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Dancin' on the Dubya: a look at the Dawgs Neuheisel at the "last chance saloon"? By: Malamute, Updated 21 December 2003
Where are they now? Opu Seminavage (Waianae '90), a Huskies' long snapper (’95), has been elected to the Maui school board. When asked about Opu’s recruitment, a Husky recruiting coordinator replied, “Wailea today when you can Kaanapoli to Maui,” which means, “Why lie today when you can con a Poly tomorrow.” When asked about Opu Seminavage’s play at Washington, AD Barbara Hedges replied, “Oh, pooh, semi-average.” My apologies go to the Polys at the UW, who call themselves the Tribe. All of them will figure prominently in the UW’s football fortunes next season. I should know better, but I can’t resist a pun. ----------- In the Los Angeles Times this morning, our own Sam Farmer says that former coach Rick Neuheisel, "...wants to be a head coach, although he realizes his way back into the game might be as an offensive coordinator" at the pro level. Farmer says that an "interesting fit for him could be the Oakland Raiders, who might be in the market to replace Bill Calahan and, as the league's last chance saloon, they have a history of reviving troubled careers." Black is an appropriate color for coach Neu. ;-) And most job opportunities have a silver lining. "I think that there was a belief that I was on the fast track and in search of the next best deal, as opposed to being content with my personal situation. I don't believe that to be true at all. I turned down several opportunities, so I could stay in both [Colorado and Washington]...I'm a very loyal person," Farmer quotes Neuheisel as saying. I wonder what Woody Paige of The Denver Post would say about that? ---------------- Les Carpenter of The Seattle Times, quotes UW AD Barbara Hedges in response to the rules breaking of Cameron Dollar, Rick Neuheisel and William Scheyer: "'How would I know all of that?' she says, flinging her hands in the air. 'It's absurd! That expectation is too high that you are going to know every single thing that every single person is doing at every time. It's impossible!'" "'Responsible people should act responsibly,'" she's quoted as saying. Well, she could have hired a P-I to follow them around. What pot does the money for that come out of? ;-) "'There is no question that Barbara has been the spiritual leader of the facilities renewal,'" so says acting university president Lee Huntsman. That's true. Conibear Shellhouse expansion and renovation. Yesterday’s ground-breaking event for the Conibear Shellhouse renovation and expansion was an historic day in Husky history. The Shellhouse is the “crown jewel of the athletics facilities at the University of Washington,” according to athletic director Barbara Hedges. The total square footage of the shellhouse will increase by 75 percent, from 27,000 to 47,250 square feet. It includes renovations to the crew facilities, the Student-Athlete Academic Services, the dining room and the Student-Athlete lounge. The expansion and renovation will cost $18 million, of which $2.5 million needs to be raised. Construction, which starts in January, will be completed by March of 2005. Nearly all the 700 student-athletes at Washington will use the facility each day, Hedges said. The shellhouse is located on the Union Bay shoreline on the east campus. The University of Washington athletic facilities, which include the Dempsey Indoor Practice facility, the pavilion pool, Husky Stadium, the Nordstrom tennis center, the east end football practice field, the softball stadium, the baseball stadium, the soccer stadium, Clarence S. Hec Edmunson Pavilion and Conibear shellhouse, are all on campus, within easy walking distance from the dormitories and Greek Row. These self-contained facilities, all taken as a unit, are the most unique in all of college sports. “No matter what anyone else can say about the renovation, Oregon can't have one of these and Colorado can't have one," crew coach Bob Ernst said. The dining facility will have large, 18-foot floor-to-ceiling windows with water views in the dining hall. "More people are going to be asking to have their weddings in that room," Ernst joked. "It will be the most spectacular room on campus." Because crew racing is the touchstone of the Washington athletic program, there could be no better crown jewel symbolizing its athletic facilities than the Conibear Shellhouse. Crew racing began in the spring of 1903, when Washington beat the James Bay Boat club’s junior crew in Victoria, British Columbia. On June 3, 1903, the