One Bronco Nation Under God - Gamecenter: Boise State vs. Wyomingthe online voice of Boise State football fanshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/50441/obnug-fav.png2013-11-16T09:36:55-08:00http://www.obnug.com/rss/stream/48682052013-11-16T09:36:55-08:002013-11-16T09:36:55-08:00Un-know your enemy: Wyoming edition
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<figcaption>http://digitalcollections.uwyo.edu</figcaption>
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<p>"Forgive your enemies, but first get even."
<br>—Lester Cole
</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="photo" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/440764/KYE_UW.jpg" alt="Kye_UW_medium"></p>
<p>It's a snowy day in the Treasure Valley and the Broncos face a must-win situation tonight against Wyoming. Will our boys be equal to the task? Will our fans? These questions will be answered in about ten hours, but your questions about the University of Wyoming and their storied history will be answered right NOW...well, sort of. In an effort to bring new life into the Know your enemy series, I've taken to "embellishing" facts a bit (read: making them up). There are still two actual factoids buried in the lot...if you can spot them, kudos to you. Prepare to Un-know your enemy, Bronco Nation.</p>
<h4>Ten things Bronco fans probably didn't know about the University of Wyoming or their altitudinous outpost</h4>
<p><b>10)</b> Laramie, Wyoming—the stately home of the University of Wyoming—was founded the 1860s by sadists and named after <b>St. Francis de Laramie</b>, the patron saint of windswept hellscapes.</p>
<p><b>9)</b> The town of <b>Laramie</b> experienced a "fur boom" in the 1880s as fur trappers from near and far flocked to the area due to a bumper crop of mink and beaver. At the time, mink were highly prized for their back left foot, which was believed to cure dropsy, and beaver tails were used to make everything from snow shoes to chalkboard erasers. The town's size swelled to over 4,000 during the boom and it became widely regarded as the "beardedest city in the west".</p>
<p><a href="http://cdn2.sbnation.com/assets/3581083/Screen_Shot_2013-11-16_at_10.17.44_AM.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Screen_shot_2013-11-16_at_10" class="photo" src="http://cdn3.sbnation.com/assets/3581083/Screen_Shot_2013-11-16_at_10.17.44_AM_medium.png"></a></p>
<p><b>Captain of industry.</b></p>
<p><i><i> </i></i></p>
<p><b>8)</b> <b>The University of Wyoming</b> was founded in 1886 for the purpose of "researching more uses for the stately beaver" and was initially attended almost exclusively by fur trappers. By 1887, the school had accepted female students, so more programs were added with courses in beaver cooking, beaver breeches-mending and beaver string theory.</p>
<p><span></span><i><i> </i></i></p>
<p><b>7) </b>Wyoming played their first season of collegiate football in 1892, under the supervision of <b>Coach Wennington "All Thumbs" Pendergast</b>. The first year, the team went 0-2 against a schedule consisting of The Northern Colorado School of Wrought Iron Manipulation and the Sinclair School for Squinters. The team won its first game in November of 1894, when they defeated the visiting OddFellows Lodge by a score of 8-3. Incidentally, it was the highest scoring game in the in the country that year.</p>
<p><i><i> </i></i></p>
<p><i><i> <a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1613685/Picture_69.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Picture_69_medium" class="photo" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1613685/Picture_69_medium.png"></a> </i></i></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px;"><b>Chums.</b></p>
<p><i><i> </i></i></p>
<p><b>6)</b><b style="font-style: italic;"> </b>The first Wyoming athletic teams competed under the nickname "<b>Sage rustlers</b>" and then were for a short time known as just "Rustlers", which was altered to "Rufflers" and then became "Mufflers" when a newspaper reporter misheard the name and committed it to print. In 1920, a school-sponsored contest changed the nickname once again to "Prairie Quail", which then became "Fightin' Quail" in 1930. It wasn't until 1932 that the school mascot was officially changed to it's current iteration, "Cowboys"—and that decision was only made because western movie actor <b>Tom Mix</b> visited the campus and the school president was looking for a donation.</p>
<p><i><i> </i></i></p>
<p><b>5)</b><i> </i>In 1915, Wyoming suffered their worst ever loss at the hands of The Cheyenne School for the Delinquent and Specifically Truant. The visiting Wyoming team had been decimated by Spanish Influenza and were left with just a 175 lb. center, a punter, and a wingback who was a converted water boy. At the game's final whistle, the score was 176-2 (the 2 points were a gift tom CSDST for not forfeiting) and Wyoming coach <b>Bill "Probably Swiss"</b> Borchert remarked,</p>
<blockquote>
