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Most overrated FB player

The bottom line is Drew could make all the throw, and that is what everyone remembers -- talent galore. They forget that he seldom actually made those throws during games (until the last two). Like Rypien before him, he was supposed to take us to the promised land, the Rose Bowl, but didn't. However, he played at a time when many Cougs were convinced that the Rose Bowl wasn't attainable. Had Drew played after Leaf, people wouldn't be defending him and his mediocre play. Gesser is proof. Maligned constantly (because he didn't play at Leaf's level) he was still a much better college QB than Bledsoe was.

Some would say that the 2002 team was so talented. While that is true, people forget with Matt Kegel at the helm, they weren't very good. They were not, by any means, an anyone could QB them to 10 wins team. People also forget that the 1992 team may have been the most talented team, top to bottom, that Mike Price ever produced. But like 2003, what probably kept them from the Rose Bowl was not having a QB with a pass efficiency rating in the 140s, or greater, where it needed to be.
I really want to defend Kegel. Dude was a warrior, and was a walking MASH unit by the end of the season.

probably should have sat for more than the one game he did. Problem was that Swogger was the backup, and we already had indications that he didn’t have the stuff.

Reality is that his team was stacked, and it was because of them that he could go out and play hurt. Kegel was the best QB on the roster, but Gesser or Leaf takes that team to the Rose Bowl…or better.
 
So what you are saying is Rosie and Ryan not only kicked arse, they did it despite super tough schedules, and Chad Davis had it even tougher, while Bledsoe had it the easiest schedule of the three, but his PER still was 40 pts lower than Ryan and Rosie and Chad's PER was only 5 pts lower than Drew. Wow!

There are nuances to the schedules of course. When you look back...the 1992 team played only two teams with losing records. The 1988 team played four teams with losing records but had 10 teams that Massey rated in the Top 50 despite a couple of them having losing records. The 1997 team played four teams with losing records but had seven teams that Massey rated in the Top 25.

Bledsoe was not a stat machine and I think everyone agrees that Ryan Leaf was a far better college QB than Bledsoe. Anyone that is objective looks at Bledsoe and doesn't try to call him the GOAT....or they shouldn't. I was pushing back on the suggestion that he was mediocre. In that era, it was far more difficult to get into a bowl game and we made it to a bowl game with Bledsoe. That, combined with his NFL career, makes it dumb to call him mediocre. FWIW, Chad Davis doesn't get to hang his hat on that because we know that 1994 was 100% Palouse Posse and nothing else.
 
Injured or not, it is damn near impossible to win a championship when your QB's PER is in the 120's. What was Bledsoe's excuse for actually playing a little worse than a banged up Kegel? That said, Gesser played his entire career injured, beat UCLA on the road on one leg, hardly able to walk let alone run, that's just what "greats" are expected to do.

The way Matt Kegel came back in 2003 was super impressive, it showed real grit. I could never have bounced back like that. But if he can freely admit that he was out of his depth in the Apple Cup, and that he learned from it, and used it as fuel, why can't you? You are ignoring the fact Matt could have salted the game away numerous times in regulation with one solid play, it need not have been great. All we needed was a first down, or to punch it in from the goal line or just not throw a pic in our territory with 2:44 left, handing the UW a game tying FG. Just take a sack or throw the ball into the ground, let Basler punt the shit out of it and let the Posse loose, forcing the Dawgs to make plays would likely have been enough.
IIRC, it would have really helped the cause if our senior center hadn't had a snap violation right on the goal line after a turnover. Might have been Kegel's first play after losing Gesser, but can't swear to it.
 
There are nuances to the schedules of course. When you look back...the 1992 team played only two teams with losing records. The 1988 team played four teams with losing records but had 10 teams that Massey rated in the Top 50 despite a couple of them having losing records. The 1997 team played four teams with losing records but had seven teams that Massey rated in the Top 25.

Bledsoe was not a stat machine and I think everyone agrees that Ryan Leaf was a far better college QB than Bledsoe. Anyone that is objective looks at Bledsoe and doesn't try to call him the GOAT....or they shouldn't. I was pushing back on the suggestion that he was mediocre. In that era, it was far more difficult to get into a bowl game and we made it to a bowl game with Bledsoe. That, combined with his NFL career, makes it dumb to call him mediocre. FWIW, Chad Davis doesn't get to hang his hat on that because we know that 1994 was 100% Palouse Posse and nothing else.
I know Chad Davis takes a lot of arrows from the Cougar faithful, and I won't put up a big argument against that, but a few years ago I saw a replay of the Alamo Bowl and was surprised at how well he played in that game. 300+ yards, IIRC.
 
