Let's talk about schedules and fan travel with our new conference configuration circumstances. Let's also talk about destinations for travel. In 2011, as we well remember, the schedule gave us, drum roll please:

2011 HOME SCHEDULE

Tulsa

Nevada

Air Force

TCU

Wyoming

New Mexico

2011 AWAY SCHEDULE

Georgia

Toledo

Fresno

CSU

UNLV

SDSU

2012 HOME SCHEDULE

BYU

Miami, OH

CSU

Fresno

SDSU

UNLV

2012 AWAY SCHEDULE

Michigan State

S. Miss.

Hawaii

Nevada

New Mexico

Wyoming

Now, let's make some assumptions about the Big East Schedule beginning in 2013.

First, let's assume the worst, that Air Force and BYU won't change their minds and join the Western Division, and that there are no other viable western alternatives. If one more (or two more) western teams, Cincy and Louisville get shifted over to the East. However, let's also assume that Navy is able to work it out, and that Temple also joins the East. If Navy doesn't come, we need one more in the East, probably Memphis or ECU would fill in if needed.

5 games in the Western Division. 3 games crossover in the Eastern Division. 4 non conference games per year. Here is what it may look like, if the teams we skip for the first rotation are Temple, USF and UConn.

2013 HOME SCHEDULE

UCF

Navy

Houston

Cincy

S. Miss.

1 TBD Nonconference

2013 AWAY SCHEDULE

Washington

BYU

Rutgers

SMU

SDSU

Louisville

2014 HOME SCHEDULE

BYU

Rutgers

SMU

SDSU

Louisville

1 TBD Nonconference

2014 AWAY SCHEDULE

Ole Miss

UCF

Navy

Houston

Cincy

1 TBD Nonconference

A few thoughts.

1) Comparing even years to even years and odd years to odd years is the only way to be fair about it, because of the rotation.

2) It would be easier to give a 2 for 1 to Nebraska or someone, if one loss would not take you completely out of the picture.

3) Can schedule open nonconferences against Fresno, Nevada, Utah State and perhaps even the Utes if they change their attitude a little.

4) We should never ever ever return to the Kibbles and bits dome. Getting Vandalized should not be allowed. Perhaps a 4 for 1, with the 1 being at Martin Stadium.

5) In 2012, the only real attractive road trips are to Hawaii and Michigan State. Southern Miss. might be OK. Making the trip to Reno has its issues, but still a possibility. Hawaii and Michigan State are not real easy to get to. Southern Miss. is also not that easy, and not that much of a reward. Reno is Reno.

The home schedule pretty much blows except for BYU and SDSU. It is always fun to beat up on Fresno, but won't be the same without the Fu Manchu.

6) For the 2013 away schedule, BYU is drivable. Washington is drivable. SDSU is a fairly short plane trip or drivable if you are slightly crazy. Rutgers. NYC. Louisville. Horse Farms and Louisville sluggers. SMU. Dallas. Not bad.

2013 home is not extremely compelling, but is deeper than 2011. Outside of TCU and Air Force, there wasn't much offered this year at home. Navy, UCF, Houston, Cincy and Southern Miss. all could beat you if you don't play well. Much better than Wyoming, New Mexico and Tulsa, in my opinion.

7) 2014 road schedule. Ole Miss is the opener and is a destination game. UCF offers Disney world. Navy would be kind of cool. Maryland, Virginia, even Philadelphia is possible. Houston could be cool, especially if later in the year. Cincy? Maybe. Better than Laramie or Fort Collins.

Home 2014 offers more way more than 2012. Rutgers instead of Miami, OH? check. BYU and SDSU are on both schedules. SMU for CSU. I'm down with that. Louisville for UNLV? Yes please. If they schedule Fresno or Nevada for the other home game, that one is a wash. If they schedule another good home game, it is much better.

