Homer Simpson’s last reference to the college road trip seems appropriate to open this week’s column.
“Ah, the college road-trip,” he said. “What better way to spread beer-fueled mayhem?”
With that being said, let me tell you about my weekend in the Palouse.
What began as an early-planned but seldom acknowledged pipe dream to see the Ducks play Washington State on the road turned out to be one of the greatest weekends of my college career. It started with a seven-hour car ride winding through I-5, I-82, I-84 and half a dozen other highways leading to the Evergreen State. Nine friends and I crammed into a suite at the Holiday Inn in Pullman at 7:30 p.m. By then, we needed to recharge, so five of us went to Denny’s and discussed heroes of past games between the Ducks and Cougars. I couldn’t help but mention one of the biggest Duck-killers of them all, Ryan Leaf.
We headed for the front counter to pay when I noticed a familiar looking man leaning against a wall behind us sipping a beer and talking to some of his friends. He looked like Oregon quarterback Brady Leaf. Then it hit me. It was Brady’s brother Ryan Leaf, a 1997 Heisman Trophy finalist. My friends confirmed my beliefs- it was definitely him.
With Cheshire Cat grins on our faces, we piled back into the suite and tapped the beer keg we smuggled into the hotel, and the countdown to kickoff started. We spent the next day watching football before heading to Martin Stadium. The game was unbelievable but even more so were my peers and I, who did not talk smack to the Cougar faithful until they drew first blood. They fired the first shot, informing us that No. 11 Oregon sucks. It was on.
We yelled everything we had at the them. I was pretty creative at times, yelling “No sales tax,” or “0-8 ain’t so great!”
When it was over, we cheered with the victorious Oregon players, some of whom I used to pass on the way to class in Barnhart Hall. Our cries lofted into the frosty Pullman night. We hoped they’d be loud enough to reach the ears of the BCS head honchos.
We gave the Washington State fans a couple more rants as we left Martin Stadium.
“If you don’t have conference wins I feel bad for you son; we got 99 problems, but we’re 9-1!” we yelled.
There’s nothing like the sound of rhythm-challenged caucasian males trying to rap.
The drive home Sunday started with a wrong turn we noticed while passing a “Welcome to Idaho” sign on the highway. A little detour never hurt anyone just like a college road trip.
For the cleaning crew that ventured into room 209 Sunday, you have my sympathy.

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