WSU readies for last home game
COUGARS
Midweek. Only the rest of this one and the next left in Washington State's 2009 football season. As Cal and Stanford prepare for the Big Game, WSU prepares for a visit by Oregon State. And about 15,000 tickets have been sold. But then again, in recent history, the home game before Thanksgiving week is always sparsely attended. We have more, so read on.
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• Washington State: Let's be honest. It hasn't been a good week for football. The loss to UCLA. Jason Stripling's arrest. Defensive tackle Toby Turpin's suspension (second item). So the news center Kenny Alfred was invited to the East-West Shrine Game was a welcome relief to the Cougars. Coach Paul Wulff calls him WSU's best player – Wullf's prejudiced, of course, having been a center – and it's hard to argue. He's also WSU's most articulate. ... We have our Pac-10 story today. ... Freelancer Howie Stalwick dragged his hurting body – get well, Howie – to Pullman and has a notebook in the Kitsap Sun and other papers. ... As we noted in this post, basketball coach Ken Bone announced last night Faisal Aden's signing to a letter of intent.
• Around the Pac-10: ESPN.com's Ted Miller has a hot seat list for conference coaches. Sitting atop it is Wulff. Hard to see a firing happening, though. ... Buster Sports Nick Daschel looks at the Rose Bowl odds. ... Bud Withers of the Times looks at the new bully on the block. ... Washington: With the bye, nothing. ... Oregon State: The players and coaches may not be, but everyon else is looking past WSU. ... Even though an Oregon win would make the Civil War a Rose Bowl showdown, some Beavers can't root for the Ducks. ... Oregon: Duck quarterbacks haven't fared well in Tucson recently. ... California: Nothing today. ... Stanford: Toby Gerhart, Heisman candidate, remains just plain Toby Gerhart. ... USC: No starter question. But the backup quarterback spot is being contested again. ...UCLA: The Bruins are playing as well as their rival down the freeway right now. ... Arizona State: There's a two-game season left for the Sun Devils. ... Arizona: Nick Foles has amnesia about last week.
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• That's all for the morning. We'll be back later today as always. Until then …
