Thursday, July 9, 2009.

Is this the type of opportunity Boise State athletic director Gene Bleymaier is looking for in BSU's re-focused scheduling philosophy? From Adam Ridenour's column at ESPN.com: "This really got me excited for a while, but apparently Michigan won't be opening the 2010 season against Georgia. The Bulldogs definitely would qualify as the big splash Michigan is looking to make at the renovated Big House. Perhaps Michigan will take my advice and bring Boise State to Ann Arbor." Yes, next season is one of those with a big fat opening on the Bronco slate. Ironically, it was Utah's trip to Michigan last year--and subsequent win over the Wolverines--that kept the Utes one step ahead of the Broncos all season in the race for a BCS berth. Didn't matter that Michigan ended up with its worst season ever.

The WAC and Mountain West presidents did what they had to do yesterday, voting to sign the new BCS agreement that goes through 2014 and retaining access to BCS bowls (and a slice of the financial pie that accompanies it). They do so under protest, though, attaching a letter expressing their concerns over the BCS system. I still say the overriding problem is the FBS (Division I-A), which allowed far too many schools to join the past 20 years. With stricter controls on who could qualify and fewer schools in the division, this mess would be easier to navigate. But it's too late to go back now without blowing the FBS up and starting over.

There's unfinished business at Boise State for the Sosnowski family, and new Bronco commit Kyle Sosnowski can now go to work on it. The 6-3, 215-pound safety, recruited as a tight end, is the son of former BSU noseguard Steve Sosnowski, a member of the Broncos' 1980 Division I-AA national championship team. But Steve, a transfer from UCLA, didn't get to play in the Camellia Bowl in Sacramento, having suffered a devastating season-ending knee injury in the fourth game of the season at Montana State. At 6-6, 260 pounds, the elder Sosnowski was huge by Division I-AA standards 29 years ago.

We can stay in the "who's hot" department today with the Boise Burn, because the list is lengthy. Terrence Sanders has now returned seven kickoffs for touchdowns this season. That's one more than the Burn had as a whole in the first two years of the franchise. And the Burn's elder statesman, Levi Madarieta, has been as good as ever. The former Weiser Wolverine has eight interceptions this season, one short of the club record set by Sanders a year ago. By the way, the Burn are still fifth this week in the af2 Coaches Poll, though they did receive one first-place vote.

While the Boise Hawks are away, Memorial Stadium will be far from quiet tomorrow night. The Boise State Football Charity Softball Game for First Tee of Idaho will take the place over, with more than 40 Bronco players facing off. The game starts at 7PM, but get there an hour earlier for the home run derby. It's part Sultan of Swat, part comedy. Five players from each side (offense and defense) will be chosen, and they'll get 10 pitches apiece.

On getaway night last night, the Boise Hawks got away with their first series win of the season. The Hawks beat Eugene, 6-3, to capture three of the five games against the Emeralds this week. And it was the light-hitting Jose Valdez who helped manufacture the win. The Hawks' No. 9 hitter scored twice in the middle innings--then sealed it with a two-run single in the eighth. Manufacture is the word, as Boise has not hit a home run at Memorial Stadium since August 28 of last year. But the three-run margin of victory was the Hawks' largest of the season after five one-run wins. The team has a rare off-day today before beginning a five-game series at Vancouver tomorrow night.

Former Boise State standout Jason Ellis is getting his first taste of NBA summer league action this week, playing for the Sixers-Nets combined entry in Orlando. Ellis has 28½ minutes in three games and hasn't been much of a factor--the Idaho Stampede forward has four points with two rebounds, but he does have three blocked shots. Former Stampede and BSU teammate Coby Karl has made a good impression with the Celtics, though. Karl has played in two of the Boston squad's three games and has scored 29 points. Former Stampede star Lance Allred has played only 27½ minutes in three games for the Orlando entry and has struggled, going 1-for-7 from the field.

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. 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. The much-celebrated game marked the return of the Midsummer Classic after a one-year absence due to World War II.

(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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