I was thinking about the ludicrous negotiations that Trump's people are having with Russia that don't involve either Ukraine or Europe and I find it ironic that a President (and his fanbase) that were so critical of us leaving Afghanistan have no problem with selling out an ally now in the hopes of making a few bucks on Ukraine's Natural Resources and currying favor with an autocratic dictator. Our word and treaties apparently only count when the other team is the bad guy in the situation.

How about a thread about FB and Athletics in general? And the Always-Sensitive Loyal One will attempt to avoid a litany of I told you so's - except for I TOLD YOU SO.

ACC/ESPN media deal assures that the current ACC is going nowhere. And if a couple of teams bolt, Memphis, Tulane and other AAC schools will be in line, resumes in hand.

OK, now what? the Pac is waiting on their media deal, and now apparently on the dual lawsuits, before attempting to entice another program to join as a full member. Texas State as we all know. Great. So, to beat a tired drum, where the F did our massive war chest go? And why does the poaching provision ($) matter so much? Did the Pac really bank on it being thrown out? WTF kind of strategy is that? More importantly, with the ACC deal our secret Memphis/Tulane scenario is now bye-bye, lawsuit or not.

Another thing, and this is a well-discussed topic elsewhere. The numbers on the magical media deal. If the Pac is worth $10M now (just a number, not a prediction), what do we want from a new member? Well they have to be worth at least $10M or it dilutes everyone else's share. OK, so for our coveted new member to enhance our media deal? Well, they have to be worth $18M to increase everyone else's share by a million. Get that math? Just something to ponder.......

Speaking of media deals, and just curiosity, not opinion. Wonder what we have or will have lined up for 2025. Heavy dose of the CW? Fine by me.

Finally, I'm thinking about maybe road tripping to the CSU game. Although this little bird in my head is emitting screeching warnings. Actually more like a flicker (woodpecker for you city folk) trying to bore a hole in my head. Why would that be?

of the Ken Bone years. Seemingly no plan on O or D. Reckless with the ball. Nobody who can create. Athletically stunted.

OK, new ground here. Having been in the public sector for much of my career, and lamenting largesse, waste and laziness the entire time, I am all for reducing waste and unnecessary governmental spending. But this is no way to do it. Trump, Musk and their minions are just randomly ruining the lives of thousands of people with no notice and no real justification because, well, they can. These probationary employees? Well we can fire you without notice, we don't give a F whether you are good or your job really is justifiable, you are gone. This Iowa Park Ranger (article below) is a good example. Married with a son and a baby on the way, he is fired with no notice. Just because he was recently hired, so they could get rid of him. Billionaires ruining people's lives just to feed their own egos. No criteria, no thorough agency review, just "we can fire you without notice so we are".


Now - question for you legal types. I have been directly involved in situations where probationary employees had to be let go. And the golden rule was that we didn't have to give a reason, so don't. In fact, we didn't want to give a reason, as the employee could use that to claim wrongful dismissal. So what about this Park Ranger whose dismissal notice said that he "failed to demonstrate fitness or qualifications for continued employment" even though his previous performance review was "exceeded expectations"? How's that dismissal reason going to look as he tries to get another job? Has he not been damaged, and thus will have grounds to sue? I bet the attorneys, like vultures, are already circling all the federal employees who got similar career-damaging notices. Which is apparently thousands. And in this case they should be circling.

But hey this is what the American people wanted. But is it?

Who’s going?! I’ll be there w 3 buddies. Hoping the atmosphere gets our guys juiced and we do something special (although Zags are just eh this year). Will be a fun game though with Beasley packed.

30 minutes, 2 points, two rebounds. Time to sit

Curious why this hasn't be more of an issue with WSU and other schools. Going from 120 to 105 and losing 15 walk-ons is something that could have an impact....with the reason for all this of this is the NCAA, and the schools, said athletes can't get paid for NIL and lost. Now they have to pay back pay and kids in the future have to "pick up the tab."

"In football that means a roster cap of 105 players. For the average program, that means cutting about 15 walk-ons. That could mean the loss of 2,000 walk-on opportunities across FBS, perhaps 10,000 across all sports."

“To get the House v. NCAA settlement across the finish line, cuts have had to be made. Drastic cuts, some would say, that includes limiting roster sizes. It is a legal and budgetary maneuver to allow schools to pay athletes out of that monster $20.5 million revenue sharing pot.”

Just call the game.

ESPN+ 7:00 pm

If you pass on me......I'll make you pay!! Good luck with that one.

On espn+ right now vs. Arkansas

As threatened by the Mighty Loyal One. Current events/issues. I expect few if any replies so don't fret over my tender feelings.... . So:

Gaetz announces that he won't return to Congress. (Good IMHO, if only so that I don't have to see his creepy eyebrows anymore). Probably get some other job in the new administration?

Other Cabinet picks - there will likely be some real theater coming up. Hegseth (link below). So according to the police report at the time, he says the sex was consensual (even though he paid a settlement to her) and admitted that he ejaculated on her stomach. Wouldn't that be an abortion crime in Texas? Just the shit that I would like to read about myself 7 years later.


Linda McMahon (soon to be abolished Dept of Education) - lied about having an education degree? Meh so what. WWE wrestlers vs current students or 51% of Americans? IQ tie......

Tulsi Gabbard - I don't care what others think, she's hot. I really like her "Rogue from X-men" gray streak in her hair. She'll probably be fine.

