Spokane7
50°
July 28, 2010 in Sports
Bronco Bob takes shot at Vandals
But BSU boss could use a lesson in civility
Boise State’s Travis Stanaway and UI’s Preston Davis tangle last season, but that nastiness is about to end.
(Full-size photo)
So Robert “Bob” Kustra, the foreman at Boise State University, believes college football rivalries are meant to be civil, and that all involved are “to act like grownups.”
I would have sworn these sentiments came from press release to announce that post-graduate degrees would now be offered in the prestigious BSU School of Alternate Realities, or that it was a preface to NCAA passing legislation subjecting college presidents to random drug testing.
But no. Robert “Bob” Kustra let fly with these beauties and more – calling the University of Idaho upstate “a culture that is nasty, inebriated” – in a sit-down with the editorial board of the Idaho Statesman, the members of which no doubt were grinning at each other and whispering, “Is this any good?”
Robert “Bob” Kustra could have declared that his researchers had discovered evidence of raccoons driving Maseratis on Neptune and it would have been buried under his blustering, “I don’t care if we ever play ‘em again.”
The Vandals, he means. In football. The storied UI-BSU rivalry that goes back, oh, 10 minutes or so.
Outrage, chest-puffing and other posturing on both sides was the order of the day Tuesday when Robert “Bob” Kustra squarely backed his football coach, Chris Petersen, in asserting that once the two schools are no longer aligned in the Western Athletic Conference, the Broncos have no reason to play games in Moscow.
That will happen in 2011, when Boise State moves to the Mountain West Conference and leaves Idaho behind in the Whack … er, the WAC.
Haven’t we been here before? Didn’t the Broncos try to lose Idaho back when the Vandals were marooned in the Sun Belt Conference? Isn’t this awfully “What About Bob?”
Different Bob. Not Robert “Bob” Kustra.
Now, this isn’t all that unusual in college athletics. You’ll note that with Gonzaga now being a Top 25 fixture in basketball, the Zags no longer play old neighborhood chums Eastern and Idaho on their courts. It’s a food chain thing.
But it is instructive that several Mountain West schools continue to tee it up with their poor WAC relations in football, home and away – UNLV with Nevada, New Mexico with New Mexico State, BYU and Utah with Utah State.
Of course, the Bronco votary is still confused why his beloveds had to take this half-measure move into the MWC and weren’t just red-carpeted into the Pac-10. Boise State is looking at a Top 5 ranking when the first polls come out, and naturally it will be forever thus. USC, Alabama, Ohio State – all will be calling for home-and-home series with the Broncos, no doubt.
Yes, Boise could easily jettison its yearly Mid-American Conference patsy and plug in the Vandals for relatively comparable competition that makes infinitely more sense.
Ah, but as we discovered Tuesday, it’s not Idaho’s station in the circle of football life they find off-putting.
It’s just everything Idaho.
“Why would we?” Petersen said when asked if BSU will continue to play in Moscow. “I don’t think our fans even like to go up there.”
What a guy, looking out for the fans that way. That’s why they’ve been shuttled off to non-conference destination resorts like Bowling Green, Hattiesburg, Laramie, Corvallis and El Paso over the years.
But then Robert “Bob” Kustra weighed in.
“For me, this is a cultural issue,” he said. “What bothers me more than anything else is that the fans are not about denigrating our athletic program. … What bothers me personally is the denigration of our academic programming. That’s what I simply can’t tolerate.”
Really? That’s the deal-breaker?
You’re OK if Idaho fans ridicule the players and coaches and, of course, the blue turf – but they can’t mention that until recently truck driving was taught on your campus?
Sounds as if Robert “Bob” Kustra is in need of a full-body collagen injection.
Robert “Bob” Kustra also tried to suggest that a rivalry such as Texas-Texas A&M is devoid of such cruelty.
Aggie jokes, Bob? Ring a bell? Anything?
