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News Release Dec. 21, 2006FIESTA FEVER: In anticipation of the upcoming Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, Boise State University’s Office of Communications has identified story ideas that would be of interest to the community. Following is one of these stories. Feel free to use as written, or contact the sources listed at the bottom for more information. Mountain Home's Sobtzak Has
Ties to Both Fiesta Bowl Teams, But He's Pulling for Boise State
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State employee and Oklahoma graduate Alan Sobtzak outside of Bronco Stadium, sporting the school colors of his two favorite teams. John Kelly photo |
Talk about
conflicted loyalties! Alan Sobtzak, the on-site coordinator at Mountain Home Air
Force Base for Boise State’s Division of Extended Studies, has quite a dilemma
regarding the upcoming Tostitos Fiesta Bowl between Boise State and the
University Oklahoma: He has a strong allegiance to both schools.
Sobtzak earned his master’s of public administration degree from Oklahoma in
1997 and was employed by OU as coordinator of the school’s graduate programs at
Mountain Home for 13 years until he joined Boise State in a similar capacity
earlier this year. “I switched jobs and institutions, but stayed in the same
building,” he said.
He now oversees a program for Boise State that offers a number of undergraduate
classes for military personnel on the base and usually enrolls between 300-400
students per term.
Interestingly, Sobtzak, a native of Minnesota, took classes at Boise State from
1986-89 when he was stationed at Mountain Home. Now, he is not only BSU’s
academic director at the air force base, but he is also an adjunct professor,
teaching classes in political science and management. He also is the vice chair
of the Elmore County Planning & Zoning Commission and on the board of directors
of the Elmore County Rotary.
So, which team will Sobtzak be cheering for when the Broncos and Sooners collide
in the Fiesta Bowl on New Year’s Day? “I’ve got to go with BSU,” he said. “I
think their chances are pretty slim, so I’ve got to go with the underdog. I’ll
be pulling for them. To see a little guy like BSU go up against OU and wax them
would be great.”
Not that Sobtzak bears any animosity toward his alma mater. If it were any other
team other than Boise State, he’d be pulling for the Sooners. “Oklahoma has such
a powerful football program and an amazing history, it’s awesome. I’m a Bronco
fan, but I’m a Sooner fan, too.”
He looks at the Fiesta Bowl this way: “Either way, I’m in a ‘can’t lose’
situation.”
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Contact: Alan Sobtzak, Mountain Home Division of Extended Studies,
828-6746
Media contact: Bob Evancho, University Communications, (208) 426-1643,
bevanch@boisestate.edu
We’re proud to be the home of the undefeated, Fiesta Bowl‑bound Broncos, the
national champion student speech and debate team, and the nation's 12th‑ranked
engineering program among public, comprehensive universities.
The Office of Communications and Marketing
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Boise State University
1910 University Drive -
Boise Idaho 83725-1030
Located in Capitol Village, 2225 W. University Drive
208-426-1577
(fax)208-426-4001
email communications@boisestate.edu
Last reviewed on Wednesday, January 03, 2007
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