Washington State student and rabid Cougars fan Ben Cushing died Oct. 2 after battling a rare form of lymphoma. Beyond the story of a young man’s courage in battling “the rarest of the rarest” form of cancer, the ordeal transcends the Apple Cup rivalry so prevalent this week.
After one of Washington State’s most stirring wins of the Mike Leach era — a 30-27 upset of USC on Sept. 29 in Pullman — the coach glanced at his bright green wristband, emblazoned with the words “Cush It To The Limit,” as he walked into his postgame news conference.