Tuesday Linkage

Non-Oregon related post, so, Duck fans, no need to read this….Just some Tuesday random things of interest in Coug-ville.

• The NCAA preview mags are hitting the stands. Lindy’s hit last week, and now Athlon’s has made it. If you are scoring at home, Lindy’s has us at 10th, while Athlon’s sees us at 9th. I guess it isn’t a real surprise, given the questions of depth and losing guys like Brink, Bumpus, Collins, etc. I still like EA Sports and the Armed Forces Bowl prediction, but we’ll get into that later this summer.

  

• Athlon’s and Lindy’s both slurpin’ up some Tebow. Athlon’s has him as the top Heisman contender and we’re likely to see him repeat. (I don’t know why I’m pointing that out, other than we love to see who or what is hanging around the rock star.)
• The “mystery” kicker has been revealed! Cougfan broke the story yesterday, but finally, the JC kicker Wulff has been talking about since shortly after signing day is a known commodity. Nico Grasu, a 6-1, 190 lb kicker from the class of ’07, has enrolled at WSU and will be ready for fall camp. Wulff mentioned a few times at the Seattle football dinner that this mystery kicker has a strong leg, particularly great on kickoffs (hello!). What a welcome thought, a kicker who can actually get the ball into the endzone? Cougfan’s story is a premium one, but I found this profile of him on as site called “Chris Sailer Kicking”. Check out the link, it’s a quick read and you get the idea that he’s well-regarded for kickoffs. Maybe, just MAYBE, the days of the squib are over!?!
• The Evergreen has a commentary about how we need “Sheriff Wulff” to clean up the football team. Nothing earth-shattering, but a good view from campus on the heavy lifting ahead for coach Wulff. We’ve already said it a thousand times since December, but this is going to be a tough climb to change this thing and get it pointed in the right direction. Hopefully we’ve seen the bottom, but it could get worse. Just be patient, that’s all.
• AD Jim Sterk talked to Cougfan and sounded optimistic about the stadium renovations. Major fundraising is about to start for Phase III, and it could break ground in January ’09, that is if the luxury seating sales go as planned. So far, so good. Our own “Kaddy” mentioned a rumor making the rounds that there could finally be a naming rights deal coming together, but we haven’t heard anything substantial on that. Stay tuned.
• Non-Coug related – the Sonics story is picking up steam. Less than 2 weeks now until the trial, and the P-I ran an article about how ugly things could get if it makes it to court. Save Our Sonics founder Brian Robinson hinted last week that there are rumblings that the NBA is starting to push hard for an agreeable settlement for all sides, and the bottom line sounds like the court case could result in some black eyes and bloody noses for all involved. I’ve swung both ways on this thing, part of me saying let’s drag these liars into court and make them sweat, force them to stay and make them eat at least $30 million in losses over the next two years. You know, pound of flesh, scorched earth, the whole thing. But then I see the hype surrounding Lakers-Celtics, and I remember back to how great the NBA can be when you are actually good. I think about the power players involved in this court case, and I believe that at the end of the day, somehow a settlement will be reached to guarantee the NBA in one form or another in Seattle.
• Finally, coach Tony had a lot to say about Pullman and how it’s the place for him. Cougfan has a story about him, and he talked at length about a variety of things, including the schedule, Pullman, the incoming recruiting class, etc. Jim Moore had a big story on him last week as well. Both articles were sounding awfully good.

  
  I told Brinkhater that I heard a radio interview with Tony last week on KRKO-1380, and he really and truly sounded happy and content to be in Pullman. It’s not that we’ve totally doubted him, but I know I’ve at least taken a pessimistic view on how long he’ll stick around. You know, too young, too successful, too handsome, too this, too that to stay at WSU. Well, I will say this – after turning down Indiana, LSU, Marquette and who knows what other programs (Stanford? Cal?), as well as Michigan last year, I’ve crossed over to the believer side of things. Hearing him speak in his own words about the community, the direction of the program, the recruits coming in, I honestly believe now what the other optimists have been saying all along – he really IS happy. And he is going to stay for some time. So, I’m choosing to relax, not follow every ‘net rumor, and just enjoy the time he is actually here. I’m not totally naive, and I know that the day will probably come that he will leave. That will be a heart-breaking day. But I think what would be even worse would be to wake up the morning after he leaves, and ask myself why I didn’t just enjoy the time that he was here instead of wringing my hands on where he might go. I don’t want to feel like that, do you?

  Happy Tuesday!