THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: Cd'A-Lake City football rivalry: Who's awl in?

Anyone know where I can find an awl?

In this case, it needs to be an actual awl — the extremely sharp tool which inspired French fur traders to call our local Native American tribe, yes …

The Coeur d’Alene.

“The Heart of an Awl.”

What the traders meant was that tribal members were super sharp in matters of buying and selling.

If you’re wondering why I’m making a minor fuss over obtaining an awl, just hang on for a minute.

See, the request could be misinterpreted.

In the military, the spoken word “awl” is actually an acronym for “Absent Without Leave.”

That’s not what I need.

Neither is the three-letter abbreviation used for texts, where awl is sometimes used to mean: “always with love.”

I’m not looking for text language here, thanks.

Lol.

No, I need a real awl, and here’s the definition according to Professor Google …

“A stitching awl is a tool with which holes can be punctured in a variety of materials, or existing holes can be enlarged.”

As we know now, that tribe became permanently known as the Coeur d’Alene — and from that, of course, they named the city …

Rathdrum.

LOL.

Hey, thanks for coming, I’ll be here all week, and be sure to tip your waiter.

OK, enough history and hilarity.

(Sometimes I just can’t help myself.)

In reality …

We’re actually going to be talking about football.

Specifically, we’re discussing the annual varsity game between the famous city’s two main high schools, Coeur d’Alene and Lake City.

If you have any familiarity with the sports endeavors of either school, you know that one pair of basketball games (boys and girls) between the two schools has something like a carnival atmosphere.

The formal name of the duels is “Fight for the Fish" (a less-than-handsome wooden thing that is presented to the winning school).

Among players, students, parents and alums, this whole Northwest mardi gras is simply called: “The Fish Game.”

See, it doesn’t matter who plays better basketball.

It’s basically a cheering contest, spiced with creativity and a few other fun things.

Better yet, people aren’t getting laryngitis for no reason, since the whole “fish scene” is also a fundraiser.

Great idea, terrific week.

However, I’m thinking of something competitive in a whole different way for the two high schools’ annual football matchup.

Like …

Something to reward the actual winner of the game.

I know, in recent years this duel might as well have been called the “Cd'A Invitational.”

Lake City hasn’t won against its city rival since 2014.

Or was it 1914?

You can laugh, but to players over on the city’s west side, it probably DOES feel like a century or so since they’ve halted the Coeur d’Alene juggernaut.

So …

Let’s give Lake City even more incentive.

RECALL that I asked about acquiring an authentic awl.

I think we should get the thing mounted on some classy metal and wood structure, and have it engraved with the name of the two schools.

My REAL dream was to create something that could have the name of the winning team etched on it each season, but now I think we’re talking some massive thing that’s out of a realistic price range.

Unless somebody wants to get in touch and donate a trophy, of course.

As long as there’s a genuine awl on it, because…

Starting this fall, we want the Coeur d’Alene-Lake City game to be known as “The Brawl for the Awl.”

Circle your calendar for Oct. 8, when the city rivals will get it on.

This could be a great year to start the tradition, as well, since Lake City has the upper class talent to be pretty darn good, and Cd'A might be a little bit down (by its standards, anyhow).

Lake City could have a fantastic night if it turned over Coeur d’Alene for the first time in eight years — AND won the very first “Brawl for the Awl.”

The soon-to-be-historic Awl could sit proudly in the Lake City trophy case — and yep, there can only be one first-year winner.

Now THAT would spice up the rivalry.

Whatcha think, folks?

Email: scameron@cdapress.com

Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press three times each week. He also writes Zags Tracker, a commentary on Gonzaga basketball which is published weekly during the season, beginning in October.

Steve suggests you take his opinions in the spirit of a Jimmy Buffett song: “Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On.”