Monday, May 4, 2009.

It's a catch-up Monday, leading off with SI.com's post-spring practice Top 25 compiled by Andy Staples last week. And there's that "BCS-buster" tag again. Right now it goes to TCU and Boise State. The Broncos are 12th, one spot behind the Horned Frogs, who beat BSU 17-16 last December in the Poinsettia Bowl. You always wonder how much homework goes into these lists, especially when it gets down to the non-BCS schools. See how deep you think this goes.

According to Staples: "Spring star--WR Titus Young. Young earned a 10-game suspension last season, but he seemed to have his head screwed on straight this spring. If his improvement continues, he'll give the Broncos a home-run threat. Spring recap--if Boise State can beat Oregon in the season opener, the Broncos should be able to repeat last year's undefeated regular season. [Kellen] Moore is one year better, and the Broncos secondary might be one of the nation's best." I would say that's uncharted territory for BSU's defensive backs.

By the way, Oregon is No. 8 on the SI.com post-spring list. Here's the synopsis: "There should be little dropoff now that Chip Kelly has replaced Mike Bellotti as head coach. Despite a somewhat inexperienced line, Kelly will have plenty of talent on offense. Defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti has an excellent group of linebackers at his disposal in Spencer Paysinger, Casey Matthews and Eddie Pleasant." True enough. How about Nick Aliotti (older brother of former BSU quarterback Joe Aliotti) still pluggin' away over there?

College football observers around the country are putting some stock into last Friday's Congressional hearing where Boise State athletic director Gene Bleymaier testified. Bleymaier's a lot more militant on the subject of BCS system unfairness than most people thought. He made his mark as he spoke in cahoots with Mountain West commissioner Craig Thompson and against BCS coordinator and ACC commissioner John Swofford and Alamo Bowl CEO Derrick Fox, with Rep. Joe Barton of Texas holding court.

Staples was on that story for SI.com as well, and writes: "Unfortunately for Swofford and Fox, the three smartest people in the Rayburn House Office Building on Friday were, in order, Bleymaier, Thompson and Barton. Bleymaier, who benefits from the added credibility of having co-founded the Humanitarian Bowl, spoke passionately and factually. He never wavered, and neither did Thompson, who last month proposed an eight-team playoff at the BCS meetings in Pasadena, CA." Now we'll see how the BCS schools and their fans recoil and strike back. You know where they'll start. The more the envelope is pushed, the more the scrutiny is intensified on the strength-of-schedule of non-BCS schools.

It's very hard to tell what to make of Boise State's latest football season ticket numbers, because the landscape is so different this year. BSU called the current 78 percent renewal rate "very encouraging" following the steep price increases announced two months ago. Three percent dropped their seats--a normal figure according to BSU. Now, what are those other 19 percent thinking?

Taylor Tharp threw 30 touchdown passes for Boise State as a senior in 2007. That's pretty good in the realm of FBS football. But the pinball nature of arena ball has Tharp pacing well head of that number just five games into the Boise Burn season. He tossed seven TDs Saturday night in the Burn's 68-18 demolishing of the Stockton Lightning, giving him 19 on the season. But the biggest difference for this new-look Burn is their playmaking on defense and special teams. Believe it or not, the Lightning outgained the Burn 236 yards to 203 despite a 50-point loss. But Boise forced seven Stockton turnovers, two of them resulting in touchdowns.

Around the horn: the College of Idaho baseball team opens play in the NAIA West Postseason Tournament this afternoon in Vancouver, BC. The Coyotes, seeded second, face third-seeded Cal State San Marcos. The C of I softball team clinched its second Cascade Conference title in the past three seasons--and with it, an automatic berth in the NAIA Women's World Series.

The inaugural Boise State women's softball team, despite a 13-game conference losing streak, has made its first WAC Tournament. The Broncos open against San Jose State Wednesday in Fresno. And Boise State's Ryan Grinnell, already the WAC leader in the triple jump, long jump, and high jump, picked up additional NCAA Regional qualifying marks in the latter two events Friday as he competed in Bronco Stadium for the final time in Friday night's Bronco Twilight. The WAC Championships start a week from Wednesday at Utah State.

This Day In Sports...May 4, 2001:

Misfortune strikes Game 4 of the Taylor Cup Finals in Boise between the Idaho Steelheads and San Diego. Trailing two games to one, the Gulls watch their popular captain, B.J. McPherson, fall to the ice with a dislocated neck. McPherson was transported to the hospital in critical condition, and his teammates rallied furiously for a 4-3 win. Boise fans would come to McPherson's aid, raising over $4,000 for him in the next 24 hours. But it was indeed a turning point for the inspired Gulls, who won the series in seven games.

(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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