Apple Cup Blues

If you read this blog regularly, then you know that on Black Friday, my family got a new 55” HDTV. One of the first things we watched on it was beautiful---LSU beating Arkansas.

But all good things must come to an end. The next day the Apple Cup played out on that big screen, and we watched WSU lose to UW, 38 -21. It was not a pretty sight for a Cougar fan.

John had had it with Coach Wulff years ago. I held out hope that the team would improve with time, until the Utah game. WSU was on the one yard line with the clock running down in Martin Stadium. Wulff didn’t go for the touchdown. He decided to kick a field goal to tie the game and go into overtime. We lost, in the snowy heartbreaker. 

Wulff seemed detached. There was no urgency to him, no inspiring the players, no leadership. I’ve watched him several times, walk out onto the field before games were over, accepting defeat.

This season we’ve had three quarterbacks injured. In our second to the last game of the season against Utah, redshirt freshman quarterback, Connor Halliday, passed for 290 yards and two touchdowns in his first college game. After the game, they found out that he had a lacerated liver. It’s not like our Cougar players lack heart.

On Tuesday, three days after the Apple Cup loss, WSU’s Athletic Director Bill Moos fired Paul Wulff. He said, “We either got to run with the big dogs or just admit that we're a doormat. And, I believe we can be a contender for championships. But, we can't wait and embrace mediocrity. That's not going to work. I was hoping this season would take us there. But, it didn't. So, I had to make the tough decision to hopefully find a way to get there with another person in that leadership role.”

On Thursday, there was another big announcement. The News Tribune reported that Moos said, “I have spoken about the need to re-energize our fan base and take Cougar football to the next level. I believe the hiring of Mike Leach accomplishes both of those goals.”

Leach, 50, compiled an 84-43 record at Texas Tech. All 10 of his teams posted winning records and went to bowl games. Leach’s last two teams produced 28 all-academic players in the Big 12 Conference. (Read more: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/12/01/1927866/cougs-get-leach.html#ixzz1fQaR4zPO)

If you’ve been reading this blog for more than a year, you know that I have a standing bet on the Apple Cup with my friend Carol. In 2006, her son Tyler went to the University of Washington. My son Johnny (and later daughter Sarah) went to Washington State University. The rivalry between Washington’s two biggest universities is intense. The bet between our two families is that whoever loses the Apple Cup has to give the winner some food with apples in it.

Brand new WA2 apple developed at WSU Wenatchee.

In the six Apple Cups since Carol and I started this, I’ve had to come up with apple recipes FOUR times! I’ve made apple pie, apple turnovers, apple muffins, etc. Yep, I’m just a little sour apples (instead of grapes) about all the apple cooking that has had to go on in my house.

This year, I refused to cook. I gave her a gift card to Applebee’s and told her to treat her family to some Appletinis, although we were the ones who needed a drink after that game.

So I’m really pulling for Coach Leach to get those Cougars fierce and fired up to beat the Huskies next year! Maybe in her Senior year, Sarah will finally get to join in the Cougar victory dance over the Huskies next year in Martin Stadium. And maybe, just maybe, WSU will go to a bowl game for the first time since 2003. Get ready to Gooooooo Cougs!

Laura Keolanui Stark is feeling a bit crab appley. She can be reached at stark.laura.k@gmail.com.