ESPN
selects set location for College GameDay at WSU in Pullman. "The show will
set up shop on the corner of Stadium Way and Ferdinand’s Lane," says Coug
Center at on Oct 15, 2018 at 8:24pm PDT
…………….
Radio “Voice
of the Cougars” BOB ROBERTSON …
“BobRob”
signs off. Longtime WSU and Tacoma Rainiers broadcaster announces immediate
retirement
BY ANDREW
HAMMOND, TNT, Tacoma
October
15, 2018 01:58 PM
After 52
seasons, Washington State fans will not hear the familiar voice of Bob
Robertson on Saturdays.
Robertson,
the long-time Cougar play-by-play man and now analyst, announced his immediate
retirement, the school announced on Monday.
Robertson,
89, was also broadcast games for the Tacoma Rainiers for more than three
decades. In August the franchise named the broadcast booth after Robinson.
“It is a
matter of getting old is what it is. Everything seems to move a lot faster
around me, I move more slowly,” Robertson said in a press release issued by the
school. “I hope to see you soon, I’m not going to go away. I like Washington
State people and the school itself too much to do that. But I am going to be on
the retired list, starting immediately.”
Robertson,
who began his broadcasting career in 1949 and became a mainstay in Pullman
starting in 1964. For 52 seasons, his voice was heard by Cougar fans up and
down the Pac-12 and at two Rose Bowls.
He will be
forever known for his signature broadcast sign-off, “Always be a good sport, be
a good sport all ways.”
Affectionately
known as “BobRob”, Robertson broadcast everything from high school football to
basketball to boxing to hydroplane races as he truly established himself as an
institution in the Pacific Northwest.
“I’ve been
with the Cougars a lot of years, more than half a century, calling basketball,
football for the fans around the Northwest and elsewhere around the country and
I’ve enjoyed every minute of it,” said Robertson. “It’s been great to be with
you Cougars at your meetings and get-togethers, and I hope we can do it again
and I’m sure we will.”
……………
Legendary
WSU broadcaster Bob Robertson announces retirement
Originally
published October 15, 2018 at 2:30 pm Updated October 15, 2018 at 7:18 pm
In his
52nd year calling Cougar athletics, Robertson is calling it quits. "It is
a matter of getting old is what it is," the legendary broadcaster said in
a news release.
By Theo
Lawson , Spokane Spokesman-Review
Bob
Robertson won’t be behind a microphone for a 590th time Saturday when
25th-ranked Washington State plays host to No. 12 Oregon in a Pac-12 football
game at Martin Stadium.
A fixture
in the WSU radio booth, Robertson announced Monday he was retiring, effective
immediately, ending a career that spanned 52 years, 10 United States presidents
and 10 Cougars head coaches. He described more than 260 WSU football victories.
“I’ve been
with the Cougars a lot of years, more than half a century, calling basketball,
football for the fans around the Northwest and elsewhere around the country and
I’ve enjoyed every minute of it,” Robertson said in a news release distributed
by the school. “It’s been great to be with you Cougars at your meetings and
get-togethers, and I hope we can do it again and I’m sure we will.”
Robertson,
89, said age influenced the decision to step away from the booth five days
before WSU’s game against the Ducks, which coincides with the first visit to
Pullman by ESPN’s “College GameDay” show.
“As of
this moment, I’ve now asked the athletic department at Washington State
University to list me as a retired, former sportscaster for the Cougars,”
Robertson said. “It is a matter of getting old is what it is. Everything seems
to move a lot faster around me, I move more slowly. I hope to see you soon, I’m
not going to go away. I like Washington State people and the school itself too
much to do that.”
More
numbers that define Robertson’s iconic career? He was behind the mike for 589
Cougars football games, including 564 straight. He was voted Washington
Sportscaster of the Year 12 times.
Robertson,
who spent the last seven years as an analyst on WSU football broadcasts, logged
44 seasons as the program’s play-by-play voice, between 1964 and 2011. He had
three seasons away from the booth during that span, from 1969 to ’71.
Robertson
stamped his broadcasts with a signoff that is still identifiable to generations
of WSU fans and alums:
“Always be
a good sport, be a good sport all ways.”
