Who is your all-time favorite Coug?

by playerkyle14 on Oct 27, 2009 11:00 PM PDT Comment 25 comments

Ok, I realize this question is a little cheezy and unfair. But my buddies and I may or may not have been drinking the other night, and had this very same discussion. It's hard to choose just one. And it's unfair to all the Coug Greats of the past whom we haven't seen. But alas, this isn't who we think is the best all time Coug, rather, it's simply stating who your all time favorite Coug is and why.

The beauty of this is there isn't a right or wrong answer. You could pick Matt Kegel because he high fived you at Dismores that one time or Sam Lightbody because his name is Sam Lightbody and he was a little less than a metric ton.

It could even be someone like Mark Hendrickson, who is from my HS alma mater, by the way. So this isn't just a football question. It's an all Coug sports question. And there is no right or wrong answer. We're Cougs, we're all right.

This FanPost does not necessarily reflect the views of the site's writers or editors, who may not have verified its accuracy. It does, however, reflect the views of this particular fan, which is just as important as the views of our writers or editors.

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Devard Darling.

I think it was because my first Coug game was when he caught two TDs against Oregon. Then there was that article in SI about him and his brother. I saw him tap his heart and point to the sky after his first TD and after that, he could do no wrong in my eyes. I really thought he would flourish in Baltimore. If he ever stays healthy, I think he’ll be a good slot guy in Kansas City. At least, I hope so.

Devard Darling. My favorite Coug.

by playerkyle14 on Oct 27, 2009 11:02 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

This is easy for me

Football: Leon Bender. One of the nicest, down-to-earth, funniest players you’d ever meet with superlative talent. He made that Rose Bowl defense as a disruptive force in the middle, and was headed for a rich NFL career before his life was cut short. What a waste.

Basketball: Isaac Fontaine. Again, one of the nicest, most personable players you’d ever meet. Always smiling. Always. Sweetest stroke I’ve ever seen, physical driving to the basket.

My favorite Fontaine story? I was playing pickup in the PEB — remember, we didn’t have a rec center back then — and he ended up on my team one time. Let’s just say I’m not much of an athlete. I kept passing him the ball, and he kept passing it back saying, “Shoot it man! You got that!” I buried the 3, and I’m sure it was all because of Ike’s confidence in me. Besides, I will always have my “I Like Ike” button.

CougCenter

by Nuss on Oct 28, 2009 6:15 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

+1000 on Bender

I worked at a pizza place in town that year, and he’d come in somewhat regularly, usually with his daughter in his arms. Always smiling, joking with everyone, a complete and total ANTI-Ryan Leaf. What a great guy.

by TiltingRight on Oct 28, 2009 8:40 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Jeff Nusser.

CougCenter WSU's second main blog

by Dancing Football on Oct 28, 2009 7:11 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

HA!

Thanks for making my morning at work a whole lot funnier.

CougCenter

by Nuss on Oct 28, 2009 7:29 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

BBall: Fontaine. I think Nuss’ summary does him justice.

Baseball: Olerud. Grew up watching him. Unbelievable and the guy never once pounded his chest after doing something great.

Football: Bledsoe. Still remember the game when he threw the pass to himself. I just kept thinking this guy is awesome!

by ptowncoug3012 on Oct 28, 2009 8:47 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Hmmm

I’m a little younger than some of these old guys around here, but I still have to say Weaver. Just like playerkyle14 said about Darling, Weaver could do no wrong in my eyes. I watched him during his awesome Junior year with my hands over my eyes every time he took a 3 and thought “man if he could hit a jump shot he’d be unstoppable.” Then his Senior year happened… OH THE MEMORIES.

In football, my favorite could be Gesser (tough as nails) but probably is Jerome Harrison. I don’t know if we’ve ever had another runner like him, he was our answer to Reggie Bush. Every time he was in space you just KNEW he’d make people miss, and some of those 50 – 75 yard touchdown runs are burned into my memory… juking left, right, running at retreating defensive backs, cutting into the middle or bursting to the sideline… And then he had a full page picture in the ESPN magazine with a blurb about how he would probably win the Heisman if he’d played for a bigger school or more successful team. Great player!

by johnnycougar on Oct 28, 2009 10:44 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Gotta agree with Harrison

Or Mkristo Bruce. Those two were the most entertaining players to watch. I remember a game where we were up pretty big (I think it was Idaho) and the crowd was really getting out of it. Bruce started going up and down the sideline trying to pump up the crowd. When no one noticed, he kinda started dancing and playing with the crowd. It was more entertaining than the game.

by displacedcoug on Oct 28, 2009 11:17 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Bruce was awesome, loved that guy!

by johnnycougar on Oct 28, 2009 12:00 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's interesting how we identify with the guys from when we were in school

I feel a little bit bad for people entering school right now … at least in terms of football.

