games if Nevada is true to form. The Wolf Pack is tied for ninth in the nation with 29 sacks, and their defensive line has keyed it. The two ends, sophomores Dontay Moch and Kevin Basped, have combined for 15½ sacks this season. (BSU, by the way, is tied for fourth in the country in sacks with 31.) Moore's escapability has been on display all season--he's been sacked only nine times.

The Poinsettia Bowl may be the most feasible destination for Boise State short of a BCS bowl and beyond the Roady's Humanitarian Bowl, but at least one Salt Lake columnist wishes the Las Vegas Bowl and BYU were in the mix for the Broncos. Writes Gordon Monson in the Salt Lake Tribune: "That would be fun, an exciting game, at least conceptually, except for subsequently having to watch the Cougar secondary attempt to cover all of Boise's trick plays. It might be like tossing a hand grenade into an anthill. On the other hand, BSU would have to find a way to stop Max Hall, Austin Collie, Dennis Pitta, Harvey Unga and the rest of that bunch. Either way, that match would be better than anything BYU would get from the Pac-10 in the Vegas Bowl, which is likely where the Cougars will end up if they find a way to beat Utah (Saturday)."

I'm the one hammered by The Hammer today, and rightfully so. In his blog, the Statesman's Brian Murphy linked to my Monday Scott Slant saying that Boise State's Doug Martin didn't pound the "I" logo before the Idaho game last Saturday. And Martin apparently did. I was watching for it but must have glanced away as the other Broncos followed him to the middle of the field. That's no excuse for jumping the gun on that. I certainly didn't mean to insinuate that anyone who reported it was a "liar"--it was some accounts up north that made it sound like Martin beat the logo to a pulp that got me. I apologize, all.

The caption under Marty Tadman's photo at USA Today.com tells you all you need to know about the firestorm over the newspaper's expose on college athletes looking for easy majors. "Former Boise State safety Marty Tadman took the easiest classes when he was in school. 'You're going to school so you can stay in sports,' Tadman said. 'You're not going for a degree. ... It's a joke.'" Only five sentences were devoted to Tadman and BSU in the piece--it's the photo that made it stand out like the sorest of thumbs. Tadman was on both Idaho SportsTalk yesterday and KTVB last night and said his interview was conducted about "five months ago" and was taken way out of context.

When you look at the WAC, there's only one rivalry in the traditional sense of the word: Boise State and Idaho. The next best thing has become BSU-Fresno State, then BSU-Nevada. But those aren't of the traditional nature. Fresno State-San Jose State is what you could call a mini-traditional rivalry, and there's a ton on the line for those two Saturday. It's the last game of the regular season for the Spartans and second-to-last for the Bulldogs, and both have six victories. So the winner goes to a bowl, and the loser stays home (unless Fresno State loses and can still pull off an upset of BSU). "It couldn't be more important unless we were playing for the WAC championship," said San Jose State coach Dick Tomey. That's what the Spartans thought they'd be doing when they played Boise State last month, but they've now lost three of four games.

It was captains' night for the Idaho Steelheads last night in Qwest Arena. Steelheads captain Marty Flichel woke the club from its slumber as it trailed Stockton 2-0 in the third period. Flichel potted the Steelies' first goal almost halfway through the final stanza, then alternate captain Steve Gainey tied the game with 3 ½ minutes left to send it to overtime. Flichel ended it a minute into the extra period for a 3-2 Idaho win. Mark Bomersback made a splash in his first game back from the AHL, assisting on both of Flichel's goals. The Steelheads have now won the last five meetings against the Thunder in Qwest Arena.

We talked last week about the amazing 54-save game by former Idaho Steelhead and current Nashville Predators goalie Dan Ellis. He followed with two more victories and earned a spot among the NHL "Three Stars" for the week. Ellis was the "Third Star" after compiling a goals-against average of 2.28 and a save percentage of 94.4 during the stretch. He's now 7-8-1 on the season.

Boise State women's basketball hit its peak in terms of popularity in the early 90's. That was before the competition for the entertainment dollar was what it is now--no Idaho Steelheads nor Stampede nor Qwest Arena nor Qwest Arena nor Idaho Center nor Edwards 21 Cinemas. But the Lady Broncos' zenith was as much because of June Daugherty as anything else. Daugherty led Boise State to its first women's berth in the NCAA Tournament in 1994 and tirelessly worked the community to get the fans out. That was also the season she and the athletic department engineered a Dollar Night promotion that drew over 11,000 into the Pavilion for a game against perennial power Montana. Tonight Daugherty (and her husband, Mike, still her top assistant) return to Taco Bell Arena with Washington State for a game against BSU and Gordy Presnell.

One of the Boise Burn's charter members and most popular players will be back for a third season next spring. Former Weiser Wolverine Levi Madarieta, who played his first af2 season with the 2006 league champion Spokane Shock, is the Burn's defensive captain and career leader in tackles. The one-time BYU linebacker also had to fill in as the Burn's kicker last season. The Burn also have their offensive captain back. Casey Allen will return as the franchise's all-time leader in receptions and touchdowns.

This Day In Sports...November 20, 1999:

Boise State clinches its first Big West championship and first berth in a Division I-A bowl game with a 45-14 win over Idaho at Martin Stadium in Pullman. The Broncos broke the game open with a 21-point first quarter, including a 68-yard broken-play pass from Bart Hendricks to Gavin Reed. Linebacker Kareem Williams sealed it with a 44-yard interception return for a touchdown late in the third quarter. It was BSU's second straight road win over the Vandals after losing seven straight in the Kibbie Dome.

(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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