WSU Football: Changes With WSU Broadcast Team

October 27, 2012; Stanford, CA, USA; General view of Stanford Stadium during the first quarter between the Stanford Cardinal and the Washington State Cougars. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

We all knew it was coming.

Word was just released by WSU Athletics which describes the changes to the broadcast team covering Cougar Football.

Cougar legend and icon Bob Robertson will be back again behind the microphone to cover the Cougs in 2013. However, his role will be slimmed down. The specifics are detailed in the release which follows:

PULLMAN, Wash. – The Washington State football broadcast team, comprised of Bob Robertson, Bud Nameck, Shawn McWashington and Jessamyn McIntyre, will undergo a revamping in time for the 2013 football season, it was announced today by WSU Director of Athletics Bill Moos.

Robertson will slide over from his familiar role and pass the microphone to Nameck. Beginning this season, Robertson will host the Cougars pre, halftime and postgame shows, while also providing analyst during the games.

“Bob and I had discussions this summer and we were in agreement that with the demands placed on a five-hour broadcast, this is the best move going forward,” said Moos.  “Bob Robertson is synonymous with Cougar Athletics and will be a member of our broadcast team for as long as I am athletic director. The ultimate goal is to have him in the booth for many years to come.”

Robertson has called Cougar football play-by-play for 470 consecutive games, and 520 overall dating back to 1964. He began calling Cougar football games in 1964 and with the exception of three seasons (1969-71), has called every Cougar broadcast since.

“I will be almost 85 years old by the end of the season and my energy level isn’t what it was when I was 35,” said Robertson. “I’m not going to get any younger so I’d rather people remember me the way I was as opposed to the way I will be. It is time to pass the torch.”

Nameck, who joined the broadcast crew as the sideline reporter in 2002 and moved to the booth last season, will handle play-by-play duties this season alongside Robertson and analyst McWashington, who begins his second season at his alma mater. McIntyre also begins her second season as theCougars’ sideline reporter.

For Washington State football fans, knowing we’ll still hear the thoughts and impressions from the man who has seen the ebb and flow the Cougs for decades is a treasured expectation.

Bob Robertson. The voice of WSU football. He’ll be there once again when the Cougars open up against Auburn this coming Saturday to begin another Pac-12 campaign.

A great man.

A great Coug.