Today we practice the KISS formula
A GRIP ON SPORTS
We're going to keep it simple today. There is a reason for that. Read on.
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• One thing I learned while playing sports: You can't force things. As one of my college teammates used to say all the time (and I repeat endlessly), "you can't be quicker than you are." It's another way of saying you should stay within yourself, not try to do too much, to know your limitations. The philosophy works just fine in real life too. As the old saying goes, it is impossible to make a silk purse out of chicken salad or something like that. So we're not going to push it today. Oh, sure, there are plenty of prep sports stories to pass along and I'm sure many of you will find them interesting - and where we got this photograph of Gonzaga Prep's Alex Marcinkowski. And there are a couple of WSU and GU pieces to link, but nothing earth-shattering. The M's? They were off (again – how about major league baseball, huh, no days off for weeks then three in a bit more than a week; great scheduling) so the well there is pretty darn dry. A smattering of Seahawk news, a touch from the Sounders and that's about it. No big deal. It's nice outside, you want to get your work day going so it can end early and you can sit on the back porch – or in the driveway or under the tree in a park – and enjoy the evening. We won't stand in your way.
• By the way, we're set. We're going to put our Mother's Day stories together today – thanks for everyone who participated – and will have them for you in their entirety here on Sunday morning. And an abridged version will run in the newspaper, which we will also link. Thanks so much to those of you who sent us your stories. I laughed. I cried. I think I grew up next to a couple of you. By the way, if you haven't shared and still want to, you can send them to vincegrippi55@gmail.com. Your story probably won't make the paper, but if I get it sometime today, I will use it here on the blog.
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• WSU: Christian Caple popped on the blog yesterday with this video from defensive line coach Joe Salave'a during spring practice, then followed up with a morning post today. ... We can supplement his links with another story on Klay Thompson's all-around game and Jon Wilner's blog post on the Pac-12 Network. ... Colorado's quarterback has decided where he is transferring for next season.
• Gonzaga: The Zags baseball season is, in one sense, over. That would be the WCC regular season, with GU finishing on top of the standings. But in another sense, as Christian writes in his weekly notebook, it is just beginning. ... The proposed Dec. 7 doubleheader with Michigan State, Montana and WSU in the Arena may be in trouble. ... BYU loses another basketball player, this time to injury.
• Shock: A former Shock receiver is returning to the fold this week, thanks to a trade with Utah. Jim Meehan has the story and a blog post.
• Preps: A busy day of prep action, so let's get right to it. There are three notebooks, including Chris Derrick's softball one (he also has coverage of Thursday's playoff action), Mike Vlahovich on baseball and Steve Christilaw on tennis. ... Jim Allen has yesterday's soccer playoff games covered while Greg Lee takes care of the first day of the track district meet at SFCC.
• Mariners: Raul Ibanez says go ahead and doubt him. He's been doubted before. But he'll be OK and you'll have to eat your words. ... Remember that rant I went on yesterday? You know, the one about the umpires and instant replay. Ya, that one. Well even Major League baseball admits Angel Hernandez and his crew blew the call. (Really, what else were the powers that be going to say? That they got it right? That wasn't going to fly.) That and a dollar will get you a drink at McDonald's.
• Seahawks: Did you wonder why the Hawks made such a concerted effort to stockpile defensive linemen? Because you need them. You never know who might get hurt.
• Sounders: Djimi Traore's goal was the latest ever in an MLS game for the Sounders. ... There is a reason why Eddie Johnson wasn't punished more for his Philadelphia confrontation. And the MLS explains it. ... Midfielder Servando Carrasco has a few things to say.
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• We'll be back tomorrow as usual. Hope you have a nice Friday. Until later ...