IIRC, it would have really helped the cause if our senior center hadn't had a snap violation right on the goal line after a turnover. Might have been Kegel's first play after losing Gesser, but can't swear to it.
Well gee let's look at the game footage (link below). Start at about the 2 hour 10 minute mark where Gesser got hurt - when he should have thrown it away. Yes we had first and goal from the 2, our offensive line immediately had a penalty. Then our play calling went to shit (this is 100% on Price). QB sneak on 3rd down? We saw that Kegel's whole career. And we had more penalties on the line before it was over.

The O line sucked shit the rest of the game. Penalties, letting the mutt d-line, particularly Ellis, kick the shit out of us. Right until the end.

And play calling? It wasn't Kegel who called that stupid fade that Bush fell down on and was intercepted. Then Price called another similar fade in OT. And at the very end when we got F-ed by the refs. Kegel throws a ball after about a second, and Ellis is already in the backfield batting it down. Is that Kegel's fault?

So Socal, if you want to talk about who wet their pants talk about Price and the O line not Kegel.

 
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Well gee let's look at the game footage (link below). Start at about the 2 hour 10 minute mark where Gesser got hurt - when he should have thrown it away. Yes we had first and goal from the 2, our offensive line immediately had a penalty. Then our play calling went to shit (this is 100% on Price). QB sneak on 3rd down? We saw that Kegel's whole career. And we had more penalties on the line before it was over.

The O line sucked shit the rest of the game. Penalties, letting the mutt d-line, particularly Ellis, kick the shit out of us. Right until the end.

And play calling? It wasn't Kegel who called that stupid fade that Bush fell down on and was intercepted. Then Price called another similar fade in OT. And at the very end when we got F-ed by the refs. Kegel throws a ball after about a second, and Ellis is already in the backfield batting it down. Is that Kegel's fault?

So Socal, if you want to talk about who wet their pants talk about Price and the O line not Kegel.

This is a good example of why teams should do all they can to have their backup QB be physically and functionally similar to their starter. Gesser moved the pocket and was, to some degree, a scrambler. Kegel was a pure passer. They’re not interchangeable- the offense and the playcalling have to change between them. That ruins a game plan, and it’s hard to do that mid-game. Price showed that he wasn’t prepared to have Kegel in the game - even when he knew Gesser was gimpy.
 
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This is a good example of why teams should do all they can to have their backup QB be physically and functionally similar to their starter. Gesser moved the pocket and was, to some degree, a scrambler. Kegel was a pure passer. They’re not interchangeable- the offense and the playcalling have to change between them. That ruins a game plan, and it’s hard to do that mid-game. Price showed that he wasn’t prepared to have Kegel in the game - even when he knew Gesser was gimpy.
Meh - Kegel was mobile enough. But Price handled Kegel like shit. Like how he promised Kegel a series every game. Forget the actual calls, but if I recall it was screen pass, run up the middle and QB draw. Same plays every game.

Kegel should have bailed after his first year. He could have been a star elsewhere.
 
Well gee let's look at the game footage (link below). Start at about the 2 hour 10 minute mark where Gesser got hurt - when he should have thrown it away. Yes we had first and goal from the 2, our offensive line immediately had a penalty. Then our play calling went to shit (this is 100% on Price). QB sneak on 3rd down? We saw that Kegel's whole career. And we had more penalties on the line before it was over.

The O line sucked shit the rest of the game. Penalties, letting the mutt d-line, particularly Ellis, kick the shit out of us. Right until the end.

And play calling? It wasn't Kegel who called that stupid fade that Bush fell down on and was intercepted. Then Price called another similar fade in OT. And at the very end when we got F-ed by the refs. Kegel throws a ball after about a second, and Ellis is already in the backfield batting it down. Is that Kegel's fault?

So Socal, if you want to talk about who wet their pants talk about Price and the O line not Kegel.

Price had an affinity for pissing down his leg during the AC. The play calling in the 2001 AC was awful as well.
 
