PERSONS OF THE WEEK: Dec. 31, 2006 - Jan. 6, 2007

You don't always have to be a great political leader to rock the world. You don't have to be popular or widely respected either. You do, however, have to have determination, grit, and motivation. The football team from Boise State University exhibited all three of those qualities last Sunday, when they completed an undefeated season by beating the heavily favored Oklahoma Sooners in the Fiesta Bowl. None of the experts gave the Broncos a chance to win the game, even though they had a better record than the Sooners. After all, Boise State played in the not-so-heralded Western Athletic Conference (WAC), while Oklahoma played against "higher quality" opponents in the storied "Big Twelve" Conference - there really was no comparison. Luckily, such elitist psychobabble was soundly put to rest when the blue-collar Broncos shredded the blue-blooded Sooners.

I could spend all night talking about the ramifications the game had on the college football world, but this isn't really about football. Boise State didn't inspire the nation because of their proficiency with a leather ball - they inspired a nation because they proved that "little guys" really can conquer the world. We're always being told that only the rich and good-looking can succeed, but the truth is that anyone can do anything if they put their mind to it. Boise State refused to believe the hype, and the rest of us should learn a lesson from that.


P.S. I hope that you will all join me in cheering on the Florida Gators in tomorrow's "national championship" game. If they beat undefeated Ohio State, Boise State will be the only unbeaten team in the country - and a lot of people will start using the phrase "the national champion Boise State Broncos".

Tags: Boise State, College Football, Broncos, Person of the Week, Football, Sports