SportsLink

WSU writer taking a hiatus in the East

Posted by Vince

June 6, 2009 9:08 a.m. • 43 comments

COUGARS

Not much in the way of links for you today, but we do have news about the next month. Read on.

••••••••••

• About a year ago, after returning from an amazing vacation with my wife Kim, I was sitting in my recliner trying to come up with a way to top a trip to Disneyworld. As is my wont, I was watching golf. And somehow the 2009 U.S. Open at Bethpage was mentioned. That was it. What better way to top a magical place than to visit the real world’s Disneyworld, New York?

I’m going to share here. I’m 52 years old and have never been in New York. Even when the Cougars were in Newark last basketball season, I didn’t get into the city. Even when I took the family on a Clark Griswold-like car tour of baseball parks a decade ago, we didn’t get in the city. I’ve avoided it like the plague. Chicken I guess. Either that or anti-social. (Smart money is on the latter.) Even though my niece attended Fordham in the 1990s and has lived in the city since, I’ve never had the nerve to visit. Well, that ends next week.

I came up with a plan. I entered the lottery for U.S. Open tickets. Won. Bought two tickets last summer. Called my sister and brother-in-law and invited Al to join me at Bethpage, gratis, as long as Linda would take Kim to plays. A deal was struck. We’re headed for New York for a couple weeks, I’ve lost 10 pounds getting my legs in shape and I’m going to ride a subway train just as another version of The Taking of Pelham One Two Three hits the theaters (the Walter Matthau version might be the basis of my fear of the city after all). Al and I are going to follow my favorite golfer, Jim Furyk, for a while, make sure we see Steve Stricker play (as a homage to his friend Tony Bennett), sit for a while in the hospitality tent, scream “get in the hole” at least once (probably on the practice tee) and head home each night exhausted.

• All that is a very long way for me to tell you there probably won’t be much in the way of WSU posts on this blog for the next five weeks (and I’ll explain that length in a second). Though I’ll keep my eyes and ears open (maybe I’ll see the WSU flag in the crowd at Bethpage), I’m going to try to keep my fingers away from the keyboard for a while (though I promise I won’t go away completely – I am addicted after all). When I return, my hope is my blood pressure will be down, my aching fingers will have healed and my wife will recognize me again. Why five weeks? Well, that’s another story.

As you might know, S-R newsroom employees agreed to a new contract this spring, one that included a 7-to-10 percent pay cut (I’m in the latter group) and gave management the ability to have us take a week’s furlough, if it so desired. It so desires. So, we have to take five working days off without pay before the end of September. In my case, August and September are out, thanks to Cougar football. (By the way, football practice officially kicks off Sunday, August 9 in preparation for the opener with Stanford Sept. 5.) June is out because I’m using up my vacation. So that leaves July. To make it simple, I’m just tagging the furlough on the end of my vacation, and will be back the week of July 12. Of course, that week I’m covering the Spokane Indians for five days, so the WSU news might be a little hard for me to run down. But that’s another story, and I’m sure you don’t want to read that.

• To summarize: Headed to New York to watch golf. Taking a vacation. A furlough. Covering baseball. Be back for good in July, older, poorer, maybe wiser.

•••

• That’s it for now. If you had a yearbook I would write something wacky with a lot of exclamation points and innuendo, but we’re adults now so all I’ll write is … be back in full force in July. Until then …

43 comments on this post so far. Add yours!

