BELEGARTHPART II

FINISH INFOUR

ADVERSITYPREVAILS

I S S U E

14 Volume 22First Issue F R E E

OCTOBER 08, 2009 ARBITERONLINE.COM

The Independent Student Voice of Boise State Since 1933

The Arbiter ! arbiteronline.com

BENJAMIN MACKJournalist

Graduating from college, it seems, is of-tentimes a Herculean task, about as easy as beating the Broncos on the blue turf with a freshman quarterback or swimming in the Olympics with a broken leg. But there is help for

students who want it.Created to combat its low four-year gradua-

tion rate, Boise State’s “Finish in Four” program began in fall 2008 to help students graduate in four years. And the university is willing to fork over the money for tuition for participants who don’t graduate in that amount of time as long as they prove they made an effort to do so.

According to its Web site, the “Finish in Four” plan’s main goal “is to facilitate, through a con-tract between the participating student and Boise State University, a student’s goal of grad-uating from Boise State in four years.” To do that, students who sign an agreement with the university are paired up with an adviser who helps them decide what courses to take and meets with them regularly to check-up on their progress.

The program is highly lauded since its launch, with Boise State President Bob Kustra offering his praise in a press release.

“This program ensures student success,” Kustra said. “It is designed to give students who have the desire and motivation to complete a degree at Boise State University in four years the support they need to achieve their goal.”

According to the “Finish in Four” website op-erated by the university, full-time and incom-ing freshmen are eligible to sign up until the end of their first semester by meeting with an academic adviser. There is no cost to students to participate in the program and no penalty for students who withdraw. Participants should plan to enroll for 16 to 18 credits per semester in order to make satisfactory progress.

Not all programs participate. As of fall 2009, 41 programs were participating.

BSU’s program is the only one of its kind in Idaho. According to statistics from col-legeresults.org, Boise State’s 2007, 6.2 per-cent, four-year graduation rate is the latest available figure.

MIKE JOHNSONJournalist

The Boise State faculty senate is current-ly discussing the possibility of lowering the amount of credits required for graduation from 128 to 120 in several departments, according to professor Mary Stohr, senate liaison for the Academic Standards committee.

Boise State University is presently in the mi-nority of colleges and universities in the region when it comes to graduation requirements, re-quiring 128 credits rather than 120.

“The additional 8-credit-hours do not pro-

vide a cost benefit to the university, they pro-long the time required for students to gradu-ate, and there is some concern that it contrib-utes to lower graduation rates,” professor Owen McDougal, president of the faculty senate said.

The motion was introduced into the senate by provost Sona Andrews, who believes lower-ing the graduation requirement would not only allow students to graduate in a timelier man-ner, but would also require departments to re-think learning objectives.

The lowered requirement would also have the benefit of allowing faculty to teach fewer sections, freeing time for other activities like re-

search. If the minimum were lowered, it would be on a department-specific basis.

According to McDougal, while departments such as Art have already requested a lower re-quirement in an effort to compete with other Art programs in the region, departments such as Chemistry have a national accreditation that requires the 128 credit standard.

“The lowering of graduation credits would be program dependent and an option rather than a mandate,” McDougal said.

The Academic Standards committee is cur-rently reviewing the motion and discussing formation of policy.

“Finish in Four” offers fast-track graduation, guidance

BSU faculty senate debating decrease in credit requirement for graduation

Boise State Graduation Rates Statistics courtesy Boise State Registrar’s office and collegeresults.org

Dusty Aunan, 22, a psychology major, hopes to graduate in four years. GLENN LANDBERG/THE ARBITER

A view of the battlefield

See what The Arbiter encountered in the

realm of Rath

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Will Broncos break bad chi?

BSU looks to over-come lack luster

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STUDENT VOICES How long will it take you to graduate?

Shannon Lewis Samantha Brooks Rick Merriam Will Johnson

MAJOR: NursingAGE: 32YEAR: Senior

10 years

MAJOR: English Lit/WritingAGE: 22YEAR: Senior

5 years

MAJOR: Mass communicationAGE: 57YEAR: Sophomore

5 Years

MAJOR: Civil EngineeringAGE: 18YEAR: Freshman

4 years

Six-year graduation rate 26.2%

Four-year gradutaion rate 6%

Overall graduation rate 28%

University of Idaho graduation rate 53%

A new smoking

controversy A student promoted

petition is in the works

2

Support BSU athletics:

men’s tennis, volleyball

and soccer this week-

end at BSU venues.

