Nameck, McWashington to take over in booth?

COBBLING TOGETHER information from multiple sources familiar with WSU athletics, Cougfan.com learned that Bill Moos today is going to announce that Bud Nameck will become the lead announcer on WSU football broadcasts and that former Fab Fiver Shawn McWashington will take over as color analyst. Legendary Bob Robertson, however, is expected to remain on the broadcasts in a new role.

Moos is expected to unveil the changes on KIRO 710 radio in Seattle at 3:30 p.m., with KIRO making an announcement that would be "big news" for westside Cougar fans. That would suggest that KIRO will be the new flagship for WSU broadcasts in the Puget Sounds region.

What Robertson's role will be is unclear. Speculation among sources from alternating the play-by-play call with Nameck, to hosting pre-, halftime and post-game shows.

Efforts to reach Robertson and McWashington on Monday and over the weekend were not successful.

McWashington replaces long-time color man Jim Walden whose contract was not renewed by Moos last week.

Nameck previously served as the television play-by-play man for local and regional Cougar broadcasts for 12 years and is the current play-by-play man on Cougar radio broadcasts.

McWashington is a 1998 graduate of Washington State who played a starring role on the 1997 Cougar football team that won the Pac-10 title and came within two seconds of knocking off No. 1 Michigan in the Rose Bowl. He is an assistant vice president for the insurance and risk management firm Marsh Inc.

NOTABLE NOTES

In addition to the personnel, Moos is expected to announce additional changes to the WSU broadcast and game day experience. Likely among them, a source told CF.C, is a stadium host in the stands, working the crowd and holding contests in a way similar to what WSU did this past season in basketball.

It was unknown at press time if the format for the pre-game and post-game would be changed or bulked up by Moos. Rival Washington currently bills their coverage as "11 hours of Husky Football", which includes 7 hours of combined pregame and postgame coverage.