mbb on June 06 at 2:42 p.m.
Vince, we just got back from New York a few weeks ago. Went to a family friend’s graduation at Fordham. If you get a chance, take the “ram van” from the City campus out to the main campus in the Bronx. After your tour of the campus, walk out to Arthur Avenue for a great Italian dinner New York style. The first block looks a little dicey, but it cleans up pretty fast. It was the highlight of our trip. Have a great vacation. You deserve it!
garlandcoug on June 06 at 6:12 p.m.
Vince…Thanks for sharing. I would love to hear all about your trip to the big city and your thoughts on the US Open. However I understand the great need to get away ( the unpaid furlough part sucks though). Have a great time we all look forward to your return.
EllensburgCoug on June 06 at 9:12 p.m.
Vince you will absolutely love the Big Apple. My brother, who was raised in Pullman, went to college on the east coast in1968, moved to Brooklyn after graduate school in 1980, and absolutely feel in love with New York City. He only comes back to Pullman now to visit our mother.
His living in New York City gave me a chance to visit the city. It is absolutely an incredible place. I hope you get to see the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, Yankee Stadium, the Empire State Building, the World Trade Center(sigh, I’ve been in the towers), take the Staten island Ferry, see the UN, jog in Central Park etc…
too much to see and do.
I do hope you get a chance to use the subways. They are great and inexpensive way to get around the city.
I love New York
Go Cougs
tom_floyd on June 06 at 9:55 p.m.
Don’t forget to send me a postcard.
avboden on June 07 at 11:01 a.m.
Vince!

Almost all my family is from NewYork, however I was borne and raised here in Spokane. I go to NY quite a bit. Here’s some tips.

1. When crossing the street, the lights don’t matter. Just go with the crowd.
2. The subways and the whole city is HOT during the summer, but don’t wear a big sun hat and *look* like a tourist, that’s just screaming mess with me :D. Although people don’t often,….I just like making fun of tourists.

For food, it is ALL amazing and kick’s spokane’s butt. But you HAVE to go to Artie’s delli http://arties.com/ It’s at 83’rd and Broadway, impossible to miss. Just get on the Subway, head up broadway (I want to say it’s the 1 train) and get off at either 86th or 79th street(if I remember correctly).

Speaking of the subway, depending on how long you are there just buy a week or more unlimited subway pass. It’s not worth trying to pay for each trip.

Enjoy! Seriously, go to Arties
sammamishcoug on June 07 at 8:14 p.m.
Vince,

I’ve traveled all over the US on business and NYC is by far my favorite place to go. Whether it’s sports, theater, food or just walking the city, Manhattan is unlike another city in the US.

You’re going to have a great time.

BTW, you won’t need a car, just take cabs and the subway.

GO COUGS
coug79 on June 08 at 8:02 a.m.
Vince—have a great trip! We’ll miss your posts and look forward to your return.
coreyb on June 08 at 10:39 a.m.
Have a great vacation Vince, you definitely deserve it.
OlyCoug on June 10 at 1:28 p.m.
Vince,
I haven’t been many places in this world but I have been fortunate enough to visit New York a few times.

It really IS all that’s it’s cracked up to be. I think it changes your psyche and soul in some way when you visit—there’s so much history there. It really may be the center of the world.

You surely will feel different when you return home to the “little” city of Spokane.

So, take it all in and let us know how it goes…
ECoug01 on June 10 at 3:05 p.m.
Vince enjoy the vacation its well deserved.

Toomer and LeAndre Daniels arrested for stealing bikes. So stupid.. Our safeties seem to be a bunch of lawbreaking morons..

After Wulff ripped the “character” of some of the old players now 2 of his guys are breaking the law. It’s not an easy task to not get some knuckleheads out of all those players age 18 to 23…
rufus on June 10 at 4:19 p.m.
did dennis erickson help recurit defensive players ?
TommyCoug on June 10 at 5:01 p.m.
This bad “actor and character” mode is becoming an epidemic among Cougar football players!

Or am I becoming too critical and cynical…I am sure I will find out when the give them “2 to 3” more chances crowd comes on!

Send them to Hamas…or that’s right…Hamas is coming to the United States!

