Seen & Heard: New betting line set for WSU-Wyoming
By Cougfan.com 5/15/2018
THE UPDATED BETTING LINE for Washington State-Wyoming
is out. And while the Cougs are favored to start the season 1-0, it's not a
large point spread.
WSU is a 7-point favorite on the road in Laramie to
open the 2018 season, according to 5dimes.
In April, 5dimes had WSU favored by 8 1/2 points. Wyoming lost star QB
Josh Allen to the NFL but nevertheless returns 17 starters, has an excellent
defense and is coming off consecutive 8-win seasons. That, home field advantage
and perhaps WSU's troubles in the season opener under Mike Leach (he won his
first season opener in six tries at WSU last year over Montana State) have
Cowboys fans optimistic on their chances for an upset. Kickoff is set for Sept. 1 at 12:30 p.m. Pacific
(TV: CBS Sports Network).
THE AIR RAID gets a bad rap from some pundits when it
comes to preparing a QB for the NFL but an article about Luke Falk on
titansonline.com indicates otherwise, particularly due to the emphasis at WSU
on competing. "Falk believes his experience – and what he learned at
Washington State – should help. 'I think what college helped me do is compete,
and you have to do it here every day,' Falk said. 'Your job is on the line
every day. You have to come out here and compete and constantly improve. So
that is one thing I’ll take over here and hopefully it will translate on the
field.'
THE PAC-12 TAKES A BEATING in this column by
CBSSports.com's Dennis Dodd, with conference revenue trailing its Power 5
brethren and the gap projected to widen. From scheduling to the lack of revenue
from the Pac-12 Network, the conference has issues, says Dodd, who also quotes
WSU President Kirk Schulz; "The Pac-12 schools have got to be competitive
with the ACC, the SEC and the Big Ten and Big 12, and we're falling
behind." Commissioner Larry Scott
says there will always be blips and these things are somewhat cyclical. Dodd
counters; "Fashion is cyclical. The seasons are cyclical. Championships
are forever, and right now, the Pac-12 has a perception problem." Dodd
also wonders if it's time to start calling it the Power Four. Ouch. You can
read the column here:
https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/cracks-are-forming-in-the-pac-12-will-they-be-patched-before-its-too-late/
WASHINGTON STATE HAS one of the easier schedules in
the Pac-12 in the opinion of CBSSports.com. There's just one catch. WSU checks
in with the second-easiest conference schedule on CBSSports' list. But just above at No. 10 and just below at
No. 12 are two other Pac-12 North schools in UW and Oregon, respectively. In
addition to Wyoming, WSU plays San Jose State and Eastern Washington in its
non-conference schedule. The Cougs open Pac-12 play at USC on Friday, Sept.
21. WSU will play seven home games in
2018, with four of the final six coming at home.
WSU'S HOME AND AWAY conference rotations from
2019-2026, courtesy of Jon Wilner and the Mercury News:
2019, 2020: UCLA (home/away), Colorado (home/away),
Arizona State (away/home), Utah (away/home)
2021, 2022: Arizona (home/away), USC (home/away),
Arizona State (away/home), Utah (away/home)
2023, 2024: Arizona (home/away), Colorado (home/away),
Arizona State (away/home), UCLA (away/home)
2025, 2026: Arizona (home/away), Colorado (home/away),
USC (away/home), Utah (away/home)
For the full conference, click here:
https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/05/15/pac-12-football-the-conference-schedule-rotation-for-the-next-eight-year-cycle/
ONE BIG SIDE NOTE of interest to Cougar fans regarding
the decision allowing states to offer legal betting on sports: It's not good
news for Leach, who zealously guards injury information. As the Spokesman's
Vince Grippi notes here, a public injury report seems likely to now be required
in CFB. "If California, say, decides to legalize sports betting, the state
will more than likely force the colleges in its state to divulge any
information pertinent to the upcoming contest," writes Grippi. "That
should include injured players ... Heck, the state may mandate the information
must be revealed if a team wants to play within its borders."
LEACH IS SLOTTED No. 24, up one spot from last year,
on CBSSports' rankings of college coaches. "I've never been as high on
Leach as so many of my colleagues both here and elsewhere. I have him ranked
34th, which is the lowest of any of our voters. I admire the consistency of his
programs, but it feels like there's a ceiling his teams never break
through," writes Tom Fornelli. From
the Pac-12, Utah's Kyle Whittingham (25);
UCLA's Chip Kelly (9); Stanford's David Shaw (7); and UW's Chris
Petersen (5) also made the top 25.
