Fightin' Words

San Diego State coach Rocky Long raised dander to the "up" position earlier this week with his kinda-sorta bulletin board material. Long still had high-praise for the Bronco team, but wasn't all that impressed with the atmosphere at Bronco Stadium...HEY, HE'S CALLING US OUT!!!

Asked about the Bronco "mystique", Long had the following to say:

"I think that maybe was that way three, four years ago. That’s not that way anymore. That’s why it should be a good game. If it’s not a good game and they run away with it, it has nothing to do with the blue turf because we’ve had success on the blue turf."

Darn you, Rocky Long...we like our turf blue 'round these parts and our praise "effusive"!

Oh, he also said Jay Ajayi was the "second-best running back in the conference" (SDSU's Donnel Pumphrey has 70 more rushing yards than Ajayi on the year), so Bronco fans were seeing Long shots left and right. Make no mistake though, Long isn't the only coach to provide bulletin board material for the Broncos over the years—here's a timeline.

1948

The head coach at Tyler College calls Boise State head coach Lyle Smith's fedora "an embarrassment". Lyle Smith decides to suit up for Bronco squad and scores 5 touchdowns.

1968

Weber State Head Coach Sark Arslanian pronounces Boise "Boy-Zee" in game week press conference. Tony Knap's squad (which went 8-2 on the year) were so bothered by the burn that many refused to make the trip to Ogden. Boise State lost 44-3.

1972

Idaho State Athletic Director proclaims "real football teams play in DOMES" in days prior to Bengals playing at Bronco Stadium. Boise State wins a narrow victory and carries Coach Knap off the field to shouts of "NO DOME, NO DOME"

1980

Grambling State players mock the small afros and restrained mustaches of the Boise State squad before Division 1-AA semifinal game in Boise. Boise players defeat Grambling 14-9 and move on to the National Championship game.

1985

Weber State head coach Mike Price calls Boise State head coach Skip Hall a "mediocre coach that will be remembered with disdain". Being correct, Price was given the key to the city.

1994

Idaho coach John L. Smith reveals true form at game week press conference—a scaly, horned monster with bifurcated tale. The Pokey Allen led Broncos defeat the Vandals that year by reciting the magical incantation that sends Smith back to the underworld.

2001

Fresno State's Pat Hill "accidentally" calls Boise State running back Brock Forsey "Brooke Forsey" prior to game. Forsey and Broncos knock off 8th ranked Fresno, sending them into a decade of irrelevance.

2003

San Jose State's football team sparks game week hostility by calling Broncos they know from high school or junior college and talking trash. San Jose State then stomps on the Broncos' midfield logo and engages in a shoving match pre-game. It works. Dan Hawkins responds by dropping 77 points on the Spartans (this one actually happened).

2008

New Mexico State's Hal Mumme says something inflammatory. No one remembers what because he's Hal Mumme.

2014

Rocky Long (ostensibly propping up SDSU RB Donnel Pumphrey) calls Boise State's Jay Ajayi "the second best running back in the conference". He also calls Grant Hedrick the "3rd best QB in the conference", Sean Wale "maybe the 8th best punter in the conference", and LB Joe Martarano "the 15th best 'Joe' in the conference"