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During Ralph Perretta’s career with the Chargers from 1975 to 1980 as a center and guard, reporters routinely walked past his cubicle in the locker room in search of quarterbacks, running backs and receivers to interview. Those guys are the so-called skill players.
But Friday afternoon when the No. 9-ranked Boise State football team arrived in San Diego for the Poinsettia Bowl against No. 11 TCU Tuesday at Qualcomm Stadium, the old offensive lineman might have done more interviews in a couple of hours than he did in a couple of years as a player.
That’s because his son Vinny Perretta, Boise State’s senior do-it-all wide receiver from La Costa Canyon High, is enjoying a homecoming game on the same turf his father once played on for the Chargers.
“All my old teammates are aware of Boise State’s success and Vinny,”
Perretta said. “They give me a ribbing — ‘How did an offensive linemen have a son that’s a skill position player?’ I tell them they’re just jealous.”
Not only was Ralph in demand for interviews from the San Diego media, media covering Boise State wanted to talk with him, too.
Vinny, a 5-foot-10, 195-pounder, is the Broncos’ third-leading
receiver, but he also runs the ball as a back and throws the ball on option plays.
“When we went to the Fiesta Bowl two years ago, we paid $150 to sit on the goal line,”Ralph said. “I’ve been telling everybody this is one of the best matchups of the bowl season and the tickets are $35 and $40. The Poinsettia Bowl really got lucky with this one.”
Not to mention an old Air Coryell offensive lineman.