UW competed in its first intercollegiate race, beating the University of California on Lake Washington by three lengths. The race was rowed in barges. Fairest in the media award: During the turbulent year, we've traded barbs with the local media concerning their coverage of the Rick Neuheisel gambling fiasco. It's time for us to stand up, however, and give some credit to those in the media that have been the fairest and most objective in their coverage of the Huskies' odyssey. Give me the envelope, please. Ah, and the winners are: sportswriters Ted Miller, Angelo Bruscas and Art Thiel, all of the Seattle Post Intelligencer. As Miller wrote me via e-mail, "I am frequently amused, however, that you guys think we -- at least the beat writers -- have a vendetta against the Huskies. Our lives are much easier when nothing bad is happening and the team is winning. Covering a successful team is much more fun than a loser. While it's part of my job not to be a fan, it's hard not to wish a team well when you like most of the players and coaches (which I do with the Huskies)." None of them are on a vendetta. I can't believe I wrote that. :) Recruiting: Congratulations go to Coach Gilbertson for his latest recruiting coup. It’s so important, in our opinion, that a team have a cornerstone from which to build its class. Listed as a 5-star prospect on rivals.com, QB Matt Tuiasosopo (6-2, 205 pounds) cements this class as a top one. His verbal commitment will add further impetus to the recruiting effort. If the unforeseen should happen to Casey Paus, who is the heir apparent to Cody Pickett at quarterback, the true freshman, Matt Tui, could share quarterback duties next season with Isaiah Stanback and Carl Bonnell, all three of them being option-type quarterbacks. Getting Tuiasosopo erases the conundrum we had after our visit to the Olympia training camp last summer. His presence should help Stanback, especially, who at times last summer appeared out of control. Bonnell, frankly, didn’t measure up to the hype that he had been given. However, Bonnell was new to the system and has improved since then. We’re anxious to see how he performs this spring. As these four quarterbacks come up to speed, fans will realize how important departing quarterback Cody Pickett was to the team. Improved offensive line play would help their progress considerably. Some defensive mayhem wouldn’t hurt either. Nothing like working with a short field or having a defensive guy score a touchdown. Gilbertson has brought in two players from the JC ranks that will provide immediate help next season. Rashaad Goodrum (6-3, 225), out of Valley Glenn, Ca., comes from Los Angeles Valley College. Given a four-star ranting by rivals.com, he’s projected as a strong side defensive end. Goodrum has earned all-Western States conference honors. Another four-star player, Dashon Goldson (6-1, 205) is a safety who comes from Coffeyville Community College in Kansas. Originally recruited by Washington two years ago, Goldson wasn’t able to enroll because of academic problems. This season, he was named a first-team National Junior College Athletic Association All-American. Getting Goldson was huge, since he gave USC such a hard look. Also, Gilbertson deserves the "class act" of the year award for giving Neuheisel partial credit for his recruitment. As a former offensive lineman, Gilbertson is recruiting bruising type players, big guys who will play UW football—that is, smash-mouth football out of the Owens’ and James’ eras. Rivals.com ranks Washington, with 17 recruits in hand, as seventeenth in the nation. Because of his accomplishments, Coach Gilbertson has earned a verse from our website. If only other coaches in the Pac-10 were so lucky. ;-) Can old Bottle Body do it? He dove into a pool, “Not head coaching material,” "Bottle Body" was a nickname given to Gilby by friends of his when he was younger. Gilbertson is 55 years young-- Mal. P.S. My apologies to sportswriters Glenn Dickey and Ted Miller for casting them in the verse. There may be other apologies in order, but I can't think of them right now. Richard Linde (a.k.a., Malamute) can be reached at malamute@4malamute.com |
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As the
holidays approach, there is much for Husky fans to appreciate, despite the
disappointing season. Coach Gilbertson is recruiting a a fine group of
players, and ground has been broken for the Conibear Shellhouse expansion and
renovation project. The Conibear Shellhouse will be the crown jewel of the
Huskies' athletic facilities when it is completed in March 2005.