It's generally accepted in most recruiting circles that Paul Wulff and his staff have done is nothing short of remarkable, given both WSU's historical difficulty in that department thanks to inherent disadvantages and the current on-field product. Wulff has been asked how they do it, and his response generally centers around (paraphrased) working harder than everyone else to identify talent early, build relationships early and offer scholarships early.
But sometimes it's interesting to get the insight of an actual recruit, which Cougfan did a great job of with this free piece. Henry Eaddy, one of the commits from Florida, took his official visit to Pullman this weekend. And he was effusive in his praise:
"It was definitely what I was expecting – it was the same (as this summer) with the hospitality and being a family oriented place. That’s why I loved it," said Eaddy.
"Being around all the players -- they were all very respectful and honorable towards one another and to me. They look out for one another as much as I've ever seen in anybody. The coaches, they are one of a kind."
He also goes into whether the 50-16 beatdown -- in front of maybe 20,000 people -- affected him. The answer will surprise those of you who worry so much about whether the constant losing is damaging to recruiting. And, by extension, it probably says something about whether the nebulous message board/blog stuff is really all that important in the grand scheme of things. The vast majority of the kids I've come across -- and remember, I'm a high school teacher -- choose colleges for far more personal reasons than what other people think.
Conversely, the losing is clearly affecting the fan base. One other thing you should take some time to read this morning is this piece by Sean Hawkins over at the WSU Football Blog. It's a thoughtful post on just how this losing is demoralizing us as fans.
On to the rest of the links!
WSU down, not out - Spokesman.com - Sept. 26, 2010 Eaton leaves WSU football - SportsLink - Spokesman.com - Sept. 26, 2010 WSU Wraps Up Cougar Classic - WASHINGTON STATE OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE WSU Athletics Honoring Veterans and Active Duty Soldiers for Nov. 6 Cal Game - WASHINGTON STATE OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE Week Four Review (9/26) The Many Iterations of William Shatner - NYTimes.com Joe Posnanski » Posts 32 Great Sports Illustrated Covers « EDSBS THE MAGAZINE | VOL. 3 ISSUE 4 - Every Day Should Be Saturday Top 10: Top 10 Epic College Mascot Fights – LostLettermen.com WSU News
“As a coach, it was so painful for us the last two years,” Wulff said Sunday on his weekly conference call, “with injury after injury, with multiple ones every game almost. “To be able to go another game without the serious in nature injuries, against a physical football team like USC, I know people on the outside don’t look at this, but that’s a good thing. That’s a victory for us.”
“The bottom line is he has chosen to leave (the program) at this time and he may (have a future) opportunity to help … with (senior associate athletic director) Mike Marlow,” Wulff said, adding he was unwilling to discuss the departure in greater detail. “He’s worked with Mike already with former players and fund-raising.”
Marina Nicolas won her fourth consecutive Cougar Classic title by defeating Yvette Ly of Idaho 6-3, 6-2 for the Gray singles championship. Earlier in the day, Nicolas captured a semifinal win over Sarah Cassman of Air Force 3-6, 6-2, 6-3. Nicolas' teammate, Jessica Gomez, lost her semifinal match to Ly 6-3, 6-0.
Working with the non-profit organization Veteran Tickets Foundation, WSU Athletics is offering the general public a special price of $10 for end zone tickets and $20 for sideline tickets to purchase and donate to the organization.Other Stuff We Like
Ty and Dan replay all the Week Four action, including impressive wins by SEC teams, letdown showings by the Big 12, and the dawning of a special new Big Ten tradition.
The strange and multifarious career of an actor who always seems to be with us.