Sept 4, 2010 is finally here. It has been 271 days since the University of Washington Huskies spanked Cal to end the rebuilding year of 2009. We have made real progress. There is hope. We have worked our tails off and now we are ready to play. Tee it up boys, let's get it goin.
Most of you know that there are very few items in my life that provide the type of emotion and passion that Husky football does. I like triathlon, I like video production, I like music. I like art and beautiful things. I like girls and I like beer. Sometimes I even like them all at the same time.
But I love Husky football. We go back a long way. There is tradition. There is the happiness and pride of Rose Bowl wins and National Championships. I have sat at Husky Stadium in the pouring rain, freezing my butt off and on a block of frozen snow in November as the Dawgs demolished the Cougs in winning another Apple Cup. I have had the privilege to dine with Don Heinrich and golf with Blair Bush and Ray Phinney. Currently two Husky DBs, Adam Long and Greg Walker, went to my tiny High School in Southern California. I remember watching Chris Chandler, Greg Lewis, Roy Horton, Mario Bailey and Jason Chorak. I can still see Steve, Dave, Chico, Le-Lo, Tank, Tui and Tim Peoples rein purple. Just the thought of Joe Jarzynka never signaling for a fair catch makes me smile. There is DJ, arms crossed on the sidelines, headphones on, ready to make the tough call. I saw Nap Kaufman carry the ball for the first time as a Husky. I remember the ahhhhs from the sold-out crowd as the refs moved the chains immediately afterwards. Mom and I went to every Husky/UCLA game for years when she was textbook coordinator for the Bruins.
We have been through a lot, these Purple and Gold kids and me. I follow them like a proud father watching for improvement, progress, growth. I know this game and I know the details. I appreciate the innuendo and respond physically to the most subtle of momentum shifts. I know where the juggler vein is. I know Xs and Os and when to do what to who. And how. The binary territorial simplicity of the college game provides a wonderful balance to my ultra-left political temperament. Let's have a war today shall we, with rules, and with a clear winner. Then Monday we'll go back to work.
We have been down a while now. It has been a decade since we threshed Purdue in Pasadena. Times were tough. But today is the dawn of a new Dawg Day. Jake is a 5th year senior, back to lead a talented group of kids to their potential. He thumbed his nose at ten million dollars to play 12 more games of college football for Washington. He could win the Heisman trophy. But that to him that is gravy. The real reward will be to max out his potential and lead this team to what it wants to achieve.
Victories.
Today winning is the only thing.
Go get 'em snarling husky Dawgs. Let's win this one for the Jakester.
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