Despite my earlier complaints about WSU football games not being on TV, listening to them on the radio is a damn good time. Despite his pro-Fuskie leanings, Art Thiel in today’s PI nails the joy that is listening to Walden and “Bob Rob” call a game:

At risk of being burned at the antenna, the suggestion here for a lift is to tune in Saturday to the Washington State radio broadcast featuring play-by-play man Bob Robertson and analyst Jim Walden, the former Cougars coach. It might be the most unintentionally funny sports broadcast in America. . . . To fully enjoy the experience (in Seattle on KPTK-AM/1090), one must suspend allegiance to the Huskies, as well as any desire for broadcast objectivity or rationality. Then buckle up. In a recent game, Robertson was describing a Cougars offensive play:

Robertson: “Brink drops back five steps, looking, looking … ”
Walden (abruptly, loudly): “Run, Alex! Run!”

Last weekend from Tempe, Ariz., Robertson started to describe an Arizona State pass play:

Robertson: “Carpenter drops back … ”
Walden (loudly interrupting, directed at the ASU offensive line): “Quit holding! Jeez!”
Robertson: ” … and the pass falls incomplete.”
Walden: “Bob, if (official’s name) is not calling that, we’re in big trouble tonight! He was held two plays in a row! That’s unbelievable.”

Against Arizona, a replay review overturned a Brink scramble that was originally called a first down, prompting Robertson to declare the reversal “the worst call in the history of college football … you can take this whole seven-man crew and toss them in the Palouse River.”
Walden: “Don’t forget these two in the booth.” . . .

Throw in farm animal health ads and some shots at the opposing coach — “(ASU coach) Dirk Koetter is not the most congenial guy I know,” Walden said late in the 47-14 whipping — and the Cougars broadcast is often more entertaining than the game.

Still, I’ll be happy to watch the Apple Cup on TV. I’ve listened to plenty of games on the radio this year already. . .