Just read about the claim for the first time in Stuart Mandel's rankings column. So I figured that I could come here for the scoop. But it doesn't sound like we have a clear view on what happenned. I have a hard time believing that Fresno would not want a home and home with us. It does make sense that we would not want home/home because of lost revenue.
A little off-topic, but I heard on the radio driving in this morning (Fox Sports) that FSN was going to replay the USC - Fresno St game tomorrow. Came with the standard disclaimer to check your local listings for the exact time.
Just read Mandel's report. He's one of the few writers I know that doesn't give an e-mail address for responses to his work.
And he is the same guy that put LSU on the 'Teams about to Fall' list mid season. Generally I think he is an idiot. But I like the fact that he voted TX number one this week and his reasoning.
I find it funny that someone like Stewart Mandel uses Fox Sports Net late night broadcasters word as research. Wasn't it shown that Fresno had a game scheduled the weekend we scheduled Appalachian State? I really do question our scheduling practices though. I'm getting so tired of watching all these other national teams put together solid schedules of at least all Div I-A opponents, if not BCS teams. There should NEVER be a I-AA team on our schedule, especially if there's a I-A team willing to play us. (Even the likes of UL-M and UL-L).
They can definitely have that effect on you. I saw them on TV in 2001, playing Oregon State (who I think was Top 10 at the time) and David Carr just destroyed them. I liked the way they played so much I found their gift shop and bought a Fresno St. T-shirt the next day. The funny thing is that it's red (not a favorite shirt color of mine) and XXL (I wear XL.) I STILL wear that shirt pretty regularly though!
Count me in as a Fresno State backer. Pat Hill is a guy I'd love to have as a coach of my team. I have a lot of respect for what he's done to build that program up from out of nowhere. Any chance Fresno State will be like Florida State and work their way up to a BCS conference? (Pac Ten maybe)
I love Fresno's coach Pat Hill. I think he's a fantastic coach and I read the other day that when he got there that nearly half of the team was failing school and hardly anyone was graduating. He came in and implemented an academic accountability and succes program and now I think the team GPA is right at 3.0 and most players are graduating. He's a coach who gets it...success on the field and in the classroom, holding players accountable for their actions. I really think Pat Hill is a hot commodity and that some school looking to resurrect it's entire football program would seriously consider throwing some big time money at him.
I think if you add Boise State and Fresno State to the Mountain West, you are coming pretty close to making the Mountain West into a BCS conference. It would certainly be better than the Big East.
