THE MORNING PAPER: Anderson keeps his eyes on the prize

by Nuss on Jun 12, 2009 11:00 AM PDT Comment 7 comments

In stark contrast to yesterday, there's not a lot out there today in Cougar news. But we do have updated track results from the NCAA championships to bring you.

Jeshua Anderson remains on course to defend his 400-meter hurdles title, advancing to tonight's final by posting the fastest time in the semis -- 49.27 seconds. He'll run the finals at 6:05 p.m. PDT, and you can actually catch the race LIVE on CBS College Sports Network (formerly CSTV), which will be carrying the meet from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PDT. (Channel 412 on Comcast in western Washington; 613 DirecTV.)

Also competing in finals today will be Melissa Tschida (javelin) and Trent Arrivey (high jump). Arrivey's event starts at 5 p.m., so you should be able to catch him on the broadcast; Tschida's event starts at 3:30 p.m., so you might not catch her.

Also advancing to the finals yesterday was discus thrower Matt Lamb, who had a season-best toss of 192-feet, 11 inches -- the sixth-best throw of the day. His final will be Saturday at 8 a.m.

In Pac-10 news, the Seattle Times' Bud Withers is reporting that the conference is in negotiations to potentially enter into a contract with the Alamo Bowl. If the bowl will bring its guaranteed payout up to the level of the Holiday Bowl, you would see an arrangement where the Alamo Bowl and Holiday Bowl would alternate the No. 2 and No. 3 Pac-10 team each year.

It might not seem like much, but this is a positive step. It would bring slightly more money to the conference, but would also bump the Sun Bowl to the No. 4 bowl -- probably the right move. Would you rather go to San Antonio or El Paso? That's what I thought.

All that controversy at USC finally prompted the athletic department to speak out in a video on the school's Web site. Pretty dull stuff, but mildly interesting if you've been following the situation.

0 recs | Comment 7 comments | Share

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

The Alamo Bowl

Would be a great addition in my opinion. Not only would it be a good payout, it would be good for recruiting in Texas and for exposure. I only wish they could get a matchup with another conference. As this now works, the Holiday and the Alamo would be Pac-10/Big 12 matchups and the Sun bowl possibly as well.

I would at least hope they could even out the places of the teams to be the same, say both #3 against each other rather than the Holiday being Pac10 #2 against Big 12 #3 and the Alamo being either Pac10 # 2 or 3 against Big 12 #4/5 and the Sun being Pac10 #3 vs. Big 12 #5. Having our higher placed team play a lower placed team from that conference just makes the Pac10 appear inferior.

http://wsufoundation.wsu.edu/giving/enteramount.asp?Fund=Martin%20Stadium%20Project

by selahcoug on Jun 12, 2009 12:33 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I conditionally agree...

The additional $300K payout over the Sun Bowl would be nice, but it will only be a step up if the affiliation completely changes. As it is, the Holiday Bowl already gets the Pac-10 #2 vs. the Big XII #3, and if you ask me, I’d rather be in San Diego in late December than San Antonio. Let’s keep the Holiday as our #2, please!

If the Alamo Bowl keeps either the Big XII or Big Ten #4 finisher vs. our #3, then it’s the Sun Bowl in a better setting. If the Alamo Bowl could somehow manage to land an SEC #4 or possibly an ACC or Big East #3, now we’re talking. Hell, even a MWC or WAC #1 vs. our #3 would be a good matchup.

Selah makes good points about Pac-10 teams being able to recruit Texas a little harder with this affiliation. I also agree with Selah that the Pac-10 needs to make sure to even out our seeding so that our conference doesn’t appear to be the inferior league.

Hope the new commish can make this happen!

by '03CouveCoug on Jun 12, 2009 12:42 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

You hit it right on the nose

I maintain that our biggest problem with our bowl lineup is that we’re playing against lower finishers from the other conferences. There are very few marquee matchups. It’s OK in the Holiday Bowl if the Big 12 only gets one team in the BCS — a la 2003 against the Cougs — but that hasn’t been the case most of the time. A lot of people made a big deal out of the undefeated conference record last year, but you should when you’re the better team in every game …

CougCenter

by Nuss on Jun 12, 2009 9:55 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs