WSU coverage will continue with Grippi at the helm

It’s been too long since my last foray into this space and for that I apologize. Or, you’re welcome.

There are a few things I would like to share, starting with our WSU coverage. Last year we asked veteran Vince Grippi to step in on the WSU beat after three-year starter Glenn Kasses left to pursue his MBA at Boston College.

Grippi agreed to a one-year deal as a transition to an eventual replacement. He would commute to Pullman rather than live there as has been our practice for the past three decades.

This was always thought to be a one-year gig. The year before, Grippi was a big part of our SportsLink blog launch and he wanted to return to that after a year of commuting to Pullman. Nick Eaton, a young talented reporter who joined our team in January, joined Vince in Pullman for a few months and then was to take over the beat this spring. In the meantime, we ask Nick to produce video content for SportsLink and feature stories for print.

That was the plan.

Well, now the plan has changed. Grippi has asked to be retained.

This is a good thing for readers for two reasons. First, Grippi did an excellent job covering the Cougs this past season, both football and basketball. Readers should expect nothing less next season. Second, we are able to retain Eaton as an online resource and expand that expertise to other venues in Spokane.

Eaton will continue to cover big events in Pullman, but also take in high school, college and minor league events in Spokane.

SportsLink numbers

I am a newspaper reader. I prefer to hold the paper, fold the paper, throw it in anger from time to time. When I was a kid, I always brought the paper in from outside. I wanted to read it first.

Reader statistics suggest I belong to a group whose numbers are shrinking. The internet is where people are flocking.

The sports department is not ready to jump ship, but we won’t bury our heads in the sand either. We want to provide quality local sports news whether you get it in the printed product or on our Web site (spokesmanreview.com/sports).

I think of SportsLink as a good supplement to the sports section. Our numbers are growing. In the first quarter of 2008 SportsLink attracted more than 400,000 page views. It is more than double the amount of any other blog at spokesmanreview.com.

Those are numbers I am proud of, but in a few years may seem miniscule. That will be a good thing, but I will still want my paper.

Keeping Pace

Last year when local motorsports columnist Paul Delaney told me he was taking a full-time job with the Cheney Free Press, I immediately started hearing imaginary nasty phone calls about our lack of interest in the local motorsports scene.

Then Delaney recommended Doug Pace and the imaginary phone calls went away.

Pace debuted last Friday and I am confident he can continue what Delaney started 21 years ago.

Pace has worked as a sports editor for a weekly newspaper and has worked for NASCAR as a media director. He has been published in several motorsports newspapers, magazines and other outlets.

Pace has a day job with a bank, but motorsports are his passion and he plans on bringing that passion to life in his Friday column.