CougCenter

by Nuss on Oct 28, 2009 1:25 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Totally

I don’t think you can connect with players quite as much over TV or radio. Plus what’s going to affect you more: sitting in a living room with a couple friends / family members all cheering the Cougs, or standing in the middle of 5000 screaming students?

by johnnycougar on Oct 28, 2009 3:35 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hey all my guys were before I entered college, but

I grew up in Whitman County so I guess I watched a few more games live before my college days.
Love Harrison also. I screamed bloody murder when he sat on the bench for the 1st half of the season (played only a handful of down) because supposedly he couldn’t pass block very well. Who needs pass blocking when you are giving him the ball everytime.

by ptowncoug3012 on Oct 28, 2009 5:44 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I grew up in Pullman, too

So many to choose from…..

I would have to say Clete Casper. He was there for the Cougs when they got that 81 Holiday Bowl berth. I was about 8 and my dad took me downtown to get all the players autographs. Clete was friendly and talked to me for a while. My dad used to do film for the Cougs and when I did get to go to practice, Clete always remembered me and said Hi. Clete may not have had the best talent, but he had a lot of heart and is a true Coug.

by DCinSEA on Oct 28, 2009 9:24 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Will Derting

When he was healthy he was a force

by bf39 on Oct 28, 2009 6:22 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

agreed.

Will Derting was a friggin’ monster. That sack on Carlyle Holliday always makes me cringe…in a good way.

by playerkyle14 on Oct 28, 2009 9:22 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Kyle Weaver

It makes me so mad he plays for OKC, and therefore by principle I can’t root for the team he plays for or buy a jersey.

Of players I’ve actually met: Thomas Kelati. Nice, down to earth guy, of which my wife and I told him the lights on his car were on. Actually my wife (then girlfriend) was one of his neighbors, and told him, while I stood there with a stupid grin on my face and said nothing.

by Grady. on Oct 28, 2009 9:10 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

sad.

Because that would mean he’d be a Sonic and I couldn’t think of a better jersey to buy. I also loved D-Lo.

by playerkyle14 on Oct 28, 2009 9:24 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

My Faves

Football: Steve Gleason … he was Will Derting before Will Derting and besides that, on NCAA ’98 for Playstation, he was good for about 10 sacks a game coming around the edge. He never had 10 sacks in a real game, but I always thought it was possible. My greatest memory was him diving over the line of scrimmage on a run up the middle and pulling down the runner with one hand as he tried to juke away. Awesome!

Basketball: Will Hutchens … anybody? anybody? Ok, maybe not, but when I was in school, getting Hutchens into a game was about the only thing to cheer for. How’s that for a trip in the Wayback Machine?

I feel like Charlie Brown trying to kick the football. Ugh

by HitKing69 on Oct 29, 2009 5:52 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

My favorite Gleason memory?

I was a freshman, and he was a freshman. One of the first games of the year was against Montana, and he was on the kickoff team. The guy fielded the kickoff, came up into the wedge, and then out of nowhere Gleason absolutely destroyed him. I mean, snot bubble and all — the guy didn’t get up for about five minutes and, needless to say, didn’t return.

I can still hear the sound of that hit in my head. The crack was amazingly cool and totally scary all at the same time. I remember wondering who the heck this Gleason kid was. I got to find out an awful lot over the next four years. He turned that kind of tenacity into an astounding seven-year career with the New Orleans Saints as a special teams ace.

Best part? He did incredible social work in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, including his Backpacks For Hope. He’s a Coug we can all be proud of.

CougCenter

by Nuss on Oct 29, 2009 9:06 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

By the way

The reason his NFL career was astounding was because he was undrafted and never really played on defense for them. He was that good at just being tenacious and a sure tackler — two qualities that absolutely did not surprise any of us.

In fact, he has one of the most famous plays in Saints history — a blocked punt to start the scoring in their first game back in the Superdome after Katrina. Video here. What a stud.

However, he did have his low points. Like this. Hey, no one’s flawless.

CougCenter

by Nuss on Oct 29, 2009 9:10 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs