(Sappy sap sap alert – You have been warned…)
I have to admit I was taken by surprise by today’s full-blown feature regarding our own Coach Paul Wulff. I grabbed the Sunday Times off the rack at Starbucks, and much to my amazement, there it was, top-fold action on the front page. At first I thought “cool”. Then I thought “haven’t we been down this road already? Don’t we know all there is to know here?” But then, like you, I read the story. And what a fantastic job by Bud Withers in regards to the depth, the detail, the emotion of the Wulff experience that I sure haven’t seen yet.
I’m an emotional guy and I love our Cougs. I have been moved by Wulff’s story, every time I’ve written about it or read it. Every time, as it is told and retold. But each time I read it or hear about it, it gives me a whole level of appreciation for what we have here.
The example coach Wulff is laying out for his coaches and players is on another level with what is expected when you are part of the program. The results are already showing in a wide-array of changes, which we’ve detailed along the way. The strong academic performance of the football team, the 3.13 team GPA with everyone apparently eligible for the first time in what seems like forever, the team unity council, the overwhelmingly positive tone among the coaching staff and the early gains in recruiting. All perfect examples of what has already changed since Wulff took the podium last December. And even the Andy Roof situation, where so many others would have bailed out and people would have understood why? Not coach Wulff. His has been the lone voice in telling everyone else to calm down and let’s get all the facts before we cast Roof off the ledge. Yet here we are, August third, and Andy Roof still hasn’t been formally charged from the ugly incident a few months ago. Wulff was the calm in the storm, and that loyalty and commitment will hopefully pay off for ALL involved.
Most of all, Wulff’s life story is an example of how to handle the darkest of times. Do you sit in the corner and cry yourself to sleep? Or do you get up, dust yourself off, and respond to the adversity? It’s obvious what coach Wulff has chosen to do with his life, and it is worthy of double fist-pump, right over the heart.
As the first line of the article said, Paul Wulff didn’t cry. After reading that story today? Well coach…..that makes one of us. I am PROUD to write about Washington State football, and PROUD to say that Paul Wulff is our coach. Go get ’em coach!
HAPPY SUNDAY TO Y’ALL, and as always, GO COUGS!
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
