Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller
PULLMAN, Wash. -- The beer flowed like oxygen at "The Coug" Friday night. The bar patrons stopped imbibing at scattered moments to sing along to '80s hits -- "You give loooooove a bad name!" -- and to Neil Diamond -- "Sweet Caroliiiine ... dahn dahn DAHN!" -- and the Washington State fight song spontaneously broke out a handful of times when the mood struck.
Fight, fight, fight for Washington State! Win the victory!
Win the day for Crimson and Gray! Best in the West, we know you'll all do your best, so
On, on, on, on! Fight to the end! Honor and Glory you must win! So
Fight, fight, fight for Washington State and victory!
W-A-S-H-I-N-G-T-O-N-S-T-A-T-E-C-O-U-G-S! GO COUGS!!
The Coug, simply, is a Washington State institution. It's a beer shack -- small, worn, graffitied. But it's the headquarters for the Pac-10's most lubricated student body.
It was overflowing on 2008 Apple Cup Eve, just like every other year. Patrons were packed hip-to-hip ("'Scuse me... I need to scratch my nose." "No worries, buddy. Chug!"). There were dots of purple among the crimson, but peace mostly prevailed ("Go Huskies!" "BLEEP the Huskies!").
The largest commotion came when a comely coed decided to drag her boyfriend out of the bar by his lapels, which five out of five sportswriters in my party found entertaining.
In the interest of research, the sportswriters, who began their evening at Rico's, remained until closing. It was like being embedded in Iraq, only with cold beer.
The overwhelming realization?
The very notion that a 1-20 combined record would stop the Apple Cup party ... well, I'm sorry for even entertaining the thought.
Of course, the interest in the game itself among casual, local fans is down, while its trainwreck status has raised national eyebrows.
Losing does that, particularly losing badly over and over and over and over again. And these two programs, within a decade of being Pac-10 and national contenders, are enduring a dark time.
One that won't last forever but it certainly won't be cured in the short term.
Both teams have been accused of waving a white flag at times during games this season. And not unfairly.
That won't happen today.
Both are grievously wounded animals, and the only chance for even a glimmer of satisfaction this season depends on winning this game.
The loser will be subject to national ridicule as the nation's worst BCS team. The winner will get to point at the other and say, "At least we're not you!"
This sort of game, in fact, distills the essence of what so many love about college football.
It's the passion and unconditional love that makes a game between two doormats the center of the universe for three hours for two beleaguered fanbases who refuse to surrender all hope.
It's cloudy and mild at Martin Stadium, sun is expected later and temperatures should reach the unseasonably warm mid-40s.
Yes, this is the Crapple Cup, a rivalry meeting showcasing historic futility.
But it still matters deeply to Huskies and Cougars.
Ted Miller has been covering college football since 1997, starting with Auburn and then heading West to Washington and the Pac-10. His columns for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer won first place in 2007 APSE Best Writing contest. The Atlanta native and University of Richmond graduate presently lives with his wife in Scottsdale, Ariz.