Apparently, Robert “Bob” Kustra has not reconciled the fact that college football makes masses of every population misplace their brains – including the three fine Boiseans who cussed me as I made my way to my car after last year’s game for the crime of not having a stitch of blue in my wardrobe.
Nope. It’s only in Moscow that they’re “nasty, inebriated,” and that’s why this all should end.
No doubt those are just the hors d’oeuvres. When it comes time to lobby the legislature for more funding than UI, he’ll probably trot out “malignant, cretinous and inbred.”
Or maybe he’ll want to keep it civil and act like a grownup.
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kimbrebean on July 28 at 1:14 a.m.
I cannot begin to express how angry this statement makes me. As an alum of the University of Idaho, I have witnessed the rivalry first hand, both in Moscow and Boise. Its a rivalry that is passionated, heated and EXACTLY what you would expect between two rival teams. And I have witnessed both Broncos and Vandals get out of hand. Neither school is more at fault.
Its a bunch of college kids who want their team to win, drink to celebrate with friends and get rowdy while doing it. I’ve seen drunken words exchanged, and school fight songs sung into the faces of the other team. I’ve also seen the times where it gets out of hand. However, I’ve also seen it happen at rivalry games in Washington, Oregon, and Montana between them and their rival teams. While I hope that no one ever gets hurt, getting rowdy is part of the fun. I’m sure you can ask the students parents, and their parents, and they too will have stories of when they mooned an opponent or stole a banner from their rival school. Its part of the history and tradition of a rivalry. And its not all bad! I’ve also seen times where one fan gets out of hand and people from both sides step in to stop it, shake hands and walk their separate ways. I’ve seen fans from one side give a beer to another fan who dropped theirs by accident. Unfortunately, the good moments don’t get talked about or remembered.
What I fail to understand is how a man who is supposed to be a representative of an institution of higher learning (Bob Kustra) could think that that brash and disrespectful of a statement would do ANY kind of good. He’s criticizing the school for being uncivil and yet he is publicly slandering not only our students, but the school AND the town. How is that a good example for the students that look to him for guidance?
I admit I havent read the Argonaut article referenced above, but I am sure it was not good. However, BSU’s paper submitted a nasty article in the Fall of 2008 in which a reporter went undercover into a tailgate, and not only interviewed Vandal fans but put video of them on the internet without permission. The article personally slammed these fans for doing nothing other than cheering for their team. I dont recall Kustra ever being man enough to call Nellis and apologize for that piece of literary filth like Nellis did.
If President Kustra thought that the rivalry was getting out of hand, then the adult, mature, political thing to do would be to talk personally to President Nellis and devise a plan/rules/message to jointly express to both student bodies expressing what would and would not be acceptable when these two teams meet. They could have made it clear that if certain lines are crossed by EITHER group, then the rivalry ends. I can bet you money that as much venom as there is between the two schools, neither of them wants the rivalry to end. Its as fun to have someone to root for as it is having someone to root against.
There is still time to turn this around and I hope that Kustra realizes his fault and finds a way to teach a constructive lesson as opposed to this destructive one.
schoes4 on July 28 at 12:20 p.m.
Kustra’s comments are WAY out of line. Poor baby, they made fun of our academics. Grow up. We should expect more from a University President. On the other hand Chris Peterson is right. Why would BSU come to IU to play. No money in it. Game would not be televised other than poss. local broadcast. He could use that week to schedule an opponent that would get them a national TV audience and big bucks. Is this right and good for college football? No, but thats the way it is in todays big time college athletics. To bad for the rivalry, but if Idaho becomes another Gonzaga then I’m sure BSU will come knocking to revive the game.
spokanecougar on July 28 at 12:27 p.m.
The paper put this as their lead story on the website but then only puts the first two paragraphs available and the rest is for people who fork out money for this site? Come on, thats a bit stupid. Spokesman Review once and for all will you drop this whole premium subscriber thing. I understand you need money and all but other larger, much more respected newspapers around the country have stopped with this nonsense as they realize most people are not going to spend money - especially in today’s economy - to pay for news on any site when 99% of other sites offer it for free.
hootlb on July 28 at 12:34 p.m.
