What will happen at 2 p.m. today? I’ve got a theory

It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Bill Moos. We think the same way about Cougar athletics. We both hate the culture of losing, the whining, the idea that we have to be the have-not.

Because of that, I have a theory about today’s 2 p.m. press conference and it starts back when he was hired. Remember, this is whole thing is A THEORY and as usual, I think I know far more than I ever actually do:

18 months ago, when Bill Moos was hired, the fanfare was huge. The man who oversaw the rise of the mediocre Oregon athletic program was coming home, and he had one goal and one goal only — to change the culture of WSU athletics.

Six months later, he was challenged with a coaching issue. Paul Wulff, a Coug, and a man he recommended for the job, is in trouble and couldn’t win games. Fans were calling for his head. The school president was allegedly calling for his head. Moos listened to them, and to the boosters and influential alumni who supported Wulff and begrudgingly gave him another year. He released a statement that UNENTHUSIASTICALLY informed the media that Wulff will return. Moos himself during this time was quoted as saying “You’d better be halfway down the aisle before you get a divorce.” Obviously, he wasn’t.

Fast-forward a year and the Cougs, after a promising start, were spiraling downward. They lost a quarterback, yes, but they were bungling game after game. In Moos’ prized Cougar Week in Seattle, he spent the week trying to convince alumni that football is back. They had three wins and were about to take on a struggling OSU team in Seattle. After that, there were plenty of chances to get bowl eligible. He shook hands, promised big things, got people excited about luxury suites in his soon-to-be approved stadium upgrade — his baby.

Paul Wulff laid an egg that Saturday. It was a slap to the face. Moos started making phone calls. Two weeks later, the Cougs faced Cal in another winnable game and didn’t even show up, getting throttled. He made more calls. The Cougs were losers of five straight and that bowl game was looking nearly impossible. Worse, the Cougs don’t look well-coached.

Somehow, they beat ASU, but the damage was done. Moos knew that he wanted to achieve big things and excite his donor base and there was nothing but ambivalence from the fans. The Cougs theoretically had a chance for a bowl still, yet 80 percent of the fans didn’t care. They knew that they wouldn’t make it. More calls occurred, more work got done behind the scenes.

The Cougs then lost to Utah and the bowl game was officially out of reach. Despite the result of the Apple Cup, the coaching deal was done. Wulff was out. Plans were being finalized, a replacement was in the works.

Moos has worked now for over a month to put a new coach in place so he doesn’t lose a single moment of precious recruiting time. Bill Moos, the ultimate planner, marketer, business man — one of the premiere athletic directors in the nation does not take a coaching change lightly. This is how a coaching change should be done. Remember what he said, “be half way down the aisle.”

He’s got his coach … now he needs align everyone to announce it. This is big and must be orchestrated. This is NOT done over Twitter. It’s not done via press release. This is going to be national news. Remember who Bill Moos is — a college football marketing genius. He will not waste a chance at the national spotlight. He may have kept the fans twisting a bit, but who cares, this needs to be done correctly.

Bill Moos (remember all those things we knew of him when hired) does not call a press conference to announce that he’s keeping the same coach. Bill Moos does not call a press conference to shed national light on the fact that we are extending a 9-40 coach.

Bill Moos is planning something big for 2 p.m. today. As the press release says, it’s about “the future of Cougar football.” Don’t take those words lightly.

Of course, this is just a theory. But like I said, I believe in Bill Moos.

Go Cougs!