Huskies-Bruins: side plot in Seattle

PULLMAN – The “big” game in the Pac-10 Conference this week pits a 3-6 team taking to the road to face a once-proud program that has yet to win a game.

And it’s that phrase – once-proud – that makes it so important.

That, and Rick Neuheisel.

To many of the Washington faithful the two are intertwined. The once-proud Huskies would still be proud if it wasn’t for their once-loved ex-coach, known as Slick Rick or Neuweasel.

To summarize: Neuheisel took over the Washington program in 1999, led the Huskies to an 11-1 record and the Rose Bowl in his second season, followed that with two mediocre years and was gone, fired after a basketball betting controversy and a short dalliance with the San Francisco 49ers.

UW is 18-50 and searching for its third coach since.

For his part, Neuheisel isn’t ducking the questions arising from his first trip back to the scene of the crime, so to speak.

“It’s no fun to dredge up the unfortunate ending to my time in Seattle,” Neuheisel said Tuesday. “That was a difficult time, I think, in everybody’s life that was involved.

“I have zero problem talking about my fond memories of Seattle, the people there, the great fans and certainly, a lot of the great memories on the field.”

It’s the latter aspect Neuheisel said he’s trying to focus on.

It’s his last few months at UW, though, with the controversial NCAA basketball pool, the lies about his trip to San Francisco, his messy dismissal and the subsequent lawsuit, which he won, have been more the focus of the media.

And those UW fans who can’t stop fixing their woes on Neuheisel.

“There’s no question I feel badly for what has become (of the Washington program),” Neuheisel said, “but I worked hard to try to keep it from happening.

“I made the mistake of being in the pool and I made the mistake of being less than forthcoming with respect to my involvement with the 49ers, which led to this giant controversy. I could never imagine it could lead, and I still have reservations as to that is what led, to what’s going on currently.”

Controversy might put butts in the stands Saturday, but for some reason the game between two Pac-10 also-rans is also on television (FSN, 7:15 p.m.).

That shocks Oregon coach Mike Bellotti, who expressed no interest in the matchup, even if his 7-3 Ducks had a bye instead of facing 6-3 Arizona.

“I wouldn’t even watch the game on television,” he said. “In fact, I’m still shocked that game is on TV and our game is not.”

Around the conference

The crowds at Stanford Stadium have been minimal despite the Cardinal’s 4-0 home record, the lowlight of which was the huddled masses that showed up for the rainy WSU game, announced at more than 26,000 but seemed like less than 10,000. Coach Jim Harbaugh thinks it’s just a matter of time before the fans return to the Farm. “Look at Major League Baseball a few years back when they had a strike,” he said. “I stopped watching baseball after that. It took a while to come back. The football here, until now, turned off a lot of fans.” Harbaugh likes Stanford so much he is in discussions for a contract extension. … Will there be carryover this weekend from last year’s upset by the 41-point underdog Cardinal when USC travels to Stanford? Pete Carroll hopes so. “We’ll be jacked up and ready to go,” USC’s coach said. “This being a Pac-10 championship opportunity for us, we’re going to bring everything we’ve got.”

•Oregon State hopes to have quarterback Lyle Moevao back after he missed the UCLA game. “We have to assume Sean (Canfield) will play right now, but we’ll keep a close eye on Lyle and if he’s ready to go he’ll start,” coach Mike Riley said. … Arizona and Oregon meet this week in Eugene and they hold a distinction. They are the only two conference schools that had junior college quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, now the Oregon starter, on their radar. Masoli, a freshman at San Francisco CC last season, told certain schools – including these two – he was ready to leave and sent out game tape. Though unsolicited video doesn’t always lead to undiscovered nuggets, Oregon coach Mike Bellotti said, “Sometimes you say, ‘Wow, look at this guy on film.’ “ Masoli visited the two schools before heading north. “Arizona and ourselves have gone after a lot of similar players, with mixed results,” Bellotti said. … The Wildcats will be going to a bowl game for the first time in coach Mike Stoops’ tenure, but he doesn’t expect that to affect the rest of the regular season. “We want to build consistency,” Stoops said. “What we expect of each other now is different than any time in our program’s (history).” Still, he knows this week will be tough. “It’s the toughest place to play in the Pac-10,” he said of Eugene.

Cougars notes

A new group of offensive linemen will probably face the Sun Devils. B.J. Guerra has recovered from his stinger and should start at right guard. Steven Ayers should make his fourth start, but his first at left guard since Baylor, replacing Andrew Roxas, who has struggled the past two weeks. “It’s time for me to play to my potential,” said Ayers, a redshirt freshman from Bellingham. “It’s been frustrating the whole season not really being able to be the player (the coaches) want me to be and that I believe I can be.” … A couple of players who have been limited lately, running back Chris Ivory (hamstring) and defensive end Kevin Kooyman (stinger), went through practice Tuesday and should be able to play Saturday. For Ivory, it would be his first appearance since September.

•One key player who might be out is long snapper Zach Enyeart, who sat out with a sore right shoulder. If he can’t go, backup Chris Prummer will make his first starting appearance with the punt and kicking teams. “Very much so,” special teams coordinator Steve Broussard said when asked if he hopes Enyeart is available. “We, as a staff, are concerned about (Enyeart being out), but at the same time, we got to have faith in (Prummer), give him a shot and see what happens.” … Another key player with a shoulder problem is Logwone Mitz, who started at running back against Arizona. He’s questionable for Saturday.