WSU news, notes, Pre-Thanksgiving
COUGARS
There are a lot of things I'm looking forward to tomorrow, not the least of which is a nice sit-down dinner with the family. There is more, sports-related, of course, so read on.
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• Washington State: If you want to look back, we had notes about yesterday's practice in our post last night (including the news of Connor Halliday's release from the hospital) and we have a bunch a links below. But, looking ahead, there are a few things I don't want to miss tomorrow. Like the battle of the Harbaugh's in the morning, Jim and John, the 49ers and the Ravens. Wonder how the post-game handshake will turn out? John: "Mom always like you best." Jim: "What's your deal?" Jim and John: "Pete Carroll is a ..." You can fill in that blank, I'm not going to. And Detroit vs. Green Bay, that will be fun. Then there is the WSU basketball game sometime around 8:30 p.m. on ESPN2. The Cougars will be playing Oklahoma, which is undefeated but really hasn't played anyone. Heck, the Sooners defeated Idaho State just 78-74 at home and we all know the state of the Bengals' program. But most importantly I'm looking forward to, and thankful for, being able to sit in my Laz-e-Boy and talk with my sons. It's something I really miss here in Pullman. ... On to the links. ... We had our Pac-12 notebook concerning the changing face of the conference's rivalry games. Bud Withers covers the same territory in this column, with the change coming for the Apple Cup next year at the top of his list. ... John McGrath thinks Steve Sarkisian and Paul Wulff would make one great coach, together. ... Freelancer Howie Stalwick has this WSU notebook. ... Jim Moore can't understand why some former Cougars work for UW. ... And this year the elephant at the Woodland Park Zoo picks the Cougars.
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• Around the Pac-12: ESPN.com's Ted Miller tells us what to watch and who will win. ... Washington: What's wrong with the Huskies' defense? There are a lot of theories, and one change up front, but if the Cougars don't get healthier on the offensive line before Saturday, no one will be asking this question after the game. ... Oregon State: The Beavers received a Civil War history lesson this week because of the number of freshmen they play. ... Oregon: The Ducks let their older players give the history lesson, though one of them may be leaving soon and a lot are injured. ... California: If the Bears are going to finish off ASU's Pac-12 title hopes, the defense will have to play well. ... Stanford: Cardinal coach David Shaw blasts the BCS, saying it's flawed. The same could be said of the Stanford playing surface and the team's new uniforms. ... Colorado: The Buffs are trying to develop a rivalry with Utah, calling the game the Rumble in the Rockies. Cute. ... Utah: The Utes already have a rival in BYU, but they also have two more this weekend. ... USC: Matt Barkley, who may be playing UCLA for the final time, and Matt Kalil are going to make their future decision together. ... UCLA: Does a Bruin win help USC? ... Two Bruins are tight. ... Arizona State: The hire down the road in Tucson puts pressure on Sun Devil AD Lisa Love. ... Brock Osweiler's targets are changing. ... Arizona: Rich Rodriguez is introduced to the Wildcat faithful.
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• That's it for this morning. We'll be back after practice today. Until then ...
