I keep referring to him as one of the guttiest quarterbacks I have ever seen. He helped beat UCLA with a broken leg, ultimately leading the Cougars to their last Rose Bowl. Despite the attention he has received both as a former football player and now as an analyst on Fox Sports Northwest (last time I checked it was the Husky Network), Jason Gesser remains humble and determined to promote WSU Football to the great northwest. Gesser delivered an impassioned speech that resulted in a standing ovation from the 200+ people who attended "A Night with Cougar Football" at Meadow Springs Country Club--an event designed to raise money for scholarships. Glenn Johnson, Mayor of Pullman and Public Address Announcer for football and basketball, did a masterful job as Master of Ceremonies. Gesser said it was the family atmosphere, similar to the one he was raised in, that made his decision to attend WSU an easy one. Following his recruiting visit to the U-Dub, three different Husky players from Hawaii told him Montlake wasn't the best place for him. Too much of the "me me" going on they said. He obviously made the right choice.
Things are changing in the Palouse. The Cougar faithful are seeing some light at the end of the tunnel after listening to Gesser, wide receiver Gino Simone, and redshirt freshman cornerback Nolan Washington, a real funny character to say the least. All three brought with them new life to the Cougar Program. There hasn't been much to celebrate the last couple years, and many close to the program are very aware of how one sided the outcomes have been. Embarrassing, humiliating, down right awful to say the least. But I can honestly say there's something that can be said for people who stick to their plan and believe in it. Head Coach Paul Wulff is one of those. The kids are believing too. WSU is recruiting quality people, like Simone and Washington. After raising $35,000, the alumni are obviously buying in too. The grade point average last year was the highest in the history of the school. Although we grade coaches on wins and losses, these are some of the things that are often times overlooked. Good things are happening in Pullman. Just ask these kids.
Paul Wulff needs time. I hope the administration gives it to him. Then we will learn that like Gesser, they too made the right choice.
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