Pam Bondi, new AG pick - she's also pretty damn good looking for a 59-year-old woman. After Gaetz, she should be confirmed no problem.

Kristi Noem, Homeland Security - again, she is smoking hot for a soon-to-be 53-year-old IMHO. Are we sensing a Cabinet trend here? I read somewhere that her first agenda item will be to deport all tribal members from the country. Starting with South Dakota tribes. Not sure where she will send them. Since they originally migrated from Siberia I guess that's a logical destination (If you don't get the joke, read up on where she is banned from all tribal land in her home state). Oh and dogs? Yeah they will get deported. But killed with shotguns first. Then airdropped over Haiti as relief food supplies.

So riddle me this - if Trump's Cabinet nominees are held up, does that mean the Biden Cabinet stays in place until that time? So could they huddle with JD Vance and invoke the 25th amendment? A couch in every living room! Yes I know, everyone already has a couch.

All that said, I look for a real clusterf*** come January and after. I boldly predict that many of the Trump/Project 2025 agenda items will face pushback from the Republicans after the potential impacts start affecting their constituencies. Further, the promised retributions may have little traction. Who will be left to retribute against other than stripping Dan Newhouse from all committees and moving his office to a latrine?

Ukraine? They will be dead to us. Europe had better already be ramping up missile, ammo, etc. production.

China and North Korea? I don't have a pun or prediction for them. Now we are talking some serious shit. I'm more than a little nervous on this. Although I am kind of cool with tariffs on China. We don't need their plastic shit. Although don't our solar panel components mostly come from there? Well that industry will die anyway under Trump. Don't buy their shit, and don't export any more food after they retaliate. Starve 'em to death. And since our #1 export to China of any kind is soybeans (fun fact, the crop originated in E. Asia), hah hah all you Blue state farmers who grow them! Uhh, wait........let me check that......

Getting out hustled a nd badly beaten on the boards

Glowing article on Wells.

Just read this new twist - apparently there was blood from two additional males found during the investigation, which wasn’t revealed to the judge. Also wasn’t submitted for identification, although the article isn’t clear on exactly why.

Most of the defense’s moves have reeked of desperation, but this could be something. I don’t agree with them that it impacts probably cause, but this is the kind of thing that could turn into reasonable doubt., especially based on the people who are likely to be on this jury.

Still think he’s guilty as hell.

Story

Come on Cougs! Let up on the turnovers and take some shots inside on occasion!!

Cougs making this a game.

Hope you get the trick in the Title. We need more stories like this one about a great little guy.

OK, Cougs are fully staffed. Thoughts on our new staff position "Mental Performance Director"? Another Jackrabbit BTW.


As for coaches:



A dozen Jackrabbits and a handful of other FCS coaches. All in all, precisely zero FBS experience other than a couple of short Grad Assistantships. And is it just me or did WSU expand the coaching staff by 2-3 (not counting Grad Assistants)?

I guess the good news is that I can now stop picking on this assortment until, say, November? Or at least until after our three P4 matchups. I'm sure my highly thought-of analyses and commentary on this topic will be missed.

As an aside, advance condolences to our Asst AD for Inclusion and Belonging for soon being part of the upcoming DEI purge.

I’m only watching for the commercials

https://x.com/kristiormand1/status/1887911927554392366?s=46

Here is a nice article regarding Coug baseball.

I sat down to read the Local Voice (Oxford) this morning and came across this article about the economic impact of Ole Miss football has on the local economy. I sprayed coffee around the room. Ole Miss has many similarities to WSU, from its small town nature, its extreme isolation and surrounding poverty. Yet, they are on a different plant in terms of economics. Ole Miss football brought in $325 million dollars to the local economy in 2024. Imagine the Cougs doing that? A third of a BILLION. We'd be in Big 12 right now. The Cougs can't even dream of doing this. First and foremost, there's nowhere to spend that type of money. And we all know the best place to spend game weekend money is across the border. There is a lack of everything. Hence, the beat the traffic post game dash. However...

WSU, Schulz and the fans, bear our share of responsibility, but that responsibility also largely is on the the shoulders of the biggest freeloader out there, the city of Pullman. Downtown Pullman is in a sad state, Far worse than when I was in school in the 80s, and it wasn't good then. You don't have a (now defunct) plasma center as an anchor tenant. It screams poverty and desperation. I suspect my youngest chose CPP to study engineering this year over WSU (despite being initially very gung ho) because there was/is no "college town" in the traditional sense, and you are 80 miles from Spokane.

The city needs to get its act together, starting with the "better" than Moscow action plan (which it should always have been). It is time for a fundamental mindset shift. If the status quo is continued, imagine the what downtown Pullman will be like with WSU as a decade long member of the G5!

If, finally, there is the now or never action plan by the community, we know our duty is to support the shit out of it, just like Rebel fans do. But the city need to know something has to change to prevent the impending athletics/city of Pullman death spiral.

...win championships.

An area Leach gets very high marks in;
1) Recruiting at least 5 in each class.
2) General development and coaching.

Seahawks need to get rid of Schneider who is on the record of saying basically the guard positions is plug and play. (Don't need to invest).

Rubio landed, had a cup of coffee and left with another win before lunch. (For those of you still locked in an intellectual struggle with downloading the X app and can’t read this, let me know. I’m here to help!)

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