Many Fans Fit Enough To See Two Martin Stadium Twinbill A Chance For Marathon Tailgate Parties

The United States Navy did a good job training Brian Kowal and Bryan Farrens.

“We’re in very good shape,” says Kowal. Good enough, at least, to survive two college football games Saturday on the Palouse. Kowal and Farrens teach naval science at both Washington State University and the University of Idaho. So they had no choice but to attend Saturday’s Martin Stadium doubleheader featuring WSU vs. Louisiana-Lafayette and Idaho vs. North Texas.

“The Navy keeps us in excellent condition,” Farrens said. “We’re used to yelling.”

Kowal and Farrens, both 27, moved to the area from Virginia last December. Saturday, they began a marathon tailgate party around 10:30 a.m. They arrived with 20 hamburgers and two packs of hot dogs and invited their students from both schools. They ate before the first game, at halftime of the first game, after the first game, at halftime of the second game and again after the second game.

“The students work hard during the week,” Kowal said. “It’s good for them to see us in a different setting.”

“We’re normal people,” Farrens said.

Farrens attended college at Notre Dame, where the football Saturday hype begins at 8 in the morning and typically lasts past 10 p.m. “Bryan’s kind of used to having long football days,” Kowal said.

“This is how it’s supposed to be,” Farrens said.

But not for Jeff Siemers. Siemers, a WSU senior in general studies, worked a double shift for the WSU Fire Department. He said it was a long day but a catered meal provided by Idaho between games helped him survive.

“WSU doesn’t ever do that,” he said.

Idaho sophomore Kamian Fox watched the Cougars with her father, Roger, then met up with friends for the Vandals game. The Fox family has held Cougars season tickets “since I was born,” Fox said.

Fox, a 1999 graduate of University High School who took Running Start classes, wore a gray, hooded UI sweatshirt and a bright yellow Vandals fleece vest. She carried a WSU seat cushion that had a pocket stuffed with long underwear, a raincoat and gloves for the late game.

“I love football,” said Fox, 19. “I like the football weather. I’ve always watched it (football) since I was little.”

For Brad Bosch, the doubleheader was a bargain. He brought his two sons under a deal that allowed one adult and two children under 18 years of age in for $10, the price of one general admission ticket. Bosch and his 16-year-old son, Lowell, were in Pullman for the weekend from Port Orchard, Wash., to visit WSU freshman Brandon Bosch.

“I’m saving big time,” Brad Bosch said. “It could be expensive.”

Lowell Bosch, a junior who plays football at South Kitsap High, ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press Class 4A poll, watched just the third and fourth college football games of his life.

“We’re working on endurance right now,” his older brother said before the early game. Mike Newby wanted to stay and watch Idaho but “I can’t get the girls to do it,” he said.

Newby and his wife, Lyn, traveled from Seattle with friends Mike and Lisa Johnson and had to head back after the first game. Newby, a 1978 WSU graduate, could have handled another one. “That’s nothing,” he said.

“He can handle days and days and days of football,” Lyn Newby said.

Darin Nelson and Bryce Elstad are the same way. The UI grads chose to come up from Pendleton, Ore., for Saturday night’s game because they could watch the Cougars first.

“It’s perfect,” said Nelson, a ‘92 UI grad. “How do you get better than two football games in one day?”

They kept extra clothes in their car but only for emergency use.

“Half of football outside is being tough,” Nelson said.

“And being stupid,” Elstad said.