Sam Jankovich....RIP

[CougPatrol]

Former WSU AD Sam Jankovich has passed away at the age of 84. For those of you not familiar with him, this quote from Rod Commons sums up his body of work perfectly I think.

"Sam Jankovich saved Cougar Athletics as a member of the conference," said Commons. "For the Pac-8/Pac-10/Pac-12, whatever you want to call it, he saved our membership, and the university's membership. If he had not done what he did with the football facility, and the football program, I don't believe we would have been long for the conference ... he gave Cougar Football a chance to win and compete."

 

[Glad Cougar]

Sam was the AD the last two years I attended WSU. Good guy and he advanced Cougar athletics during his term. Martin Stadium was brought up to the necessary standards back then and he made big improvements for WSU track & baseball. Interestingly, he left WSU to become AD at Miami and hired Dennis Erickson away from the Palouse, shortly thereafter winning a national championship. Rod Commons is right on target....we could've easily ended up in the Big Sky had Sam sat on his hands in those days. RIP, Sam Jankovich.

Glad Cougar

 

[Cougsocal]

Sam was and will be the standard by which all Cougar ADs are judged. Winning on a shoe string budget without excuses!

 

[Observer11]

Sam was and will be the standard by which all Cougar ADs are judged. Winning on a shoe string budget without excuses!

Truth -

And as I recall, the SAE's had an alcoholic mixture named "Cranking Sammy Jankovich Jet Fuel" that delivered quite a punch.

 

[avabob1]

Also Jankovich was fighting hard in the legislature to upgrade highway 195 to 4 lane. Many people believe it eould have happened had he stayed a bit longer

 

[cr8zyncalif]

Sam was human like all of us and had his faults. But as an AD for WSU he was almost without peer. He handled the football HC turnstile of the late '70's well. He hired some excellent coaches in several programs. He was an effective advocate for virtually everything WSU, from the state legislature to fund raising to alum relations to WSU admin coordination and even...wait for it...he had a good relationship with the Pullman PD. I can't think of a whole lot that he did not do pretty well. RIP to a vital Coug.

 

[FnuLnu]

Also Jankovich was fighting hard in the legislature to upgrade highway 195 to 4 lane. Many people believe it eould have happened had he stayed a bit longer

Not a chance.

Spokane had crappy roads because Tom Foley didnt care much about pork infrastructure projects. Feds were giving out road money like candy until mid 80s.

For comparison see Norm Dicks and Tacoma.

Another comparison: Warren Magnuson redrew the route for I82 and I182 when WSDOT was going to screw it up. Part of that went through Foley's district.

 

[cr8zyncalif]

Yes, Foley was too much the gentleman to funnel pork to his district. Even when he had the ability to do so in a major (not minor) way.

He was from another era even when first elected. A lot to admire in concept but very frustrating in practice.

 

[Lollapalousa]

Great to hear the anecdotes.