That Flushing Sound

Well, I've climbed down off the ledge I've been on since Saturday at around 6:30. That was the approximate time when the Husky Nation felt like they were in the curbing scene in American History X. Our fearless leader, Isaiah Stanback, trying desperately to lead the Huskies out of a deficit to Oregon State, suffered an injury caused by a French mustard apparently. The "Lisfranc sprain" suffered by Predator requires surgery and he will miss the remaining games this season. His career at Washington is over.

For Stanback, it has been a career without a clear legacy. Stanback saw his first major action at wide receiver, where his jaw-dropping quickness left Husky fans in awe. He played with Reggie Williams and Charles Frederick, and was the star of the last recruiting class brought in by Neuweasel. His desire to play quarterback, coupled with visions of Michael Vick dancing in the coaches' heads, brought him back to the position he was originally recruited for. His incredible physical talent has been equally marveled at as his Fox News-esque accuracy in the pocket. This year, however, Stanback seemed to have found a comfort zone and shown flashes of brilliance. He has lead this year's team out of the doldrums and to a 4-2 record at the midway point of the season, causing the Husky Nation to foam purple and demand 7-8 wins. However, his injury, and the candidates to take over, have given the Nation purpleballs.

The Huskies are just two wins away from bowl eligibility and that goal, which has gone from unthinkable to certain to in doubt all in the span of two months, is the real dilemma that the coaching staff must face. 8 wins is gone and now, the hopes for 6 has dimmed, but still alive. But is that good enough, after rising so quickly, so fast? Because here's the question at the soul of the whole argument and larger, the Husky faithful;

Do the Huskies continue to rebuild the program or play for this season?

The two different schools of thought have two different answers under center.

First, Carl Bonnell is the current backup and heir to the job. He's a junior, who transferred from Wazzu after originally choosing the Cougs out of high school. Handing him the keys to the job is almost as vomit inducing as handing them to a Duck transfer. (Oh, have you met Johnny Durocher? He's the third string quarterback and his play in the one game he appeared in last year smelled worse than Eugene.) However, Bonnell has two years experience and according to coaches, legitimately pushed Stanback for the starting job in the preseason, though I liken this probability to the "She's got a great personality" realm. Bonnell looked uncertain and lost when he came into the game last week. However, he showed some impressive flashes two years ago during stretches of play, but lost all of last year to injury. Now, he's already been named the starter for this week's game, but the speculation has reached a fever pitch about The Savior.

Second, the lobbying has already begun to take the redshirt off freshman Jake Locker. With the expectations he's already been saddled with, Locker's initials might as well be J.C. As a true freshman, Locker has seen as much game time in college as I have. He plays quarterback on the scout team, which is to say he does his best impression of the coming opponent's quarterback to prepare the Husky defense as well as possible for the opponent's gameplan. He's spent more time pretending not to be a Husky quarterback than preparing to lead his own team. Locker's also going to be the favorite next season to start as a redshirt freshman and play (hopefully) four years at the position. Four years, if they don't play him this year.

So, do you go with the guy with the experience to try and get the two wins to piece together a bowl game? Or instead, do you go with the future star now and hope his talent overcomes his inexperience?

Bonnell will probably be serviceable, and be able to piece together a win over Stanford and one over either Wazzu or Arizona State. Locker could show his inexperience and lose every single game from here on out, or he could show the genius we're all hoping for and win 2+.

We're on the business end of a Fear Factor choice; Cow Eyes vs. Horse Penis for a million dollars. At this point, we should stick with Bonnell and go for two wins with what is by far the better known quantity. Eating a year of Locker's eligibility would raise far more questions than answers and could harm his confidence and future success, should things go south. There is way more to lose if Locker plays this year than there is to gain.

If the Nation is serious about getting to a bowl game being success, then let's do it with Bonnell and get a second victory on top; Jake Locker's 4th year of play.

Redemption Road

Football weekends have many plotlines. They come from rivalry, to status, to postseason implications, to saving a season. It happens every weekend all throughout the country. However, every once in awhile, the Gods of Lombardi, Bryant, and Rick Neuheisel (Wait, he's still alive?) smile down on us in the Northwest and the Huskies and the Seahawks both play season defining games. Here's a timeline of what will occur this weekend for yours truly:

Friday:
7:45pm- Finalize tailgating plans with assorted friends, including my buddies Parker, Dimeling, and Evan. My roommate Shaflik's parents have got a spot at the moor and are bringing their boat in. We discuss staying "presentable" for the inevitable food/beer run we'll make there.

9:10- Arrive at my friend Jeff's place to prefunk to go out for the night.

