WSU Administration Fires Back
by John Berkowitz on Apr 29, 2009 8:24 AM PDT
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PrintThe war between the athletic departments at Washington and Washington State heated up today as WSU AD Jim Sterk made these comments in the Spokesman Review.
To whit, University of Washington athletic director Scott Woodward expressing his disappointment in a Seattle Times story that first appeared online Monday evening that WSU president Elson Floyd and athletic director Jim Sterk "didn't do anything to try to contain that little group of Cougars that were out there doing that. It was a shame that they didn't show leadership or courage to curtail something like that."
So how did that comment go over with Sterk?
"It was so inappropriate that I laughed, basically," Sterk said Tuesday. "I could not believe those comments were coming from him. One, to me as athletic director but then, two, to the president of the university."
If I was Jim Sterk or Elson Floyd I wouldn't exactly be laughing right now because the Cougars have made some serious enemies in Montlake and in the State Legislature.
Sterk went on to say that WSU would only support UW receiving $150 million if WSU also recieved $150 million. Sterk conveniently forgets that the state general fund paid for Rogers Stadium, Martin Stadium, Bohler Gym, and the Beasley performing Arts Center without the University of Washington ever receiving a dime of support.
In addition to that WSU also receives a $2 million dollar per year subsidy from the state just to run their athletic department. That arrangement has been going on for decades.
Sterk defended that by saying it is untrue and UW also receives support from the state.
"We don't receive any funds from the state," he said. "Ours are institutional support, like the University of Washington receives, tuition waivers. We receive tuition waivers. Washington State does receive some additional, but we're both being funded."
Sterk and Woodward haven't spoken for awhile but they will see each other in Phoenix next Tuesday when they attend Pac Ten meetings. Expect more fireworks between the two schools in the future. This one isn't going to be swept under the rug. If you are Jim Sterk your job just got a lot harder.
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It is laughable...
…that he thinks it’s laughable The thing is by all his posturing and denial, he’s just sucking up to his constituents if you will. The guy’s a joke. If you’re a real leader than you’ve got to know that the legislature is watching and listening as all of this plays out.
Washington Husky Football-1991 National Champions
Bring it on!
You’ve got to love rivalries, this should provide great entertainment for a long time to come.
If you are Jim Sterk or the President of WSU, you probably just lost your job, you just don’t know it yet.
"Bow Down to Washington"
"Kick the tires and light the fires!"
What's really changed?
I’ve known forever that they hate us. I’ve always thought we should hate them back! In a sense though it’s funny to leave more of the animosity with them because for us to hate them makes them relavent.
Washington Husky Football-1991 National Champions
WOW
They wanted $150 million as well??? Our $150 million would have come from OUR county and would have been matched dollar for dollar from UW. Neither of those would have been true for WSU
This proves to me that they DID NOT support UW’s stadium efforts in the least bit. Their silence was approval of the Coug fan efforts to shoot down the bill.
And speaking of laughter, Sterk trying to say that WSU isn’t directly supported by the State of Washington’s general fund is the funniest bit of spin I’ve heard all day.
Keep ‘em coming Sterk. You’re only awakening an angry beast.
Might want to check your facts, fellas
Sterk went on to say that WSU would only support UW receiving $150 million if WSU also recieved $150 million. Sterk conveniently forgets that the state general fund paid for Rogers Stadium, Martin Stadium, Bohler Gym, and the Beasley performing Arts Center without the University of Washington ever receiving a dime of support.
I believe “the” is the only accurate word in this entire paragraph.
And I should elaborate
Sterk never said he wanted an even $150 mil payout.
Also, I know for a fact private funding has played a role in all of the stadiums you mention. To what extent, I don’t know. But I do know the entire renovation of Martin Stadium currently underway is privately funded.
I also don’t think you can make the claim that UW hasn’t received a “dime of support” from the state. You’d have to go back a looong way through a lot of records to prove that.
Sterk did say, if the issue were revived after the economy improved, he would support it "only if Washington State receives the same proportion of funds… I think Washington State, we have over $200 million we have to work on with the stadium, and have drawings to that effect.""