If BSU doesn’t want to play in Moscow any longer, then that’s their choice. But to act as though they are culturally (or academically) superior is ridiculous! Must be nice to be a commuter college full of non-traditional students with a local alumni population pouring money into your program. As a Vandal fan and Idaho alum, I hope they get whooped in the Mountain West!
flutieflakes on July 28 at 1:18 p.m.
Enjoy tailgating in Provo, Utah, Boise. I’m sure it’s a blast. Oh, and don’t forget to leave the brews at the border.
airgoesit on July 28 at 1:32 p.m.
Short memory this BSU organization has given that U of I was in the catbird seat only a few years ago and the class of the state. Only by political intervention did Boise keep Idaho from chasing bigger and better things in larger, more lucrative conferences on multiple occassions. Now that the shoe is on the other foot thanks to semi-fraudulent political actions related to state school funding in the state legislature the whining brats from BSU will be moving on and burning all the bridges along the way.
Hopefully everybody remembers these actions when BSU goes the way of Marshall, La Tech, San Diego St, Tulane and every other flash in the pan football program not willing to propagate the health of the conference to sustain success.
kellya1 on July 28 at 3:22 p.m.
Well this years game is going to be fun. Go Vandals!
JayNW on July 28 at 11:22 p.m.
wow, almost don’t know what to say….except that I am with Lisa- can’t wait to be at that game in a few months!
I haven’t been to a Vandal game in Boise, but know many Vandal fans who have. They have told story upon story of the absolutely classless acts from BSU fans, and those fans were NOT the college kids- these were grown adults, most drunk, who “acted a fool.” Even acting this way to young kids just trying to enjoy a game. I can honestly say I’ve never seen that type of crap in Moscow, against any opponents fans.
pilantd on July 29 at 6:40 p.m.
I tried to read the article but for whatever reason the Spokesman website isn’t working and won’t accept my 7 bucks. Come on Spokesman! Everybody knows that by charging a fee to read news that you are severly limiting your audience.
pilantd on July 30 at 11:26 a.m.
Bronco Bob and BSU head football coach Pete are misguided missiles acting in their own self-interest. This whole situation is sinful for a variety reasons. If I were a Bronco fan living in northern Idaho and eastern Washington I would be unhappy about not being able to have access to a game in Moscow every other year. Also, as for Vandal fans living within the region it would be unfair never again to have the chance to watch a BSU vs UI game in Moscow.
Bronco Bob has offended past, present and future UI alumni as well as the entire Moscow community. I attended UI in the mid to late 80’s when the Vandals dominated this rivalry. These games were always a sellout and fans/students looked forward to the game. I recall good natured ridiculing but I never witnessed the behaviors Bronco Bob and others are alleging.
I personally think these behaviors are nothing more than excuses for the top brass at Boise St to rationalize their desires. But in reality, they are attempting to shortchange the citizens and taxpayers of Idaho. I don’t care how fiercely they and others defend their thoughts and future actions because what they have said and are attempting to do is wrong.
b12adh4x on August 10 at 10:07 p.m.
At the BSU v. Idaho game last year in Boise, I seem to remember what were possibly the most disgusting and classless acts I will ever see in my life. There were multiple fans with tailgate areas set up with signs such as ” Idaho class schedule: falling out of windows 101.” and other things referring to the awful tragedies that happened on the U of I campus last fall. Also I recall hearing the BSU student section cheering “FALL OUT A WINDOW! CLAP CLAP CLAPCLAPCLAP!” As a friend of one of the students who fell, I think that if Bob and the BSU fan base wants to complain about the Vandals’ actions at a tail gate, then maybe they should take a step back, look at their own actions and determine if they are worthy to even call any football program, let alone the Vandals, “nasty.”
Go Vandals.