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Missing all the fun stuff, not the sad stuff.
Summer has quickly come knocking on the door, and while I’m excited for some warm weather and summer vibes, this is also the time of year when I find myself gazing longingly at photos from my trips to Pullman and dreaming about the previous year’s football and basketball seasons, in a feeble attempt to manifest those vibes back into my life (the good ones, not all the sad ones).
Being at the Coug for pregame surrounded by friends both old and new, hosting watch parties at home with a few homemade Cougaritas, blasting Back Home on your way to Pullman for a couple beautiful days where the whole town rallies around that weekend’s sporting event. The highest highs, the anxiety and nerves, the unbeatable atmospheres, and of course, we can’t forget the memes— How do we attempt to recreate that feeling in the off-season?
Well, let’s dive in together on a few ways we can survive until the first Cougar Football Saturday, when the cycle of joy and pain will start anew.
This year, especially, Jaylen Wells’ Crimson Chronicles series has been perfect for helping satiate my off-season Cougar basketball withdrawals (and has maybe brought a bit of a tear to my eye after reminiscing on this dream season). Highly recommend checking out Jaylen’s behind the scenes look at the 2023 – 2024 basketball season if you haven’t already, featuring a healthy dose of silly moments with the team that really showcases the guys’ personalities and thoughts throughout the past season. Our sweet, tiny (actually very tall) boys.
The football team has me hyped up and ready to be back in Martin Stadium, as well, as they announced we are exactly 100 days away from the first Cougar Football Saturday of 2024! The pain of last season has (mostly) faded away, and I don’t know about you, but I’m as excited as ever for Cougar football to return to Pullman, as well as our TV screens.
2. Hyperfixate on recruiting
Ah, one of my beloved off-season hobbies. There’s nothing better than obsessing over the newest Cougar recruits and making way-too-early predictions for how the season is going to play out, entirely based on the past performances of the most recent additions to the roster. This tends to fill a deep hole found in sports lovers’ hearts when they’re anxiously waiting for their favorite time of year to return, and it’s been a favorite pasttime of mine throughout this spring.
3. Visit Pullman and Get Excited!
Whenever I make a visit to Pullman outside of football season, driving down Stadium Way never fails to give me butterflies in my stomach as I imagine how it looks and feels filled up with RVs, fans donning their best crimson and grey, tailgaters, the marching band, Butch, and more. Plus, this year, when you daydream about Cougar Football Saturday, you can hopefully add Ol’ Crimson into that vision! Tailgates will never be the same.
Even though this upcoming year of Cougar sports is bound to look different than years prior, I have no doubt that the memories and fun times will remain the same, if not better— Because one thing about Cougs, we’re going to bring the party anywhere, anytime. Just 100 more days to go.
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