If you want to argue semantics and the definition of “proportion” then whatever, but the absolute least amount that he’s saying that WSU would be entitled to is 100 million.
Also, on your first post, it’s not enough to just quote something and say “YOU’RE WRONG,” you need to provide evidence.
http://www.spartyandfriends.com/
Also, on your first post, it’s not enough to just quote something and say "YOU’RE WRONG," you need to provide evidence.
You’re right. Which is why I provided evidence in my next post.
And he’s not saying at least $100 mil. Since Husky Stadium is roughly double the size of Martin Stadium, the proper proportion of public funds that should be given to Martin Stadium would be in the neighborhood of $75 million.
You didn't provide any evidence though
And did I not just say I didn’t want to get into the definition of proportion?
http://www.spartyandfriends.com/
I know for a fact private funding has played a role in all of the stadiums you mention. To what extent, I don’t know. But I do know the entire renovation of Martin Stadium currently underway is privately funded.
This does not discredit what you quoted. State funds were still used. Not evidence.
I also don’t think
Evidence does not start this way. Unless you are the authority (you’re not).
http://www.spartyandfriends.com/
I wouldn't call your's a renovation...
Was Martin Stadium built in the early 20s? It’s an expansion.
Washington Husky Football-1991 National Champions
By student fee's
What exactly is private about student fees?
I am sure there is some privat emoney in there too but the bulk is from student fees.
by John Berkowitz on May 1, 2009 6:47 AM PDT up reply actions
The Huskies...
…are one of very few college athletic programs in the country that are not only self supporting BUT turn a profit. The cougs DON’T, they require state funds every year to pay their bills.
Washington Husky Football-1991 National Champions
Some additional
Sterk says they both get funded but “Washington State does receive some additional” Why should they get any additional funds? Isn’t that like saying my brother gets a $10 allowance and I get $50, but we both get funded by our parents so that’s fair.
Additional WHAT exactly?
This is the the comment from Sterk that bothers me. You are exactly right. He first says WSU does not take state money but that both schools use tuition waivers and that WSU receives “some additional.”
HOW ON EARTH does SOME ADDITIONAL MONEY not count as taking money from the state? It doesn’t. And just because you both use the waivers, doesn’t put WSU and UW on equal footing for state money used to support athletics. That “some additional” is two million per year. And in addition to that, he never mentions the state money used in their various building/renovation projects for Martin, Rogers, Bohler, and Beasley. The man is flat out lying, or at the very least being intentionally deceitful.
Your simile is spot on.
Double talk with the tape recorder going
I am sure Sterk is a great guy who is just trying to do his job like anyone else but to say WSU doesn’t take or is not dependent on a state subsidy is BS.
by John Berkowitz on Apr 29, 2009 2:11 PM PDT up reply actions
Not at all, IMO
They were taking the opinions offered up in the newspapers as gospel and not allowing you to take a more granular approach logically.
I just can’t get over their lack of logic about the AC move. They are up in arms that we demanded more seats for our season ticket holders when the AC move to Qwest was supposed to be a ‘neutral’ field, etc. They aren’t mutually exclusive.
They go into a vacuum when it suits them and come out when it does as well. I suppose we all do the same, but I’ve seen us Husky fans be a lot more open-minded lately. &$ will do that to a program.
The other gem, and I got this in an email exchange with Furness, was their stance that the Martin stadium rebuild is being done with private funds. I asked him how he can honestly classify that as the case when the AD takes state funds each year in excess of Title IX waivers.
His response – “Thanks” – that was it.
Anyone can put two and two together except a Coug
I think it is pretty obvious to everyone that the agreement was pending on the Apple Cup and UW changed their mind.
by John Berkowitz on Apr 29, 2009 3:43 PM PDT up reply actions
You don't exclude your season ticket holders...
…for that game. Wsu hurt themselves by not making it happen. All they had to do is agree to run it like a home game for BOTH sides on alternating years. No different than it is now. You give your season ticket holders first shot and then you open it up to whoever with the tickets you have left.
