Cougar fans admire Joseph bronze.<BR><I>Contributed photo

Valley Bronze of Joseph has long been a legendary source of quality sculptures.

But even with such a distinguished record, they stepped into a new league when they were commissioned to craft a 15-foot cougar to grace the entrance to the football stadium at Washington State University.

The statue was unveiled before the Apple Cup game between WSU and the University of Washington by Gov. Christine Gregoire and WSU President Elson Floyd.

Commissioned by WSU alumn Gary Schneidmiller, Class of ’71, the bronze was created by artists Mike and Chester Fields. It weighs 4,500 pounds.

Doug Young, who has been an economics professor at WSU for the past 32 years, is now campaigning to have a plaque added to the statue commemorating its origin in Wallowa County. Young, a 1964 graduate of Joseph High School, notes it is only 129 miles from Joseph to Pullman and because of that, many students from northeast Oregon have studied at WSU.

The bronze, like the 2008 football team, is a stationary object. While the bronze will remain that state, here’s hoping the Cougars themselves will show more movement in 2009.