4 6

OCTOBER 08, 2009

2

Benjamin mackJournalist

Alicia Webb planned to major in music at Boise State, be graduated in four years. Yet things didn’t exactly work out that way, said the fourth-year student from Salem, Ore.

“[For my] first two years, I was taking mu-sic classes and was only able to take one, maybe two other classes a semester,” Webb said. “This summer, when I went to talk to my adviser, he wasn’t able to give me any information. I talked to the communica-tion department dean who told me that af-ter looking at my info, he had no idea why I thought I would be able to graduate in spring 2010.”

Boise State’s six-year graduation rate stood at 26.2 percent in 2008, according to university statistics. BSU’s four-year gradu-ation rate, according to statistics from col-legeresults.org, was 6.2 percent. These numbers came despite being listed as one of the “top up-and-coming schools” in the nation by U.S. News and World Report, and a drive by the university to increase its academic profile.

The statistics were compiled after a 2002 study followed 1,655 students as they pur-sued bachelor’s degrees for six years. Of the group, 434 graduated within time frame.

Some students aren’t surprised by BSU’s low numbers.

“Classes aren’t offered when you need them, and the times offered and the number of classes offered don’t match up,” said Jen-na Lineberger, a fifth-year student majoring in public relations.

Lineberger was previously a marketing major, but switched after four years. She hopes to graduate in spring 2010 -- after tak-ing 21 credits that semester alone.Third-year student Joe Garner agreed with Lineberger.

“The university does not provide key classes on a consistent basis,” Garner said. “I took audio production in the communica-tion department to get involved with radio, and I needed advanced audio to fulfill my requirements. The class has only been of-fered one time in two years!”

Garner said he was lucky to get into the class, but others weren’t so fortunate -- meaning they would have to wait another two years to take the class.

According to a study by the American En-

terprise Institute for Public Policy Research published on June 3, Boise State’s gradua-tion rate ranked among the lowest among all public universities in the West, with a 28 per-cent, overall graduation rate. The University of Idaho, by comparison, had a 53 percent overall graduation rate.

In his State of the University Address Aug. 19, President Bob Kustra did not mention improving the graduation rate.

As of press time, the university had not re-sponded to an email sent to the Registrar’s Office seeking comment.

Students blame the low graduation rate on a number of causes. “(Advisers will) send you on a wild goose chase for PNs (permis-sion numbers) and instructor approval (to take a class),” Lineberger said.

Lineberger, a former BSU cheerleader, also said some professors refuse to accom-modate the schedules of student-athletes, despite a policy that stated they must. Lineberger said she knows a lot of students who have stopped attending.

Sean Mitchell, a fourth-year business communications major, thinks the economy may be a factor in students not graduating. He said he has been a part-time student (defined as enrolled in less than 12 credits a semester) in the past because of financial difficulties.

Even non-students are concerned about BSU’s graduation rate. Tim Hassinen, a student at Portland Community College in Portland, Ore., said he had been consider-ing attending BSU after earning his associate degree, but changed his mind after hearing about the low graduation rate. Hassinen said he considered Western Oregon University, which had a 46 percent graduation rate.

A slew of new programs introduced by the university, which included the controversial “Finish in Four” plan which helped students graduate in four years, had not been in place long enough to have an impact on gradu-ation rates, as studies often take years. It will not be known what impact the “Finish in Four” plan had on graduation rates until 2012 at the earliest.

Despite what many students perceive as the university’s unwillingness to assist stu-dents, Mitchell offered some advice for those trying to graduate. “A lot of people shift what they want to do,” Mitchell said. “Have a good plan and be committed to it.”

Boise State’s graduation rate one

of lowest in West

nikki HoustonJournalist

As of Monday, more than 200 sig-natures have been collected for a petition to allow designated smok-ing areas on campus.

After banning smoking on cam-pus at the beginning of the school year, Camille Nichols, a junior psy-chology major, has started a peti-tion to fire back saying students not only want designated areas but with more security. Since the ban was issued for the fall of 2009, stu-dents have been asked to smoke off campus, however, campus lines are not clearly defined according to students.

Many students have gathered at the Friendship Bridge to have to smoke, not realizing BSU controls the section of the greenbelt from Capital to Broadway up to high water marker. Therefore, smok-ing is prohibited on this section of the Greenbelt and the Friendship bridge.

