Lost in the academic hand-wringing and presidential apology at the University of Idaho this week over assorted vulgarities perpetuated by students and others at the recent basketball cotillion with Boise State was a bulletin of Richter magnitude. There were fans at a Vandals game? Look, not to dismiss any over-the-top grossitude in the undergraduate seats – shame-shame, guys – but the guess here is that the Broncos were considerably less disturbed by the verbal grenades than by the realization that something close enough to competitive basketball is being committed at UI these days to entice 4,731 thrill-seekers into the Cowan Spectrum. There have been years when it took six games to get that many people through the door. OK, it was last year/John Blanchette, SR. More here.

Question: Do you agree with John Blanchette that the basketball being played in Moscow may be the biggest sports surprise in the region this winter?