You will not find it on any calendar or, in many places, even hear it publicly acknowledged, but Saturday amounted to an unofficial Boise State Appreciation Day around the Western Athletic Conference.

It was the day in which member schools were to have received their annual conference distribution checks, which, thanks to the Broncos' victory over Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl, was a far-and-away record $14.3 million distribution to the membership, according to the conference office.

Much as they might whine about the blue smurf turf in Boise, or bemoan the lengthening string of Bronco domination, WAC rivals were only too glad to hustle these checks to the bank. As commissioner Karl Benson put it yesterday, "everybody got a windfall."

Including the University of Hawai'i, which said it received $559,222 as its share of the WAC's Bowl Championship Series lucre. That loot takes on added significance if it turns out to be the difference between the athletic department balancing its books again or returning to the red when the final audit is in.

The Maui News reported Saturday that athletic director Herman Frazier told the Maui Chamber of Commerce the department had a $7,900 profit for the fiscal year that ended that day.

Overall, UH received approximately $1 million from the WAC in television rights fees, NCAA Basketball Tournament shares, WAC Basketball Tournament payments, BCS money and other funds.

But as lucrative and as timely as that was, it pales in comparison to the more than $5.2 million in WAC distributions — including more than $4.5 million in BCS bucks — the Idaho Statesman said Boise State banked for its remarkable 13-0 run.

That's a payday the significance of which can't — and shouldn't be — lost on UH or the rest of the WAC. More than just envy is involved here. While the BCS money helps UH and much of the rest of the WAC merely pay its bills, it does much more in Boise, title town of WAC football the past five seasons.

The money amounts to about a fourth of Boise State's annual athletic budget and makes for a handsome investment toward maintaining the distance between it and the pursuing WAC herd.

The Statesman said some of it is already earmarked to help underwrite the renovation of Bronco Stadium and other facilities, the kind of enhancements calculated to keep Boise State in the running for future BCS runs.

If you're UH and entering this season of such portent, the payoffs are but a further reminder of the size of the potential prize.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.