What an embaracement

[Dossenator]

I am speaking of Idaho, their stadium, and the WAC. It is a good thing Boise is getting the heck out of dodge. Boise is on a whole different level compared to Idaho and the entire WAC. Not sure thay are really improving their situation much but just about anything would be better than the situation they are in now.

Boise might as well be playing a high school team....if they did they would more than likely be playing in a stadium larger than the one they are playing in tonight (and getting more resistance from their opponent). I thought you had to average a certain number of fans per game to keep your FBS status. I know that is why Louisiana-Monroe count games in Ark as home games (so they could meet requirements to stay an FBS school).

The channel is turning. You can not get any gauge how good Boise is in this game...Idaho is just flat out terrible!

[Derek]

Yep.

[silverfox]

Yep.

Ditto

[donovan]

I am not embarrassed nor apologetic. You support this corrupt system and then want to denigrate the teams you invited to participate. I would take, with all their flaws, the integrity of the WAC over several other conferences. The Idaho Vandals have reasonable history and the Humanitarian game last year against Bowling Green was absolutely one of the best bowl games played.

[Dossenator]

I am not embarrassed nor apologetic. You support this corrupt system and then want to denigrate the teams you invited to participate. I would take, with all their flaws, the integrity of the WAC over several other conferences. The Idaho Vandals have reasonable history and the Humanitarian game last year against Bowling Green was absolutely one of the best bowl games played.

I did not invite anyone to do anything, and I do not promote corruption. Not all teams from major conferences do things like Auburn or USC. I would think that most schools and programs do things the right way. And the ones that don't should be found out and punished. No way Idaho (and many other teams) should have ever been invited to join the FBS. It is not fair to them. I am not saying that Idaho is a bad school...I really have no knowledge of Idaho University. But it seems that with the resources they have available athletically it would benefit a team like Idaho to play in a division that is more suited for their ability? I was embarrassed for Idaho tonight....that game was over before it even started. And the way the announcers kept pumping up the game as this huge rivalry and attempted to make it sound like Idaho had a shot at winning....well that did not help the situation either. The system is just plain crazy...that much I know we can agree on.

[donovan]

We can...and as for the announcers...they are what they are and certainly do not reflect anyone's opinions but their own. What drives me nuts is Idaho does not play well and all of the sudden they don't belong. I can think of several schools that have not played well at various times and today they tout themselves as elitists. I can tell you the rivalry between Idaho and Boise State is as mean spirited as any in the country. The antics and behavior of these two schools in an area that is a rough and free thinking, not wanting government, period...anything has gone. Not saying it is good..just saying that one game or one season does not tell us much...but today we are all for instant gratification and three month profit motivation calling it long term planning. Anyway...the system is absolutely broken.

PS Idaho's best offensive plays were two fake punts Kama Bailey ran for a combined 93 yards.

[Dossenator]

Not much of a rivalry if it's so one sided. If Boise was not leaving the WAC, Boise would probably never lose to Idaho again. Idaho would look that bad against any good team. They may look good against the likes of a New Mexico, etc but that does not mean they deserve to be among the FBS. Also, how do they have enough attendance to keep their FBS status...or is that no longer a deciding factor? I did see the first fake...nice play call and execution.

[BYUfan1]

Idaho isn't terrible, but that is what everybody says about whomever Boise State is playing. Boise State could be playing Arkansas and all you would here is how bad Arkansas is on defense. People would knock Boise State if they were playing the Pittsburgh Steelers.

I doubt very much the WAC will kick Idaho out, since they are adding Texas State and UTSA to the conference. Idaho's situation cannot be worse than those two other teams.

[Eric]

Idaho played pretty poorly last night. They gave up over 800 yards to Nevada last week. The thing is though, nobody is assuming that other teams couldn't have done to Idaho what Boise did to them. The point being made is that Boise State did to them what any very good team would do to a team like Idaho.

I don't mind the dome. I believe it's the smallest stadium in the FBS at 16,000 people. It's one of my favorite college football stadiums though, just because I like domes in general

[Grayghost]

No way Idaho (and many other teams) should have ever been invited to join the FBS. It is not fair to them. I am not saying that Idaho is a bad school...I really have no knowledge of Idaho University. But it seems that with the resources they have available athletically it would benefit a team like Idaho to play in a division that is more suited for their ability?

When I look at arguments like this the first thing that pops into my mind is Vanderbilt and the SEC. Can anyone really make the argument that Vandy should be in the SEC. Yes, tradition. Yes, rivalries. But when Vandy plays baby seal to a .500 Georgia team it is hard to make the argument that they really belong there, even considering that they went to a bowl for the first time in 20+ years, or even had a winning record, much less a winning conference record. This is not me advocating that Vandy should leave the SEC, but the argument above could be made for a number of teams that they don't belong in a particular confernce or the FBS in general. So Idaho got crushed by Boise...and Utah got crushed by TCU. And Cal will probably be embarrassed beyond all measure today by Oregon. Teams go through ups and downs, dose anyone remember LSU under Curly Hallman, Mike Archer, and Gerry DiNardo...I'm sure most Bayou Bengal fans would like to consider those the "Dark Ages" that weren't recoreded in the annals of LSU lore.

