Verbal pre-game decorum rarely prevails in the Apple Cup rivalry, regardless of whether Washington and Washington State are ranked or wretched or both. The tradition of rivalry trash talk dates to Nov. 27, 1900, or three days before UW and WSU engaged in the inaugural scrum.
On that day, WSU State coach William Allen provided the first “bulletin board” material in the rivalry’s history by predicting that WSU would romp by a score of 30-0. That WSU fell considerably of Allen’s prediction – the teams played to a 5-5 tie Nov. 30 – hardly ushered in an era of diplomatic oratory.
For more than 100 years, the Huskies and the Cougars have traded zings, barbs and insults, with the Golden Age of Apple Cup gum flapping starting in the 1980s. The following represents the best Apple Cup trash talk by a Husky. You can vote below on which Husky player or coach delivered heaped the best trash on the Cougars.
“I’ve always felt that being a Cougar prepares you well for life. You learn not to expect too much. — DON JAMES, UW coach, before the 1983 Apple Cup
’’No matter what happens, they have to go back to Pullman, and I feel sorry for them.” — CHRIS CHANDLER, UW quarterback, before the 1987 Apple Cup
’It’s hard for me to hate him (WSU coach Dennis Erickson) because he gave me my first job. But I’d love to kick their butts – because they’re the Cougars.” — CHRIS TORMEY, UW assistant coach, before the 1987 Apple Cup
“When I was here as a freshman, the intrastate rivalry didn’t really mean much, it was just another game. Now I’ve been here four years and, it’s not hatred, but I don’t like playing the Cougars.” — DANA HALL, UW cornerback, before the 1990 Apple Cup
“To just think about losing this game makes me want to puke. It would absolutely disgust me.” — TREVOR HIGHFIELD, UW offensive lineman, before the 1995 Apple Cup
“They have this kind of technology in Pullman? When did you install telephones?“ — RICHARD MCCORMICK, UW president, ribbing WSU counterpart Samuel Smith, during a conference call before the 1997 Apple Cup
“I wouldn’t have taken a recruiting trip there even if they strangled me. I’d die first. It’s a place (Pullman) where you can go and have a good time, as far as there being a lot of drunk people.” — ANDRE DESAUSSURE, UW receiver, before the 1998 Apple Cup
“Their fans are real rowdy. During warmups, they were already liquored up. They had no clue what they were saying, so I didn’t pay attention to them.” — JOE JARZYNKA, UW receiver, after the 2000 Apple Cup
“I want to be able to one day tell my kids I never lost to the Cougars. My whole attitude is, if we can’t go to the Rose Bowl, then nobody can go.” — WILBUR HOOKS, UW receiver, before the 2002 Apple Cup
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