One problem with students smoking on the Bridge is disposing buttes. There isn't a designated area for smokers on the Greenbelt.

“It feels strange smoking when people are walking by when I smoke at the bridge,” said Yutaro Matsumoto, a senior accounting major.

“I try and go over the bridge to-ward the park when there are a lot of people in the area. I noticed that there are a lot of cigarette buttes in

the area, but I carry a portable ash-tray with me at all times.”

Some students argue that the bridge technically isn’t located on campus, hence smokers should be allowed to smoke along the Green-belt and bridge.

“Not on the bridge…those ciga-rettes are for sure ending up in the river. I understand people wanting to smoke, but designate another spot so they don’t destroy the river.” said biology graduate student, Ja-net Layne. “Smokers don’t tend to be so litter conscious.”

Nichols is still working on getting the details and goals together, but in the mean time is meeting with members of the FAA and the cam-pus policy members.

“It seems that a much better so-lution would have been to set up smoking areas behind buildings facing the green belt path where very little foot traffic occurs." said Brian, a senior English major.

In addition to overturning the smoking ban, Nichols wants stu-dents to be aware of safety on-cam-pus. The petition is not only about smoking but about the general safety of students who chose to go off campus to smoke.

“It’s about finding the best new solution,” said Nichols.

BSU will offer Freedom From Smoking Seminars Wednesday, Oct. 14 from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in the Alexander Room in the SUB. The classes will be each Wednesday through Nov. 18.

Student creates petition to overturn smoking ban

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OCTOBER 08, 2009

JOSH GAMBLEColumnist

To a lot of people, the “Twilight” fad is old news, but there is still a distressing number of adamant fans. With the up-coming release of the movie adaptation of “New Moon,” something needs to be said, so I’m going to come right out and say it: Stephanie Meyer’s “Twilight” is a terrible book. I don’t dislike it because I’m male and therefore don’t “get it,” I dislike it be-cause I can read critically, a skill which many seem to lack.

!ere are so, so many things wrong this book, but the most obvious is Meyer’s ter-

rible prose. !e whole novel reads like a self-insert fan-"ction written by a 13 year-old girl on Livejournal. Meyer’s voice is overly-#orid, amateurish and redundant. I lost half an IQ point every time I #ipped a page and three points for every super#u-ous re-description of the perfection of Ed-ward Cullen, the book’s male love interest.

Edwards “perfection” is just one example of Meyer’s one-dimensional characteriza-tion. !e protagonist, Bella Swan, is abso-lutely insu$erable. She is a mentally defec-tive, personality-less, teary-eyed wreck of a human being. Bella, throughout the book, tears up at the drop of a hat, such as when her father put chains on her truck tires. Be-ing the narrator, she spends a page telling the reader what she’s like, but her actions as a character only work to show how in love she is with Edward. She says she’s smart and deep, and the only evidence present-ed is her saying that she’s read “Wuther-ing Heights.” !at’s like saying you’re deep because you shop at Hot Topic. She also claims to be plain and pale, yet within the "rst two days at her new school, she has three boys tailing her. Her only character-ized #aw is a level of clumsiness that could only be a symptom of a severe inner-ear disorder.

!e #at characters might be a little more bearable if they were buried in some sem-blance of a plot, but after the cast of side characters get their line and a half of de-scription each, the next several hundred

pages serve no other purpose than that of making Edward look good. !e potential-ly exciting vampire baseball game never gets o$ the ground and Bella passes out before the climax. Since she’s the narra-tor, the reader only knows what happened because someone tells her afterward. And no, “Edward is a vampire and Bella loves him” does not count as a plot.

!e worst thing about the book is not how it’s written or even what it’s written about, but rather the subtextual message. !roughout the whole series, Bella is made

powerless by Edward and the other men in her life. When she doesn’t go where Edward wants her to, he physically moves her. He monitors her every move using either his telepathy or his “vampire” pow-ers. He watches

her sleep before they even exchange words and all she worries about is if she drooled. Later in the series, he forbids her from see-ing her friends, and so cuts the fuel line in her truck to enforce his wishes. In book four, “Breaking Dawn,” Bella’s "rst expe-rience with sex involves her blacking out and waking up covered in bruises.

