Heartbreaking, but...

[CougPatrol]

That was the "best" loss I've ever sat through in Martin.

Feel bad for Powell. Just overcooked it with all the adrenaline.

So many what ifs, but you have to credit Stanford with the adjustment at halftime to use McCafferey as a decoy for Hogan's keepers.

Interesting to see how we come out next weekend. No time to mope.

 

[BleedCrimsonandGray]

Sorry bud, but there is to "best loss".

This was entirely winnable.

Half on the kicker, half on Leach for not running a play to put it on the right hash.

Stop with the moral victories, especially when this one was well within our grasp.

 

[fingerdisco]

Half on the kicker, half on Leach for not running a play to put it on the right hash.

Stop with the moral victories, especially when this one was well within our grasp.[/QUOTE]
What half does Dom get for not catching that ball that hit him in the hands that would have put them away, or at least not ended up with a Falk-int the following play giving them a short field for a FG?

 

[702coug]

hey, bad ref calls etc. the kids played tough as hell. nobody expected the defense to dominate like they did. totally ok with that outcome. Powell made plenty of kicks. kid deserves to feel cool with that's. Cougs will get pay back in the season.

 

[wulffui]

What half does Dom get for not catching that ball that hit him in the hands that would have put them away, or at least not ended up with a Falk-int the following play giving them a short field for a FG?

That's the thing about games like this, there's ten plays that you could point to.

I just hope that, in arguments years from now, I can hold this up as a top ten win because McCaffrey fumbled that ball.

 

[95coug]

As well as they played McCaffrey, this one goes on the defense. If they could keep the QB from running - something they've struggled with all season - we win this game by 2 scores.

Falk threw 2 bad picks again. Williams and Cracraft dropped balls. Powell missed. Refs blew the call on the fumble, and not sure how they saw something "indisputable" on the pick 6. None of those things matter if the D doesn't let Hogan run for 100.

 

[fingerdisco]

That's the thing about games like this, there's ten plays that you could point to.

I just hope that, in arguments years from now, I can hold this up as a top ten win because McCaffrey fumbled that ball.

I agree, and I'll take this moral victory because I bet the players know who the better team was in spite of the score. Ivan took that ball right out of McCaffrey's hands and I truly believe if we get that call, we're talking about a great win. I can live with missed FG's or dropped passes, it's the officiating garbage that really makes me insane.

 

[CougPatrol]

Of course it hurts. It stinks. We should have won. What can you do? We've had some close ones go our way too.

No such thing as a moral victory for the players, but for me, this game validated us. Playing WSU is no gimme anymore.

 

[BleedCrimsonandGray]

What half does Dom get for not catching that ball that hit him in the hands that would have put them away, or at least not ended up with a Falk-int the following play giving them a short field for a FG?

At this point Dom is what he is - half hero catches and half inexcusable drops.

 

[SaveFerris]

It's been a long time that I have gone into so many games expecting to win. Expected Cal and thought they would find a way to win this one as well. As many ways as they tried to let this one slip away they still were in a position to win the game. Grippi said it on post-game. It wasn't the last miss it was the 5 FGs in the first half where none turned into TDs. We needed to turn a few into TDs.

This team is still young but has shown it's different. They will come back from this and will have a shot to win out the rest of the way. They just lose focus at this point but this is a good team that has pulled out a few but has lost 3 they could have won.

 

[wulffui]

After the Cal game, I said the team I saw play there needed to clean up a plays, and they'd win at Oregon.

After this game, I say the team I saw goes at least 3-1 the rest of the way, and ends the season ranked... and likely the preseason favorite next year in the North.

 

[CougSinceBirth]

This squad should be 8-0. I'm sure they think it too. They played their hearts out tonight. I'm just sick and tired of losing games like this and moral victories. There were so many variables. It's just....ugh, frustrating. Every game here on out is winnable. 8+ wins is still in grasp. But tonight, I'm just frustrated.

I saw a lot of good stuff tonight. I saw some not so good stuff. And I saw an absolute crap sando from the officals tonight. This team is on the rise.

