Nice to re-meet you!

Dec 2, 2022 - 7:31 PM

Good morning, Coug fans!

I’ve been greeting you that way for some time now, because I believe it’s a lovely way to start, or I guess continue one’s day, seeing as it’s well into the morning by the time this is reaching you.

There’s been some updates to our little community over the past day or two, and I just wanted to take this opportunity to re-introduce myself a little bit. I’m Emma, your new managing editor here at CougCenter. I can’t believe I just typed that.

First of all, in case you didn’t know, our fearless leader, our North Star, our ‘Blog Dad’- the incredible and incomparable Jeff Nusser has decided to take a break. No one works harder, is kinder, and cares more about this beautiful place than Jeff. I am getting a little emotional just thinking about it. I found this place early in its lifespan, more accurately my dad found it, but we’ll get into that a bit later. When I was 20 years old I received an assignment in a class to reach out to a publication I respected and “pitch myself” as a writer - and to me, it was easy. This one. I was pleasantly surprised to actually hear back, and even more pleasantly surprised to have spent the last three years of my life with you.

That would not have happened without Jeff.

I can’t say enough how grateful I am to him for believing in me then, and believing in me now. To know Jeff Nusser is to be believed in by someone truly great. And when you have someone like that in your corner, I can’t explain how lucky that feels. I know the point of writing is to explain and flush out, and tell a story so readers can truly feel what it’s like inside- but there just aren’t enough words. If I could physically pour all the love and respect I have for Jeff, and all my colleagues here at CougCenter, out into each of you I truly think we could achieve world peace.

I also want to thank Craig Powers, Brian Anderson, and Michael Preston, for being my first friends inside our little group chat. They took me under their wings, invited me into their families, explained their inside jokes and never once made me feel like the odd woman out. Craig would start movies at the same time as me during COVID and would text me throughout, shared his favorite beers with me, and gave me both a shoulder to cry on and careful big brother advice during times in my life where I thought I had no one. BA is probably the smartest person I know, we can go from talking about baseball to natural disasters to comedies from the late 80s all in the same breath. He let me stay in his house, hold his baby, and talk about my dumb early 20s problems. Everyone needs a BA. And Michael, where do I even start? He shepherded me through a confusing airport in Mexico, included me when he and his amazing wife were expecting their baby girl (she is probably the coolest toddler around, by the way), and always goes along with my silly jokes. He originated the “Emma and her 16 Dads” bit!

I believe I have developed a special friendship with each person who works with me here, and if I were to describe each one in the detail it deserves we’d be reading into the next football season. But whether it’s Taylor Swift and Train references, German BVB soccer, or the “next generation CougCenter Kids” making everyone feel old, it has been the most treasured part of my life to know these guys.

I would be remiss if I didn’t thank Stephanie Keen, Sarah Nusser, and Katie Anderson. These women- you guys. I don’t have words. I really don’t. I have never laughed harder in my life than I have with Steph. I have never felt more fought for and chosen than by Katie. And Sarah made this community just as much as Jeff. I wouldn’t have met them without this place!

It will be my greatest honor to try to be half the person these people have all been to me, and it is my goal to grow this community and cater to it the best way I can. I am endlessly thankful and endlessly sappy. I think the people I am most thankful for though would be my parents- in this case, my dad. I dedicated a Father’s Day piece to him not too long ago, and I don’t want to further embarrass him, but he brought this into my life, not knowing what it would turn into, and I can confidently say we found family here.

Again this has nothing to do with Coug sports, so sorry about that. It’s also not very silly, which is the brand I usually strive for, but I hope I’ve instilled some confidence in all of you that I am so, so honored to be here.

Now, with that- everyone have a great Friday, stay hydrated, Go Cougs! I love you!

(Also I apologize for the format of the links below, I was simply unable to fix the button that formats them for me usually. I will remedy this by next week I’m sure. Thank you for your patience! Again, apologies. I’m clearly off to the greatest start ever...)

Links

Here is the latest Pac-12 Conference sports news from The Associated Press.
The Cougars went six minutes without a basket, missing five shots with four turnovers. Mouhamed Gueye scored 19 points for Washington State.

A Grip on Sports: Shopping? No way. There are too many good sporting events on TV this weekend, starting tonight
The Pac-12 returns on Sunday, highlighted by Washington State hosting Utah (1 p.m., ESPNU). The Utes are coming off a huge upset of fourth-ranked Arizona while the Cougars are just trying to get healthy – in more ways than one.

Wazzu Weekly Dec. 2, 2022
Following a decisive Apple Cup sweep, No. 24 WSU volleyball leapfrogged UW in the Pac-12 standings and in the rankings on their way to their seventh consecutive NCAA Tournament berth.

Washington State offensive tackle Jack Wilson joins Cougars’ basketball program
Wilson spent two seasons as a backup offensive tackle on Washington State’s football team. Now, he’s joining the Cougars’ basketball program.