Ol' Crimson's 245th-straight GameDay features Taylor Rochestie
FORMER STAR WSU point guard Taylor Rochestie, accompanied by his dad as well as good friend Tony Thompson hamming it up via cell phone, were the centerpiece of Ol' Crimson's 245-consecutive appearance on ESPN's College GameDay this morning, but two other Cougar partisans also were remotely flying the flag on the GameDay airwaves today and one of them -- Greg Trinkle in Brookhaven, Ga. -- doing so for the 28th time.
Yes, the 28th time fly Ol' Crimson on national TV -- the second-most of any Coug on the planet. He's flown the flag in driving rain storms before but today effort was the most unique because he wasn't on site from Miami, where the Hurricanes battle Florida State today, but at home flying remotely due to the global pandemic that has turned GameDay into cross-country production.
Lee Corso was broadcasting this morning from his backyard, where the new Bob Robertson Ol' Crimson flag hung proudly behind him and include a cameo from Butch T. Cougar.
“I feel it is an honor to Wave the Flag and represent WSU," Trinkle tells Cougfan.com. "Any publicity it may generate for WSU is great. Being in the Southeast, my experience is the local fans treat you like a rock star. It is not uncommon to have to stay over two hours after GameDay ends to take pictures. I’ve been offered tickets to games, beer, opportunities to tailgate and even been interviewed in Tuscaloosa, Auburn and Athens about the flag.”
One moment however stands out above all else to Trinkle, and maybe it shouldn’t come as a surprise that it comes from when GameDay came to Pullman.
“While I may be biased, I am not wrong on this one. The best GameDay experience bar none was Pullman 2018. Barring a few times there was inclement weather, there is always excitement at the GameDays I have been to. But Pullman was epic. I have never felt so much electricity and enthusiasm that I experienced in Pullman Gameday.”
Trinkle lives in the Atlanta area, working at AT&T as an engineer in their international department. He graduated from WSU in 1993.
In addition to Trinkle, Andy Brown was also waving Ol’ Crimson today, for the second time in his life. Brown lives in Bellevue and is the director of operations for an engineering firm, but is quarantined down in Orlando with his sister, two kids and wife while working remotely. He attended WSU from 2001-04.
“The thrill of waving the flag is unique. The first time I did it in person it’s like being a celebrity. Everyone wants pictures and it’s an awesome opportunity to be an ambassador for our school.”