I waited 24 hours to reactivate this account and compose this post because I didn't want what follows to be overly-influenced by the euphoric afterglow of what transpired yesterday in Pullman. And despite my self-imposed waiting period, I'm afraid my thoughts are likely to still be compromised. Regardless, here goes.
While we have all been witness to bigger games, and greater singular moments in Cougar sports history, what is undebatable is that there has never been a 24-hour period with the potential to reshape the future of WSU athletics, and football, specifically. At the risk of being labelled quixotic, I dare propose that we might someday look back on Saturday as the day that everything changed for WSU.
I say this because two thoughts entered my mind as yesterday came to a close.
First, Wazzu went national. I did something I've never really done before on Saturday, and monitored social media trends during the Gameday broadcast, as well as during the game, specifically looking for mentions of Pullman. Quite frankly, I was blown away by what I read. The consensus impression from neutral observers was overwhelmingly positive. College football fans all around the country saw a large, enthusiastic, passionate fan base; fans that loved their school, loved Pullman and knew how to have a good time. They saw spirit and pride on an epic scale, and remarked that Saturday morning in Pullman represented everything that is good about college football. They were witness to the magic of a true college town. They watched WSU absolutely truck the 12th-ranked team for 30 minutes (a program that is easy to dislike, at that), and likely turned the game off at half-time. They saw an exciting style of football, with an explosive offense that moved up-and-down the field at will and an aggressive, blitzing defense. They heard a loud, amped-up crowd bordering on delirium; a stadium about to blow. And they woke up to images of an ecstatic, fist-pumping, long-haired quarterback, riding the shoulders of those same fans into the Pullman night. And they loved every minute of it.
From start-to-finish, the day could not have gone better for the Wazzu brand, and don't be surprised to find sudden interest in places we never thought possible. And here's the great thing about new fans: They don't know that not every day is like yesterday. They don't know about couging-it. They don't know about students leaving early or the typically empty alumni side, or the weak crowd on 2003 Senior Night. They don't know about the Wulff years or the long bowl droughts. They don't know about 69-0 against USC, or the nearly-annual epic letdowns against UW. They know about Saturday morning and Saturday night. And they know that it was glorious.
And second, a sleeping stadium reawakened, and (hopefully) our fans remembered how FUN Martin stadium can be. For the first time in a long time the atmosphere was truly electric. It was shades of the 2002 wins over USC and Oregon, when the game itself was a party, Martin was rocking, and it was a thing of beauty.
When it's all said and done, the legacy of October 20th could be the national coming-out party we never dreamed possible. It could be our "Uncle Phil opening his wallet" moment. It could be the day that forever altered the trajectory and perception of WSU.
But here's the conviction. Yesterday will only have a legacy if we back it up. Avoid a fatal face-plant next week. Write that check to CAF. Renew those season tickets.
The legacy of yesterday could be the dawning of a new era. Or it could be nothing at all. I'm still elation-drunk enough to believe that anything is possible. Thanks for indulging me.
While we have all been witness to bigger games, and greater singular moments in Cougar sports history, what is undebatable is that there has never been a 24-hour period with the potential to reshape the future of WSU athletics, and football, specifically. At the risk of being labelled quixotic, I dare propose that we might someday look back on Saturday as the day that everything changed for WSU.
I say this because two thoughts entered my mind as yesterday came to a close.
First, Wazzu went national. I did something I've never really done before on Saturday, and monitored social media trends during the Gameday broadcast, as well as during the game, specifically looking for mentions of Pullman. Quite frankly, I was blown away by what I read. The consensus impression from neutral observers was overwhelmingly positive. College football fans all around the country saw a large, enthusiastic, passionate fan base; fans that loved their school, loved Pullman and knew how to have a good time. They saw spirit and pride on an epic scale, and remarked that Saturday morning in Pullman represented everything that is good about college football. They were witness to the magic of a true college town. They watched WSU absolutely truck the 12th-ranked team for 30 minutes (a program that is easy to dislike, at that), and likely turned the game off at half-time. They saw an exciting style of football, with an explosive offense that moved up-and-down the field at will and an aggressive, blitzing defense. They heard a loud, amped-up crowd bordering on delirium; a stadium about to blow. And they woke up to images of an ecstatic, fist-pumping, long-haired quarterback, riding the shoulders of those same fans into the Pullman night. And they loved every minute of it.
From start-to-finish, the day could not have gone better for the Wazzu brand, and don't be surprised to find sudden interest in places we never thought possible. And here's the great thing about new fans: They don't know that not every day is like yesterday. They don't know about couging-it. They don't know about students leaving early or the typically empty alumni side, or the weak crowd on 2003 Senior Night. They don't know about the Wulff years or the long bowl droughts. They don't know about 69-0 against USC, or the nearly-annual epic letdowns against UW. They know about Saturday morning and Saturday night. And they know that it was glorious.
And second, a sleeping stadium reawakened, and (hopefully) our fans remembered how FUN Martin stadium can be. For the first time in a long time the atmosphere was truly electric. It was shades of the 2002 wins over USC and Oregon, when the game itself was a party, Martin was rocking, and it was a thing of beauty.
When it's all said and done, the legacy of October 20th could be the national coming-out party we never dreamed possible. It could be our "Uncle Phil opening his wallet" moment. It could be the day that forever altered the trajectory and perception of WSU.
But here's the conviction. Yesterday will only have a legacy if we back it up. Avoid a fatal face-plant next week. Write that check to CAF. Renew those season tickets.
The legacy of yesterday could be the dawning of a new era. Or it could be nothing at all. I'm still elation-drunk enough to believe that anything is possible. Thanks for indulging me.