So far the fallout has been minimal.

But Ryan Ressa expects that to change as more and more friends from his hometown of Pullman and Washington State University learn he has gone all Bruin on them.

The 29-year-old Ressa, who played golf for Pullman High School and later became both a player and assistant coach at Washington State, recently accepted a job as the assistant men’s golf coach under Derek Freeman at UCLA. And as a lifelong Cougar fan and WSU graduate he figures to eventually catch some grief for siding with the Pacific-10 Conference rival Bruins.

“I haven’t heard much yet, but I’m sure I will,” Ressa said Friday afternoon, while completing his move from Durham, N.C. – where he served the previous two years as an assistant at Duke University – to the sprawling city of Los Angeles.

One person who has already heard about Ressa’s new job, and who remains very supportive of his latest career move, is WSU golf coach Walt Williams. Not only did Williams coach Ressa for two seasons in college, but he also gave him a position as a volunteer assistant on his staff and later hired him as a full-time assistant.

“Walt’s OK with just about anything I do,” Ressa said, “as long as I don’t go across the state (to the University of Washington) and put on that purple and gold. He’s a great guy, and he’s going to help you out wherever – but if you cross that line and go to work for the Huskies, it’s probably over.”

Even his older brother, Tim, who is the head professional at Stoneridge Golf Club in Blanchard, Idaho, and a former teammate at Pullman High and WSU, claims he can deal with Ressa’s decision to become a Bruin.

“As long as he doesn’t end up at UW,” the elder Ressa added. “Otherwise, I’m happy for him.”

The route Ressa has taken to get where he is today has been a bit circuitous.

For the rest of the story see Bergum.