Washington Husky Football-1991 National Champions
Yeah you can "SAY" whatever you want...
…that doesn’t make it so. The guy is delusional. The money from wsu IS state money! There are only about @17 programs in the nation that turn a profit every year in college sports and UW IS one of them. Wsu IS the smallest budget in the Pac-10 and one of many that runs in a deficit.
In the position that he is in, he shouldn’t be spinning yarns.
Washington Husky Football-1991 National Champions
Exactly...
Show us the need and maybe we’ll think about it. The need for Martin is, I would think much less than Husky Stadium. If I’m not mistaken a lot of what the cougs are doing are upgrades. Expanding seating and putting in box seats and the like.
Washington Husky Football-1991 National Champions
I was permanenty banned from Coug Center
Is there anyone here who thought I was out of line with what I wrote over there?
We don’t agree so we ban you?
Typical Coug’s
by John Berkowitz on Apr 29, 2009 10:07 AM PDT reply actions
JB, thanks for the consise update
Do you think BYU or Boise State should replace the cougers in the Pac 10?
As far as being banned from the Cougit Center, while I’m sure I helped pay for it with my taxes, I have no idea where it is. Could you get me banned from it also?
Whoops, I thought Cougit Center was a building,
not a web site. does this mean they can read over there?
Coug Center Remarks
As I told you I was banned from Coug Center. It isn’t of course the end of the world since I rarely go there but when do spout the Anti-Husky Stadium stuff I usually do comment and those comments are not appreciated. I think the big difference over here is we welcome everyone and that hasn’t been the case over there. You are either Crimson and Grey or get out of here.
Your arrogance and condescension — all in the name of good rivalry fun — might be tolerable if it wasn’t for all of the unsubstantiated innuendo you spread. For a long time, I just ignored any comment you posted on our site, but I just can’t do it anymore. Your links did not even come close to proving your point, and I’m not going to allow that kind of rumor mongering any longer. You’re the first person I’ve ever had to ban, and I think I’ve been more than patient. I’m not going to argue with you about this. I think I’ve had the most balanced views on this of anyone — including you. I’ve not deleted your comments, but I’ve banned you. You just don’t get it, and have demonstrated that you never will. Intelligent discourse requires that both sides evaluate the relative merits of arguments and adjust accordingly, something you unwilling to do. You have your own platform for pandering to your masses. Use i
by John Berkowitz on Apr 29, 2009 11:00 AM PDT reply actions
Really?
I’ve been sporadically checking that site since you told us about it and I’ve found them to be as near a polar opposite of CF.com as is possible with the same fanbase. I also found Nuss’s ‘article’ on the whole thing a pretty well balanced and thoughtful piece considering who it came from.
Did I miss something?
Found it
Wow, my opinion of them changed drastically. Apparantly, reading between the lines is a course not taught at WSU. Or, they just simply ignore any logic that counters theirs…. Nah..
I sincerely hope Sen Murray puts through an amendment to the State Constitution. Couldn’t hapen to a more deserving bunch of a-clowns.
Did I actually say anything that was out of line?
If I did I missed it and it seems they were more interested in calling Woodward names which is a Coug tyoe of thing to do. The Coug’s are just like the French in the Monty Python clip below.
by John Berkowitz on Apr 29, 2009 2:16 PM PDT up reply actions
Not at all, IMO
the post was entered above for some reason.
Nuss is ridiculous
He basically put his fingers in his ears and went “lalalalalalala” when you made solid points on that thread of his at Coug Center.
He even threatened to ban you if you didn’t provide links to prove your point. You DID provide them, they were very convincing, and he still banned you.
Nuss doesn’t stand by his word. Pretty shameful.
Nuss
He has the right to run his blog anyway he wants but he has been unfriendly from the get go toward me due to the fact that I am a Husky and run this blog. You really can’t overcome that type of attitude.
I thought my points were solid and I didn’t think I was being a jerk while making them.
