Rivalry weekend brings out the best (and worst) in people. Some parts of the country have their Ohio St. vs Michigan, Alabama vs. Auburn, or USC vs. UCLA, but where I'm from it's all about the Apple Cup.
It's the grudge match that takes place between the omnipotent Washington Huskies and the lowly Washington St. Cougars. The history of dominance goes back for decades and it looks like there's no end in sight. Washington is the glamour school synonymous with honor, prestige, and excellence while Washington St. is considered a nice alternative for those who don't get consideration to be a Husky.
It's not easy trying to coexist in the shadow of greatness so I can sympathize with the Washington St. frustration. All the big pretty buildings, the football stadium by the lake, the national recognition, and superior athletes the University of Washington possesses must take its toll on the psyche of the Cougars after a while. As hard as they try the reality is that they typically come up miserably short. There are miracle plays here and there or unexpected snow storms that alter the outcome once in a while, but those moments are few and far between. The Apple Cup is usually a slaughter on the Husky side of the ledger.
Don't get me wrong, I associate with Cougars. Some of my best friends are Cougars. I've even had some Cougars in my house before. They're hard working proud people. It's not their fault they don't have access to a billionaire alumni association and top caliber recruits. The Cougars do the best they can with what they have.
The bottom line is someone has to be the big school and someone has to be the little school. WSU is the little school. There's a reason Chris Polk, Kasen Williams, Austin Sefarian-Jenkins, and Keith Price wear purple and gold instead of crimson and grey. It's because they had a choice. Maybe after another beating WSU will get the point and succumb to the inevitable truth. The UW is superior school and that's all there is. No hard feelings Cougs. After this weekend we can go back to being friends.
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