Dear Mr. Hansen (and all like-minded people) --
I am an alumnus of the University of Washington and, like you, have been troubled by the recent status of Husky football.
Luckily for me, my years at UW were during the only real glory years of the program's recent history: transitioning from the lingering effects of the NCAA sanctions to a Rose Bowl victory in 2001 (for which I was in attendance, with purple hair). But beyond those years, the program has been mediocre at best -- god-awful at worst -- hitting rock bottom under the leadership of Keith Gilbertson and the mess left by Rick Neuheisel. Needless to say, I've witnessed and experienced the highs and lows that have come with being a Husky over the last decade-plus, and feel both justified and qualified writing this.
With the enormous donations that you make every year to the University I'm sure you'll disagree with me on the point, but: I'm a bigger fan than you. I care more about the University -- from Drumheller Fountain, to Kane Hall, to Hec Ed, to Husky Stadium -- than you could ever imagine. I earn my stripes as a fan. I stand on wooden benches in the pouring rain. I yell to the point of nearly fainting, and always to the point of losing my voice. I get angry. I get sad. I get ecstatic. I experience euphoria. I linger over loses for days on end (unable to read the recaps because it hurts so bad) and I walk around on cloud nine for days after big wins. I had a smile from ear-to-ear as I rushed the Martin Stadium field when we clinched our spot in the Rose Bowl. A year before I vomited my guts out when we blew our Rose Bowl hopes at UCLA. I keep every pompon and program from the games I go to. I reminisce about the forgotten workhorses that made this program special and still shake my head at the blue chippers that failed to materialize (prize recruits by "your guys," I assume). I'm enshrined in the Husky Hall of Fame -- or at least that's what I like to call it when I look at my painted, 21-year-old face in the panoramic photo taken at the last home game before Hec Ed was renovated.
Meanwhile you -- and your co-conspirators -- float up to Husky Stadium in your catamarans, pay for the privilege to sip mimosas and eat crab cakes in the Don James Center, wear your knitted purple sweaters and boat shoes, and occasionally contemplate "braving the elements" in your padded seat, tucked high up under the overhanging northern upper deck, sitting "on the 50" because you -- and your exorbitant amounts of money -- wouldn't have it any other way. (News flash: End zone seats are better if you're a real football fan) Then you just sit there, not so much as adding a "Go!" to the haunting "GO!!! HUSKIES!!!!" chant which gives me shivers even as I write this. I know this, because I spent years sitting below "you people" and it made me sick to think that the "biggest" fans, were also the weakest. I willed the team to victories; you just tried to buy them.
I mean, I get it. Without your money there would be no program. No success. No fun. But until today, I thought I could ignore it. But I can't -- not any more. Not learning about the stunts you try to pull with your influence and blood money. Guys like you ruin it for guys like me.
Truthfully, it pains me to say all of this, because on all other levels we share one of the closest bonds that two people can share in this country. We are alums of the same school. We'd high five each other -- maybe even bro-hug -- over a meaningless play in a child's game. You'd probably honk and wave if we drove by each other on the street and you saw my purple car, UW stickers, and UW alum plate frame. You'd probably hire me over an equally-qualified candidate, because of the name of the University on my degree. We're both Huskies, man.
But something is troubling me here. I think you -- successful Husky alum -- have started to lose sight of what's really important. You have become so impatient over the status of the football team that you're threatening to withhold scholarship money for law students. In other words, because the football team (part of the self-sustaining athletic department) didn't make a bowl, you're going to take out your frustrations on the scholastic side of the University?
Answer me this: how did the success of the football team pave the way for your professional success in life? (If you say anything beyond "it didn't make one bit of difference" then you are lying)
Thanks to the preparation I received at the University of Washington, I've become quite successful in my own line of work, and am very satisfied with what I've become as a person. Of course, I'm still getting my footing and can't afford to write annual checks to UW like you can. But when I do reach that point where I can afford to give back to the same University that gave so much to me, it would be crazy (or, rather, selfish) of me to withhold that gift because the football team wasn't performing up to par.
Just the thought sickens me.
...But back to the football program for a second because, sadly, that's what this is all about.
I can only assume - with your status as prominent booster - that you're intimately familiar with the health of the football program over the last 8 years. But let me just recap for you: Rick Neuheisal was hired to replace Jim Lambright who, in hindsight, was unjustifiably let go by a terrible athletic director in Barbara Hedges. Neuheisel (who was hired in favor of Gary Pinkel, by the way) proceeded to win with Lambright's guys, but slowly and surely lead the program (with his "high-ranked recruiting classes") down the ranks of the Pac-10 elite. Over the course of his tenure he was a notorious and evasive rule-bender and liar. He was a "players" coach who has since admitted to not instilling any discipline in his team, which became a group of perennial underachievers. After a stupid mistake (blame it on the UW compliance department all you want -- anyone with brains knows that you don't gamble on NCAA sports if you work in NCAA athletics) he was fired, leaving a terrible mess that even a casual fan realized would take years to clean up. Of course "years to clean up" didn't take into consideration the choice of Keith Gilbertson as head coach. With all due respect to Coach Gilberston, he was not the man to take on such a monumental task. After a few years, nothing had changed. In fact, it had just become worse.
In comes Tyrone Willingham: a proven winner at schools with high academic standards; a guy who players trust and love; a good man with a clear, influential eye for talent (see: Notre Dame, '05-'06 and
Jake Locker).
Now, I'm not going to say that Willingham is the guy that will make this program a national powerhouse. Personally, I don't believe he has what it takes to put UW on the level of LSU, Ohio State and USC year in and year out. But he has proven he has the ability to take teams (bad teams, no less) to heights they hadn't seen in years. Stanford in the Rose Bowl? Happened under Ty's watch. ND back in the BCS mix? Happened under Ty's watch.
What I saw in Stanford and ND is the same thing I see the potential for at UW: a great school with a good football team. But you - Ed Hansen and like-minded people - seem like you'd rather see a good school with a great football team... and that's just wrong.
Universities, first and foremost, are institutions of higher learning. They are the launching points for the rest of our lives as professional, working adults. Few of these players find their way onto professional rosters, while even fewer (if any) actually make it in the league. Even then, it saddens me to see how many professional athletes throw away their lives and fortunes because, seemingly, they received no semblance of an education. Ty Willingham though seems to me like the type of guy that will prepare these players for life through his discipline, teaching, mentorship, and -- yes -- coaching abilities.
So get off your high horses. Take a step back. Realize what's important in this world. And for god's sake -- give Willingham a chance. It's been three years for a program that was clearly 4-5 away from any sort of respectability.
Your money disgusts me -- not because you have it, but because of how you choose to use and exploit it. Tyrone Willingham is the best thing to happen to this football team in years. Give him a chance to turn this program into something respectful again -- then we can concentrate on making it something special.
Sincerely,
Michael Altfest
UW Class of 2000
GO DAWGS!
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