A Grip on Sports: After Hank Aaron’s death yesterday, we’ve decided to just skip ahead three months

A GRIP ON SPORTS • It’s been a long 12 months. Winter 2020 never really seemed to end, extending through spring, summer and fall, metaphorically if not in reality. But there is a light at the end of the tunnel and, for the first time in months, doesn’t seem to be the 3:10 from Yuma.

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• Admit it. All of us feel a bit like Phil Connors right now. We all want to punch Ned Ryerson in the nose. Wait, that’s not it. We feel like the winter of covid’s discontent is just going to continue forever.

Well, Phil has a word or two for you.

“When Chekhov saw the long winter, he saw a winter bleak and dark and bereft of hope,” Phil said as his life began to change. “Yet we know that winter is just another step in the cycle of life. But standing here among the people of Punxsutawney and basking in the warmth of their hearths and hearts, I couldn’t imagine a better fate than a long and lustrous winter.”

Nope, it’s not too early for flapjacks for everyone.

See, in three months, we will be in a different space. Outside, for one thing. But in a world of hope. And with a future.

For most of my life, I’ve lived three months at a time. Enjoying the now, sure, but always ready for what’s ahead. That’s why the winter equinox has held special weight. Three months from the darkest day of the year is the most joyful, the beginning of spring. New life, new possibilities.

Three months from today, April 23, is always a great day. There is no special anniversary or birthday or memoriam on that day, actually. It’s just always special. Every late April day in Spokane is special.

It’s the beginning of the best part of the year.

This year, April 23 will also be a point when we can see the end of this COVID-19 nightmare. That’s a belief, not a fact, sure. But I choose to believe. And look forward. Looking back is just too difficult.

• We looked back yesterday to Hank Aaron’s life and career. Since then, most everyone in the sporting nation added their thoughts as well. The one word that seemed to resonate throughout the memories was class.

There is little doubt Aaron, one of the greatest hitters of all time, was also one of the classiest players of all time as well. And brave in the truest sense of the word.

• Among all the tributes, Larry Weir shared his thoughts on Aaron in his latest Press Box podcast.

• Finally, we watched quite a bit of the Washington State women’s team loss at Oregon last night. In the second half, one thought hit us.

No, not about the players, many of whom we’ve seen play a lot this season. But about one type of call that seems to have gotten out of control this year.

Could it be possible college basketball referees have just gotten tired of deciding what’s a block, a charge and a flop and have just given up? Or maybe there is a school of thought that if everything is called a charge, then the rules will be changed to make it easier to call?

Whatever, it seems as if contact is made these days and the defender hits the floor, it’s a charge.

There was a call in the Cougar game last night that took the cake, to use a cliché, and stomped it into the floor.

The Oregon defender and the Washington State dribbler hit each other. The Duck player turned sideways, feet almost crossed and made contact with her shoulder against the WSU player’s shoulder. Now, I’m not privy to every rule interpretation ever, but it’s almost impossible for me to believe that was legal guarding position. In any way, shape or form. But a charge was called.

I ran the play back. Once, twice, three times. It was the type of contact I’ve seen a hundred-thousand times in my 64 years. And everyone was called a block. Not this one.

It’s where we’ve come these days.

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Gonzaga: Pacific had a four-game winning streak snapped Thursday. Now the Tigers invade the Kennel as animal imagery explodes in Spokane. Jim Meehan has a preview of the contest as well as a look at the key matchup. … The Gonzaga women lost another game to COVID-19, this time in the BYU program. So they will head to Portland on Sunday for a game with the Pilots. Jim Allen has more on the schedule changes in this story … Elsewhere in the WCC, like a lot of schools these days, BYU is relying on transfers to fill the roster holes.

WSU: There is a report Gunner Cruz, one of Washington State’s backup quarterbacks, will not be in Pullman much longer. Theo Lawson has more on his reported inclusion in the transfer portal. … As we mentioned above, we watched some of the loss to Oregon, a game that was crucial for the 13th-ranked Ducks. … The Washington State men face Colorado, which is looking to bounce back after an upset at Washington. … Before the Larry Scott news gets too old, Jon Wilner looked at the highs and lows of his tenure. … Around the Pac-12 and college basketball, Oregon will be shorthanded against Oregon State today. … The Beavers have a true low post player. … All the negativity was wearing out Utah. … UCLA is winning without, for them, star power. … USC had a false positive test. … Bobby Hurley was reprimanded by the conference for his comments after the Arizona loss. He was right, by the way. But his team’s disappointing season is becoming more noticeable. … The biggest game in the conference yesterday pitted No. 5 Stanford at No. 6 UCLA. The Bruin women handed the Cardinal their second consecutive loss. … In football news, Oregon will be well led on the defensive side of the football. The Ducks reportedly raided California’s coaching staff to entice former Fresno State coach Tim DeRuyter to Eugene. … USC had a great day recruiting as well, picking up transfer receiver K.D. Nixon from Colorado and finding out a key defensive player is returning. The Trojans did lose an assistant coach. … A UCLA defensive back is in the portal.

EWU: Around the Big Sky, it looks as if Montana State is going to lose Jeff Choate after all. The St. Maries High graduate and former Post Falls High coach is reportedly headed to the University of Texas as an assistant. … Montana has a chance for a sweep today. … Southern Utah found a new home in the WAC.

Preps: The virus numbers around the state of Washington, and this area in particular, weren’t good this week. It’s looking less and less as if high school sports will start on time. Dave Nichols has more in this story. … Winter sports are underway in Arizona, though everyone has to wear a mask while competing.

Seahawks: The Hawks have quite a few free agents. Who should they prioritize? … They hope to keep the defensive line intact. … Joe Lombardi does seem to be on the Seahawks’ list of offensive coordinator candidates.

Mariners: The M’s signed three international players. … J.P. Crawford is like all Mariner fans. He wants to win now.

Sounders: Jordan Morris is officially on his way to Wales. How he got there is an interesting story. A sad one for Sounders fans, maybe, but interesting.

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• Darn it, April 23 can’t get here fast enough. Just as I was finishing up, news breaks Larry King has died at age 87. It seems like only yesterday I was watching Larry interview Frank Sinatra and wondering if King would step off a New York City curb and be run down by a black limo driven by one of Sinatra’s buddies. Or Larry sitting behind home plate at Dodger Stadium, bundled up on a 75-degree night. King was the quintessential television celebrity interviewer, a standard of excellence only made better by his occasional faux pas (paging Jerry Seinfeld). Until later …