<p>it was the only time I've cried since being kicked by a mule at age 12.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><span><b>4)</b> It bears repeating that Wyoming's official school song is a ditty called "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIzN5LrhQHA" target="_blank"><b>Ragtime Cowboy Joe</b></a>"—a 1912 smash hit by Lewis F. Muir, Maurice Abrahams and Grant Clarke. Yep...it took 3 guys to write a song whose lyrics include lines like:</span></p>
<blockquote>
<p><span>"</span><span>He's a hifalootin', scootin', shootin' </span><span>Son-of-a-gun from Arizona, </span><span>Ragtime Cowboy Joe"</span></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Adjusting for inflation, it must 16 people to write a Black Eyed Peas song.</p>
<p><a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1616685/ragcowjo.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Ragcowjo_medium" class="photo" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1616685/ragcowjo_medium.jpg"></a></p>
<p><b>Shown shootin' and possibly scootin'</b></p>
<p><b>3) </b>Colorado State is Wyoming's oldest and bitterest rival, having played them uninterrupted since 1895, and prior to that, in a past life as a bickering French married couple. The two teams compete for <b>The Bronze Beaver</b>, a symbol of their brief cooperation during the <b>Mink and Beaver Uprising of 1897</b>. Currently, the Cowboys trail in the series 44-55-5 but one loss <i>is</i> disputed (the infamous "starting center is a pack mule" game).</p>
<p><a href="http://cdn0.sbnation.com/assets/3581107/Bronze_20Beaver_0.JPG" target="_blank"><img alt="Bronze_20beaver_0_medium" class="photo" src="http://cdn3.sbnation.com/assets/3581107/Bronze_20Beaver_0_medium.JPG"></a></p>
<p><b>The spoils of war.</b></p>
<p><span><b>2)</b> </span>Former White House Chief of Staff and Vice President <b>Dick Cheney</b> is a Wyoming Alum. After flunking out of Yale, Cheney attended the University of Wyoming and earned both a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in political science. Contrary to popular belief, Cheney was not a member of the university's Skeet and Trap-Shooting Club.</p>
<p><b>1) </b>The Cowboys play their home games on <b>Jonah Field at War Memorial Stadium</b>. The Stadium currently has a capacity of 30,514 and, at 7,220 feet above sea-level, is the highest altitude field in Division 1 football. The football field is named "Jonah Field" in honor of Wyoming alum and famous newspaper editor<b> J. Jonah Jameson</b>, who is known for blowing the lid off the Peter Parker story.</p>
<p><a href="http://cdn0.sbnation.com/assets/3580891/cartoon-jameson-2135.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Cartoon-jameson-2135_medium" class="photo" src="http://cdn1.sbnation.com/assets/3580891/cartoon-jameson-2135_medium.jpg"></a></p>
<p><b>File photo</b></p>
https://www.obnug.com/2013/11/16/5110990/un-know-your-enemy-wyoming-editionDrew Roberts2013-11-14T12:00:05-08:002013-11-14T12:00:05-08:00Powerfull polls: Week 12
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<figcaption>Russ Isabella-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<h3>The Mountain West Powerful Poll</h3>
<ol>
<li>Fresno State</li>
<li><b>Boise State</b></li>
<li>San Diego State</li>
<li>Utah State</li>
<li>San Jose State</li>
<li><span>UNLV</span></li>
<li>Colorado State</li>
<li>Nevada</li>
<li><span>Wyoming</span></li>
<li>New Mexico</li>
<li><span>Hawaii</span></li>
<li>Air Force</li>
</ol>
<p><b>Explain myself</b><span>: For reasons I do not fully understand, I moved San Jose State ahead of UNLV even though both lost close games to teams above them last week. I'm assuming I have some sort of Bobby Hauck prejudice. Also, I'm a little peeved that the Runnin' Rebs didn't beat Utah State because then the Broncos could have had a free loss in the final three games and still made the MW title game. One of Boise State's remaining three is at San Diego State, and yes, now that you ask, I am looking past Wyoming and eating my feelings for SDSU</span><span>.</span></p>
<p>For reference, here are the Mountain West conference standings - free from my bias (other than the huge, gold highlight for Boise State).</p>
<p><a href="http://cdn2.sbnation.com/assets/3570023/mw12.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Mw12_medium" class="photo" src="http://cdn1.sbnation.com/assets/3570023/mw12_medium.png"></a></p>
<p>Asterisk (*) means bowl eligible, giant ex (x) means bowl ineligible.</p>
<h3>The top undefeated football teams</h3>
<ol>
<li><span>Alabama</span></li>
<li>Florida State</li>
<li><span>Kansas City Chiefs</span></li>
<li><span>Baylor</span></li>
<li><span>Ohio State</span></li>
<li><span>Northern Illinois</span></li>
<li><span>Fresno State</span></li>
</ol>
<p><span><b>Explain myself:</b> None of these teams play each other the rest of the season, but wouldn't it be cool if they did? I'm speaking, specifically about Alabama vs. Baylor, Florida State vs. the Chiefs, and Northern Illinois vs. Fresno. I don't really care to see Ohio State play any more than I already have to.</span></p>
<h3>Boise State's potential bowl rankings</h3>
