Another perspective on the Mike Price situation

[BigO]

I got this in an e-mail from a fellow Tide fan this morning. I cannot vouch for it's authenticity, but it does offer some alleged 'inside' info I hadn't heard. Judge it as you will.

Living here in Pullman since long before His Saintliness, Mike "Give Me An' The Youngin's Another Round!" Price, and having a close friend who has worked in WSU Sports Information since the late 80's, I have enjoyed hearing the "inside stories" of the WSU sports program, especially Wazzu football, for many many years.

As such I can say with great confidence that Mssr. Price deserved his firing by 'Bama and should have been sacked at Wazzu long ago.

His drunken antics down at local watering holes in Pullman, such as The Sports Page, over the years, as well as up in Couer D'Alene where his home was, are legendary, though well hushed up by friends and Washington State University.

Rod Commons, et al, at WSU sports had their hands full with Price's arrogant alcoholic buffoonery, but worked quite diligently to create, successfully, an "All American Guy" image replete with heart warming images of "Coach" Price being this aw shucks, gee whiz, loving husband whose lips have only ever touched the lips of one other woman, his wife, Joyce (another Price who, by all accounts in the know, has the same libational problem as does her sainted husband and who during her time as the Grand Dame of the WSU football department made very good use of the college credit card to her and Mikey's personal enrichment), as well as being the greatest father ever, and a combination of Buddha and Hercules as a coach to the many young men who came through the Wazzu football program during his tenure.

Nothing, of course, could be further from the truth. When he left every player I spoke with was relieved to see him go.

Mike Price's image of being a wonderful husband, great dad, and respected coach and teacher is just that.

An image.

Commons and Wazzu had a vested interest, as all businesses do, in making their investment seem like the best thing since The Creation.

But make no mistake about it, in quiet and private conversation all are glad Mr. Price became someone else's problem.

Fortunately 'Bama had a president with balls who understood 'Bama's pressing need to overcome an already tarnished image by previous coaches, and now having to be forced to deal with another coach who quite obviously had more than a passing aquaintancship with alcohol and tawdry sexual activities, to protect the university as a whole by firing this 57 year old 20 year old spoiled drunken frat boy before the University of Alabama had to become legally saddled with the burden that is Mike Price.

The actions of Mike Price down in 'Bama were just some of a lifetime's worth of similar episodes.

We here in Pullman, those of us who know the behind the scenes stories at WSU, are pleased to not have Mr. Price around anymore.

Cougar Football is better off without him.

And so will be The Crimson Tide.