A member
of the WSU Athletic Hall of Fame and Inland Empire Hall of Fame, Robertson in
2004 was a recipient of the prestigious Chris Schenkel Award. He became the
first broadcaster west of the Mississippi River to earn induction into the
broadcasters’ division of the College Football Hall of Fame.
In 2009,
WSU recognized his legacy when it named the broadcast booth after him: the Bob
Robertson Broadcast Suite.
“When you
think of the icons of Washington State Athletics, Bob Robertson certainly comes
to mind,” said athletic director Pat Chun.
Football
was his niche, but Robertson demonstrated versatility that allowed him to serve
as the voice of WSU basketball for 23 years.
He spent
three decades calling Pacific Coast League baseball in Seattle and Tacoma. He
broadcast multiple forms of pro soccer in the Pacific Northwest. The longtime
voice of baseball’s Spokane Indians, Robertson branched out to also broadcast
hockey, boxing, wrestling and hydroplane races.
The
Fullerton, Calif., native attended Western Washington University, where he
started his broadcast career. He married his wife, Joanne, in 1952.
Bob and
Joanne Robertson were together for 59 years before Joanne died in 2011.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Paul
Allen, Iconic Seattleite and WSU Alumnus, Dies At 65
By Northwest
Public Broadcasting Oct 15, 2018 with supplemental info and editing by News for
CougGroup
The
Microsoft co-founder died in Seattle due to complications of non-Hodgkin’s
lymphoma. He was 65.
Paul Allen
was as Seattle as they come:
--Co-founder
of Microsoft, with his Lakeside School classmate Bill Gates, a partnership that
launched Seattle into the tech age;
--The
vision behind Vulcan, the real estate giant, to rebuild South Lake Union, where
Amazon broke ground;
--As
champion of professional sports in Seattle, and owner of the NFL Seattle
Seahawks football team … he also owned the (not in Seattle) Portland Trail
Blazers basketball team …
--As an
appreciator of art who brought Frank Gehry to Seattle when Seattle still leaned
vanilla, to build the city strangest structure, now the Museum of Modern Pop —
one we continue to puzzle out today;
--As a
guitar player, unapologetic lover of Jimi Hendrix;
--And as a
quiet, nerdy type who shunned the spotlight, ceding it to his sister, Jody
Allen.
“My
brother was a remarkable individual on every level,” Allen’s sister Jody Allen
said in a statement posted to Vulcan Inc.’s website. “While most knew Paul
Allen as a technologist and philanthropist, for us he was a much loved brother
and uncle, and an exceptional friend.”
Allen was
diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2009. He was treated for the cancer at
that time, but announced earlier this month that it had returned.
He spent
two years at Washington State University (in the early 1970s) before leaving
school to work in computer programming, eventually co-founding Microsoft with
Bill Gates, who also left college (Harvard) …
According
to the Seattle Times:
--In 1972,
Allen enrolled at Washington State University in Pullman. He left after two
years for a job with Honeywell in Boston, where he reunites with high school
classmate Bill Gates, then studying at Harvard.
--In 1975,
Allen convinced Gates to leave Harvard to co-found “Micro-Soft,” a name Allen is credited
with picking. Later, it’s restyled Microsoft.
In 2010,
Allen donated $26 million to WSU’s School for Global Animal Health, which then
named the school and its building for him. At the time it was the largest
single philanthropic donation in WSU history.
The new
$3.1 million Phi Kappa Theta fraternity house opened. High-tech in every
respect, it reflected the “wired world” commitment of WSU alumnus and
fraternity member Paul Allen, Microsoft co-founder. He funded the building, and
equipped each of the other Greek houses at WSU with fiber-optic connections.
Over the
course of several decades, Allen gave more than $2 billion to a wide range of
interests, including ocean health, homelessness and advancing scientific
research.
“Millions
of people were touched by his generosity, his persistence in pursuit of a
better world, and his drive to accomplish as much as he could with the time and
resources at his disposal,” Vulcan CEO Bill Hilf said in a statement.
Allen was
on the list of America’s wealthiest people who pledged to give away the bulk of
their fortunes to charity. “Those fortunate to achieve great wealth should put
it to work for the good of humanity,” he said.
