COUGARS

Momentum can be such a funny thing. A lot of coaches deny it even exists, then there are others who are doing their best to build it as conference play draws closer. Some see the Christmas break as a way to recharge it, others as a time that might just drain it away. Here at SportsLink, Cougar division, were in the former category. We're recharged, so everyone should be. Read on.

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• Despite our battery being so full the meter reads 11, we don't have a lot for you this morning. There just isn't a lot out there. So we'll pass what we have along, then ask you a couple questions for your week, one that culminates in the Pac-10 basketball season beginning. ... Thursday's opponent for WSU, Oregon, has its last nonconference game tonight vs. winless Arkansas- Pine Bluff (0-10). All Ernie Kent wants to do is keep the momentum of a three-game winning streak alive. ... The Seattle Times' Jerry Brewer took a look today at UW football fans – and the younger basketball fans. ... Cougfan reported over the holidays Gonzaga Prep junior running back Bishop Sankey has committed to WSU, the first commitment for the 2010 class. ... OK, now to your questions. We're working on our Pac-10 preview for Wednesday and wanted to know your opinion on the conference, now that nonconference play is basically over. Who will win? Where will everyone finish? The biggest surprise of nonconference play, the biggest disappointment? The most devastating injury? The emerging star? To help you get started, here is the media poll from the Pac-10's media day in late October and the schools' nonconference mark: 1. Cal (6-4); 2. Washington (9-2); 3. UCLA (5-7); 4. Arizona (6-5); 5. Oregon State (6-4); 6. Oregon (7-4); 7. Arizona State (10-3); 8. Washington State (10-2); 9. USC (8-4); 10. Stanford (5-6). My preseason poll was a little different, but I picked the first and last place teams the same. The positives: I had Oregon and Arizona State picked higher than this poll; the negatives, I had UCLA too high and WSU too low. We'll redo it for this week. I can guarantee you UCLA won't be in the top three and WSU won't be in the bottom three. Feel free to give us your picks, but don't forget to show your work. We don't want you copying off the person next to you. This isn't college.

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• That's it for this morning. We'll be back tonight if there is anything to report from a really quiet Pullman. Until then ...

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