Has this game changed how you feel about a bowl game?

[OrangeGravy]

New to this site. I was at that other site before it turned to dog sh&t. I'm mostly a lurker/voyeur that posts sparingly. This game has me down in the dumps.

Normally even with an apple cup loss I'm still fairly excited about going to a bowl game given our school history, but this game has me not interested at all. I barely even turned this game because I had an inkling it wouldn't go well, but not to this extent. I switched over to the Trees/Leprechaun game after our first punt.

What makes me even sadder is that I expected to lose this game. I had no confidence in the offense. I quietly hoped the D-Line would have another banner day and give the offense an early boost of confidence. The first 2 drives of the game crushed that notion instantly. I know this is who we are. I know we should be happy with 9 wins. I know if Leach stays another 10 years it will probably be the best stretch WSU will ever have. But it's all depressing as hell. Even more depressing than being a complete doormat. Expectations being crushed hurts way more than not having any to begin with. Looking online around various college football sites this loss barely registers a blip on the radar because nobody outside the WSU family expected us to win. As disinterested as I am right now about the bowl game and I am. I know I'll be right back at the beginning of next year HOPING a good season follows.

To the point. How do you feel about a bowl game after this debacle? Still plan on going to the game? Don't care anymore? Will you watch, not watch?

 

[BiggsCoug]

I'll watch. I'm not investing thousands of dollars to go see this.

I expect WSU to put out a well coached, well prepared, ultimate effort, all day tough product. If they do that and they lose, fine. They took their best shot at it, kids played their guts out, coaches called a smart game and kids were ready to play ok. That's what it is.

I didn't see that yesterday. I wanna see what happens when Leach puts a product like what I described on the field every week. Notice I didn't mention talent....

 

[Flatlandcoug]

My family will still go to the Foster Farms Bowl just because we’ve never been to the Bay Area. We will skip any other destination this year

 

[CougPatrol]

This is my seemingly annual I hate State feeling after Apple Cup, but I’ll be back on the bus in a few days.

 

[chipdouglas]

I no longer have a majority of my identity tied up with Cougar football, and it helps that I no longer live near Huskies who can rub it in after our annual rectal appointment.

I’m once again embarrassed by the results, and I’m pissed at CML. It’s especially infuriating that this embarrassment always comes at the hands of our greatest - and most classless - archrivals. Nothing to deligitimize your accomplishments in front of the rest of the nation like this yearly azz-whooping.

However, I’ve watched way too much Cougar football not to recognize how special a 9+ win season is, so until we have the P12 title on the line at the end of every year for a decade, I’ll enjoy this for what it is: a rare bright spot in Cougar football where we are not a guaranteed W on everyone else’s schedule.

 

[StormyCOUG42]

I think the reason that 8 and 9 wins seasons the last two years can seem "disappointing" is because of how those seasons ended. In 2016 we were riding what? 8 straight wins going into the Colorado game. Undefeated in the conference and then we got rocked three straight games and it deflated the excitement of the season. Same with this season. We started 6-0 with what looked like several winnable games remaining and then we finished 3-3 with three blowout loses. I have a feeling if we had lost to BSU, USC, and Oregon and then reeled off 6 straight to end the season, 9-3 would feel a lot different. Sometimes its not just about the record, but the journey there. This one ended with a resounding thud. Here's to hoping we can get a favorable match up in our bowl game, because 10 wins is special no matter what.

 

[How_did_this_happen?]

I think the reason that 8 and 9 wins seasons the last two years can seem "disappointing" is because of how those seasons ended. In 2016 we were riding what? 8 straight wins going into the Colorado game. Undefeated in the conference and then we got rocked three straight games and it deflated the excitement of the season. Same with this season. We started 6-0 with what looked like several winnable games remaining and then we finished 3-3 with three blowout loses. I have a feeling if we had lost to BSU, USC, and Oregon and then reeled off 6 straight to end the season, 9-3 would feel a lot different. Sometimes its not just about the record, but the journey there. This one ended with a resounding thud. Here's to hoping we can get a favorable match up in our bowl game, because 10 wins is special no matter what.

Get ready for 9-4. When have we played like we care in a bowl game under Leach?

Edit: i guess Miami would qualify.

 

[Coug90]

I think the reason that 8 and 9 wins seasons the last two years can seem "disappointing" is because of how those seasons ended. In 2016 we were riding what? 8 straight wins going into the Colorado game. Undefeated in the conference and then we got rocked three straight games and it deflated the excitement of the season. Same with this season. We started 6-0 with what looked like several winnable games remaining and then we finished 3-3 with three blowout loses. I have a feeling if we had lost to BSU, USC, and Oregon and then reeled off 6 straight to end the season, 9-3 would feel a lot different. Sometimes its not just about the record, but the journey there. This one ended with a resounding thud. Here's to hoping we can get a favorable match up in our bowl game, because 10 wins is special no matter what.

We also had a championship caliber defense this year which Leach has never had and it just feels like we pissed it away with unexplainable offensive inneficiency. Yes 9 wins in a normal year even with an Apple Cup loss would be swell, but the way in which this season unfolded seemed like a dick punch. Right now I’m not really excited for whatever bowl we end up in.

 

[BiggsCoug]

Did WSU win 9 games because of the coaching or in spite of the coaching???

I think it's both. It's hard to not see the meat left on the bone though.

 

[Coug90]

Did WSU win 9 games because of the coaching or in spite of the coaching???

I think it's both. It's hard to not see the meat left on the bone though.

Leach is the offensive coordinator. His grade for me this year as the OC would be a D.

Grinch did an outstanding job this year, and as much as the defense was mauled last night , I believe they would have hung in there had the offense done anything. They were clearly dejected as a unit with how pathetic Luke and the offense were playing. All UW had to do was play it safe and bludgeon them because they knew a couple TDS was going to get it done.

 

[StormyCOUG42]

Get ready for 9-4. When have we played like we care in a bowl game under Leach?

Edit: i guess Miami would qualify.

The miami game was pretty ugly offensively too. Luke couldnt throw in the snow.

 

[PINGDUDE4]

Leach is the offensive coordinator. His grade for me this year as the OC would be a D.

Grinch did an outstanding job this year, and as much as the defense was mauled last night , I believe they would have hung in there had the offense done anything. They were clearly dejected as a unit with how pathetic Luke and the offense were playing. All UW had to do was play it safe and bludgeon them because they knew a couple TDS was going to get it done.

Leach was far too loyal to Falk this year and he really paid for it last night. That 2nd string QB who is more mobile would have instantly made that game more interesting. Watching the Utah/UW you could see a mobile QB gives UW some issues.

But he was not going to humiliate Falk by benching him in his last game. Just was not going to happen.

 

[BleedCrimsonandGray]

Leach was far too loyal to Falk this year and he really paid for it last night. That 2nd string QB who is more mobile would have instantly made that game more interesting. Watching the Utah/UW you could see a mobile QB gives UW some issues.

But he was not going to humiliate Falk by benching him in his last game. Just was not going to happen.

Nope, he's going to humiliate him by leaving him out there and by having him play one more game.

Look, Falk is a good but not great qb who has his faults; not super great when its wet, cold, snowy, icy, too warm, the sun is in his eyes, the lights are in his eyes, its too windy, too foggy, playing in elevations above 1500 ft, playing in elevations below 1500 ft, playing against a 4 man front, playing against a 3 man front, playing against a 2 man front, playing against the blitz, throwing into zone.... I mean, other than that he's pretty great actually.