I love the Northwest.
I understand “who we hate,” Cougars clutter our eateries with top-to-bottom crimson jumpsuits and the Spokane/Cheney area is now and then belittled as a rundown, boorish shamble.
But the region, its university sports and fans are absolutely phenomenal. It’s essentially a melting-pot of sports devotees who may argue and quarrel occasionally, but still recognize each other as regional family.
Nowhere better is this regional fusion of devotion illuminated than on the campuses of Northwest universities. It’s an ordinary sight now in addition to the throng of apparel bearing the golden I — purple W’s screen-printed on black Nike shirts, “Cougars 1889” hoodies and almost surprisingly, loads of green-outlined, yellow O’s plastered on sweaters and t-shirts.
Some of the more dedicated Vandal fans would become irate at the sight of apparel exhibiting former and current rival schools being worn by Idaho students. I welcome it.
I’ve encountered dozens of people here who are unashamed of their prior associations with nearby schools. Many began their college careers elsewhere and later came to UI, or the other way around. I may only be a Vandal, but that doesn’t mean I don’t respect our several surrounding fellow schools.
My youth lacked any family-affiliation with universities. My household didn’t push me to want to enroll or root for any school. Along with the lack of generational allegiance, I lived in a kind of sports “no man’s land.” The Palouse was a three-hour drive south, Spokane and Cheney were an hour west, Seattle was a six-hour jaunt and the Oregon schools and Boise were about eight hours out of reach.
Colton Clark
I grew up completely unaware of which school I’d adhere to, and I honestly didn’t care. I saw it as an opportunity to root for the entire Northwest region, instead of just riding the wagon on one and hating the others.
I was completely blind in regards to Vandal athletics until my teenage years. I didn’t follow any teams, likely because there was no way to. I had no connection to the school and neither did my television.
Aside from my minimal fandoms, I had forces pushing me every which way. I’m not from an area where the majority are graduates of a certain school, so they push the town’s youth to follow their lead. No, it’s much more sporadic than that.
The townsfolk were about split into quarters. Some were Vandals, others were Broncos, then you have your Eagles and Cougars. Spice it up with a small sprinkle of Zags, Huskies, Montanians and Oregonians, and you have yourself one mighty sports goulash.
When I decided I’d be enrolling at Idaho, the hometown Vandals naturally came out of the woodworks to offer me advice.
“You’ll never again like any other teams except Idaho,” they would say. “Forget about everyone else.”
But that’s been a problem for me, and I assume many others who were born into a similar situation as myself. I was never handed affiliation, and I never fashioned one on my own. Instead, I’ve found myself in this strange cycle of rooting on every team from the area, no matter the unpopular opinions bestowed upon me by peers — I just don’t care.
Obviously, because I joined the Idaho tribe, the Vandals are at the helm. But when any other Northwest team faces off against, say, a Midwest school, I back my region.
It’s how I’ll always be, and trust me, I can take the criticism, which has been abundant.
In times of real-world tragedy, like the present, our differences within the region are put to rest. Please, whether you’re a Vandal, Coug, Husky, Bulldog, Eagle, Duck, Beaver or yes, even a Bronco, always respect each other, provide support and don’t take these rivalries too far.
Colton Clark can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @coltonclark95