Will Cougs
win the Pac-12? Not saying that (seriously, not yet) but the signs are exciting
Washington
State is the only Pac-12 North team without a division loss. Yet there is a
tough road game looming, and the Apple Cup. It's fair to celebrate the Cougars'
success and foresee more ahead.
By Matt
Calkins Seattle Times columnist Oct 24 2018
So there’s
this ginger who writes for The Seattle Times. His face is on this page,
actually.
Guy’s been
in town for a little over three years now, and, well, he’s typed some silly
things.
In 2015,
for instance, after a 38-24 win over Arizona State gave Washington State its
sixth victory in eight games, he said that the Cougars were the best college
football team in the Pacific Northwest. Three weeks later, they lost to
Washington by 35 points.
In 2017,
this same redhead wrote that the Cougs were “in the national championship
conversation” after they topped then No. 5 USC in Pullman. Over the next few
months, they lost to Cal by 34, Arizona by 21, Washington by 27 and Michigan
State by 25.
So when
Wazzu beat 12th-ranked Oregon on national TV Saturday, and the Martin Stadium
turf felt the weight of 30,000 Coug fans gone cuckoo, the carrot-top in
question held off on any bold proclamations.
The
reason? He was on vacation in Europe.
But even
if he wasn’t, he’s become acutely aware of the alarm that always seems to wake
Washington State from its dream seasons.
I don’t
know how I would be feeling if I were a Cougars fan right now. I don’t know if
I’d be brimming with joy after a surprising 6-1 start, or drowning in fear that
this could all disappear.
That
juxtaposition has become a motif of the Mike Leach era in Pullman: Just as
Wazzu is on the verge of a breakthrough, it experiences a breakdown.
This isn’t
necessarily a rebuke of how the Cougs have performed under Leach. The man took
over a program that finished .500 or below for 11 straight years and is on the
brink of having his fourth consecutive winning season.
That’s
probably why radio analyst and former WSU quarterback Alex Brink warned of
turning Pac-12 title hopes into Pac-12 title expectations.
“I think
that’s a little greedy,” Brink said. “We want to have a breakthrough, so to
speak, but over the last three years, we’ve had nine, eight and nine wins and
have competed for a Pac-12 title. We’re in a great spot as a program.”
Plus, this
may have been the most tumultuous offseason in the program’s history. Would-be
starting quarterback Tyler Hilinski took his own life in January. Five
assistant coaches moved on, as had the bulk of the team’s starters.
The media
picked Wazzu to finish fifth in the Pac-12 North, and now it’s the only Pac-12
North team without a division loss. Is it fair to say “typical Cougs” if they
simply descend to reality?
At the
same time, quarterback Gardner Minshew has shocked the conference and country
with his play through seven games, racking up 2,745 passing yards, good for
second most in the nation. The offensive line has been a bulwark, and first-year
defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys has overseen a group ranked 19th in the
country in total defense.
The Cougs
don’t appear to be a busted straight that bluffed its way to six pots so far.
The Cougs appear to be a legitimate hand.
Safe to
say that cougfan.com publisher Greg Witter didn’t see this coming. A Washington
State die-hard for nearly 50 years, Witter initially viewed 2018 as a
rebuilding year and 2019 as the potential payoff.
So he’s
relishing this season instead of worrying about it. He called the sustained
success Leach is having as “the holy grail” of what Wazzu fans desire given the
Cougs’ inconsistency over the years.
But even
if he’s getting what he always wanted, Witter admits that he wants more.
“If the
program continues in the direction it’s going, the level of expectation among
the faithful won’t be bowl games but championships,” he said.
You can’t
blame Washington State fans for being measured. Repeated heartbreak will make
anyone guarded. And this team still has five games left — two of which are on
the road — and must face 24th-ranked Stanford and 15th-ranked Washington, the
second of which has beaten WSU five straight times.
But you
also couldn’t blame Washington State fans for getting excited. Given everything
they have persevered through this year, the Cougs have become a team anyone
with a beating heart would want to root for.
So while
this ginger has seen enough not to predict a conference title for Wazzu, he
thinks it’d pretty cool if it were to happen.
::::::::::::
Borislava Hristova
of WSU Women’s Basketblal named to 2019 Cheryl Miller Watch List
From WSU
Sports Info 10/24/2018
SPRINGFIELD,
Mass. - Washing State women's basketball redshirt- junior forward Borislava
Hristova was named to the 2019 Cheryl Miller Watch list Wednesday afternoon as
announced by the Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women's Basketball Coaches
Association.
The award
recognizes the top small forward in women's NCAA Division I college basketball.
Hristova was one of 20 players in the country named to the watch list.
Hristova
appeared in 27 games while starting in 25 last season for the Cougars. The star
scorer was to the All-Pac-12 team at the end of the season despite missing
three and a half games due to injury. She finished the year averaging 17.8
points per game, leading the team in scoring, while ranking third in the Pac-12
and eighth in all-time WSU single-season history books.
On the
year, Hristova scored in double digits 23 times while recording a double-digit
scoring streak of 12 games, the third longest streak for a Cougar sophomore.
Against Colorado, Hristova recorded a season and career high in points (36) and
tied for third all-time points scored in WSU single-game NCAA history. During
the season, she became the second fastest player all-time in program history to
reach 1,000 points needing just 60 games when she hit the 1,000 point mark at
Arizona on Feb. 2.
Cheryl
Miller Award is named after the three-time Naismith Player of the Year and
Class of 1995 Hall of Famer, the annual award in its second year recognizes the
top small forwards in women's NCAA Division I college basketball. She played
collegiate basketball for the USC Trojans.
::::::::::::
Football: COUGAR NOTES: Harris' catch ended Coug
funk
By DALE GRUMMERT of the Lewiston Trib Oct 24,
2018
PULLMAN -
Travell Harris wasn't among the four Washington State players who caught
touchdown passes in the Cougars' glorious football win over Oregon. But he made
a pivotal late reception whose sense of snarl exemplified the whole team's
performance.
The Ducks
had produced 20 consecutive points and trailed by only seven with six minutes
remaining Saturday night at Pullman when WSU quarterback Gardner Minshew heaved
the ball into double coverage, trusting Harris to come down with it.
The first
player to get his hands on the thing, if only because of a height advantage,
was leaping 6-foot-1 freshman safety Jevon Holland. But the 5-9 Harris matched
the leap and matched the grab, meaning there were four hands on the ball as the
players crumpled to the turf.
