Whiskers & Whiskeys

In the second year of the 12 team playoff, we may have more to debate and mull over after the regular season ended than when it started. A tumultuous coaching carousel. An action-packed rivalry week and Heisman race. And a playoff seeding that won’t be possible to predict until the clocks hit triple zeroes late on Saturday evening. The boys are on opposite sides of plenty of takes, save one: this isn’t the end of college football as we know it; it’s only the beginning.

Folks, before you fire up this episode, go ahead and take a minute and turn on a little Boyz II Men, for we’ve come to the end of the road on yet another season of Tales of the Trophies. But my word, do we have a unique one to go out on. What in the world could Wyoming and Hawaii have in common? Why are these two schools playing for a rivalry trophy? What could this trophy be? Is liquor store sushi actually good? Find out these answers AND prep for the final kickoff of the regular season as we tell the tale of the Paniolo Trophy. 

To quote the great poet: what’s in a name? If you’re coming into the respective houses of the Grizzlies and Bobcats, you better politely sip your Arnie Palmy and get this rivalry’s name right. But whether it’s Brawl of the Wild or Cats-Griz, one thing is for certain: this trophy is an absolute spectacle to behold. 

Natchitoches. Nacogdoches. The Twin Cities of the South, people say. Bon chance trying to pronounce their names, but you’ll have an easier time appreciating the rich history of this rivalry and the tale of Chief Caddo. And I know what you’re thinking - high probability that this bad boy is cancelled. But much like our intrepid co-host Mikey, you can’t keep the good folks of Stephen F Austin and Northwestern State down for long. 

Across the frozen tundra of North Dakota, a hotly contested intrastate rivalry boils over, with acts of thievery ripped straight from the pages of heist and espionage movie scripts. Secrets loom larger than the big sky country that these schools inhabit - despite the inspiration for the trophy merely being pocket-sized. Yes folks, this episode has all the hallmarks of a W&W classic - century old rivalry, undergraduate pranks, good old fashioned theft, and a tuned up host quoting Rush Hour 2 ad nauseam. Hawks. Bison. It’s the tale of the Nickel Trophy. 

Got milk? Most remember this query as part of a prominent marketing campaign, but for the student bodies of Boise State and Fresno State, it actually serves as a taunting insult, for the winner of this rivalry gets to bring home the beautiful, glistening Milk Can. 

God. Country. Football. That’s the ultimate power ranking in the South, and when you combine the pride for your country with the pride for your football program, you’re bound to get a very special rivalry. And in this case, a very special trophy to go with it. Give this one a listen, and you’ll at least learn a new word! Could come in handy if you’re ever on Jeopardy - and if it does, we’d like a share of the winnings, please. 

The college football spotlight shines brightly on the Lone Star State - and for good reason. Perhaps no state in the country has contributed more star power and brilliant moments than Texas. Charging longhorns, wrecking raiders, galloping ponies… and delicate flowers? Yes, the student bodies in Fort Worth and Waco appreciate the finer things in life, and the beautiful bluebonnets that adorn the 86 miles on I-35 bridge 125 years of glorious gridiron rivalry. Let the fervor of football fandom consume you and yell louder than a train horn - it’s time for the tale of the Bluebonnet Battle.

Rivalry trophies are created by all sorts of people for all kinds of reasons - but we absolutely adore one that’s born from a labor of love of a couple alums that are absolutely obsessed with the game. The kind of passion that gives you warm and fuzzies in your belly - much like a nice big plate of southern BBQ. And after you hear this tale, you won’t look at a rack of ribs the same way again. 

College football is such a unique animal in the world of sport. The pomp and circumstance, the time honored traditions, the heated competitions. Every facet of the game and the environment surrounding it intensifies at the collegiate level. It’s why we do what we at Whiskers & Whiskeys. There are majestic tales to be told - but sometimes that tale needs a little something more. Sometimes a rivalry is so full of vitriol and spite that it is not simply enough to beat your opponent and reserve the right to relentlessly chirp them for the next 364 days. Sometimes you need a trophy to showcase your triumph. Sometimes you need to go beyond bragging rights. And that’s exactly what we propose for the Cascade Clash. Introducing Beyond Bragging Rights: the Pads of the Pacific.