Weekend Debate - The Worst Villain In Husky Football History

Results from Last Week: I shouldn't be surprised, Steve Emtman destroyed the competition just like he destroyed offensive linemen. Receiving 57% of the votes, Emtman is without question, the Greatest Husky football player of all time. The next closest competitor was Hugh McElhenney, collecting 10% of the votes. Last week was the second week in a row of 600+ votes, I'm starting to think this Weekend Debate idea might have been a good one.

This Weekend's Debate: Who is the worst villain in the history of the Husky football program? Last week it was the greatest player, this week, it's the worst Villain. Who is the "Darth Vader" of the UW football program, who is the one individual that has done the most damage to the program? Who is the most hated person in the history of the program?

Below is the list of people that I think are the most sinister villains in the history of the program. Given my Darth Vader analogy (and a slow week at work), each person on the list has been given a Star Wars alter ego and a fitting quote from that character.

Let's hear it Dawg fans, who is the worst villain in the history of Husky football? If I've forgotten anybody, tell me who and why they belong on the list. I'll be happy to add any suitable individuals that I might have missed. One word of caution, former and current UW players and all recruits are off limits. Student athletes may not be perfect, they might even screw up often, but they can't hold a candle to the villains on this list.

Nick Holt - Former UW Defensive Coordinator: Jabba The Hutt: "Soon you will learn to appreciate me"

I actually don't think Holt should be anywhere near this list, but I know a few Dawg Pound faithful that expect me to put him on the list. Holt is the most recent person of great dislike, he was an ineffective teacher and his defenses performed at historically low levels.

Tyrone Willingham - Former UW Head Coach: Count Dooku: "Even in death, you disappoint me"

Do I even need to write an explanation? He had an entitled attitude, no passion, was completely out of touch and led the Dawgs to the worst record in the history of the program, 0-12. He even told players before the Apple Cup to play without emotion. He did realize this is FOOTBALL, right?

Todd Turner - Former UW Athletic Director: Jar Jar Binks: "Yoosa should follow me now, okeeday?"

First, he hired Tyrone Willingham, then he didn't fire Willingham after three years, he actually gave him his full support (which would later cost him his own job). Mostly, Turner tried to turn Washington into Vanderbilt, where the motto is " We suck on the field, but that's only because we think academics are more important".

Chip Kelly - Oregon Head Coach: Darth Maul: "At last we will reveal ourselves to the Jedi, at last we will have revenge!"

The Chipper has brought our arch nemesis to new unimaginable heights. Much like Slick Rick, he has cheated and lied his way up the college football rankings. He looks the other way while his players smoke more weed than the wildfires in Colorado. He pays Willie Lyles to sleep with recruits parents in hopes of landing the recruit. Then he lies to the NCAA claiming ignorance of it all. I can't wait to see Obi Wan Sarkisian slice him in half!

Phil Knight - Oregon's Sugar Daddy: George Lucas: : I put all of my resources into pushing the evolution in an industry that is notoriously backwards and I enjoy pushing that envelope"

He has poured his vast spending money into Oregon, he has personally funded the Devils down south. Without Knight, Oregon would still be a nobody, an easy win, a forgotten university somewhere between California and Washington. Because of Knight, they have the facilities, even uglier uniforms, and the cash necessary to pay recruits to come to a god forsaken city like Eugene, Oregon.

Rick Neuheisel - Former UW Head Coach: Anakin Skywalker: "Something is happening. I'm not the Jedi I should be. I want more." Slick Rick was known for his bending of the rules, for trying to cheat his wait to quick success, for always having one foot out the door, but he did the most damage by destroying the blue collar work ethic that Washington football had been known for. He single-handedly turned the team into a bunch of lazy bums who went to the gym as often as they went to church! In case you are wondering, I doubt Jeremy Stevens ever went to church.

Barbara Hedges - Former UW Athletic Director: Darth Vader: "What is thy bidding, my master?"

Her sins are too many to mention in one paragraph. She helped President Gerberding run off Don James, if it wasn't intentional, than she's even dumber than I thought. She hired Rich Neuheisel, it still irks me to think we could have had Gary Pinkel. I'm not sure which is worse, running off Don James by choosing a million dollars of TV money over a bowl bid (when there was twenty million extra in the bank account) or the way she continually ignored the bread maker in the family: Husky football and Husky Stadium.

William Gerberding - Former UW President. Darth Sidious/Emperor Palpatine: "Everything that has transpired has done so according to my design"

He planned it all, it was his design, he let his ego ruin Husky football. When President George Bush Sr. came to town, he invited Don James to dinner, but not Gerberding. The Gerb got his panties in a bunch, how could a football coach be more prestigious than a university president? With his massive ego demolished by a football coach (in The Gerb's opinion, a job so easy a caveman could do it), he had little choice but to run off Don James by any means necessary, no man could be bigger than the all wise, all knowing scholar, and world renowned educator known as William Gerberding.

My Opinion: If it isn't obvious, Dr. Ego, William Gerberding. His actions started the snow ball headed down the hill. Had he not let his ego get in the way, Don James would have been the head coach for many more years. Then when the Dawgfather retired, a high quality replacement would have been found. Meaning, no Slick Rick, no Tyrone Willingham, no Nick Holt, Oregon would have had a much, much tougher road to success, everything would be different. My greatest fear for the future of Husky football, is the day that another "great educator", who thinks sports don't belong in education, gets hired as the UW president.