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<div dir="ltr">Thought I'd revisit this issue, considering a couple of recent game results. Last night before a huge national television audience, Boise State pretty much dominated Georgia in Atlanta. Not much doubt anymore that the Broncos are one of the very best teams in Division 1, and are capable of winning the national championship this year. On Thursday, Idaho was rather embarrassing in a drubbing in the Dome by Bowling Green, a team that finished 2-10 last year. Boise State, (athletically), has some large advantages over the Vandal athletic program, particularly in football. The city of Boise has always been pretty football crazy, going back to the Broncos winning the national junior college championship when the school was a junior college. Boise has an obvious population advantage regarding a fan base right there in the Treasure Valley. There's a strong football culture, and Bronco football is the only game in town, and the fans are, well, fanatical. We have a much smaller population base, and with WSU eight miles away, Idaho football is not the only game in town. And I get the sense anymore from talking to locals that that passion for football that has existed for decades in Boise does not exist here. The large percentage of fans here seem to be casual fans at most. I don't recall talking to anyone yesterday that even knew that Idaho had played the night before. The locals (and this means you, good reader), by the way, are excoriated by many on a sports forum called andal Venue for not attending games, hence apparently demonstrating an utter lack of regard for the institution that is the University of Idaho itself. Moscow does not, in the words of some, "deserve" the University of Idaho. Some people on that forum are currently somewhat apoplectic. Do people here care enough about football to wish to see the school continuing a Sysyphean task keeping of "keeping up" with Boise State (as regards football) or explore different venues? I know Nick has thoughts on this. I'd like to have some local feedback to post on Vandal Venue, at potential risk of life and limb.<br></div>
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