Ernie Kent is gone, let us rejoice and be glad.

Good morning. I don’t have a lot of time. I don’t care to get into why, and neither do you. Anyway, I’m thrilled beyond words that the carnival barking snake oil salesman is no longer a Washington State University employee. If ever there was a state government version of a Sopranos-like “no show” job, Ernie Kent lived on that Pullman corner for five long years. And since fellow empty suit Bill Moos gave Kent one of the most coach-friendly contracts in the history of ever, Big Ern’s spirit will be on that corner for years to come.

Info note: I picked that photo for two reasons. First, all the good Ernie Kent pics are already on the front page. Second, it’s the last photo in the database that anyone took while Ernie Kent was WSU’s head coach.

On a related note, if you’re as elated as I am that Pat Chun lanced the biggest boil in the athletic department, feel free to send a donation to the Cougar Athletic Fund to help ease the burden. Donate here!

I still remember when many-a-Coug fan (including me, probably) thought WSU couldn’t afford to fire Ken Bone because he had $1.8M left on his deal. Bill Moos did fire Bone, and wrote him one check to go away. Pat Chun clearly carried the same mindset into Ernie’s firing. If you’re already in the red, what’s the big deal about diving a little deeper?

So where does WSU go next? This will stun you, but I have no earthly idea. Honest to God, I wouldn’t mind if the Cougs went hard after basketball pariah and dimly-lit Italian restaurant booth aficionado Rick Pitino. Alas, our president doesn’t seem to align with that idea.

You know things are serious when El Presidente publicly rebukes state-run media.

So is it Montana’s coach? Do they make another run at Leon Rice? What about Ritchie McKay? (He’s at a detestable school now but I think he’d be a home run). Do the Cougs go cheap to offset the cost of Kent’s buyout, or does Pat Chun use the mantra “scared money don’t make money”? The possibilities are (kind of) endless!

Like most things involving humans, the chase will be a thrill. Let’s just hope there are no regrets when the sun comes up.

Basketball

I know Theo Lawson doesn’t have the most admirable job in the world, especially during basketball season. The article about coaching possibilities was, well, let’s just say it could have been used some more rigor.

Next in line: A breakdown of 10 candidates to replace Ernie Kent as Washington State’s basketball coach | The Spokesman-Review
We break down 10 possible candidates who could replace Ernie Kent and use a 1-5 scale to rate how likely it is they’ll become Washington State’s next coach.

How can Washington State resurrect hoops program? Hire the Mike Leach of basketball | The Seattle Times
After the firing of Ernie Kent this week, the program seems to have little hope of a rebound soon. It better come up with something unique.

Football

Hot Seat College Football Coach Rankings For Power Five Conferences
He’s exactly what a Washington State head coach needs to be. Fun, exciting, offensive-minded, and good enough to make the football program just a relevant date on the schedule.

College football Week 1: Red herrings of the 2018 season | SI.com
Remember these games when everyone is overreacting to Labor Day weekend 2019's biggest surprises.

This Week in Parenting

I got off work about 8pm Saturday evening, and the family was at a get-together at a house on base, so I dropped by. When we left, the 7 year-old decided to ride home with me. What followed was one of the most underrated aspects of being a dad.

Kid’s statements in bold, my statements in italics, commentary in brackets.

What time did you come over here?
About 10 minutes after I left work.
But don’t you work really close to here?
Yeah
So what were you doing for those 10 minutes?
I don’t know, walking to my car?

[Listening to a podcast after getting in the car. There was talk about the college basketball player of the year]

What’s the player of the year?
It means they give an award to the best college basketball player in the country.
Do they have one for college football?
Yeah, they give the best player in college football the Heisman Trophy.
Who won it last year?
A quarterback from Oklahoma.
Oh, was it Kyler Murray?
Yeah.

[We chronically underestimate the amount of information young people absorb. This will always be true. After that exchange, I decided to turn off the podcast to see where the conversation went.]

Dad, can I watch Last Chance U?
No.
Why not? We got to watch it at our friend’s house.
Well, if you’re at their house, they can let you watch what they want, but there are too many swear words and other things.
Is the F word the worst word in the world?

[oh no]

No, it’s not the worst word in the world, but it’s something only adults say.
Why do adults say it? What about the S word? That’s bad too?
Yeah, bad for kids to say.

[There really is no rational explanation for swear words]

Should I be a quarterback or a running back?
What?
When I play football.
Um, you should be a quarterback.
I’m gonna be a running back. I’m pretty fast.

[Well then]

We went to the book fair today, and Jackson got a book called Lost in the Amazon.
Oh, is it about getting lost in the rain forest?
What?
You know, the Amazon rain forest. The Amazon is one of the world’s biggest rivers.
It is? It’s also a company that sends us stuff in the mail.

[I’m willing to bet that almost every young person thinks the river was named after the company.]

Dad, why do they only have cuss words in the military?

[Laughing]

Well kiddo, I don’t think the military invented cuss words. Lots of people swear.
Oh, ok.

All the vacations. The first days of school. The last days of school. Christmas mornings and such. In lieu of all that, snapshots in time like these, just a simple conversation in the car, will always what I remember most fondly.

Beer

Best beer I had this week: The trip back home is the gift that keeps on giving. This week, that gift came in the form of Fremont Bourbon Barrel Aged Dark Star: Coffee Edition. Words will never do justice to how good it was.

‘It's in the eye of the beholder’ – drinks giants defend ‘craft beer’ branding | Business | The Guardian
Report shows many consumers unaware of buying from global firms instead of small brewers.

Non-Sports

Afghan interpreter for Iowa National Guard gains US citizenship
Nabi Mohammadi, who spent years risking his life for Americans, became an American last week.