 

[SCglory]

As well as they played McCaffrey, this one goes on the defense. If they could keep the QB from running - something they've struggled with all season - we win this game by 2 scores.

Falk threw 2 bad picks again. Williams and Cracraft dropped balls. Powell missed. Refs blew the call on the fumble, and not sure how they saw something "indisputable" on the pick 6. None of those things matter if the D doesn't let Hogan run for 100.

In games like this there are a dozen instances that, had they gone the other way, could have changed the outcome. Check the 1971 Stanford game (the one in which Sweet kicks the winning FG). The video is on youtube. There are, I think, four changes of possession in the last 4 minutes!! In their next to last possession, the cougs call a halfback pass in which the back pulls the ball BACK, then makes a brilliant run to the Stanford 10....but on the next play, the cougs fumble....but STanford can't move the ball so they have to kick it back....then Sweet kicks his game winner. BUT, if the cougs punch that previous one in, they win by a larger score....Whatever.

Good teams find a way to win. End of story.

 

[StormyCOUG42]

Can blame Powell. Kid kicked 5 FGs in terrible weather. He's a good kicker but was bound to miss one eventually. What cost us this game is that he was even asked to kick 6 FGs. Our redzone offense was horrendous. If we convert just one of those first chances, we are probably sky high about one of the biggest wins in program history.

Also, as others have stated, it's becoming alarming that we can stop other teams QBs from running on us. Teams seem to figure that out at the half and that's why our second half defensive efforts are poor. It's unfortunate that for as dominant as our D looked in the first half, they gave up 27 points in the second half... Even if some of that was due to Falk INTs.

I hope these guys respond well. ASU looks very beatable but they can score a ton of points.

 

[Coug1990]

I hope these guys respond well. ASU looks very beatable but they can score a ton of points.

I would think the Cougars will be favored in this game. Who would have thought that only a few weeks ago.

 

[Coug1990]

Highly disappointed in the loss. But, I am not upset at all. That was one hell of a game that this team left a lot on the field. I am not calling this a moral victory. But, what I am calling this is another step forward. This is still a very young team and went toe to toe with a top 10 team full of 13 senior starters (compared to 8).

Great things are ahead.

 

[chipdouglas]

The QB thing doesn't - or I should say didn't - bother me as much as it seems to have bothered other people. As someone else said, it was a great halftime adjustment to use McCaffrey as a decoy while Hogan ran wild. I guess where I have a problem with it is when they are letting him break off 3, 4 and 5 big runs, or at least improbable runs which move the chains.

I also think it's a bit silly to say that ZERO blame can be put on the kicking unit. Powell made 5 earlier that night, a handful of which were from respectable distances. He did yeoman's work even getting us there. But time and time again our kicking unit has choked when it REALLY counts. If he misses an earlier kick, at least we know what we have to do there (score). If he misses two earlier, that changes our approach and, who knows, perhaps results in a win rather than a loss? We don't know... but what I do know is that it's silly to suggest there is literally no blame that can be placed on the kicking unit for missing the most important FG of all; the one that pays off the crazy hard work and gameplanning the team put in leading up to this moment. And once again they are let down.

Thinking about that janky turnover non-turnover call where McLennan rips it out and the booth agrees it should be a turnover, and then the refs say no, and then the booth does the mental gymnastics necessary to say they agree it was the right call, even though it seems clear to most of us that it was a takeaway (including the booth)... I'm haunted by Brock's comment a minute or two later that Stanford "only got 3 points on it, so it won't be the call that decides the game."

Welp, Brock, we lost by 2 points - so how'd that prediction work out for you?

All that said, I haven't seen a defensive effort this great since the Holiday Bowl in '03. Seriously, Stanford has been boatracing EVERYONE and we held them to barely 300 yards and a pathetic first half. If Grinch can get his guys up for the rest of our games, there's nobody left on the schedule we won't beat. Unfortunately, I'm not expecting to see the D playing at that level in the back half of the season. It seems like all of our herculean defensive efforts are wasted in close losses. But that doesn't mean we can't take another 2-3 wins before the year is out. One way or another we're going bowling.

