WSU coach Mike Leach calls media member a ‘sanctimonious troll’ in rant after Apple Cup loss

There were a couple ways to handle the media in the aftermath of Washington’s seventh straight Apple Cup win over rival Washington State. Some players took to Twitter. Co-defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake declined to make himself available (although he had plenty to say after last year’s win).

WSU coach Mike Leach went in a decidedly different direction, calling Spokesman-Review columnist John Blanchette a “sanctimonious troll” in response to a question about why his Cougars have failed to beat the Huskies in seven straight seasons.

Here’s a transcript of the exchange:

Mike, this is the seventh year in a row they’ve gotten you, and they haven’t been really close games. How frustrating is it to keep coming up like this?

“Well it’s frustrating. I do find this part of it interesting, though. You guys rank their recruiting class in the top 10, then you’re always surprised when they win. So I think that maybe that would have a little something to do with it.”

So you’re not supposed to beat teams that have higher-ranked recruiting classes?

“Well, we certainly have before. We didn’t win this one. And I don’t care to have a big discussion with you on it because I don’t really care what you think—”

Mike, you’re playing with nine—

“—you run your little column and stuff like some sanctimonious troll, where you’ve never been fair or even-handed with us, so I really don’t care what you think. OK, go ahead, because you’re going to write some really nasty stuff like you always do. And I don’t know which Coug way back when did something that offended you, but I don’t really care about that either. If you can live your little meager life in your hole and write nasty things and that makes you feel even, you go right ahead.”