A GRIP ON SPORTS

Just when you think the sports scene is winding down, some unexpected news hits Gonzaga. And other locales. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

Oregon State coach Craig Robinson tweeted something this morning that every basketball fan understands: “Bittersweet time of the year. Still wish you were playing but get to spend time with loved ones. Ugh!” Yep, everyone wishes their college basketball team was still playing. Wait, there are two local teams still playing aren't there? Yes there are, Washington State's men and Gonzaga's women. And spring football started yesterday down in the Palouse. So there isn't really more time to spend with the loved ones, is there? Which makes me wonder, what was Robinson's “ugh” about? Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

I don't remember many more eventful Wednesday in March around here. There was the Cougars domination of Oregon State in the CBI semifinals – basically without leading scorer Brock Motum. There was 729 blog posts from Christian Caple on SportsLink yesterday. And there was the snowstorm that dumped a few inches on my driveway starting last night. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

Not a lot of surprises today. There's no rest for the Washington State men, who had to hustle down to Corvallis on Tuesday for tonight's CBI semifinal against Oregon State. The Gonzaga women, on the other hand, got to catch their breath, with coach Kelly Graves sounding on the radio as if he needed the time just to let his voice return. The Zags will face Kentucky in the Sweet Sixteen on Sunday. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

We have a clock on the living room mantle that chimes each hour. When the batteries are fresh, it's loud enough to be heard all throughout the upper level of the house. But as those batteries wind down, the chimes become softer and softer until, finally, the clock just clicks on the top of the hour. The basketball season is a bit like that. We're to the point where the chimes are winding down and soon they will cease all together. But tonight in Spokane, there is still some noise to be heard, with Gonzaga's women hosting the University of Miami in the NCAA's second round. And it could be very loud. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

I have to admit I didn't see the end of the UNLV/Colorado game last night. Couldn't get to the finish line. Failed. After spending most of the day watching favorite after favorite win, I couldn't stay awake anymore. Heck, it was after 9 for goodness sake. So we hit the sack, only to discover when I arose early this morning the Buffs had blown up that section of my bracket. The darn Pac-12. It destroys me even when it wins. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

It's finally here. The first (real) day of the NCAA basketball tournament. The basketball junkie's Christmas. It all starts at a little after 9 in the morning here on the West Coast and continues until your eyes close – or they explode – sometime late this evening. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

The last time I watched a college basketball game on TV from the University of San Francisco's venerable War Memorial Gymnasium, I was afraid the fire marshal would clear the place out. It was that crowded. That, of course, was less than a month ago, when Gonzaga invaded San Francisco for a key WCC game and left with a 66-65 defeat. Last night, as I sat watching the first round game in the College Basketball Invitational, which Washington State would win 89-75, I was shocked by how empty the gym was. So empty, in fact, I got up this morning and immediately went onto the USF website to see the official attendance contained on the box score. I found it but for some reason the link wants to print the box score; just hit cancel and then scroll to the bottom for the attendance. Even after that glitch I wasn't ready for the shocking number I found here. Talk about empty. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

Selection Sunday can either be the happiest day of the year or the saddest, depending on your position. But for most folks, whose schools already know their NCAA fate, it can also have no relevance whatsoever. Strike that. Very little relevance might be better. After all, just about everyone loves to get those bracket sheets and make their predictions, don't they? Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

There is still a chance today could be TF60DDOTY (or as it's known to most folks, the first 60-degree day of the year) in the Inland Northwest. Which would make it the best day of the year for me. Yep, nothing better than that first day post-winter (OK, I know it is still winter officially) you can put on shorts and wander around, causing car wrecks and blinding babies with your white legs. Of course, the past few years I've been able to do that in Pullman, where the students would always point admiringly and show their envy (I'm sure) by laughing at the whiteness of my skin. Now I have to do that at home, and the warm weather means I'll be in the back yard with a rake. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

Before Washington State's Pac-12 Conference tournament game began yesterday, Christian Caple posted a picture of the empty Staples Center on this blog. Yes, it was a pregame photo for a noon game, so you would expect the arena to be empty. But after the game began, the seats remained unfilled. Either that or they gave out free T-shirts that were the exact same color as the seats. Anyhow, the empty arena, the quiet atmosphere, the ability to hear fans' comments throughout the game – all of which was caught by Fox's broadcast – took me back to a simpler time and a simpler place, when game officials were less hesitant to interact with their fans. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

Got up early this morning to get this post done. After all, as I type this, there is only six hours until the tip off of Washington State's Pac-12 tournament game against Oregon State. And it's only been about 10 hours since Eastern Washington's season ended in a late flurry by the Montana Grizzlies in Missoula. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

It is kind of appropriate today is Super Tuesday. After all, around Gonzaga yesterday, it was not-so-super Monday. Not with the men losing the West Coast Conference title game in overtime to St. Mary's. And the women melting in the second half against BYU once again. Not the best day for the folks wandering around Desmet and Cincinnati streets. But there is always a new day. And today our focus can shift to Eastern Washington, in Missoula tonight to face the Grizzlies on their home court. Then tomorrow, the Cougars begin Pac-12 tournament play in Los Angeles. And on Sunday the Zag men will hear their name called by the NCAA selection committee and on Monday, the GU women will find out who they are hosting in the tournament. As of right now, no one else in the area can say that with any assurance. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

Do you know by the end of the week the forecast calls for temperatures in the high 50s in the Inland Northwest? High 50s. Golfing weather. Wonder if I can lose 20 pounds by Friday? Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS • UPDATED: 9:20 A.M.

We had such a huge day of local basketball yesterday, we want to get the links up to those stories as early as possible. So we're putting this up now and will be back later with more. UPDATE: OK, we are back, with more links from yesterday. So now you can read on for everything.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

Wow. What a Saturday. Gonzaga's men and women in the West Coast Conference tournament. Eastern Washington in the Big Sky tournament. Idaho, the hottest team around, finishing up its regular season. Washington State concluding Pac-12 regular season play against USC, one of the worst teams in recent conference history. And all the state basketball finals, from the Bs in Spokane to the big schools in Tacoma. What a Saturday. I can't remember a Saturday like this one for, what, at least a year? Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

Most people believe winter is about over when they see the first robin of spring. Or maybe the first crocus. Not me. I know it's over when I see my first State B basketball game at the Arena. It's more reliable than any bird or flower or even a groundhog. Watch a B game, know that it will only be a couple weeks until the golf course opens. Well the B tourney opened yesterday and I couldn't be happier. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

It's Thursday. That's a pretty crowded news day in its own right. But it's also the first day of the Washington state basketball tournaments. And it's also a busy college basketball week. With all that being said, no reason to chit-chat. Best to just get on to the news – and links. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

Around the Inland Northwest, there is a lot of truth to the old saw about March coming in like a lion. And this year did not disappoint. Here it is, the first day of March and there's more snow … wait, what? Leap year? Really. Another damn day of winter? Great. … Anyway, here it is, the final day of Februrary – if Kim is to be believed – and there's more snow on the ground. Though some people connected to our local college basketball programs get to escape to Southern California or Las Vegas this week, land of sunshine, bright lights and Double-Doubles, some of us will be shoveling snow and hoping spring hurries up and gets here. Of course, it will only take longer if the powers-that-be continue adding days to February.  Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

Really, we were going to bide our time on this subject. Wait until next week to vent. But you can't always control the news cycle. Sometimes your hand is forced by an outside entity. So you have to move before you're ready. Read on.