Bottom line, if you travel for 1 big game a year or so, and maybe drive to one other regional game, and try to make the bowl game, this schedule is way better. Orlando or Laramie? NYC or Fort Collins. Keep San Diego. Houston or Dallas or Albuquerque. There is really no comparison.

All the whiners need to stop. There was no choice, and this is a significant upgrade. If it goes bad, it will be because the whole system changes, and we will still be closer to where we need to be than if we stayed.

Bonus: Blue on Blue is back, baby!!!!!! Stick that in your pipe and smoke it, Hair Thompson!

Let's talk about schedules and fan travel with our new conference configuration circumstances. Let's also talk about destinations for travel. In 2011, as we well remember, the schedule gave us, drum roll please:

2011 HOME SCHEDULE

Tulsa

Nevada

Air Force

TCU

Wyoming

New Mexico

2011 AWAY SCHEDULE

Georgia

Toledo

Fresno

CSU

UNLV

SDSU

2012 HOME SCHEDULE

BYU

Miami, OH

CSU

Fresno

SDSU

UNLV

2012 AWAY SCHEDULE

Michigan State

S. Miss.

Hawaii

Nevada

New Mexico

Wyoming

Now, let's make some assumptions about the Big East Schedule beginning in 2013.

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Check out the Scheduled Opponents Banner at www.spitbloodtcu.com.  I find it interesting that they mock BYU, they hate SMU, but the only logo modified is our beloved Broncos' logo.  Hmmm.  Perhaps some Utes or Vandals run the graphics for SpitbloodTCU.  

I don't know, not sure anyone should make fun of another school's mascot when yours is a small insignificant lizard whose only claim to unique status is that they spit blood out of their eyes in a last ditch attempt to not be raptor or snake food.  And, when your hand gesture representing said lizard spitting blood looks like you have been crippled in a horrible industrial accident, I'm not sure you should be mocking another school's mascot.  

I cannot wait for November 12th.  It would be awesome if the cards fell just right and the Big Least no longer existed, and the MWC picked up at least provisional AQ status.  Now that would be epic.  Spit Blood indeed.  From coughing up a lung.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.  I'm sure the NFL and NCAA will have lots of pink shoes, chin straps, etc. to go around.  As some others have suggested, for our first Mountain West Home Game, I suggest the Broncs either go all pink (We could just bleach out the all orange, it kind of looked pink on TV anyway....) or we go all whites, and force Air Force to go all Blues.  I think that would be the ultimate "in your face" for the MWC.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.  I'm sure the NFL and NCAA will have lots of pink shoes, chin straps, etc. to go around.  As some others have suggested, for our first Mountain West Home Game, I suggest the Broncs either go all pink (We could just bleach out the all orange, it kind of looked pink on TV anyway....) or we go all whites, and force Air Force to go all Blues.  I think that would be the ultimate "in your face" for the MWC.

"Goodness gracious, with all that's going on in the world right now and with national and state budgets being what they are, it seems like a waste of taxpayers' money to have the government looking into how college football games are played," he said.

http://msn.foxsports.com/collegefootball/story/Justice-Department-asks-NCAA-why-there-is-no-football-playoff-050411/?GT1=39002

Paraphrasing Bill Hancock here: "We are just a little old country boy doohickey bunch of kids strapping it up on Saturday afternoons cause we don't have anything better to do. I wish those mean old feds would leave us alone and let us get back to molding young people's minds...."

Another story out yesterday.... The Pac-10 agreed to a 12-year television contract with Fox and ESPN on Tuesday worth about $3 billion, allowing the conference to quadruple its media rights fees and start its own network. The contract, which will begin with the 2012-13 season, will be worth about $250 million per year, guaranteeing each of the 12 schools in the conference about $21 million, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the contract has not been announced.

http://msn.foxsports.com/collegefootball/story/Pac-10-conference-television-deal-with-FOX-050311

21 Million.... a year. BSU's whole athletic budget is only what, 26-28 million? The Broncos have to have athletes sleep on floors and couches just to try to get by and get some summer work in. Mr. Hancock, you are starting to sound like a raving lunatic. I don't know much about Antitrust, but I do know this, this is big business, and to pretend it is some small time operation just sounds lame.

