Cougars Featured On HBO

WSU is one of four schools featured on the HBO series 24/7.  The show, I guess, is based on Hard Knocks, which is an in depth look at NFL teams.
The WSU episode features  Coach Mike Leach who is shown walking from his house to his office on the campus.   It shows the day by day practices, the coaches philosophy and sits in on the players goofing around.  Specifically, starting quarterback Anthony Gordon.  
Miked up (no pun intended)  football practices are not new to TV,  but this show does a sequential day by day look at each practice, making it indeed unique.
Leach is a natural for this type of program because of his successful but quirky nature.
Also featured is Glenn Johnson, who is the football stadium announcer as well as Pullman's mayor.  He is no doubt, the most visible Pullman resident.  He could be called the "face of the city", however, "voice of the city" would be more accurate.  Johnson says that he has been mayor since 2004 and has not had opposition, quite remarkable when you consider the myriad of different ideas and viewpoints which come together on a college campus.   It is safe to say that Johnson, my old communications professor, known to Glenn by his students can be called a WSU legend.
More info on the program can be found here.

WLS Anchor, Cougar Classmate Kathy Brock To Retire

After 27 years including the last 24 as 6pm Anchor at WLS in Chicago, Pasco native Kathy Brock is leaving the rigors of the newsroom.  The 58 year old Brock announced that she will retire from Chicago's ABC affiliate after her June 27th newscast.  Brock also anchored the station's 10pm cast.
Brock and I worked together from 1980-1981 in the Cable 8 closed circuit newscast at WSU, part of the school's TV news class led by Glenn Johnson.
After graduation, she started with  Tri-Cities TV (KEPR)  like her sister, Kerry.  Kerry Brock would go on to anchor at KOMO 4 in Seattle, by coincidence, also an ABC affiliate.
Before her Chicago job, Brock also worked at KUTV in Salt Lake City, before that, she had worked in Boise.
Brock is a graduate of Pasco High School and had family in Walla Walla.
I know Kathy as a very hard worker with amazing focus.  We congratulate her on a wonderful career and wish her the best in retirement.
Thank you to pugetsound.media for the heads up on this.

WSU's Glenn Johnson To Begin Retirement

Spokane TV station KHQ reports that after 30 plus years, veteran Communications Professor Glenn Johnson will begin retirement. The reports says that Johnson will remain on campus to teach a Broadcast Management class and to advise students.
There is little doubt that Johnson, who arrived on campus in the fall of 1979, revolutionized the already heralded department.  Bringing real life experience from working as an anchor in Sacramento, Johnson turned classrooms into working news shops.  With tough love and integrity, he earned the respect and lifelong friendship of nearly the entire department.
With a rich "made for broadcasting voice",Johnson became the stadium announcer for the WSU Cougar Football  and Men's Basketball teams.   Some of Johnson's catchphrases like "and another Cougar first down" and "NO GAIN" (in an even deeper voice) are unforgettable. 
He is currently mayor of Pullman as well as doing having a hand in everything in the region.  Some of the more well known Cougar graduates who were in Glenn's class include WLS anchor Kathy Brock and ESPN's Cindy Brunson.

Glenn Johnson honored

WSU Communications professor Glenn Johnson is honored in his 30th years at WSU. In addition to his classroom duties, he is stadium announcer for the WSU football and basketball teams and the mayor of Pullman.

Washington State University Professor Recovering

Communications Professor Glenn Johnson, known to most of the "Cougar Nation" as the stadium announcer for WSU football and basketball, is recovering from "stroke like symptoms". Johnson was taken by ambulance to Pullman Memorial Hospital Sunday according to the university newspaper, "The Daily Evergreen". In addition to his school duties, Johnson is also the mayor of Pullman.