Harris,
upon landing on Holland, used a type of wrestling move to twist away from the
safety with enough force to yank the ball from his hands. The 37-yard gain
helped set up Minshew's 22-yard touchdown pass to Dezmon Patmon as the Cougars
won 34-20 to remain tied in the loss column atop the Pac-12 North standings.
"Without
that play," Patmon said Harris' catch, "I don't know if we'd be
celebrating a win tonight."
The No. 14
Cougars (6-1, 3-1) face another crucial test Saturday (4 p.m., Pac-12 Networks)
in a road game against No. 24 Stanford (5-2, 3-1).
The
second-and-10 throw to Harris wasn't a good illustration of Minshew's usually
sharp decision-making. But it demonstrated his belief in his teammates.
"All
my receivers are guys I trust a lot," the senior transfer said.
"Travell's no different. I threw up that post to him. He had a guy on his
back. That guy made a good play on the ball. But, man, Travell, he's a
competitor. He wasn't going to let him take it. He fought for me. That's the
trust we've got to have between guys."
It was the
second time in the game Harris had provided a spark that started a fire. The
second-year freshman picked up a block from Keith Harrington and returned the
opening kickoff 38 yards, touching off the Cougars' 27-0 domination of the
first half.
NATIONAL
AWARD - Minshew on Tuesday picked up his second national weekly award of the
season, this time getting named Maxwell Award National Player of the Week.
He passed
39-for-51 for 323 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions against Oregon.
In the
Cougars' previous game, Minshew led the Cougars past Oregon State on Oct. 6 and
was named Manning Award Quarterback of the Week.
BOOBIE SAW
A TRAP - Remember when James (Boobie) Williams was the precocious, slightly
lapse-prone youngster of the Wazzu running-back corps?
When the
Cougs were getting giddy about their first-half success Saturday night, he was
one of the adults on the sideline.
"Me
personally, I don't like to celebrate too fast," Williams said. "It
takes a whole four quarters. I talk about, 'Keep the fire in you. Just don't be
celebrating and thinking the game is over. Anything can happen.' "
He pointed
to the Cougars' game at Oregon State, where they went up 14-0 but later trailed
by small margins before surging to a 56-37 win.
"I
said, 'The same thing can happen, because this team is way better than Oregon
State,' " Williams said. "... I had to keep everybody levelheaded. I
was getting excited myself, but I've been here long enough to know that any
team can come back at any time. There would be teams that are up four or five
touchdowns and then, 'We've got all this time left,' and they end up coming
back because we were feeling content and feeling comfortable."
WSU-STANFORD
PREVIEW - The Pac-12 Networks will preview the WSU-Stanford game on its
"Football Gamebreak" broadcast Saturday from Boulder, Colo., where
the network is setting up shop for its weekly "The Pregame" show
prior to Colorado's contest at 11 a.m. PDT against Oregon State.
:::::::::::::::
> WSU
FOOTBALL
College
GameDay at Washington State seen by almost 2 million TV viewers
Tue., Oct.
23, 2018, 5:20 p.m.
By Theo
Lawson of Spokane’s S-R
PULLMAN –
Thousands of people woke up early Saturday morning to attend ESPN College
GameDay’s first-ever show at Washington State in person and almost 2 million
more caught the three-hour program on television.
Across the
nation, the show recorded a Nielsen total live audience of 1,801,000 viewers on
ESPN and ESPNU. It also scored an impressive average overnight rating of 1.4
across both ESPN channels and was up +17 percent from a 2017 Week 8 show
surrounding a Big Ten game between Michigan and Penn State.
Not
surprisingly, Saturday’s broadcast performed especially well across the
Evergreen State and in the city that houses the largest percentage of
Washington State graduates.
In
Seattle, the program was the second-highest College GameDay on record and the
best in the market since 2013, when the ESPN show visited the University of
Washington for an Oct. 12 Pac-12 North rivalry game between the Huskies and
Oregon Ducks.
WSU fans –
many of them bearing the Ol’ Crimson flag that’s appeared on every GameDay show
since 2003 – packed Stadium Way and Ferdinand’s Lane up to two hours before
Kirk Herbstreit, Lee Corso, Rece Davis, Desmond Howard and David Pollack went
live.
Davis
later told KREM2’s Darnay Tripp, “I’ve been doing this show four years and
we’ve had some great scenes and I don’t want to take away from anybody else,
but I’ve never seen anything like that. It was passionate, it was loud, it was
respectful. They listened, they reacted, they were crazy. They delivered on
everything they promised. I asked the question earlier in the show on the set,
‘What took us so long?’ because it was a great environment. It was tremendous.”
Before
Saturday’s show went live, Davis addressed the crimson mob in front of him,
saying “Pullman, two words for you. Holy (expletive).”
Herbstreit
described the atmoshpere in Pullman during his guest appearance on the Dan
Patrick Show Monday morning.
“We’ve had
some fun GameDays over the years, but that was as crazy and festive of an
atmosphere throughout the entire show,” Herbstreit said. “Even before the show
and after the show.”
::::::
>
Hunter
Hill of Orem, Utah, fourth offensive lineman in ‘Class of 2019’ to commit to
Washington State football
Tue., Oct.
23, 2018, 4:07 p.m.
By Theo
Lawson, Spokane, Spokesman-Review
PULLMAN –
It’s a good time to be playing on the offensive line at Washington State. The
Cougars have given up fewer sacks this season than any team in the Pac-12 and
currently sit in a tie for sixth nationally, having conceded just five sacks in
seven games. In four of those games, WSU’s O-line has kept quarterback Gardner
Minshew totally clean, not allowing a single sack.
Those
attributes and resume-boosters probably didn’t go unnoticed by Hunter Hill, and
the three-star offensive tackle from Orem, Utah, gave the Cougars their latest
verbal commit Tuesday afternoon. Hill becomes WSU’s 12th verbal pledge in the
Class of 2019 and the fourth offensive line commit.
In a
Twitter video, Hill, a former 4A state champion at Orem High, thanked his high
school program before unveiling his college of choice.
“All good things must come to an end,” Hill
said. “It’s been my dream since growing up to play college football and I’m so
thankful for everyone that’s gotten me here and most importantly for all the
schools that believed in me. But with all that being said, I’m beyond excited
to announce that I’ll be continuing my football career and education at the
Washington State University.”
WSU was
the only Pac-12 offer for Hill, but he had other Pwer Five offers from Virginia
and Vanderbilt. He also had offers from San Jose State, Idaho and Dixie State.
