A GRIP ON SPORTS

There is one thing I like to do each Memorial Day. I reread the Gettysburg Address. It's my way of saying thanks to those the day was designed to honor. Fittingly, Abraham Lincoln wrote the speech and delivered it in 1863 as part of a ceremony to consecrate a cemetery, honoring the thousands who fell on the Pennsylvania battlefield just a few months before. It's not long, taking Lincoln only a couple minutes to deliver, but it's full of iconic phrases that still resonate through the years. However, the one that always hits me on this day concerns the sacrifice made by those being honored. “That from these honored dead,” Lincoln wrote, “we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion.” The last full measure of devotion. Wow. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

We've reminisced here before about Sunday papers, how they were always little magazines crammed full of stories to read. But there is one other aspect of that we may have forgotten to touch upon, though we will this morning. They were – and still are – at their best when they bring you an unexpected story or two. A little gem at the bottom of a mound of the predictable. It's that aspect we celebrate today as our blog is sprinkled, like a ruined doughnut, with colorful stories you probably didn't expect on a crowded weekend. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

It is Friday of a holiday weekend. Seven really exciting words, no? With Memorial Day coming up Monday, there is a chance to get out and enjoy all that the Northwest has to offer (if you live outside the area, I'm sorry – in more ways than one). Watch out for the wind today, it may get Mary Poppins bad. If you want to stay inside and read our morning report, we promise not to blow you away. Wait, that didn't come out right. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

After the past few days, any sunshine is appreciated. Even the diffuse stuff we're getting now. Let's shine some light on the Inland Northwest's sports news, shall we? Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

Yesterday we didn't write a lot due to back problems. Well, after a trip to the doctor and pharmacist (who I presumed was a Cougar because almost every pharmacist around here is a Cougar), we're doing a bit better. A bit better, as in we can actually sit at our computer and type without screaming. Read on.

COUGARS

FROM PULLMAN — We're back with some links for your Sunday, including some news about a trio of former Washington State football players who signed with NFL teams after the draft ended yesterday. Read on.

Local NCAA Division I women's basketball teams had a successful Saturday - with the exception of Washington State, which lost at UCLA. 

We were at Gonzaga today, where the Bulldogs turned up the heat in the second half and beat a defensive San Diego team. John Blanchette wrote this column on the Zag women in the post-Courtney Vandersloot era, Jesse Tinsley told the game story through his photo lens, and here's the link to my game story.

The Eastern Washington women continued their quest for a Big Sky Conference title with a win at Sacramento State and the Idaho women picked up their second Western Athletic Conference win in a late game at San Jose State.

COUGARS

FROM PULLMAN -- As surprises go, this isn't one. At all. Faisal Aden has been named Pac-12 Player of the Week after averaging 28.5 points per game in wins over Stanford and California. And in the process, Aden and Brock Motum join a pretty exclusive WSU group. Read on.

Before the “glow” wears off from the BCS title game, I just have to throw in my idea for playoff system for major college football. It's radically different from most proposals, because we should be asking less, not more, of the student/athletes/gladiators who make this game of college football what it is.

Sleep is overrated.

Late night/early morning after witnessing Gonzaga’s entertaining 89-81 victory over Washington State, watching the replay 'til 2:30 a.m. and up early for a radio interview with KJR in Seattle. No chance of a nap with three cups of coffee in me, so I’ll get the day-after post up and running.

Between my personal 3-hour fight with the wireless at the McCarthey Athletic Center, there were a few moments of Internet clarity and I was deluged (per usual) with tweets. Most of them were far more clever than the dozens of signs in the Kennel Club (best of the KC: It takes 2 to tango, but only 1 to Pangos.)

From an old friend and current college coach: Zags are playing ‘H-O-R-S-E’ right now, look like Zags of old. This one cracked me up: Pangos > Jimmer.

Read on.

Back with the game story from Gonzaga's 89-81 victory over Washington State.GU was in command, leading by as many 21, 20 with 10:45 left and 15 with 5:11, but the Cougars staged a rally that trimmed to 3 on two occasions.

Kevin Pangos put on a show with 33 points and six assists. He made 9 of 13 3s, six treys in the first half. His 33 points is believed to be a Gonzaga freshman scoring record.

Here's my game story and John Blanchette's column. 

Check back tomorrow for a day-after post.

Stanford showed off its No. 4 ranking in the women's basketball poll, rolling over Washington State in Pullman. My weekly poll is below.

There was only one women's basketball game for the area Division I schools on Friday and it was impressive.

On FSN, the Washington State Cougars won their second consecutive Pac-10 game, the first time they've done that in a decade, with a solid thumping of California. The Cougs opened a big lead early and when the Bears stormed back they responded.

Today it's Eastern Washington at Northern Colorado and Gonzaga at Loyola Marymount. Both games start at 2. The Cougars face No. 4 Stanford on Sunday afternoon in Pullman.

Gonzaga will make the 90-minute drive (weather permitting) south to face Washington State tonight. S-R Cougar beat writer Vince Grippi filed this preview. More previews in the Lewiston Tribune and Seattle Times.

Remember, in-game updates at Twitter.com/SRjimm.

Friend and colleague Ryan Collingwood, who covers WSU basketball for the Lewiston Tribune and runs the paper’s WSU basketball blog, sent me about a dozen questions on the GU-WSU game. 

He stuck my answers on the Trib’s blog, so I’m sticking them on my blog.

Here’s the link (though I admit I’m having some second thoughts on the prediction!)

Colorado would like to join the WSU Cougars and the rest of the Pac-10 a year earlier than planned. And there is a chance the Big 12 would let them. Now the Buffaloes wait to see how much it will cost. Associated Press writer Arnie Stapleton takes a look at Colorado’s situation in the article below.

I was en route to Pullman when this came out, but read on for a short note about Bill Moos being invited to Pullman on Wednesday. He’ll be there to talk about the open athletic director position.

I’ve been spending the last couple hours putting together the story about Jim Sterk leaving Washington State University of San Diego State of the Mountain West Conference. You can access the story here. We’ll have more on this major change at WSU over the next few days, I’m sure. Also, on the link we have some news about the football assistant coaching position.