 

[BleedCrimsonandGray]

The QB thing doesn't - or I should say didn't - bother me as much as it seems to have bothered other people. As someone else said, it was a great halftime adjustment to use McCaffrey as a decoy while Hogan ran wild. I guess where I have a problem with it is when they are letting him break off 3, 4 and 5 big runs, or at least improbable runs which move the chains.

I also think it's a bit silly to say that ZERO blame can be put on the kicking unit. Powell made 5 earlier that night, a handful of which were from respectable distances. He did yeoman's work even getting us there. But time and time again our kicking unit has choked when it REALLY counts. If he misses an earlier kick, at least we know what we have to do there (score). If he misses two earlier, that changes our approach and, who knows, perhaps results in a win rather than a loss? We don't know... but what I do know is that it's silly to suggest there is literally no blame that can be placed on the kicking unit for missing the most important FG of all; the one that pays off the crazy hard work and gameplanning the team put in leading up to this moment. And once again they are let down.

Thinking about that janky turnover non-turnover call where McLennan rips it out and the booth agrees it should be a turnover, and then the refs say no, and then the booth does the mental gymnastics necessary to say they agree it was the right call, even though it seems clear to most of us that it was a takeaway (including the booth)... I'm haunted by Brock's comment a minute or two later that Stanford "only got 3 points on it, so it won't be the call that decides the game."

Welp, Brock, we lost by 2 points - so how'd that prediction work out for you?

All that said, I haven't seen a defensive effort this great since the Holiday Bowl in '03. If Grinch can get his guys up for the rest of our games, there's nobody left on the schedule we won't beat. Unfortunately, I'm not expecting to see the D playing at that level in the back half of the season. It seems like all of our herculean defensive efforts are wasted in close losses. But that doesn't mean we can take another 2-3 wins before the year is out. One way or another we're going bowling.

We're not in the game without the K.
We don't lose the game without the K.

Just like Dom Williams - you can be both hero and goat. Kearse was both during the NFC championship last year, except he put his hero shoes on when it counted and not vice versa.

I'm super stoked that we have a kid that can give us a reasonable chance from 40+ yards, but being clutch is part of the job. He didn't miss that kick b/c yardage or spot - he missed it because he choked.

That being said, he wasn't alone in that department. Falk made some really bad decisions and kept throwing into tight and double coverage. However, he put his hero shoes on and threw a lazer to Williams when it counted.

 

[cr8zyncalif]

Chip, I was thinking the same thing re: the Holiday Bowl D effort being the closest comparison. Only other game that comes close is the USC win, and we were assisted in that one by Lame's game strategy. Folks, we now once again have a D that can alter a game. Been a long time coming, but it is here. We have made a lot of progress in all phases of the game over the course of this season, and if we take the remaining 4 regular season games one at a time, we can win them all. I think 3-1 is more likely, but 4-0 is possible.

I don't think any one of us last summer would have complained about being 5-3 at this point with a shot at all the remaining games…and I'm not complaining now.

What I'm most interested in right now is how this team approaches practice this week. Because usually a team that loses as we lost last night re-dedicates to fundamentals and pounds the c**p out of the other team the next week. And you can usually tell how that is going to go by practice in the week leading up to the game.

 

[M-I-Coug]

Did you guys watch the Mike Leach presser video? Towards the beginning, about the 3rd or 4th question, a reporter asks about Leach's clock management, and Luke throwing the ball with 17 seconds left. Leach said, "Are you an idiot? "Next question". Wow. WSU Athletics didn't post it on wsucougars.com Only found on BrandX. Unbelievable.

 

[Brent H.]

Did you guys watch the Mike Leach presser video? Towards the beginning, about the 3rd or 4th question, a reporter asks about Leach's clock management, and Luke throwing the ball with 17 seconds left. Leach said, "Are you an idiot? "Next question". Wow. WSU Athletics didn't post it on wsucougars.com Only found on BrandX. Unbelievable.

Do you feel bad for the reporter? Leach was right. Clock wasn't an issue right then. Stanford had all 3 timeouts and all they needed was a FG to win. We run it 3 times and Stanford gets the ball back with like 2:45 seconds at the 35 and can still run the ball like they were. It was an idiotic question.