Ahhh - Dime Beers at the Down Under. I think it was Tuesday nights. Might have been after your time. Live music too. Oh and the frequent walk throughs by the cops.

For you young punks - Dime beers - they were like 3 or 4 oz Dixie cup like things, they sold by the tray of 10. We'd usually buy 3 or 4 trays at a time. Then there was Happy hour at that upstairs lounge at the hptel up top by the viaduct. If I recall, 10-11PM, 2 wells for $1.25?
Tuesday was Wooden Nickels at the Coug

Pretty sure Dimers were Wednesday at Down Under.

Good times back then when $5 was a solid drinking night out.
 
Tuesday was Wooden Nickels at the Coug

Pretty sure Dimers were Wednesday at Down Under.

Good times back then when $5 was a solid drinking night out.
Five bucks? Well, aren't you the big spender! :) Friday at the Alley Tavern in Moscow was where it was happening. Happy Hour was from 11:00 am until 7:00 pm, 2 pitchers for $1.50!!! Only $.19 for hamburger and add cheese for a nickel. Huge basket of popcorn for a quarter. Great jukebox tunes, probably even better than the one at the Down Under and a pinball machine that I could beat like a borrowed mule! You could win tokens for free beers on the pinball machine. Crazy times there.
 
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Five bucks? Well, aren't you the big spender! :) Friday at the Alley Tavern in Moscow was where it was happening. Happy Hour was from 11:00 am until 7:00 pm, 2 pitchers for $1.50!!! Only $.19 for hamburger and add cheese for a nickel. Huge basket of popcorn for a quarter. Great jukebox tunes, probably even better than the one at the Down Under and a pinball machine that I could beat like a borrowed mule! You could win tokens for free beers on the pinball machine. Crazy times there.
You old timers kill me. I wonder if I’m too old to informal rush?? Free beer while it lasted.
 
Ok now you are talking stupid talk, dishing on Matt Kegel. He was hurt all year, barely played in the 3 games before the Holiday Bowl due to his injuries. Forget who boffed the ND game away but it wasn't Kegel. We all know the 2002 Apple Cup ended on a travesty of a call. As a Freshman he beat USC at USC for the first time in a gazillion years.

Get off your stat sheets. They only tell part of the story. Grit, leadership, playing through pain and injury. The don't show up on a piece of paper.

I was at the ND game and the heat & humidity in South Bend that day ‘did-in’ the defense in the 4th quarter and they were completely gassed! ND’’s O-line took over and their. Ground game did the rest.
 
Five bucks? Well, aren't you the big spender! :) Friday at the Alley Tavern in Moscow was where it was happening. Happy Hour was from 11:00 am until 7:00 pm, 2 pitchers for $1.50!!! Only $.19 for hamburger and add cheese for a nickel. Huge basket of popcorn for a quarter. Great jukebox tunes, probably even better than the one at the Down Under and a pinball machine that I could beat like a borrowed mule! You could win tokens for free beers on the pinball machine. Crazy times there.
$5 was rolling large. I remember hitting the ATM (new fangled invention at the time) and making $5 withdrawls for, like, 20 days straight.

Unfortunately the technology wasn’t such back then to do account balance checks. And, like the old saying “I can’t be out of money, I’m not out of checks”, the machine just kept spiting out $5 bills every day.

On day 21 I get a call from my mother who worked at the bank. Apparently on about day 10 I’d overdrawn the account $5 at a time. Her manager was none too happy. Which meant that sh*t rolled downhill and I then was none too happy.
 
Five bucks? Well, aren't you the big spender! :) Friday at the Alley Tavern in Moscow was where it was happening. Happy Hour was from 11:00 am until 7:00 pm, 2 pitchers for $1.50!!! Only $.19 for hamburger and add cheese for a nickel. Huge basket of popcorn for a quarter. Great jukebox tunes, probably even better than the one at the Down Under and a pinball machine that I could beat like a borrowed mule! You could win tokens for free beers on the pinball machine. Crazy times there.
The Alley. John's Alley? OK you must be old if those were the prices.

Oh the days when the drinking age was 19 in Idaho. I would get into the Billiard Den at 18 frequently. Working up the street. Rathskeller's in its heydays. Said Billiard Den. Nick at the Nobby Inn pouring strong ones, That bar in the hotel by the plaza? Was John's Alley the one off Main Street a block or two? Didn't frequent the Vandal bar - the Corner Club? Then on down to the Dispensary and the Capricorn if you were feeling Cowboy.