When he
released his 2011 memoir, “Idea Man,” he allowed 60 Minutes inside his home on
Lake Washington, across the water from Seattle, revealing collections that
ranged from the guitar Jimi Hendrix played at Woodstock to vintage war planes
and a 300-foot yacht with its own submarine.
Allen
served as Microsoft’s executive vice president of research and new product
development until 1983, when he resigned after being diagnosed with cancer.
Former
journalist David Postman, who worked for Vulcan from 2008 to 2012, recalled
Allen, saying, “I don’t think people even in Seattle know the breadth of what
he’s done, you know he mapped the brain, the Allen Institute for Brain Science
is this incredible resource around the world.”
He enjoyed
his money, which he spent on the arts, properties abroad and lavish parties
thrown aboard his 414-foot yacht “Octopus.”
Allen was
a frequent and generous contributor to political campaigns.
Since
2014, Allen has been among the top donors to three gun control-related ballot
measures, beginning with expanded background checks in 2014 and extreme risk
protection orders in 2016, both of which passed. This year, Allen wrote the
single largest check, $1.2 million, to the I-1639 campaign which seeks to raise
the age to 21 to purchase a semi-automatic rifle, among other restrictions.
In 2015,
he funded a successful citizen initiative to crackdown on the smuggling of
ivory and other products made from animals that are threatened globally because
of poaching.
The
initiative came about just one year after his bodyguards — a team that included
former FBI agents — said that his sister Jody tried to illegally sneak home
giraffe bones in his luggage from Botswana.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
WSU
FOOTBALL
First
look: (12) Oregon at (25) Washington State
UPDATED:
Mon., Oct. 15, 2018, 6:59 p.m. Spokane S-R
By Theo
Lawson Spokane S-R
Three
things to know
1. By
beating Oregon for the fourth time in four years, WSU would match the longest
win streak in program history against the Ducks. The Cougars have won four in a
row against their nemesis from the Pac-12 North four other times – from
1950-53, 1971-74, 1976-79 and 1981-84. Had WSU won the games played in 1975 and
’80, it would’ve been a 14-game streak for the Cougars.
2. But the
Ducks have a strong record when visiting a College GameDay site. Oregon has
faced that scenario seven times and won five times. Here are the Ducks’
results: 1998, UCLA 41, Oregon 38 (OT); 2009, Oregon 44, Arizona 41 (2OT);
2010, Oregon 53, USC 32; 2010, Oregon 37, Oregon State 20; 2011, Oregon 53,
Stanford 30; 2013, Oregon 45, Washington 24; 2015, Michigan State 31, Oregon
28.
3. Two
Oregon assistant coaches will return to Pullman for the first time since
leaving Mike Leach’s staff at WSU. The Cougars will reunite with former
defensive line coach Joe Salave’a for the second time since Salave’a accepted
the same job at Oregon last season. It’ll be the first reunion with ex-Cougar
running backs coach Jim Mastro, who became Mario Cristobal’s running backs
coach and run-game coordinator after spending six years at WSU.
What is
it? No. 25 Washington State (5-1, 2-1) hosts No. 12 Oregon (5-1, 2-1) in a
Pac-12 North showdown of ranked teams that also share identical records.
Where is
it?
Martin
Stadium in Pullman.
When is
it?
Kickoff is
4:30 p.m. Saturday.
Where can
I watch it?
The game
will air on Fox 28.
Who is
favored?
The Cougars
are, by two points.
How did
they fare last week? The Ducks pulled an upset of then-seventh-ranked
Washington at Autzen Stadium last Saturday, winning 30-27 on CJ Verdell’s
touchdown run in overtime. The Cougars had a bye week after beating Oregon
State 56-37 on Oct. 6.
Why Oregon
will win:
Justin
Herbert is healthy this time. The Cougars have won their past three against
Oregon, but the Ducks haven’t exactly had a premier QB playing against WSU
since Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota in 2014. Jeff Lockie, a former
Mariota backup, started in a 45-38 Cougs win in 2015. Dakota Prukop and
Herbert, then a true freshman, split time in 2016 and true freshman Braxton
Burmeister played in last year’s game. Oregon QBs completed just 57 percent of
their passes for three touchdowns and four interceptions during that span.