Hill, who
stands 6-foot-6 and 275 pounds fits the profile of Mason Miller’s ideal
offensive lineman: big and upright. WSU’s offensive line coach and running
backs coach Eric Mele were Hill’s primary recruiters.
Hill’s
Tigers, who are coached by his father Jeremy, beat Mountain Crest for the Utah
4A state championship at Rice-Eccles Stadium in 2017 and are 8-2 this season
entering the 2018 state playoffs. With Hill at left tackle, the Tigers have
averaged more than 50 points per game this season and won an Oct. 5 game by a
score of 75-0. Orem has won two other games 63-0.
The
Cougars have received verbal commitments from three other offensive lineman:
Arizona Western College’s Dontae Powell, Walla Walla High’s Patrick Utschinski
and Konner Gomness of San Joaquin Memorial in Fresno, Calif.
:::::::::::::::::
Football: What
the heck is going on in the Pac-12? It's complicated
By Anne M. Peterson, AP sports writer
October
23, 2018
Washington
State is the Pac-12's only team with a shot, albeit a long one, at the College
Football Playoff. And as for the Pac-12 South, well, it's a jumble.
Plot
twists are dominating this Pac-12 season.
The
Cougars are coming off a big win over Oregon under the spotlight brought by
ESPN's College GameDay, and they're the only one-loss team left in the Pac-12.
Presuming the CFP doesn't include any two-loss teams, Washington State is the
conference's only hope at cracking college football's final four.
Stranger
things have happened, but at this point, Washington State's chances are slim at
best. The three teams currently at the top of the national rankings have no
losses.
And that's
assuming the Cougars win out. They'll be challenged this weekend by a trip to
Stanford, and the Apple Cup against rival Washington looms, as well.
Washington
State was picked in the preseason to finish fifth in the North. The division
has four teams ranked in the AP Top 25: Washington State at No. 14, Washington
at No. 15, Oregon at No. 19 and Stanford at No. 24. The Pac-12 South has one
representative: Utah at No. 23. It's the second time this season that five
Pac-12 teams have been ranked.
So why
isn't Washington State getting buzz in the playoff conversation? Especially
given all the ranked teams? Cougars coach Mike Leach suggested perhaps it's because
the conference doesn't have a perennial frontrunner, like Alabama in the SEC,
and a clear-cut team to beat.
"I've
said this for a long time, if you had a tournament with the bottom of
everybody's conference with anybody else's conference, we'd crush the bottom of
theirs," Leach said. "And what makes that difficult and what makes
that imposing is there are some games throughout the year in other conferences
where you're not as threatened, you're not in as great of jeopardy as we are in
this conference. In this conference, they can all get you, you know?"
That
parity isn't doing the league's teams any favors when it comes to a national
championship. Just ask Oregon, which seemed poised to sweep into the CFP
conversation had the Ducks won in Pullman. Oregon visits Arizona on Saturday.
"We
see it on a weekly basis, is that the league is very good and ultra-competitive
so sometimes you almost cannibalize yourself as a conference where good teams
are playing good teams," coach Mario Cristobal said.
The South
is certainly cannibalizing itself.
Utah has
rebounded into the division lead following its thumping of USC last weekend.
The Utes are tied with the Trojans atop the standings, but hold the tiebreaker.
Earlier
this season, Utah was reeling from a pair of conference losses to the
Washington schools, and coach Kyle Whittingham urged patience. Now the Utes are
on a three-game winning streak with UCLA on Friday night in Pasadena.
"We
just want to be consistent in our approach. This group has been great about
that. Their preparation each week has been very consistent. No peaks or
valleys, they come out and take care of their business on the practice field,
in the meeting room and that is really where it starts," Whittingham said.
"They have done a great job of that."
There's a
cluster beneath the Utes and the Trojans of teams with two conference wins:
Colorado, Arizona and UCLA. Yes, the Bruins, who started the Chip Kelly era
with five straight losses, are actually in the thick of it.
"We
worked out butts off to get in that race," said defensive back Darnay
Holmes said, "but we're just going to keep on doing what we have to
do."
The
Buffaloes, meanwhile, have taken a tumble with two straight conference losses —
against USC and Washington, both on the road — after climbing to No. 19 in the
rankings earlier in the season.
"It
is tough to go out and lose two games on the road, but we have done it against
some great teams. I think we are going to learn from this experience,"
said linebacker Drew Lewis. "I can tell that our confidence is always
going to be there. I am trying to do what I can as a defensive leader on this
team to rally my guys and get them going. I think we are going to come out even
hotter next week. We have to turn this around for sure."
:::::::::::::::::::::::::
IN
PULLMAN:
Halloween,
carnival for kids at Beasley
October
24, 2018 from WSU News
Associated
Students of Washington State University, WSU Athletics and the Center for Civic
Engagement have joined forces to put on the 6th annual Halloween at Washington
State Kids Carnival.
The event
will take place from 6-7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 29, on the Beasley Coliseum
concourse.
Children
from throughout the Palouse are invited to trick-or-treat, play games and take
pictures with Butch.
Immediately
following the event, the WSU women’s basketball team will play Warner Pacific
University in an exhibition game.
Both
events are free to attend.
For
information contact Evan Siegel, marketing and promotions coordinator,
509-335-0214, evand.siegel@wsu.edu.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Is this
the real Leach, is this just fantasy football?
Head coach
discussed reputation of Pac-12 Conference in presser
By JOHN
SPELLMAN, Evergreen
October
23, 2018
Football Head
Coach Mike Leach’s press conferences always have some interesting stories or
ideas about certain topics. Monday’s press conference for Leach was no
different, with the most interesting topics being about the Pac-12 North
division and fantasy football.
The Pac-12
Conference has a reputation among some college football fans of being a weak
conference for football. Despite this stereotype, the Pac-12 North division is
the only division in all of college football with four teams in the Associated
Press Top 25 rankings.
Leach had
strong views on why the Pac-12 is underrated.
“I think
part of it is in some conferences there is a clear-cut team to beat like an
Alabama, LSU, or Clemson … Our conference doesn’t have that,” Leach said.
“Everybody is wrapped up together so it’s usually a slugfest. I always say if
you had a tournament between the teams at the bottom of our conference and any
other conference, we would crush the other conference.”
On the
topic of football tournaments, one form of football many people enjoy is
fantasy football. However, one person who is not a part of the fantasy football
craze is Leach himself.
