We start on this side of the kingdom, in which Bob Robertson made his recognition – and the maximum of his profession. The lengthy-time Washington State radio voice announced yesterday he became retiring at once, after having a frightening episode in his hotel room the Sunday after the Utah sport.
Bob’s voice is how maximum Cougar fans consider some of the iconic moments in WSU sports activities history, from the Snow Bowl to George Raveling’s days at the basketball bench.
But it’s far his shuffling gate via press bins from Pullman to Stillwater, from Tucson to Seattle, that a number of us take into account the slow walk from right here to there in his later years that allowed time for conversation.
Bob always had time for a verbal exchange. And tales to a percentage. Some folks were fortunate sufficient to spend time with him in his final dozen seasons calling Cougar football, occasionally sharing a meal but constantly sharing the game.
Until the final seven years, his task became to describe it on the radio for the ones of you listening at home. Then he has become the announcer emeritus, adding ancient attitude to each broadcast.
Up until this season, I would fill Bob’s seat – literally – in Martin Stadium after the broadcast, expecting him to climb the steps out of the booth before taking your cell phone calls.
Bob always had something to say – it became his profession, despite everything. Sometimes it turned into encouraging; on occasion, it turned into a word of condolence. Being the veteran he becomes, he knew what was safe after losses, particularly early in Mike Leach’s tenure.
Those phrases constantly helped.
Just like he helped Cougar enthusiasts for the era after generation comes to realize the video games, whether WSU gained or not.
When then-athletic director Bill Moos instructed Bob, Moos promised him, he wouldn’t be the lead voice within the soccer booth. He might always have a job until Bob determined it was time to step away. Yesterday, Bob Rob decided it changed into time.
• The different losses the day before this became more difficult to take. Death usually is. Paul Allen, the person who saved pro football inside the Northwest, and shepherded the handiest NBA franchise the area still has, died after an extended battle with Hodgkin’s disease.
In a younger existence, Allen performed a prime function in Microsoft’s software program dominance, a former Washington State pupil who manipulated zeros and ones into products that modified the sector.
In his later years, he has become a whole lot extra than that, an awful lot extra than a sports franchise proprietor, which is different from only a billionaire. Like his former partner Bill Gates, Allen used lots of his cash for desirable, spending it accurately when known as for, giving it away at times.
For most of us, it became his contributions to the local sports activities scene, from the Blazers to the Hawks to the Sounders to CenturyLink Field, that we can remember. But there is extra to his legacy, from science to tune, from exploration to health sciences. He became a Renaissance man for the laptop age.
No depend on how many modifications occur; the football season rolls on. This week Oregon moves into Pullman – Theo Lawson has his first appearance – together with ESPN’s College GameDay crew – Theo also has a tale about wherein the collection will be placed. … The Bob Robertson news from Theo is followed with the aid of John Blanchette’s column. I can tell you John sat in the Martin Stadium press box with an earphone connected to a radio, in order that he could pay attention to Bob’s name of the sport. That became the subsequent-degree stuff that I never mastered. … A huge receiver announced yesterday he might be attending WSU. Theo has a story on that. … Finally, the kickoff time for the Stanford game has been introduced. It’s another early afternoon start. … Larry Weir took some time the day gone by to look lower back at Bob Rob’s profession together with his Press Box pod. … Freelance writer Howie Stalwick appears returned at Bob’s career for SportspressNW.Com. … The Ducks will bring a few moments into Martin Stadium on Saturday, however, may also be coming off an emotional time beyond regulation win in opposition to Washington.
