Dark and Stormy Nights

BY: TJ BARR

I was watching SportsCenter (typical) and it was the Scott Van Pelt “Scottie Awards.” To give context, the “Scottie Awards” are given at the end of every year and provide humor to some of the most embarrassing plays of the year. But I saw something, and like many times I watch SportsCenter, I immediately rewinded to watch it again. The award given to the guy in the Husky hat really caught my eye.

For those who may not know, after completing the core requirements for the business school at the University of Oregon, and SHINING BRIGHTLY, I decided to move up to Washington to take care of my Grandfather. After becoming more experienced, motivated, and mature, I enrolled in the University of Washington Tacoma to finish my schooling. I am currently a Senior, graduating in Spring 2022, with a major in Marketing with a Minor in Sports Business.

However, my fan allegiance was always in question. I had attended “Nike U,” the company that funds the school athletic program, but I was born and bred a Husky fan. Both my parents and uncle attended the prestigious university, and I had grown up going to Husky games with our season tickets. Generally, when in doubt, I choose to root for the home team.

4:30 PM, November 6th 2021, Husky Stadium

The Oregon Ducks visited Seattle to play their border rival Washington Huskies. At the time, the Ducks were ranked #3 in the country, and kind of having a foot in both ponds, I decided to go to the game.

The Washington Huskies are having one of the worst seasons of its legendary and renowned athletic program. First of all, they lost their season home opener to Montana. Next, I believe I could throw a better long ball LEFT-HANDED than the Purple & Gold Quarterback Dylan Morris. They neglected to utilize the #1 quarterback prodigy Sam Huard for his entire freshman year. They fired the Offensive Coordinator. And then, after a dismal year and pushing his player in the face, fired their Coach. This Husky football season was like throwing away your favorite Christmas present, into the hands of a Grizzly Bear, inside a hurricane.

To put in perspective of the bad blood between the two teams… there were rubber duckies in the urinals of the Porta-Potties at the tailgates outside Husky Stadium.

I got a ticket in the student section, got to the game early enough to walk around campus, tailgate, and satisfy my growing thirst.

I went to the game for a couple of reasons:

1. I am a huge sports fan and live games are the best!

2. I wanted to go to a good game in my new school and reminisce about my childhood times at the newly remodeled Husky Stadium

3. If the Ducks won the championship… I would want to see them play

4. If the Huskies beat the Ducks, I wanted to be in the Student Section

I get into the game with good seats, making friends with my fellow “scholars.” As the Green and Yellow exit the tunnel, the section is chanting “F*** THE DUCKS” repeatedly at the top of their lungs. I joined them as I bellowed, belittling the pointless birds. What can I say… Peer pressure works.

Well like any game in the Pacific Northwest, it was raining ducks and dawgs. And by rain… I mean pouring. It was raining so much that The Accolade, a new student housing development, footed the bill and provided free ponchos for the entire Student Section. I’ll get to the poncho in a second… Back to the game.

Husky Stadium- When it rains it pours

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVeAME2doJg&ab_channel=ESPNCollegeFootball

1. Huskies get off to a great start scoring a touchdown. Gave up a field goal. Then had two consecutive punts inside the 5. When the Huskies got a SAFETY, they had basically tackled the Duck Running Back into my lap. 9-3, I got to say my 3 favorite words that every fan should know “IT COULD HAPPEN!?!”

2. Back-to-back Duck touchdowns and fans start to leave in the 3rd quarter. I’m saying to myself, I’ve seen this 50 times at Autzen, but there is no way I am leaving, even though I am getting absolutely saturated. Plus, I am not a fair-weather fan. So, for the 4th quarter I moved up to the covered area, met my childhood hero Captain Husky, and watched the band solo my favorite song “Louie, Louie.”

3. Everyone is drenched watching the hapless Huskies ruin another Saturday in November. I’m watching the game, and I think to myself “These are the real fans”… Captain Husky pumped up the crowd, The Husky Marching Band kept on playing, and the students would not stop chanting. And then I thought to myself, who has really invested in this game???

4. My Sports Business Professor Stan Emert has taught me this past year that the best employees can predict the future. So here I go… gambling is the future of sports. States are shifting towards online betting sites like Draft Kings and Las Vegas could be the “Gambling Mecca of the World.” I don’t pride myself on my illegal activity but let’s assess what happened on this rainy night in the fall.

HUSKIES VS. DUCKS: Washington (+7) O/U 48.5

So I did not think of it until the 4th quarter, but there was actually a lot riding on this game, and it earned the “Bad Beats” segment on SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt that weekend.

