Stories by John Blanchette for the Spokesman-Review

Sports > WSU football

John Blanchette: Washington State helps itself to some self-help advice

Sat., Sept. 2, 2017

Once is a hiccup. Twice is a habit. Three times, well, if the Washington State Cougars were going to lose to a Big Sky Conference team three years running, there’s no telling what you’d call that, except that would be cause for hara-kiri among the fan base.

Sports

John Blanchette: Vandals continue to win despite controversial decision to downgrade

Thu., Aug. 31, 2017

As it’s been pretty much 95 degrees every day since our last Idaho football fix in the giddy triumph at the Potato Bowl, it could be assumed that all had thawed – from the Vandals’ fingers and toes to the quarterback’s relationship with the school president.

Sports > Seattle Seahawks

2017 football: Five best Seahawks QBs of all-time

Thu., Aug. 31, 2017

The Spokesman-Review selects the five best quarterbacks to play for the Seattle Seahawks.

Sports

John Blanchette: Jack Thompson got the ball rolling in our pass-rich history

Thu., Aug. 31, 2017

From Luke Falk to Matt Linehan to Gage Gubrud to Ian Kolste, there’s an all-conference passer at each of the area’s colleges, every level. Throw in a Pac-12-caliber talent like Coeur d’Alene’s Colson Yankoff atop the high school heap. Over the mountains, there’s Russell Wilson and Jake Browning, headliners both.

Sports > National sports

John Blanchette: Jud Heathcote cared enough to ‘coach up’ everyone he knew

Wed., Aug. 30, 2017

You have to be able to reach people, and maybe this was Jud Heathcote’s special gift. Yes, he knew basketball, but better still he could teach it.

Sports > Spokane Chiefs

Youngsters shine at Spokane Chiefs annual Red-White Game, goaltending job ‘there for somebody to take’

UPDATED: Sun., Aug. 27, 2017

It’s never too early to make big plans. So what if it’s August and the hockey season isn’t even in the exhibition phase yet – and so what if roster spots are still very much at stake?

Sports > National sports

John Blanchette: We deserve this sordid Floyd Mayweather-Conor McGregor spectacle and its rematches

Sat., Aug. 19, 2017

There’s something about The Money Fight that gets me all nostalgic for the dewy bygone days of crossover sports nonsense.

Sports > Spokane Shock

John Blanchette: Indoor football ran out of time in Spokane

UPDATED: Wed., July 12, 2017

As a handy reference for all things minor league in sports, the movie “Slap Shot” is unerring in tone and applicable across the spectrum.

Sports

John Blanchette: Winning Hoopfest just one of many talents for this former Eagle

UPDATED: Thu., June 22, 2017

Posing with his teammates and wearing a winner’s smile under that white headband after last year’s Hoopfest? That’s right, it was Matt Brunell who scored just 221 points in 84 games with the Eastern Washington Eagles.

Sports > Spokane Indians

John Blanchette: Grant Zawadzki’s career trajectory takes detour to pitching mound

Thu., June 15, 2017

Job – or career – retraining gets mixed notices. One downsized worker’s livelihood jump-start is another’s waste of time.

Sports > Spokane Indians

John Blanchette: Short-season baseball fits Spokane well

Thu., June 15, 2017

Let’s set the WABAC machine for the year 1982, when Spokane was feeling butt-hurt, burned and betrayed when its baseball team was spirited off to Las Vegas, and by local guys, no less.

Sports

John Blanchette: Hoopfest, Olympics 3-on-3 almost seem made for each other

Thu., June 8, 2017

If the Olympic stewards in this country had any notion of tapping into what makes the street game truly appealing, they’d go straight to where the appeal is greatest: They’d make Hoopfest the Olympic trials.

Sports > Spokane Chiefs

John Blanchette: New Chiefs coach Dan Lambert has always been up for challenge

Tue., June 6, 2017

For all the many testimonials – compassionate, a communicator, a teacher – whether Dan Lambert is what the Spokane Chiefs need in a head coach will be answered in the standings.

Sports > High school sports

Oakesdale, Lakeside win girls track titles

UPDATED: Sat., May 27, 2017

After finishing in a first-place tie with Mt. Vernon Christian in last year’s State 1A/2B/1B track and field championships, the game-planning for 2017 began early for the Oakesdale Nighthawks.

Sports > High school sports

State 1A/2B/1B track: Lakeside’s Zach Annanie, Sienna Swannack repeat as champions

UPDATED: Fri., May 26, 2017

Between the weight of expectation and the bull’s-eye on the back, there’s a price that comes with defending a championship.

Sports > Area sports

Whitworth’s Kayla Leland displays amazing drive on the track

Tue., May 23, 2017

As collegiate track and field moves into the nationals phase of the season, athletes who pile on multiple events in dual meets and invitationals often narrow their attention to their best one – and, of course, in many cases they’ve qualified in only one.

Sports > Seattle Mariners

John Blanchette: Maybe Mariners marketing folks could figure out how to promote good health

Sat., May 20, 2017

You’ve probably detected a trend this season involving the Seattle Mariners.

Sports > Area sports

John Blanchette: Gonzaga’s Troy Fraley may be a bit crazy but he’s nation’s top steeplechaser

Fri., May 19, 2017

Troy Fraley is the nation’s foremost collegiate practitioner of the 3,000-meter steeplechase, and in all probability the only student on GU’s campus who’s in bed by 8:30 each night.

Sports > National sports

John Blanchette: As spectacle, expect Bloomsday to stand the test of time even as running world continues to evolve

Sat., May 6, 2017

There is spectacle – and Bloomsday is certainly that – and there is stunt, which is often spectacle without the charm. And on the eve of Bloomsday XLI, the buzz among the swift runners imported for Sunday morning’s front-end entertainment was the curiosity of reigning Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge coming up just 26 seconds shy of running a sub-2-hour marathon.

Sports > National sports

John Blanchette: From a distance, Jim Ryun’s accomplishments continue to amaze

UPDATED: Thu., May 4, 2017

Bloomsday is 12 kilometers of civic satisfaction, and given the race’s size and staying power Jim Ryun is not going to quibble with the metrics – even if he is a feet, yards and miles guy.

Sports > Area sports

John Blanchette: Gonzaga’s Eli Morgan throws opponents a curve with his masterful changeup

Fri., April 28, 2017

When Eli Morgan is on the mound for the Gonzaga Bulldogs, catcher Jake Roberts calls for the changeup, often as not, when an out-pitch is needed – any time, any count, any batter. You go with what works.

Sports > Gonzaga basketball

John Blanchette: Departure of Nigel Williams-Goss opens door for others

UPDATED: Tue., April 18, 2017

So make that two one-and-dones. Or is that ones-and-done?

Sports > Seattle Mariners

John Blanchette: Mariners offer perfect ideas for saving time in baseball

UPDATED: Wed., April 12, 2017

It’s been in all the papers: how the biggest threat to baseball’s future popularity is the ever-increasing length of games.

Sports > Seattle Mariners

John Blanchette: I’ll take Mitch Haniger for right field, Alex

UPDATED: Wed., April 12, 2017

It could almost be a “Jeopardy” category – all the little historical failings and shortcomings of Seattle baseball. Not including the main one, of course.

Sports > Seattle Mariners

John Blanchette: Seeds of discontent present during M’s win in home opener

UPDATED: Mon., April 10, 2017

Think of it this way: as customer incentivizing goes, the Seattle Mariners have not yet dipped to United Airlines levels.

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