Cougars move radio to ESPN 710, keep Bob

Washington State’s football games will be broadcast next fall by 710 ESPN in Western Washington with Bob Robertson — but not Jim Walden.

The irascible former Cougars coach is being replaced by Shawn McWashington, a receiver on the Cougars’ 1997 Rose Bowl team. The third man in the booth will be Bud Nameck, who was the sideline reporter. That role will be filled by Jessamyn McIntyre, an ESPN producer.

The announcement was made on the Kevin Calabro radio show Monday night. KIRO is the flagship station for the Mariners and Seahawks.

“To be mentioned in the same breath as the Mariners and the Seahawks, that’s pretty special,” Moos said. “That’s where we want to be.”

Robertson will begin his 46th year, ending speculation that he would be replaced.

“It’ll be Bob’s (call),” Moos told the Spokane Spokesman-Review. “He and I had a long talk about that. He told me, ‘Bill, if you ever feel that I’m an embarrassment or anything to the program, you’ve got to let me know.’ My feeling is that Bob is no embarrassment. He is synonymous with Cougar football and he will call the play by play. Bud will be there to help him, as will Shawn, and they’ll have roles that are being defined as we speak.”

Nameck said his role will be to provide statistical updates and reports, and “just pick my spots and add something I’m not hearing.”

McWashington, who is an assistant vice president for a Seattle insurance broker, was a member of WSU’s “Fab Five” receiving crew.

Moos said McWashington has “real sense and knowledge of the game. (He) really brings some of our younger fans – those that are from the Rose Bowl era that can relate to him. I think he’s going to be a super addition.”