9:11- I announce that I'm taking it easy tonight to save myself for the game tomorrow.

9:40- I finish my third tequila shot. I immediately regret it.

10:35- Leave for the bar of choice for the night, fully intending to only have one beer.

Saturday
12:41am- I sign out my tab of $32.57. Foggy, I think, "Yup, that's about right."

1:41- Crawl into bed and set my alarm for 10:15am. Thank God for late kickoffs.

10:15- "Jesus Christ... WAAAAATER!"

11:05- Start walking to Bozick's to get my car.

11:20- I wonder if there's a bus that would get there faster?

11:30- Get into my car and start listening to KJR. The Professor John Clayton talking about the Hawks. "I'm back, baby!"

12:10pm- Leave for my buddy Heistand's place to prefunk the tailgate. Um, yeah. That's how we roll. (Heistand is a UW med student and a fraternity buddy. He's currently in Boise doing a surgical rotation. Can't wait to see the look on his roommates' faces when we still show up. "Uh, hey guys... You know, Heistand's not here..." They've got a prime spot to walk to the game from. Sorry guys.)

1:50- Get to the usual tailgate north of the climbing rock. A bunch of friends from school all migrate there. I think there's probably 5 actual cars with Tyee passes, but something like 200 people show up. It's like the 26 yr old of the equivalent of hearing about a free kegger in college.

2:55- Little brother shows up and is shitcanned. Ah, to be a sophomore again.

3:25- Run and drink the last beer at the same time toward the gates of heaven: Husky Stadium.

3:37- Kickoff and blood is in the air.

3:38- Marlon Wood runs back the opening kick for UW. It's ON.

3:41- Dan Howell picks off a hapless OSU Beaver Matt Morris. There's that feeling in the air, back five years ago, when it was never quiet, even during timeouts in Husky Stadium. That feeling when opponents came into Husky Stadium and just sort of looked around lost, like "What have we gotten ourselves into?"

5:02- Halftime. Score is 24-6 UW. This what they needed. The makings of a blowout. Isaiah is in total control. The run game looks strong. OSU is just trying to not make mistakes on offense, and their defense is more run over than the Burke-Gillman.

5:35- Trying to break away someone I haven't seen in awhile and I hear the first roar of the second half. "Hey, it was great to see you, but my buddies aren't gonna hold my seat. I'll call you."

5:36- Try to find my friends at five various locations in the parking lot.

5:50- Get back into the game. 31-6??? What happened?

6:15- Leave the game. UW's put in Jake Locker (Kidding. Settle down.) and have the game in hand 34-13 with 4:31 left in the game.

6:51- Arrive at The Duchess to celebrate with the revelers. Go 3-1 in shuffleboard.

???- Leave The Duch.

Sunday
9:50am- Wake up. FUUUUUUUCK! The Hawks!

10:10- Stop for Gatorade. Get to Parker's for Man Day. (Man Day Rule No. 1 "Do not talk about ma... OK, it's no eating food that's not delivered." No. 2 "No showering." No. 3 "In light of No. 2, no women." No. 4 "Fantasy Stattracker must be up at all times.")

10:25- St. Louis goes up 7-0 on a bomb to Torry Holt. Does Kelly Herndon have sense perception, or does he run into closed doors and grab for handles from 10 feet away?

10:53- Jeff Wilkins FG. Not looking good. STL 10-0.

11:12- Matt Hasselbeck leads the team on an 80 yard TD drive, capped with Mo Morris getting off the schnide with a 3 yard TD run. 10-7 STL.

11:29- Steven Jackson goes right through the middle, with Lofa Tatupu uncharacteristically out of position. 37 yard TD run. 17-7 STL at Half.

11:42- Pizza comes. They forgot our breadsticks. I hate Pizza Hut.

12:07pm- St Louis drives, but come up short with a big (GASP) Grant Wistrom sack, his first sack since the Reagan Administration. FG STL 20-7

12:24- Morris goes in for his 2nd TD of the game from the 4. Have I mentioned Morris is on my fantasy team? STL 20-14.

12:35- Leroy Hill picks off Marc Bulger and goes down to the SEA 41.

12:42- Drive stalls and Josh Brown makes a 52 yard FG. STL 20-17.

12:43- In celebrating, Parker farts and wafts into my face. I gag. We both laugh. I crack a window.

12:51- Not looking good for the Hawks. Jackson is eating the clock. On the SEA 43, 4:27 on the clock. He looks like a mix between The Predator and a Volvo.