FINALLY ON LEACH, during his visit to Cambodia with
state senator Michael Baumgartner, the latter tweeted out a picture of Leach
hot on the trail of a monkey. Of
course. "you didn’t think Mike
Leach would come to Cambodia and not spend at least a least a little time
detouring to track a monkey through the jungle?" tweeted Baumgartner.
WSU BASEBALL PITCHER Collin Maier was recently named
to the Academic All-District 8 First Team CoSIDA, the first Cougar to earn
Academic All-District first-team honors since outfielder Collin Slaybaugh three
straight years from 2012-14. Maier, a senior right handed reliever, has a 3.92
GPA and is majoring in mechanical engineering. He shares the team-lead with 17
appearances, posting a 1-0 record with a 3.86 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 14.0
innings. WSU is 15-27-1 and next to last in the Pac-12 standings headed into
tonight's game vs. Gonzaga (6 pm, Pac-12 Networks). The Cougs wrap up the
season with a pair of three-game series, this weekend at Stanford and at home
vs. Utah on May 24-26.
WSU SOCCER HAS PLACED two Cougs on the U-23 national
women's team camp roster. Forward Morgan Weaver and goalkeeper Ella Dederick
are taking part in the camp May 11-18. Both previously played with the U-23
team in March for a tournament against NWSL teams. WSU made the third round of
the NCAA tournament for the first time ever this past season. Weaver led the
Cougs with eight goals while Dederick posted 11 shutouts.
RELATED: TV/time set for opener, be sure you have
CBSSN in order to watch:
https://247sports.com/college/washington-state/Article/Washington-State-football-TVtime-set-for-WSU-opener-at-Wyoming-117674952
……..
Baseball Cougars set tone with pickoffs in win, but
Trojans take series
By Stephan Wiebe, Moscow Pullman Daily News staff
writer 5/14/2018
Don’t try to run home on Danny Sinatro.
The USC baseball team learned that the hard way
Saturday in Washington State’s 8-4 Pac-12 win at Bailey-Brayton Field. The Trojans
avenged the loss with a 9-3 win on Sunday to take the series 2-1.
The Saturday game featured a little bit of everything
from the Cougars, including great power hitting and solid pitching, but nothing
was as impressive as Washington State’s defensive prowess.
The Cougars threw out the Trojans at the plate twice
in the first two innings to help preserve a shutout that went seven innings for
starting pitcher Scotty Sunitsch.
On the first hit to center, Sinatro fielded the ball
on the run and threw it all the way to catcher Robbie Teel in time for the tag
on USC’s Chase Bushor. The second time, Sinatro relayed the ball from the wall
to shortstop Andres Alvarez, who fired it to Teel for a tag on Jamal O’Guinn.
The outs at the plate helped Washington State maintain
a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning.
“Danny made some great plays out there,” Alvarez said.
“He got it really quick to me and I just threw it and Rob made a nice play at
the plate. It gets you hyped.”
Sinatro and Alvarez also happen to be two of the
Cougars’ biggest hitters on the day. Both hammered home runs.
Sinatro swatted a two-run long bomb over the
left-field wall to stretch Washington State’s lead to 6-0 in the bottom of the
third to conclude three consecutive two-run innings for the Cougars.
Alavarez hit a no-doubter in the sixth to make it 8-0
Washington State. It was the first career home run for the junior leadoff man
from San Diego.
“It was a crazy. I was in a little slump, not having
the best swings,” Alvarez said, “but I just stayed with the plan: go there,
look for a fastball to get a hit, (and I) got something elevated.”
Alvarez went 1-for-3 with a walk, two runs and an RBI
and Sinatro went 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBI. Third baseman Dillon Plew
added three hits, two RBI and a run for the Cougs.
On the mound, Sunitsch tossed seven scoreless innings
and struck out five. He improved his record to 6-2 and his ERA to 2.69.
Washington State coach Marty Lees said Sunitsch
started slow, but settled in once the Cougars got a couple runs on the board.
