I think it has been some 40 years since I have had the opportunity to take in what was my first exposure to a rivalry game – the annual tussle between the University of Washington and Washington State.
Not because I didn’t want to and always had an eye on the game’s progress but because I was a bit busy on Saturday game day.
Like many rivalry games this meeting which began in 1900 wasn’t always called the Apple Cup much like the Mt-MSU game was not always the Brawl of the Wild.
I first knew it as the Governors Cup and for many years when I was growing up it was dominated by the Huskies and played at what originally was named Memorial Stadium-now Joe Albi
The Cougars won three of the games there from 1950 to 1980 … sound familiar?
But recently it alternates home sites or at times on a neutral like Quest Field.
This is the 109th meeting, seven fewer than the UM-MSU rivalry.
And more recently the game was moved to the day after Thanksgiving.
But like several other of the dozen or so of us who are making the trip to Pullman today, I’m not a WSU alum.
But I’m sure you’ve heard me say I’ve been a Cougar all my life
I guess when we’re young we all have our teams and since Wazzu was just down the road the often hapless Cougars became mine.
And because they played some of their home games in Spokane in the same stadium where we played our high school games, I had a chance to see power house Pac-6 USC teams, Heisman winners and the like.
Now I couldn’t afford a ticket although I still have some of the programs we would sky the chain link fence and hustle to beat the guards into the midst of fans never to be seen or found.
Interestingly I saw O.J play WSU there and while I don’t remember the particular score, I sure remember what a running back he was.
I joked when Montana changed their color from Copper, Silver and Gold in 1996 that I already had plenty of Crimson and Grey, but of course here we call it Maroon.
I only had the pleasure of calling a single Montana game in Pullman and remember former UM ad Bill moos played there, grew up on the Palouse and is now the Cougar athletic Director.
Everything goes around doesn’t it … Just sayin’