“You know
I don’t even know how to play fantasy football,” Leach said. “There are a ton
of people into fantasy football. I have relatives who have never played any
sports who are in the thick of fantasy football. Heck, I have old friends who
are into fantasy football. Despite the fact that I know nothing about it, I
think it is good because it brings people together, even though it is a subject
I know nothing about.”
Luckily,
he does not have to worry about fantasy football because he has had his hands
full leading his football team to be ranked No. 14 in the country.
:::::::::::::::::::
WSU Head
Coach Mike Leach runs out onto the field with his team before the game against
University of Oregon on Saturday at Martin Stadium.
JOHN
SPELLMAN, Evergreen reporter
October
23, 2018
Football
Head Coach Mike Leach’s press conferences always have some interesting stories
or ideas about certain topics. Monday’s press conference for Leach was no
different, with the most interesting topics being about the Pac-12 North
division and fantasy football.
The Pac-12
Conference has a reputation among some college football fans of being a weak
conference for football. Despite this stereotype, the Pac-12 North division is
the only division in all of college football with four teams in the Associated
Press Top 25 rankings.
Leach had
strong views on why the Pac-12 is underrated.
“I think
part of it is in some conferences there is a clear-cut team to beat like an
Alabama, LSU, or Clemson … Our conference doesn’t have that,” Leach said.
“Everybody is wrapped up together so it’s usually a slugfest. I always say if
you had a tournament between the teams at the bottom of our conference and any other
conference, we would crush the other conference.”
On the
topic of football tournaments, one form of football many people enjoy is
fantasy football. However, one person who is not a part of the fantasy football
craze is Leach himself.
“You know
I don’t even know how to play fantasy football,” Leach said. “There are a ton
of people into fantasy football. I have relatives who have never played any
sports who are in the thick of fantasy football. Heck, I have old friends who
are into fantasy football. Despite the fact that I know nothing about it, I
think it is good because it brings people together, even though it is a subject
I know nothing about.”
Luckily,
he does not have to worry about fantasy football because he has had his hands
full leading his football team to be ranked No. 14 in the country.
::::::::::::::
This is
Gardner Minshew's world and we're just living in it
ByBARRY
BOLTON
Cougfan.com
10/24/2018
GARDNER
MINSHEW, the surprising star of Washington State's surprising season, is being
mentioned this week -- albeit with baby steps -- in the Heisman Trophy
conversation.
In The
Athletic's weekly polling of its most esteemed scribes around the nation, Minshew
received one third-place vote, which placed him No. 9 on the overall list. ESPN's Heisman crew has him with four votes,
and slotted at No. 8 overall. And then
there's the tweet by Dennis Dodd, the national college football writer for
CBSSports.com.
In his
"Week 8 Heisman Hype" listing this week, he went with this: 1. Tua
Tagovailoa, Alabama; 2. Kyler Murray, Oklahoma; 3. Rondale Moore, Purdue; 4.
David Blough, Purdue; 5. Gardner Minshew, Washington State; and 6. Gardner
Minshew's mustache.
Minshew
not only gets a fifth-place nod but his famed mustache gets some love too.
The
attention is deserved. The graduate transfer from East Carolina has led a team
widely predicted to finish fifth in the six-team Pac-12 North to a 6-1 record,
No. 14 national ranking and control of its own Pac-12 destiny. He leads the
nation in passing yards per game (with no one else within a country mile) and
is tied for fourth in TD passes.
This week,
following his four-TD, 323-yard effort against Oregon, he was named the Maxwell
Award National Player of the Week; the Rose Bowl Game's Pac-12 Player of the
Week; and one of eight finalists for the Manning Award national QB of the week.
And get this -- the Oregon game wasn't even his best of the season.
Trent
Dilfer, the Super Bowl-winning-quarterback-turned national analyst, tweeted
some of his thoughts on Minshew this week:
Think of a
poor man's version of Sam Darnold and a bigger (Baker) Mayfield. This guy can
really pass, has a great football mind and is a dynamic personality.
Need to
see him challenge the whole field with his arm and beat tight coverage on big
boy throws. (For record: Pro Football Focus' data says Minshew is the nation's
fifth-most accurate passer on deep throws.)
WSU
quarterbacking great and current radio analyst Alex Brink added to the
conversation when he tweeted: "Just got off the phone with Trent - he
confirms what those of us have seen the past few weeks. Gardner Minshew is
special and he’s making fans across the country."
TO THE
DEGREE A HEISMAN push for Minshew truly gets underway with more Cougar
victories, the case for him, aside from his gaudy work on the field, is
especially powerful when you consider:
The
Cougars returned the fewest starters in the Pac-12 this season with just four
on offense, five on defense and none on special teams.
Five
members of the coaching staff are brand new to the program.
The
psychological fallout from Tyler Hilinski's death put the program in uncharted
waters.
Here's
another reason Minshew is a compelling figure for national honors: His
creativity. That can't be measured by numbers, but he's off the charts in this
arena. Minshew and the WSU offensive line -- truly a marvel in its own regard
this season -- have combined to be among the nation's leaders in fewest sacks
allowed despite leading the nation in pass attempts. Minshew has been sacked 0.71 times per game
this season. That's No. 6 nationally.
Consider WSU's recent five-year history in sacks allowed:
2018: 5
(0.71 per game)
2017: 44
(3.38)
2016: 29
(2.23)
2015: 41
(3.15)
2014:
36 (3.0)
In other
words, Minshew also is making things happen with his feet and quick decision
making.
And as so
many have found out along the way this season, discount the power of the
mustache at your own peril.
Notable:
If Minshew places in the top 10 in Heisman balloting he'll join a select
crimson fraternity that is made up of RB Jerome Harrison (ninth in 2005); QB
Jason Gesser (seventh in 2002); QB Ryan Leaf (third in 1997); QB Drew Bledsoe
(eighth in 1993); QB Timm Rosenbach (seventh in 1988); RB Rueben Mayes (tenth
in 1984); QB Jack Thompson (ninth in
1978), and QB Ed Goddard (records unclear; eighth, ninth or tenth in 1936).
::::::::::::::::
Go to the
Cougfan.com link below to see Coug Dezmon Patmon's critical TD reception frame
by glorious frame
:::::::::::::
From
Cougfan.com
WSU
COUGARS FOOTBALL
Anatomy of
a Perfect Pullman Saturday
College
GameDay Saturday in Pullman was an incredible experience. Relive it with one
attendee.
