There are a lot of WSU fans that hate UW more than they love WSU. It's kind of disgusting, but, if you want one of the reasons why the program has never excelled, that's one of them. Too many WSU fans are in love with the lovable loser "Aw shucks we tried our best" kind of thing, I've always hated it. Hence the cultural battle between the fan base over Wulff getting replaced by Leach a year ago.
An example of this, 2011 I go over there for the opener against Idaho State, WSU is just killing Idaho State, and you'd think that the crowd would be loving it, they'd won 5 games combined the last three years. At halftime, I go to one of the bars for some alcoholic refreshment, and the bar is packed, absolutely packed, is the Coug game on? No, its UW, and the crowd is going nuts with every first down Eastern Washington got in that game. The second half of WSU's demolition of Idaho State is conducted in a symphony of silence, the stadium is maybe a third full, but the bars are packed, grown men, standing on chairs cheering as Eastern pushes UW to the final seconds. I questioned these people, loudly, angrily, and condescendingly, when asked, "Why aren't you watching YOUR team WIN, instead of watching UW hoping they lose?" I got shrugged, wall shaking chants deriding the Huskies.
I don't get it and I never have.