The guy needs to grow up.
by John Berkowitz on Apr 29, 2009 3:46 PM PDT up reply actions
Nuss
Coug = grow up? Don’t hold your breath. I have several good friends that are Cougs and the bigger Coug honk they are the more petty & unreasonable they are. Listen to Ian Furness on KJR (if you can stand it) and it’s amazing how jealous and unrealistic they are.
It's actually funny
When my blog was on blogger I had and still have a great realtionship with the Coug’s who run the WSU Football blog.
Those guys are really funny and don’t take themselves very seriously.
by John Berkowitz on Apr 29, 2009 4:23 PM PDT up reply actions
I know!...
…gosh it’s like some of these clowns act like it’s life and death. It’s a frikken athletic rivalry! BIG DEAL!
I love the Huskies and I love to crush the cougs and anyone else we play but to get actually worked up over this and dislike/hate someone because of the team and school they support is ASININE!
Washington Husky Football-1991 National Champions
His piece
I have no problem with what he wrote or the perspective he wrote it from. I did comment if you go over there from a Husky point of view he didn’t like it and he banned me. They haven’t been especially friendly since they started. I have been civil from my point of view and they just have a policy that Huskies aren’t really welcome. We try to do it differently over here because I personally enjoy a counter-view whether I agree with it or not.
by John Berkowitz on Apr 29, 2009 2:14 PM PDT up reply actions
While I generally respect those guys and feel they are far more reasonable than the guys that run CF.com, it’s also clear that they take themselves very seriously and as much as they talk about cultivating a place for intelligent discourse, they allow their Coug biases to cloud their view of opposing viewpoints.
It’s obvious that you rubbed those guys the wrong way – probably because they were unwilling to lighten up and take your good-natured shots (like the sheep thing) in the spirit in which it was intended. It strikes me that these guys are on the younger side and don’t have the benefit of age and wisdom to provide a more mature outlook on things – they take their Cougar sports very seriously and take great offense at anything that pokes fun at them.
You are not and have not acted like a message board troll, so them banning you is a very poor reflection on them. It’s ironic – for all their bluster about “Husky arrogance”, it is them who are acting arrogant in this regard. I am certain that they do not hold themselves and their Cougar posters to the same strict requirements they made of you, i.e. that everything you claimed had to be substantiated by documented evidence. They should know full well that a lot of what is the truth happens off the record.
I will continue to debate the Husky Stadium issue and SB6116 with them, but I’m far less likely to continue browsing their blog otherwise.
The sheep thing
I actually do respect them. It isn’t like they are a bunch of hacks.
The sheep thing is what it was…good natured humor that is always directed toward an Ag school. I’m not going to drop the usual barn yard humor at the expense of a rival. I am not going to overuse it either. It is all part of the traditional rivarly.
by John Berkowitz on Apr 30, 2009 6:48 AM PDT up reply actions
In totalitarian Societies...
…freedom of speech is the first thing to go.
Washington Husky Football-1991 National Champions
It never fails
Every time I try to respect their institution; to sympathize with their situation or cheer some success, recognizing them as representatives of the State of Washington, they go out and embarrass themselves (and me in the process).
This is so pathetic. They’re practicing the politics of envy, and the whole drama is disgusting.
I guess it’ll be another ten years before I soften up and get stupid again. In the meantime, I think that we all need to take the rhetorical high road, and let them wallow in the garbage they spew.
It’s time to start brainstorming for new ideas that will keep us moving forward. It appears that unless we find a new way, our fortunes will be bound to a dysfunctional system. Let’s not be pulled into the abyss by some petty group that would rather see everyone fail “equally.”
Like John has said...
One of the very best ways to deal with this is to kick sorry Coug butt up and down the field next fall, and for many falls thereafter.
And now, after a brief intermission, we may actually be returning to a staff and team that can do that.
Kicing Coug Butt
We haven’t done it in awhile on the football field but we did it last year on the basketball court. With Sark in charge I don’t see us losing to WSU for quite some time. Revenge of course is always served cold during the Apple Cup.
