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<div class=Section1>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>From
today’s (April 22, 2008) Spokesman Review –<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>-----------------------------------------------------------------<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><img
width=549 height=283 id="_x0000_i1025" src="cid:image001.gif@01C8A438.14189BA0"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<h2><b><font size=5 face="Times New Roman"><span lang=EN style='font-size:18.0pt'>Ready
to fight fire <o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h2>
<h4><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt'>Vandals
HumBowl QB testing for <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Chicago</st1:place></st1:City>
department <o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h4>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:
"Times New Roman"'>It should come as no surprise to those who remember John
Welsh's playing days at the University of Idaho that he briefly came out of
retirement a year ago to quarterback a Chicago-based arena football team. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:
"Times New Roman"'>Some friends mentioned the new team was holding a tryout.
Welsh made the squad and was a starter a couple of weeks later.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:
"Times New Roman"'>Nor should it be a surprise that Welsh hopes to land a job
with the <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Chicago</st1:place></st1:City>
fire department. He was one of 20,000 who began taking a series of tests two
years ago.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:
"Times New Roman"'>"I got No. 350 out of 20,000," he said.
"That's pretty unheard of."<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:
"Times New Roman"'>Why firefighting? <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:
"Times New Roman"'>"I've just heard from some of the guys that it's probably
the next closest thing to being on a team," Welsh said, "which I'm
pretty used to." <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:
"Times New Roman"'>Welsh was a member of four of them at <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Idaho</st1:place></st1:State>, including one magical crew that made
prognosticators look silly in 1998. There is no logical explanation for what
the Vandals accomplished that season, their third in NCAA Division I. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:
"Times New Roman"'>Picked to finish last in the Big West and ranked last among
112 D-I teams by one national magazine, <st1:State w:st="on">Idaho</st1:State>
pieced together talent, chemistry and a flare for the dramatic en route to a
9-3 season, capped by a 42-35 victory over 16.5-point favorite <st1:place
w:st="on">Southern Mississippi</st1:place> in the Humanitarian Bowl.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><st1:State
w:st="on"><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span lang=EN style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'>Idaho</span></font></st1:State><font
face="Times New Roman"><span lang=EN style='font-family:"Times New Roman"'>
held a reunion for the team in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Moscow</st1:place></st1:City>
on Friday, in conjunction with the spring game, and about 20 players returned, including
Welsh, who, as a freshman, took over as the starter midway through the season.
The Vandals had a hiccup in their title run, a 58-23 home loss to <st1:State
w:st="on">Nevada</st1:State>, but recovered to win at <st1:place w:st="on">North
Texas</st1:place> the next week. A win over <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">New Mexico</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">State</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>
followed as Welsh fired a pass to Ryan Prestimonico, who broke two tackles and
scored the winning touchdown in a 36-32 thriller.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:
"Times New Roman"'>That set up a showdown with rival <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Boise</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">State</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>
at Bronco Stadium. <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Idaho</st1:place></st1:State>
scored in overtime to pull within 35-34 and set up for the point-after. <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Boise</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">State</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>
called timeout to ice the kicker. The Vandals used the timeout to dial up a
two-point conversion that would become known as "The Call." <st1:State
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Idaho</st1:place></st1:State> surprised the
Broncos by sending the offense on the field with sixth-year running back Joel
Thomas lined up in the flat behind a trio of teammates. Welsh tossed the ball
to Thomas, who plowed into the end zone for a 36-35 victory.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:
"Times New Roman"'>Afterward, then-BSU coach Dirk Koetter went into the
interview room while Vandals coach Chris Tormey was finishing up and congratulated
Tormey for the play call.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:
"Times New Roman"'>"Coach Tormey asked Joel, 'We're going to ride you, do
you want to do this or go to another overtime?' " Welsh said. "Joel
said, 'Let's do this thing now.' "<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:
"Times New Roman"'>Welsh's job was easy: Take one step back and flip the ball
to Thomas. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:
"Times New Roman"'>"If you ever look at that play, as soon as I released
the ball I got sacked," he said. "If it had taken a split-second
longer, I wouldn't have got it off. It was just one of those things."<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:
"Times New Roman"'>"Those things" kept happening in the bowl game.
