Boise State Practices for Fiesta Bowl at Home of the Fighting Artichokes!

Boise State has an all business approach in preparation for this year's Fiesta Bowl game against what many believe to be the best team in college football, the TCU Horned Frogs.

As the No. 6 ranked Broncos came off the bus yesterday to begin their first Fiesta Bowl practice, they were met by a large sign painted on the back of the small stadium:

"WECOME TO SCOTTSDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE HOME OF THE FIGHTING ARTICHOKES"

The Fighting Artichokes?

A fighting vegetable?

What possible effect could the 'fighting artichoke' logo have on the serious Broncos?

In an effort to make the Boise State players and coaches feel a little better about having to practice in front of a huge fighting vegetable, I've done some research.

Is there a worse possible school mascot than a fighting artichoke? Could there be a "fighting brussel sprout" or a "fighting tiny pea?"

They're both vegetables, right?

I was convinced that out there somewhere a fine college or university, must have a lamer mascot than a fighting artichoke.

No luck on the tiny peas or the brussel sprouts.

What I did find was the University of California at Irvine (UCI) Anteaters. Pretty weak, but not weak enough.

Of course there are the Harvard Crimson and the NYU Violets. What's up with the smarty pants and their colors? Are they too busy at the library to pick out a more tangible mascot?

Speaking of intelligence, there is of course the Stanford Tree. Do you find it odd that they couldn't pick a particular species of tree? The weeping willow trees maybe? That would be masculine.

I found the Southern Arkansas Mule Riders too. Do people still ride mules in Southern Arkansas?

The next one is almost depressing; the Amherst Lord Jeffs. What's so tragic about the fighting Lord Jeffs? Well quite a bit it turns out.

Amherst lays claim to being America's oldest athletic program which brings to mind two questions.

First, if the Lord Jeffs are indeed America's oldest athletic program, who did they play against?

Second, and by far more important, if Amherst was first in the development of an athletic program, were they not the first to name a mascot?

Think about it; not one mascot had been taken yet and they chose the Lord Jeffs?

About this time in my research, I was getting a bit concerned that I would not find a worse mascot than the fighting artichokes.

But then my luck changed!

Through the Grace of God, there it was in living color on my computer screen;the Bananaslugs!

The fighting Banaslugs from the University of California at Santa Cruz!

I am completely aware that those around the campus of the UC Santa Cruz have been known to have "indulged in herbs" from time to time. I think they call it getting “herbed up.”

Does that explain the naming of the mascot the Bananaslugs? That’s got to be the reason!

My research was a success. I rushed to the phone to let the Boise State athletic department know about my findings.

I was pumped and I was going to contribute to the team!

After delivering the great news to my friend at BSU, I was surprised at his reaction.

There wasn't any; depression was setting in fast.

Come to find out, Boise State had used the home of the "Fighting Artichoke" before they beat Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl.

They weren't about to mess with the routine and they ended up adopting the "Fighting Artichoke" as their good luck charm.

So much for my research and contribution to the team.

By the way, what on earth is a Horned Frog?