Couging it

Coug it

Refers to the Washington State University (Cougars) football team:
1. To snatch defeat from the jaws of victory
2. To lose when there is no possible way to do so, and to do it in a particularly spectacular manner

It looked like WSU was going to win the game, but they decided to coug it.

--Urban Dictionary

 

The Northwest Corner has many interests, and covers many aspects of life.  Not generally sports reporting, however.

But when a sports term, from my own state, reaches Urban Dictionary -- my window on the "real world" in which I putatively exist -- it seems worthy of comment.  In fact, it seems worthy of memorialization in this chronicle of all things Northwestern.  Where future generations can ponder the phenomenon, and shake their collective head.

As you might guess, the term "coug it" is based on a consistent level of performance, not on any single episode of incompetence.  Yesterday's performance by WSU, however, may have been definitive.  As one on-line comment noted -- from this point forward, when internet dictionaries define "coug it," they will necessarily include a clip from the 2013 New Mexico Bowl.

The New Mexico Bowl was not high on my list of football priorities for the year, but I turned on the TV when the game had less than three minutes to go.  The Cougars had an eight point lead -- Colorado State had just scored.  Not an impressive lead, but WSU had possession of the ball and their CSU opponents had used up all their time outs.  Then the unthinkable happened.  The Cougars fumbled -- they're couging it! -- but no, they were saved! -- the replay showed that the runner's knee was down before the ball came loose.  Whew!  The Cougs had made a first down.  Less than two minutes to play.

At this point, the obvious strategy was based on simple mathematics.  Three knees to the turf, 45 seconds between plays, plus the time taken by each play.  Possibly time for a punt.  The clock runs out.  The game's over.

But we're talking about the hapless Cougars.  The coach inexplicably -- and he has a lot of explaining to do -- runs a play.  The ball's fumbled, this time for real.   Colorado State scores eight points with just 33 seconds left to play.  Wow!  What a recovery for the Rams!  We're going into overtime.

Ooops!  No, we're not.  The receiver for the Mighty Cougs fumbles the kickoff reception deep in their own territory.  Cougs lose by a field goal.

They've couged it again!

But hold up your heads, Cougars.  Be proud.  Not many college football teams can say that their name has become a verb, defined in one of the most popular dictionaries of our time.  Yesterday, you made the term "coug it" immortal.