Occupy Las Vegas Bowl

It’s Boise State’s own fault. Bob Kustra and Chris Petersen took the money and stayed polite. And now they got the shaft they deserved.   

The Broncos dug their own grave.

Fans are outraged by the BCS snub. Players disappointed. And others just resigned to reality.

Just don’t blame the BCS Bronco Nation. Blame your leadership. Blame Chris Petersen and Bob Kustra.

We all know the BCS smells. College football fans have been saying it for years. But Boise State chose to ignore the stench.

Instead of saying, “We don’t want to be garbage men even if it means a nice salary,” Boise State has embraced Dumpster diving. Boise State begs for BCS games, celebrates BCS appearances, and promotes the BCS more than most Automatic Qualifier conference schools. And their coffers are full because of it.

But if the BCS is the most unfair post season system in any sport, its small conference publicist is Boise State.

There are costs to shilling for the BCS. It means celebrating minor BCS victories instead of clamoring for a shot at national titles. It means exploring Big East membership instead of building a more sensible regional conference.

And now it means trying to sell Las Vegas. Trying to get fans excited about nothing. 

Shilling for the BCS now means taking the Fifth Amendment on those parts of the BCS that really are worth talking about. The unfair parts. The parts most of us actually care about.

Petersen’s comments yesterday, which came only after he was caught stabbing TCU in the back with his coaches’ poll vote, are too little, too late. 

The system didn’t embarrass Boise State, Petersen did.

Bob Kustra says he’s pleased with Las Vegas. Chris Petersen too. Both are now trying to convince Bronco Nation that fans owe it to Boise State to make the trip to Sin City. 

Insulting. 

It’s not fair to hit up the fans on this one. Not when Kustra and Petersen refused to bash the BCS for so long. Refused to say what every fan was thinking. Refused to fight.

Broncos on the field, Boise State is a helpless pony off of it. Even a Vandal has more guts.

Boise State had unique chances to actually take a stand on this matter. As the top non-Automatic Qualifier over the last ten years, it was Boise State who could have called out the system, pushed for change, and fought for the little guy.

But while the team was rising up on the field, Kustra and Petersen cowered off of it. Instead of leading, they were led. 

To blame the BCS now is a cop-out. Kustra sits on the BCS Presidential Oversight Committee, and Petersen is quoted in the BCS media-guide in support of the BCS. 

No wonder they’re so quiet, so out of touch.

I’m not saying that Kustra and Petersen relish their roles as BCS spokesmen. I’m sure it’s difficult. But it’s precisely in difficulty where each of us has an opportunity to do what is right. And like so many Average Joes out there, Kustra and Petersen took the easy road.

I expect more. We all should.