Just a few short months ago, nearly every word publicly uttered by Mike Leach was greeted with amusement and whimsy. In the sanctity of the offseason, Leach could do no wrong. There were no games to be won or lost, no press conferences filled with tough questions from the media, no speculation over how the next contest could end up less frustrating than the last.
Back then, Leach was a hero. Fans were dreaming of immediate success, pausing only briefly to consider the possibility that their team might not prevail every time it took to the field on gameday. Mike Leach was a guru. Mike Leach was a winner. Mike Leach was hired to usher in a tradition of success that would become a staple of Washington State football for years to come.
And then reality hit.