Classic Foursome Tees Off With $200,000 Goal In Mind

Following a Tuesday press conference promoting the Quarterback Classic to be held at the Coeur d’Alene Resort golf course this summer, Mark Rypien was running late to catch a flight to appear on Jim Rome’s television show in Los Angeles.

However, Rypien couldn’t divorce himself from his competitive juices. With the floating green a tantalizing 300 yards from his perch near the clubhouse, Rypien borrowed a driver and launched eight shots.

“Jim Rome can wait,” he said between practice swings.

All of Rypien’s shots met a watery grave - in part because of a stout head wind - but the event he was promoting will almost certainly be a success.

The Classic, to be co-hosted by former Washington State quarterbacks Drew Bledsoe, Jack Thompson, Timm Rosenbach and Rypien, will raise $200,000 to endow a minority student-athlete scholarship at WSU. Of the four ex-Cougs, Rosenbach was the only one absent from Tuesday’s press conference. He was reportedly signing an NFL contract, although that couldn’t be confirmed.

The event, the brainchild of Thompson and WSU promotions director Ron Davis, is Friday, June 30, and Saturday, July 1. Organizers are inviting numerous past and present NFL quarterbacks, and, as Bledsoe said, “A lot of the guys already know about this place (the Resort).”

Major sponsors are Bank of America and Hagadone Hospitalities. Prime Network, which can reach 41 million homes, will air the event in late July or early August.

“I’m proud to be part of this event, not only to benefit Washington State University but also to endow a minority scholarship,” said Bledsoe, who went to the Pro Bowl following his second season with New England. “WSU has been good to all of us.”

On June 30, 36 current and former NFL quarterbacks will tee off with 12 sponsors in gross and net competition. The next day will feature a quarterback pro-am scramble, with one celebrity joining a sponsor’s foursome.

“This is a nice way to give something back to WSU,” Rypien said. “I guess the only drawback I have is 41 million golf fans have to see my swing on television.”

That’s called sandbagging.

Rypien carries a 2-5 handicap and won a 1991 celebrity tournament, so his statement better applies to Bledsoe.

“I know that Mark and Jack have played more golf courses than I have because they’ve been around longer, but I’ve played more of the golf course I’m on,” said Bledsoe, who considers sub100 a good round.

“This is my home now,” said Rypien, a Post Falls resident trying to land an NFL job after spending last season with Cleveland. Then he joked, “And the way things are going now (on the NFL front), I needed somewhere to call home base.”

A gallery of 1,200 will be permitted June 30. About 600 gallery tickets remain at $50 per person. On July 1, it’ll take $5,000 for a team sponsor to have four golfers hook up with a celebrity. Roughly 12 of the 32-36 team sponsorships have been purchased.

Jerry Jaeger, president of Hagadone Hospitality, said the tournament might be an annual event.

For information, contact the Resort at (208) 765-4000 or WSU promotions at (509) 335-0214.