Boise’s BCS Double Standard
Friday - November 18, 2009
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Del.icio.usWe are gearing up for more controversy in the not-so-very collegial world of college football.
Can a team like TCU from a non-BCS conference like the Mountain West get into the national championship game? Most pundits think not.
Could Boise State be selected as an at-large invitee to a BCS game, or must it take an undefeated record into the Poinsettia Bowl? Again, most believe the chances of two non-BCS teams getting major bowl bids to be somewhere between slender and none.
The topper, tough is the argument that Boise State doesn’t play anyone of note. It turns out that Boise State AD Gene Gleymaier has been turned down by a large number of BCS schools, even when offering to visit them without a return game at home. Reportedly he’s not even getting return phone calls. Just imagine his level of frustration when he phones up Florida.
“Hello, this is University of Florida athletics director Jeremy Foley. I’m not here right now. I’m busy counting the $6 million we make each year at a one-day fundraiser here in Gainesville. Boy, I can’t believe how dirty your hands get from all that dough. But please leave me a message. I’ll get back to you right away, unless you’re Boise State looking for a game, in which case I’m completely unavailable.”
Or this conversation: “Hello, is Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith there?”
“Hi, this is Gene Smith speaking.” “Gene, this is Gene Bleymaier from Boise State. Great name by the way. I’ve been trying to get a hold of you for several weeks.”
“Sorry about that. I’ve been locked up in meetings trying to figure out how we’re gonna increase our $65 million in football revenues to $70 million.”
“Well, Gene, we’re looking for a game in 2011. We’ll come to you and we’ll come without a return game.”
“Let me look. Mmm. No, 2011 is not gonna work. We already have Akron and Toledo. How’s never? Is never good for you?”
Seems to me the BCS conferences can’t have it both ways. You can’t vilify the Boise States of the world for the weakness of their schedules and then refuse to play them, even at home. We know it’s all about the money, but this stance is patently unreasonable. Maybe it will take an act of Congress (how do you spell “antitrust”?) to loosen up the schedules and the pocketbooks.
You can’t help but feel for Rainbow Warrior power forward Bill Amis. The hard-working senior was just selected as team co-captain but is recovering from an injury to his plantar fascia. The foot injury is somewhat unusual for a basketball player, and nobody seems to have a good estimate of how long it might take for him to heal and get into game shape. His loss is huge - he’s the most consistent scorer and rebounder on the team and is deadly from 15-17 feet. Nobody wants to talk about this yet, but it’s possible that Amis could end up having to redshirt, which would be tough on this year’s team, but a boon to next year.
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