Left in the Lurch, Idaho Must Go On Alone

The days when college conferences were held together by academics and geography are gone.

In this ugly new age, all that matters is perceived football prowess and access to television markets. That means even more universities are changing their conference allegiances.

The latest shake up came on Friday with the expansion of Conference USA. Texas-San Antonio, Louisiana Tech, UNC-Charlotte, North Texas and Florida International all defected from their respective conferences (the WAC, Atlantic-10 and Sun Belt).

That means 31 universities - more than a quarter in all of Division I football - will have switched conferences for various stated reasons such as stability or more prestige. Granted, most college presidents do not have the audacity to freely admit they are moving conferences to chase more money.

With Utah State and San Jose State also finding new conference home in the WAC 2.0, also known as the Mountain West, you can, as Brett McMurphy put it, "start carving the tombstone" for the WAC.

That's a shame considering the WAC is the sixth oldest D-I football conference and will have had 26 members at one time or another when the D-I expands to 125 programs in 2013.

That also means a school near and dear to my heart, the University of Idaho, has been left in the lurch.

The Vandals, despite doing things the right way with student-athlete graduation and leading the WAC Commissioner's Cup, are out of good options. Idaho is in a minuscule television market, it's regional TV footprint is over shadowed by the Smurf Turf to the south and there has not been any consistent success on the Palouse.

What is being widely suggested by many sports writers for the Vandals, a drop back to the I-AA level and the Big Sky Conference, would be a disaster.

Hitting a "Fan's Cycle"

Angels pitcher Jered Weaver reacts to throwing a no-hitter May 2 (Getty Images)

Baseball has always been in my blood. I was attending professional games even before I was born.

For me, no matter how much snow was on the ground, mid-Febraury was a sign that spring was just around the corner. And Major League Baseball's Opening Day has always been one of my most anticipated days of the year.

I consider myself fortunate to have been able to go to so many baseball games.

And I am lucky to have witnessed some amazing feats on the diamond in person, none more impressive than watching Los Angeles Angels pitcher Jered Weaver throw a complete game no-hitter.

I first took notice Wednesday night that Weaver had given up no hits in the middle of the fourth inning, but thought it was way too early to be watching history.

It wasn't until a perfect sixth inning when Weaver shut down the Minnesota Twins speed batters, Denard Span and Jamey Carroll, both whom did not even show bunt, that I thought we might be on the cusp of a special game.

For the last two innings, Angel fans stood, imploring the umpire to call strikes and for Weaver to finish off the no-hitter. When right fielder Torii Hunter caught Alexi Casilla's fly ball for the last out, the stadium erupted, a crescendo that had been building for the last 30 minutes of the game.

"I couldn't believe it," Weaver said after the game. "I never thought in a million years I'd first of all be in the major leagues pitching and to throw a no-hitter in the big leagues - it was very surreal."

It was a surreal game to watch. As a former work colleague put it, Weaver's no-hitter was the final piece to my fan's cycle. Four stunning baseball feats that rarely happen.

I've also seen then-Baltimore Oriole Aubrey Huff hit for the cycle, former Washington National Dmitri Young smack a grand slam on Fourth of July, and Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Mickey Morandini turn an unassisted triple play in 1992, the first such play in 24 years in the majors.

Those types of plays make baseball fun for the fans. You never know what you might see on a random Wednesday night.

Now I can just hope my Pittsburgh Pirates raise another World Series pennant in my lifetime, but I might just settle for a winning season at this point.

Isner Ready to Fill American Void

John Isner celebrates a victory over No. 1 Novak Djokovic.

John Isner was no match for Roger Federer in the finals at the BNP Paribas Open.

But Isner's two weeks in Indian Wells were something special, and for the first time in a long time an America seems poised to challenge tennis' upper echelon.

Isner will become the second U.S. player in the ATP Tour's top 10 rankings, because of his finals appearance, and he became the first American to beat the world No. 1 player since 2008 in an electric three-set victory over Novak Djokovic.

"It was very special when that last ball went by (Djokovic) and I knew I had won the match. I knew it was a very weird feeling, a very nice feeling. It's something that, you know, you don't experience every day," Isner said after the semi-final match.

Roger Defined by Rivalry with Rafa

Roger Federer cracks a smile after downing rival
Rafael Nadal in Indian Wells.

One of the all-time great sports rivalries finally played out in front of the rabid tennis fans in Indian Wells, Calif.

After a rare desert rain delay at the BNP Paribas Open, No. 3 Roger Federer and No. 2 Rafael Nadal took the court for their 28th meeting.

Watching the two display their skill in person is amazing, and it just adds a new level of appreciation for some of the great matches I've watched on television. Federer makes playing the sport look effortless, while Nadal never gives up on a point and can seemingly run any ball down.

"Obviously conditions were tough today, and against one of my greatest rivals, it's always nice if you come out on top. So I'm very, very happy," Federer said after his straight set 6-3, 6-4 victory.

The win in the California desert was just Federer's 10th against Nadal, which is arguably the biggest flaw when talking about where the Swiss stacks up against all-time tennis greats.

However, if clay courts are taken out of the equation, a surface Nadal just owns, Federer now holds a 8-6 advantage in head-to-head meetings and is a winner of two of the last three.

The 10-18 record can obscure the way Federer dominates sets when they play, as previously detailed by WSJ writer Carl Bialik.

Federer has taken seven 6-0 or 6-1 sets against Nadal, with five of those dominant sets by the Swiss coming in the final set of the match. By comparison, just two of Nadal's wins have ended in such lopsided fashion.

Despite Nadal's sizable advantage in head-to-head matches, it is hard to judge which player is greater. Especially given the way Federer worked over Nadal's backhand in the semis.

Add current No. 1 Novak Djokovic into the mix, who has defeated Nadal in seven consecutive finals, and figuring out the big three gets more complicated.

Tennis is experiencing a reniassance with likely three of the games greats all playing at once. I am just glad I got to see Federer-Nadal rivalry in person.

BNP Paribas Open: Djokovic Takes a Look Back Before Semis

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic opened up about his past before taking the court for the semi-finals at the BNP Paribas Open.

"It's hard to say what I felt as a kid," the Serb said. "I just remember I fell in love (with tennis) at the first sight."

Djokovic said it was like destiny he picked up a racquet, because in his family nobody played.

"They were all professional skiers or soccer players or something else, you know," Djokovic said.

Djokovic is trying to win his 11th ATP Masters 1000 tournament and third title in Indian Wells, and said he's still in contact with his old coach Serbian tennis legend Jelena Gencic.

"She has had an incredible effect on my career, and she has learned me all the basics of the tennis," Djokovic said. "I always go back to her and share the success that I had and remembering those moments in the childhood when we were starting to play tennis."

"She was one of the very few people, including my family, that actually believed in me, that believed that I could be the best and I could be, you know, a Grand Slam winner," Djokovic recalled.

Gencic, now in her 70s, is still coaching tennis in Serbia.

Djokovic will face American John Isner in the first of two semi-finals Saturday at 11 a.m. The Serbian holds a 2-0 lifetime advantage over Isner.