Pack Backer

I'm glad you find this to be the case. If the mods over on Bronco Country were more like you, I might actually post there again one of these days.

BSU does And that's the kind of grace and humility you folks in the Big East can look forward to having your presence annually graced with starting next year. Stay classy, Boise...

The cannon fired after every touchdown at home is just the campus ROTC cannon. Nothing particularly unique about it aside from the fact that it's big and loud and ours. They do, however, play UNLV every year for another cannon with a considerably more interesting back story behind it.

We have a very different memory of Burton here in Reno. He was Nevada's defensive coordinator for the '08 and '09 seasons, and in that time he fielded some of the worst pass defenses in the nation before he skipped town. It wasn't the fact that his scheme was too aggressive for the personnel he inherited -- the defense actually improved in several areas because of it -- but the fact that he refused to scale it back or adapt it to better suit the opponents he faced didn't win him many fans here.

Here are some of the responses to the same question on our board.

I'll tell you what I know, but keep in mind I know a lot less about area hotels than a frequent visitor from out of town would. True, the Peppermill is pretty far away from downtown and the university, but it's also the closest to a Vegas-style resort the area offers. It's undergone a lot of expansions and renovations in recent years, and is frequently named one of the best resorts of its kind in the country (including a recent four-diamond rating from AAA). If you're staying here for more than a couple of days and would like to explore more of the region than what a typical weekend trip might include (like maybe Lake Tahoe and Virginia City), its location is more advantageous. The same is true of the Atlantis, which is a little further up Virginia Street. At both places you'll find a great assortment of restaurants that are popular with locals and guests alike. I'll pose the question on our message board and see what suggestions my colleagues have to offer.

In the past -- and barring any big changes this season -- visiting teams have usually stayed at the Grand Sierra. It's a few miles away from the downtown core of casinos, but it's a nice big property with decent rooms. The downtown core is about a mile and a half away from the stadium. It's a walkable distance, but is mostly uphill getting there. There's also a free shuttle service with stops at the stadium and throughout downtown that will operate before and after the game.

If you're dead set on the "fly in to California and drive" option, there are also airports in Oakland and San Jose you could consider. It's a scenic drive over the Sierras and should be nice and sunny that time of year, but keep in mind it's a minimum of four hours (even more than that if you're coming from SF and encounter traffic). Either way, swing by our message board and feel free to ask us any questions you may have.