With Bill Moos in charge of the athletics department, we knew there were going to be some changes. Sometimes they're big, but sometimes they're a little more subtle. It's clear Moos want start building more of an identity around WSU, and one of those things is trying to start some traditions unique to WSU and celebrate the ones we already have.
Today (well, yesterday, in one instance) marks the beginning of some new game day traditions.
The one that's gotten the most publicity so far is the Cougar Pride Walk, in which fans will make a tunnel from the Cougar statue at the east end of the stadium to the fieldhouse. The players will be dropped off at 1:30 p.m. today, will touch the statue, then will walk through the tunnel to the fieldhouse before proceeding to the locker room to get prepared for the game.
It's also making the rounds that the ESPN GameDay flag wavers are being honored before today's game. According to Michelle Lipsker -- Coordinator, Internal Operations/Special Events for WSU athletics and longtime reader of the site -- a number of them (including originator/coordinator Tom Pounds) will be in town and will be running with flags through the band tunnel 10 minutes before kickoff, then will wave them at midfield as the team runs out.
But it doesn't stop there.
"We've also been given the go-ahead from the Mike Marlow to offer any flag waver, any game, the option to do this and be our VIPs," Lipsker said. Pretty cool. If they ever need a flag waver at UW, I'll be happy to help.
Other stuff includes First Down Friday (a downtown celebration the day before a game) and the Cougar Rally Mobile (a giant helmet on the back of a trailer) driving around town on game day. Some of you might have seen that this morning.
Anyway, obviously not all of this stuff is going to stick, because the ones that stick generally grow organically. But I love the effort. We need some more stuff that's uniquely ours.
On to the game day links!
Football
Updated Television Schedule - Find your channel for today's game
Washington State not taking Bobcats lightly - Spokesman.com - Sept. 10, 2010
There’s a gap between the schools in the Football Bowl Subdivision, like Washington State University, and their counterparts in the Championship Subdivision, like Montana State, and it goes beyond the fact the FCS teams actually have a playoff to determine a national champion.
2-Minute Drill - Spokesman.com - Sept. 11, 2010
It’s already starting to sound like a jammed keyboard, but the Cougars need to get off to a fast start.
In Montana State, Cougars see answers for all their problems | WSU Cougars - The News Tribune
Players and coaches said they expect a much-improved performance in today’s home opener against Montana State. "We just have to grow from it and get better," defensive end Kevin Kooyman said. A game with Montana State appears to be a viable solution for WSU’s 10-game losing streak.
WSU Gameday Flag-Spotting, Week Two - WSU Football Blog
Cougars | Scouting report: Washington State vs. Montana State | Seattle Times Newspaper
Sports | Ryan Leaf quietly returns home to build a life | Seattle Times Newspaper
Here's the thing: Leaf gets it that he fell short, how he disappointed, and how he rubbed people the wrong way with his arrogance. And now in the relative calm of his Montana hometown, under the eyes of his parents, he's trying to mount a comeback at the age of 34, nine years after his last NFL pass. It's not about a return to football. It's about being accepted, about a return to normalcy.
Other Sports
Cougar Soccer Loses to Denver - WASHINGTON STATE OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE
Freshman Micaela Castain scored her fourth goal in the last two matches, but Washington State was defeated 3-1 by Denver in the Gonzaga Women's Soccer Tournament, Friday.
Cougar Men Open 2010-11 Golf Season - WASHINGTON STATE OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE
The Washington State University men's golf team opens its 2010-11 season at the second-annual Palouse Cougar Collegiate, Sept. 13-14, in Pullman, Wash.... "I'm very excited to host a quality field with 15 Division I teams at Palouse Ridge on Monday and Tuesday," WSU Head Coach Walt Williams said. "I'm also excited to see how our team fares. We have three solid veterans in Nick Ellis, Hank Frame and Trent Sanders, but we also have two freshmen in Kent Hagen and Cody Robinson that are playing in their first collegiate events. We would love to see our fans come out and watch some great golf."
Cougar Women Open 2010-11 Golf Season - WASHINGTON STATE OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE
The Washington State University women's golf team opens its 2010-11 season at the Circling Raven Collegiate Invitational, Sept. 13-14, in Worley, Idaho. ... "I'm excited to get our season underway," WSU Head Coach Kelli Kamimura said. "I'm looking forward to great things this week. The team has been working hard all offseason, and we're ready for the collegiate season."
Cougar Hardwood Classic Presale Begins Today - WASHINGTON STATE OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE
Presale tickets for the 2010 Cougar Hardwood Classic, which pits the Washington State University men's basketball team against Portland, Tuesday, Nov. 23, are currently on sale at www.wsucougars.com.