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It's game week. A familiar routine despite the unique sense of anxiety and fervor that seizes his every function this time of year. With just a week to go, there is precious little time to prepare. He'll need beer. Of course. He was thinking about experimenting with a new wing sauce (the temptation to go hotter is thwarted by the admission that old age is both bending his tolerance and exploding his GERD), but will likely stick to the same old formula. A trip to Costco will be required. Oh, and paper towels. The good ones. That will take care of the wing sauce remnants and the frothing at the mouth (all good dawgs ...). Dots! By jove! The most important things. This is going to be epic.
Husky Stadium Dots
- Everybody is getting excited about the opening of the new stadium...just one week away! Today is RAISE THE WOOF ... go check it out if you are able.
- Stephen A. Smith ... not the ESPN guy, but a lifelong Husky Fan ... takes a wonderful look at the stadium through the eyes of a dedicated supporter of UW athletics. This is the article I was hoping that I could write, but Mr. Smith simply nailed it.
- Andrew Long of the Good Guys blog also takes a look at the stadium and provides us with a pretty good explanation of why it gets so darn loud in there.
- Geekwire takes a look at the new technology at Husky Stadium, including some comments on how recruits and players can play XBox on the Jumbotrons. XBox...on the Jumbotrons. Better get to work on that, Phil Knight.
- Finally, Gregg Bell writes about how the opening of Husky Stadium feels like just the right moment for all the pieces to finally come together for this young, emerging football team. He echoes the sentiment that Husky Fans feel in his own, eloquent manner.
Dots
- Dybas covers Dan Cozzetto in this piece for TNT. Coz has felt the wrath of many frustrated Husky fans over the last few years ... and with good reason. The thing that most of the country doesn't understand is that there is talent on this team. That talent is now healthy AND experienced. This may well be the year that the Husky O-Line goes from weakness to strength. I think a lot of us will be singing the same praises for Coz that his players do when it is all said and done.
- Speaking of the O-Line, the ESPN Stats and Info blog gets it. They took a look at the performance of KP behind that line and make some observations related to line continuity that will resonate with fans. The fact that they link to Kirk as part of their analysis just seals the deal for me.
- TNT takes a look at the gray shirting process through the eyes of a young offensive lineman, Jaimie Bryant. Pretty good read if you are interested in better understanding this "gray area" of college sports.
- The O-Line also figures prominently in the PI's "slideshow" preview of the Husky offense in 2013. It feels a little like the Bleacher Report ... but it isn't. And that makes it good.
- Lindy's has their annual UW preview right here ... and they have some unique takes on strengths and weaknesses that go beyond the usual mass media fare.
- The UW Daily has started a fun little 10 Days 'til Kickoff Countdown series - quick "by the numbers" trivia bites.
Day 10 - 10 Years Since a Punt Return for a TD
Day 9 - 9 Coons' FGs in 2012
Day 8 - 8th Placed Receiver in the Pac12 - Austin Seferian-Jenkins - Tim Booth checks in with, hopefully, the last "Keith Price tries to put 2012 behind him" article of the off-season. It's time for us all to move on. If KP puts up a stat line that reflects the average of his 2011 and 2012 seasons, we'll all be ecstatic and probably in the hunt for a 10 win season. Who's with me?
- SBNation looks at the true freshman likely to contribute in the Pac 12 this season organized by team. Check it out.
- Some of you may have picked up on a note that Sark made in a recent interview about how UW is working with a Bellevue based company to leverage new chip-implanted gear to track concussive impacts on players over the course of the season. This story hit the main wires and was part of NFL.com's scanning of concussion management topics around the leagues. This is a brilliant move by Sark and the athletic department. Not only do they demonstrate an authentic focus on player safety (this goes far beyond lip service), but they get a chance to demonstrate for visiting recruits and their families that the UW produces the kind of innovations and services that can directly impact a players well-being as a student athlete. This is a powerful message that is hard to duplicate at other universities ... not matter how much money their sugar daddies throw into facilities.
- Speaking of our wonderful university ... another day, another ranking. UW finished as the 16th best university in the world in this recent survey. It also finished as the fourth best U.S. public university behind Cal, UCLA, and UC-San Diego. Part of the reason for such recognition is the steady flow of innovation that comes from our researchers in the field of biomedical engineering, mechanical engineering and computer science. All three fields are demonstrated in this amazing invention that promises to change the field of personal devices and implantable electronics. Click here to see how UW researchers have demonstrated how to transmit data between two devices without the need for a transmitter or a power source. Unreal.
- Felix Jones of the Philadelphia Eagles got traded to Pittsburgh yesterday. This most assuredly means that not only is Chris Polk on Chip Kelly's team, but he is likely in line to get meaningful snaps. It's been an unexpectedly long road for War Daddy - he deserves some success.
- Another former Husky, Tony Wroten, was traded himself yesterday. He goes from the Memphis Grizzlies to the Philadelphia 76ers where will be reunited with fellow Seattle and UW alum, Spencer Hawes. As you can see by the link to sister site Liberty Ballers, fans are not expecting much. With every development, Wroten's decision to leave UW looks more and more tragic.
- Finally, we've been getting GREAT participation in our Fan Posts section lately. Don't forget to scan the right side of our page to access them. Or just click here! Thanks to all of you who have been making submissions - they are a great enhancement to our community.
Rumor Dots
Probably my last installment of rumors and rumblings that I'm picking up from various reporting outlets and twitter feeds. Enjoy.
- The day that neither Kirk nor I ever expected is going to arrive: expect Deontae Cooper to get some field action against Boise State.
- Travis Coons is going to be the FG kicker with Cameron Van Winkle handling kickoffs.
- Everybody is impressed with Ben Riva at LT. Everybody.
- JoJo Mathis = Beast. He continues to tear it up and absolutely will play this year.
- Can't find too many people who think that ASJ won't play against BSU.
- Some people are reporting that Princeton Fuiaomono has beat Travis Feeney for a starting OLB role. Those reports may be premature, but Fui is going to get a lot of snaps regardless.
- Kevin King at Safety has been a surprise standout to observers, though it is unlikely that he plays this season.
- Colin Tanigawa is more honey badger than panda these days. Apparently, the Panda's nasty streak is rubbing off on the whole line.
- The firming up of the kick holding situation, now handled by Korey Durkee, has been a key factor in stabilizing the performance of all the kickers.
- Jesse Callier could well be returning kicks again when the Huskies take the field in a week.
- The inability of linebackers to consistently cover Josh Perkins continues. He will definitely contribute and surprise opponents in 2013.
- Eric Kohler is already ruled out for the opener and he isn't really all that close to getting back on the field.
- The sudden emergence of Kevin Smith has made a Darrell Daniels redshirt likely and raises the question as to what role Demore'ea Stringfellow will play.
- Hau'oli Jamora (Kikaha) is not back to his old self yet ... but is still really good.
- We are all still waiting to see what role Marvin Hall is going to play for this team in 2013.
- The staff is considering red-shirting two or three guys who played last year. I'll leave it to you to guess who they may be.
Question of the Day
With gameday just one week away, chime in below and let us know what you'll be doing exactly 7 days from now as you prepare to take in Boise State at Washington. Will you be home with friends? At the game tailgating? Camping and checking in via whatever cell signal you can find? Working and following along on Anthony's open thread? Home and visitor fans alike - we want to know what you'll be doing in the pre-game hours one week from today.