1-44-1 An interesting note.

[Cougsocal]

That is Iowa States record against Oklahoma since 1960. Kinda reminds me of our "0" since 1957 streak against USC. Walden coached the only ISU team that beat Oklahoma during that run and was the guy to end our "0" for my lifetime streak against USC. Walden also ended the Don James UW led win streak. Beating Don James and seeing smug Huskies cry, literally, because they aren't going to the Rose Bowl, is a cherished moment I will take to my grave. Walden was only 44-52-4, but he had to rebuild a broken program, during the 95 scholarship era. It is like complaining that Mike Leach is 14-19.

I know, for some, he committed the unforgivable sin, railing against the firing of Wulff, a firing that really should have been done during year one, after Cal or USC. I have wondered why someone could get so irate over such a necessary move. I think the reason is what made Walden the Raveling of football recruiting, insane loyality to his kids. Since 1980 we have had 5 1st rounders, Walden signed three. He signed the #1 recruit in the entire country (a passing QB to a veer offense) and signed the 1983 Pac-10 1st team defensive line, the entire line, DL being the most difficult position to recruit well. He also sign our best OL, our second and third best, and our best OL player ever. You don't do that unless you engender trust, real trust that the coach has your back. That unconditional loyality, I believe, prevented Walden from being rational when it came to Wulff. Well that is my take.

Food for thought..

 

[Fab5Coug]

Good post. The current ending to the Walden/WSU story is sad. I didn't follow the Cougs back then, so I only really know Walden from the booth. I loved him w/ BobRob. I found his blatant homerism unique & amusing. I always thought Walden, BobRob, Doba & Keith Jackson would be the ultimate crew to take to a cabin and just drink beers, smoke cigars and talk football with.

Wish he'd give up the Wulff thing, make amends with the AD & the fans. Cougar football is just more fun, IMO, with a guy like Walden in the fold.

 

[LoneStarsGhost]

That is Iowa States record against Oklahoma since 1960. Kinda reminds me of our "0" since 1957 streak against USC. Walden coached the only ISU team that beat Oklahoma during that run and was the guy to end our "0" for my lifetime streak against USC. Walden also ended the Don James UW led win streak. Beating Don James and seeing smug Huskies cry, literally, because they aren't going to the Rose Bowl, is a cherished moment I will take to my grave. Walden was only 44-52-4, but he had to rebuild a broken program, during the 95 scholarship era. It is like complaining that Mike Leach is 14-19.

I know, for some, he committed the unforgivable sin, railing against the firing of Wulff, a firing that really should have been done during year one, after Cal or USC. I have wondered why someone could get so irate over such a necessary move. I think the reason is what made Walden the Raveling of football recruiting, insane loyality to his kids. Since 1980 we have had 5 1st rounders, Walden signed three. He signed the #1 recruit in the entire country (a passing QB to a veer offense) and signed the 1983 Pac-10 1st team defensive line, the entire line, DL being the most difficult position to recruit well. He also sign our best OL, our second and third best, and our best OL player ever. You don't do that unless you engender trust, real trust that the coach has your back. That unconditional loyality, I believe, prevented Walden from being rational when it came to Wulff. Well that is my take.

Food for thought..

What you say is strong.

 

[Flatlandcoug]

That is Iowa States record against Oklahoma since 1960. Kinda reminds me of our "0" since 1957 streak against USC. Walden coached the only ISU team that beat Oklahoma during that run and was the guy to end our "0" for my lifetime streak against USC. Walden also ended the Don James UW led win streak. Beating Don James and seeing smug Huskies cry, literally, because they aren't going to the Rose Bowl, is a cherished moment I will take to my grave. Walden was only 44-52-4, but he had to rebuild a broken program, during the 95 scholarship era. It is like complaining that Mike Leach is 14-19.

I know, for some, he committed the unforgivable sin, railing against the firing of Wulff, a firing that really should have been done during year one, after Cal or USC. I have wondered why someone could get so irate over such a necessary move. I think the reason is what made Walden the Raveling of football recruiting, insane loyality to his kids. Since 1980 we have had 5 1st rounders, Walden signed three. He signed the #1 recruit in the entire country (a passing QB to a veer offense) and signed the 1983 Pac-10 1st team defensive line, the entire line, DL being the most difficult position to recruit well. He also sign our best OL, our second and third best, and our best OL player ever. You don't do that unless you engender trust, real trust that the coach has your back. That unconditional loyality, I believe, prevented Walden from being rational when it came to Wulff. Well that is my take.