<ol>
<li>Poinsettia</li>
<li><span>Vegas</span></li>
<li><span>Hawaii</span></li>
<li><span>New Mexico Bowl</span></li>
<li>Potato Bowl</li>
<li>Armed Forces Bowl</li>
</ol>
<p><span>I still harbor hopes and dreams of Fresno not making a BCS game because I despise them to my core, so there's still the possibility of the Bulldogs in the Vegas Bowl. FYI, the Vegas Bowl gets first choice of Mountain West teams, and then the Mountain West - and by Mountain West I mean Craig Thompson's whims - chooses where the remaining bowl eligible teams play. Boise State to the Poinsettia seems like a smart move because I wouldn't think the Vegas Bowl would want the Broncos back again and the Poinsettia is the next best option. Downside, the P-Bowl is the day after Christmas. Did someone say Christmas in San Diego? Hark the Herald Fish Tacos Sing.</span></p>
<p><b>Bowl rankings</b></p>
<p>1. Rose Bowl</p>
<p>2. Fiesta Bowl</p>
<p>3. Camellia Bowl</p>
<p>4. Humanitarian Bowl</p>
<p>53. Beef O' Brady's Bowl</p>
<p><b>Troll rankings</b></p>
<p>1. YouTube comments</p>
<p>2. Idaho Statesman comments</p>
<p><b>Roll rankings</b></p>
<p>1. Monkey bread</p>
<p>2. Croissant</p>
<p>3. Dinner roll</p>
<p>33. Potato roll</p>
<p><b>Scroll rankings</b></p>
<p>1. Dead Sea Scrolls</p>
<p>2. Skyrim: The Elder Scrolls</p>
<p><b>Dole rankings</b></p>
<p>1. Pineapple</p>
<p>2. Bob</p>
<p><b>Soul rankings</b></p>
<p>1. The music</p>
<p>2. The KIA</p>
<p><b>Proehl rankings</b></p>
<p>1. Ricky</p>
<p>2. ???</p>
https://www.obnug.com/2013/11/14/5104078/powerfull-polls-mountain-west-rankings-and-other-polls-for-week-12Kevan Lee2013-11-14T08:19:52-08:002013-11-14T08:19:52-08:00The Wyoming Cowboys anagram roster
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/dpWq7SFKk8PfggUZh_fjMaOrkOY=/0x0:4000x2667/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/23155463/20131019_ajw_bb3_006.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Troy Babbitt-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="paragraph0"><i>An anagram is like a word jumble; you take the letters from a word or phrase and mix them up to see what other words or phrases you can come up with. <a href="http://wordsmith.org/anagram/">Try it for yourself.</a></i></p>
<p id="paragraph1">Wyoming = Gym Wino</p>
<p id="paragraph2">Dave Christensen = Dive Enchantress</p>
<p id="paragraph3"><b>Offensive stars for the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/wyoming-cowboys">Wyoming Cowboys</a>:</b></p>
<ul>
<li>OL: Albert Pereze = Bear Pretzel</li>
<li>OL: <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/135448/jake-jones">Jake Jones</a> = Jean Jokes</li>
<li>OL: <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/135449/rafe-kiely">Rafe Kiely</a> = Fairy Leek</li>
<li>WR: <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/135440/dominic-rufran">Dominic Rufran</a> = Rancid Uniform</li>
<li>WR: <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/162063/jalen-claiborne">Jalen Claiborne</a> = Banjo Cleanlier</li>
<li>WR: Nico Brown = Bronco Win</li>
<li>TE: <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/77703/spencer-bruce">Spencer Bruce</a> = Curb Presence</li>
<li>RB: <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/206893/omar-stover">Omar Stover</a> = Rave Motors</li>
<li>QB: Brett Smith = Berth Mitts</li>
<li>QB: Jason Thompson = Josh No Tampons</li>
</ul>
<p id="paragraph6"><b>Defensive stars for the Wyoming Cowboys:</b></p>
<ul>
<li>DL: <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/135445/eddie-yarbrough">Eddie Yarbrough</a> = Your Bridgehead</li>
<li>DL: <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/206931/troy-boyland">Troy Boyland</a> = Royalty Bond</li>
<li>
<span>DL: </span><a style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; background-color: #ffffff;" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/114825/sonny-puletasi">Sonny Puletasi</a><span> = Lean Tiny Soups</span>
</li>
<li>DL: <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/88112/patrick-mertens">Patrick Mertens</a> = Camper Knitters</li>
<li>LB: <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/77692/devyn-harris">Devyn Harris</a> = Handy Rivers</li>
<li>
<span>S: </span><a style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; background-color: #ffffff;" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/135429/chad-reese">Chad Reese</a><span> = Rad Cheese</span>
</li>
<li>CB: <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/206901/cooper-wise">Cooper Wise</a> = Copier Woes</li>
<li>CB: Tim Hayes = Yeti Hams</li>
<li>CB: <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/135438/blair-burns">Blair Burns</a> = Brain Burls</li>
</ul>
<p id="paragraph9"><b>Special teamers:</b></p>
<ul>
<li>P: <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/206907/ethan-wood">Ethan Wood</a> = At Hoedown</li>
<li>K: <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/162048/justin-martin">Justin Martin</a> = Sir Ninja Mutt</li>
</ul>
https://www.obnug.com/2013/11/14/5103938/the-wyoming-cowboys-anagram-rosterKevan Lee