Apple Cup Week

This is the week that signifies the entire season. Throw out the records, the injuries, the rhetoric about coaches, and most importantly, the won-loss record. The pride of the State of Washington is on the line. There's a reason why the Cougs have to put on a purple jersey when they mess up in practice. Coach Wulff is a lot smarter than people give him credit for. It builds a hatred for those guys in the purple jerseys and serves as a year long reminder. I remember when Don James got pegged by an apple in Pullman while walking the sidelines prior to the game. He picked it up and took a bite out of it. The Cougs took a bite out of his Dawgs on that Saturday in November. That was back when they filled up Martin Stadium, not anymore.

Even though the tickets go for $90 it won't be hard to find one. I scalped a ticket to the UCLA game last year and I think it cost me $20. I have a feeling this won't be any different. There's a certain electricity in this game un-matched by any sporting event I've attended. You have the typical Husky fans that never went to school there who have adopted them as "their" team. You have the faithful Cougs who, like me, wanted to get away from home and go to a college town for the college experience. You can't really go home on the weekend because it is so far. It worked. I met my wife there, and like me, she hasn't missed very many of these since we graduated in 1987. I think the Cougs will surprise some people on Saturday. They've been preparing for this one for 11 games. They will play their best game of the year.

Don't get too excited.

Everything Ducky-For Now

The Oregon Ducks were impressive in their win over USC on Saturday. But let's not let them get ahead of themselves, like they often do. Oregon fans are already chanting "B-C-S", pretty premature don't you think? Last time I checked there are still some pretty tough teams on their remaining schedule including Arizona on the road and Oregon State in the Civil War. But this isn't how Duck fans think. They win a big game and they think it's their ticket to the National Championship (which they have never won by the way, but you would never know it by the way their fans act). The Ducks are extremely vulnerable. The Pac Ten is a very tough conference. It's the conference of champions.

Will this be the Ducks' year? Don't bet on it. They will find some way to implode. They always do.

Summer in the Tri-Cities

The feel of summer is creeping away. The Water Follies and Tri-Cities Boat Race Weekend is the trademark of summer here. It's usually the hottest weekend of the year. But shortly after, that summer 'feel' tends to slip away. The winds pick up, much cooler nights, and that awful feeling that winter is just around the corner. I've learned the older I get, the faster time goes, and this summer was no exception. Our recent camping and boating trip to Clarkston and the Snake River was the best possible way to end another great Tri-Cities summer. While we were able to escape the 108 degree day in the Tri-Cities, we found a much cooler spot at Chief Timothy Park in Clarkston with a cool 106. We thought about making t-shirts that read, "We survived Chief Timothy." Today, I woke up to a slight drizzle and cool temperatures. "We might hit 80 degrees today", said the weathercaster on KNDU TV. What a bummer.

Another ho-hum Tri-Cities summer.

I Remember

I remember when he chipped in to beat Jack Nicklaus in the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. I remember when he made just about everything he looked at in his younger years. I remember he always made the six footer coming back after a rare miss. I remember one of the best tips I ever received from anyone was when he said in Golf Magazine to put the ball a little farther forward in your stance with long irons. I remember like it was yesterday but unfortunately it wasn't. I was pounding golf balls at Sahalee dreaming of being the next Tom Watson. That was 35 years ago. I thought he was in his prime back then but maybe I need to re-visit it. But what I will most remember is the four days of stellar golf in the 2009 Open Championship at Turnberry.

I remember.

The Alaska Experience

This world is a lot larger than I thought it was. Thank you Alaska for helping me realize it. This is arguably one of the most picturesque places anywhere. As we descended into Juneau and Gustavus for a once in a lifetime fishing experience, I saw the beauty I've been hearing about for a long time. A short time after we checked into the Glacier Bay Country Inn, we saw a Moose in the man made grass runway just outside the dining room of this cozy lodge. Two days later a brown grizzly bear was playing in the same area. This is Alaska. You can't mention Alaska without talking about the sport fishing. For those who think whales are close to extinct, think again. For those who think bald eagles are an endangered species, think again as well. Let's not even go into the salmon thing. We limited in kings our first day and they were stacked up like a cord of wood. A sea lion ate one of them as I was reeling him in just 30 yards from the boat. This is a normal occurrence in Alaska. The very next day a sea lion tried to steal one of our halibuts but we were able to scare him off enough to save our prey. The wildlife is in abundance with whales, sea lions, seals, otters, bald eagles, and every kind of bird imaginable. We ate like champions and were treated like royalty. We also flew home feeling like heroes in the fishing world.

This is Alaska.

A Birthday Month To Remember

First it was the Masters. Then, a trip to Edgefield for a little bit of everything; beer, wine, music, food, par-3 golf, and most importantly, friends. When we've had enough of that we are headed to Livermore, California for more golf, wine, food, entertainment, and of course, friends. It's all part of turning 50. The big 5-0.

Sounds like a birthday to remember. It ain't so bad.

Jim Sterk Needs To Go

My wife is not happy. That doesn't bode too well for any of us when that happens. No more Apple Cups in Pullman. I would not want to be WSU Athletic Director Jim Sterk when he comes face to face with her. It's not gonna be pretty. In another stupid move, the future Apple Cups will now be played at Quest Field in Seattle, the home of the Seahawks. Not far from Montlake. What a nice move Jim. So much for the renovation of Martin Stadium. What a nice way to show loyalty to the hard working business owners in Pullman who rely on this weekend. For some, it makes their year. It never ceases to amaze me with all the constant stupid moves this guy makes. I used to work on the committee that helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Cougar Athletic Department. The Cougar Golf Classic used to be a great event until Jim Sterk showed up. The likes of Mike Price, Joe "the toe" Danello, Mark Rypien, Tim Rosenbach, Clint Didier, Pat Beach and Rueben Mayes used to make their way to Meadow Springs Country Club for the annual event. It was a reunion of former NFL greats, high profile Cougars. Sterk didn't feel he needed us anymore. He thought the school could do a better job. They sure have done a better job. Last year, the most high profile celebrity at the Cougar Golf Classic was one Paul Wulff. The same guy who was hired by Jim Sterk.

What more can I say.