GET TO KNOW BONE: What others are saying

Surprisingly little perspective out there this morning on the hiring of Ken Bone, although I imagine that will ramp up after today's official announcement at the 1:30 p.m. PDT news conference in Pullman. You can watch it online here and we'll have an open thread for your observations at that time.

If you're not going to be near your computer, I'm sure FSN will be covering it live the way they did Sarkesian's introductory news conference. (OK, I tried to write that with a straight face, but I couldn't.)

As for commentary this morning, here's what's out there.

Bone told The Oregonian that this was just too good of an opportunity to pass up. Thank you, Sterk and Floyd, for not issuing a gag order on our new coach before his introductory conference -- it's the right thing to do:

"I'm a Northwest guy who lived in Seattle for most of my life, and I've always thought, 'Wow, what would it be like to be in the Pac-10 as a head coach?' And now that opportunity is there. I know I've got some big shoes to fill. There's a lot of work to be done, but I'm excited about the challenge ahead."

Bud Withers at The Seattle Times (who, it should be noted, did not get the story before Vince Grippi), says Bone and Stew Morrill were the two finalists, and that the Cougs ultimately decided on Bone because he was seen as more "contemporary":

Bone was the less-tested coach who was associated with a willingness to allow players more freedom on the floor. Five years younger, he was seen as more in tune with today's playing generation. ...

The Cougars thought about what they have on hand. They thought about how best to rescue the four signees who joined the program in November. And they thought about what course to take, when you've become so deeply identified with playing a certain way.

"We had to balance all that," said the WSU official. "I think Ken will be a much better 'balancer,' if you will."

Lastly, Bone's former boss, some guy named Lorenzo Romar, talked to the Seattle P-I and had effusive praise for Bone:

"This is something I anticipated could one day happen. I just knew he was the type of superstar coach that could end up in our league. But we're both competitors and we'll be trying to do everything we can to help our respective teams win when we play each other. ...

"If you look at how WSU recruited before, they'd started to do a real good job and I'm sure he'll continue that," said Romar. "I used to joke that everyone in the grocery store and at the gas pump knew who he was. He's so well connected and so genuine."

See you at 1:30, unless something goes down between now and then.