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Press Box Dave Reardon |
Boise in BCS would
bring WAC big booty
WESTERN Athletic Conference athletic directors have more than a million reasons each to be fans of Texas A&M and Southern Miss the next couple of weeks.It could mean a seven-figure payday for six WAC schools if the Aggies beat the rival Texas Longhorns in Austin this Saturday and the Golden Eagles trip up the visiting Cal Bears on Dec. 4.
A previously unbelievable scenario in which Utah AND Boise State find themselves in the upper crust of the previously impenetrable BCS standings is quite possible. They could both end up in the biggest games with the biggest appearance fees.
WAC commissioner Karl Benson said the payout for a BCS game would be between $14- and $17 million.
The conference bylaws call for the benefactor (in this case, Boise State) to get a $1 million bonus and expenses. The rest of the loot is split into equal shares for each school.
Here's the part guys like Hawaii athletic director Herman Frazier have to love: The pie is cut up into just six pieces, because Tulsa, Texas-El Paso, Rice and Southern Methodist are leaving for Conference USA.
Sorry, no parting gifts.
Also, no Welcome Wagon for Utah State, Idaho and New Mexico State.
Yes, it's still a dream for the WAC leftovers ... but it's an attainable one now, as Boise State is No. 7 in the BCS standings.
And, yes, it could all fall apart if the Broncos don't hold up their end of the deal by beating Nevada on Saturday -- at Nevada, a tough place to play this year where the Wolf Pack are 5-0 (and they're 0-6 on the road; sound familiar?).
ESPN has decided to telecast the game, and Benson said he will do his best to promote the Broncos as a team every bit as deserving as Utah for elite status.
"The computers have them almost identical," Benson said.
Benson is also excited about the future of the BCS, because of new provisions giving even more access for mid-major programs and conferences.
IT'S SAD that large doses of integrity, intelligence and passion were not enough for Fitz Hill to keep his position as San Jose State football coach. Unfortunately, wins and losses are the bottom line in the coaching profession, and 14 and 32 won't cut it anywhere.
The Spartans job is one of the toughest in the country because of the incredible amount of competition for fan interest and top recruits in the Bay Area, but Hill never whined about it.
Hill, 40, and owner of a doctorate in education, is moving on to the University of Central Florida where he will be a visiting scholar.
"As a coach, I am involved in teaching young men and, after 17 years, it is time for me to take my first sabbatical. After completing my research and book project, I will evaluate whether I desire to coach again," Hill said.
It wouldn't be a surprise to see the articulate and charismatic Desert Storm veteran someday enter another high-profile arena where he could make an impact, a more important one than football.
How does Sen. Hill sound?