Then the dreaded gauntlet of the Moscow-Pullman highway at 1:00. Russian Roulette with the cops. Just a stream of cars most Friday and Saturday nights. I remember turning off on the Airport Road one nigh - shit there were 3 or 4 cops in line waiting to stop people. White knuckles for a couple of minutes.

Good times.

Edit - forgot the mad rush to get one more drink in Pullman since we had until 2AM.
 
The Alley. John's Alley? OK you must be old if those were the prices.

Oh the days when the drinking age was 19 in Idaho. I would get into the Billiard Den at 18 frequently. Working up the street. Rathskeller's in its heydays. Said Billiard Den. Nick at the Nobby Inn pouring strong ones, That bar in the hotel by the plaza? Was John's Alley the one off Main Street a block or two? Didn't frequent the Vandal bar - the Corner Club? Then on down to the Dispensary and the Capricorn if you were feeling Cowboy.

Then the dreaded gauntlet of the Moscow-Pullman highway at 1:00. Russian Roulette with the cops. Just a stream of cars most Friday and Saturday nights. I remember turning off on the Airport Road one nigh - shit there were 3 or 4 cops in line waiting to stop people. White knuckles for a couple of minutes.

Good times.

Edit - forgot the mad rush to get one more drink in Pullman since we had until 2AM.
That’s what the back way over country roads was for. Did end up a snow bank one time and had to walk to Pullman to get pulled out.
 
Five bucks? Well, aren't you the big spender! :) Friday at the Alley Tavern in Moscow was where it was happening. Happy Hour was from 11:00 am until 7:00 pm, 2 pitchers for $1.50!!! Only $.19 for hamburger and add cheese for a nickel. Huge basket of popcorn for a quarter. Great jukebox tunes, probably even better than the one at the Down Under and a pinball machine that I could beat like a borrowed mule! You could win tokens for free beers on the pinball machine. Crazy times there.
I was there the evening Hank Arron hit his record setting hr in 74. Spent a lot of other evenings there, as well.
 
How many Spruce Bird Dog drinkers do we have here?
I forgot to list the Spruce - to be honest I barely remember it but know I've been there. Don't know what a bird dog is/was. And that place just out of town sort of towards Moscow Mountain. Forget the name.

Speaking of is/was, if I ever make it back to Moscow I should catalogue all the bars I remember and whether they are still there or not. I know of a few that aren't. Dispensary and Rat's for sure, and I think the Capricorn burned down?
 
I forgot to list the Spruce - to be honest I barely remember it but know I've been there. Don't know what a bird dog is/was. And that place just out of town sort of towards Moscow Mountain. Forget the name.

Speaking of is/was, if I ever make it back to Moscow I should catalogue all the bars I remember and whether they are still there or not. I know of a few that aren't. Dispensary and Rat's for sure, and I think the Capricorn burned down?
Mad Dog and Thunderbird.
 
I forgot to list the Spruce - to be honest I barely remember it but know I've been there. Don't know what a bird dog is/was. And that place just out of town sort of towards Moscow Mountain. Forget the name.

Speaking of is/was, if I ever make it back to Moscow I should catalogue all the bars I remember and whether they are still there or not. I know of a few that aren't. Dispensary and Rat's for sure, and I think the Capricorn burned down?
The Cap burned down in the late 90s (98?).
 
$5 was rolling large. I remember hitting the ATM (new fangled invention at the time) and making $5 withdrawls for, like, 20 days straight.

Unfortunately the technology wasn’t such back then to do account balance checks. And, like the old saying “I can’t be out of money, I’m not out of checks”, the machine just kept spiting out $5 bills every day.

On day 21 I get a call from my mother who worked at the bank. Apparently on about day 10 I’d overdrawn the account $5 at a time. Her manager was none too happy. Which meant that sh*t rolled downhill and I then was none too happy.
Apparently you had no self discipline!

Big spender though. We could get by with only $3 for the evening. :)
 
The Alley. John's Alley? OK you must be old if those were the prices.

