Lessons Far From Lost On Cougars

Mike Price and Rick Dickson had alcohol on their minds Friday morning.

Given recent events, it’s better there than on their breath.

The Washington State football coach and athletic director came to Spokane for a golf outing with staff and boosters - the kind of thing that is, traditionally, equal parts schmooze and booze.

This week’s Sports Illustrated cover - pillorying Michigan’s Gary Moeller and the Seattle Seahawks’ Dennis Erickson for embarrassing alcohol-related indiscretions - may have altered some attitudes, though.

“It certainly sheds a different light on functions like this,” Price said. “It opens your eyes and reminds you of your responsibility. I think everyone’s going to be more cautious.”

Don’t misunderstand. Price and Dickson weren’t in town to start a temperance movement and didn’t assume a soapbox without provocation - they addressed the subject because it was brought up by a reporter.

But, clearly, since Moeller blew a gasket and Erickson blew a .23, coaches have been reminded of their visibility.

“I’m very sympathetic and have a great deal of empathy toward them,” Price said. “It’s real unfortunate and it doesn’t change my opinion of them. In Dennis’ case, the way he has reacted to the press, and the things they’re doing with their team (counseling sessions, etc.) have been real positive.”

And to all of us who have found ourselves “overserved” on occasion, it stands as a sobering lesson.

“If we can learn something from this, as a profession, and myself, personally, then it will help,” Price said. “I know Dennis real well, and it certainly hasn’t eroded my confidence in him. I’m sure he’s going to turn a negative situation into a positive.”

Erickson will take part in a two-year alcohol-rehabilitation program, and the entire Seahawks organization will receive counseling. So, certainly, he should no longer be Dennis the (driving) Menace.

Please don’t consider it a news flash that some coaches have just started drinking in the past week or so.

Dickson, formerly A.D. at Tulsa, previously has had to “sit some people down and just let them know there’s a problem,” he said. “Sometimes it involves counseling and sometimes it involves monitoring and working with them. And sometimes you have to take stricter actions. I know that it can - and has - ruined careers.”

The key, Dickson said, is “being proactive” and recognizing that pressures are building up. Or, even better, eliminating as many pressures as possible on coaches.

“You worry about these things,” Dickson said. “As an administrator, you want coaches to feel like they’re in a secure environment, because these jobs bring enough pressures and strains with them. You try to help them not be so obsessed with what public expectations are - because our own are high enough.”

Price said pressures and stress are simply part of the package and should never serve as an excuse.

“I know that Dennis isn’t using any excuses. He’s saying, ‘Hey, I made a mistake and I’m going to correct it,”’ Price said. “I think that’s the honorable way to approach it, because there are no excuses.”

This week, Erickson stood up to the heat and said “the only person who should be blamed in this whole situation is Dennis Erickson, because I’m the one who put myself in this position.”

The feeling here - and it’s probably shared with anyone who has witnessed Erickson’s coaching zeal - is that he will be so eager to polish up his image in Seattle that he might somehow, single-handedly, prod this team to its best record ever.

If Erickson can get the Seahawks into the playoffs this fall, Seattlites will give him the keys to the city - if not their cars.

Then the drinking incident, and the shadow of erratic drug tests of players at the University of Miami, will be long forgotten.

Right or wrong, that is the way of the NFL. It is not so simple in college.

Price and Dickson know that.

“The whole thing is very scary and it sure gets your attention,” Dickson said. “Hopefully, from some other people’s misfortune, everybody else in this industry can learn from it.”

You can contact Dave Boling by voice mail at 459-5577, extension 5504.