Only his unique skill set will do.  The rest of us may be able to help, but he has proven his skills and abilities.  It seems to me that absent some very fortuitous things happening, (all my fingers and toes are crossed that they do), the only way the Sugar Bowl chooses a #3 or #4 ranked Bronco team to fill one of their slots is if we annoy them so bad they can't see straight, and they are intent on trying to make it Georgia 2.0.   Thank you, Hawkins and Zabranskie for that memory.  

Get directly into the Bowl Director and Bowl Committees heads, Mikrino!  "You can do it....."  Otherwise, they will choose Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Wisconsin, Sparty or Iowa over our beloved Broncos.  Don't let it happen.  Make them see blue, and make them choose us to try to shut us up.  New Orleans isn't my first choice, but the Rose Bowl is looking like a long shot at this point unless TCU gags, and the Fiesta can't take us because they will be stuck with Pittsburgh.  (Speaking of gagging).  

The Orange is unlikely, unless it is somebody who will draw lots of fans, and not Virginia Tech.  (FSU?...maybe....)

It is up to you, man.  Polls, caustic comments, whatever you have to do.  Light up SEC message boards, get banned from everywhere.  Make them hate us so bad they don't have a choice but to ask LSU or Auburn to shut us up.

Bronco Nation awaits your service, and salutes your sacrifice.   May the force be with you.

Ever destined to be just out of reach.  Crap, thanks Utah.  At least it sounds like BYU and TCU are staying put for awhile.  Now I have to figure out how why it's worth it to change to Direct TV when I hate Direct TV.

In the same way as some are famous for their lives, and others are famous for their deaths, Tantalus 1 became famous for the manner of his punishment in the afterlife. He was made to stand chin-deep in water with fruits just over his head, and whenever he tries to drink or eat, the water recedes or the fruits are lifted out of reach. And this torment, through which something seems to be offered only to be withdrawn again, has been called, in memory of its best known victim, "tantalize". 

I havent been to church since I don’t remember when
Things were goin’ great ‘til they fell apart again
So I listened to the preacher as he told me what to do
He said you can’t go hatin’ others who have done wrong to you
Sometimes we get angry, but we must not condemn
Let the good Lord do His job and you just pray for them

I pray your brakes go out runnin’ down a hill
I pray a flowerpot falls from a window sill and knocks you in the head like I’d like to
I pray your birthday comes and nobody calls
I pray you’re flyin’ high when your engine stalls
I pray all your dreams never come true
Just know where ever you are honey, I pray for you

I’m really glad I found my way to church
‘Cause I’m already feelin’ better and I thank God for the words
Yeah I’m goin’to take the high road
And do what the preacher told me to do
 
You keep messin’ up and I’ll keep prayin’ for you

I pray your tire blows out at 110
I pray you pass out drunk with your best friend and wake up with his and her tattoos

I pray your brakes go out runnin’ down a hill
I pray a flowerpot falls from a window sill and knocks you in the head like I’d like to
I pray your birthday comes and nobody calls
I pray you’re flyin’ high when your engine stalls
I pray all your dreams never come true
Just know wherever you are, near or far, in your house or in your car, 
wherever you are honey, I pray for you.

Jaron and the Long Road to Love.

The Orlando Sentinel is ranking the 2010 FBS football teams from 120-1.  In the bottom 15, only SJSU (114) has appeared so far for the WAC.  

Neither of the Moustached teams are there yet from the WAC (NM State for their Mascot, and the Vandals for Robb Akey.  Come to think of it, have you ever seen those two together at the same time...hmmm.... I'm just saying)  The  "milk the cow cheer" folks aren't there yet either.  (Dumbest cheer ever....)

 Anyway, WSU is representin' the PAC-10 solidly at 112.  Vandals new slogan:  "We own the Palouse!!!"