“It was a team display today,” Lees said. “Scotty
started out a little shaky giving them a few hits, but the defensive plays in
the outfield, the relays that happened to bury guys at home plate, I think it
gave us good energy and momentum to go out and get a couple runs.”
USC didn’t score until the eighth inning when
Washington State went to its bullpen. The Trojans scored three runs and went
through three Cougar relievers, but by then, the deficit was too big to
overcome. Leadoff hitter Blake Sabol led USC with two runs.
USC 000 000 031-4 11 1
Washington St. 222 101 00x-8 12 1
Longrie, Manning (4), Esqueda (8) and Murphy.
Sunitsch, Maier (8), Strange (8), Block (8) and Teel, Waterman (8).
W - Sunitsch (6-2). L - Longrie (4-5).
USC hits - Bushor 2, Perez 2 (2B), Sabol, Nootbaar,
Halsema (2B), Dubb, O’Guinn, Paulson, Murphy.
Washington St. hits - Plew 3 (2B), Clanton 2 (2B),
Hancock 2, Sinatro 2 (HR), Alvarez (HR), Harrer (2B), Teel.
PULLMAN — Allowing four runs in the fourth inning and
running through seven pitchers, Washington State absorbed a 9-3 loss to USC on
Sunday in the rubber match of a Pac-12 baseball series at Bailey-Brayton Field.
Lars Nootbaar ripped four hits for the Trojans (23-23,
11-16), while Dillon Plew and Blake Clanton hit solo homers for the Cougars
(15-27-1, 7-16-1).
WSU starter Parker McFadden lasted only 1.1 innings,
walking five while allowing a hit and two runs. He took the loss.
Andres Alvarez tallied three hits for the Cougs.
Trojans starter Solomon Batese earned the win, giving
up five hits and two runs while fanning seven in seven innings.
USC 020 400 012—9 12 1
Washington St. 001 100 010—3 8 0
Bates, Beller (8) and Murphy. McFadden, Block (2),
Walker (4), Moyle (6), Baillie (8), Newstrom (9), Barnum (9).
W — Bates (4-3). L — McFadden (1-1).
USC hits — Sabol 2, Bushor, Dubb, Nootbaar 4 (2B),
Ramirez, Halsema, Perez 2 (2B).
:::::
Pac-12 finances: On the reporting process, CEO
oversight, setting the record straight and matters of transparency
By JON WILNER San Jose Mercury News
5/15/2018
Barring unforeseen developments, this will be the
final Hotline discussion of the Pac-12’s FY2017 finances. We’ve got legalized
gambling to address, after all.
But being the final installment doesn’t make it the
least significant.
We’ll cover ground here that seems vital to the larger
picture, with context, background, procedural insight and a crucial
clarification on my part.
Call it a cash wrap …
*** The reporting process
Over the past two days, the Hotline has gained a bit
more insight into the oversight of the conference finances and the process by
which the Pac-12 reports its federal tax filings.
As I noted last week, the 990s are reviewed by the
conference’s finance committee, which includes university presidents and CFOs.
(To what extent athletic department officials are
involved, I do not know. But there is certainly no requirement they they be
involved.)
Crucially — and this is a new piece of information —
the finance committee members also see the audited financial statements.
At least one chancellor, Cal’s Carol Christ, has
expressed some concern over conference spending, but to this point, that’s the
extent of the public dissatisfaction.
Whether it’s the university’s CEO or CFO signing off,
each campus sees and approves the 990s before it’s reported.
If that wasn’t clear in previous reports on the topic,
let it be clear now.
*** Mystery solved
The CEO oversight is particularly important when cast
against the backdrop of two Hotline reports on a specific aspect of the
finances:
Accounting for what seemed to be a discrepancy in
media revenue, with the combined total of Pac-12 Networks income and the amount
produced by the Tier I contracts being greater than the amount reported as TV
rights.
The one-year difference was $27.9 million; when
applied to the full five years, the total was $112.3 million.
The conference doesn’t comment on specifics of the
990s, but additional digging led me to a scenario that could explain the delta:
Multiple revenue streams are included in the Pac-12 Networks income.
Whether that is, in fact, how the conference handles
the reporting process specific to media rights and the Pac-12 Networks remains
unclear.
But obviously, the finance committee is comfortable
with whatever methodology was used (and is presumably used on an annual basis).
