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Tuesday, May 30, 2017
Boise State used to be a bit unique with its 100 percent participation in player-run practices during the summer. Especially when they were semi-voluntary. But in 2017, every program expects it and does it. The Broncos’ PRP’s begin today (as do rigorous physical requirements doled out by strength and conditioning coach Jeff Pitman). By definition—roster definition—Boise State has to work harder than most of its Mountain West counterparts between now and fall camp. It starts at the wide receiver position, with Cedrick Wilson getting back into it after missing spring football. Wilson’s not the issue, though, of course. Thomas Sperbeck’s and Chaz Anderson’s replacements are, and despite the liberal distribution of reps in Wilson’s absence, nobody really emerged as a second and third option in the spring.
Boise State quarterback Brett Rypien said all the right things in interviews with the Statesman and Press-Tribune from the Steve Clarkson Quarterback Retreat over the weekend, from his time spent with Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson to talk of taking his game to the next level this season. Rypien seems to have a good understanding of where he is right now. He has improved, but he hasn’t reached the level of consistency that gives him elite status. When Rypien is good, he’s great, like he was on his last three throws at Air Force (3-for-3 for 161 yards and a touchdown). Then there was the rest of the game against the Falcons. He told the Statesman’s Dave Southorn he wants to “be the guy where everyone knows what they’re going to get week in, week out.”
It’s a contentious situation in San Diego, as FS Investors’ SoccerCity project increasingly takes root, and San Diego State increasingly says the stadium/real estate development as proposed is unacceptable. San Diego Union-Tribune columnist Mark Zeigler pretty much agrees with the university, and points out that its alumni have mobilized to says things San Diego State legally can’t. “The Past Presidents Council of SDSU Alumni designated a spokesman and handed him a crate of grenades,” writes Zeigler. Real estate mogul and SDSU grad Fred Pierce said, “As soon as I got into the (FS Investors SoccerCity) initiative, it was immediately: ‘Oh my god, what a nightmare. This is looting the treasury of the city of San Diego. It’s a land grab for money.’” Zeigler is still calling it “SuckerCity.”
There’s a divide even within the offices of the newspaper. Fellow Union-Tribune columnist Kevin Acee points a finger at SDSU, saying the university has been “constantly moving the end line, making statements that liberally rely on semantics and avoiding productive dialogue.” The crazy thing is, San Diego State doesn’t have a Plan B for a future home for its football team. At this point, it doesn’t even have a Plan A. Padres Executive Chairman Ron Fowler told SDSU Friday that Petco Park won’t be available to the football program beyond the 2019 season. Maybe the school needs one more concession from FS Investors: change the name to “Aztec City.”
Allie Ostrander, Sadi Henderson and Claire O’Brien will be stopping over in Boise the next week—with time for rest and some fine-tuned practice runs on their way from Austin, TX, to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene. Ostrander, Boise State’s redshirt freshman phenom, has a chance at hardware at Hayward Field, coming out of the NCAA West Preliminary as the top qualifier in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and second in the 5,000-meters. O’Brien joins Ostrander in the 5,000 after taking the eighth and final qualifying spot. Henderson won her heat in the 800-meters Thursday night and qualified 19th overall.
The Idaho Memorial Day Match Play Championship came down to a duel yesterday between two accomplished collegiate golfers at Timberstone in Caldwell. Washington State junior Derek Bailey of Rathdrum took the title in the finals, 4-and-2 over Auburn sophomore Grayson Huff of Eagle. A couple of veteran valley competitors battle for the Senior division crown, with Bret Rupert outlasting Rod Skyles 3-and-1.
There was a new sheriff in town at the Idaho Cup youth soccer championships over the weekend. Idaho Rush won three boys divisions and two girls crowns for a total of five titles, more than any other club in the field and displacing the usual powerhouse, the Boise Nationals. The Nationals still won four championships, as did FC Nova. The U-19/20 boys title game put a fitting capper on the tournament, with the contest going to a sixth round of penalty kicks following a 2-2 draw before the Rush outlasted the Nationals 5-4.
Checking in on Boise High grad James Hoyt with the Houston Astros. Hoyt struck out 13 of the 23 batters he faced this season and didn’t allow a run in his first five appearances while earning his first win of the year against the Texas Rangers on May 2. In his second five stints over the past two weeks, Hoyt yielded a pair of earned runs. Then Sunday, he served up his first home run of the season, a solo shot from Baltimore’s Mark Trumbo in an 8-4 win over the Orioles. But Hoyt seems to be settling in as an effective setup piece of the Astros bullpen, sporting a 2.03 ERA over his 11 appearances.
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May 30, 2011: With NCAA allegations mounting against the Ohio State football program, coach Jim Tressel abruptly resigns after 10 years with the Buckeyes. There were many transgressions, but the one that triggered Tressel’s downfall was players selling memorabilia in exchange for tattoos. Tressel lied to the NCAA about his knowledge of the practice, allowing five players under investigation to participate in OSU’s 2011 Sugar Bowl victory over Arkansas. Tressel, who coached Youngstown State to the 1994 Division I-AA championship over Boise State, was 106-22 at Ohio State and won the 2002 national title.
(Tom Scott hosts the Scott Slant segment during the football season on KTVB’s Sunday Sports Extra and anchors five sports segments each weekday on 93.1 FM KTIK. He also served as color commentator on KTVB’s telecasts of Boise State football for 14 seasons.)
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