Crazy Seahawks, resilient Cougs

Today, we have a live report from the Palouse. Well, I guess it’s not live because it was written by one Jessamyn McIntyre and then emailed to me and then sent to your email so there’s a little delay, but she was at Saturday’s win over Cal and has a great perspective on how the Cougs bounced back.

But first, in the wake of Sunday’s Seahawks game, I would like to propose that we creative a definitive index for Seahawks’ craziness here at The Dang Apostrophe. Given this team’s reluctance to play anything resembling a normal NFL game under coach Pete Carroll, we need to have a quick tool for measuring just how crazy the game was using a scale that range from 1 (Totally normal NFL game) all the way up to 11 (This game was on acid).

Sunday’s game featured a fake punt by one team, no punts by the other and the worst recovery of an onside kick in NFL history. There were two absolutely wasted replay challenges, a running play on third-and-16 that resulted in a 36-yard touchdown and an injury cart utilized for a bathroom break. I’m thinking this rates about a 7 on our scale, but I’m not sure. Hell, I’m not even sure that’s the weirdest game this team has played this year.

We need a definitive grading scale to evaluate just how clinically insane a particular Seahawks’ game is, a measurement of sea-chosis if you will, and I would like to solicit help both in nominating games that will serve as landmarks and for distinguishing between the levels of insanity. You can feel free to make suggestions in the comments here or you can just respond to this email and it will get to me.

Also, “Say Who, Say Pod” — a weekly Huskies’ podcast that I record with Christian Caple of The Athletic — is now available on Apple podcasts, Spotify and various other spots. We recorded an episode Monday in which I somehow managed to work in the Butterfly Effect into a Washington defeat that really shouldn’t be considered that big of a bummer in the overall scheme of things.

OK, let’s get to Jess and a quarterback who’s showing something special for the Cougs.

By Jessamyn McIntyre

Friend of the Apostrophe

PULLMAN — Resilient is a term I use far too often as a broadcaster. Sorry, not sorry. It is the best way to describe the team I watched on Saturday.

While leading at halftime, 7-3 over California, WSU head coach Jake Dickert was not satisfied. His team had held Cal running back Jaydn Ott to just 31 yards at that point, but he told me the offense needed to be better.

Cam Ward felt the same. I saw the young quarterback with his head in hands after not one, but two endzone interceptions. He blamed no one but himself.

This young leader was so upset with himself that, while the defense was on the field, took to the injury tent to vent. He did not throw a sideline temper tantrum. He did not let his emotions spill over to his teammates. It’s a maturity that goes virtually unseen unless you’re standing right outside the tent like I was while veteran receiver Renard Bell stood guard.

Thus brings back the word I use too often – resiliency. It couldn’t be better placed than on Cam Ward. Through a tough first half – which the Cougs were winning by the way – he came back shining.

I can tell you everything you could easily look up in a box score. He was 27 for 40 for 343 yards for three touchdowns, and yes, those two picks.

What you won’t read in a box score is watching this young quarterback grow through the course of a game. He was disappointed himself, but came back to be with the team he believes in. Through a postgame interview with Alex Brink he expressed that he doesn’t believe the team has played a fully clean game on both sides of the ball. That excites him, knowing how far this team can go.

Dickert felt the same.

“That’s what we said in the locker room,” Dickert said, “ ‘How ‘bout that response?’ I think that shows a mature football team that came back ready to work.”

Resilient. Yes, there’s that word again, but coming of a deflating loss to Oregon last weekend, it is simply the most appropriate description of this Washington State Football team. The sky, overlooking the beautiful rolling wheat fields, is the limit.