You really do want to stay positive. I mean it is just mid-August, and this is the time when you like to be optimistic about the upcoming 13-game gauntlet (Speaking of gauntlet, we’ve updated the 2008 schedule to the right with the newest version of Schmap, as they just rolled out their NCAA football schedules. I like it…..except they have no aerial shot of our own stadium! Whatever. We can remove it if you guys hate it, but I like the interactive-ness of it vs. pure text).
Anyway, we’re in the “dog days” of fall camp. They’ve been going at it, hard, for a couple of weeks, and it’s only natural to be a little less juiced about practicing in 90+ degrees. But as the injuries start to mount, it’s hard not to pout a little bit. First the wide-outs had some well-publicized setbacks, which stinks. But then RB Chris Ivory came up lame with a sore hammy, and now, Dwight Tardy’s troublesome knee developed a bruise that will likely keep him off the field for today’s scrimmage. Wonderful.
Hopefully both guys are just injured of the “nagging” variety and can get back quickly. And honestly, they better. A quick check of the calendar and oh, man, suddenly we’re just two weeks from kickoff vs. the hated Okies??!?? WOW.
Injuries are part of the deal, always have been, always will be. And for a program like ours, where depth hasn’t been our friend, we know what happens when we suffer a rash of injuries. It’s not always a pretty sight. And hard work and trying to impress a new coaching staff can in fact be a double-edged sword, I guess. On the one hand, you love to hear how hard everyone is working, how intense the coaches and players have been, how different it is with the new regime. But then you have these things pop up. I mean you want to see them practice hard and improve, but at the same time, you also want them to live in a bubble until things get real. Maybe even get some red-shirts or walk-ons to physically carry the starters around the hill? JUST STAY HEALTHY BABY! There should be quite a few backups out there, so, hopefully some of them impress. Cougfan had a premium story about Kevin Norrell doing well at practice yesterday, so that’s good. You never know who will shine when given the opportunity.
So the scrimmage is at 2:30 PM today. Won’t be hot or anything, right? Let’s see, per weather.com, it should be a comfortable 95 degrees by then. But it will “only” feel like 90, since the humidity will hover at 15%. It’s a dry heat! But 95 will feel cool and comfortable compared to tomorrow’s predicted 101. Maybe we could move things inside the bubble and crank the AC??
That’s about it for today. There should be plenty of news out there after the scrimmage, so we’ll touch on anything notable. Also, look for a WSU Home Uni Watch for tomorrow. Enjoy your weekend and GO COUGS!
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