 

[M-I-Coug]

Do you feel bad for the reporter? Leach was right. Clock wasn't an issue right then. Stanford had all 3 timeouts and all they needed was a FG to win. We run it 3 times and Stanford gets the ball back with like 2:45 seconds at the 35 and can still run the ball like they were. It was an idiotic question.

I was just shocked, I guess because it's not PC. I've never seen anyone call someone an idiot in a press conference.

 

[StormyCOUG42]

We are not talking about a 19 yard chip shot here... It was a 43 yarder in less than ideal conditions. He's a young kicker who had kept us in the game. Does it suck that he missed the most crucial kick of the game? Maybe even of the season? Sure. But he played a hell of a game. If it makes you feel better than okay, I give him 10% of the blame. It is his job to make kicks. But if the offense cashes in on any of the first half redzone chances, or if our defense could contain a running QB, then the kid isn't being asked to be the hero... That's a tough kick for a college kicker regardless of the pressure or weather.

 

[Cougatron]

I was just shocked, I guess because it's not PC. I've never seen anyone call someone an idiot in a press conference.

Leach isn't a PC coach. He's someone that hates to lose just as much as the fans. He tells people 100% what he thinks. If he thinks something is a stupid question. He'll tell you it's a stupid question. If someone is being an idiot. He'll tell them they are being an idiot. He's as honest as a person as you can have at the helm. That doesn't mean nice. Sometimes the truth is not nice.

When he dragged the Oline and Dline in front of Utah because they got worked and schooled by Utah the media cried about it because they thought that was so unfair. In reality it was genius because it showed everyone that he wasn't going to hide the truth. The O-line and D-line were the ones who were whipped. They can answer questions about it. If people don't like that tough sh*t. Play better so we don't have to answer those questions.

Marks in the post game press conference said don't ask me about the weather. Don't ask me about who I want to praise. We aren't praising anybody.

This team from coach to players are pissed off when they lose, and that's a good thing. They care. They want to win, and when they don't. They don't hide from anything. They let you know they are pissed off and are going to be pissed off.

It was a close game. We should have won it. We should have won all our games so far. That's an amazing feeling from where we once were. As a fan I'm not pissed because I love them regardless, but I'm so excited about the attitude that has been cultivated. No "aww shucks we were close".

It's a team that is growing into a gutsy angry team that wants to (and has) beat teams. No more doormat. We're a team that can compete with anybody and the only thing holding us back is ourselves.

 

[How_did_this_happen?]

We are not talking about a 19 yard chip shot here... It was a 43 yarder in less than ideal conditions. He's a young kicker who had kept us in the game. Does it suck that he missed the most crucial kick of the game? Maybe even of the season? Sure. But he played a hell of a game. If it makes you feel better than okay, I give him 10% of the blame. It is his job to make kicks. But if the offense cashes in on any of the first half redzone chances, or if our defense could contain a running QB, then the kid isn't being asked to be the hero... That's a tough kick for a college kicker regardless of the pressure or weather.

I'm thinking more along the lines of what you wrote. Falk's INT late in the 4th quarter really kicked me in the gut. That was a terrible pass and I'm sure Luke will learn from that.

Someone over on the Furd board wrote that after we settled for FGs only in the 1st half that that would come back to haunt us. I felt the same way at the time, and it sure did. Just one TD instead of a FG and the game could have been ours. Still though, that INT by Falk with ~4 minutes to go in the game was one that I'm the most focused on. Again, it'll be a learning experience for him. It hurt.

There are no moral victories from my perspective. We let that great opportunity get away from us through our mistakes, and that was tough to swallow.

 

[jarvis1981]

At this point Dom is what he is - half hero catches and half inexcusable drops.

I went to the ESPN site to check out Dom's catch to bring the team into FG range with 15 seconds left.
He made a great catch in full stride but went down without being touched. If he stayed up I think he scores running between the two safeties. One of the little things that gets missed in a tight loss like this one.

