Ducks are One, Dawgs are Done

Husky fans, your days as the Northwest powerhouse are officially over. 
University of Washington. Husky Stadium. What was once a place of proud history and heritage has become a dustbowl of dearth and disappointment.

We remember the Dark Days of the Purple Haze when you ruled with a ruthless grip, laughing as you embossed us into the stomp of your mighty cleats.  In 1990, you made your own flag and declared yourselves the champions of college football. 

Tell me, does that flag of your mythical and myopic reign still fly today?

Listen. Outside. Do you hear that? There's a wind a-blowin'.  Getting stronger, and headed your way. You can feel it.  But your weak, cloudy eyes squint to see it.

"What's that sound?"
"It's just the wind."

Others say they have seen it. . . . . .somewhat.  It's been spotted in Tennessee, a couple of places in California, and once in Arizona.  Your neighbors in Pullman will tell you that for a few minutes, they thought they actually had it cornered.  But then, as everywhere else, it was gone, leaving bewilderment and devastation behind.  Mostly though, it resides in Eugene -- where you're going this Saturday.

Those who have experienced this phenominon have given it a name -- the only name they could:

The Blur. (Link to original article naming Oregon's offense "The Blur".)

I tell you now, Huskies. The currents have changed. The cool prideful breezes no longer visit the shores of Lake Washington. The whirlwind is in the thorn tree. Feel the dust in your teeth.

You can summon your Purple Haze and beat the drums for your Purple Reign loud and long til your blisters bleed.  But you can't defeat The Blur, because you can't defeat what you can't find. You won't grab what you don't get.

You will say, "It is here. NO. It is there." You will set traps. But what kind of traps do you have?  Only those that can snare your own slow feet.  You will make your best guess. But how can you guess at that which you don't understand?

Your destiny is in Auztzen, this Saturday at 12:30. Bring your wide-eyed pawns and your uneasy knights.  Set your Hurt Locker in a high, safe place. Let him bear witness so that he can tell to future generations of Huskies an absurd story of how he watched in horror at that which he could not see.

Let him describe the feeling of a hot wind, blowing about every 23 seconds (longer if there's a TV timeout). And everytime it blows, the scoreboard catches fire, blazing numbers only seen in a basketball gym.

Saturday, November 6th, 2010. Remember this day, Huskies. The day your evil reign will be forever cast into the abyss of distant memories and scattered myths. The day your proud stories of the Purple Haze are blown from the mouths of the storytellers. Blown from the memories of old gray men wearing faded purple jackets with crusted 'W's barely hanging by brittle and broken stitches.  Blown away . . . . .

by The Blur.

And now if you'll please crank your volumes, stand on your desks and swing your pants over your head to the latest most excellent video by AllDuckedOut.

Washington @ Oregon. Saturday November 6th, 12:30 Pacific on ABC or ESPN2.

Oh by the way Huskies, have you read any good books lately?

--KB