 3 MWC teams are already in.

No. 110 UNLV

No. 109 New Mexico

No. 108 Colorado State

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_college/2010/05/college-football-2010-rankings-no-106-ball-st.html

 This isn't good for BSU's rumored nuptials with the Mountain West.  Now, I fully expect New Mexico State, Idaho and Utah State will be appearing soon, but if they are in the 80's or even 90's, the bottom of the MWC looks pretty poor in comparison right now.  Utes and Cougars may have their faith tested.  Not that faith.  Their faith that the MWC is far superior to the WAC.

I'm not saying BSU shouldn't jump if offered, but Broncos may get just as tired of UNLV, New Mexico and CSU as they are right now of NMSU, USU and SJSU.  Broncos are tired of the Vandals as well, but that is just on general attitude and suckiness.  The Harvard of the Palouse may have a problem with me making up words such as "suckiness", but it's my post, I can make up words if I want.  See any Munson post on OBNUG for authority on that proposition.

If the Big 3 all stay, it's a good deal, even with the crappy TV contract, but if Broncos are left with the little 6, or even the little 6 plus 1 or 2, it's going to be a big letdown for Broncos.

The Orlando Sentinel is ranking the 2010 FBS football teams from 120-1.  In the bottom 15, only SJSU (114) has appeared so far for the WAC.  

Neither of the Moustached teams are there yet from the WAC (NM State for their Mascot, and the Vandals for Robb Akey.  Come to think of it, have you ever seen those two together at the same time...hmmm.... I'm just saying)  The  "milk the cow cheer" folks aren't there yet either.  (Dumbest cheer ever....)

Anyway, WSU is in solidly at 112.  Vandals new slogan:  "We own the Palouse!!!"

3 MWC teams are already in.

No. 110 UNLV

No. 109 New Mexico

No. 108 Colorado State

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_college/2010/05/college-football-2010-rankings-no-106-ball-st.html

This isn't good for our rumored nuptials with the Mountain West.  Now, I fully expect New Mexico State, Idaho and Utah State will be appearing soon, but if they are in the 80's or even 90's, the bottom of the MWC looks pretty poor in comparison right now.  Especially since most Mountain Westers think their crap doesn't stink compared to the WAC. 

I'm not saying we shouldn't jump if offered, but we may get just as tired of UNLV, New Mexico and CSU as we are right now of NMSU, USU and SJSU.  We are tired of the Vandals as well, but that is just on general attitude and suckiness.  The Harvard of the Palouse may have a problem with me making up words such as "suckiness", but it's my post, I can make up words if I want.  See any Munson post for authority on that proposition.

If the Big 3 all stay, it's a good deal, even with the crappy TV contract, but if we are left with the little 6, or even the little 6 plus 1 or 2, it's going to be a big letdown.

Smith, a senior, was Turbin’s backup last season and accounted for 290 yards and four touchdowns on 46 carries. "I wouldn’t say I am getting comfortable," Smith said. "I am learning my plays more and understanding the offense more. I am more comfortable.

http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/21259/smith-takes-the-lead-in-search-for-usu-rb

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I hadn't been to a Bronco Basketball game yet this year before last Saturday night.  I wasn't all that sold on the "We Play for You Ads" and it took awhile to recover from Bronco Football.  My wife was busy last Saturday night, I had only 3 kids that were going to be home, I heard about the $35.00 promotion Family 4 night promotion, and I thought, "what the heck?"  After the Jump, you can hear how it went....  ( I always wanted to say, "after the jump, just like a real poster).

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I don't know if he would be open to it, but it would space him out from Southwick a little, and give him at least 2 years as the presumptive nominee.  It is good to have competition, and the best guy will play, but one and done Tharp year(s) are not ideal.   I hope maybe since he didn't want to enroll early, he might consider enrolling on time but paying his own way for the first semester.  He could stand to get a little bigger, it looks like.