Greg Esposito
The internet has been abuzz with the idea that the #McWhopper could go from being a marketing pipe dream to a delicious reality in Atlanta next month. Alas, the court jester of fast food has denied the King’s request to make all of our coronary clogging dreams come true.
While the burger wars won’t give peace a chance there may be a way we can borrow the sentiment locally. While the number of patties on a McWhopper is a lot, there is bigger beef we could potentially squash here in the Valley, at least for 24 hours, on September 21 in honor of International Peace Day.
That’s right, I’m talking about the ASU-UA rivalry.
In the spirit of what Burger King tried to do by reaching across the aisle to their Arch enemy — pun intended — why can’t the Sun Devils and Wildcats do the same?
Before you say, ‘Espo, we can’t do this. It’s a travesty, a sham, a mockery, it’s a traveshamockery!’ hear me out.
Would it be so bad in today’s world of unnecessary hate and vitriol, especially from anonymous people hiding behind the power of a keyboard, to show that we can set aside our differences for a day and combine, in the vein of the powers of Captain Planet, to show Arizona pride? Could it hurt to show a very public example for the kids — these kinds of pleas always need to evoke the kids, right? — that compromise, compassion and understanding are something that can happen in this world?
The answer is no. It wouldn’t be bad and couldn’t hurt. It’s not like I’m asking for you to marry someone from your rival school. (Even that’s not so bad. Trust me, I did it.)
So here’s the simple proposal, for one day let’s come together and be the University of Arizona State Sun Cats (thought about the Wild Devils but it sounds too much like a soon to be defunct bar you’d find on Mill). Let’s create a symbolic moment to celebrate a day worth bringing attention to. Maybe as part of it, even hold a joint football practice … OK, that’s taking it too far, but you get the idea.
I implore you Greg Byrne and Ray Anderson, let’s come together and create this ridiculously long winded athletic department for one day. Where the King and the Clown failed, the Cats and the Devils can succeed. And don’t worry, even with the rivalry set aside, there’s still the California schools to dislike.
