Friday, November 28, 2008.

The aftermath of the Boise State-Idaho game has been anticlimactic this century, partly because of the scores and partly because of the nondescript prize, the Governor's Trophy. BSU and Fresno State play for something more colorful today. When the Bronco-Bulldog matchup became an instant rivalry in 2001, Southwest Idaho dairy farmers got together with their colleagues in the San Joaquin Valley. The Idahoans were impressed with the South Valley Dairy Group and the money it had raised for Fresno State football. That inspired the formation of the Bronco Dairy Boosters in 2005, and that group has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for summer scholarships since.

It was in 2005 during the mutual needling between Roger Fluegel, head of the California group, and Dan Van Grouw, organizer of the Bronco Dairy Boosters, that the idea of the Milk Can was born. And they got plans together in a hurry. It's a big shiny milk can, kind of Stanley Cup-ish, befitting the Bronco-Bulldog clash. The first game engraved on it is Fresno State's lone WAC win over Boise State, 27-7 in '05. BSU's been in possession of it since and hopes to keep it that way today in Bronco Stadium.

The pregame, of course, will be consumed be Senior Day. We discussed the Ian Johnson angle earlier this week. There are so mnay others among the 20 seniors who deserve a paragraph, but I'll narrow it down to two for now. Vinny Perretta is a classic Bronco success story, having walked on to the program in 2004, earned Offensive Scout Team Player of the Years honors as a redshirt, and earning a scholarship in 2005. He capped his freshman season with a gigantic catch in the MPC Computers Bowl, a 32-yarder from Jared Zabransky on fourth-and-nine in the final minute. Through the touchdown pass in the Fiesta Bowl and the game-breaking 73-yard touchdown reception at Oregon this year, it's already time for Perretta's last hurrah on the blue.

When the subject of Senior Day came up at Chris Petersen's press conference this week, he was asked which of his seniors would make the best coach. Without hesitation Petersen said, "Probably Bush Hamdan." That's because of Hamdan's commanding presence in the locker room and in the community despite having thrown only 35 passes in his college career. "Bush knows how important he is to us," said Petersen. It was Hamdan who almost single-handedly organized the BSU Offense vs. Defense Charity Softball Game in July. He contacted First Tee of Idaho as a prospective beneficiary, and he arranged with Boise Hawks management to make the field available. And then Hamdan got all his teammates there, plus luminary alumni like NFL first round draft pick Ryan Clady. Bush Hamdan alone warrants fans being in their seats early today.

Fresno State is the one team in the WAC that can match Boise State's special teams threat-for-threat. The Broncos know it, having seen the Bulldogs return a punt for a touchdown against them last year and take a kickoff return to the house on the blue turf in 2006. With his 49-yard punt return for a TD last week at San Jose State, Chastin West became the fourth different Fresno State player to score on a kick return this season. One facet of Bulldogs' special teams that has always been a game-changer is blocked kicks, something the Broncos have been able to avoid. Fresno State has blocked 42 punts, field goals and extra points since 2002, most in the nation. The 'Dogs have four this year.

Here's what happenin' in the WAC tomorrow: one team expects to become bowl-eligible, another hopes to become legitimately bowl-eligible (according to its coach's standards), and two others play each other in the Aggies Bowl. Hawaii is favored by 29 points over Washington State tomorrow night at Aloha Stadium; a victory puts the Warriors in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl. Nevada needs to beat Louisiana Tech to be 7-5 as opposed to 6-6, and Chris Ault doesn't like the thought of going to another bowl game at 6-6. And tomorrow marks Brent Guy's final game at Utah State as the Aggies host the other Aggies from New Mexico State. In fact, it might be Hal Mumme's final game with NMSU as well.

Boise State's 3-1 start in men's basketball is a little deceiving, because it includes the 82-52 drubbing the Broncos absorbed at Siena 11 days ago. Subsequent wins over Idaho State and Montana State haven't been able to prove that was an aberration. Those victories have done a lot for the Broncos' confidence, though, and there's a chance to build on that tomorrow night against Southern Utah in Taco Bell Arena. The Thunderbirds are 1-3, losing by 14 on the road at Florida--then by 15 at home to Seattle Pacific.

The Idaho Stampede begin defense of their NBA D-League championship tomorrow night when they open the season against Anaheim in Qwest Arena. Former Boise State star Coby Karl would seem to be a natural as a fan favorite, and coach Bryan Gates says he'll have a chance to be. Because Karl is going to get the ball. Gates says he's felt all the way along that Karl, who spent most of last season as a rookie with the L.A. Lakers, is an NBA-caliber player. "Coby's not going to be here very long," said Gates this week on Idaho SportsTalk.

The Idaho Steelheads visit Fresno's Selland Arena Friday for the first time since the old WCHL days. And the reason is kind of enlightening. The Fresno Falcons have moved back to Selland after five seasons in the Save Mart Center. The Falcons lost $1 million last season, according to the Fresno Bee, and part-owner Brian Glover has said that he and his partners are looking for new ownership. The Falcons' staff is working out of homes, other companies' offices, and Chukchansi Park, home of the Fresno Grizzlies baseball team. And the Falcons won't sent their radio crew to most road games. Let's hope there's no contraction in the ECHL.

This Day In Sports...November 28, 1992:

One week after assembling what was then the biggest margin of victory in the Bronco-Vandal series, a 62-16 victory in Boise, Idaho falls to McNeese State 23-20 in the first round of the Division I-AA Playoffs in the Kibbie Dome. It marked the fifth time in eight trips to the postseason that Idaho lost the week following a victory over Boise State. John L. Smith and the Vandals would make the I-AA semi-finals the next season.

(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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