Huskies -- Dawg-And-Cat Mizins Renew Brotherly Shove

Motorists tailing Sarah Mizin understand the split personality of the family from Aberdeen. Her vanity license plate reads: DAWGMOM. The bumper sticker says COUG MOM.

And then there's Ted Mizin, her husband. When the couple takes its seats in the north stands at Husky Stadium, he usually warns those around him that he is prone to abrupt explosions of glee or disappointment from listening to Cougar games on the radio.

Welcome to life with the Mizins, one of a minority of households in the state with divided loyalties in Saturday's Apple Cup game at Husky Stadium. Anthony is a fifth-year senior making his last regular-season appearance as a backup tight end with Washington. His little brother Russell, three years his junior, is a starting tight end at Washington State.

"They've fought like cats and dogs their whole life," said Ted Mizin. "My wife and I always thought they'd grow out of it. They're still doing it this Saturday, but we don't have to break 'em up anymore."

The Mizin kids sustain a tight end legacy in Aberdeen that included Mark Bruener, the former All-Pac-10 Husky now with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Anthony visited Washington State, spent time with ex-Cougar standout center Jason McEndoo and concluded that Mike Price, the coach, "is a great guy, but I just thought Washington would be a better place for me."

Russell was inclined to do his own thing, although Washington made it an easy choice by not offering him a scholarship.

"I kind of saw it coming," Ted Mizin said. "Kind of like Brock Huard's brother (Luke) went to North Carolina."

Anthony was beaten out for the starting tight-end job in the spring by Jerramy Stevens. At 6 feet 4 and 255 pounds, Anthony has three catches and plays primarily in double-tight end sets. Russell, 6-3 and 225, took over the WSU starting job from Corey Scott and has started the last seven games, catching six balls for 64 yards. They routinely speak by telephone once or twice a week, but their conversation was expected to be more curt than usual this week.

"If I have questions about some other teams' defensive ends, I'll ask him questions about what their tendencies are," Russell said. "Try to get useful tips. Most of the games, he helped out quite a bit."

Like most brothers, they haven't always been so obliging to one another, especially in the ritual living-room confrontations.

"We'd wrestle around," Anthony said. "Something would happen where I'd tweak his arm, and he'd just fly off the handle. Usually my sister (Annica, a freshman at Grays Harbor Junior College) would be the only one home to witness it. She'd be over in the corner crying. It would just be a big mess."

Almost every autumn week brings a football Saturday for the Mizin parents, who drive to Pullman when Anthony's on the road, or Seattle if Russell's team is away. If they're both at home, they defer to Anthony, as a senior, and go to Husky Stadium.

This will be the first, and only, time the two will be in a game on opposite sides. They played some Little League baseball together and their high-school basketball careers overlapped by a year.

"I've been looking forward to it all year," Russell said.

Asked about a perfect scenario for Saturday, Anthony said, "It would be great if he could have a great game, and I also played well and we ended up winning."

Ted's take: "I just hope both of the boys have good games and nobody gets hurt. Any way the game goes, my wife and I walk away a winner."

Most years, Thanksgiving would be the occasion when the brothers rehash the game and take sly swipes at the other's program. This year, after their one and only confrontation, Russell will be in Hawaii with the Cougars, preparing for a season-ending game with the Rainbows.

For the sake of peace in the household, it might be better that way.