The 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.