A big weekend is ahead
A GRIP ON SPORTS
You know, this weekend might be the best weekend ever in terms of sports depth around here. The Seahawks are playing the Broncos in a rematch from last year's Super Bowl, the Cougars host No. 2 Oregon, the Mariners face a key series at Houston in their chase for a postseason berth for the first time in 13 years and there are a bunch of other games. Too bad I won't be around. Read on.
• Yep, I'm bailing out this weekend. Leaving the Northwest for a few days. Headed to Cali, as the kids call it, for a high school reunion. Forty years. Forty years since I could use the excuse, "... but I'm just a kid." More than a year ago I made a commitment to a friend I would be at the 40th reunion and I'm keeping that commitment. But why did it have to be this weekend? I mean, really? What if the Cougars pull the biggest upset in the school's history – OK, one of the biggest upsets in the school's history; can't forget that UCLA game on the road oh so many years ago – and I'm not there? They won't let me back in Pullman, saying I'm bad luck and all that. But that's not the worst of it. Sunday, I could be in the TV room with my sons, watching the Bronco game and enjoying all their comments. And Russell Wilson's on-target passes. Or the family could be celebrating the M's weekend – or lamenting it. But it's not to be. While each of you are settling down for a weekend of viewing pleasure, I'll be trading stories about the glory days, when I couldn't throw a fastball by you or anyone else. I'll also be hitting golf balls, enjoying a beverage or two and lying a lot. OK, it does sound like fun. But still, a Super Bowl rematch? Dang it.
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• WSU: Jacob Thorpe had a busy day yesterday. He has a story in today's paper on the blossoming of Isiah Myers (pictured), which is spot on, as well as his Pac-12 picks, which, against the spread, are also spot on – if you go the opposite way of Jacob. He also has a morning post with links, his Pac-12 power rankings, and a whole bunch of stuff from yesterday, including a practice report and a live chat. ... ESPN.com's Pac-12 blog really delved into the Mike Leach phenomenon in depth yesterday, what with this interesting story on the coach's life in Pullman and some outtakes that didn't make the main piece. The blog also has a midweek mailbag, which leads with a WSU question, and the picks for the week. None of the contributors are picking the Cougar upset, so I may be safe. ... The Oregonian has a story on the WSU offense. You'll have to forgive the misspelling of Myers' last name.
• Gonzaga: Jim Meehan caught up with some Zag news yesterday and put together this notebook and blog post. The highlights? Angel Nunez's appeal for another season was denied by the WCC – he's now listed as a senior – and the upcoming basketball schedule was released.
• EWU: It's Thursday, so Jim Allen has a Big Sky notebook in the paper and will also hold a live chat today at noon on SportsLink. ... Jim also has a morning post with links, saving me some time today.
• Preps: Didn't I already say it's Thursday? That means we also can pass along the Prep Page items, which include Greg Lee's column, Bill Pierce's prep almanac, picks of this weekend's football games from Greg and Sam Adams, Greg's feature on G-Prep running back Jack Bamis (pictured), a Chris Derrick feature on Central Valley volleyball and a roundup of cross country action from Wednesday.
• Seahawks: The biggest difference between this Sunday's game and the Super Bowl? Well, it's not for all the marbles. There's that. But it might just be the three or four days each team has to prepare, as opposed to the two weeks before the Super Bowl. ... There is also less pregame hype, as the stars, like Peyton Manning, are keeping the talking to a minimum. ... Richard Sherman didn't talk after the San Diego loss, though the Chargers talked quite a bit about him. He responded some yesterday. ... Pete Carroll also spoke yesterday and wasn't as upbeat as he usually is. Coming off a loss, maybe he's more focused too. ... It was loud at the Super Bowl, but not nearly as loud as it can be in CenturyLink. Wonder if that will have any impact this weekend? ... Expect more Marshawn Lynch this week, less Robert Turbin. Last week was sort of weird according to offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell.
• Mariners: The game was 0-0 in the bottom of the seventh last night when I turned to the dog – the only one else still awake – and mentioned games like this, in pennant races, are often decided by a defensive blunder. Then I had to walk away from the TV. By the time I got back, it was 5-0 Angels and I had been proven right. Sadly, I had been proven right. A little looper that Chris Denorfia played into a run. Three batters later, C.J. Cron crushed reliever Danny Farquhar's pitch and the M's were toast. ... Three good things came out of the night, though. James Paxton pitched exceptionally well; the Angels clinched the A.L. West and celebrated (pictured), meaning it will probably be the JV team out there tonight against Felix Hernandez (or a bunch of tired starters); and the A's imploded in the ninth, lost and didn't extend their wild-card lead. ... The M's may have found another reliever as they have lost a starter.
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• If you are wondering about my plans for the Seahawks game Sunday, I will watch it alone. My best friend, who I made the reunion commitment to, is a die-hard Bronco fan. I mean, a real die-hard fan. Has been since the days of Craig Morton and the Orange Crush. Maybe even before. I don't want to jeopardize our friendship, so I will keep my distance. After all, we have to team up in a golf tournament the next day. Until later ...
