ESPN is keeping WSU fans in purgatory as GameDay decision lingers

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Monday mornings are not the best time to be pondering the meaning of life. Or even trying to figure out why so many people are enamored of a live TV show making an appearance in Pullman. What, it’s the same thing? Read on.

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• If you have a Twitter machine and follow folks with Washington State ties, you would have thought yesterday was Halloween, Christmas Eve and the last day of school, all rolled into one. For 9-year-olds. No, I’m not calling Cougar fans 9-year-olds. It’s just they have the enthusiasm of that demographic when waxing poetic about “College GameDay,” ESPN’s early morning college football show. By now you know the drill. GameDay (as its friends call it) has been around in its present form for more than two decades. And, starting on Oct. 18, 2003, there has been a WSU flag waving in the background on every show. It’s waved in places as varied as Tuscaloosa, Alabama to Madison, Wisconsin. From Las Angeles to University Park, Pennsylvania. All over the United States, never missing an appearance. It’s feted by ESPN and allowed in spots others don’t dare disturb. Its travels are tracked and, as happened earlier this year, if something unforeseen happens, folks from around the country rally to keep the 171-appearance streak alive. But why does it happen? Mainly because, way back in 2003, Cougar fans wanted the GameDay set to make an appearance in Pullman. Back then WSU was a power, en route to its third consecutive 10-win season and top-10 ranking. Since then? Not so much. So the flag has waved in the wilderness – occasionally, literally, if you consider some of the sites like Waco and Fargo – hoping someday WSU would become relevant enough GameDay would have to actually consider the Palouse. That day has arrived. Well, actually, it arrived Saturday night. And continued Sunday. ESPN is considering the Palouse. And Philadelphia, where undefeated Temple – Bill Cosby’s alma mater, I may add, if that’s any help – will be hosting Notre Dame in the school’s biggest football game ever. That’s not happening this Saturday night in Pullman – the game with Stanford is a big deal, but not the biggest – but, at 5-2 and 3-1 in the Pac-12, Washington State is relevant again. And it is playing for the Pac-12 North lead. The Cougars feature one of the most prolific passing offenses in America. The defense is improved. They have special teams. And also America’s most motivated fan bases, as far as a GameDay appearance is concerned. However, there are problems. Washington State is hosting the Pac-12 cross country championships this Friday in Colfax. Such an event, while not the overpowering draw as, say, the Pac-12 football championship, still has tied up most if not all the available room space in the greater Pullman area, especially considering there is a football game as well Saturday night. The ESPN people have to be struggling to find room at the inn, if you want to give it a biblical bent, and I’m sure there is no way Kirk Herbstreit is bedding down in a stable, even if Lee Corso was born in one. So where does that leave Pullman and WSU fans , who spent Sunday refreshing their Twitter feeds? On pins and needles, waiting for the decision today. Whatever it is, there will be a disappointed fan base. But just one of them waves a flag every week, and has for a dozen years, hoping to be invited to the prom. Maybe this week the BMOC will take notice.

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• WSU: There was football stuff happening yesterday, though not practice in Pullman as Mike Leach gave the Cougars the day off. Jacob Thorpe has a follow-up story on Saturday’s win in Tucson as well as a morning post with links. Yesterday he had a blog post on Luke Falk winning a national weekly award. … Stanford is surging right now. … Gabe Marks was the recipient of a helmet sticker from ESPN.com’s Pac-12 blog while the Cougars, who caught everyone’s attention with its three consecutive conference wins , has moved up in everyone’s Pac-12 power rankings . … There is always time to look back on the weekend and all its upsets . … If you like reasons for poll voting , Jon Wilner gives you his every week. This time he also explains why the college football season is so back-loaded these days. … Switching to basketball, we can pass along this season preview on Ernie Kent and the Cougars.

• Idaho: The Vandals clinched its first Big Sky soccer title with a 2-0 win at Northern Colorado.

• Seahawks: Richard Sherman’s role in the Seahawks’ secondary seems to be changing. … The two defensive ends could not have more different personalities. … Will Tukuafu is a load on both sides of the ball.

• Sounders: It was called Decision Day by the MLS and the Sounders made the decision to end the suspense early . They scored three goals in the first 20 minutes and defeated Real Salt Lake 3-1. The win, powered by the dynamic duo of Clint Dempsey and Obafemi Martins , lifted Seattle into the fourth spot in the West and gave it a home , winner-take-all playoff matchup with the Los Angeles Galaxy on Wednesday night. … The Sounders set another MLS attendance record, prompting coach Sigi Schmid to say “soccer is part of the fabric of Seattle.” Yes it is. … Is there a hotter team in the MLS than Portland right now? No one is playing better offensive soccer than the Timbers, who blasted Colorado 4-1. The Timbers should be tough in the playoffs .

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• And the week begins. Wonder when ESPN will make an announcement? Probably five minutes after I post this. Until later …