By Craig
Powers
Oct 23, 2018, 8:42pm PDT
SHARE
I buy two
season tickets every year for Washington State football. One is obviously for
myself, but the other is a bit of a wild card. I take my girlfriend to one game
a season (she is an alum, but can only handle the drive across the state once
per fall). I take my Dad sometimes and I take my sister sometimes. The second
ticket is just for someone else to go, because I love the experience of Cougar
Football Saturday and I like to share it.
About a
month ago, I made plans with one of my best friends to join me for the WSU vs.
Oregon game. He had spent some time across the country and hadn’t been to
Pullman for eight years, so he was excited for the prospect.
Then a
couple weeks ago, after the Cougs took down Utah, it started to look possible
that ESPN College GameDay could come to Pullman on October 20th. I only had
lodging for Saturday, so I found (miraculously) a room at the Motel 6 in Moscow
for Friday just in case. I texted my friend about the possibility. He was
stoked.
As Oregon
beat UW in overtime, my friend texted me asking how likely it would be for
GameDay to come to Pullman. I said 30 percent. Later, I said 50 percent. Then,
it happened.
Our
traveling party of two became three as another friend found himself with a
ticket to the game but no ride or place to stay. We had both. The more the
merrier. I told them, “I want every Coug who wants to experience this to have
the chance.”
The Moscow
Pregame
After a
long week of waiting, we rolled into the Palouse and settled into our Motel 6
at about 10 p.m. on Friday night—just about 5.5 hours before we had decided to
wake up the next day. We cracked some beers—the plan was just one at first.
Then we turned the TV on, and found WSU volleyball trailing in the fifth set to
No. 14 USC.
WSU came
back and won. We were hyped, in a quiet manner of course because we knew there
was a sick child in the room next to us. After that, we went for another beer.
Then another, then another.
It wasn’t
a totally irresponsible evening. By about 12:45 a.m. we decided to hit the hay,
with the promise of no more than 2 hours and 45 minutes of sleep. By the time
the alarm went off, our actual sleep times ranged from 45 minutes to maybe 90
minutes.
No matter.
It was time for College GameDay, and after shaking off the initial cobwebs, the
adrenaline began to pump. We stopped at the gas station for giant coffees and
other mixers. Then, inspired by Gabe Storment’s excellent hype video, we blared
Andrew W.K. all the way to the A-Lot in Pullman.
The
College GameDay Experience
After
mixing up some beverages and attaching my flag to my newly-purchased 11-foot
portable flag pole, we started heading towards Stadium Way. One of my friends
had brought some headlamps, not knowing how dark it would actually be in the GameDay
crowd. We saw Martin Stadium, lit up like the game itself was going on. Then we
turned the corner and saw the GameDay lights and heard the crowd noise. Those
headlamps would not be necessary.
It didn’t
take long to run into some friends, and then we found Michael Preston, his
wife, my sister, and her boyfriend. We settled in a spot about 10 yards in
front of the band. I stood, jaw agape, taking in the scene around me.
It was a
surreal feeling, and when Rece Davis came out with his now-famous “Holy shit”
followed by a crowd chant of the same two words, I thought it was perfectly
fitting. Being on a GameDay set, surrounded by Cougs, did not feel like real
life. I think I am still trying to fully comprehend it.
The show
itself was at times exactly how others had described, except with a lot more
energy. It was hard to hear what the crew was saying, and we just cheered when
others would cheer and boo when others would boo. We had a keen eye on that
moving camera, and would wave and shout whenever it went by—I’m pretty sure we
were on TV at about an hour and 20 minutes into the broadcast (of course I’ve
already watched it).
What did
surprise me is the crowd would quiet down for the videos—including the
heart-wrenching story of Tyler from Purdue, which was followed in the next
segment by the much lighter Popcorn Guy spot. We all watched and reacted to
those together, and we shut up when Drew Bledsoe was on the small stage (except
for a few boos when he heaped praise on Justin Herbert).
Then there
were the times when we were absolutely deafening—like after the fireworks went
off and “Back Home” kicked up. Whenever UW was mentioned, the cascade of boos
drowned out the audio of the broadcast. I received texts from people saying
they couldn’t hear anything that was being said about the Huskies. Pretty good.
At some
point early in the third hour, I was kinda losing it from the lack of sleep and
the prolonged standing. For minutes at a time, I would just watch my own flag
as I waved it back and forth. It was soothing and it was also my way of trying
to appreciate the special moment I was in, to absorb it.
Soon, the
picks came, and we all eagerly anticipated Lee Corso’s headgear choice. It
seemed there were more games to pick than usual, and some around me were growing
impatient. Finally. the WSU vs. Oregon graphic appeared, and we all raised our
voices in celebration.
When Corso
slid that Butch T. Cougar head down onto his own, it was a joyous and raucous
moment. I was so happy that tears arrived (this was going to happen again). I
hugged my friend, told him I was glad he was there with me. I hugged my sister,
and told her I was glad she could be here for this. Just a few months earlier,
she had undergone back surgery. If not for that, enduring the more than four hours
of standing up for College GameDay would have been impossible.
As we
headed back to the car, I was trying my best not to skip as I walked. I stopped
for a picture next to the GameDay bus, and my friends and I couldn’t stop
talking about how the experience exceeded all expectations. Who knew standing
around for four hours to watch a TV show taping could leave such an indelible
mark?
The Coug
and a Little Tailgatin’
When we
got back to our car, we decided it was a good time for a sit and finally put
the camping chairs that we had brought to the GameDay set to good use. We sat
around in the parking lot, enjoying the sun and cracking a few beers. We even
tried this watermelon Natty offering, which we had bought as a joke the night
before in a gas station. It wasn’t completely awful, but it was very sweet. It
gave us a laugh, but no one reached for another. I still have two of those joke
beverages in my cooler.
It felt
like much of Pullman and its temporary inhabitants were trying to nap. I was
still coming off the adrenaline high and that wasn’t happening. So we had a
nice chill down and enjoyed some delicious elk pepperoni from our neighbors.
Soon, we
decided to traverse the campus on the way to The Coug. This was an essential
piece because of my friend’s long Pullman absence. Strangely, I hadn’t stepped
foot in The Coug all season, so I was excited for the prospect.
We
expected a big line and a long wait, but it wasn’t bad at all. We had a few
pitchers and enjoyed the scene. We met someone with mug No. 64. We saw a couple
Orange Bowl reps in their 1970s-style blazers come in and sign the wall, then
we headed out for food and the tailgate.
I saw more
friends, and their kids, as we went to the Cub for lunch. The excellence of the
day kept piling on, a surplus of good feelings. One friend was fading, so we
let him nap in the car as we headed up to Lot 5 for a little tailgatin’. On the
way I saw Britton Ransford, our former star recruiting writer. Day made even
better.
When I
arrived in Lot 5, my sister was there, but I made a beeline for PJ Kendall. He
is not a small human, but I picked him up as I hugged him. PJ duped us into
thinking he wasn’t going to make it to Pullman for GameDay. He duped us well.
Day taken to another level.
Then I saw
Brian Anderson and Brian Floyd—who I can tell you despite writing with him on
this blog and at SB Nation over the past nine years or so, I can count on a few
fingers how many times I’ve seen him in person. The “good day” chart kept
rising on that Y-axis.
For the
next few hours, I introduced my friend to all the people that I typically see
and spend time with in Pullman. We had a beer share, as I am wont to do at the
tailgate. Baxter’s beer was glorious. Soon it was closing in on the start of
the game (time flies when you are having fun and running on 90 minutes of
sleep).
We headed
back to the car to wake our napping friend. He was ready and refreshed. I
grabbed a Busch Light (Yes, a Busch Light), to have on the short walk to the
stadium. Truthfully, it was all I could handle to drink quickly after a string
of hazy IPAs, sours, and barleywines. I found out the next day I had never
actually checked in to Busch Light on my Untappd beer app, of which I’ve checked
in nearly 5000 unique beers. I suppose it was due, I’ve had one or two
(hundred) Busch Lights in my lifetime. It also would have been wrong for this
day to not include at least one can of Pullman Water.
We headed
into the stadium and Pullman was awake and alive once again. People were
excited and I could see that the student section was already packed to the brim
30 minutes before game time.
The Game
As soon as
I got to my seat, I knew that the crowd was going to be on at least the level
of the 2017 USC game. That was fully realized on Oregon’s first offensive snap,
when both students and alums alike brought noise that Martin Stadium has rarely
seen. The Ducks were rattled. The tone was set.
The next
30 football minutes were a string of high-fives, hugs, and looks of disbelief.
The Cougs had dominated in improbable fashion. The yardage totals on the video
ribbon board were a constant supply of amusement.
At some
point in the second quarter, I got a message from my freshman-year dorm
roommate. He was sitting four rows behind me. We made plans to meet at his
tailgate at halftime.
We floated
to the RV Lot at halftime. I gave anyone and everyone a high-five, constantly
shouting “What is happening?!?” Nobody expected that first half. It made the
halftime beers just a little better, and I saw even more Cougs I hadn’t seen in
years. Everyone was in a good mood. Everyone was celebrating.
I must
admit, we were a little late in getting back to our seats. By that time, the
Ducks had already scored. The next quarter and a half brought worry, as Oregon
came within a touchdown.
Travell
Harris’s incredible 37-yard catch, where he stole the ball from the Oregon
defender, was a giant relief. As was his 4th-down conversion soon after.
Gardner Minshew II’s touchdown pass to Dezmon Patmon brought a release of
emotion, and one of the loudest roars I’ve ever heard in Pullman.
I hugged
everyone within range, then fell to my seat with my head in my hands, tears
arriving once again as the overwhelming feeling of combined joy in the stadium
went through me. There was still a little work to be done for the Cougs to pull
out the win, but I had an out-of-character confidence that the Patmon touchdown
was the final dagger from which Oregon would not recover.
Minutes
later, Minshew was took knees as the clock was ran out. A stranger appeared
next to us with a half-gallon of Black Velvet. We had some celebratory pulls.
The clock hit zero. We had more. I saw PJ making his way up the stairs to leave
the stadium. I shoved people out the way to stop him. I gave him a big hug once
again. I told him I’d come visit him in Germany. I might!
Normally
I’d be one of the people leading the charge onto the field after a big win, but
this time my friend and I just stood and soaked in the moment. We exchanged
hugs repeatedly. I stood with teary eyes and a cracking voice as we let out a
steady stream of exclamations of disbelief and thankfulness that we were there
for all of it.
My two
best friends and I sent our traditional “Go Cougs!” texts that we do after
every Wazzu win. This time, one stood right next to me, the other was stuck on
the other side of the country for a work thing. I wished he was there too.
Eventually
we made it onto the field after the crowd began clearing. I’m glad we did.
The
Aftermath
Before
joining my friends back at my old roommate’s tailgate for postgame festivities,
I had to stop by the “B-Lot” to finally connect with Jeff Nusser and his wife,
along with Kyle Sherwood and many others. You’ll never see a happier group of
people. The dancing, the singing. It was such a cool moment.
Eventually
my friends and I made it to Valhalla, where we had a few drinks and I met a
Coug that had traveled all the way from South Carolina for GameDay. I then saw
one of my ZZU CRU friends from back in the day, maybe the biggest Cougar fan I
know, and we discussed where this day ranked alongside our kids being born. It
was a not conversation our kids need to ever hear.
Shortly
after, my body was telling me to tap out, and we headed to our hotel room for
some late-night pizza. We had forgotten to eat dinner among all the emotion of
impromptu reunions and the Cougar win,
After my
friends fell asleep, the highlights of the game came on Pac-12 Network. I
re-lived all the big plays, and the pandemonium. As I turned out the light and
put my head on the pillow with a grin on my face, I knew I had just experienced
a Perfect Pullman Saturday, and I did so with one of my best friends and tens
of thousands of other Cougs. It doesn’t get much better than that.
::::::::::::::
Spokane
Spokesman-Review’s Washington State football chat transcript – Wednesday 10/24/23018
Moderated
by Theo Lawson, Spokane S-R sportswriter, who covers the Cougs
srchat
(Admin): Welcome back to the live chat. I’ll be taking your questions for the
next hour, so feel free to start submitting ‘em. Let’s get going!
Oct 24,
10:03 AM
Uncle
Larry (Guest): Anything happen in regards to the text that Leach sent to Dixon?
Oct 24,
10:04 AM
srchat
(Admin): No, and Leach hasn’t commented on the exchanges in his media
availabilities. But I found this Leach quote from yesterday’s John Canzano show
interesting: “Those that have a voice have to speak for those of us who are
silenced.”
Oct 24,
10:04 AM
Sammy
Schroed (Guest): What do you think are the chances that Sean Harper plays this
weekend?
Oct 24,
10:05 AM
srchat
(Admin): I *think* there’s a decent chance. Could be wrong there, but it
doesn’t seem like a long-term deal.
Oct 24,
10:06 AM
Harvey__Road:
What about Ndami?
Oct 24,
10:06 AM
Guest1852
(Guest): Any sign of Nnamdi?
Oct 24,
10:08 AM
srchat
(Admin): My gut tells me he’ll be out at least another week, but I’d expect to
see him back out there soonish.
Oct 24,
10:08 AM
Uncle
Larry (Guest): Do you think the plan was to run the ball more and control the
clock to keep Oregon’s offense off the field? Doesn’t seem like Leach.
Oct 24,
10:09 AM
srchat
(Admin): No, I don’t think it was the game plan necessarily. We all know how
Leach feels about time of possession. But … it certainly helped in that first
half.
Oct 24,
10:10 AM
Brian
Stultz: Any beat writer you miss from earlier this season? Also, when will
Gardner Minshew start to get the Heisman talk he deserves?
Oct 24,
10:11 AM
srchat
(Admin): There was some guy who’d always holler about Auburn and the Chicago
Cubs, but can’t remember his name. Brett McMurphy has Minshew in his top four
now. Think it’ll only be a matter of time before he’s getting more national
recognition — if he can sustain this, that is.
Oct 24,
10:14 AM
Guest6979
(Guest): Think this group comes in without focus due to the big emotional win
last weekend and the huge jump up the polls? Also, is Love not at 100%?
Oct 24,
10:17 AM
srchat
(Admin): You always wonder. We saw what happened to Oregon post-UW, but that
was also a relatively young team that hadn’t experienced a high-profile win
like that. I’d say the Cougars are better equipped to put a game like that in
the rearview mirror and look ahead. They did it twice last year, after BSU and
USC. Sure doesn’t seem like he’s 100%, though I’ve not seen anything official
from Stanford yet.
Oct 24,
10:17 AM
Guest1852
(Guest): How has Drue Jackson, Brandon Gray, and Kassidy Woods progressed? I
have a feeling it’s hard for them to be patient and wait their turn.. but it’s
worked out well for Travell Harris Easop Winston and Dez Patmon. A lot of kids
seem to transfer when don’t get early playing time tho.
Oct 24,
10:19 AM
srchat
(Admin): Dave Nichol praised all three of those guys when we met with him after
TNF last week. All three will be in the mix at some point, I’d imagine, but not
sure when that it. It isn’t like the guys above them are seniors…
Oct 24,
10:19 AM
srchat
(Admin): when that is*
Oct 24,
10:19 AM
Sammy
Schroed (Guest): How well do you think we match up with Stanford?
Oct 24,
10:21 AM
srchat
(Admin): Fairly well. I envisioned Stanford being much better in the secondary
this year, but they’re 11th in the Pac-12 in pass yds per game allowed and
haven’t seen a passing offense nearly as good as WSU’s yet. And, Bryce Love or
no Bryce Love, just doesn’t seem like they have enough to outscore a team like
WSU, which still puts up 25-30 on a bad day.
Oct 24,
10:21 AM
Uncle Larry
(Guest): The thing that surprised you most about the whole Gameday experience?
Oct 24,
10:24 AM
srchat
(Admin): Good question. Probably how good Herbstreit, Corso, Davis, etc. are at
what they do. Seeing it happen live is a completely different experience and
it’s remarkable they’re able to do this week in, week out for the entire
season.
Oct 24, 10:24
AM
Kirk
(Guest): Love the chat! Why do you think Stanford is a 3 or 4 point favorite
this weekend? feels like we have a better team and match up really well but
still no love from Vegas
Oct 24,
10:26 AM
srchat
(Admin): Not sure. They still consider Stanford a solid team and while Palo
Alto isn’t the most intimidating place to play a Pac-12 road game, that’s
obviously taken into account. We’ll see where that line is on gameday.
Oct 24,
10:26 AM
Sammy
Schroed (Guest): Do you think we should have red-shirted Calvin Jackson? He
hasn’t really played/contributed much so far.
Oct 24,
10:27 AM
srchat
(Admin): I don’t. You need two “X” receivers, Rodrick Fisher’s done for the
year and Calvin’s much more polished than some of the other redshirting
freshmen. Think it’s only a matter of time before he makes some plays — he did
it plenty during camp.
Oct 24,
10:27 AM
Mark
(Guest): Noticed from the stands Leach tear into Tay Martin after he gave up on
the long ball that was intercepted. Martin got up and looked like he was ready
to storm back to the locker room before some teammates got him under control.
Seems like Leach is constanatly on Martin about his effort?
Oct 24,
10:31 AM
srchat
(Admin): I hadn’t noticed that, but you’re right — Leach has been critical of
Martin at times this year. Anyone with eyes can tell he’s the most talented WR
on this roster. I don’t think he has attitude problems, per se, but his numbers
fluctuate so much it’s fair to wonder where the effort goes sometimes.
Oct 24,
10:32 AM
Uncle
Larry (Guest): Did you see Dale’s comments after the game. “The biggest thing
we had to do was be more physical and run the ball……”
Oct 24,
10:33 AM
srchat
(Admin): And it worked, right?
Oct 24,
10:33 AM
Sammy
Schroed (Guest): Were you able to find out any of the basketball/football
recruits who were in town? I heard there were some pretty big ones.
Oct 24,
10:36 AM
srchat
(Admin): For football, it looks like Bryce Beekman (safety from Arizona Western
College) visited. For basketball: Jarred Hyder (SG from San Bernardino). I’m
sure there were lots more..
Oct 24,
10:37 AM
Kirk
(Guest): Where did Brock come from? I figured that when I looked his name up he
was going to be an underclassman. Who’s snaps is he getting?
Oct 24,
10:39 AM
srchat
(Admin): Was a walk-on who got his scholarship in the spring. He was a former
linebacker who switched to DL then to Rush LB in the spring. I don’t see him
being an every-down player, but they seem to bring him in for various blitz
packages.
Oct 24,
10:40 AM
Harvey__Road:
I’ve see a LOT of commentary after the game and I don’t think @SeaStorm24 gets
enough credit for the hype video he made and its impact on the final score.
Oct 24,
10:40 AM
srchat
(Admin): Have a link for us?
Oct 24,
10:40 AM
gowazzu02
(Guest): Was this last weekend the craziest environment you’ve been a part of?
I was afraid the fans energy wouldn’t last till game time.
Oct 24,
10:42 AM
srchat
(Admin): Easily. And bet there won’t a weekend that tops it a long, long time.
