[Austroturf]

Yes, I remember thinking that it was not very classy the way he threw his kicker under the bus in that exchange.  Bottom-line: he was livid about the loss and could not contain himself in the heat of the moment.

I am in no way defending Leach's responses to either the question from the reporter, or his commentary regarding his kicker. However, that kick, and that game, cost them a Pac-12 North division title, and given how the North has dominated the South in all but last year, a Pac-12 title and a trip to the Rose Bowl.

Leach knew it then, and we know it now.

O yes, that game turned out to be truly significant (though it wasn't yet clear at the time: Stanford got its lone conference loss of the season vs. Oregon two weeks later, while the Cougars truly couged it in the Apple Cup).  Leach was visibly upset and did not try to hide his anger.  This was WSU's eighth straight defeat vs. the Cardinal and was Leach's fourth straight.  Stanford was ranked #8 in the nation; and beating Stanford would have been a signature win for Leach and his ascendant program.  

All that said, I have also seen David Shaw visibly angry at press conferences after tough losses; and, at least to date, he has always retained his composure.  Yes, he sometimes bristles when journalists pose the obvious critical questions.  But his tone and his answers are always professional.  

Leach and Shaw are truly polar opposites; and unfortunately, I think Leach has a personal vendetta against Shaw and sees beating Stanford as particularly savory.  Leach has gone on record stating that it is easy to recruit at Stanford (vs. WSU) and made some critical comments about Shaw and his coaching acumen; and last season, when Love was tearing up the football field, he dissed Stanford's star and actually said that Ryan Nall from OSU was really the best back in the conference.  When Leach entered the Pac-12 back in 2012, Stanford and Shaw were riding high with an anti-air-raid type of football; and I am convinced Leach quickly set his sights on Shaw and vowed to take his program down a notch.  Frankly, Shaw is simply too professional to get into such petty personal duels.  Or maybe he just hides it brilliantly.  I would really like to see a David Shaw so angry that today's date is circled in bright Cardinal red and that beating Leach and giving him a bit of comeuppance for his brusque demeanor would be just as satisfying as the W itself.  For better or for worse, Harbaugh had that kind of dueling personality (see Carroll and the What's Your Deal game); so far, Shaw has always been the master gentleman, paying compliments to his colleagues in the business and always behaving respectful to opposing teams.  That makes him such a great representative for the university.  But can he instill the killer instinct in his team when it counts?  I really want to see it today.  Not sure I will.

[Austroturf]

Yes, I remember thinking that it was not very classy the way he threw his kicker under the bus in that exchange.  Bottom-line: he was livid about the loss and could not contain himself in the heat of the moment.

I am in no way defending Leach's responses to either the question from the reporter, or his commentary regarding his kicker. However, that kick, and that game, cost them a Pac-12 North division title, and given how the North has dominated the South in all but last year, a Pac-12 title and a trip to the Rose Bowl.

Leach knew it then, and we know it now.

O yes, that game turned out to be truly significant (though it wasn't yet clear at the time: Stanford got its lone conference loss of the season vs. Oregon two weeks later, while the Cougars truly couged it in the Apple Cup).  Leach was visibly upset and did not try to hide his anger.  This was WSU's eighth straight defeat vs. the Cardinal and was Leach's fourth straight.  Stanford was ranked #8 in the nation; and beating Stanford would have been a signature win for Leach and his ascendant program.  

All that said, I have also seen David Shaw visibly angry at press conferences after tough losses; and, at least to date, he has always retained his composure.  Yes, he sometimes bristles when journalists pose the obvious critical questions.  But his tone and his answers are always professional.  

Leach and Shaw are truly polar opposites; and unfortunately, I think Leach has a personal vendetta against Shaw and sees beating Stanford as particularly savory.  Leach has gone on record stating that it is easy to recruit at Stanford (vs. WSU) and made some critical comments about Shaw and his coaching acumen; and last season, when Love was tearing up the football field, he dissed Stanford's star and actually said that Ryan Nall from OSU was really the best back in the conference.  When Leach entered the Pac-12 back in 2012, Stanford and Shaw were riding high with an anti-air-raid type of football; and I am convinced Leach quickly set his sights on Shaw and vowed to take his program down a notch.  Frankly, Shaw is simply too professional to get into such petty personal duels.  Or maybe he just hides it brilliantly.  I would really like to see a David Shaw so angry that today's date is circled in bright Cardinal red and that beating Leach and giving him a bit of comeuppance for his brusque demeanor would be just as satisfying as the W itself.  For better or for worse, Harbaugh had that kind of dueling personality (see Carroll and the What's Your Deal game); so far, Shaw has always been the master gentleman, paying compliments to his colleagues in the business and always behaving respectful to opposing teams.  That makes him such a great representative for the university.  But can he instill the killer instinct in his team when it counts?  I really want to see it today.  Not sure I will.