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<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Report scores and results to 425-339-3470 or 1-866-6-SCORES (Call after 4:30 p.m.) E-mail information including items for Tuesday's Communities Sports Roundup and Thursday's Outdoor Calendar, to sports@heraldnet.com Kevin Brown, Sports Editor kbrown@heraldnet.com   Published: Monday, November 3, 2008 Hey UW, WSU fans, take a weekend off By John Boyle Herald Writer SEATTLE -- Some free advice to fans of this state's two most prominent college football programs: Take a weekend off. Don't watch football this Saturday, or if you do, don't watch Washington and Washington State roll over and play dead again. You all deserve a break. I'm not saying anyone should abandon their teams. True fans don't do that. But in a season of historical ineptitude for both programs, even the heartiest fans deserve to skip one weekend of punishment. Thousands of Washingtonians traveled to California over the weekend to support their floundering teams, and those brave souls who sacrificed their money and time were rewarded with one of the worst collective weekends in the history of the two programs. Saturday marked the first time in 60 years that both WSU and Washington were shut out on the same day. On Nov. 27, 1948, the Cougars lost 7-0 to Penn State in a game played in Tacoma. The Huskies, who like the Cougars were playing their final game of the year, lost 46-0 at Notre Dame that day to end their season with five shutout losses. And in the 60 years that have followed, that same level on one-day offensive putridity had never been repeated by the two schools. Until Nov. 1, 2008, that is. Washington State got things going by losing 58-0 to Stanford, a team the Cougars beat 33-17 just last season. And as that game was getting more and more out of hand, Washington and USC kicked off in L.A., beginning the second chapter to a historically bad day. Washington eventually went down 56-0 to USC, a team the Huskies have played surprising close in each of the past two seasons. That's 114-0 on one day. Yikes. Just how bad are these two teams? Keep in mind that the Cardinal, hardly a Pac-10 power, were favored by 30 against WSU despite the fact that they only averaged 23.8 points per game heading into the contest. The Huskies have fallen so far that for USC, a 56-0 win over a conference opponent caused the Trojans to drop two spots in the latest BCS rankings, going from fifth to seventh. As Husky tailback Terrance Dailey so aptly summed it up after Saturday's debacle: "I feel like every week it's just a week with the same thing. It's like a broken record." Every week it is the same thing, and that broken record has to torture to Husky and Cougar fans. Every Saturday night, you leave the stadium or turn off the TV feeling let down, and every Sunday you wake up even more disappointed now that the latest embarrassing loss has had a night to sink in. This week sets up more favorably for the Huskies, who host Arizona State, but Washington is still a 15-point underdog, as of Sunday evening, against a team riding a six-game losing streak. Things will likely remain ugly for the Cougars, who open the week as 38-point home underdog against Arizona. And I hear it's Dad's Weekend in Pullman this weekend. Want to do your fathers a favor for all they have done for you, WSU students? Skip the game. Go find something fun to do in Spokane, or stay in Pullman and do ... whatever it is you do on a November day in Pullman. But stay far, far away from Martin Stadium. Dad deserves better. Heck, you want to do something really special with Dad? Take a father-son trip to Las Vegas -- because this column does not condone illegal betting -- and lay next quarter's tuition on the Wildcats and Sun Devils. So far this season, Vegas oddsmakers can't come up with lines big enough to compensate for the collective stink-fest that is football in this state. The earlier you get there this week the better, by the way, as those lines are sure to grow as savvy bettors put big money on the Arizona schools. Bet it, but don't bother watching. Catch a show, hit the black-jack tables, play some golf, whatever. Or if you must watch football, watch any games but these. High school football playoffs are going on this weekend, perhaps some of those games will actually be competitive. Even better, go to Ellensburg -- and how bad are things when "go to Ellensburg" is anyone's advice -- and watch 9-1 Central Washington host 5-4 Western Washington in what is, this year anyway, the state's best college football rivalry. Or go to a concert, go to a play, go see a movie, do some work around the house you've been neglecting. Just don't watch the Huskies. Don't watch the Cougars. You'll thank me on Sunday. Herald Writer John Boyle: jboyle@heraldnet.com. For more on UW sports, check out the Huskies blog at heraldnet.com /huskiesblog READER COMMENTS Be the first to comment. You must be a registered user and verify your e-mail address to post comments to blogs or articles on HeraldNet. To register, click here. To read other terms and conditions, click here. Log out

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