Oh the days when the drinking age was 19 in Idaho. I would get into the Billiard Den at 18 frequently. Working up the street. Rathskeller's in its heydays. Said Billiard Den. Nick at the Nobby Inn pouring strong ones, That bar in the hotel by the plaza? Was John's Alley the one off Main Street a block or two? Didn't frequent the Vandal bar - the Corner Club? Then on down to the Dispensary and the Capricorn if you were feeling Cowboy.

Then the dreaded gauntlet of the Moscow-Pullman highway at 1:00. Russian Roulette with the cops. Just a stream of cars most Friday and Saturday nights. I remember turning off on the Airport Road one nigh - shit there were 3 or 4 cops in line waiting to stop people. White knuckles for a couple of minutes.

Good times.

Edit - forgot the mad rush to get one more drink in Pullman since we had until 2AM.
It was just called The Alley back then, as far as I know. Walked past it this past fall when I was over there and saw the sign that now calls it John's Alley. Usual price was $1.50 per pitcher, but the Happy Hour gave you 2 for 1. Needed those bonus prices when I only made $1.50 for each intramural game that I officiated. And yes, the Alley was on the side street, actually right next to the alley between the two main streets.

When you say the Billiard Den, are you referring to Mort's Club? That is the place I remember that had several pool tables along with 2-3 foosball tables. Mort's was a little more restrained than places like Spruce, Alley, Rat's, etc. My buddy and I played a lot of foosball there. I was a good goalie and we were a good team, beat a lot of guys there, but we were definitely a step below the top level teams. You couldn't even see their shots. It was the old "Radio Ball", you could hear it but not see it!

Only went to Corner Club a couple times. No Nobby for me, where was that? Does anyone here recall the name of the place that I think is Casa Lopez today? I think it was 2-3 doors down from Spruce, towards the Moscow Hotel. It had been redecorated with some kind of spacey, hippy dippy motif. Better place to take a date. That's where the white pants incident occurred. lol

EDIT: My buddy with a better memory emailed me the name of the bar where green beer was dumped on my groovy white pants. It was called Jekyll and Hyde's, had the funky motif with carpet going up the walls (orange, we think), and I am pretty sure the bldg is where La Casa Lopez is today (home of the great carne asada!).
 
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It was just called The Alley back then, as far as I know. Walked past it this past fall when I was over there and saw the sign that now calls it John's Alley. Usual price was $1.50 per pitcher, but the Happy Hour gave you 2 for 1. Needed those bonus prices when I only made $1.50 for each intramural game that I officiated. And yes, the Alley was on the side street, actually right next to the alley between the two main streets.

When you say the Billiard Den, are you referring to Mort's Club? That is the place I remember that had several pool tables along with 2-3 foosball tables. Mort's was a little more restrained than places like Spruce, Alley, Rat's, etc. My buddy and I played a lot of foosball there. I was a good goalie and we were a good team, beat a lot of guys there, but we were definitely a step below the top level teams. You couldn't even see their shots. It was the old "Radio Ball", you could hear it but not see it!

Only went to Corner Club a couple times. No Nobby for me, where was that? Does anyone here recall the name of the place that I think is Casa Lopez today? I think it was 2-3 doors down from Spruce, towards the Moscow Hotel. It had been redecorated with some kind of spacey, hippy dippy motif. Better place to take a date. That's where the white pants incident occurred. lol
Man, you guys spent a lot more time in Moscow than I ever did. Later in my tenure, I did spend some time at Chasers (inside university inn) and at the Capricorn. In both cases, only because I was trying (unsuccessfully) to score with a waitress.

For most of my time on the Palouse, If I wanted cheap beer I spent $2-3 on a solo cup at a house party and did my very best to drink $20 worth.
 
Man, you guys spent a lot more time in Moscow than I ever did. Later in my tenure, I did spend some time at Chasers (inside university inn) and at the Capricorn. In both cases, only because I was trying (unsuccessfully) to score with a waitress.