Food for thought..

I started reading his book (again) based on the other thread on this topic. It really should be read by any Coug fan and it gives a lot of insight into how he felt. It's obviously biased but if you read it, you realize that it's far too easy to demonize someone if you choose to ignore everything positive about them. Walden wasn't a great coach and has been unreasonable at times lately but you could make the argument that he was the perfect coach for us at the time. He was good enough to make us relevant and loyal enough to fight longer than many others might have.

 

[Coug1990]

That is Iowa States record against Oklahoma since 1960. Kinda reminds me of our "0" since 1957 streak against USC. Walden coached the only ISU team that beat Oklahoma during that run and was the guy to end our "0" for my lifetime streak against USC. Walden also ended the Don James UW led win streak. Beating Don James and seeing smug Huskies cry, literally, because they aren't going to the Rose Bowl, is a cherished moment I will take to my grave. Walden was only 44-52-4, but he had to rebuild a broken program, during the 95 scholarship era. It is like complaining that Mike Leach is 14-19.

I know, for some, he committed the unforgivable sin, railing against the firing of Wulff, a firing that really should have been done during year one, after Cal or USC. I have wondered why someone could get so irate over such a necessary move. I think the reason is what made Walden the Raveling of football recruiting, insane loyality to his kids. Since 1980 we have had 5 1st rounders, Walden signed three. He signed the #1 recruit in the entire country (a passing QB to a veer offense) and signed the 1983 Pac-10 1st team defensive line, the entire line, DL being the most difficult position to recruit well. He also sign our best OL, our second and third best, and our best OL player ever. You don't do that unless you engender trust, real trust that the coach has your back. That unconditional loyality, I believe, prevented Walden from being rational when it came to Wulff. Well that is my take.

Food for thought..

I hate to do this, but I will play ED and play "What if"? What if Jackie Sherrill had stayed in Pullman? He won everywhere he coached. He was a very good recruiter. Cannot blame him for leaving for Pittsburgh where he had been on staff the previous year and helped win a NC as the defensive coordinator. It was a shock when Pitt Coach Johnny Majors left for Tennessee. If he hadn't, who knows how long Sherrill would have stayed in Pullman. Not forever, as he has been a vagabond coach, but he did win and build teams at several schools. Yes, we know of the probations that A&M and MSU were put on during his tenure. Neither A&M, nor MSU were winning programs when he took over. Probation has not hurt either program at all and they are still better off for having him as coach. Sherrill still has a pending lawsuit against the NCAA saying it was a witchhunt.

Ok, Sherrill left and WSU hired Warren Powers. In his only season at WSU, he finished 7-4 with an upset of Nebraska. Before Gary Pinkel, he was the only winning Missouri coach of the last five coaches there. Conversely, Erickson, Price and Doba have winning records at WSU. Leach will soon enough. Powers was a good coach and had WSU on the right path in his one year at WSU.

If either of Sherrill or Powers had stayed at WSU, would they have had a better record than Walden? I think so. What do you think?

 

[Coug1990]

Walden wasn't a great coach and has been unreasonable at times lately but you could make the argument that he was the perfect coach for us at the time.

As you know, I am no fan of Walden. But, I have written that before on several occasions. He stayed. Of course, big time programs were not knocking on his door like Sherrill, Powers and Erickson early in his tenure at WSU. But, irregardless, he brought stability to the program by staying. Many others would have done a better job than he did, but they might not have stayed. What WSU needed was someone to stay for more than a year. He did that and for that I do thank him.

 

[Glad Cougar]

I hate to do this, but I will play ED and play "What if"? What if Jackie Sherrill had stayed in Pullman? He won everywhere he coached. He was a very good recruiter. Cannot blame him for leaving for Pittsburgh where he had been on staff the previous year and helped win a NC as the defensive coordinator. It was a shock when Pitt Coach Johnny Majors left for Tennessee. If he hadn't, who knows how long Sherrill would have stayed in Pullman. Not forever, as he has been a vagabond coach, but he did win and build teams at several schools. Yes, we know of the probations that A&M and MSU were put on during his tenure. Neither A&M, nor MSU were winning programs when he took over. Probation has not hurt either program at all and they are still better off for having him as coach. Sherrill still has a pending lawsuit against the NCAA saying it was a witchhunt.