*** Necessary clarification
Last week, the Hotline raised what strikes me as the
central question in any broad assessment of Pac-12 finances: The question of
efficiency.
Specifically, I wondered whether the Pac-12’s unique
structure of conference and media company — two seemingly disparate bodies
housed as one financial entity — allows the conference to maximize every last
dollar for the campuses.
That is the ultimate goal, after all: Send as much
back to the schools as possible.
The traditional means of judging Power Five efficiency
is to compare the percentage of total revenue distributed to the campuses.
That method works for other conferences but not for
the Pac-12, which must include tens of millions of dollars of network expenses
in its operations.
(It’s return rate of 73 percent is skewed. But without
knowing Pac-12 Networks expenses, we have no basis from which to calculate.)
However, I should have been more clear on the
difference between the potential for structural inefficiency and the intent of
the people within that structure.
A conflation existed in my analysis that should not
have been present.
If Hotline readers were left with the impression that
I was questioning the integrity of the conference staff … that there was any
intent to deceive … to deliberately manipulate or circumvent the reporting
process … then I whiffed.
My bad.
*** Where does that leave us?
The Hotline’s general view — no secret to regular
readers — is that the Pac-12 should be more transparent with its finances, both
on the conference and networks side.
The essential numbers, some might argue, are not the
$509 million in total revenue and the $371 million in distributions to the
campuses … but 10, 83.3, 400,000 and 86.
The 10 public universities make up 83.3 percent of
conference membership, with 400,000 public school students accounting for 86
percent of total conference enrollment.
Add a member-owned media company that generates $100+
million in revenue annually, and transparency seems that much more vital.
(Making the audited financial statements available for
public inspection would be a good start.)
That said, the decision to limit what the conference
discloses on an annual basis comes from the top down.
As with every aspect of the conference’s finances …
from allocation of revenue to compensation of employees, from operational
expenses to reporting oversight … the matter starts and ends with the CEOs.
::::::
Trouble with Pullman's street trees: City officials
say trees along the city's downtown corridor may need to be pulled out or
replaced
By Scott Jackson, Moscow Pullman Daily News 5/15/2018
With the Pullman City Council setting its sights on
downtown improvements, the fate of the trees lining the downtown corridor has
been called into question.
City officials say the trees were planted in the early
2000s to replace the existing pear trees, which were dropping fruit that had to
be cleaned up regularly to avoid attracting yellow jackets. Common concerns in
regard to the current trees include branches rubbing against nearby buildings
and the roots causing damage to sidewalks.
Brice Erickson, owner of B&L Bicycles on Main
Street, said part of the problem is the trees were never meant to grow as large
as they have become today.
"The trees were designed to be sized for Main
Street, and they were supposed to grow to a certain point and then receive a
yearly injection that prevented the growth," Erickson said. "They did
not receive the injections."
Erickson said he believes the trees were initially
supposed to be halted around 15 feet - he estimated they are now well over
30-feet tall.
The trouble with street trees, Parks Director Alan
Davis said, is even with the injections, they would still likely cause damage
to the sidewalks.
"At some point with trees, as you get more
mature, you're going to have some root issues - it's just part of the nature
with the sidewalks and street trees," Davis said.
Public Works Director Kevin Gardes said city crews
routinely repair the sidewalks along the corridor for that very reason.
"It's such a heavily traveled area, and the roots
are still pushing up sidewalk panels," Gardes said. "We have to
constantly be down there, probably every two or three years, either replacing
panels or grinding edges that get pushed up."
Davis said with other downtown improvements planned
for the year - including new, more ornate street lamps - it may make sense to
deal with the trees as part of coming projects. He said with the amount of
construction downtown will likely see, it will be difficult to keep any of the
trees.
"If you're going to get in and do that kind of
work, then most likely most street trees would have to be pulled and removed at
that time and then replanted as part of the new project," Davis said.
Davis said there has been no official movement on the
subject of street trees yet, but council members have spoken of the issue when
discussing possible downtown improvements.
City Councilor Al Sorensen said for his part, he would
be happy if there were no trees.
In addition to the damage they cause to the sidewalks,
Sorensen said he is also concerned they also obscure downtown storefronts.