For most of my time on the Palouse, If I wanted cheap beer I spent $2-3 on a solo cup at a house party and did my very best to drink $20 worth.
If your name here has anything to do with when you were at WSU instead of your age, there is a good reason why we knew Moscow so well. When I was there the drinking age was 20/19 in Idaho, one of very few states that legal drinking could be done prior to your 21st birthday. There were a LOT of us Cougs that took advantage of that opportunity. Wiki says that drinking age was 20 for beer and 21 for wine and liquor until 1972 when all alcohol went to 19. Lasted until April 11, 1987, when it was all raised to 21 (with grandfather clause)
 
If your name here has anything to do with when you were at WSU instead of your age, there is a good reason why we knew Moscow so well. When I was there the drinking age was 20/19 in Idaho, one of very few states that legal drinking could be done prior to your 21st birthday. There were a LOT of us Cougs that took advantage of that opportunity. Wiki says that drinking age was 20 for beer and 21 for wine and liquor until 1972 when all alcohol went to 19. Lasted until April 11, 1987, when it was all raised to 21 (with grandfather clause)
That road had to have been an absolute death trap back then. Can’t imagine.
 
That road had to have been an absolute death trap back then. Can’t imagine.
I don't recall any deaths on the Pullman/Moscow hwy, but there certainly could have been. We always tried to keep our alcohol intake under control** but there were absolutely plenty of guys I saw that had no business in Hell getting behind the wheel of a vehicle.

I remember hearing about an ATO that bought it, think it was right before fall semester 1974. I heard that Takamura and Steve Moses were drinking at the Ram and were heading back up Stadium Way when Tak was getting sick. Car veered over too close to curb and he hit his head on a light pole. Went right from there to Hospital but he was gone. I cannot verify that account fully, but I am pretty sure that it happened. I remember a lot of gym ratting with and against those two.

**The one exception I know of was the night that my roommate got his acceptance letter into the uw medical school. It wasn't until about 11:00 that we all hooked up, but we did some SERIUS drinking until the Ram closed at 2:00. Good thing I only had to guide the 1939 Chevy from there over to our basement duplex on State Street, very close to the Train Station.
 
I don't recall any deaths on the Pullman/Moscow hwy,

I remember hearing about an ATO that bought it, think it was right before fall semester 1974. I heard that Takamura and Steve Moses were drinking at the Ram and were heading back up Stadium Way when Tak was getting sick. Car veered over too close to curb and he hit his head on a light pole. Went right from there to Hospital but he was gone. I cannot verify that account fully, but I am pretty sure that it happened. I remember a lot of gym ratting with and against those two.
Looks like I was there 15-20 years after you. Hwy 195 and the P-M highway were typically good for at least one fatality per year. There was usually at least one student who died between colfax and seattle over Christmas too.

Found a news article about the accident you referenced. Your details are right, except it was September 1975. I’d never heard about that one before. In a strange small world twist, looks like one of the honorary pallbearers was one of my HS teachers.
 
If your name here has anything to do with when you were at WSU instead of your age, there is a good reason why we knew Moscow so well. When I was there the drinking age was 20/19 in Idaho, one of very few states that legal drinking could be done prior to your 21st birthday. There were a LOT of us Cougs that took advantage of that opportunity. Wiki says that drinking age was 20 for beer and 21 for wine and liquor until 1972 when all alcohol went to 19. Lasted until April 11, 1987, when it was all raised to 21 (with grandfather clause)

I got to Pullman in 1989 and I was able to use my brother's driver's license to buy alcohol. We'd pile 6 to 10 people into my Vega station wagon and drive over to Moscow to buy alcohol and then head back to the dorms to drink. So, no drinking and driving for me with my brother's license but lots of 12 packs purchased.
 
I got to Pullman in 1989 and I was able to use my brother's driver's license to buy alcohol. We'd pile 6 to 10 people into my Vega station wagon and drive over to Moscow to buy alcohol and then head back to the dorms to drink. So, no drinking and driving for me with my brother's license but lots of 12 packs purchased.
I didn’t need to go to Moscow, I had Circle K near Stevenson and Hico by CCN. At both of them, if you were big enough to put your money on the counter they’d sell you beer. Or Boones, or Mad Dog. It wasn’t much harder to buy at Excel foods.

Cops ran a series of stings in early 94 or 95 and busted almost every store in town for selling to underage kids. Only one place didn’t get cited. If I recall correctly, it was Flying J. I heard it was tougher after that, but by then I was 21 and didn’t care.
 
I didn’t need to go to Moscow, I had Circle K near Stevenson and Hico by CCN. At both of them, if you were big enough to put your money on the counter they’d sell you beer. Or Boones, or Mad Dog. It wasn’t much harder to buy at Excel foods.