Ok, Sherrill left and WSU hired Warren Powers. In his only season at WSU, he finished 7-4 with an upset of Nebraska. Before Gary Pinkel, he was the only winning Missouri coach of the last five coaches there. Conversely, Erickson, Price and Doba have winning records at WSU. Leach will soon enough. Powers was a good coach and had WSU on the right path in his one year at WSU.

If either of Sherrill or Powers had stayed at WSU, would they have had a better record than Walden? I think so. What do you think?

Good question and hypothetical. Given the fact that both Sherrill and Powers did well at other schools, it's very possible, if not likely, they would have done better than the three winning seasons Walden had in 9 years at WSU. But for me, I can't separate the two guys from the problems they brought on to their schools later as coaches. If you are going to speculate they would have better records at WSU had they stayed, you might also speculate that they would have put WSU in trouble with the NCAA. To be fair to Powers, the trouble Mizzou got into seems more of their doing than his...but without his personal financial issues to begin with, they would not have needed to bail him out.

It's true that other schools did not come knocking on Walden's door like they did for Sherrill and Powers, but the same could be said for Mike Price until the second Rose Bowl. Until Price's 13th and 14th seasons, his career record at WSU was about the same as Walden's.

At any rate, Sherill & Powers couldn't wait to get out of Pullman and felt absolutely no loyalty to WSU. I don't necessarily blame them but Walden developed a sincere love and appreciation for the school. That's important to me.

On a sad note, Powers is 74-years old and suffers from Alzheimers. I always wondered why he never got back into coaching after 1984. I don't know if it was his choice or that nobody wanted him.

Glad Cougar

 

[Flatlandcoug]

I hate to do this, but I will play ED and play "What if"? What if Jackie Sherrill had stayed in Pullman? He won everywhere he coached. He was a very good recruiter. Cannot blame him for leaving for Pittsburgh where he had been on staff the previous year and helped win a NC as the defensive coordinator. It was a shock when Pitt Coach Johnny Majors left for Tennessee. If he hadn't, who knows how long Sherrill would have stayed in Pullman. Not forever, as he has been a vagabond coach, but he did win and build teams at several schools. Yes, we know of the probations that A&M and MSU were put on during his tenure. Neither A&M, nor MSU were winning programs when he took over. Probation has not hurt either program at all and they are still better off for having him as coach. Sherrill still has a pending lawsuit against the NCAA saying it was a witchhunt.

Ok, Sherrill left and WSU hired Warren Powers. In his only season at WSU, he finished 7-4 with an upset of Nebraska. Before Gary Pinkel, he was the only winning Missouri coach of the last five coaches there. Conversely, Erickson, Price and Doba have winning records at WSU. Leach will soon enough. Powers was a good coach and had WSU on the right path in his one year at WSU.

If either of Sherrill or Powers had stayed at WSU, would they have had a better record than Walden? I think so. What do you think?

Honestly, I think we all know that any number of coaches probably would have been more successful than Walden. As said above, Walden's biggest contribution was showing loyalty when most others wouldn't have. He was a decent coach here and he proved that a WSU coach could put forth a team that could challenge the Huskies in particular but also be relevant in the conference. We needed that in a bad way. Sometimes, it isn't how great you were compared to others, it's how important you were at that moment. Walden left WSU a better place for his efforts. Sometimes, that's a good accomplishment in itself. He's kind of the anti-Neuheisal. Rick won a lot of games but drove two programs into the dirt.

 

[cr8zyncalif]

One of the many John Wooden quotes is something along the lines of "I'd rather have a player that makes the team great than have a great player". Jim Walden IMHO was the coach version of Wooden's player that made the team great. Sherrill was scum; only interested in himself. Powers had delusions of greater capability than he actually possessed. Neither would have been a viable long term option. Jim was happy being the good ole boy coach, and was effective in that mode. And never be so naive as to think that much of that wasn't a put on; Walden was as bright a football mind as we had in the league. He did more with less than most PAC level coaches, and was able to steadily improve the recruiting. By the time he was HC the revolving door of HC's had cut back on the players available on the roster, and he fixed that as quickly as anyone could have. He was the right guy at the right time.