Tied at 35 midway through the fourth quarter, <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Idaho</st1:place></st1:State> marched 68 yards with a Welsh-to-
Prestimonico pass covering the last 28 yards for the winner. Welsh was voted
the game's most valuable player.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:
"Times New Roman"'>"I think probably the main thing with that team was the
leadership – Joel, (Ryan) Skinner," Welsh said. "They brought
us together. That was their last shot."<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:
"Times New Roman"'>Many of those players met up in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Moscow</st1:place></st1:City> during the weekend, including Skinner,
Prestimonico, Rick DeMulling, Mike Roberg, Chris Nofoaiga, Dennis Gibbs and
Jeremy Wallace. Thomas, an assistant coach at Purdue, couldn't attend because
the Boilermakers' spring game was the same day.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:
"Times New Roman"'>"He called every night when we were down there,"
Welsh said. "Everybody came back wearing their rings and talking about the
good old days. I haven't seen some of those guys in 8-10 years, but as soon as
you see them it's like old times and you jump right back into giving each other
grief, just like we used to."<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:
"Times New Roman"'>DeMulling, who has purchased a home in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Spokane</st1:place></st1:City>, was with the Washington Redskins
last year and hopes to continue his NFL career. Nofoaiga, who became an All-Big
West linebacker, is a high school coach in <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Washington</st1:place></st1:State>. Gibbs (salesman) and
Prestimonico (Charles Schwab) are in <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">California</st1:place></st1:State>.
Ed Dean, who opened the season as the starting quarterback while Welsh was
third on the depth chart, is a Border Patrol agent.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:
"Times New Roman"'>After the HumBowl season, Welsh quarterbacked three more
years, injuries interrupting two of them. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><st1:State
w:st="on"><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span lang=EN style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'>Idaho</span></font></st1:State><font
face="Times New Roman"><span lang=EN style='font-family:"Times New Roman"'> had
shots at Big West titles in 1999 and 2000, but lost to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Boise</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">State</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>.
<st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Idaho</st1:place></st1:State> was
1-10 – 0-8 at one time despite averaging 41 points per game – and
played in the Sun Belt Conference in Welsh's senior year. He had a couple of
NFL tryouts, including one with his younger brother, Jeff, with the Bears.
Neither made the cut. Welsh played for a couple of arena football teams before
entering the 9-to-5 work force.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:
"Times New Roman"'>"You have to get on with your career," said Welsh,
who is in the top 10 in numerous UI career passing categories.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:
"Times New Roman"'>Prior to the weekend, Welsh had returned to <st1:City w:st="on">Moscow</st1:City>
just one other time, for a game against <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:State>
a few years ago. He was stunned by the number of well-wishers and the warm
welcome for the ex-players. By Monday he was back at work in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Chicago</st1:place></st1:City>, where he's been an electrician for
five years.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:
"Times New Roman"'>"My friends from <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Chicago</st1:place></st1:City>
called and asked me where I was," Welsh said. "I told them, 'I'm
home.' They were like, '<st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Chicago</st1:place></st1:City>?'
I said, 'No, <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Idaho</st1:place></st1:State>.'
It's like home for me."<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>-----------------------------------------------------------------<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Seeya
round town, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Moscow</st1:City></st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Seeya
at the games, Vandals<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Tom
Hansen<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><font size=2
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Moscow</span></font></st1:City><font
size=2><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>, <st1:State w:st="on">Idaho</st1:State></span></font></st1:place><font
size=2><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>UI ‘96<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Came
a tribe from the north brave and bold . . .<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>"Here
We Have <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Idaho</st1:place></st1:State>"<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><a
href="http://www.tomandrodna.com/HWHI.mp3">http://www.tomandrodna.com/HWHI.mp3</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>"I-D-A-H-O
<st1:State w:st="on">Idaho</st1:State> <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Idaho</st1:State></st1:place>
Go Go Go"<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><a
href="http://www.tomandrodna.com/Vandals.mp3">http://www.tomandrodna.com/Vandals.mp3</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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