[Vision2020] Idaho and Sports Illustrated

[Another Idaho Alum]

It wasn't the jump from the Big Sky Conference (Division 1AA), that caused 
the "loss".  The rivalry was very much alive in the Big West Conference 
(Divisioin 1A) as evidenced by our Humanitarian Bowl victory in 1998 against 
Southern Mississippi (after beating the boys from Boise on their own blue turf).

The "loss" was caused by Idaho's jump into the Sun Belt Conference (Division 
1A) against unfamiliar colleges (ULM, ULL, MTSU, etc.) after not being invited 
to the dance in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC, Division 1A) with boise 
state, Nevada, etc.  Throw in a bunch of conference losses against unfamiliar 
colleges, season lightly with poor coaching by Cable, and you have the 
ingredients for apathy.

Enough of the bad news!

Looking ahead:  We have a new head coach in Nick Holt (former assistant coach 
under John L. Smith) and (by late this afternoon) we should get the word that 
Idaho has been offered a spot in the Western Athletic Conference, once again 
firing up old rivalries.  And what's wrong with Hawaii coming to Idaho?

Aloha,

Tom Hansen
UI '96

> Just my 2 cents..... a bit of a ramble and rant....
> 
> When the Vandals decided to not only leave the Big Sky, as well as
> essentially slapping local businesses in the face by taking away income
> regional teams brought to our area....... it was *poof* All of it gone! No
> "hated opponent", no full hotels/motels, no big tips for waitresses....
> Zippo, nada....
> 
> How many home games did Idaho have last year? Three, or was it four? And
> where were the teams from? Sometimes, I just don't get it. Next year out of
> 12 games, Idaho plays 4 "home" games, 2 at WSU, and 2 at U of I. The home
> games include: WSU at WSU;  Louisiana-Monroe and Louisiana-Lafayette at
> Idaho; and Arkansas at WSU. Seriously folks, how many fans are going to come
> to Idaho in this economy to see their team play? How many Vandal fans fly to
> Tennessee, Texas and Alabama? The remaining games are away games, (DUH!
> *laugh*) one including a trip to Hawaii. How can the U of I afford to send a
> team to Hawaii, when they are talking about gutting the Fine Arts
> Department? Hmmmmm???  I thought a university was primarily for getting an
> education.
> 
> Would someone please be so kind as to educate me about this? It is something
> that has perplexed me since Idaho left the Big Sky. I am totally in the dark
> as to the reasoning. I feel if we were playing in a division that had teams
> closer to home, not only would the town see an increase in our economy. But
> the visiting fans would be exposed to the U of I, and perhaps might be
> inclined to send their children here. It would be a university far enough
> away from home to give their children freedom, yet not so far as to make it
> impossible for family to visit them.
> 
> Thanks for listening. This has bothered me for ages.
> 
> Janesta Carcich Sullivan
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Carl Westberg" <carlwestberg846@hotmail.com>
> To: <vision2020@moscow.com>
> Sent: Friday, June 04, 2004 7:36 AM
> Subject: [Vision2020] Idaho and Sports Illustrated
> 
> 
> > Sports Illustrated has been featuring one of the fifty states in each
> issue
> > the last several months, and the new issue features Idaho.  Among the
> > questions:  Idahoans most hated opponent.  The answer:  The Idaho Vandals.
> > We're our own state's most hated opponent?
> >
> >
> >
> >          Carl Westberg Jr.
> >
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> 
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