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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Grip on Sports: The NCAA does the right thing and grants WSU’s Lewis another season

Washington State wide receiver Kyle Sweet, left, congratulates wide receiver Robert Lewis after his touchdown reception against Colorado during the first half  Nov. 19, 2016, in Boulder, Colorado. (David Zalubowski / AP)

A GRIP ON SPORTS • There’s an old adage about good things happening to good people. Sometimes it is true. Sometimes not. It’s about 50/50. Read on.

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• On the plus side, the NCAA granted Washington State’s Robert Lewis a sixth year of eligibility to play football. 

And that’s a bit surprising.

Surprising because the sixth year is usually only granted when a college athlete loses two seasons to injury. That’s not what happened in Lewis’ case.

The slot receiver from inner-city Los Angeles was one of Mike Leach’s first recruits at WSU. Yes, Lewis has been around that long.

He entered Washington State after grayshirting and then – and here’s the key point – redshirted as a freshman to get bigger and stronger. At 5-foot-9 and 140 pounds in high school, it seemed like the appropriate thing to do.

It was. But in most cases the NCAA dings you for it down the road if an injury ever occurs.

As it did just before last season was set to begin.

Lewis tore his ACL in a scrimmage a few days before the opener, costing the Cougars their most experienced receiver and, seemingly, ending Lewis’ college career.

After three seasons, he had started 22 games, caught 117 passes for more than 1,200 yards and had been in the end zone six times. Not bad numbers. But it looked at that point as if you could etch them in stone.

But lo and behold, the NCAA did the right thing. It will let Lewis play next season as he works on his second WSU degree. It makes sense, but when has the organization always done things that make sense?

Lewis initial redshirt year, way back in 2013, may not have been due to injury, but was needed at his size to prevent injury later on. When he stepped on the Pullman campus he just wasn’t big enough. The 20 pounds of muscle he added over the years was crucial in his development.

And, yes, I know he was injured anyway last August. But freak ACL injuries aren’t what Lewis – or anyone – tries to avoid by adding strength and muscle. Those will happen with no rhyme or reason. It’s the daily wear and tear, the hit after hit, that demands as much muscle as possible. It’s a way to survive in the world of college football.

Robert Lewis survived. He did well. And, thanks to the right decision, he will get to play once more.

• On the minus side, there is a mention in this newspaper today of Gonzaga’s 2006 NCAA loss to UCLA. 

It’s been more than a decade. Can’t it just fade away? I guess not. 

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WSU: Theo Lawson has the Lewis news today, giving it some context in this story. … Elsewhere in the Pac-12, Utah and UCLA received some good news on the basketball front. … Washington is playing its best baseball of the season right now. … Arizona State hasn’t played that well the past two years, but no change is planned. … The Pac-12 North has a lot of returning offensive talent. … The unknowns associated with legalized gambling has Colorado’s athletic director worried. … A former Oregon basketball standout is in some trouble.

Gonzaga: With the Zags getting ready to meet UCLA in the NCAA baseball tournament, Theo takes a look at memorable meetings between the schools over the years. … Gonzaga and Eastern Washington fans helped Spokane and Cheney earn high marks in this ranking of best basketball cities. Jim Meehan has the story. … Jim also delves into a recruiting visit of a possible transfer. … CBS still has Gonzaga ranked in its top five for next season. 

Lewis-Clark State: The Warriors stayed alive in the NAIA World Series with a 5-3 win. 

Preps: It only seems as if the Jack Blair Memorial girls basketball game has been around forever. In actuality, it’s been 25 years. Dave Nichols has a preview of tonight’s game at Central Valley.

Mariners: Felix Hernandez, the starter, gave up five runs. Edwin Diaz, the closer, gave up four more. It added up to a 9-5 loss to Texas, ending the M’s winning streak. … Seattle isn’t into small ball but the M’s still use the bunt when needed. … Jean Segura is trying to fill a void.

Seahawks: The Hawks have added to their receiving corps by taking a chance on veteran receiver Brandon Marshall. … The mailbag is open.

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• That’s it for today. We’ll see you tomorrow. Until then …