Washington State Football: CougCenter and All Coug’d Up Calling for Fan Support Against Bruins, and Beyond
By Josh Davis
Oct. 13, 2012; Pullman, WA, USA; Washington State Cougars mascot Butch celebrates a touchdown against the California Golden Bears during the second half at Martin Stadium. The Golden Bears won 31-17. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-US PRESSWIRE
If there’s one non-critical life activity that keeps me going every Fall season, it’s Washington State taking on their various opponents in football each week, trying to notch a win and take the next step. It doesn’t even really matter what the step is, whether it’s trying to beat a FCS opponent, win the Apple Cup, go to the Rose Bowl, or avoid an 0-12 season. I’m just excited to watch it happen. I’m always optimistic on Friday, I’m always nervous all day Saturday and I’m always reflective in one way or another as I wake up on Sunday and get ready for next week. How the game goes generally always affects my week, probably more than it should. I can’t help it.
Basketball in some ways is the same, but of course in football you only play 1 per week, so it’s this buildup and anticipation that boils down to Saturday (or in some cases Thu/Fri, whatever it happens to be), for 3 hours taking in all of my teams’ successes and failures, living each moment as if it meant a hill of beans in my personal accomplishments. To be fair, I guess it does. I do pay for the tickets to go to as many games as I can each season, so I am invested in the culture and tradition of Martin Stadium, even beyond the family tie that makes me a Coug.
Anyone who is a college football fan experiences most of this on a seasonal basis for their team. Some years are better than others, some decades are better than others, some are worse. Around here, it’s been worse for a while, but even through the constant back to back weeks of disappointment I’m still here and so are you. You haven’t waned in your support and belief that it will get better to this point and it’s not time to back out now. I’m going to stop talking because Michael Preston put it into words over on Cougcenter and I am in full support of what he had to say. Here’s the post you need to read right now to keep your spirits up.