Excuses

Much has been made over the past few days regarding the call made by the officials at the end of the BYU/UW game this past weekend. The following article is posted on the Cougarblue.com website: http://www.cougarblue.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=4572&sid=5b7eba76db315c986c224074dc5f4103. It's attributed to being posted on the UW message board.

BYU fans - lets make sure we don't ever come under this sort of scalding criticism.

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This game epitomizes what has become a halmark of Husky Football -- UW fans, coaches, and players rationalizing performance and complaining -- its a culture of excuses.

From players to fans to Softy Dave Mahler to "expert" Hugh Millen -- there is no accountability, just excuses. And the Culture of Excuses peaks against BYU.

1984: One-loss UW gripes and complains to this day about a national championship that just plain wasn't earned ON THE FIELD. UW lost a game -- don't make excuses and rely on voters, take care of business on the field. UW lost, BYU didn't. The trophy is in Provo, and forever will remain there no matter how much spittle Husky fans expell making excuses and complaining.

2008: Leading up to this game -- all I heard was MWC disrespect, and that UW deserved a national championship. No talk about the actual game -- just more excuses and complaining. It's a culture at UW and it's systemic through the fanbase and team. When UW can stop worrying about referees, voters, the Mormon religion, and whatever other excuse strikes their fancy -- maybe they can exert enough attention on the field, and at an administrative level to take their program back to the winning tradition UW once had.

BYU played 11 on 17. Huskies have ABSOLUTELY NO JUSTIFICATION complaining about officiating on an admittedly stupid call that was still technically by the book, when the PAC 10 officials took every opportunity to ignore pass interference calls and blatant holding calls in favor of the Huskies. UW CAN'T HAVE IT BOTH WAYS!

BYU out-rushed UW. BYU out-passed UW. BYU out-physicalled UW. BYU completely manhandled the UW defensive line, who didn't lay a finger on Max Hall. The only team that kept the game close was BYU with self-inflicted mistakes, a fumble on the goal line, and a dropped pick-six that went the other way for Christmas-gift bobbled reception eventually leading to a UW touchdown. Then on UW's final drive, UW gets a blatant holding no call on a 4th down conversion down the sideline -- which everyone saw. How come no complaining on that?

Now as the excuses mature and develop -- Even idiots corso, holtz and an herbie-douche-street are trying to explain that the ball didn't really get "thrown" up in the air, it defied gravity and accidently slipped out of Locker's hands 30 feet in the air in a magically tight spiral.

BYU simply outplayed the Huskies and beat the Pac-10 officials at the same time. While the rest of college football has begun to consolidate officiating crews to achieve more objectivity and consistency, the pompous Pac-10 continues to mandate a biased Pac-10 only officiating policy -- and Karma came back to bite the Huskies in the ass as their own homer officials called a by-the-book penalty, which DID NOT LOSE THEM THE GAME.

That's right -- BYU won the game on the field. UW had a straight shot PAT, to tie (not win), and BYU's Jorgenson blew by his husky blocker and blocked the kick ON THE FIELD! It's a method of winning that UW needs to learn. EARN IT ON THE FIELD!

And what is almost most upsetting of all was the the complete lack of class by Husky coaches and players, who with the exception of Willingham and 10-15 other players, entirely refused to shake hands with BYU players after the game and just retreated to the locker room? Is that what UW is about? Disgusting. But I'm sure UW will have an excuse for that as well.

BYU may not be a "BCS" program, but they seem to have a coach, a team, and a program that accepts responsibility, doesn't rely on excuses, and demands accountability. No ammount of BCS talent or credibility can compensate for class. And UW showed neither class nor responsibility -- just a culture of excuses.