12:59-FUMBLE! Jackson loses it when Ken Hamlin crushes him on a safety blitz! 2:06 on the clock, followed by two straight completions to Jerramy Stevens have the Hawks on the STL 48. 1:01 on the clock. Holmgren looks like those 4 halftime hot dogs are starting to work their way up.

1:03- With the drive stalling in FG range, Holmgren gives Morris a handoff with :48 left. I wake up Parker's elderly neighbor from my screaming. Looks like he'll settle for a FG and play for overtime.

1:04- On 3rd down, Hawks go 4 wide and Hasselbeck hits Darrell Jackson in stride! GO GO GO! TD! 38 yard TD, SEA gets their first lead all game, 24-20! :11 left.

1:07- Hawks hold on to win! 2 huge wins deserves one thing: Sleep! Parker proceed to watch the rest of the games, talking over top of Joe Buck (Can I turn on the TV without seeing this guy?)

It's the best of the best! A weekend of two huge wins, celebrated in style. I can't wait for this all to come true. Then, it's off to my bookie's!

The Trouble With Hope

The hamlet of Seattle known as Montlake has been in funk the last couple years. OK, that's like calling Carrot Top mildly annoying. It's been a disaster. At the University of Washington, basketball has taken over as the iconic sport with its epic surge to the national spotlight, something unthinkable only 4 years ago. The combined total of 3 wins in two years, a coaching change, and constant state of chaos has relegated the program to near obscurity. And it brought its most dedicated fans to the point of going Waco.

And then, without so much as a Willingham whisper, the program did a 180. Unexpected victories have lifted the program out of its sullied routine and placed the Huskies at the top of the Pac-10 at 4-1, far ahead of the last place finish that was universally prognosticated. Isaiah Stanback has turned into two-way weapon and is leading the offense with his arm and legs. The perceived lack of playmakers is but a distant memory with the emergence of Sonny Shackelford and Anthony Russo. The defense has grown a pair and has become one of the toughest in the conference. Linebacker Scott White went from leaving the team to Pac-10 player of the week. It's like Erika Christensen going from Swimfan to Traffic.

This team looks like a team with a future. Like a team with heart. Like a team that can shock the world.

Unfortunately, that's what sudden, unexpected success can do to fans. The purple Kool-Aid is being served and the Husky Nation is drunk with expectations. I'm not sure what to say, because I mean, I'm a diehard. I want this so bad. A win over USC Saturday would push the Huskies achingly close to their rightful place in college football's hierarchy. However, the truth is that USC is damn near an NFL team, and the Huskies are a team playing with diminished talent and depth. Right now, they're the ugly girl that made Homecoming Court because the cheerleaders got busted at a kegger. The whole conference is bad this year and they played two cake non-conference opponents. Plus, they have yet to put together a full game. Arizona was one quarter, Oklahoma and UCLA were one half. For a victory over USC, Peter Griffin and Homer Simpson would have to hold hands at an AA meeting.

On paper, this game is a nightmare. Worse, the Husky Nation has lost its mind. We are two wins from bowl eligibility and a light year from USC. Call me a Negadawg, but this team is playing on borrowed time and when (not if) they get 6 wins, it will be a massive accomplishment. At the rate we started, the fans have gotten in over their heads and when the Dawgs come back to Earth, I'm worried that the blood lust will be at Predator-like levels. And so, here's our only chance of winning, speaking of Predator...

1. Stanback needs to play smart and calm. I can't stress this enough, UW cannot turn the ball over. USC is like Iceman. That's how he flies, ice cold. No mistakes. He waits for you to get bored, frustrated, then boom. He's got you. The USC defense is going to throw everything at him and he's gotta take it all with his head about him.

2. The defense needs to take some chances. Smart chances. A first down all-out blitz. C.J. Wallace going for a pick over the middle, instead of the tackle. Block a punt. They need to put USC's offense on its heels, throw them off their gameplan, show them something they weren't expecting.

3. UW's offensive line needs to show that they're as good as they looked against the previous opponents. All five linemen have played every snap this season and they've played like a real Husky line. USC's front seven move faster than a Prison Break promo. Give Isaiah a breath.

4. Most important and again, as Stanback goes, so goes UW. He has not been sharp throwing the ball this season, save for a few quarters. He still seems to be unable to control his right arm, sending passes too high or leading receivers too far. He'll need to be crisp, accurate, and smart. He's made amazing progress this season and this will be the yardstick. No matter what the coaches say, the game's on his shoulders. Period.

The purple visor will stay in the vault this Saturday. My bookie's calls will go unanswered. But I'll plant a Mark Foley sized one on Isaiah if he plays his best game.