YOU CAN DONATE BY CLICKING HEREor Venmo...
@derek-johnson-67It's that time of year again! As Hardcore Husky approaches its 11th anniversary, it's our 10th Annual Fundraiser. We rely 100% on donations to the keep our pirate ship afloat. So please make a donation and receive your shitty little badge. ($29 Standard Supporter, $129 Swaye's Wigwam [with access to the secret private board and fridge magnet], and $200 Founder's Club, with a brand new golden football badge!!1!!! (Includes access to the Wigwam, beer glass* and fridge magnet.)
*While supplies last
We've got 5 Reasons why you should donate to Hardcore Husky...
AWESOME BEER GLASS FOR FOUNDERS CLUB MEMBERS! Enjoy a crisp wine or frothy beer in these stylish glasses with the funny slogan, courtesy of WhatShouldICareAbout and his NCAA tourney-style brackets from a few months ago.
Fridge Magnet!
THE GREAT MICHAEL PENIX Washington's Heisman Hopeful leads the Dawgs against a limp-wristed Pac-9 Conference in the hopes of carrying the Huskies to the promised land of a national playoff. Optimism is in the air. We can taste it. Mike's golden left arm produced fine results last season!
MY DAD PLANS TO ATTEND HIS FINAL GAME AT HUSKY STADIUM
My 84-year old dad was a Husky season ticket holder for 61 years!
Dad's love affair with the Huskies started in 1951, when UW was en route to Oregon and stopped in Longview, at R.A. Long High School, to practice. Dad was 12 years old, standing there watching Don Heinrich and Hugh McElhenny. In the fall of 1951, my Grandpa Johnson took my dad to his first trip to Husky Stadium. UW beat Oregon 63-6. In the fall of 1957 dad arrived at the University of Washington as a freshman. It coincided with Jim Owens' debut season as UW coach. Papa attended the '60 and '61 Rose Bowls as he and his frat brothers drove to Pasadena both times.
A decade later, I was born on a foggy Saturday morning in Seattle at 10:08a.m. At 11:30a.m., dad kissed mom on the forehead and went to Husky Stadium to see the Dawgs beat Navy 56-7. Dad passed out "It's a Boy!" cigars at the game and the following Monday he arrived to work at Weyerhouser, where he posted notice of my birth as Derek "Sixkiller" Johnson.
In November 1975, dad and mom were in Husky Stadium watching the Apple Cup. It was a miserable monsoon. Huskies trailed 27-14 with 4:00 left. Mom was complaining loudly so they left early and hustled to the car. As they crossed the Montlake Bridge on foot, they heard the first mighty roar from the stadium. As the reached the car, they heard the second mighty roar. UW had miraculously come back to win 28-27. Dad was sullen and frustrated. On the drive home, my volatile mother shouted "Derek will be old enough by next fall, start taking him to the fucking games!" And so it began...
As the years went by, dad's second wife constantly pressured him to the give up the tickets. In fact, in 2008 as the economy was crashing down, I witnessed the moment where she feverishly nagged him to stop buying tickets, and he quietly said, "I may have lost faith in the stock market, but I still have faith in my Huskies..."
But by 2018, the late kickoffs had him getting home well after midnight. It was wearing on him. He made the tough decision. For the first time since he was 17 years old, papa was no longer a season ticket holder. A span of 61 years... 1957-2018. That included eleven Rose Bowls, an Orange Bowl, two national championships and an 0-12 season. In all that time he only missed one home game, due to National Reserve service in the 1960s.
One of his great thrills was in the mid 1990s when he got to play golf with Don James at the Tyee Open. (This was about a decade before I met Coach James and got to know him). Dad was nervous that day so he arrived early and went to the driving range to hit some balls. After the round was over, the foursome went to the nearby bar and grill. Coach James turned to my dad and said, "Ron, I'd like to buy you a drink." Twenty minutes later when it was time for another, dad turned to Coach James (and undoubtedly cleared this throat before speaking, as he always does when about to say something important). "Coach, I'd like to return the favor and buy YOU a drink." And so papa bought Coach James a cold one.
I could sit here and tell a billion stories about going to games with my dad over the years. But I'll tell one of his favorites. September 17, 1983, Michigan was in town. Late in the third quarter, UW quarterback Steve Pelluer dropped back to pass and got blindsided. He fumbled and Michigan recovered inside the UW 20-yard line. The Wolverines promptly scored a touchdown to take a 24-10 lead. Sitting in the stands, 12-year old Stalin threw a mini tantrum and announced we were going to lose. "Never lose faith in the Huskies, son," my dad said. "I'll tell you what. I'll bet you $1 that the Huskies will come back to win." We shook on it.
In the fourth quarter, Pelluer completed 15 passes in a row and led the Huskies to a dramatic 25-24 win. It included a 2-point conversion to the back of the east end zone to tight end Larry Michaels. The completion caused such an earthquake roar from the crowd that its indelibly etched into my memory. To this day, dad claims that I've never made good on the bet.
And so... The Huskies play Cal this September 23rd and I've bought two tickets for me and my dad. (He and I have only attended 3-4 games together over the past decade). The plan is for him to attend his final game at Husky Stadium. A last chance for him to linger around his old stomping grounds. His dad took him to his first game in 1951. Dad took me to my first in 1976 against Virginia. And now in 2023, I'll be taking my dad to his last.
Inflation has decimated the American economy. Meat, eggs, alcohol have all increased in price.
But rest easy... No inflation for Swaye's Wigwam and Founders Club!
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DONATE BY CLICKING HERE!!or by Venmo...
@derek-Johnson-67If you wish to donate by cash or check, you can mail your payment to:
Derek Johnson (Pay to the order of Derek Johnson)
PO Box 1211
Woodinville, WA 98072
Standard Supporter $29
Swaye's Wigwam $129
Founders Club $200
Thank you, your support is appreciated!
Note: Upon making payment, you will receive your shitty little badge and access to Swaye's Wigwam (if applicable) within 12 hours. Usually much sooner.
Comments
The fucking greed in this sport is depressing.
I suggest the following edit:
A decade later, I was born on a dirty rainy Saturday morning in Seattle at 10:08a.m.
Of PSU's 7 home games, 5 have start times: 7:30 for WVU (NBC national game on Labor Day) and Iowa (White out game), noon for Delaware and Michigan (Fox national noon game) and 3:30 for UMass. The two without kickoff times are Indiana and Rutgers. God the bottom half of that conference is ass.
Anyway, if you don't want night games, you miss out on the 2nd and 3rd best home games, but get the best one. My hunch is that because no one lives there going to a game for season ticket holders is a full weekend commitment every week. You get your RV, get your hotel or wherever you stay, and commit. If you don't stay over, and do the 6 hour round trip drive from where people actually live, you give up the night games to people who do want those or to students who didn't get season tickets but want the night game parties.
Pedo State fans have a different level of devotion.
Keep up the good work Stalin.
I made this poont to DDY (rip) years ago in some thread about UW's place in the world and which schools care.
We? are a B1G deal now.
Hee hee poo poo pee pee
Coker, open your fuckin' eyes!
Capitalism sucks?