Herbert, meanwhile, will be the best signal-caller the Cougars meet this season
– and it’s not close.
Why WSU
will win:
Under Mike
Leach, the Cougars are just 1-5 coming out of the bye week, their only win
coming at home against the Ducks in 2016. But in theory, WSU should have the
advantage of a week’s rest, while the Ducks are coming out of an overtime
slugfest against UW – and possibly still riding a high from their upset win in
Eugene. And by not playing, the Cougars avoided the risk of losing two
offensive line starters to injury. Oregon tackle Penei Sewell and guard Dallas
Warmack didn’t finish the UW game and seem to be questionable for Saturday’s
contest in Pullman.
What
happened last time?
Playing
withouit the injured Herbert, Willie Taggart’s Ducks opened up a 10-7 lead on
the Cougars after the first quarter of last year’s game in Eugene, but were
held scoreless after that. Behind Luke Falk’s arm and Erik Powell’s foot,
Washington State reeled off 26 consecutive points between the second and fourth
quarters to emerge with a 33-10 victory.
………..
SPORTS
WSU
FOOTBALL
Washington
State receives verbal commitment from Texas WR Ollie
Mon., Oct.
15, 2018, 4:36 p.m.
Spokesman-Review
By Theo
Lawson
One year
after plucking Drue Jackson out of Texas, the Cougars have apparently gone back
to the Lone Star State for an outside wide receiver.
Monday
afternoon, Washington State received a verbal commitment from Donovan Ollie, a
6-3, 205-pound wideout from Wylie High School in the northern suburbs of
Dallas. Ollie is considered a three-star prospect by 247sports.com and received
offers from a handful of Power Five schools, including Utah, Boston College,
Northwestern, Iowa State and Kansas.
Jackson, a
true freshman from nearby Sachse, Texas, was labeled a four-star commit when he
verbally pledged to the Cougars last fall.
Ollie
earned first team all-district honors as a sophomore at Wylie, then second-team
honors as a junior. Entering his senior season with the Pirates, who play in
the same 6A Region II District 10 division as Jackson’s Sachse High Mustangs,
Ollie had caught 89 passes for 1,461 yards and 19 receiving touchdowns. Per
MaxPreps, he’s already up to 33 receptions for 400 yards and six touchdowns in
six games played this season.
According
to 247sports, Ollie runs a 4.83 40-yard dash, has a 4.43 shuttle sprint and has
recorded a vertical leap of 31.30 inches.
Ollie is
the second wideout commit in the class of 2019. In mid-February, the Cougars
received a verbal from Billy Pospisil, a three-star receiver who attends
Colorado’s Arvada High – the alma mater of current WSU running back Max Borghi.
:::::::::::::::::::;
Cougars
crack national rankings
Oct 15,
2018 Lewiston Trib
PULLMAN -
Boy, these open dates are pretty sweet.
A day
after learning they'd been chosen as the host school of College GameDay this
week, the Washington State Cougars sneaked into the national football rankings
Sunday - despite being idle this past weekend.
The
Cougars are No. 25 in the Associated Press poll and No. 23 in the Amway
coaches' poll.
Washington
State (5-1, 2-1), whose bye came at the exact midpoint of its regular season,
plays host to Oregon (5-1, 2-1) at 4:30 p.m. Saturday.
For the
first time ever, ESPN has selected Pullman for the site of its live broadcast
of College GameDay, a popular three-hour program aired at a different college
venue each week. The show begins at 6 a.m. on Saturday.
:::::::::::::::::::
Cougfan
says:
--DEREK
VOLNER, MANAGER OF ESPN communications, tells Cougfan.com that GameDay will be
bringing a staff of about 75 people to Pullman along with the GameDay bus and
approximately three to five long-haul trucks. They're heading West from this
past weekend's stop in Ann Arbor.
--THE
COUGARS AND DUCKS KICK OFF at 4:30 p.m. Pacific Time (FoxSports) on Saturday;
the Cougs are favored by two in the early line. GameDay airs from 6-9 a.m.
Pacific.
………….
BOB
ROBERTSON story at Cougfan.com
#
