Cougars, Leaf Find New Fans

Ryan Leaf was answering a question about the complexity of Washington State’s offense when he was interrupted by an innocent voice from below.

“What’s your name?” the little boy wanted to know.

Leaf didn’t miss a beat. “Ryan,” he answered amenably. “What’s your name?”

“D’Andre,” the child replied.

“Andre?” Leaf asked, lowering his 6-foot-5 frame onto one knee. “D-Andre,” the child corrected, extending a pen and paper Leaf’s way.

“What’s up, big guy?” Leaf said, handing over his autograph.

And so it went Monday as the Cougars continued to keep an open-door policy at the Coliseum, where they completed their second Rose Bowl practice since arriving in Southern California during the weekend.

Patricia Sanders, an aunt to WSU defensive tackle Leon Bender and the operator of the Sanders Family Day Care near Inglewood, brought D’Andre and nine other children to Monday’s 90-minute workout.

Bender was among several players who remained afterward to sign autographs and answer questions.

“It’s real cool,” Bender said. “I like to talk to kids and tell them about the things we do and try to get them out of the ghettos.

“That’s something that’s real important to me, because in the ghettos kids don’t have the same opportunities as most kids do in the suburbs.”

WSU coaches and players, including more than 30 with roots in Southern California, are scheduled to speak with young people at several area community centers this week.

Coach Mike Price believes the eighth-ranked Cougars have found a healthy balance between preparing for Michigan and enjoying the moment. The top-ranked Wolverines, meanwhile, are holding two-a-day practices that are closed to the public.

“I think we’re practicing just right,” Price said. “I think the players have had a real serious attitude at both of these practices. They’ve come out here and really worked hard. And we’re having some fun and relaxing and the weather’s great.”

Saadat moves on

More than four years have passed since the explosion that killed WSU safety Buddy Waldron and took the left hand of linebacker Payam Saadat.

It was a reflective Saadat who attended Monday’s practice at the Coliseum.

“I’m very much at peace with Pullman now,” he said. “You know, a lot of things happened to me there and I was able to grow. I’m realizing now how much I’ve gained from those situations.”

Waldron and Saadat were apparently on their way to detonate a homemade bomb when the device exploded in their vehicle in early 1993. Saadat returned to play on the ‘94 Alamo Bowl team.

He left Pullman in December ‘94 and has spent most of the last three years as an assistant coach, first at Santa Monica Junior College and later at Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo, where former WSU assistant Andre Patterson was the head coach.

“After I left WSU, I realized how much the accident meant and how much my relationship with the coaches meant,” he said. “Washington State, it was a good place. I would have never said that when I was there. I say that now. It’s funny that way.”

Quotable

“I think the trip down here and the layoff and playing in the fieldhouse really didn’t affect us too much. We’re still doing a pretty tremendous job on the timing stuff and that’s great to see. I can’t wait to see what it’ll look like in about three days or so.” - Leaf.

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