Warmth Sealed It For Bender

Almost five years have passed since Leon Bender first set syllable on the Palouse. Washington State’s effusive defensive tackle remembers the day well.

It was Jan. 19, 1993, and the San Diego native was visiting WSU on a football recruiting trip. The ground was covered by a mysterious white substance - snow, they told him. “I was like, ‘Yo, man, I’m not coming here, too much snow,”’ recalled Bender, who has since become one of the best tackles in college football.

“I said, plus, we gotta drive 3 hours from the airport and I said, where is this school at? You get past Spokane and you get past all those trees and you just start to see wheat.”

Followed by more wheat, and some horses.

“And I was just like, man, I am from San Diego and there’s no wheat and there’s a city every now and again,” Bender added, laughing at the recollection. “And I called my mom and I said, ‘Momma, it’s cold, I’m not coming here, I don’t like it, the snow’s up to my knees.”’ “She told me to just see what they have in store.”

By the time Bender returned to San Diego, his mind was made up. “I’m going to Washington State,”’ he told her.

Alas, if no one comes to WSU for the weather, some stay for the warmth.

“Everybody was just so nice,” Bender said.

Greg Burns, now an assistant coach at Idaho, was a defensive back at WSU when Bender made his visit. As Bender’s host, it was up to Burns to show the new kid around.

A car might have helped.

“I remember one particular time, me and Greg didn’t have a ride,” Bender said, “and he just asked this lady, didn’t even know her, he said, ‘You think you could give us a ride to the gym?’ “And she was like yeah, sure, no problem. I was like, she’s going to give you a ride? People don’t do that back home.”

Bender’s recruiting trip to WSU almost didn’t come off. He had scheduled two trips for the same weekend - WSU and Washington - figuring he would only follow through on one.

The Billy Joe Hobert scandal made his decision easy. “Right before I was about to come up there, they broke the story on ESPN,” Bender said, “and I let them know, I said, ‘I’m not coming up there, you guys aren’t going to a bowl game, you’re about to go on probation.”’ He was only half right.

Bender and the Cougars beat Washington 23-6 in ‘94 and went on to win the Alamo Bowl, while the Huskies were serving their two-year bowl ban. Washington has since made two bowl appearances, both losses, while the Cougars suffered through two losing seasons.

With a Rose Bowl berth possibly riding on Saturday’s Apple Cup in Seattle, Bender has no regrets. “They beat us last year and now it’s time for us to return the favor,” he said.

Leaf picks apart soft Zone

WSU players have been off-limits to the media since Wednesday, but there is apparently no rule prohibiting Internet chat-room appearances.

Quarterback Ryan Leaf spent 20 minutes fielding softballs from fans in an ESPN SportsZone chat room Thursday afternoon. Leaf said he would favor a college football playoff involving the top 10 teams.

Leaf also said he’d prefer to play Michigan should the Cougars reach the Rose Bowl, because that would allow him to go against AllAmerica cornerback Charles Woodson. “I would want to go up against the best,” Leaf said. “It would be a good challenge and a great game.”

Shehee won’t play

UW tailback Rashaan Shehee has not recovered from his knee injury and will not play against the Cougars. “There is no way he’s recovering from that pain,” coach Jim Lambright said. “He’ll be one that we’ll look at getting ready for the bowl game.”

Shehee, who leads the Pac-10 with 107.8 yards per game, suffered a partially torn ligament in his left knee three weeks ago against USC.

Ryan Chicoine, a sophomore from Nine Mile Falls, will make his debut as Washington’s regular punter in the Apple Cup after coach Jim Lambright decided to bench Sean O’Laughlin.

UW defensive end Chris Campbell is still recovering from a broken fibula and will be limited to special teams against the Cougars.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 2 Photos (1 Color)

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Best of the bunch Top Apple Cup performances: Rushing 1, Hugh McElhenny, UW, 1950, 296 yards. 2, Credell Green, UW, 1955, 258. 3, Dennis Fitzpatrick, UW, 1974, 249. 4, Rashaan Shehee, UW, 1995, 212. 5, Ronnie Rowland, UW, 1976, 196. Passing 1, Chris Rowland, UW, 1973, 354 yards. 2, Dave Mathieson, WSU, 1962, 343. 3, Jack Thompson, WSU, 1976, 311. 3, (tie) Tom Flick, UW, 1980, 311. 5, Drew Bledsoe, WSU, 1990, 295. 6, Ryan Leaf, WSU, 1995, 291. Receiving 1, Hugh Campbell, WSU, 1962, 178 yards. 2, Dave Janoski, UW, 1995, 162. 3, Bill Early, UW, 1950, 159. 4, Phillip Bobo, WSU, 1991, 151. 5, Anthony Allen, UW, 1982, 140. 6, Phillip Bobo, WSU, 1990, 136.