Another article my dad wrote and asked me to post here...

What a night.  The culmination of College Football Awards week.  The suspense....Well their was none, but I tuned in anyway to see how the Heisman Trust and ESPN handled an evening that would involve one of the most controversial awards in recent memory.

Here was the narration of the opening video segment (imagine moving music and video clips of great men of the past):

Ability is not enough, there must also be honor, diligence, integrity and all that word entails.  The name refers to young men and the qualities they represent.  Say Bertelli and you said character. Staubach and you said commitment.  Say Griffin, or Jackson or Tebow and you have said leadership.  Add humility and the enduring light it casts.  This is the heart of tradition.  Recognition for one individual who recognizes the reason for their success.  You have speed, agility, accuracy and strength, but intangibles are the key to winning the Heisman Trophy.

Sadly, the moving introduction piece showed that we are living in an age of fantasy.  An age where it makes us feel good to sling around words like diligence, integrity, and character.  The actions of the nearly 1,000 voters for the award showed that the lofty ideals associated with the trophy and its past recipients are dead.  If there ever was a character component to the Heisman Trophy you can consider December 11, 2010 as the closing ceremony on that era.

What we would all appreciate is a bit of respect.  Please spare us the goose bump introductions and black and white films of great men of our past who suggest that the only parallel that the Heisman has in their life is the day the US Marines allowed them to wear the uniform.  Spare us the suggestion that this award is about anything but athletic ability.

I think most people in the United States and perhaps the world have come to a place where we know what sports is all about.  We live in a world of performance enhancing drugs, the cult of me, and multi-million dollar salaries.  We know that sports is about ability.  And this is where I struggle with what I watched on Saturday evening.  It seems the good folks at ESPN and the Heisman Trust want to have it both ways.  They want the appearance that their award means something more, but they don’t want us to pay attention to the facts.

I won’t rehash all that has been written and discovered about the character of our new Heisman Trophy winner.  I could fill several pages with discussion of legal problems, academic integrity issues and the shady dealings surrounding his arrival at Auburn, but I won’t.  So let me close with this.....  I can say with certainty that Cam Newton has more athletic ability than any of the students on the stage this evening in New York.  But, I can also say that the award presented tonight had NOTHING to do with the ideals the broadcast suggests it stands for.  So let’s call these awards what they are and spare us the emotional warm and fuzzy images of days gone by, we aren’t buying it and you shouldn’t be selling it.

I can honestly say that there are very few players I enjoy watching more than Jarvis Hodge. I know that is an odd statement to make about a backup running back, but it's the truth. Jarvis Hodge epitomizes what I love about college football, and Boise State football in general. Through five years of playing behind other talented running backs, Jarvis Hodge has taken full advantage of his senior year to show what he can do.

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Ed's note: I promoted this FanPost because I liked it. I think you'll like it, too.

Go Broncos! The new streak starts Saturday!

Brian Murphy of the Idaho Statesman said it best in his article summarizing Boise State’s defeat on a cold and memorable night in November.  “It was the Blackest of Fridays...”  Like most in Bronco Nation I will always remember Black Friday 2010, and not because I got a 52 inch LCD TV for $150 bucks on a 7:00 am Best Buy door buster.  I will remember the night that our 24-game winning streak ended.  I’ll remember the night the mighty Broncos, who had so often been the victors in some of the most memorable moments in football history, finally stumbled and couldn’t recover.  But just as our players will learn from this defeat, Bronco Nation has some learning to do too.

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I think most people here will probably agree with me when I state my opinion that Coach Pete is the best coach in the Nation. And that is not only because he has lost only four games in the course of five years here at Boise State.

We love Coach Pete for a multitude of reasons. The way he sticks to his guns about poll discussions when everyone (sometimes including me) would like him to cave. The way he makes sure that all his players have a place to eat Thanksgiving Dinner. The way he always gives credit to his assistant coaches.

We are a spoiled fanbase. We are so used to winning, that losing is almost unfathomable. I can only imagine how being 'expected' to go undefeated again could wear on a coach. I don't claim to have any idea how hard it it, but I think, like most of the media personalities, we take it for granted.

So here is what I propose. We make Saturday Coach Pete Appreciation day.

One of my ideas was to bring some poster-board to the tailgate on Sat. and have as many Bronco fans as possible sign it and write their favourite thing about Coach Pete (excluding anything about wins), then take it over to the athletic office for him. Would you be ok with me bringing that stuff, Crissie?

Any other ideas of how we can show Coach Pete how much we appreciate what he does on and off the field that does not show up in the W/L column?

Go Broncos!

So, I wanted to come up with a sign to bring to the Fiesta Bowl, however, I'm having a rather creatively challenged week. That's where you come in! I'm looking for something clever to write on a sign, and I need your help. Leave any ideas in the comments!

Also, it's just a good way to waste time... and the more time you waste, the sooner Monday will be here! Can't wait!

Go Broncos!

So, I had to write an essay for school the other day. It was supposed to be a descriptive essay, and I was drawing a blank on what I could describe. Then, I looked up on my wall, and met with my inspiration in the form of the Kellen Moore poster hanging above my desk. No, I don't have a life.

Anyway, I don't know how much my teacher appreciated my essay, but I thought I would submit it to a higher judge of Bronco-ness, in you guys. Grades, please?

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My dad and I ran through our post game thoughts. Check them out here!

We discuss what happened with the offense, why our defense is completely awesome, and how special teams can improve. We also give our thoughts on the post game antics between Hout and Blount, where that belongs... AFTER we discuss the game at length. Keep things in perspective please!

Please leave your thoughts in the comments here, or at www.broncooverdrive.com!

Ok, so like everyone else, I'm pretty tired of hearing about the antics after the Oregon game, instead of the game itself. However, as time has gone on, disscusion seems to have switched to what Byron Hout did, and how he's going to be punished, and I wanted to get the NUGers thoughts on this.

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After watching the scrimmage on Friday, one thing seemed apparent to me. Joe Southwick is a good quarterback. Especially for a true freshman. I can honestly say that at times, he looked better than Mike Coughlin.

Now here's my question. Are you confident in MC as the number 2 QB? Personally, I'm not, and judging by the amount of playing time that Joe Southwick got, Coach Pete may not be either.

Nothing against MC. I've heard he's a great guy, and I'm sure plays a big role on the team. However, I've never been impressed with his throws (has he even heard of 'touch'?) or his confidence/decision making.

Southwick, on the other hand, looked quite comfortable on Friday, completing the highest percentage of passes for any quarterback. I was impressed with how smooth and in control he looked, and some of his throws were beautiful.

Obviously Coughlin has a better grasp of the offense, and will be the first one off the bench should (Heaven Forbid!) Kellen get hurt. But it is my personal opinion that if Coach Pete sees that MC's not getting things done, he won't hesitate to pull Southwick's redshirt.

What do you think?

Authorities are busy alerting the public of an addictive new drug that they have discovered has been being consumed en-mass at Bronco Stadium the past few seasons.

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