If you live in the Treasure Valley, seeing Boise State's iconic blue turf isn't new.  But if you have relatives from out of town that saw this comic in Saturday's paper, they may have had to Google what it looks like! 

Most college football fans living outside of the state of Idaho know the Broncos for one of two reasons: the incredible win and trick plays ran against Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl or our blue turf. Earning the nickname "Smurf Turf' the unconventional has been a staple of Albertsons Stadium since 1986. The university was due to spend about $750,000 on replacing the stadium's green turf. Gene Bleymaier (Boise State's athletic director at the time) wanted to do something to force people to recognize that the university had upgraded its playing surface. According to the Coloradoan, the manufacturer wasn't thrilled about the idea of making a blue field at first, but when BSU made the threat to go with another company who would, AstroTurf agreed to it.

Since it's installation, there's been tons of myths about The Blue.  From ducks getting hurt or killed by crashing into it because they thought it was a lake, to opposing teams having a hard time seeing the Broncos when they would wear all blue uniforms on the field, we've pretty much heard it all. That's why Saturday's Zits cartoon that appeared in newspapers across the country is so funny!

My dad clipped this out of The Vindicator, his local newspaper in Youngstown, Ohio and sent it to me before the game on Saturday.  If you're a die hard Boise State fan, you can actually buy a framed version of it to display with the rest of your Bronco memorabilia HERE! 

Credit: Joe Bistrica
Credit: Joe Bistrica
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It's unclear, what inspired the authors to write about Boise State but it may have something to do with the Wyakin Warriors.  Each year at their ball, they invite the top cartoonists in the country to draw pictures as a fundraiser.  Jerry Scott, the author of Zits, also works on a cartoon called Baby Blues with Rick Kirkman. Kirkman has been part of that fundraiser multiple times.  Maybe, just maybe, he mentioned the famous "Smurf Turf" to his partner in crime!

We actually had a chance to meet Kirkman in 2015! He drew this hilarious cartoon of my fiance and I at the ball that year!

Michelle Heart, Townsquare Media
Michelle Heart, Townsquare Media
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