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We all take certain relationships for granted. Especially men.
Take marriage.
The courting and first few years are full of attention, career drive and new exciting experiences.
Then, kids come. And more responsibility. As the kids age, men gain some freedom back and start going for boys night out, acting single on occasion and ,in general, get sloppy at showing attention to their wife. Some of us wake up from that and get back to a more driven, satisfying relationship and stay that way til the end. Reminds me of Boise State vs Oregon the 2017 edition.
Kes and Bryan Harsin
Boise St. took their relationship with Oregon in the Las Vegas bowl for granted last Saturday with the score 24-0. They had completely dominated the game to that point and started to stray. Boise State was in position to turn out the lights on Oregon and take a 31-0 lead into the half when they started flirting with the girl down the hall. The Statute of Liberty was fumbled away and BOOM it was 24-7.
No big deal. Boise St. was like a husband who knew his wife still loved him and didn’t know anything for the better so they start hanging out with friends more and acting like nothing was wrong.
Rightttttt.
With 32 seconds left in the half, Rypien went bombs away to Wilson and Boise St. was on the Oregon 7 ready to go 32-7. Nope. They got caught downtown having the wrong kind of fun and threw a 100 yard pick 6 to give the Ducks a 24-14 lifeline. How stupid did that feel?
Thankfully, the offense got some halftime counseling and came out and started dating their wife again. They paid attention to the little things in life and put together a 12 play masterpiece at the start of the 2nd half. The drive included two 3rd down conversions by Mahone and Modster and a career defining TD catch by Dhaenens.
Zak Hill
The Broncos did some chores around the house, went on a weekly date night and looked at things from the mother of their kids eyes. BAM. Life was good again and it’s 31-14.
Jabril Frazier
As is typical though, Boise State went into a little bit of lull from there. Sort of a mid-life crisis. The offense had two 3 and out series and a 6 play drive that fizzled with better Oregon defense and the defense finally gave up a 78 yard drive to make it a 31-21 game.
In other words, Boise St. started forgetting birthdays, working too much and not being interested in things going on around them. They went through the motions and found themselves in a 10 point game with all the momentum going for Oregon. The Bronco offense responded with a 3 play drive for minus 8 yards.
They refused counseling and said they didn’t need it.
That’s what they thought. Defensive coordinator Andy Avalos dialed up a great 6 man blitz and twisted Curtis Weaver inside to sack Oregon and put Boise St. in great position with 7:41 remaining, a 10 point lead and the ball. From here it was a thing of beauty. We got a glimpse into the 2018 season, with a sensational 3rd and 9 twenty two yard completion to CT Thomas. We saw a bruising 11 yard Mahone run and back from the dead 41 yard pass to MVP Cedrick Wilson. And, it was capped off with the ballet like line shifting TD run to make it 38-21 Boise St. with 2:16 left.
Ryan Wolpin
Seemed like the team learned their lessons in life, really communicated and hit the stock market just right for retirement.
The last setback was a late in life 67 yard bomb that was caught by Oregon and converted into a TD to make it a 38-28 game with 1:12 to go. It was no big deal though. By then, the wife knew better then to listen to rumors about stuff that had happened 30 years ago. She trusted her husband and it showed. Cedric Wilson took a final bow for the crowd by recovering the Oregon onside kick attempt and it was over. Rypien fell on 2 snaps and Boise St humiliated Oregon 38-28.
They all lived happily ever after.
