Grip on Sports: Washington State could use a little disruption, something GU fans might see soon
A GRIP ON SPORTS • The word of the day is chaos. Chaos, other than within its own games, is what Washington State needs over the next few weeks if it wants to move into the College Football Playoff’s top four. And chaos is what Gonzaga fans can expect if a labor dispute in Hawaii isn’t settled before next week. Read on.
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• Yes, it’s one of those days when we have more than one major point to cover. The first one is, because it is a Wednesday morning in mid-November, the College Football Playoff rankings.
Nothing changed this week. Not after all of the top 10 wins last Saturday. So WSU is still ranked eighth, still needs a lot of things to happen – not the least of which is to win three consecutive games to go 12-1 for the first time in its history – to make the final four.
Because so many events have to coalesce just right, maybe we should just quit thinking about it. Excuse me, I’m still laughing. We are football fans, right? Thinking about what could happen is our birthright. And one whole heck of a lot of fun.
• Speaking of fun, I hand fun this week looking back into Washington State’s past. Ten years into the past, in fact. Into the dark ages, so to speak.
It was 2008 and being a Cougar football fan was as hard as it had ever been.
So this story may not seem like it would be a lot of fun to read. Except I tried to illustrate how far the program had traveled in a decade. Not in miles, of course, but in competitiveness.
• Remember “Forgetting Sarah Marshall?” That’s the only movie I could think of off the top of my head with a Hawaiian hotel in it. Or maybe I thought about it because Mila Kunis played a hotel worker and Jim Meehan has a story about hotel workers in today’s sports section.
Both seem a bit incongruous. However, Jim’s story is about a strike going on at a Hawaii property Gonzaga is going to be staying at next week for the Maui Invitational.
It may or may not disrupt travel plans for the lucky few Zag fans that were able to get the time off, afford the Thanksgiving week to the Islands and scored the really rare game tickets.
Honestly, if you were able to pull of that trifecta, than a little labor dispute isn’t going to bother you.
• Today is national signing day for hoops. The first day of the early period. And for the first time since either Adam Morrison or Josh Heytvelt (depending on your definition of “local”), a highly rated local Spokane basketball player will be signing with the Zags.
Gonzaga Prep’s Anton Watson will realize a dream and officially sign with Gonzaga at lunchtime today.
As someone who has known Anton since he was in middle school, I know how big a day this is for him. And what he’s done to get to this point. He’s earned it. And will enjoy it.
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WSU: This group of Cougars seem to get along pretty darn well. That’s obvious. And it’s also the subject of this Theo Lawson story. … Theo has a story on the CFP rankings, his Pac-12 power rankings and interviews with Mike Leach, Taylor Comfort, Jalen Thompson and Easop Winston. … Arizona’s season has had some low points, which may have helped the team mature. … Leach is always quotable.
Elsewhere in the Pac-12, there are power rankings and notebooks to pass along. … Yes, the Apple Cup is next week. But no, the Huskies say they are not looking ahead and past Oregon State. … The Oregon offense has been under fire lately and will be without another player this week when Arizona State visits. … Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre doesn’t believe his job is in jeopardy no matter what happens this weekend against Utah. The Utes will be expanding their stadium. … Clay Helton also doesn’t think there he has any worries at USC. If the Trojans lose their last two rivalry games, my guess is he will discover he does. UCLA has some fond memories to fall back upon. … Who has the momentum this week in the Bay Area? Red-hot California or Stanford, winners of the last eight rivalry games? … In basketball news, Washington was faced with a situation you don’t practice for – a bus fire.
Gonzaga: Texas big man Drew Timme, rated as a five-star recruit, committed to Gonzaga this morning. Jim Meehan updated a story he had in this morning’s paper, and will add more later today. … Jim also joined Larry Weir for the latest Press Box pod. … The Gonzaga women are 3-0 against Big Sky opponents and 3-0 this season. They won last night, 70-51 over Idaho State. Dan Thompson has the story and our buddy Dan Pelle has the photographs. … Around the WCC last night, BYU’s offense sputtered but the Cougars still rolled to a home win.
EWU: The Eagles travel to Portland for a game against the Vikings this Friday. It also a homecoming for at least one player. Ryan Collingwood has more in this notebook. … Around the Big Sky, Montana State has been successful lately by Montana’s Bobby Hauck has done well in the rivalry game. … Weber State wins at Idaho State and it wins the Big Sky’s automatic playoff berth. … UC Davis is the big favorite in this year’s showdown with Sacramento State. Last week’s Hornet game with Northern Arizona, lost due to smoky conditions, will not be rescheduled.
Idaho: The Vandals are 0-2 after losing their first home game last night, 83-80 to Nicholls State, which made a Palouse swing this week. Peter Harriman has the game story.
Chiefs: A late rally lifted Spokane to a 3-2 victory over Seattle on the road.
Seahawks: There have been some really fun Thursday night games in the Pete Carroll era. … Rashaad Penny expects to be the guy again this week. … Russell Wilson is always ready. … The run defense hasn’t been lately. … Injuries will be a problem in the short week.
Mariners: No matter how the matter is resolved, Larry Stone writes, the allegations from Lorena Martin will stain the M’s for a long time. … Third-base coach Scott Brosius will not be back.
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• To all the high school athletes who are fulfilling a dream today, congratulations. It’s a fun day and one you will remember for a long, long time. Until later …