2002-12-18 21:00 ☼ post
I was pretty disappointed when it became obvious a couple days ago that Cougar football coach Mike Price was going to take the Alabama job just weeks before the Rose Bowl. As a WSU alum and a die-hard Cougar fan, losing a coach who is such a good fit for the school after 14 years of loyal service is hard to swallow. However, a funny thing has happened today. The more I’ve thought about it and the more news I’ve read and heard about the situation, the more I’ve found myself feeling a completely different emotion. Instead of being down in the dumps I’m actually beginning to feel a little bit excited. Mike Price is getting a tremendous opportunity and as a 14 year fan of the man and the coach I’m rooting for him to make the most of it.
Of course Mike Price is only half the story. I’m really excited for Bill Doba to get his shot as the new Cougar head coach. He’s been alongside Mike Price leading the Cougar defense for the past 14 years and doing a very fine job of it. Coach Doba has more than earned his shot at the promotion. In some ways his defenses have played at a consistantly higher level than the Cougar offenses over the last ten years. In fact the 94 defense carried a very suspect offense all the way to the Alamo Bowl.
At this point the only thing I’m really unhappy about with the entire situation is that apparently Coach Price is still set to coach in the Rose Bowl. As much as I love Mike Price I say no way to that one. He forfeited the right to that opportunity when he took Alabama up on its offer. WSU owes it to its players, fans, and alumni to move forward.