The Apple Cup Casualty;UPDATE (scroll down)

The Apple Cup Casualty

I was born and raised in Washington State. To be really specific I was born in Pullman Washington home of Washington State University, was raised a WSU cougar fan and graduated from WSU. I am a sports fan. I tell people I like sports enough that I got a degree in it (Sport Psychology). Growing up I watched a lot of sports and especially Cougar football. The biggest game of the year was when WSU plays against UW. This game is affectionately known as The Apple Cup. Apple for Washington which is famous for them, and Cup because its not a bowel game but close. The game is played every year alternating sites between the schools. Growing up it felt like Apple Cup was another holiday. We would sometimes get Cougar Ice Cream and or Cougar Chips to celebrate the occasion.

When I went to WSU as a student I finally got to witness Apple Cup live and in person at Martin Stadium in Pullman. What a blast that was. For one of the games there was a bunch of us waiting to get into the stadium. There was alot of nervous energy, and in our excitement somebody launched a donut into the air. Within seconds the sky was littered with donuts. I guess that was a favorite treat that day. I felt kind of bad for the girl standing close to me who got hit by a jelly, but I confess that I could not help myself and picked the donut up and chucked it back up into the air. During the game, which is played in November, it started to snow. When it starts to snow in Pullman during the Apple Cup the cougar fans know we have a distinct advantage. The cheers that greeted the snowfall was immense. There is just nothing like Apple Cup in Martin Stadium.

So, you are probably asking yourself why in the world I am writing about The Apple Cup on my blog. Well, I have forewarned that sports would be a recurring topic for me. But, The Apple Cup has become a recent casualty of liberalism/progressivism.
My beautiful home state of Washington happens to be one of those liberal/progressive states. This is mostly due to the fact that the western side of the state (where Seattle is) is more populous and yes more liberal. It is somewhat irksome, but I choose to live in the state and so have to manage.

Being as the state is liberal/progressive the state government is also. This means they follow the one stage type thinking that is so pervasive of their ideology. They see a "problem" and then look for the way the government can fix the supposed problem (which as I've outlined before the government usually stinks at doing). So, they spend a bunch of money. Of course they get that money from taxes but also from borrowing. Washington like so many other states is in debt. This year like no other has caused state governments to realize they must cut their spending. So, Washington has decided to cut spending in areas such as prisons and education. I might have gone for some other routes myself, but oh well. The state universities have had their state aid severely cut. As a result the schools are now looking for ways to bring in money themselves.

WSU and UW in an attempt to bring in a couple million to their schools have decided that Apple Cup will now be played every year in the stadium that the Seattle Seahawks play in. They sportingly have decided that the schools will continue to alternate which team is the home team. If it seems unreasonable to think that WSU fans will feel at home in Seattle that's because it is unreasonable.

I know it is just a football game. But, for crying out loud it's also a tradition especially for someone like me. Gone forever is the chance to watch Apple Cup in Martin Stadium in the snow (unless global warming causes it to snow in Seattle in November). This has hurt me in a way that kind of surprised me. I see it as a direct result of the liberal/progressive agenda. There was no forward thinking. And the decision by the schools shows a continued lack of forward thinking. WSU is going to lose more support and more money.

I apologize if this seems trivial. But, for a person who was born and raised a Cougar it breaks my heart.

UPDATE:
Well, it turns out I was not the only angry Cougar! It also turns out that sometimes the voice of the people is good enough to affect change. WSU has pulled out of the talks for moving Apple Cup. The beloved tradition will continue! I am thrilled and proud of all the Cougar fans that voiced their opinion and got the right thing to happen. Go Cougs!