A fun day is on tap
A GRIP ON SPORTS
Is there a bigger Saturday than this one? Read on.
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• The college football playoff teams will be determined today. (Though one, Oregon, has already clinched its spot.) There is a can't-wait-to-see non-conference college basketball game this afternoon in Tucson. Eastern Washington's hopes for another FCS national title ride on getting past Big Sky Conference rival Montana. Did I miss anything? Oh yeah. There are high school football titles on the line in the Tacoma Dome, with Colville waving the local banner in the 1A game. Hope you have one of those DVRs that can record multiple channels at the same time. And a computer or tablet to keep track of scores. It's that type of day.
• We mentioned Oregon has punched its ticket to the national semifinals on Jan. 1, and the Ducks did it in an odd style: using defense to stifle Pac-12 South champion Arizona. Of course the offense was OK, piling up 627 yards of total offense en route to a 51-13 victory. The only thing worse than the Arizona offense – 224 yards of total offense and just 10 first downs – was the condition of the playing field. Here is the conference's marquee game and it was played at a place that has had, according to San Jose columnist Tim Kawakami, five different grass surfaces put in since it opened four months ago. And Levi Stadium needs a sixth. Players on both teams were slipping and sliding even before it began to rain. And the grass divots? I've seen smaller ones taken with gap wedges at PGA events. The conditions were an embarrassment to the conference and it was just lucky no one was hurt.
• Gonzaga gets an early chance to avenge last season's end-of-NCAA-trip loss to Arizona today in Tucson. It's a different Gonzaga team that will make the trip than the one that lost 84-61 to UA in the tournament last March. And it will be a different Arizona team that awaits the Zags. But one thing is consistent: both schools are NCAA-bound. Today's game may just help determine where and what seed they have come the end of the regular season.
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• WSU: If you are wondering why Daryl Monroe and Washington State are cutting ties, I can't tell you for sure. But I do know Monroe didn't lose his starting position just because he was not making plays. The junior, who was the defensive player chosen to represent WSU at the Pac-12 media days, was replaced midseason after coaches took him to task for his effort in a team meeting, pointing out plays on video that they didn't like. After that, it may have just been a matter of time before Monroe and the Cougars divorced. Jacob Thorpe has more on the departure in this story and blog post as well as his usual morning post with links. He also has a blog post on a recruit who switched his commitment to WSU yesterday. We'll wait on our judgment until signing day. ... Larry Scott had a lot to say yesterday concerning the college football playoff, but no update on the DirecTV talks.
• Gonzaga: Jim Meehan makes the trip to Tucson I used to make every season. The Wildcat fans are a fun group to watch, that's for sure. They love their hoop. Jim has an advance of the game as well as a blog post. ... Bud Withers advances the game as well.
• EWU: Eastern and Montana meet for the second time this season today but it's not the same. Both teams have healthy quarterbacks, and that means a lot. Jim Allen shows just how much it means to the Griz in this feature on Jordan Johnson.
• Whitworth: The Whit women are still undefeated.
• Chiefs: Spokane has been on a bit of scoring slide recently and lost its third consecutive game last night, 2-1 at Kamloops. ... Vancouver snapped Portland's winning streak. ... Medicine Hat blew out Everett. ... Seattle got past the Americans.
• Preps: Gonzaga Prep, one of the best girls teams Washington has, got the best of South Salem, one of the best girls teams Oregon has, last night at The Fitz basketball tournament. Chris Derrick was at Lewis and Clark and has the story on Prep's 53-40 victory. ... Central Valley got the best of Coeur d'Alene in a non-league battle last night. Greg Lee has the story on the Bears' 68-62 win. ... We also have roundups in girls and boys action from last night. ... Eastside Catholic ended Bellevue's 67-game winning streak last night with a 35-13 victory in the 3A title game.
• Seahawks: The Philadelphia Eagles present a handful of problems for opposing defenses, not the least of is their pace of play. Both defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and head coach Pete Carroll believe that won't be a problem for the Hawks. That is, as long as they communicate. ... The Eagles' special teams present problems as well. ... After three-quarters of the season, the Hawks are in a decent spot. ... Kam Chancellor's return to health has really been good for the defense. ... The injury list, while holding some key names, isn't as long anymore.
• Mariners: The M's have been plenty busy this offseason and they are not done.
• Sounders: Speaking of the offseason, despite all their success this year, the Sounders know they have work to do. After all, they didn't reach their goal – an MLS title – and are losing some key members off their roster.
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• I've got to get going. The day is starting and I have a lot to do. By that, I mean I have a lot to watch. Until later ...