Agree John
In both sports the talent gap is only going to widen, combined with superior staffs and we could be looking at a run of wins not often seen in rivalries such as this.
http://www.spartyandfriends.com/
I hope to see
Next year in the Apple Cup, 42-3 with still 1 minute left in the fourth and the Huskies put the starters out on the field, and instead of taking a knee, Sark looks at the Cougars sideline and gives them the big thumbs down, and gives Locker the nod and the Huskies punch it in, then onside kick it and recover and do it again.
Pour it on...
The days of showing any type of mercy to that crew is over on about every single level.
by John Berkowitz on Apr 29, 2009 3:47 PM PDT up reply actions
The High Road..
I’ve made my jokes about the Cougs being second rate over the years but I do know some older Cougar alums that have been very gracious towards me growing up so I never really had animosity towards WAZZOOO. But when the WAZOOO administration proves they are a second rate, bush league, embarrassment of an “academic” institution??? The gloves have to come off!
The UW doesn’t have to roll around in the gutter with WAZOOOO but we can damn sure make their life hell as we prove again and again who really has the power in the State of Washington. I say run them out of the PAC 10 and let them go to the WAC or whoever will take their bush league antics, we can throw our support behind a Boise State or Utah replacement.
206
I have some fantastic Cougar friends.
The guys at Coug Center do a great job. They write very well but I have gotten under their skin and that is a fair assesment. I actually respect those guys even though they are PO’d at me. I am sure over time we will shake hands and make up.
Good job John!
Dang you are good at that! It’s like everytime you go over there, you get banned! SWEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Washington Husky Football-1991 National Champions
by the way, I was talking about AD wars, not JB being banned .... that is just typical Coug insecurity.
"Greed is Good."
So is Rudy.
Realize they hate us...
…and this is just another example of it. I’m not saying we necessarily stoop to their low level. From everyone I’ve talked to, they have the most classless fans in the conference. I still think if we become that asinine about this rivalry thing that we’ll make them relavent and we don’t want to do that.
Washington Husky Football-1991 National Champions
Worse than Oregon?
I’m joking, since such an argument is irrelevant. But I can see (I even know a few) fat old Cougar alums sitting around with a drink their hand, laughing and congratulating themselves over tales of flying a plane around the capitol, etc…
To be fair...
Oregon BY FAR has the most classless fans in the Pac-10. Check out Ted Miller’s blog on ESPN.com. Its filled with douchey duck fans who still think they need to prove to everyone that they are legit. And they’re really annoying about it.
WSU is catching up
This latest deal is pretty much unforgiveable.
by John Berkowitz on Apr 30, 2009 9:46 AM PDT up reply actions
I won't go to either of them...
..I talked to a 70 year old gentleman at the spring game. That’s right 70! The guy has hearing difficulties and is just one of those diehard great fans. He said he was physically threatened when he went down to eugene for a game against the ducks. He told me he never said a word but felt lucky to get out of the bathroom in one piece. Now come on! All of us should take a stance against hooliganism!
Washington Husky Football-1991 National Champions
Eugene and Pullman
Chances are if you wear purple and gold you will be threatened physically in Pullman and Eugene. It has happened to me on numerous occasions. I actually decided to dress neutral and put the P@G on once I am seated. It isn’t really worth it.
I also witnessed a young Husky fan (probably a drunk male student) in Seattle punch an older woman in the face who was wearing Oregon gear on her way out of Husky Stadium. she was probably close to 70 years old. He knocked her to the ground with a punch, kicked her, and ran way into the crowd. One of the ugliest things I have ever seen.
You have idiots on both sides.
That really turned my stomach.
by John Berkowitz on May 1, 2009 6:56 AM PDT up reply actions
So looking at this quote
We don’t receive any funds from the state,
I’m wondering why WSU cares if they lose funding then?
I guess if they don't they wouldn't care
To be honest as long as I can remember the Cougars have received a subsidy to remain competitive. i have no problem because of their geographic location. If WSU was in Vancouver, Yakima, or Tacoma they wouldn’t need it.
by John Berkowitz on May 2, 2009 4:23 AM PDT up reply actions
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