What an absolutely upside DOWN world (in the USA) this has become!
avboden on June 10 at 5:36 p.m.
Jake locker was drafted in the 10th round by the angels for MLB

hahahahahahaha

any idea on his chances of going with that and leaving football? Seems like a safer bet as playing for UW isn’t going to get him anywhere, certainly not the NFL
85coug on June 10 at 8:54 p.m.
Were the Unity Council members aware when they signed up that they were required to work overtime? Ouch! Coach Wulff needs to show us something good, either on or off the field….really soon. The Apple Cup win over the worst Husky team of all time will only take him so far. (ok….the celebration “dance” bought him a little time) Show me something!
gocougs01 on June 10 at 9:15 p.m.
Seems there is a lot of Cougar news after all. Some good and some not so good. On the good side we had three baseball players picked in the pro draft so far. We should see a couple more in the next few rounds. Good for them and good for Coach Marbut for bringing these kids in and keeping them on track. Maybe Wulff should follow his example. Maybe the baseball players are a bit different animal. Whatever it is, he is doing a good job. What is it with our football team? Wulff promised a good crop of kids and stated many times the kids he inherited were not very good. Think he needs to look in his own closet? Floyd is gone from USC, I think that is a good thing. Now maybe the NCAA will wise up and take a look without the USC alumnae buying them off.
DeerLakeRon on June 11 at 10:31 a.m.
Yes there is more good News then bad if you add in what our track athletes are doing and the Big 6‘10” player Boone might get now that Nevada relesed him.
Isn’t the Unity Counsel or whaterever its called made up of Players. I hope they aren’t some of the ones involved in the recent trouble.. Its going to be tough but Wulff just needs to start sending players Home. Last year we needed walk on QB’s now we will be holding open tryouts for Safety. Price use to always say you don’t recruit FB players in the Library, But we need to stop shopping at the Juvenile Probabtion line. Don’t forget our current Projected starting QB was in a little trouble lately also. What to come of the Cougar Nation.. Just hope a few bad apples don’t spoil it for every good one in the box.
MikeSequim on June 11 at 5:09 p.m.
Didn’t this blog talk about Wulff’s decision making awhile back with regard to EWU Football? Wow, outta the pan and into the fire. Are we sure about this hire? Just seems like a rocky start to me. Hardly any room for sarcasm here, let alone absurdity! I say, it’s time to go to Walla Walla and open the gates. No reason to recruit outta State. Geeeeeeesh!
Rambler on June 11 at 8:49 p.m.
Please Mr. Sterk take away the “Unity Council” and find some discipline. This is embarrassing, if Wulff has no backbone find one for him!
UW is signing the son of a legend at QB and making news around the nation and we get more stupid kids getting arrested.
I guess the value of a WSU Scholarship is not valued on the FB team.
Enough is enough!
gocougs01 on June 12 at 8:41 a.m.
Get a bargain basement coach and that is what we get. I agree WSU does not have the deep pockets of the UW but why not get a big hire, invest in the future and move on? Paul Wulff is a nice enough guy, but is he the future of WSU football? I have not been a fan of this hire from the start and I do not want to say “I told you so” because WSU can’t afford more losses, but we need to hold a higher standard and be impatient for change. Let’s see a spark in the right direction or close the door before it is too late!!!
Edog on June 12 at 3:33 p.m.
Did Wulff even recruit any of these guys? Seems to me like he didnt. I hardly see why this is his fault. But you think he should yank scholarships and kick kids off the team for stealing bicycles? Really bad choices, really dumb behavior, but come on.
gocougs01 on June 12 at 5:13 p.m.
Well Edog if you are asking me the answer is YES. It’s time to draw a line in the sand!!!
TommyCoug on June 13 at 11:49 a.m.
And, Edog, the answer to your “real and most important qestion” is…YES! Wulff did recruit some of these guys!!

No excuses, justification or “but(t)” monkeys…PLEASE!!

