Boise: A closer look
Mar. 16, 2009 4:16 p.m.
One of the unfortunate byproducts of being seeded where the Marquette Golden Eagles have been seeded the past four years -- seventh, eighth, sixth and now sixth again -- is the fact the tournament selection committee doesn't work as hard to keep such teams close to home.
As a result, MU -- which, by the way, is ranked 23rd in
the Associated Press' latest media poll -- has been sent to far-flung places each time.
Some weren't so bad. San Diego in 2005-'06 and Anaheim last year are obviously nice this time of year compared to Wisconsin. Winston-Salem, N.C, which is where the Golden Eagles went in 2006-'07, wasn't bad either.
But none of them are especially easy to get to from the Midwest, which in turn hampers fan travel.
This year's West Regional spot, Boise, Idaho, is no different. It's a great distance away and isn't easy to get into and out of via air travel because of the relatively small size of the airport. And, let's face it, the place just doesn't have the sex appeal of, say, Miami.
But I'm here to say Boise is really a great town in a great area. I drove out there a few summers ago and spent a few days out there and was frankly amazed at what I saw. Temperate climate, beautiful scenery, mountains, nice people and a happening downtown area -- Boise has it all.
Here's a link to the city's convention and visitor's bureau website.
Still, it clearly suffers from what it's most known for -- potatoes -- much in the same way Wisconsin is branded as only a beer and cheese state.
The responses of MU's players and coach Buzz Williams were entertaining to say the least when they were asked about Idaho on Sunday.
"When I was asleep and I had a dream," said sophomore wing Jimmy Butler when asked about the last time he'd been to Idaho. "No, I have never even thought about Idaho."
What does he know about it?
"Capital I," he said. "I don't know what to tell you."
Wesley Matthews, senior captain, how about some help?
"Potatoes," he said.
Surely Williams would have more to add, having recruited and coached in that part of the country during his time at Colorado State.
"I know that they have a blue football field, and I know that I recruited a kid from College of Southern Idaho, which perennially has been one of the best junior-college programs in the country," he said, "and I flew into Boise, and there was snow everywhere and I had to drive about an hour and a half to Twin Falls. That’s all I know.
"But like my assistant said, they should have a hell of a potato bar."
The third-seeded Missouri Tigers, who were hoping for Kansas City but also were shipped to Boise, had
some interesting perspectives on the city as well.
The games, by the way, will be played at Taco Bell Arena, which is on the campus at Boise State University, and just a stone's throw from the aforementioned 'Smurf Turf.'
One of the real interesting subplots about the location, obviously, is the fact the 12th-seeded Wisconsin Badgers are also out there.
It's not a total rarity for the two rivals to play at the same site; in fact, back in 2003 one of the most surreal sights I've seen in my seven years on the beat was all the navy blue, gold and red that took over the Metrodome in Minneapolis when both the Golden Eagles and the Badgers advanced there for the Sweet 16.
It would have been incredible had UW been able to get past Kentucky to set up a UW-MU matchup in the Elite Eight, but that obviously didn't happen. What
did happen was pretty amazing, though: a goodly number of Badgers fans stuck around and rooted for the Golden Eagles after UW lost in the early game, and then came back and did the same two days later when MU upset Kentucky to get to the Final Four.
There is usually no middle ground in that rivalry, which is what made the experience so unique. Matthews was still a ways away from committing to MU at that point, but he grew up in Madison, so obviously he's got a good grasp of both sides of the equation here.
He apparently doesn't expect much love from UW fans out there this time around.
"That’s fine. That’s cool," he said when asked about UW earning the same draw. "If you’re a Badger, you should just pull for the Badgers. I’ve never met a Badger fan that will cheer for Marquette on the side. But that’s fine. We’re going to have support, they’re going to have support, and it’s going to be great. It’s going to be a lot of fun, and we’re excited about it."
As far as MU's first-round opponent, 11th-seeded Utah State (30-4), you can read up on the team at the
Salt Lake City Tribune's web site.
You can also find
Utah State's statistics here.
We'll have a story looking at MU up later tonight for tomorrow's paper, and then tomorrow for Wednesday a closer look at Utah State.
Also, don't forget I have an online chat tonight that begins at 7.
You can send me questions here.
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