Now, as regards facilities, yes, Idaho plays in a stadium that is below NCAA guidelines for attendance, but the NCAA has severall attendance guidelines that come into play. First is attendance for home games, second is attendance for all games, and I believe there is a third criteria...(I used to be more up on this..which is sort of sad), and as long as you meat one of the criteria you qualify. There are alse exemptions for certain critieria, but I can't remeber what they are.

It just might be a little harsh to say "one does not belong" because they got creamed by a superior team. Anyway, that's my take.

[Eric]

Well put, Grayghost. I don't mind the amount of teams in the FBS as it stands right now. With the new WAC additions, it'll be bumped up to 122, and 123 when South Alabama joins the Sun Belt. At any rate, I think there is a good deal of overlap from the top of the FCS with the bottom of the FBS, so I don't know what good Idaho will get by playing in the Big Sky versus the WAC. I think their peers also play in the WAC (Utah State, New Mexico State, San Jose State, etc.). Overall it's a pretty good fit for them, and otherwise they would have no exposure whatsoever if they faced Eastern Washington, Weber State, et al every week of the season.

This was a bowl team last season as well. One school I definitely feel that should just stop trying is Eastern Michigan. I don't think there's a lot this school can do and they probably should drop down a level.

[Dossenator]

I am not just speaking of Idaho but most of the WAC...and for that matter teams from other conferences. As for Vandy...they are not very good but would more than likely be favored against Idaho. As for the Ark defense, I believe they are ranked #27 nationally (they were torched against Auburn and that's all that anyone remembers). If Auburn and Ark win out we will probably see Boise vs Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl.

[BYUfan1]

I am not just speaking of Idaho but most of the WAC...and for that matter teams from other conferences. As for Vandy...they are not very good but would more than likely be favored against Idaho. As for the Ark defense, I believe they are ranked #27 nationally (they were torched against Auburn and that's all that anyone remembers). If Auburn and Ark win out we will probably see Boise vs Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl.

Well then, maybe the answer is for Arkansas to join the WAC. It would make the WAC better and since Vanderbilt doesn't belong in the SEC because it can win a conference title, Arkansas doesn't belong in the SEC either because the Razorbacks have not won a conference title since 1989 and that was in the Southwest Conference.

Vanderbilt is a lot better than Arkansas in men's basketball so using your logic, Arkansas is clearly not good enough to be in the SEC for basketball nor football. Maybe Arkansas can work it out that they can stay in the SEC for track and field only.

The only way Boise State will play Arkansas in a bowl game this season if somehow Arkansas is selected to play for the national championship. As I write this, San Diego State is beating TCU, and Auburn will lose to either Alabama or Florida. Like it or not, Boise State will represent the WAC in the national title game.

[Dossenator]

Vandy better than Ark in basketball is laughable. Since joining the SEC Ark has 3 final four appearances, 2 championship game appearances, and a national championship. Maybe it would be good for Ark to replace Boise in the WAC. Get up for 2 games a year, cream the other 10 cupcakes and play in a BCS bowl every other year. Sounds good to me. And those of you saying Idaho is not bad...their 1-4 in WAC play (does not get much worse then that). Ark has also played in thre conference championship games in football in the SEC....and has been one of the top 2 or 3 SEC baseball teams for years. Ark has also won over 40 national championships in track alone. Cmparing Ark to Idaho s just crazy BYUfan.

Also you mention 1 SEC team....Vandy. I am referring to more than Idaho in the WAC...about 6 of the 9 teams have no chance at competing with good teams.

Everyone says Boise is elite because they cream their poor competition. Look what Georgia has done the last 5 weeks...they have creamed poor to average teams. No one is saying that Georgia is anything special....they say they are simply beating bad teams. As I type, Auburn and the cheater are losing to Georgia 21-7.

Arkansas is minus it's #1 WR, #1 RB, and #1 LB and I still believe they would beat Boise by 10 points or more on a neutral field.

[silverfox]

Ironically the big issue about Idaho has to do with it's stadium. Its old and it is obsolete and in desperate need of updating for the safety of the players.

There has been a big flap this past couple of years because Coach Peterson doesn't want to take his teams there anymore. He has a number of concerns -- one of those is security and team safety. Idaho Vandal fans have had a hard time containing their own at times and the stadium's design is such that fans can get to players. Boise state has offered to play them more in the future but not at the Kibbie Dome and this has outraged the U of I and they rejected that notion that they can't play Boise State in their own stadium. Because they have rejected that notion they have not been scheduled to a match for a least two more seasons and perhaps even ever. Sad.

As Donovan pointed out, the rivalry is comparable to most other in-state rivalries across the country. The problem is the over-exuberance of Vandal fans and safety for the football players. The Idaho program is being re-built and only time and some well placed funding can cure it.