A scholarship and playing football at WSU is a PRIVILEGE…not a right!!
gocougs01 on June 16 at 8:48 p.m.
Quote from COUGFAN.com “Recruiting wars: Paul Wulff and most of his coaching staff came to Washington State from Eastern Washington with sterling reputations as recruiters. They’ve done little to damage that reputation heading into their second year with the Cougars”

I am a little concerned as to what CF.C is trying to sell. Yes, the recruiting is OK and maybe better then the past but has CF.c looked at what the first year coaches are doing at the UW. Four - 4 star and seven - 3 star players so far. (that is right off the CF.com website) Hope we haven’t wasted a few good years after making a coaching change. Do we have a coaching staff that can excite kids! Time will tell but so far I am not impressed.
MikeSequim on June 17 at 9:45 p.m.
Just saw a picture of Ryan Leaf in the Times tonight. Pretty sad situation for an ex Coug. I hope he comes to grips with his problems.
Rambler on June 18 at 10:07 p.m.
Vince, I think I saw you on TV today at the Open, you were the one with the umbrella right!

Good / humorous editorial in the Daily Evergreen today about the football team and their recently struggles off the field.
http://www.dailyevergreen.com/story/28938

Three Cougs playing ball in the upcoming U19 World Championships. That is some good news.

I hope the sun shines for you the rest of the week Vince.
Beiron on June 19 at 12:21 a.m.
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.—Where will you find America’s best young basketball players?

The answer might surprise you: Butler and Washington State.

Both teams placed two players on the 12-man roster for the United States team that will compete next month at Under-19 World Championships in New Zealand.

http://www.sportingnews.com/college-basketball/article/2009-06-18/u-19-usa-basketball-team-comes-together
Beiron on June 19 at 12:23 a.m.
Here is a better story

http://www.examiner.com/x-784-Washington-State-Cougars-Examiner~y2009m6d18-Two-Cougs-make-the-USA-Basketball-U19-team
Beiron on June 19 at 12:24 a.m.
The extra playing time is really going to help next year and lord knows we are going to need the help
Beiron on June 19 at 12:26 a.m.
By the way thats 3 cougs playing on the U19 teams
gocougs01 on June 19 at 9:30 p.m.
Hey Beiron - who is #3? You got me on this one!!
gocougs01 on June 19 at 9:36 p.m.
Hope you all noticed the baseball weekend intermingled into the first football game weekend. Golf tourney, party auction, dinner, alumnae game and a Sunday breakfast. Along with the Stanford football game it will be a fun and busy weekend. Read about it on the Cougar web-site. Let’s support baseball like we do football and basketball. It is a real program again!!!!
Beiron on June 21 at 1:20 a.m.
There will be another Coug playing in the FIBA U19 World Championship. Brock Motum has been selected to play for the Australian team. Motum, a 6‘9” forward from Brisbane, Australia, will be a freshman this fall at WSU.
Rambler on July 02 at 4:23 p.m.
With Vince gone, this paper is all about Spokane. GU this and Shock that.

The West Side papers are reporting the Bjornstad has signed with Wazzu. I do not know if he will red-shirt or not, I do not think so because we need the size, but we should have the makings of an exciting team. With Motum, Thames, Brown & Moore coming in coupled with Thompson & Casto, who are getting some good playing time with the USA U19 Team.
ThaiCoug on July 03 at 3:42 p.m.
Rambler,

I agree the next season is really going to be exciting on the roundball court. Let’s sum it up:

1. PAC10 is picked 5th in the BCS conference standings for next year.

2. We have a young, but growing experienced team with a core of Casto and Thompson. Now with Motum getting the exposure in the U19 it can only be good. I just wish the internet would show the game if the USA meets Australia.

3. The point guard competition is really going to be interesting.

4. Now can the new coach blend all this potential and opportunity. Make us forget who that interim coach between Dick Bennett and Bone was. Not really, but the sore taste in my mouth needs to be washed away with a good season.
avboden on July 05 at 7:54 p.m.
Hey all I finally looked up the updates on the U19 games and guess who’s 3-0? USA baby! Oh and Australia!