One more thought: LEACH has raised the standard for WSU football and the future looks bright. Even the two announcers mentioned that the Cougs are loaded at WR. No more 66-0 losses with defensive linemen doing swim-moves. These guys are in your face.

The effort was there last night but the result wasn't.
Looking forward to next week.

 

[How_did_this_happen?]

I went to the ESPN site to check out Dom's catch to bring the team into FG range with 15 seconds left.
He made a great catch in full stride but went down without being touched. If he stayed up I think he scores running between the two safeties..

Yes...I see this happen too much. A receiver falling down for no real apparent reason after a catch. Sometimes I think they are instinctively just trying to protect the ball. But I see YAC opportunities wasted too.

 

[wulffui]

I'm thinking more along the lines of what you wrote. Falk's INT late in the 4th quarter really kicked me in the gut. That was a terrible pass and I'm sure Luke will learn from that.

Someone over on the Furd board wrote that after we settled for FGs only in the 1st half that that would come back to haunt us. I felt the same way at the time, and it sure did. Just one TD instead of a FG and the game could have been ours. Still though, that INT by Falk with ~4 minutes to go in the game was one that I'm the most focused on. Again, it'll be a learning experience for him. It hurt.

There are no moral victories from my perspective. We let that great opportunity get away from us through our mistakes, and that was tough to swallow.

That throw was bad. But with TWO receivers right there, you can't let him drive on the damn ball like that, effing tackle him if you have to.

 

[M-I-Coug]

Leach isn't a PC coach. He's someone that hates to lose just as much as the fans. He tells people 100% what he thinks. If he thinks something is a stupid question. He'll tell you it's a stupid question. If someone is being an idiot. He'll tell them they are being an idiot. He's as honest as a person as you can have at the helm. That doesn't mean nice. Sometimes the truth is not nice.

When he dragged the Oline and Dline in front of Utah because they got worked and schooled by Utah the media cried about it because they thought that was so unfair. In reality it was genius because it showed everyone that he wasn't going to hide the truth. The O-line and D-line were the ones who were whipped. They can answer questions about it. If people don't like that tough sh*t. Play better so we don't have to answer those questions.

Marks in the post game press conference said don't ask me about the weather. Don't ask me about who I want to praise. We aren't praising anybody.

This team from coach to players are pissed off when they lose, and that's a good thing. They care. They want to win, and when they don't. They don't hide from anything. They let you know they are pissed off and are going to be pissed off.

It was a close game. We should have won it. We should have won all our games so far. That's an amazing feeling from where we once were. As a fan I'm not pissed because I love them regardless, but I'm so excited about the attitude that has been cultivated. No "aww shucks we were close".

It's a team that is growing into a gutsy angry team that wants to (and has) beat teams. No more doormat. We're a team that can compete with anybody and the only thing holding us back is ourselves.

Of course I know Leach is not PC. But, he also keeps his mouth shut, doesn't necessarily speak his own mind, and is short with words. Like I said, I have never seen anyone call someone an idiot in a press conference. If he wasn't Mike Leach, his boss would probably would call him into the office, close the door, etc. But he is Leach, and basicaly can get away with it. Amazing.

 

[How_did_this_happen?]

Of course I know Leach is not PC. But, he also keeps his mouth shut, doesn't necessarily speak his own mind, and is short with words. Like I said, I have never seen anyone call someone an idiot in a press conference. If he wasn't Mike Leach, his boss would probably would call him into the office, close the door, etc. But he is Leach, and basically can get away with it. Amazing.

I would be surprised if Moos didn't have a chat with him soon. That's what a good leader does. They have a good relationship, so it'll be a friendly chat I'm sure.

 

[dgibbons]

Of course I know Leach is not PC. But, he also keeps his mouth shut, doesn't necessarily speak his own mind, and is short with words. Like I said, I have never seen anyone call someone an idiot in a press conference. If he wasn't Mike Leach, his boss would probably would call him into the office, close the door, etc. But he is Leach, and basicaly can get away with it. Amazing.

Those types of answers don't get reported in the newspaper or picked up for the 30 second video clip on the evening news. They're are plenty of them, but you're seeing the raw video instead of the clip or sound bite. I've heard it many times.