Cops ran a series of stings in early 94 or 95 and busted almost every store in town for selling to underage kids. Only one place didn’t get cited. If I recall correctly, it was Flying J. I heard it was tougher after that, but by then I was 21 and didn’t care.

We were a bunch of dumb freshman living in the dorms. Path of least resistance.
 
Looks like I was there 15-20 years after you. Hwy 195 and the P-M highway were typically good for at least one fatality per year. There was usually at least one student who died between colfax and seattle over Christmas too.

Found a news article about the accident you referenced. Your details are right, except it was September 1975. I’d never heard about that one before. In a strange small world twist, looks like one of the honorary pallbearers was one of my HS teachers.
I started college in the fall of 1970, and left Pullman after a year of grad school in the summer of 1975. Graduation was 1974, on time, with lots of extra credits.

I would love to read that article. Any chance you could link it for us? Thanks.

Edit to correct the year I left after grad school from 1974 to 1975.
 
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I don't recall any deaths on the Pullman/Moscow hwy, but there certainly could have been. We always tried to keep our alcohol intake under control** but there were absolutely plenty of guys I saw that had no business in Hell getting behind the wheel of a vehicle.

I remember hearing about an ATO that bought it, think it was right before fall semester 1974. I heard that Takamura and Steve Moses were drinking at the Ram and were heading back up Stadium Way when Tak was getting sick. Car veered over too close to curb and he hit his head on a light pole. Went right from there to Hospital but he was gone. I cannot verify that account fully, but I am pretty sure that it happened. I remember a lot of gym ratting with and against those two.

**The one exception I know of was the night that my roommate got his acceptance letter into the uw medical school. It wasn't until about 11:00 that we all hooked up, but we did some SERIUS drinking until the Ram closed at 2:00. Good thing I only had to guide the 1939 Chevy from there over to our basement duplex on State Street, very close to the Train Station.
Yeah I don't remember any deaths. Hell the traffic moved pretty slow back on that 2 lane with a zillion cars. Barely enough room for the cops to squeeze in and hit the blues. :)

Oh and to a previous question - Mort's and Billiard Den were two different places. I can't remember where Mort's was, or if I even went there.
 
Yeah I don't remember any deaths. Hell the traffic moved pretty slow back on that 2 lane with a zillion cars. Barely enough room for the cops to squeeze in and hit the blues. :)

Oh and to a previous question - Mort's and Billiard Den were two different places. I can't remember where Mort's was, or if I even went there.
It seems like Mort's was similar to The Alley, in the middle of a side street block, maybe a black or two away from The Alley. Cannot be positive about that positioning though.

*** OK, before posting it hit me that I should just 'google' Mort's Club to see what I came up with. BINGO! found at least one good story about Moscow bars, which I will link here. Mort's Club was 114E 5th, and yes it was just one block up from The Alley. My memory turned out to be acurate on that one. Yea!

https://dnews.com/life/nearby-histo...cle_05328874-fd48-584a-a665-9c28dcf13db1.html

 
I started college in the fall of 1970, and left Pullman after a year of grad school in the summer of 1974. Graduation was 1974, on time, with lots of extra credits.

I would love to read that article. Any chance you could link it for us? Thanks.
Two short articles are here as photos:

Link


This one will probably paywall you, but I’ll try it anyway:


Link 2
 
Two short articles are here as photos:

Link


This one will probably paywall you, but I’ll try it anyway:


Link 2
Yes, I got short circuited with the second one. Thanks for doing that. I recognized just a few names in there. Doug Picha was on the Cougs freshman team with me for the time that I was there. Such a sad way to go out.....
 
Yes, I got short circuited with the second one. Thanks for doing that. I recognized just a few names in there. Doug Picha was on the Cougs freshman team with me for the time that I was there. Such a sad way to go out.....
I didn’t see stadium way until about 10 years later, but I’m having a hard time imagining being able to hit a light pole unless the car was on the curb. Must have been some changes made in the late 70s/early 80s.
 
I didn’t see stadium way until about 10 years later, but I’m having a hard time imagining being able to hit a light pole unless the car was on the curb. Must have been some changes made in the late 70s/early 80s.
I think that may be exactly what happened, that the poles were relocated. I think I heard that long ago, but cannot verify.
 
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