Klay is averaging 8 points per game, with 11 against egypt with 3/3 from beyond the arc.

overall %’s
2pFG: 44.4%
3pFG: 45.5%
Time: about 19minutes

Casto is averaging around 13 minutes a game @ 6ppg. He went 5/6 against Iran, 2/3 against france, and 1/2 against egypt. he’s 3/4 FT overall. Total he’s shooting 72.7% in the 2 pointers.

Brock Motum is looking amazing right now! He had 22 pts against canada, 14 against spain, and 13 against SYR. for an average of 16PPG. He’s also averaging 6 RPG and is shooting 67.6% from the field. He is averaging almost 25 minutes per game.

Get this, there’s something about the number 55 for USA, kind of strange.

USA vs Iran 105-55
USA vs France 71-55
USA vs Egypt 112-55

what is with letting them score 55?! Oh well, looks like total domination by the good ol’ US of A.

Next games:
vs. Greece on the 6th
vs Puerto Rico on the 7th
vs Lithuania on the 8th

Casto showing his amazing vert over 2 Egyptians

http://www.newzealand2009.fiba.com/images/web/Events/09/u19/daybyday/PreliminaryRound/040709/USA-EGY/USA/_400/USA_CASTO_Deangelo.jpg

Keep up with the action here

http://www.newzealand2009.fiba.com/
avboden on July 06 at 6:18 p.m.
USA beat Greece today 85-69

now 4-0

australia beats khazacstan moves to 4-0

Klay only got 11 minutes today and scored 3 points, shooting 1/1 from 2pt, 0/0 3pts, and 1/2 FTs

Casto got 14 minutes and scored 6. Shooting 2/3 from 2pt and 2/4 FTs
avboden on July 07 at 10:15 a.m.
USA beats puerto rico easily, 82-61

Klay gets 24 minutes goes 3/6 from beyond the arc for a total of 9 points. He also netted 6 rebounds.

Casto got 14 minutes, going 2/3 from 2pt and 2/4 in FTs for 6 points. Got 5 rebounds.

Australia is also 5-0

Motum is still averaging 16 points per game

over all he’s shooting 62% from 2pt, only 1/4 25% from 3pt, 78.6% FTs

Casto overall is averaging 71.4% from the field, and 62.5% FTs

Klay overall is shooting over all only 43.3%, with 38.5% from 2pt and 47.1% from 3pt.
DeerLakeRon on July 07 at 12:11 p.m.
avboden,
I read Casto didn’t play the last game. Your numbers for him look the same as the game before?
Curious why he didn’t play. I hope no injury.
Rambler on July 07 at 12:31 p.m.
Here is a link to the correct USA U19 scores. DL Ron you are correct Casto is nursing a sore knee and did not play.

http://www.usabasketball.com/news.php?news_page=09_mu19_game5
avboden on July 07 at 11:52 p.m.
Ah my bad. It seems the main tournament website messed that up.
Rambler on July 08 at 8:45 a.m.
Bad news for Casto, he torn up is knee and is not going to be able to play the rest of the tournament. I hope it is minor and it won’t effect his Soph. season.
MVTravis on July 08 at 9:56 a.m.
Rambler,
The rumor mill (and it is just that) is saying that its just a mild sprain that needs some rest. Nothing major at all, a couple weeks tops.
avboden on July 08 at 6:44 p.m.
USA won again today. Beat Lithuania 76-69

close one!!

some interesting tidbits

“Klay Thompson (Washington State / Ladera Ranch, Calif.) came up with a loose ball in a scramble and scored to break the tie and put the U.S. ahead for good 69-67 with 2:45 on the clock.”

Klay scored 10 in the game.

“It was also announced that Washington State forward DeAngelo Casto (Spokane, Wash.) has a torn meniscus of his right knee and would not play the remainder of the tournament.”

Sucks for Casto but should heal up well for the real season.