College football isn't the same without a little preseason drama.
This year is no exception, as two stories made for some eye-catching headlines. The first was the surprising remarks from Robert Kustra, President of Boise State, about the University of Idaho, followed shortly by Kustra's apology. Second, former Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli left Eugene for Oxford, agreeing to walk-on at Ole Miss.
While both provided drama, both were further sparked by some of the comments of the key players in the dramatic stories. If we're able to take a few steps back and rewind, we'd find what should've been said, but wasn't, during the middle of each frenzy.
Let's start with Boise State. The Broncos have never been so close to reaching their ultimate goal. They start this season in the top five; they return a seasoned, veteran squad with one major hurdle game standing in the way of a wide-open shot for another undefeated regular season and a chance to make the BCS title game. You'd think that, with all the success, that the brass in Boise would seize the most of this opportunity.
Instead, Boise chose to turn and thumb their nose on cross-state rival Idaho. While voicing their wishes to continue the series without playing at Idaho's Kibbie Dome, President Kustra took it one step further by trashing the Vandal fan base, going as far as to cite an article from the UI student paper.
Having read the article in the Idaho Argonaut, I really think Kustra's rant is puzzling. Never mind the apology, even though it was deserved. Pointing out commentary from a student paper that was, without question, pretty tame stuff, and using it in a fairly nasty rant against the rival school was just ridiculous. It's the pot calling the kettle black.
Boise State wants to be in the national scene. Should they choose to stay there, they need to play their rivalry cards a little better. If Boise wanted to change the rivalry by either a) playing all the games in Boise, or b) calling a hiatus to the series, they could've stated some more valid reasons. Say that, by splitting the tickets and keeping it in Boise, the bigger crowds would be good for both schools. Say that Boise needs to replace Idaho with a BCS level school in order to have a better shot at the title game. And, if you have a beef, be a professional about it and deal with it between presidents, athletic directors, and coaches.
What was learned was simple: Boise State's football team is ready for the big stage. Boise State's administration is not.
Now we turn to Jeremiah Masoli's move to Ole Miss.
Some time ago, I wrote a commentary that called out Ole Miss Coach Houston Nutt. I said back then that, of all the coaches in the SEC, he was the dirtiest. Now, with this move, other national writers are echoing the statements, much to the uproar of Rebel fans.
We all know the story. Apparently, Ole Miss wasn't interested in bringing the troubled Oregon quarterback to their team. Then, in the blink of an eye, Raymond Cotton transfers to South Alabama and all of the sudden, Masoli is Mississippi-bound.
One has to wonder two things. First, did Cotton see the writing on the wall? Was Ole Miss interested from the get-go and used Cotton as a sacrificial lamb, while Cotton knew that, in order to play, he needed to leave? Secondly, what does Patrick Patterson, who was kicked off the team for a rules violation, think of a guy who's been arrested twice in short time being brought in with open arms?
One thing most everyone agrees on is this: Nutt brought Masoli in simply because Masoli is good enough to add a win or two to the Ole Miss column this season. But, here's Nutt at his usual soapbox again, saying that Masoli "needs Ole Miss more than they need him."
Does anyone, save the people with Ole Miss goggles on, believe that to be true?
Nutt should've just gone out and told the truth. He should've said that he gets paid millions to win, and he brought in Masoli because he wants an extension to that contract to ensure him a couple million dollars more. He wants to coach, he's scared of the hot seat, and history shows that he's not the best at taking criticism, so he does whatever it takes to win.
Had he said it, there would've been critics. But at least the national media would've respected the blunt honesty. Instead, it's another story spun by the ultimate politician of college football. Unfortunately for Nutt, the media are starting to open their eyes, and bulletin board material has now been established in the words of Stewart Mandel. It'll be an interesting situation down in Oxford, no doubt.
Two men in power positions, saying the wrong things and stirring up the sports world.
Welcome to another year of college football.
Leave a Comment