Bordow: Loss might be better for ASU long term

Frank Kush would rather have a colonoscopy with a 3-iron than lose to the Arizona Wildcats. “I could write a book about my animosity toward those people,” he said.

Tables turned this year for ASU, UA

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Rudy Carpenter is a bit more diplomatic.

“Hate is a pretty strong word,” Carpenter said. “I don’t hate the people that go to UA. I don’t hate the school. I don’t hate the city. I just don’t like losing to them.

“I don’t know. Whatever I say, they’re just going to put up on their (bulletin board).”

Those types of sentiments are the root of what makes the ASU-UA rivalry special, even in a year in which the teams are playing .500 ball and the reward is a trip to the Las Vegas Bowl.

But there are deeper, and perhaps more meaningful, story lines at play this year.

Although UA athletic director Jim Livengood has expressed confidence in coach Mike Stoops, there’s widespread belief in Tucson that a coaching change will occur if the Wildcats lose.

If I’m an ASU fan, I’m not sure that’s good news.

ASU has dominated the rivalry since Stoops was hired in 2004. The Sun Devils have won three consecutive games; no ASU team has won four straight since Kush’s 1973 powerhouse squad that featured quarterback Danny White, tailback Woody Green, linebacker Bob Bruenig and cornerback Mike Haynes.

In addition, ASU has cleaned up in in-state recruiting. The Sun Devils have 38 Arizona-bred players on their depth chart; UA has 19. Nine in-state players start for ASU; one for UA.

That could all change if Stoops leaves.

Now, there’s no guarantee Livengood would find an elite coach to take over. His last two football hires — Stoops and John Mackovic — haven’t worked out too well. But there is one name out there that should scare the dickens out of ASU:

Boise State coach Chris Petersen.

According to the Idaho Statesman, contract extension talks between Petersen and the Broncos have broken down. Petersen has said he wants to remain at Boise State, but if a Pac-10 school offered him big money, he might be tempted.

All Petersen has done at Boise State is go 35-3 over the last five years, beat Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl and finish 12-0 this year. He’s young, he has a great offensive mind and he knows the West. He’d immediately cut into the head start ASU coach Dennis Erickson would have on him.

Are we getting ahead of ourselves? Perhaps.

Livengood may decide to keep Stoops no matter the outcome of today’s game. He’s already searching for a basketball coach to replace Lute Olson; there may not be enough money in university coffers — or boosters’ pockets — to hire two coaches and their staffs. Also, Stoops has a powerful ally in booster Jim Click, who is on the UA sideline during games.

But there’s a parallel that should worry ASU fans. All those years Olson was taking advantage of Rob Evans, the Wildcats hoped and prayed that the ASU administration wouldn’t make a change.

You know what happened. Athletic director Lisa Love fired Evans, hired Herb Sendek, and now the rivalry has swung in ASU’s favor.

When you think about it, then, the worst thing that could happen to the Sun Devils today is what they want most:

A win.