When it was announced that D Walker was coaching UCLA in the bowl game on Dec. 22, the first thing that popped in my head was: why? Why oh why would DG want Walker coaching the bowl game? No reasonable person would make a decision based on one game, so could he really be using this game as his test of DW? At the time it sounded like WSU was interested in bringing in DW as a head coach, so it seemed like having DW win our bowl game was going to result in one of two things--him leaving or him becoming our head coach. But I never got the sense that DG really wanted DW promoted, but instead wanted him to stay as a DC.

Ah, then the realization.

Early this season, with a completely healthy team, we managed to squeak by BYU on a few favorable calls and a couple lucky and bizarre plays. We now have 3 QB's with injury-laden, mediocre seasons and a 5th-string RB (face it, Markey has lost it). Our guys have nothing to play for after such high hopes early in the year, and BYU gets to play for revenge. We have an interim (maybe) head coach and we still have Jay Norvell, so I can't imagine any offensive scheme is going to suddenly appear out of nowhere.

Ah so, DG's plan emerges.

We must lose. Or at least, that is my estimation of his plan. A loss in the bowl game to a team people expect us to beat (though I can't see why) means a big hit to DW's 1/2 page resume. This allows for us to more easily retain him as a DC without making it appear that he was never given a "shot." The players who love him so much will be forced to accept the fact publicly that he "blew his big chance," though all of us (players included) know that this is not a reflection of reality. With no real harm done, except of course to us fans who can't STAND to UCLA lose EVER and haven't slept well all season because of it, DG will be free to hire his new head coach, probably retain Walker, and make everyone relatively happy.

Not a bad plan really. Actually, I feel pretty confident that it's going to work. A couple writers from the LA Times, I don't think I need to mention names, will bitch and moan that DW was snubbed, but that'll blow over quickly because nothing speaks like a loss.

Of course, there is one flaw.

We could win.