A GRIP ON SPORTS

It's been a long time since a Spokane college baseball team has been to these heights. Fifty-two years. That's the last time a team from the Lilac City has headed off to a college world series. But it will happen next week. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

As I said on the radio yesterday, my father used to invoke the blind-squirrel-acorn theory often when I was young (usually right after I did something he approved of). That philosophy came to mind last night with Kevin Millwood's complete-game shutout victory in Colorado. Was it like a vision-impaired rodent stumbling into a nut, or was it the beginning of something good? Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

For quite possibly the first time in my life, today I would rather live in Cleveland. At least there the major league baseball team battles through adversity and has an ownership that will spend a bit of money to help its team compete. Here in the Pacific Northwest, we have trouble saying such things with a straight face. Read on.

COUGARS

FROM PULLMAN — For a regular ol' Thursday in mid-May, yesterday was pretty heavy on WSU news of the basketball variety. Oh, and Mike Leach apparently shot a bear. Read on.

Spokane is nearly halfway through the AFL season. The Shock reach the midpoint after Friday's home showdown with No. 2 Philadelphia and there's a lot at stake. Read more in my game preview that will run in Friday's S-R.

COUGARS

FROM PULLMAN — Ken Bone confirmed today that center Richard Peters, who signed as part of WSU's 2012 recruiting class, will not make it into school. Read on.

COUGARS

FROM PULLMAN — WSU officially confirmed today that former assistant basketball coach Jeff Hironaka has accepted a new role as the team's director of player development/special assistant to the head coach, a move made in order to allow coach Ken Bone to hire a new assistant with broader recruiting reach. Read on for more.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

College football in August. A good thing or bad thing? Discus among yourselves. I'm still trying to figure out if Larry Bernandez was actually in Felix's uniform last night. Read on.

COUGARS

FROM PULLMAN — This is why we toil through the winter months out here — it's mid-May, and I'm writing this in the middle of the night with the screen door open and a nice breeze blowing through the apartment. Ahh, summer weather in spring. Read on for some more reading material.

Chris Pino, one of the more talented and popular players to ever wear a Shock uniform, is back for his third stint with Spokane. See what he left behind to return to the AFL in my notebook that will run in Thursday's S-R.

COUGARS

FROM PULLMAN — The Mike Leach era at Washington State will begin two days earlier than originally planned. Read on for more.

Are you keeping up with the news? Try our news quiz and you are automatically entered in our random drawings for three sets of two Shock tickets. Click here for the news quiz.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

Yesterday we didn't write a lot due to back problems. Well, after a trip to the doctor and pharmacist (who I presumed was a Cougar because almost every pharmacist around here is a Cougar), we're doing a bit better. A bit better, as in we can actually sit at our computer and type without screaming. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

I don't want to sound like a wuss, but this isn't easy today. Read on.

COUGARS

FROM SEATTLE — Heading back to the Palouse this morning, but wanted to put this post together first because there are a few links out there worthy of your attention. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS • ADDITION: 9:25 A.M.

Really, could there have been better weather to celebrate Mother's Day? The sun was shining, the temperature rose into the high 70s and the weeds seemed to almost pull themselves. OK, I was exaggerating a bit on that last part, but it was nearly perfect. And if you live outside of the Inland Northwest and your day was cloudy and blah, I'm sorry for gloating. Read on.

University of Idaho wide receiver Ken McRoyal was shot and killed at around 1:30 a.m. Sunday morning at a Los Angeles party, according to a Los Angeles TV station. UI confirmed McRoyal's death, but provided no details.

McRoyal, a senior-to-be and former walk-on from the Los Angeles area, posted on his Facebook page that he was in LA to visit his 2-year-old daughter. “It’s a devastating loss,” coach Robb Akey said. “We’ve lost a brother, a teammate, a family member. But, more importantly, a momma lost her son today.”

More details to follow.
  

A GRIP ON SPORTS

So what's a blogger to do on Mother's Day? Tell a story about mom? Would that be present enough? It's going to have to be. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

As most of you know, I'm a big Felix Hernandez booster. The guy can pitch, it's as simple as that. But yesterday evening, I found myself quietly rooting for Hernandez to fail. Don't judge me. Read on.

COUGARS

FROM SEATTLE — There's just enough news to link to on this Saturday that we'll put together a morning post for you. Read on.