I guess there really is no off-season when it comes to Cougar athletics. A WSU basketball player is leaving the program and a football player is officially suspended for his criminal actions.

Let's start with the basketball player...Thomas Abercrombie has decided to leave Washington State University. Here is the release from WSU:

"PULLMAN, Wash. - Redshirt freshman guard Thomas Abercrombie has been granted his release from the Washington State University men's basketball program and plans to return to his homeland of New Zealand to pursue his basketball career and continue his education, WSU Head Coach Tony Bennett announced Wednesday.

During the summer of 2007 Abercrombie represented his native New Zealand at the World University Games. He averaged 6.3 points and 4.5 rebounds in four games including 10 points and six boards in the team's victory over Thailand."

People around the basketball program spoke highly of Abercrombie. They always talked about how "he can jump out of the gym." It sounds like he was a good practice player, but he never proved he could play at a high level in game situations (he shot only %26 from the field and %18 from three point land last year).

As for the football player...Xavier Hicks is officially suspended for the first three games of the upcoming season. That means he'll miss the opener against Oklahoma State in Seattle, the Pac-10 opener against California, and the road game against Baylor.

Hicks, who is currently serving a 45-day jail sentence, pleaded guilty to assault and theft charges earlier this month. He charged more than $1,600 to a stolen credit card and put rubbing alcohol in a roommate's contact lens case. The roommate, former Cougar football player Grady Maxwell, never put the tainted (I think that word works here) contacts in his eyes.

A redshirt junior, Hicks played in all 12 games for WSU last year. He made 53 tackles, picked off a pass, forced a fumble and blocked a kick. He was expected to compete for significant playing time this year at safety.

I was originally told that Hicks was given a clean slate by Paul Wulff and the new coaching staff, because the "incidents" took place before they arrived. Obviously, they changed their stance and it's probably a good thing (four players have been arrested since Wulff was hired)...I think this sends a message.

1 Comments

tlewis said:

I'm having trouble opening my "blog tool" (what I use to create a new blog), so I'm leaving a comment instead.

Washington State wide receiver Jeshua Anderson, who is also a track star for the Cougs, did awesome at the Pac-10 Track and Field Championships this weekend.

Anderson won the 400m hurdles (as a freshman) with a personal best time of 49.55 seconds. He also "re-broke" (I think I made that word up) his own freshman record by .11 seconds and makes it the third quickest time in school history.

It will be nice to get him back on the football field this fall. With Brandon Gibson returning for his senior year, the emergence of Daniel Blackledge (a track star in high school) in spring practice, and Anderson, the Cougs have some talent (and obviously speed) at wide receiver.

That's it...

I'm hoping I can figure out the "blog tool" soon, so I can get things back to normal.

May 18, 2008 12:16 PM

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