WSU falls to St Mary's 68-57
by John Berkowitz on Mar 17, 2009 11:01 PM PDT
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PrintWSU lost in the opening round of the NIT to St Mary's tonight. I didn't see that one coming since Gonzaga manhandled the Gael's during the regular season and in the WCC tournament.
The game was in Moraga at the Gaels tiny gym and the home advantage had to be a huge factor in this one. Patty Mills scored 27 points, 17 in the first half, leading St. Mary's to what I think should be considered an upset win.
The friendly prognosticators over at Coug Center had this among other things to say before the game about the Gaels.
And while all the buzz about tonight is going to surround super guard Patty Mills -- you'd think the guy was a lock for a top 5 NBA pick with how much man love has been thrown the guy's way this week -- I'll go ahead and go against those ever-so-knowledgable ESPN announcers and tell you that Mills will not decide the outcome of this game.
The Coug Center guys issued this disclaimer after the game.
I wish I could say I foresaw all the boneheaded turnovers in the first half, but there was just no way that should have happened. Disappointing, to say the least.
Patty Mills will get all the press in this one, but he's not the reason we lost. It didn't help, but his performance could have been overcome. Problem is, we were just too flawed in too many other areas to give ourselves a chance.
Loyal Cougar fans will now regroup to storm the Cherberg Center in Olympia on Wednesday to protest the extension and use of tourist taxes raised in King County specifically for sports venues such as Husky Stadium and Key Arena which just happen to be in King County.
All kidding aside I hope we don't meet the same fate against Mississippi State on Thursday in Portland.
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Gotta disagree with the Cougcenter guys
The Cougs played poorly, yes. Far too many turnovers and Thompson couldn’t throw it in the ocean. But Patty Mills won that game every bit as much as the Cougs lost it, if not more.
They do a great job over there, but one thing I’ve noticed about them is that they are very hesitant to give credit to other teams and other teams’ players. They have that “the only team that beats us is us” mentality, but in this game, Patty Mills was playing with such a chip on his shoulder that I’m not sure the Cougs could have won this game no matter how well they played.
http://www.spartyandfriends.com/
They do a great job
I just had to point out the ironic. Mills was fantastic tonight.
by John Berkowitz on Mar 17, 2009 11:54 PM PDT up reply actions
He was indeed fantastic
Every now and then he has games where you just wonder if he’s ever going to miss, and this was one of those.
http://www.spartyandfriends.com/
Entirely possible we might not have won anyway
But we were within 4 with 7 minutes to go in the game, and Mills already had 20 points. However, two horrific offensive possessions that ended because of poor discipline led to easy baskets the other way and effectively quashed our comeback. It was that way all night. We’d make some plays to come back, then do something (or multiple somethings) wrong.
Granted, Mills (or someone else) made us pay for every mistake and miscue, and the Gaels deserve all the credit in the world for that. He was indeed fantastic, and I’m working on a post to that effect right now. But man — there were just so many mistakes and miscues and just generally inability to make plays that we didn’t even give ourselves a realistic chance to win the game. If you read the entire postgame post, that’s a more accurate portrayal of the point I made.
And we’re hesitant to give credit to other teams and teams’ players? This post disagrees. And so does this one.
by Jeff Nusser on Mar 18, 2009 11:10 AM PDT up reply actions
I wil say it again...Coug Center does a great job
Lots of good information going on over there.
by John Berkowitz on Mar 18, 2009 12:54 PM PDT up reply actions
How about a Referendum?
If the Cougars want to play hardball at the hearings, a Tim Eyman-style referendum is also in order to eliminate all sports subsidies to WSU and UW or force athletic subsidies to be equally split at both schools. Using thier logic, why should my tax dollars support WSU — year-after-year to the tune of $5 Million per year. I want that to stop.
Since UW doesn’t get subsidies, it would let those Cougs who bitch on this issue to either pony up thier own $5 million shortfall or drive WSU into division II. A lot more people in this state than not might see this subsidy as wasted tax dollars in this economic climate. Turn about is fair play.
Coug Subsidies
I have no problem with WSU getting subsidies for its athletic department.
Sometimes it is hard to seperate hard core Coug fans and WSU administration.
WSU administration has no problem with it at all.
by John Berkowitz on Mar 17, 2009 11:57 PM PDT up reply actions
Coug Subsidies
There’s a little more to it than that. It’s called “Good Cop, Bad cop”.
Somebody is organzing the group of Cougars testifying against the Huskies. Like it or not, they are effectively representing WSU. So in the end it doesn’t matter whether the administration publically “has no problem with it”. They sure aren’t condeming it nor are they in Olympia testifying for it (i.e. against the “renegade” Cougars).
Let’s reshuffle the deck and create a political environment where the Cougar alumni who are doing the testifying pay for the $5 Million shortfall or give back $2.5 Million to the Husky taxpayers. If they want everything to be fair, let’s be consistently fair.
With the drastic cuts in education, $2.5 million equates to 15-20 UW professors that would avoid getting laid off or accepting perhaps a hundred plus deserving UW applicants that would otherwise be turned away next year. I think THAT is the more compelling argument to voters — most of whom live on the UW side of the mountains. Treat it as a tax payer issue; forget the sports angle.
Ignoring Idiots
You make a great point, however I think in the long run it is always best to ignore the lunatic fringe rather than to sink to their level and join them. That’s just me. The more attention you pay the more credence they have. Husky fans need to focus on the issure not the detractors.
Somebody is organzing the group of Cougars testifying against the Huskies. Like it or not, they are effectively representing WSU. So in the end it doesn’t matter whether the administration publically "has no problem with it". They sure aren’t condeming it nor are they in Olympia testifying for it (i.e. against the "renegade" Cougars).
If I am not mistaken it is either Cougfan or Cougzone.
Disagree
I think there is definitely an element “annoyed taxpayers” that is pure among the fan base but when it comes to a good portion of Cougar fans most are opposed because of rivalry issues and not because of the taxes. The taxes just serve as an excuse to hit back at UW on this issue – if they were smart they wouldn’t open up Pandora’s box (although watching the Senate hearings on this I think it might be too late) in regards to state support of each Athletic Department. There is a reason the Administration at WSU has been quiet about this and not actively campaigning against it – they see the big picture and aren’t blinded by Crimson colored lenses.
I am sure there are annoyed taxpayers.
I am also sure of the pure hate that some Cougar fans have toward the University of Washington.
The funny thing is we don’t feel the same way. Most of us including me root for the Cougs.
by John Berkowitz on Mar 18, 2009 4:36 PM PDT up reply actions
That's true
This rivalry is definitely more one-sided that way. I generally root for the Cougs unless they are playing UW or I have a reason for them to lose (seeding, standings, etc). However, very few Cougs every root for UW under any circumstances.
That's BS!
Tell us how you really feel!? You don’t have to sugar coat it!
Washington Husky Football-1991 National Champions
Give me a break Grady
Those guys made asses out of themselves and embarrassed your school.
by John Berkowitz on Mar 18, 2009 10:55 PM PDT up reply actions
It's like this...
…these clowns don’t have the guts to admit that they don’t want anything to be given to the Huskies, nada! It’s not about fiscal responsibility? If that was the case, why wouldn’t any taxpayer support a public stadium where over half the money will be private donations? The state is ultimately responsible for Husky Stadium. This would be one of the first public projects to be approved if reason was brought into the equation.
How much private money do you as a taxpayer expect to be ponied up for the 520 bridge?
Washington Husky Football-1991 National Champions
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