I distinctly remember the first question I asked Ken Knutson this year.

I wanted to know whether he felt like retiring after serving as the UW’s head baseball coach for 17 years.

To me, 17 years seemed like an eternity to stay at one school and one position for so long.

That was back in February when I asked him that question, before another up-and-down season, and the second year I had the chance to cover the baseball team. And over the course of the season, I began to realize why he kept on coaching for so long.

Many times throughout the season I had my suspicions about whether Knutson was actually passionate about what he was doing.

But as the losses mounted, and the season went on, his dedication came through in the most sincere forms.

He kept trying to motivate his team and never gave up, and for some time late in the season, the Huskies responded with gusto, winning three consecutive Pac-10 series before falling apart against Arizona and Washington State in the last two weeks, eliminating themselves from NCAA tournament consideration.

Knutson never gave up, but when regional rivals like Oregon State and Washington State began to take over where the Huskies used to have success, it’s hard not to see why the 1981 UW graduate was fired.

But there are no doubts about Knutson’s achievements as UW head coach.

He leaves as the school’s winningest coach in any sport and took his team to NCAA regional’s in the 1990s and early 2000s.

He crafted several top draft picks, including Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum.

He commanded more respect than any other coach at Washington, serving at his post loyally and honorably for 17 long years.

But perhaps 17 years is a bit too long.

Especially considering the numerous and compiling issues related to the Huskies’ baseball program.

The team has failed to make the postseason since 2004. The Huskies have given up plenty of ground to the Beavers and Cougars in recent years. And numerous renovations and improvements to Husky Ballpark, one of the worst Division-I baseball facilities, are finally on the way.

It’s time for a new coach, but it’s just too bad Knutson had to be let go.

He was one of the most believable and likeable guys in UW athletics.

So when I asked that question about whether he felt like he had some more years left in his UW coaching career, Knutson said he didn’t really think about those things.

He said he was concerned with the here and now, not necessarily about his future.

“One game at a time,” or “one pitch at a time,” were his favorite phrases, and he would often say those throughout the season.

It was perhaps this mentality that kept him going for 17 years; nobody else could have done it.

So I think it’s appropriate that people have mixed feelings about this firing.

This clearly wasn’t a Tyrone Willingham situation; it was just a program in need of some change.

Knutson was the longest tenured coach at the UW and had won more games than anybody could care to count, but at the same time he failed to win with consistency and the school really needed a new coach to build new, modern facilities around.

Despite this need for change now, Knutson should definitely be viewed as a legend, put alongside names like Tubby Graves and Bob MacDonald.

He deserves no less.