Football, Lies, and Videotape

WSU head coach Mike Price said in an online article published in yesterday's News Tribune that the Wildcats did not get their game film in on time for the second year in a row.

The tape was supposed to be delivered by 2 p.m. Sunday, but did not arrive in Pullman until 8 p.m.

"They screwed up and it frustrates me," Price said. "They got our film on time both years. It bothers me because we are now a whole day behind in our preparation. I'm not really happy with Arizona's video coordinator."

Arizona's video coordinator, Ben Rider, tells a different story.

"We have not gotten their (WSU) tapes yet," he said.

Rider said that Washington State's video department told him they had sent out the compiled videos, but they were lost by the airlines. Rider had to resort to calling California, the Cougars' opponent on Saturday.

"We called them (WSU) three times, and they just blew us off," Rider said. "When we reached them, they gave us a 'Oh, that's too bad' attitude. We had to call Cal to get the tapes Federal Express.

"That is Washington State's responsibility to send out tapes. If the airline gets them lost, you send out a second set."

The tapes are expected to arrive by 8 a.m. today from Berkeley, Calif.

As far as the late tapes from Arizona, Rider claims that it is out of his control when they arrive at Washington State.

Rider said that the game tapes were done by the 3 a.m. deadline and delivered to the police station, the pickup spot where Emery World Wide, a freight service, picks them up.

Once they are picked up, Emery decides which flight will take the tapes to Pullman, Rider said.

Rider said he has no input into which flight will take them to Washington or what time they will arrive there. Arizona's tapes regularly arrive on time to schools if the deadline is met.

"Pullman is not an easy place to get to," he said. "Still, they got the tapes at 8 p.m. and we haven't gotten ours."

Although UA head coach Dick Tomey would have liked to have seen the tapes earlier, he refused to make it an issue, unlike Price who claimed he would have a few sleepless nights trying to make up for lost time.

"I am not going to make a thing of it," said Tomey in his office yesterday afternoon. "It is ridiculous to talk about that. It has nothing to do with the game."