Brinkhater Diaries, Vol 1 (1)
So, how about T-Bone ringing in the second quarter of 2008 with 1 million per? Its hard to know what’s more amazing, T-Bone giving up 2.5 times that amount to stay in Pullman or WSU actually ponying up the seven figure donut to keep him? Think about it, its not just 1 million per, its 1 million per for SEVEN YEARS. In Brinkhater math, that’s 7 stinking million dollars! Say what you want, but in my book Jimmy Sterk has not only done one helluva job, he just may have earned himself a spot in the WSU Hall of Fame…
Speaking of Sterk, its hard to ignore news this week about Coach Paul losing a couple handful of scholarships this past week. Nice job, Dobes. Yes, I know that Grandpa was loved by many–including yours truly–but as I wrote here on this very blog last season, the ONE thing we could hang our hat on during our sans bowling escapades with Dobes was that our kids were (seemingly) getting an education…
But with the news about the lost schollies, we became even worse than the Bandits that we’ve bashed here over the years. You know, the thing about Bandit outfits is that they really make no bones about what they are doing. They bring in the 4 or 5 star talent with marginal academics, promise them special treatment and perks (including a free “education” as well as room and board) and give them free football training for two + years in front of 30,000 co-eds auditioning for Girls Gone Wild VXIV. For those who can’t make it to the pros after the Jesus Shuttleworth procession, too bad so sad. But at least everyone knows what the proverbial Barack was cookin’ in those outfits: Go pro or go home.
But with us, it was supposed to be a different deal. We’re walking into homes, promising a chance at the pros, ensuring recruits that if they’re good enough, they’ll make it. But, what we’re really doing in these homes is selling WSU as a place where kids can play with or against great players while they go to a school in an environment where they can get a degree and graduate.
Obviously, the scenario we all hope for is to be great and have a great classroom record like we did at the end of the Price era. But, if you’re not going to win football games, then graduate your stinkin’ players, coaches!. I mean, Dobes, we loved you, but in spite of your professed caring for “your kids”, you failed them.
And you failed them BIG TIME.
And yes, I know it was a tough job, but you got paid some 800k per year to make sure those 70 something kids could do something with their lives when they were done not praticing on weekends during the spring. After all, caring is more than “academic compliance,” Dobes, and you should have known better. And because of that, you should have DONE better for them….Bring on Coach Paul!
Speaking of Coach Paul, word down here is that he and his boys are simply tearing up Northern California. In addition to James Montgomery, you may all recongnize Onterrio Smith, Donte Stallworth, and our own Aaron Garcia as some of the familiar names that came out of Sacto to achieve CRAP-10 fame. As you all know, Coach Paul is from Davis–about 10 miles west of Sacto–and his story and origin has given him MAJOR street (farm) cred down here. From the mouths of Sac State coaches, to regional college football boosters and head hunters, word is overwhelming that we have a MAJOR “IN” downhere right now. Next to USC, we have staked our claim as #2b with CAL for winning this region. Stay tuned, but you gotta LOVE the tenacity of Coach Paul and this staff.
Finally, after seeing that the Big Apple got drafted (way to go Alex!!), I immediately went to scour the Houston Chronicle for press and reader reaction. Among the quotes found in relation to Alex (there were hardly any comments regarding B.A. and no positives to report) was “W-T-F?!”, “Total Losers–All of Them”, “Sixth string material and we only have 4 other QBs on the roster” and my favorite from some Yahoo (I think he is my cousin, Cleetis) from Houston:
Alex Brink was a star athelete in four sports in high school. My bet is that they’ll switch him to defensive back since he has a great mind for the game, great durability, and great speed.
I mean, I know that Alex is durable and that he has a great football mind, but the Big Apple as a Defensive Back?
“So you’re telling me, that I have a chance….
YAAAAAAA!!!”
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