I was stunned and angered when I read the headline in Thursday’s Spokesman-Review, which reported that Washington State University is planning to move the Apple Cup permanently to Seattle.

I am a WSU alumnus living on the Palouse, and I was a student in 1982 when the Apple Cup was finally brought home to Martin Stadium after many years of being held in Spokane. It was an experience that my friends and I will never forget.

I was there when the goalposts were taken down, and the feeling of beating the highly favored Huskies can never be matched, especially at a “neutral” site. Athletic director Jim Sterk and WSU President Elson Floyd weren’t around during that time, and, as I recall, the basic reason for bringing the game back to Pullman was that it simply belonged here. Not the almighty dollar, which seems to be the driving force behind this proposal.

My goodness, the athletic department actually makes a $200,000-plus profit on the game in Pullman and the University of Washington gets $800,000 when it’s over there. But $2 million per school sounds better if we move it to a “neutral” site and because of our budget and tuition crisis we need this money?

Let’s be realists. The students of WSU aren’t going to get that $2 million to help them with tuition. It’s going back to the athletic department to pay for the football program.

I ask Mr. Sterk and the rest of the administration: What is the point of having a home field if you don’t play games, including the major rivalry game, at home?

Oh, right, we will get that first game of the year back at Martin Stadium to make up for moving the Apple Cup. I’m sure that the major opponent for that game, “the- university-of-tune-up-community- college,” will certainly fill all the seats.

Remember the days when the University of Southern California refused to come to Pullman because of the money issue? If this is allowed to go through it won’t be long before the Trojans insist on playing in Seattle, too. We might as well change our school colors to purple and gold and move over there for good.

Martin Stadium is our Cougar home. The Apple Cup being played there is about more than just money. It’s about home field advantage, not some phony “neutral” site. It’s about tradition and bringing the Cougar family home to enjoy a weekend, renew friendships, visit the places where memories were made and experience true Cougar spirit. It seems that only those who are longtime Palouse-area residents, alumni or students can truly understand this concept.

Our son will have the privilege of attending WSU next fall, and it will be a great loss to him and all the rest of the student body not to be able to experience what it means to beat the Huskies in Martin Stadium. Take note, everyone: Last year’s win will be the last time the Huskies play in Pullman if this move happens. I hope that all of you fans, students, alumni and just friends of WSU will express the desire to keep Cougar football where it belongs – at home in Pullman.