In brief: Ottawa returns Cowen to Chiefs

Hockey: Defenseman Jared Cowen is expected to join the Spokane Chiefs for their Western Hockey League game at Chilliwack tonight.

General manager Tim Speltz said he talked to Cowen on Sunday after the Ottawa Senators decided not to keep their 2009 draft pick.

“We’re meeting him in Abbortsford (British Columbia),” Speltz said. “He’s very disappointed. We didn’t talk long. … These are goal-oriented people. He had one goal in mind and that was to play in the NHL.

“He knows why he’s been sent back, he knows what he has to do and he’s going to do it.”

For more go to: http:// www.spokesman.com/ blogs/sportslink/2010/ oct/04/cowen-victim- numbers/

Dave Trimmer

Spear proud to fly Vandals colors

Colleges: University of Idaho athletic director Rob Spear’s flight options may have just opened up.

It’s been almost a year since Spear declined to board a Horizon Air plane painted in rival Boise State colors, vowing he would board the plane only after the company painted an aircraft for the Vandals.

On Monday, Spear got his wish.

Horizon Air has announced that a Q400 aircraft will be painted in Idaho silver and gold colors. The plane will be available for service in November, a year after Spear made headlines for declining to board the Boise State plane.

In a statement, Spear called the Vandals plane a “bold recognition of Idaho’s flagship university.”

Associated Press

WAC honors Idaho linebacker

College football: Idaho linebacker Robert Siavii was named the Western Athletic Conference defensive player of the week for his effort against Western Michigan on Saturday.

Siavii, a junior from Wahiawa, O’ahu, had a team-high nine tackles in the 33-13 win at Western Michigan. Siavii added 1.5 tackles for loss, including a half sack, broke up two passes and had one quarterback hurry.

Men’s college basketball: Gonzaga’s Steven Gray and Elias Harris, Washington State’s Klay Thompson and University of Washington’s Isiah Thomas are on the John R. Wooden Award preseason top 50 watch list, which was released Monday.

The two Zags are the only WCC players on the list. Thompson and Thomas are two of six Pac-10 players on the list.