Despite the fact I search out topics to write about on a daily basis, I really wish the WSU football team would stop giving us so much to talk about. From comments about corpses to Twitter bans to player suspensions/quitting. Is one quiet, headlineless week really to much to ask for?
Somewhere, some HBO executive who decided against a behind the scenes show is kicking himself. WSU has been a made for TV drama this season. We are roughly a failed steroid test and a strip club incident from re-enacting the entire season of ESPN's old show Playmakers.
Obviously, Marquess Wilson was the big story on Monday and I've gathered the various news reports as well as a couple of commentaries on the situation. There are also videos from Monday's media session as well as a couple of things on the WSU women's soccer team.
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Marquess Wilson
Mike Leach responds after another volatile day at WSU | Bud Withers | The Seattle Times
The Mike Leach era continued rumbling along toward parts unknown Monday, bumping, grinding and apologizing to no one for its mounting controversies.
UCLA FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK: Bruins won't deal with Wazzu receiver Marquess Wilson - LA Daily News
The only winless team in Pacific-12 Conference play just lost more talent. Washington State, riding a six-game losing streak as it prepares to host No. 17 UCLA this Saturday, suspended all-time leading receiver Marquess Wilson on Monday.
Leach doesn't know if Wilson has quit - SportsLink - Spokesman.com - Nov. 5, 2012
Mike Leach met with reporters for nearly 30 minutes today during a press conference that grew contentious at times and enlightening at others. But the primary news value is that Leach said he doesn't know whether suspended receiver Marquess Wilson has left the team, or whether he can return to it after serving his suspension. Read on.
WSU's Wilson suspended after walking out of practice " Kitsap Sun
PULLMAN — The fuse was lit months ago, and Washington State football star Marquess Wilson finally exploded.
Starting to look like night of the walking dead - Spokesman.com - Nov. 6, 2012
OK, put me in the camp that thinks Mike Leach shouldn’t compare his players to zombies and empty corpses, and bleat that their effort "borders on cowardice." Not for the same reason other people think that, but for this reason:
Unrest on the rise in Pullman - Spokesman.com - Nov. 6, 2012
PULLMAN – These aren’t the headlines anyone had in mind for Marquess Wilson this football season.
Humiliation isn’t motivating - Sports - The Olympian - Olympia, Washington news, weather and sports
Almost every major college football coach in the country has criticized his players with the kind of harsh language that’s stirring controversy around Washington State’s Mike Leach.
Football
Full transcript of Mike Leach on Monday - SportsLink - Spokesman.com - Nov. 5, 2012
FROM PULLMAN — Apologies for getting this posted so late, but other responsibilities occupied our time earlier in the day. Anyway, here's the transcript of Mike Leach's press conference today, with player videos following.
Pac-12 power rankings: Week 11 - Pac-12 Blog - ESPN
11. Washington State: A run of 10 bowl games in 10 seasons as a head coach ends for Mike Leach, and things don't seem to be going well in the Cougars' locker room. A hot UCLA team is coming to town. How about a good snow storm for the visitors from sunny SoCal?
UCLA at WSU - Spokesman.com - Nov. 6, 2012
What it means for WSU: As a few Cougars players have said already, they’re playing for pride. The question is how much of that is actually left after a six-game losing streak accentuated by last week’s no-show against Utah. WSU will be without receiver Marquess Wilson, who was suspended for a violation of team rules after reportedly leaving a team workout on Sunday night. Morale around the program appears to be lower than at any point this season, so WSU is aiming to prove it still has some fight left.
Washington State held ‘open campus’ tryouts to find a scout team quarterback in 2008
"We didn’t have anybody who could throw the football," Wulff, a current assistant with the San Francisco 49ers, said Monday by phone. "There comes a point, you’ve got to be able to get through a drill, and get your receivers work, your defense is facing a quarterback that opposing week and they need somebody to give it a reasonable look throwing the ball downfield. That was the reason. That was the number one reason."
WSU Football: Mike Leach Press Conference Nov. 5 (via WSUCougarAthletics)
WSU Football: Jeff Tuel Press Conference Nov. 5 (via WSUCougarAthletics)
WSU Football: Brett Bartolone Press Conference Nov. 5 (via WSUCougarAthletics)
WSU Football: Travis Long Press Conference Nov. 5 (via WSUCougarAthletics)
WSU Athletics
Cougars draw Portland in NCAA women's soccer - Spokesman.com - Nov. 5, 2012
The strength of the Pac-12 Conference – and a 1-0 win over Washington on Friday – assured the Washington State Cougars a trip the NCAA women’s soccer tournament.
WSU Soccer: Head Coach McAlpine and captains talk about their NCAA Tournament spot, Nov. 5 (via WSUCougarAthletics)