It’s about time
A GRIP ON SPORTS
It seems like it's been a month or two since the Seahawks last played a football game. But it's only been 14 days. It's just a lot has happened since the win over the Jets (that was their last opponent, right?) so the gap has been filled with some many games and holidays, it's hard to remember something that long ago. Either that, or I am getting really old. Read on.
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• Ya, I heard those old jokes that went through your head (writing this blog post everyday has made me telepathic). But, really, it just has been a long time since the Hawks took the field. They return today in Miami for the stretch run. And this could be a stretch run for the ages. I would like to say I'm envisioning a 5-1 finish, but after my recent failing at prognostication (hey, I said I'm telepathic, not a psychic), when I picked the Huskies to win the Apple Cup by a larger-than-my-waist-size margin (and yes, I did read your comments and accepted them with good grace, though there is one of you I'm trying to use my telepathic powers on in a "Twilight Zone" sort of way), I don't want to scare you. After all, even though I believe the Hawks will win today, win at Chicago, win against Arizona, win at Buffalo and finish the season with a win against the Rams, I don't want to jinx it. (By the way, I had relative call me this weekend and tell me she sat in the exact same spot the entire fourth quarter and overtime, didn't even get up to go to the bathroom, because the Cougars were doing so well. She wanted me to let Cougar fans know that she was the reason their team won. Me, I think she's been drinking in too many of those Bud Light commercials lately.) If I were to make a prediction and then the Hawks were to lose today, I'm sure I would hear about it in the comments. And I don't need that. I get enough crud at home or from John Blanchette in the press box or from my one buddy on Facebook. I don't need it from you guys as well.
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• Washington State: Christian Caple is finally making that long-awaited transition from football to basketball, though he did have a football story in today's paper. It's about the upcoming off-season. He also had a blog post on a video that's emerged of a fan apparently punching UW's Austin Sefarin-Jenkins. Not smart of that fan in a lot of ways. ... But most of his coverage revolves round basketball, with a game story from WSU's easy win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff along and blog posts pregame and post game, including his tale of the tape. There is also his usual morning post. ... Elsewhere, the ESPN.com Pac-12 blog hands out helmet stickers (Andrew Furney got one) and tells us what we learned over the weekend. Meanwhile, Jon Wilner looks at the conference's bowl picture.
• Gonzaga: Jim Meehan caught up with former GU stars Jeremy Pargo (pictured) and Austin Daye for this feature that contrasts their current NBA career. ... No matter how many times Gonzaga whips up on Davidson, it won't erase the memory of the NCAA tourney loss a few years ago. But it has to help. Jim has an advance of today's battle with Davidson in the Old Spice tournament final, focusing on the Zags' defense. I listened to GU assistant Ray Giacoletti speak recently at a coaching clinic and he broke down the Zags' man defense. There are a lot of elements from Dick Bennett's Pack defense, though GU has added its wrinkles. Jim also had a blog post yesterday on the win over Oklahoma. ... We also found a preview from CBS.com and one in the Charlotte Observer. ... BYU is pulling out all the stops trying to attract Jabari Parker. ... USF won again, this time over Columbia.
• EWU: The Eagles learned their first-round opponent in the FCS playoffs, Staten Island's Wagner College. The Seahawks defeated Colgate, 31-20 yesterday.
• Idaho: The Vandals' season ended with another loss, this one at WAC champion Utah State. Josh Wright put together this game story and also has a blog post focusing on the future. The key question: Who will be the Vandals next coach? We also have more from the Aggies point of view. ... San Jose State won its 10th game, shooting down Louisiana Tech, a team that almost defeated Texas A&M. ... Utah State's hoop team defeated Weber State in an in-state rivalry game.
• Chiefs: Spokane returned home and handled Tri-Cities, 5-2. Chris Derrick has the story. ... Portland scored a bunch of goals and won again. This is getting redundant.
• Preps: Not a good day for local football teams. Greg Lee was at Albi, where U-Hi was doubled up by Eastside Catholic, 42-21, in the 3A semifinals (pictured). ... He also covered Cusick's 34-32 defeat in the 1B semis. ... Lind-Ritzville/Sprague did advance to the 2B state finals. ... A local wrestler won his match as Boise State and Oregon State held a Pac-12 match at Central Valley High. Yes, Boise State is in the Pac-12 for wrestling. Mike Vlahovich has the coverage. ... The Washington cross country runners once again showed their dominance in the annual battle with their Oregon counterparts.
• Seahawks: When Russell Wilson and the Hawks play in Miami today, they will be trying to end their road woes. They need to if they want to play in the postseason. ... The best of the NFL.
• Sounders: Of the four semifinalists for the MLS goal of the year award, two of them came from Sounders.
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• That's our show, er, blog post for this Sunday morning. We'll be back tomorrow. Until then ...