Stephanie Meyer’s point in the books is to show how utterly dedicated Bella is to Edward. She does this by wasting ten pages of blank paper after Edward leaves in book two, as if to say that Bella is nothing without Edward. In case you hadn’t picked up on it yet, this mind set is extremely dysfunc-

tional, unhealthy and downright creepy. However, it’s not portrayed as such, it’s portrayed as romantic. “Twilight’s” depic-tion of love seems to involve the woman surrendering all power and giving every-thing she is to the man. !e point of Bella’s character is “I love you, put a baby in me,” which sets women back by about 60 years.

None of this is acknowledged in the con-text of the books or in interviews with the author. !is wouldn’t be as big of a deal as it is if the books weren’t marketed to young teenage girls. As teenagers, most people biologically lack the ability to think or read critically, so if the book says an abusive relationship is romantic, then there’s no disputing that. After all, it was in a book. Just because Edward does the things he does “out of love” does not mean it’s okay. Just because Bella says he’s perfect doesn’t mean he is, and just because the novel says their relationship is wonderful and roman-tic doesn’t mean that it’s even close to the truth.

Young girls who read these books aren’t following this thought process, and instead internalize it as true at face value. Unless they are taught or realize otherwise, this is the kind of relationship they will try to rep-licate, leading to unhealthy behavior pat-terns and ideas about love.

Girls, if you want romance, pick up a Jane Austen, Meg Cabot or Tamora Pierce novel. !ey are all much more well-written with stronger heroines and more healthy relationships. If you really want vampires, check out the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris or “Undead and Unwed” by Mary Janice Davidson. I can’t tell peo-ple not to read Stephanie Meyer’s works, but please, put some thought into what you’re reading.

News flash: ‘Twilight’ not romantic

MIKE JOHNSONJournalist

O%cials at BSU are assessing the cost of campus credit and debit card use. BSU may charge a small fee when students use their cards as a payment method.

Because of the fees, BSU would be forced to no longer accept Visa, due to the company’s policies regarding the application of additional surcharges.

!is would be done in an e$ort to reduce the cost of credit/debit card usage and to en-courage the use of options like E-check on Bronco Web, which is free to students and to the university, according to associate vice president for Finance and Administration Jo Ellen DiNucci.

DeNucci said, “It is true that we are evaluating the cost of accepting credit cards,” and claimed that both credit and debit cards are “very costly.”

She also stressed that no decision has been made and could not give any likelihood there will be a decision made.

!e thought of restricting payment methods to cash or E-checks seems inconvenient to some.

Student Melissa Smith said, “people just don’t carry cash all the time,” and went further to claim that BSU would lose business if they decided to eliminate card usage.

Student Rochelle Chip-pewa said the change would be “absolutely ridiculous,” claiming students are nick-el-and-dimed enough.

“We already pay enough to go to school, along with eating on campus and pay-ing for books,” Chippewa stated. “I would consider other schools and other options. People can’t af-ford other fees – we’re in a recession.”

Boise State evaluates credit, debit card use on campus

GLENN LANDBERG/THE ARBITER

Bella’s first experience with sex involves her blacking out and waking up covered in bruises.

“ “

Josh Gamble

BELEGARTH PART IIOCTOBER 08, 2009

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FINISH INFOUR

ADVERSITYPREVAILS

If their foam blades and wooden shields were made of steel and iron, they would shimmer with ice. Battle season has nearly passed.

Two lines face each other from across a 40-yard gap.

”Ready!” Sir Parr Ohmsford, knight and leader of the realm, yells.

!e opposing line returns the a"rmation.

“Lay on!”For the sake of superiority, vic-

tory, warriors battle with full force. Swords sting in the cold, arrows whistle through the crisp air.

Sir Parr, Battle Christ and War are among the fearsome few who are always the last standing. Bat-tle Christ #ghts with sword and board, an emblem of wings and a halo are depicted on his shield. Sir Par, dressed in a menacing and intricately armored coat of purple, also battles with sword and board,

though when observed, it is evi-dent that he is pro#cient in all weaponry.

War, leader of a San Diego-based unit, the Vargain Guard, also holds a"nity for this combination.

!ough he says, “When I start-ed, I used a hammer and a mallet, mostly for intimidation.”

War describes his battle style as, “aggressive and hard.”

Sir Parr describes his as, “a tra-ditional medieval #ghting style.”

Kami, one of the few Urak-Hai present, said the Urak-Hai #ghting style is, “a steam roller, we move slowly, are heavily armored and use power weapons, large swords and shields.”

Monkey, who #ghts only for himself, considers himself a spearman. His spear is easily six feet long and looks able to topple a horse.

“I moved with the group and

stab anyone who comes near me,” Monkey said.

!ough chaotic, this battle-ground is not a free-for-all. !ere is a code of conduct outlined in, “!e Book of War” which states what hit is considered a kill and where a warrior can and cannot hit.

Head shots are illegal. Some weapons take two hits to make a kill. Weapons must be safe and regularly checked. It is the duty of the Chief Marshall to check weap-ons and maintain battle safety.

Armor must be made of alloys speci#c to the time period, bronze, copper and iron. It must not have protruding edges.

Shields must be padded, as well as all striking surfaces. !e book covers every aspect of Belegarth battle. !ough fearsome, players believe in a safe and fair sport.

As the season is ending, battle

will halt until springtime. New of-#cials are elected for the next sea-son. A new King and Queen will take reign.

A Duke, who acts as vice presi-dent to the King, will be elected. As well as a scribe, who acts as secretary and treasurer, a chief marshall and a War Council rep-resentative, who communicates with the national War Council.

Whilst the winter turns, these o"cials will plan and maintain the sport. !ey will build weap-ons, sew garb and become famil-iar with their new positions.

As the weather dictates, the realm of Rath is closing its #ght-ing season. Early next spring, along with the $owers and green grass, swordsmen will again take on their weapons and polish their skills through the summer.

BelegarthMarch into the foreign realm of Rath. It is cold. Winter winds descend from

gray skies, bringing the message of a brittle battle, of a season reach-ing its end. Warriors clad in heavy armor and winter garb warm their fingers.

J. FREEMAN DEJONGHJournalist

0:18 / 2:38 HQ

ZACH GANSCHOWProducer

Witness the carnage described from the safety of your inter-net! Watch Part II of the video series for live battles and an in-timate look at the Rath players. Don’t forget to view Part I first.

Sir Par hovers 1 inch above the ground whilst he battles, securing his authority as King.

Battle Christ (BC) reigns down upon his opponent.Wargrimm foresees his fate before being killed by King Par.

Pey Eoo crosses blades with Elerossse.

PHOTOS BY GLENN LANDBERG/THE ARBITER

Part two: The field of battle

5

OCTOBER 08, 2009

Red zone continues to haunt BSU

COURTESY OF BRONCO SPORTS

BOISE STATE’S THONGDACH, MEGALE PLACE SECOND

Boise State’s Pichittra !ongdach and Lauren Megale earned a second-place "nish in doubles at the Midland Racquet Club Collegiate Invitational with a 3-1 record. !e duo, ranked No. 33 in the ITA preseason rankings, defeated opponents from Rice, Nebraska and Texas A&M before falling to TCU’s Megan Alexander and Kayla Duncan.

BRONCOS WRESTLING NO. 9 IN W.I.N. PRESEASON RANKINGS

On Monday (Oct. 5) Wrestling Insider Newsmagazine announced the release of its preseason Division I Tournament Power Index (TPI) and individual rankings for 2009-10, and Boise State has started the season ranked No. 9 with "ve wrestlers ranked in the top-11 for their respective weight classes.

BSU'S RUIZ NAMED WAC CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Boise State’s sophomore goalkeeper Liz Ruiz made a sweep of two weekly honors this week for her performance in Boise State’s 1-0 road victory over Louisiana Tech in a torrential down pour of rain in Ruston, La., on Sunday. !e Boise native (Capital High) who had been named earlier today as Boise State’s Athlete of the Week has also been named the West-ern Athletic Conference’s Co-Defensive Player of the Week for Sept. 28-Oct.4. Ruiz battled through the elements and a slew of shots from the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters to earn this week’s honors. Ruiz recorded her second shutout of the season to lead the Broncos to their "rst WAC win of the year and a road split over the weekend. Ruiz made seven saves versus La Tech with six of them coming in the second half to preserve the win for Boise State. She leads the team with 42 saves in eight games between the posts this season. !e win improved her record in goal to 4-3-1 on the year and the Broncos to 6-4-4 overall and 1-1 in the WAC while handing the Lady Techsters only their second loss of the season.

