Ty Willingham stirred up a little controversy by going back to his home state of North Carolina to play in a charity golf tournament honoring injured Marines from the Iraq Conflict. The conflict comes from the fact that he missed an annual coaches tour event scheduled at the same time back in Washington State.
How important is the annual coaches tour?
I think it is extremely important because it is usually the only time you are going to get a chance during the year to mingle with the coaching staff if you live in places like Bellingham, Longview, Yakima, Vancouver, Walla Walla etc... . Fan's at Dawgman looked at it this way. They feel when the head man doesn't show up it sends another signal that boosters and fans just aren't that important to the program anymore.
This is Molly Yanity's take.
This week, the Huskies football beat writers received an e-mail from the athletic communications office revealing that coach Tyrone Willingham would be playing in the fifth annual Marine Corps Celebrity Classic in Jacksonville, N.C.
So what do you guy's think?
Jake and the Belle's
Here is Jim Moore's report from Bellingham, where Husky quarterback Jake Locker made his baseball debut with the Bellingham Bells Friday evening. Look for this to be pretty big news for the rest of the Summer. Hopefully he keeps away from the head first slide into third base.
Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times chips in with this one. Kudo's to Bob for keeping his blog going all year in these days of Montlake's Purple Curtain. Bob is also your source of everything Bellingham Bell's this Summer.
Rayford sticking in BC
First is this story from Vancouver on former Huskies Caesar Rayford and Brandon Ala, now playing for the B.C. Lions. Rayford is trying to make the team as a rookie free agent, and it sounds as if he's on his way, drawing raves from coaches --- a development likely drawing a few sighs of what-might-have-been from a lot of you who are well aware the Huskies could really use a fifth-year DE right about now. Rayford discusses the redshirt issue in the story, saying again that he was fully on board to play in 2004. Just think how bad that team would have been if he hadn't played. ( I don't know Bob, I don't think Rayford played much at all as a true frosh. He was too light to make an impact.)
Walker sets record
Former Husky Brad Walker seems to be peaking at about the right time as he gets ready for the Olympic Games.
There are no sure things in the wacky world of pole vault. Even so, it's not bad being Brad Walker right now. The defending world champion and former Washington Huskies standout broke an eight-year-old American record Sunday at the Prefontaine Classic, clearing 19 feet, 9 ¾ inches on the same field where he'll try to make his first U.S. Olympic team in only three weeks.
Follow up by Dan Raley on the IRA's
I didn't expect Wisconsin to beat Washington in the IRA's, in fact few anticipated the upset since the Badgers while always strong start later in the season, and can't practice all Winter on the water because of all the ice. So mark this down as a monumental win for the Badgers who were just smoking on the Cooper! Washington gets back to full strength next season as six of it's rower return from getting ready for the Olympic games.
Washington lost.
For the first time in 24 months and 19 races, the men's varsity eight crew was denied the usual gold medal and opposing racing shirt spoils.
Master of the Obvious Award
This was an interesting blip that I saw passed around last week. CFN/Scout.com's Pete Fiutak says that the Huskies will not win another national championship in our lifetime.
By the way, Washington has only won one legit national championship in all it's years of playing college football. The 1960 team is definitely an asterisk, the 1984 team also deserves an asterisk when they finished second to BYU. Both of those teams were undoubtedly the best at the end of their respective seasons, but neither wire service awarded them a title. They also won something known as the Libby National Championship back in the days of Gil Dobie.
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5 comments:
I'm pretty indifferent to Ty golfing in NC. It's a good cause. He seemed to do alright last year with local coaches and while it could certainly be better, I'm sure he'll, well, I hope he'll make the most of the rest of the dates. You probably don't know what I think of Molly Yannity. Reminds me of someone, but I wouldn't dare put a finger on it.
I just hope Jake stays healthy up there, that's what scares me.
I like Bob's blog as well. He finds a lot of nuggets and I wonder where he finds the time to do so.
I'll join Dan in being amazed the Huskies lost to the "other" UW. Kudos to them though and next year should be even more interesting.
Kudos as well to Brad, and although I'm biased, it looked like he had a WR in the photo I saw.
Who the hell is Pete Fiutak? I'd suggest something but I don't want to invoke the wrath of the little people, which I probably just did..oops.
Nice wrapup JB!
I think there is to much scrutiny of the coach right now. He is obviously on the hot seat but he seem to be bring in the recruits unlike any coach since the Dawgfather. He just needs more time. there does seem to be much acrimony from the local coaches. he inheritted a bad situation and the coach should really be give his five years to work things out.
I think it is a non issue. Sure, TW needs to be more there for the fans and supporters but this is a good cause and coaches all over the country miss these type of things all the time. Let's worry about something else.
Nice articles JB. Keep them coming.
Are you guys seriously comparing the coaches tour to a golf tournament helping wounded Marines? Where is the perspective? How embarrasing is it that the UW fans hold themselves in higher regard than people trying to help wounded Marines. Good Grief get off the Anti-Ty soapbox and be down the middle for once.
Ty missed Bellingham, Port Orchard, and Yakima...pretty pathetic if you ask me.
You miss one to go back to NC, ok, you miss three, and I have to question the decision.
To me it is just another sign that Ty knows this is his last year.
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