 

[M-I-Coug]

I would be surprised if Moos didn't have a chat with him soon. That's what a good leader does. They have a good relationship, so it'll be a friendly chat I'm sure.

Totally agree. I betcha Moos will say something. It really comes down to respect and honoring other people, even if their beliefs, looks, faith, hobbies, are different than yours, right?

Frankly, I think Leach was resisting the fact that maybe, deep down inside, he wished he would have ran the ball for better clock management. Sometimes it's hard to be humble.

 

[Coug1990]

I would be surprised if Moos didn't have a chat with him soon. That's what a good leader does. They have a good relationship, so it'll be a friendly chat I'm sure.

I think is the opposite. Moos will not have a chat with him about this. Moos knew who Leach was when he hired him. Moos knew that Leach can be short with the press at times. If he didn't want a coach that did those things, he would not have hired Leach in the first place. He is not going to chat with him about this. He will take the heat himself (if he needs to, but I doubt he does) because that is what a good leader does.

 

[How_did_this_happen?]

I think is the opposite. Moos will not have a chat with him about this. Moos knew who Leach was when he hired him. Moos knew that Leach can be short with the press at times. If he didn't want a coach that did those things, he would not have hired Leach in the first place. He is not going to chat with him about this. He will take the heat himself (if he needs to, but I doubt he does) because that is what a good leader does.

OK. We'll agree to disagree.

 

[Coug1990]

OK. We'll agree to disagree.

OK, that is fine. But, let me ask you a question. He has been that way for 10 years at Texas Tech and four years at WSU (and probably for his entire life). Do you think that he is going to change?

If the answer is no, then what does Moos accomplish by having a talk with Leach?

 

[How_did_this_happen?]

OK, that is fine. But, let me ask you a question. He has been that way for 10 years at Texas Tech and four years at WSU (and probably for his entire life). Do you think that he is going to change?

If the answer is no, then what does Moos accomplish by having a talk with Leach?

Whether or not he changes, it is still Moos' responsibility to address it. Again, it would be a very friendly conversation. Not heavy handed or divisive in any way. Wait a couple of days and have a quick chat as part of a bigger conversation. I think Leach would acknowledge it and be fine with it. And then he'd likely do it again. There is good respect between them. However, it still is Moos' job. That is the way I see it. Make sense?

 

[YakiCoug]

Of course I know Leach is not PC. But, he also keeps his mouth shut, doesn't necessarily speak his own mind, and is short with words. Like I said, I have never seen anyone call someone an idiot in a press conference. If he wasn't Mike Leach, his boss would probably would call him into the office, close the door, etc. But he is Leach, and basicaly can get away with it. Amazing.

You don't get out much, do you?

 

[BleedCrimsonandGray]

I went to the ESPN site to check out Dom's catch to bring the team into FG range with 15 seconds left.
He made a great catch in full stride but went down without being touched. If he stayed up I think he scores running between the two safeties. One of the little things that gets missed in a tight loss like this one.

One more thought: LEACH has raised the standard for WSU football and the future looks bright. Even the two announcers mentioned that the Cougs are loaded at WR. No more 66-0 losses with defensive linemen doing swim-moves. These guys are in your face.

The effort was there last night but the result wasn't.
Looking forward to next week.

Is it possible that he was told to get down by the coaching staff because they knew that a reception would put them in fg range? Trying to preserve ticks on the clock?

 

[Coug1990]

Whether or not he changes, it is still Moos' responsibility to address it. Again, it would be a very friendly conversation. Not heavy handed or divisive in any way. Wait a couple of days and have a quick chat as part of a bigger conversation. I think Leach would acknowledge it and be fine with it. And then he'd likely do it again. There is good respect between them. However, it still is Moos' job. That is the way I see it. Make sense?

It makes zero sense to me. You are opening up a can of worms for no reason. It all goes back to what I wrote, Moos knew who Leach was before he hired him. But, like you said, we agree to disagree.

 

[chipdouglas]

No more 66-0 losses

I think you mean 69-0... USC.