Bronco Athletics at a glance

10/8 10/9 10/10 10/11 10/12 10/17 10/22

Volleyball vs. New Mexico State @ 7:00 p.m.

Soccer vs. Utah State @ 4:00 p.m.

Men’s Tennis BSU Fall Classic

Men’s Tennis BSU Fall Classic

Soccer vs. Nevada @ 1:00 p.m

Men’s Tennis BSU Fall Classic

Volleyball vs. Idaho @ 7:00 p.m.

Volleyball vs. Utah State

Swim & Dive vs. Washington State @ 7:00 p.m.

TRENT LOOTENSProducer

Boise State hasn’t scored a point during the "rst quarter in the last two games against Bowling Green and UC Da-vis. Like a train, the o#ense takes a while to start moving, but once it gets up to speed, it’s hard to stop.

Second quarters are a much di#erent story for the of-fense. Look back on the past two games, when BSU has exploded in the second quarter scoring 42 combined points - 29 of those against BGSU.

!e game against UC Davis left the Broncos with a bad taste in their mouth even though they were able to take a shutout into halftime up 13-0.

“Guys are taking this seriously. Even though we won that game it still felt like a loss,” senior fullback Richie Brockel said, his expression serious. “We want to come back and put things together quickly to avoid situations like that in the future.”

!e situations Brockel is referring to are in the red zone. In the past, the Broncos have been lights out inside oppo-nents 20-yard line. !is season, though, the Broncos have struggled in the red zone. Currently ranked No. 80 in the nation for red zone e$ciency behind fellow Western Ath-letic Conference teams No. 66 Idaho, No. 18. Louisiana Tech and No. 1 Utah State, who is tied with several teams for the top spot.

Against UC Davis, the Broncos had several chances to put the game out of reach, but failed to produce when it mattered most, on the goal line.

“On the goal line we just weren’t clean enough. Davis did a good job of attacking gaps and taking some chances to help themselves,” Boise State head coach Chris Pe-tersen said. “We didn’t have a body for a body. We did on paper, but our guys weren’t getting there.”

Not being able to produce on the goal line is a serious concern for BSU. !ey failed to convert on many goal line chances against Oregon that could’ve put the game

away for good and the same goes for UC Davis. Having to rely on fade routes to Austin Pettis due to the ine#ective-ness of the goal line o#ense is not how coaches like to do things at BSU.

From the "rst drive of the UC Davis game it was appar-ent the Broncos still have plenty to work on.

After moving methodically down the "eld on their "rst drive the Broncos were stu#ed on UC Davis’ 1-yard line after having a "rst-and-goal opportunity. !e turnover on downs was not the way the Broncos had drawn up the be-ginning of the game.

“I believe if we score on that "rst drive it’s a di#erent fell for the whole rest of the game,” Petersen said.

Getting the red zone o#ense together before BSU’s clash with Tulsa next Wednesday night on ESPN is top priority. Tulsa throws the ball 80 percent of the time and is capable of putting up piles of points. If the Broncos can’t match Tulsa’s o#ensive production it could be a long night for BSU.

KIRK BELL/THE ARBITERThe BSU o!ense lines up against Fresno State at Fresno during the 2009 football season.

TWO WEEK CALENDER FOR HOME EVENTS

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BELEGARTHPART 2

FINISH INFOUR

OCTOBER 08, 2009

ADVERSITYPREVAILS

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to you:BRITTNEY JOHNSON

Community Manager

In the four years I have been a student at Boise State University, I have witnessed some amazing things. I’ll never forget the electric feeling of the 2006 Oregon State game and watching Ian Johnson put his name on the map, or bringing upwards of 40,000 fans to the Fiesta Bowl and witnessing the most amazing college football game ever. I’ll never forget the 2008 Fresno State game and storming the !eld, and then hosting Oregon to open up the 2009 season and leaving that game the proudest I’ve been to be a Bronco since the Fiesta Bowl.

Saturday night at the UC Davis game, I was the most disappointed I have ever been about Bronco Nation. Boise State went into the game ranked !fth in the nation. If fan bases were being ranked, the Broncos would be lucky to be in the top 50 after Saturday’s showing. I have never been so disgusted in some of our fans. Kudos goes out to those who stayed until the bitter end and cheered for Boise State through thick and thin. "e fans who sat si-lently on their hands the whole game are just the same as the empty seats around them.

