Wilner: Washington State Could Affect Pac-10 Race
by Brian Floyd on Aug 14, 2010 1:28 PM PDT
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PrintJon Wilner wrote a quick story about the Cougars this morning, opining that WSU could have an affect on the race for the Pac-10 title this year. Sounds good, right? Wrong. He likens a road game in Pullman to an extra home game for the visitors, calling WSU a free win.
In that case, they’re basically a gimme win for everybody, which means the teams that play in Pullman have a gimme road win.
If you have five home games and a gimme on the road, you’ve got the edge on teams that play WSU at home and have five non-gimme road games.
I get it, the Cougs have been terrible. We're the whipping boy of nearly every writer out there right now. The only easy choice in the Pac-10 media poll was the Cougs in last place. That doesn't mean this isn't getting old.
If Wilner wants to call WSU a gimme road win, we don't have to take it. If you have the means, get tickets and show up in Pullman. The athletic department has been heavily pushing creating a home field advantage. As fans, we can directly contribute to this. Traveling to Pullman already isn't fun for visiting teams so show up and be loud.
If the rest of the Pac-10 writers want to continue piling on, I welcome it with open arms. It gives the team a bigger chip on their shoulder and makes it that much easier to get up for the game. From the last two years, there's been plenty of reasons for the Cougs to have an "us against the world" mentality. With the talent level finally on the upswing, the mental edge this creates can't hurt.
Then again, maybe WSU will rise up this season and actually provide some resistance. That would certainly make the weekly results, and the league race, a bit more unpredictable.
I hope teams come to Pullman thinking they have a gimme win. I hope visiting teams overlook the young Cougs and look ahead to bigger games on their schedule. This team is tired of losing and hungry to prove the doubters wrong. It's only a matter of time before they reach back and smack somebody in the mouth.
The bulletin board is getting full and I'm sure the Cougs are paying attention. If nothing else, there's been plenty of external motivation for these guys. Don't let our house be a place for gimme wins.
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I'm getting really sick of this crap
I really hope the men channel this BS every Pac-10 writer is throwing their way and really surprise Oklahoma State. I don’t want to sound like an eternal optimist, but if the writers continue to pile on and the players use it as motivation, they have a legitimate chance to beat the Cowboys, especially since they lost 18 starters from last season (if I remember right).
by Michael The Coug on Aug 14, 2010 10:22 AM PDT reply actions
CPW
needs to get some of these articles up in the locker room. I know Kooyman said it’s more of a distraction, but at some point that has to turn into motivation. Or even some game recaps from years past.
I recall an article with a large image of Mark Sanchez under “69-0.” That could work.
OState actually lost 26 starters from last season (exaggeration joke!)
I am one that is worried about the Cougars coming into Stillwater and stealing a victory. We did lose 14 starters including QB, 4 O-linemen, 3 in the secondary, 3 LB’s. Those are pretty key positions to be playing with new guys, and if there is a silver lining to Wash St’s injury filled 2009, many of the guys this year now have some experience they otherwise would not have.
To me it seems like a matchup of a team that does not yet have an identity, versus a team that has something to prove… and I would be stupid to not be worried about the latter proving something by taking it to a bunch of rookies.
by samuelbryant on Aug 14, 2010 4:44 PM PDT up reply actions
I'll be at every home game!
Yelling my lungs out in the student section!
Disclaimer: I won’t be at the MSU game because of a concert at the gorge so I should say almost every home game.
by tclaus on Aug 14, 2010 10:33 AM PDT via mobile reply actions
Ugh, for this reason I hate the Gorge
Drives me nuts when people would rather leave campus for DMB than stay for Cougar football game.
by B-Lot tailgater on Aug 16, 2010 2:44 PM PDT up reply actions
3 packs are a pretty good deal
and they make it easier to space out the travel expenses. His entire argument is predicated upon the idea that we’ll show little to no improvement this year, although his theory could apply to the past 2 seasons, it’s not likely to be the same old 2nd and 3rd team practice sessions in Pullman. It does make for some fan bulletin board material though, and as competition picks back up so will attendance and atmosphere, we’re not that far removed from having an intimidating home crowd (Oregon State in Pullman video posted a while back)
theres never been a better time to get season tickets
seats are available now that aren’t going to be available once the ship gets righted.
we’re at the very definition of buy low, people!
by BigWood on Aug 14, 2010 10:54 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Pile it on!
At first glance, articles like Wilner’s makes my blood boil. But I agree with Cougfan: I say they should keep writing these articles. Get the players and coaches of other Pac-10 schools believing this stuff. Even if coaches are required to tell their players that they can’t overlook anyone, I would hope that every team that comes to Pullman will think of the game as an easy win. There is nothing better than bringing a team out to Pullman to play the Cougs and making their stay absolutely miserable because of a stunning upset.
Am I the only one not bothered by this?
How in the world can you not agree with his logic? This team has had 9 home Pac-10 games the last two years and won one – a game they only won because of colossal blunders by a UW team that quit on its coach.
I think we all believe this team is better. But Brian illustrated the distance between us and No. 9 last year. This team could be substantially improved and still be the worst team in the conference. So, for the purposes of his premise, yeah, a team with 5 home games and a roadie at WSU has an advantage.
by Jeff Nusser on Aug 14, 2010 4:07 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
Im not bothered by the article itself.
I knew it would get under the skin of fans.
Wilners right. If we don’t improve, or even if we do but not substantially, we’re a free win. That doesn’t mean the fans have to sit there and take it. It does get old being the constant whipping boy, but until we show something on the field, it isn’t going to stop.
I guess for me the bigger thing is that it sucks to see the program you love fall so far and constantly get dumped on.
by Brian Floyd on Aug 14, 2010 4:14 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
While I get while it'd piss you off ...
… it does ring true. given the fact that we are traveling to Autzen and USC this year, I’m glad that we get to play WSU in Pullman. Gives us some hope to pull out a road win or two. That hope remains until WSU shows they are a tough out.
Damn, my eyeball tastes good.
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