"I believe that they are way too tall and way
overgrown," Sorensen said. "As soon as those trees are all flowered out
and have all their leaves on them - honestly, it looks like you're driving
through a tunnel."
Former Pullman Mayor Mitch Chandler, who was in office
when the trees were planted, said the trees were selected specifically for
downtown, and semi-annual sidewalk repairs are a small price to pay for the
aesthetic quality the trees bring to the space.
"They can fix the sidewalks, but you can't
replace 20-year-old trees," Chandler said.
Sorensen said he would not mind a treeless downtown
corridor, but he is quick to say this would be a decision made by several
people, including the full City Council.
"If we really, really want to, for lack of a
better word, dress up the downtown core, it needs to be a complete
revamp," Sorensen said. "I'm game for no trees - but if we need to
put trees back in, we need to make sure that what we put back in is something
that is manageable."
:::::::::::::::::
PULLMAN’S PAT CARAHER: WSU GRAD, LONGTIME HILLTOPICS
EDITOR
Many know Pullman’s Pat Caraher, but
don’t know details of his life. Pat started at WSC as a student in 1957. He
earned degrees from WSU in 1962 and 1966. For 31 years Pat was the exceptional
editor of an amazing publication, HillTopics of the
WSU Alumni Association. Dave Nordquist’s wonderfully-written story about Pat appears in the Spring 2018 WSU Retirees Association Newsletter. Thanks Pat and Dave for jobs well done!
Read the story below:
:::Pat-Topics: Story about Pat Caraher:::
By Dave Nordquist
I asked some of Pat Caraher’s friends and family to describe him in two words or less.
The responses were interesting, yet not surprising to someone who knows Pat.
His coffee klatch buddies said: “Kind Hearted,” “Mr. Sincere,” “Unassuming,” “True Gentleman.”
Given the regard in which he is held by others, as evidenced by the two word descriptors, his work ethic and personality, it isn’t surprising that he was able to get his dream job at WSU. In a bit of a twist on the old cliché, “It isn’t what you know, but who you know”, it’s fair to say that Pat got his dream job at WSU both because of “what he knew” and “who he knew.”
What he knew was journalism. Degree from WSU in Communications with journalism emphasis, chosen outstanding graduate in journalism upon his graduation, three semesters working on the Daily Evergreen staff while at WSU, stringer for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer newspaper while still a student and intern in the Sports Information Office while at WSU. And then, after graduation, three and one half years working for the Eugene, Oregon Register-Guard. Oh, “Humble Pat” (my 2 word descriptor) would be the first to say he had much more to learn about his profession but he was well on his way.
So he’s 3 ½ years in Eugene and he said that he began pondering what’s more important in life: Location or Job. He likes where he lives – easy access to the ocean, about the right distance from Portland, all the amenities of a large university near at hand and he likes the job pretty well but there are some drawbacks. Working schedule for one. Working in the office during the day and then having to cover nighttime sporting events. He wonders how all that might shake out if and when he gets married and has a family. As he ponders this, he gets a phone call from another Pat, the “Who you know” part of the equation.
But before you learn about this other Pat who called, you need to know more about the Pat who got the call, Pat Caraher. He was born and grew up in Seattle. His Dad, Joe Caraher, was a Cougar, having graduated from then WSC in 1935 and then served as the WSC Alumni Director prior to WWII.
After the war Joe was twice President of the WSU Alumni Association so Pat had Cougar influence in his life from the git-go. Pat had a normal growing-up time in Seattle. One thing he really enjoyed from a young age was baseball. He played in some of the very first Little League games in the Seattle area and later first base and outfield for his high school team. He graduated from Seattle Prep in 1957 and then had to decide where to attend college. Two things swayed him towards Pullman and WSU. One, he wanted to go somewhere away from Seattle and two, his father influenced him to a great extent.
So he enrolled at WSU in the fall of 1957 not knowing anyone there and not knowing what he wanted to study. He solved the “not knowing anyone bit” by going through rush and joining the Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity. As to the “what to study” he took general courses and got a degree in Social Science in 1962. He noted that famous WSU Alum Edward R. Murrow was the commencement speaker that year.
Upon his graduation, Uncle Sam was waiting for him and he was drafted into the army and spent his next two years at Fort Richardson in Alaska. Pat relates that two notable events occurred while he was at Fort Richardson. First was the assassination of President Kennedy in 1963 and the second was the massive 9.2 Good Friday Alaska earthquake in 1964. The buildings shook and the ground trembled for several minutes, “seemingly an eternity,” Pat said. “In a flash my life passed before my eyes.”
After discharge from the army he went back to Seattle and looked for work. He said the job market was tough. He worked a couple of months in construction and then three months as a railroad switchman. These five months of manual labor plus some thinking about his future, convinced him he needed to go back to school and get more of a specialty degree and he settled on journalism. His father was a journalist and Pat saw that his father liked what he was doing so Pat re-enrolled at WSU in January 1965 majoring in Communications. He graduated in 1966 and armed with that degree and the work experiences noted earlier, got the job with the Eugene Register-Guard.
We’re now back to 3 ½ years in Eugene and his pondering about “Job vs Location” when he gets that call from the other Pat. That “other Pat” is Pat Patterson, WSU’s Alumni Director. The Alumni Office had been one of Pat Caraher’s beats while working on the Evergreen Staff as a student, so he knew Pat Patterson and more importantly, Pat Patterson remembered him and thus the call.
Pat Patterson said the Alumni Office was going to start a new alumni publication and wondered if Pat was interested in interviewing for the editor’s job. The words “Job vs Location” flashed through his mind and he quickly said, “Yes.” He interviewed, got the job and became the Founding, and as it turned out, the only Editor of the new publication, which was given the name HillTopics, for its 31 year run at WSU.
He moved to Pullman in 1969 and began his 35 year career at WSU, for 31 years as Hilltopics editor and four more as Co-Editor of the Washington State University magazine, which was the successor magazine to Hilltopics. Pat said his 31 years as Hilltopics editor were very interesting and satisfying because he got to know people from all aspects of WSU life. His list of friends, acquaintances, and interviewees reads like a Who’s-Who of all the movers and shakers at WSU during those years. The job was also a bit taxing. Ten issues a year (later cut back to 8) with 24 pages each issue. That’s a lot if interviewing.
Pat’s working companions in University Relations had nothing but good to say about him. A few quotes: “I never saw him angry,” “Wow, could that man write,” “He was totally dedicated,” “All Around,” “Always Inquisitive,” “Trusted Friend.”
It was during those early years back at WSU that he met Laurie (Busch) Caraher, his wife also a Cougar (’75 Music Education). They met in church. Laurie was from a Pullman family which was also a golfing family. Pat said their first date was playing golf on the old WSU nine hole golf course. They got married in 1976. Pat and Laurie have three daughters, Maureen, Kelly and Theresa all of whom graduated from WSU and who have produced four grandchildren for Grandpa Pat to spoil.
Family members, including a couple of grandkids, described Pat as follows: “People Person,” “Selfless,” “Loyal,” “Consistent,” “Faithful,” “Lifetime Volunteer,” “Pullman’s Mayor,” “Lots of Friends,” “Likes to Read.” One elaborated on her choices by saying, “Selfless because he always puts others before himself and Loyal because he is loyal to his family, friends, community, faith/church and his beloved Cougs.”
Because of his work on HillTopics and other WSU and community activities, Pat received the WSU Alumni Achievement Award in 1995.
Pat’s hobbies and activities apart from work were and are quite varied: International and domestic travel, reading books, newspapers and obituaries. Obituaries because each one is a vignette of a person’s life, birth to death. He also likes golfing and exercising, particularly walking with Laurie and friends, and all Cougar sports, especially baseball which he calls his “love and vice.”
He was a Rotary Club member for 42 years. Rotary’s motto of “Service above Self” certainly epitomizes who Pat is. Also, for the last 14 years Pat has served as a Volunteer Chaplain at Pullman Regional Hospital. And he can’t stop writing. In 2016 he started writing random stories of his memories and reflections. The titles of two so far are: “Three Broken Teeth and Two Broken Legs,” and “Flying Kites and Building Sand Castles.” I told Pat he should combine these stories in book form and title it “Pat-Topics.”
So, back in Pullman at WSU, Pat got both “Location” and “Job satisfaction”, a wife and family and many friends. Pat said he loved his job and his wife, “Best thing that ever happened to me,” he said, meaning his wife not the job. But maybe the job was second best.