"e !rst thing that I noticed was how quiet and empty the student section was. Was this even the same student section that turned out in masses to camp out for tickets for the season opener?

One of the great things about the Blue is the hos-tile student section that seemed to be taking the weekend o#. Long before the season started, this game day was supposed to be the Oregon game. Would people not have turned out or left that game early because of cold weather? "at is a big no. Even though it’s sometimes hard, I would love to see the student body treat every single game like the Oregon game. "at is one of the things sepa-rating us from the other big programs in college football.

Not only should the student section be loud enough to cause the other team to false start, but also all of Bronco Stadium should live up to the hype saying it sounds much louder than the 34,000 who attend. Bronco Mania should not be limited to only big games. I can’t even imagine what UC Da-vis fans that made the trip were thinking on their way home. I’m sure some of their thoughts were along the lines of how quiet the crowd was and the fact that the number !ve team in the nation can’t even sell out a home game.

Lastly, for those couple hundred boos I heard directed toward Kellen Moore, you should be ashamed of yourselves. Give the kid a break. He has one loss during his career, and that one loss was a one-point-loss! If he can’t convert a third down, deal with it because he has shown in his early career that he knows how to win. It makes me

absolutely sick that some would boo him.So here is a plea to Bronco Nation even though

I know it doesn’t include a lot of you (those that stuck it out until the bitter end of the game). If our program is going to reach the heights we know it can reach, our fan base better start acting like the fan base of a top 10 program. Come early and stay late. Lose your voice in rain or shine, hot or cold; show every opponent what the Bronco’s are all about. Have the opponents and their fans leav-ing Boise thinking how much they wish their fans were as passionate as Bronco Nation. Leave no doubt of Bronco Nation’s support for the players and coaches. Make everyone proud to be apart of this fan base that supports it’s team through thick and thin.

I think some take it for granted how wonder-ful it is too be able to cheer for a team that knows one thing, winning. So to those fans that do take the Broncos for granted - Stop. We need to realize how lucky the Bronco Nation is to have players and coaches who exemplify superior play and class.

On Oct. 31 it is time to put the pathetic fan out-ing of last Saturday behind Bronco Nation and show why we are a big part of the most dominate program in the past decade. Show the nation what makes Boise State so special and why the blue is so tough to travel too. It’s time for the Bronco Nation to take it up a notch.

Time for Bronco Nation’s next level

KIRK BELLEditor

Whether it was the hype of a former No. 5 ranking, e#ort and superior drive of the UC Davis Aggies last Saturday or even the !rst taste of the elements for the Boise State Broncos, one thing was clear: "e now-No. 6 Broncos were not their true form for their homecoming

showdown.Now the goal of BSU head coach Chris Petersen and his sta# -- with just short of a week before fac-ing a dangerous Tulsa Hurricane

(4-1) football team -- is to set the Bronco's eyes forward and con-

tinue with the week-by-week focus that has helped Petersen and company to only four losses in fewer than four seasons.

“I think that’s why, as coaches, we are always on our toes,” Petersen said. “Just trying to keep everybody mentally right, which is hard to do … I guarantee you this. It was never the case of taking (UC) Davis lightly. Not even the slightest.”

Junior linebacker Darrell Acrey ex-claimed Davis’ junior quarterback Greg Denham is the best passer BSU has faced this season. He doubled the Broncos’ defensive touchdowns allowed through the air with two more Saturday, which brought the tally to four total. "ough he felt the defense played well against the Aggies and allowed just 236 total of-fensive yards, Acrey doesn’t doubt there were distractions at game time.

“It’s good that we got that out of the way early,” Acrey heaved.

Now the Broncos (5-0) must clear a hurdle. One that has already claimed two victims in Houston (3-1) and No. 18 BYU (4-1) programs that seemed poised and extremely quali!ed candidates early.

“"at’s the problem when you start paying attention to how it’s supposed to go or what the score should be and those types of things,” Petersen said. “"at’s why I think that it’s important that we try not to focus on those things and just fo-cus on playing our best, having fun and

not worrying about how it should be.”O#ensive team captain Richie Brockel

believes it could be prescriptive to have an experience like they did against Davis. A humbling experience prior to meeting a Tulsa team which currently holds the No.-16-best passing e$ciency rating in the nation.

