Sports fodder for a Friday morning . . .The Nevada Wolf Pack football team needs to turn back the clock on Saturday afternoon at Boise State. No, they don't have to somehow find another year of eligibility for Colin Kaepernick, Dontay Moch, Vai Taua and Virgil Green (and Boise's Kyle Brotzman), though that certainly would help. They need to go back to the night of Nov. 26, 2010 and remember their mindset. They need to recall exactly how they felt that night when the unbeaten, prima donna, America's darlings from Boise came into their house. The Pack needs to recapture that fire, that intensity, that Kaepernick confidence, that chip on their shoulder. That is the way you beat the Broncos, especially at Boise. The Pack has to convince themselves that they didn't actually accomplish anything last Nov. 26. And, to be honest, they really haven't. Nothing much has changed despite the Pack's 34-31 win last November. The Broncos are once again unbeaten, perfect prima donnas with fancy uniforms, a fancy quarterback and a cute blue field. Nobody outside -- and a lot of those inside -- the McCarran circle believes the Pack can win on Saturday. Just like last Nov. 26. But that doesn't matter. The only ones who must believe are the guys in the silver and blue uniforms. Just like last Nov. 26.
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Can the Wolf Pack go to Boise and get a win? Well, they've only done it twice in nearly 40 years, since they made their first trip to Boise in 1972. Chris Ault is 1-10 at Boise against the Broncos. The Broncos have won 70 of their last 72 games at home. And, yes, if there's one team the Broncos want to pound into their blue turf, it's the Pack. It's almost as if the Pack has gathered up the sun screen, bought a new bathing suit, packed a nice picnic lunch and is getting ready for a pleasant day of sun, fun and swimming in the Gulf of Mexico with Hurricane Katrina on its way to town.
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The Wolf Pack is going to keep this game closer than most everyone expects. Ault knows how to coach against the Broncos. He proved he could beat them last year. And Boise isn't as good as its 3-0 record and No. 4 national ranking might suggest. This Bronco defense is not as frightening as it has been in recent years. They haven't really stopped the Pack offense since 2006. The Broncos don't run the ball well. Opposing teams have thrown the ball with success against the Broncos. If the Pack defense can somehow find a pass rush and keep Boise quarterback Kellen Moore from feeling too comfortable in the pocket, we might witness another Wolf Pack miracle. If not, well, get ready for that hurricane.
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This Wolf Pack team, unfortunately, doesn't really seem ready to go to Boise to win. The Pack is still shuffling quarterbacks on and off the field. The offensive line has been about as consistent as the northern Nevada weather. At times it seems like Rishard Matthews is the only Pack receiver going out for passes. The defense, well, no need to go there. Last year's team was built for the night of Nov. 26, 2010. That team was ready to beat Boise. That team had to beat Boise. That team lived to beat Boise.
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Did the New York Yankees throw their three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays this week? There really shouldn't be any doubt. The Yankees would sell their first born, allow Robert Redford to go on a long weekend with their wife and invite Charlie Sheen over for a few cocktails and introduce him to their 18-year-old daughter if it meant keeping the Boston Red Sox out of the playoffs. The Yankees gave away a six-run lead in the eighth inning to the Rays on Wednesday. And now the Red Sox have another legendary choke to add to their collection.
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Actually, the pick here is a Detroit-Tampa American League Championship Series and a Philadelphia-Milwaukee battle to decide the National League. We also like Tampa over Milwaukee in a refreshing, thrilling, epic, where-can-I-buy-the-DVD World Series. And the day after the World Series is over the focus of the national media will be what the Yanks and Red Sox are going to do in the off season.
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Sports Illustrated should be ashamed of itself. They are going to plaster a story about Walter Payton on their cover (it's actually a shameful plug for a new book) that details Payton's life in his final few years. Payton, supposedly, cheated on his wife, was suicidal and was addicted to painkillers in the last years. Big deal. You can count on one hand the number of NFL superstars who haven't cheated on their wife, weren't suicidal in their later years and weren't addicted to painkillers. You try carrying the football nearly 4,000 times and catch nearly 500 passes over 190 games and try not to be addicted to painkillers after your career is over.
It's a wonder Payton could even walk. Sports Illustrated should be above promoting such a meaningless, sensationalistic book.