I snuck in a two-hour nap between the show and the game. Seems like there were
enough fans who did the same.
Oct 24,
10:42 AM
gowazzu02
(Guest): My unsung hero, Crane on the kickoff. Never gave Oregon a chance. Why
can’t he do that every time?
Oct 24,
10:44 AM
srchat
(Admin): Agreed. Think that’s key, especially as shaky as the kick return team
has been at times. Know Crane has the power — he showed it enough times on his
field goals in the spring.
Oct 24,
10:44 AM
gowazzu02
(Guest): Whoa second kicker question of the day…. Whats wrong with our FG/PAT
game? 2 blocks, 2 missed PAT’s. That bit us vs SC and may again.
Oct 24,
10:45 AM
srchat
(Admin): Perhaps the combo of a new kicker and new schemes with a new special
teams coach. And some awful, awful luck.
Oct 24,
10:45 AM
Uncle
Larry (Guest): So is Stanford’s game plan to just run go routes with their 6’
plus WR and move the ball down the field via 15 yard penalties?
Oct 24,
10:50 AM
srchat
(Admin): Don’t know what their plan is, but they’ve scored 58 points in three
games, so I think they need a new one. Arcega-Whiteside should be a matchup
problem for the Cougars, especially if Harper Jr. can’t go. I see Stanford
going to him a ton.
Oct 24,
10:51 AM
bdubs
(Guest): Having been here for two years now, what do you think makes Pullman
such a tough place to play? Is it how difficult it is to travel? How does the
crowd matchup with other crowds around the league? I feel like this crazy home
winning streak hasn’t been talked enough about. There has to be something to
it.
Oct 24,
10:54 AM
srchat
(Admin): It seems like there’s a few things factoring in. It’s the most
isolated Pac-12 town, so it’s probably the hardest to travel to. And it does
feel intimate — more so than most of the others I’ve been to. USC and UW have
longer home win streaks right now, but I believe WSU’s still ranks top-five in
the country.
Oct 24,
10:54 AM
Guest5165
(Guest): Who does Stanford have out this week?
Oct 24,
10:55 AM
srchat
(Admin): From a SF Chronicle report, Bryce Love is “day to day.” Offensive
guard Nate Herbig is questionable. Outside linebacker Joey Alfieri is out.
Herbig is a preseason All-American, Alfieri is former All-Pac-12 hon. mention.
Oct 24,
10:56 AM
gowazzu02
(Guest): How much of a god send has Clayes been? Amazing hire. Does Leach has
an eye for DC talent or what.
Oct 24,
10:57 AM
srchat
(Admin): I’ve said this before. I’m sure Claeys was at the top of Leach’s
shortlist for awhile, knowing Grinch would probably have some opportunities
elsewhere.
Oct 24,
10:57 AM
Sammy
Schroed (Guest): We have 3 pac12 victories so far. Do you think the football
team ends up with more pac12 wins than the basketball team this year?
Oct 24,
10:58 AM
srchat
(Admin): I’ll give the football team 6-7 Pac-12 wins. I’ll say this: I think
it’ll be the close.
Oct 24,
10:59 AM
srchat
(Admin): it’ll be close*
Oct 24,
10:59 AM
Uncle
Larry (Guest): What is Stanford’s biggest strength on defense?
Oct 24,
11:01 AM
srchat
(Admin): Coming into the year, I thought it’d be their secondary. But probably
their defensive front at this point.
Oct 24,
11:01 AM
GoCougs
(Guest): Mike Leach is the most underrated coach in the country. That’s not a
question, it’s a fact.
Oct 24,
11:02 AM
srchat
(Admin): IF the Cougars can somehow win their last five - and understanding how
big of an “if” that is - it would be hard to keep him out of the National Coach
of the Year conversation.
Oct 24,
11:03 AM
Guest5165
(Guest): Stanford will try and control the ball and time of possession giving
the Cougs fewer opportunities on offense. Anything that the Cougs can do to
counter this?
Oct 24,
11:05 AM
srchat
(Admin): Well, they’ll have to run the ball effectively to do that. If the
Cougars can force third-and-longs, they’ll make Stanford throw more often than
they’re comfortable with. Then of course WSU can’t afford to waste too many
possessions on offense.
Oct 24,
11:05 AM
bdubs
(Guest): How about a midseason prediction on the rest of the year? What’s our
record from here on out?
Oct 24,
11:07 AM
srchat
(Admin): 3-2. A loss to either Stanford or Colorado (haven’t decided which one
yet) and still sticking to my preseason Apple Cup prediction. Not the score necessarily,
but the result. Of course, the Cougars could change my mind before then.
Oct 24,
11:07 AM
Uncle
Larry (Guest): Gardner reminds me of the QB from the Waterboy.
Oct 24,
11:07 AM
srchat
(Admin): Plus a stache.
Oct 24,
11:08 AM
srchat
(Admin): Thanks everyone for joining this week. We’ll be back next Wednesday at
10. I’ll be on my way to the Bay Area tomorrow, so make sure to follow all of
our coverage at http://www.spokesman.com/sports/team/wsu-football/.
:::::::::::::
SINGER/SONGWRITER
ANDY GRAMMER OF ‘BACK HOME’ FAME HEADLINES WSU DAD’S WEEKEND 2018 CONCERT
Hit
singer/songwriter Andy Grammer is featured performer at Dad’s Weekend,
7:30-9:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 2, 2018, at Beasley Coliseum.
The
concert is the day before the WSU Cougars football team plays the Cal Golden
Bears at Martin Stadium.
According
to concert publicity, Grammer is the first male pop star in a decade since John
Mayer to reach the Top 10 at Adult Pop Radio on his first two singles.
"He
has taken the music world by storm with a succession of anthemic pop hits"
— one, 'Back Home,' is regularly sung at WSU home football games. Its lyrics:
-See, we
won’t forget where we came from
-The city
won’t change us
-We beat
to the same drum
-No, we
won’t forget where we came from
-The city
can’t change us
-We beat
to the same drum, the same drum
-La-dah-dah-dah-dah-dah-dah-dah
-La-dah-dah-dah-dah-dah-dah-doe
-And no
matter where we go
-We always
find our way back home
Buy
tickets at TicketsWest outlets including the Coliseum, online at TicketsWest or
by calling 800-325-SEAT.
"Don’t
miss all the Cougar fans singing the 'Back Home' song," says Leo Udy, Coliseum director.
#
