At least you can get a good seat at WSU games

PULLMAN -- Will the last person to leave please turn out the lights? Young old-timers will recognize that request as characterizing the abysmal economic situation in the Land of Boeing in the late 1960s.

Things in Boeing Land, of course, have improved considerably since then.

Unfortunately, now that sign might be more applicable to Martin Stadium on the Washington State University campus.

After fielding one of the weakest football teams in the country last year, everyone involved promised this year's team would be better.

Sure enough, this year's Cougar squad is better -- but the improvement is microscopic and not enough to prevent a drastic slide in attendance.

To their credit, the Cougs managed to miraculously snatch victory from the almost certain jaws of defeat against Southern Methodist University last Saturday.

That, at least, guarantees one win for the season.

They won't duplicate last year's winless season of their cross-state rivals, the Dawgs.

But things starting today get worse.

In a word, the WSU football future is bleak starting with road games against USC and Oregon, two of the top-rated teams in the Pac-10 Conference.

Factor in a couple of lopsided losses to the Trojans and Ducks and they will be greeted by empty stands when they play host to Arizona State upon their return to Pullman.

In fact, unless the Cougars drastically improve, they will be big underdogs in every remaining game on their schedule.

What, Cougar fans keep asking, happened to the football program that just five years ago was nationally ranked?

Some explanation of that query might be found by checking out the situation with the hated Dawgs.

The prideful Huskies made a mistake when they brought in Tyrone Willingham after he had been ousted from his Notre Dame job.

The UW, however, appears to have recouped its losses with the hiring of Steve Sarkisian -- former offensive coordinator at USC -- to head its program.

Now it appears the Huskies are back -- not that that warms the hearts of Coug fans.

The hard fact, however, is that WSU hired Paul Wulff, fresh from Eastern Washington, and it's been all downhill (like free-fall) ever since.

Many feel that the lack of anyone with experience at the Pac-10 level has contributed to the problem.

It's not as simple as that.

For one thing, Sarklsian was the beneficiary of some not inconsequential talent -- headed by quarterback Jake Locker.

For his part, Wulff walked into what one source close to the program said was the worst situation since Jackie Sherrill spent a year in the Palouse back in 1976.

Which adds up to a huge dilemma for athletic director Jim Sterk.

He is on record as committing to Wulff for four years.

Does that mean he lives with the specter of empty stands (and income) for the indefinite future?

Will the last person to leave Martin Stadium please turn out the lights?

Three-dot items

So far this season, the Pac-10 has played 25 nonconference games. It has won 19 of them while losing only 6. That's a winning percentage of .760. There are only five nonconference tilts remaining, four with Notre Dame. In 27 games involving Pac-10 teams, the home team holds a 19-8 advantage. ... Back in 1963, SMU took on mighty Michigan in the Big House. The bigger Wolverines jumped to an early lead, but the pesky SMU team fought back, finally losing 27-16. Their play, however, so impressed a Ford Motor Company executive, Lee Iacocca, who was involved in naming a new Ford model. "We will call our new car the Mustang since it will be light, quick and sporty -- all like your team." ... There weren't any cars named after SMU after their game with WSU last Saturday.

* Hec Hancock is a retired sports editor of the Tri-City Herald.