Fast Break
SportsLink
Jim Walden, ‘football savant’
Jim Walden, former Washington State football coach and current color commentator for WSU football broadcasts, took some heat for being the only voter to give Florida a No. 1 vote at the end of the regular season. He votes in the Harris Interactive Poll, one of several polls used by the BSC standings to determine the teams for the title game.
That didn’t escape the attention of ESPN.com columnist Gene Wojciechowski, who called Walden during the Monday night BSC title game in which Florida dominated Ohio State.
“You’re amazing,” writes Wojciechowski about Walden. “A football savant.”
Wojciechowski went into the Florida locker room after the game and ask players about Walden and his vote.
“Walden who?” said defensive tackle defensive tackle Ray McDonald. “Whoever he is, he’s a genius.”
Go to Vince Grippi’s SportsLink at spokesmanreview. com/sports for a link to Wojciechowski’s column.
College basketball
Didn’t you vote for the Zags?
The sports editor took a few angry calls Tuesday regarding Vince Grippi’s column wondering why Gonzaga didn’t get a single vote in the Associated Press Top 25 poll. Thanks, Vince.
One reader in particular said we “crapped” all over GU for not voting for the home team.
Just so you know, the AP doles out one vote in the state of Washington. The S-R has had it in the past, but not this year.
Not to worry, though. As most of you know, it doesn’t really matter. Unlike football, basketball actually has a playoff.
College football
ASU tight end chooses NFL
Arizona State tight end Zach Miller will forego his senior year and enter the NFL draft.
Miller announced his intentions at a campus news conference. His departure is a blow to new head coach Dennis Erickson, hired last month to replace Dirk Koetter, who was fired.
A second-team Associated Press All-America selection this season, Miller is the school’s all-time leading receiver among tight ends.
Clarification
Our apologies to Sun Devils
Oops. In the Fast Break item Tuesday about Dirk Koetter, we inadvertently called Arizona State the Wildcats. As one caller said, that’s like calling Washington State the Huskies. One thing wasn’t clear, though. Who was insulted more, the Sun Devils or the Wildcats?