A GRIP ON SPORTS • OK, where were we before we got blown away? Oh yes, Trying to figure out the Seahawks and the Cougars, though for different reasons. The ill wind that blew through the area Tuesday night didn’t change any of that, other than to postpone further conversation for a day or so. Read on.

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• We lost our power Tuesday night just after putting the finishing touches on dinner – a take-and-bake pizza. Over the next 26 hours or so, we sat in relative quiet – other than my complaining – as the house became colder and colder. But, viola, about 7 p.m. last night – I can’t pass along an exact time, as Kim and I were driving around trying to find the essentials: coffee for her and power for my iPhone – the electricity surged back to life. And I mean that literally. The power surge that accompanied the return of life-giving light seems to have fried our thermostat. Yep, despite having power, we have no heat. So I’m sitting in a cold office, an electric space heater at my feet, trying to put together a morning post. Talk about a gamer. I feel a bit like Luke Falk in the second half of the UCLA game, a little dinged-up but good to go. What day is it again? Oh, that’s right. Thursday. The Hawks have a showdown game with the 49ers this Sunday, if in showdown you mean two under .500 teams trying to build some respectability. And WSU has a late-night meeting with Colorado. The last time that happened, it didn’t go well for Mike Leach’s team. Though this isn’t that 2012 Cougar squad and the Buffs aren’t even coached by the same guy. But a 7:45 start on a Saturday night before Thanksgiving break isn’t conducive to a large, boisterous Martin Stadium crowd, so there is that. My guess is both home teams will win, but it’s tempered by the fact my toes seem to be frozen so it’s hard to keep focus.

• The windstorm played havoc with the trees in Spokane – I tried to make my way around town yesterday but continually had to detour around downed trees, some the size of Paul Bunyan – and is playing havoc with the first week of high school winter sports. With schools closed around the area either due to a lack of power or safety reasons, extracurricular activities are on hold as well. Some schools are lucky enough to be in session, so the preseason practices are going on as scheduled. But others are not. And there are a certain minimum number of practices needed before the contests can begin. Most should be fine, but a long-term shutdown at a school – rural or urban – could be problematic.

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• WSU: We start with Jacob Thorpe’s Pac-12 picks, just because they have been pretty darn productive this season. But we move quickly to the biggest mystery facing the Cougar defense this week: Just who is Cade Apsay? And, more importantly, what will the redshirt freshman quarterback bring to the table? For those of you who think Washington State is golden due to Sefo Liufau’s injury, I present the name of one Luke Falk. Last season, when Connor Halliday went down with an injury, Falk began his starting career by completing 44 of 61 passes for 471 yards and five touchdowns in a 39-32 win over Oregon State. Just saying. Jacob has more to say about Apsay in this story. ... Yesterday, Jacob had a story on Gabe Marks. ... After practice yesterday, Jacob spoke with assistant coach Ken Wilson and head coach Mike Leach. He also put together this piece on recruiting, a post on Falk and another award and held a live chat, a transcript of which you can read here. ... Jacob also has his morning post with links. ... Jon Wilner and ESPN.com’s Pac-12 blog look at the Pac-12’s bowl situation – almost half of you folks want to go to San Diego, according to our poll – while the ESPN blog also discusses the conference’s offensive player of the year and WSU’s turnaround. ... WSU’s volleyball team fell at Oregon.

• Gonzaga: After losing half-a-game to court conditions in Japan, the Bulldogs came eerily close to not playing their game with Northern Arizona thanks to the windstorm. OK, I exaggerate. But there was a chance (see the next paragraph). Though the Lumberjacks didn’t have one, not with the way Domantas Sabonis played. His career-high 26 points led GU to a 91-52 win. Jim Meehan has the game story and Dan Pelle has the photo report. By the way, what was up with the Carolina-like blue Gonzaga was wearing last night? I spent the first few minutes of power thinking my television had lost its color correcting module or something.

• EWU: The Eastern men had expected to play Seattle U. on Tuesday. But those plans were scuttled thanks to the wind. So the teams played Wednesday afternoon instead. Seattle played zone, the Eagles shot well from beyond the arc and won, 76-70. Jim Allen has this story. ... The Eagles are changing starting quarterbacks. Jim has the story.

• Chiefs: The Tri-City Americans finally won at home. ... Everett’s winning streak was snapped.

• Preps: This is the final week of football in Idaho, with Sandpoint playing for the 4A title. Greg Lee has an advance of Saturday’s game in the Kibbie Dome. ... Greg also has a feature on Gonzaga Prep and its overpowering defense. ... Speaking of defense, the G-Prep soccer team has that in abundance. Jim Allen has more in this story. ... Greg and Sam Adams have their picks and Greg put together this notebook.

• Seahawks: So why has Seattle fallen so quickly? Is it money? Fourth-quarter blues caused by lack of depth? Offensive line? What? ... Darrell Bevell spoke about Russell Wilson and the offense yesterday. ... Newest receiver Kevin Smith is ready to job right in on his dream job. ... Ricardo Lockette’s last couple weeks have been different, to say the least.

• Sounders: Sigi Schmid seems to have a story for every occasion. He also has a job for next season. And an older team trying to get younger and more athletic. ... One way to do the latter is to sign Jordan Morris.

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• Let's see. We lost part of our fence. We fixed that. We lost our storage shed. Still trying to make repairs on that, but the poor thing is probably done for and will have to be replaced. Every leaf left on the trees came down. That's good. Got them out with the recycling yesterday. Now if we can just get the darn heat back on, life would be a lot simpler. Until later ...

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