“I think it’s huge because…after the game we went into the locker room and it just felt like a loss,” the senior fullback/tight end said. “I know guys are taking this seriously and I know that everybody knows if we were playing somebody else we might not have done this well or we might have lost. I think there’s going to be a little more attention to detail and a little more focus here coming into the next couple of weeks.”

"e Broncos were %agged nine times against the Aggies, the most thus far through 2009. Execution issues have been, are and always will be an aspect of week-to-week operations. Being able to !ll those gaps and deterring over execu-tion when it rears its ugly head becomes the uphill battle.

“"at’s just how it goes,” Petersen said. “It’s easier said than done to talk about not worrying about making mistakes. Just play, go have fun and take chances. "ose are things that we’re really going to try and emphasize. "ese are very prideful guys and they want to do things right, like we all do. "at’ll be a good challenge.”

Brockel believes the players have al-ready begun addressing the issues pre-sented over the weekend. "e Broncos can either sink or swim in a sea where many teams have %oundered in the past.

“I think people are starting to build themselves back up. We’ll see how this practice goes today (Tuesday). I think there will be a lot of energy out there and I think guys are just going to try and get better and focus on us like we normally do. Like we have to do to win.”

BSU meet the Hurricanes at Tulsa, Okla., Oct. 14. "e game can be seen on ESPN at 6 p.m. MT.

Adversity coming at the right time

I think that’s why, as coaches, we are always

ON OUR TOES

Boise State tight end Kyle Efaw runs after catching a pass from Kellen Moore dur-ing the Boise State vs. UC Davis game

JOSH RASMUSSEN/THE ARBITER

Chris Petersen

7

OCTOBER 08, 2009

BY LINDA C. BLACKTribune Media Services

Today’s Birthday (10/08/09)Magical energy attaches itself to everything you do. Writing projects move forward at light speed. Keep this age-appropriate. Try to get a lot of work done before noon. Then you can play.To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

Aries (March 21-April 19) Today is a 6 - You may not hear what you want to hear, but once you think about it, you realize this is your lucky day after all.

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Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)Today is a 5 - An older person shares news that comes as no sur-prise. Take it in stride. You perk up late in the day.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)Today is a 7 - Pay attention to even the smallest changes in people’s attitudes. Use that info to sell your ideas more successfully.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)Today is a 6 - Words can solve problems now. Take a practical approach to a difficult situation. Smoothe ruffled feathers later.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)Today is a 5 - Take care of a difficult problem you’ve been avoiding. Express emotions and gain support from a family member.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21Today is a 5 - Before you make a de-cision, consider what others want. Remember, these are your friends!

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)Today is an 8 - Take heed: What other people say truly matters, even if you don’t think so. Use their words to your advantage.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18Today is a 6 - If you can get down to the practical nitty-gritty early, you’ll achieve great things by the afternoon.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)Today is a 5 - Your partner provides sage advice. You’ll take it if you’re smart. By day’s end, you see why it was right.___(c) 2009, Tribune Media Services Inc.Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

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On your mark… get set… go! And go! And keep going!

Just over 140 miles in 17 hours is what is required of typical Ironman competi-tors. !is fall, however, Boise State is giving students a chance to complete this intense competition, only instead of 17 hours they will be allowed to spread it out over three weeks.

Students will be asked to swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles, and run 26.2 miles. Individ-uals who participate will log their activity

and submit it to the Boise State Recreation Center upon completion. !ose who are able to accomplish this impressive feat will receive a Fall 2009 Triathlon T-shirt.

!ink you are up to the challenge? Stu-dents who are interested in participating can register online by Friday Oct. 9. !e event will last from Monday, Oct. 5 - Sun-day, Oct. 25.

!e Rec. Center has many activities for students to participate in year-round. !ey o"er these programs as incentives to keep students active or help them get in shape. Other activities students can check out this fall include Cardio for Cans and 12 Days of

Fitness.Boise State junior Kayla Dyksterhouse

is an employee at the Rec Center and avid supporter of these activities.

She believes such programs will help stu-dents #nd ways to exercise in a way he or she enjoys.

“I think it gives students a good oppor-tunity to work out,” Dyksterhouse said. “It gives them more of a reason to do it.”

For those ironmen and women who want to challenge themselves this month, the BSU Campus Recreation website encour-ages students to, “shake up your #tness routine and give it a tri!”

Boise State fall fitness challenge