TV TIME WILL AID RECRUITING

0 Comments | Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Jul 23, 2008 | by JAKE SCHALLER

When The Mtn. debuts on DirecTV in late August, the network dedicated to the Mountain West Conference finally will be available nationwide.

And Air Force coaches immediately will have more sway on the recruiting trail.

"For us, recruiting-wise, it's night and day different," Falcons coach Troy Calhoun said. "So if you're in Georgia, if you're in Texas, you're in Ohio -- our extremely fertile grounds for recruiting -- you're able to (watch Air Force) on TV."

That's also good news for fans -- especially those who follow Air Force and BYU, which Calhoun called "national schools."

"Their graduates are all over the world, just like ours at Air Force," he said.

Falcons shut out

Air Force was the lone Mountain West team not to have a representative on the league's 10th anniversary football team, which was released Tuesday.

The team was selected by combining an online fan poll with thoughts from a panel of institutional and conference personnel and media. Players who earned All-Conference first-team honors during the league's first nine years were eligible.

Rampart graduate Dexter Wynn, who played at Colorado State from 2000-2003, was named the team's punt/kick returner.

Ticket sales makes Air Force

more attractive to bowls

New Mexico Bowl executive director Jeff Siembieda said Tuesday that Air Force always has been "very attractive" to his game because of the academy's proximity to Albuquerque and the four Air Force bases in the state.

But he acknowledged that the Falcons' showing at last year's Armed Forces Bowl -- the academy sold 12,000 tickets -- improved their standing in the eyes of other bowl organizers.

"I think probably industrywide they became a lot more attractive," he said.

Time change

Calhoun and members of his coaching staff will host a meet and greet for fans on Friday at the Elbo Room at The Ritz Grill. The event has been moved up an hour and will be held from 4-6 p.m.