17-9 Ducks at the beginning of the 4th quarter and the Quacks are knocking on the DAWG door (why college graduates can’t correctly spell the word dog baffles me). Most bookies feel okay.

Ducks score Dawgs score… ok… 24-16. Husky ball, this could get crazy.

Down 8 with 120 ticks on the clock, Coach Jimmy Lake opts for the Huskies to PUNT?!?!?!?! On 4th down on a drive that would have tied the game, the former face of the team elects to give the ball back to one of the most prolific offenses college football has ever seen.

Then disaster strikes. Sitting on their own 10 yard line, the long snapper launches the ball between his legs, over the husky punter head, and into the stands for a SAFETY (the second Safety in one game https://www.statmuse.com/nfl/ask/average-number-of-safeties-team-per-game-in-the-2020-nfl-season). As the Ducks lead by 10, the Husky faithful look upon the field in utter dismay.

The Duck’s get the ball and the team marches down to the 1-yard line. Historically, the Ducks run up the score to build their ego and prove dominance against their adversary. They would have loved to put an exclamation point against their bitter rivals. But as the time elapses, the clock hits zeroes and the referee ends the game leaving the highs and lows of gamblers waiting until the next Saturday.

Oregon 26 Washington 16. The ducks won and covered the spread (meaning they won by more than 7 points as Las Vegas projected), but the Oregon touchdown would have surpassed the over under as the combined score of the two teams was just 42 points.

WHATS THE POINT TJ???

Well, I went to the game, sat in the student section, cheered on my 2 schools, and had one of the best sporting experiences of my life. But I was utterly drenched.

So going home, I went through my logical thinking:

I am wet=> Why are you wet=> Because God pisses on the Northwest=> Why weren’t you prepared=> I was prepared, I’m an Eagle Scout… I have my jersey, my raincoat, warm socks, and kind of a buzz so I thought I’m good => Why didn’t you just wear the stupid poncho?

I got stuck on why I didn’t just wear the stupid poncho. I’d be dryer, warmer, maybe happier, why couldn’t I just wear the stupid poncho and not get soaked?

But for me it was principle. I took my stance in the student section. I was going to stand in the rain, chant with my classmates, and take part in the experience. Proud of my iconic jersey, it had changed from a royal purple color to a moist black. But I looked around and all of my comrades who were wearing the stupid poncho. So I was now the outcast, when realistically, I wanted to be a part of the team.

And then I came to a realization, this is just like a Covid Shot. I am fully vaccinated, with a booster shot but there is a shit storm out there that is tearing apart the world. Just like everybody else at Husky Stadium I was a part of the game. Fans, young and old, had taken part in the event and it felt like we were all waste deep in this athletic tragedy. And because I refused to put on this stupid poncho, everyone else has to hear me complain about how I am so wet, when the solution to the problem was simple… it was the stupid poncho I held in my left hand (pom-pom in my right hand).

Probably the jubilation of the Husky-Duck game is that it gives fans something to cheer, something to boo, and remove them from the perils of everyday life. The fact that we easily could have cancelled this game due to the Covid pandemic and everyone just sit at home, would be the real tragedy. These days, every time we do anything we gamble on whether or not we get sick. Get a shot and we can move onto the next game, the hallmark of the year, The College Football Playoff.

11:00 PM, December 29th, 2021, SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt

I am watching the special segment, and they were honoring the “In The Stands” award, given to the most interesting fan. WHAT AN HONOR!!!

I am watching the show and they begin to show a Washington Huskies fan.

I said “OOOO NOOO! There is no way they are playing this game AGAIN…”

The dejected Husky fan looked at the field in disgust, then shrugged his shoulders, expressing that at the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter. That Husky fan had won the award, but something caught my eye as the segment ended.

This is a picture of me on SportsCenter by Scott Van Pelt in my Washington Husky Jake Locker #10 jersey. I am exiting wet, happy I got to get that experience, and like many, confused at why people refuse to just get the shot.

I accept this award on behalf of my friends, family, Ducks and Huskies, gotta give it up to my offensive line, and thank God for a tremendous football experience. I want to shout out to Scott Van Pelt and SportsCenter for putting me on TV and their constant and consistent contribution towards helping my sanity this pandemic. Finally thank you to the first responders. My last hope is that when this passes, we can come together, support local companies, enjoy entertainment, and appreciate the world out there.

Stay happy and healthy

~TJ