It’s the week of regional rivalries

A GRIP ON SPORTS

You a Cougar fan? How about Gonzaga? Both? If it’s the last one, then it is going to be a tough couple days for you. Read on.

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• Tonight the Washington State women bring their 7-2 record into the McCarthey Center for a matchup with the 5-2 Gonzaga women. Tomorrow the Zags will host the WSU men in the Spokane Arena. I wonder if it was planned this way? All I know is the back-to-back games is putting a strain on our time this week. They are can’t-miss contests if you are college basketball fans in this area. Why? There is little doubt the basketball relationship between these two Inland Northwest schools is beginning to get a bit strained. The last time the Cougar women traveled to McCarthey, they upset the Zags 57-51 and there was an on-court mini-confrontation afterward between WSU coach June Daugherty and then-Gonzaga coach Kelly Graves. Daugherty said something inappropriate about the Cougars owning the area and Graves responded. Silly. But it did make last year’s matchup in Pullman, won by Gonzaga, something of a grudge match. And it probably would have been the final game between the two schools if Graves had remained in Spokane. But the longtime coach moved on to Oregon – where his team will meet Daugherty’s at least twice a year – and, under first-year coach Lisa Fortier, the series continued. Which is a good thing. Both schools strive to be among the West Coast’s best, so why not play the best the area has to offer? That’s not the case on the men’s side. Gonzaga is perennially among the nation’s best. WSU? It hasn’t been in that position since before Tony Bennett left for Virginia. Right now the Cougars are just striving to be the best in the Palouse, something they aren’t this season. The series between the schools was strained to the breaking point in the offseason, with Gonzaga looking to make changes from the usual home-and-home format. So it was changed. One of the paramount rules of relationships is the one with the least interest in it has the most power. Or as George Costanza would call it, hand. The Zags have the upper hand and they exercised it, with Washington State agreeing to a three-year deal, only one game of the three being in Pullman. One will be at McCarthey, the other, Wednesday night, at the Spokane Arena, with the Zags as the home team. They will also be the heavy favorites. They are the ninth-ranked team in the nation and are coming off a three-point loss in Tucson against third-ranked Arizona. Heck, the last time the Cougars came that close to the Wildcats on their home floor was, well, Ken Bone’s first year in Pullman, seemingly an eon ago, when they won, 78-76. But we’re not talking ancient history here. We’re thinking about this week. And the two showdowns between local teams. As it should be.

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• WSU: It was a quiet day on the Palouse yesterday – no Mike Leach rumors – and Jacob Thorpe kept it quiet on the blog as well. He does have his morning post today with links. … The final football polls, which have as much relevance as conversations around the coffee machine at work, are out. They are fun to examine , however, especially the coaches’ poll . … Here’s an interesting interview with former WSU do-it-all player, Jed Collins. … Pictured above is Washington State did for Connor Halliday in Spokane. It’s really a nice thing to do.

• Gonzaga: Tom Clouse has the advance of tonight’s game in the Kennel and will be in attendance tonight. Yours truly will be there as well, though a little late. … Gonzaga has always had its share of late-night gym users, from John Rillie to Derek Raivio to, now, Domantas Sabonis. Jim Meehan has a notebook today, leading with Sabonis and his penchant to haunt the gym. … Don’t foul BYU . It will cost you.

• EWU: If the rumors about Beau Baldwin and Oregon State are true, it won’t be because the Eagle fans haven’t shown their coach enough love. Jim Allen documents that with this story .

• Chiefs: The Chiefs had a much-needed day off but there was still a lot going on in the WHL. The Everett Herald examined the state’s investigation of the league and looked at when a key player would be returning from injury. … The Americans face a crowded schedule ahead.

• Preps: There was one basketball game last night to pass along .

• Seahawks: Who says the NFL is a week-by-week league ? Just about everyone. Look at it this way. The Hawks were a one-point underdog on Thanksgiving night in San Francisco. Two games, and about 10 days later, they are a double-digit favorite at home against the 49ers. That’s what a few wins and a trio of dominating defensive performances will do for you. … The game against the Eagles was, once again, popular among television viewers . … Pete Carroll wants the Hawk defense to be consistently good until the season ends. … The injury list is shrinking.

• Mariners: It is looking more and more as if the M’s will sign free-agent outfielder Melky Cabrera instead of trading a pitcher for a hitter. Maybe this is why . In fact, the reasons put forth in the piece are the same ones I used while encouraging the signing of Jon Lester for the past couple months. It isn’t happening, though. Lester, a Tacoma native, is signing elsewhere . … The A’s continue to remake their roster – again.

• Sounders: The Sounders could protect just 11 players on their roster for the upcoming MLS expansion draft . So the names on the list of unprotected players are interesting. … Their backup goalkeeper’s retirement is official .

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• Why will I be late for the WSU/Gonzaga game tonight? It starts at 6 and I will be busy until then. I am on the radio with Keith Osso and Rick Lukens today from 3 to 6. You can listen to 700 ESPN here . Then clear the streets between the KXLY studios and Gonzaga. Until then …