A Grip on Sports: Though the Pro Bowl is the punchline for a lot of jokes, it will be watched this weekend by many

A GRIP ON SPORTS • We love old jokes. It’s fitting. And there is one that is fitting for the upcoming weekend. It has to do with … well, that would ruin it.

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• If you could show one game to convince someone to become a baseball fan, what game would it be? (Pause for comedic effect.) The Pro Bowl.

Hello? Hello? Anyone out there?

We said it was an old joke. We didn’t say it was funny. Or true. But it is both. The Pro Bowl may be the worst major sporting event shown on TV every year. Football without emotion and aggression is worse than a 14-inning baseball game between the Mets and Marlins.

And yet, because it is the only televised NFL action – to use that term loosely – available this weekend, it will draw decent-to-really-good ratings. Go figure. Probably the best of the weekend.

And yet there are multiple good college basketball games to watch, from local (Gonzaga is at BYU on Saturday night at 7 on ESPN and red-hot Washington State plays at California earlier in the day – 1 p.m. – on the Pac-12 Networks) to national (Kentucky at Alabama, Oklahoma at Oklahoma State – there is sure to be some bedlam – and Duke at North Carolina for you nostalgia buffs).

But that’s not all. The most scenic venue in golf injects the cuteness of sea otters, the majesty of the Pacific Ocean and the thrill of a 16-foot downhill putt directly into your living room. It is the Crosby Pro-Am, even if it no longer named after Spokane’s most-famous crooner. Pebble Beach is beautiful, Jim Nantz is lyrical (he lives on the course) and the waves are hypnotizing.

All in all, a good weekend.

Wait, there’s more you say? Oh, I almost forgot. Something called the Winter Olympics is on as well. From, of all places, Beijing. Wasn’t that the site of the 2008 Summer Olympics? Yes it was. And some of the venues built for those events are being repurposed for winter events. Smart. Thrifty. It probably saved China a couple billion dollars. Which the authoritarian regime just poured back into “security” measures. And virus-mitigation.

Sports in 2022. Fun.

• We understand Chet Holmgren’s performance last night in San Diego was fun too. Not for the hosts, mind you. But for the Gonzaga faithful. The Toreros have been the feel-good West Coast Conference story of the season and Holmgren ruined that.

Good for him. He’s playing like the dominant star Mark Few knew he was getting when he enticed him to leave the Midwest for Spokane. He’s a dominant force in the paint defensively. He’s a dominant force in transition – he can lead the break or finish it, which is kind of rare for a 7-footer. And he’s shooting well from beyond the arc (better than 60 percent in the last six games), where he’s always open even if a 6-2 guard has closed out well.

• If there is a gold standard for up-and-down play in the Pac-12, Stanford has probably grabbed that dubious distinction. Last night Washington State tried to wrest it away from the Cardinal in California but, thankfully for Cougar fans, Stanford was resolute. As was WSU in the way that matters, holding on for a 66-60 victory.

The Cougars not only extended their winning streak to four, they also improved their NET ranking to 36, fourth-best in the conference. And allowed their fans to continue to hope for an at-large NCAA berth. 

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Gonzaga: Sunny San Diego (if you get away from the ocean) is always inviting and, in the last two decades the Zags have enjoyed the party more than the hosts. Such was the case last night as Holmgren and the Bulldogs rolled 92-62. Theo Lawson has the game story. (If you are interested in a visual report, follow that link as well to see Tyler Tjomsland’s photographs.) … Jim Meehan has the difference makers and a story on Matthew Lang going from walk-on to scholarship player. … Back to Theo as earlier in the day he shared award news concerning Holmgren. … The folks in the office have a recap with highlights. … The women were at home, hosting woeful Pacific and made short work of the Tigers, winning 79-38. Dan Thompson has the game story and Dan Pelle the photographic report. … Around the WCC, there are showdowns between GU and BYU scheduled for Saturday night. But both the Cougar men – at home to USF – and the women – at Portland – lost en route to the big games. … Saint Mary’s handled Portland with ease.

WSU: The win at Stanford raised Washington State’s Pac-12 mark to 6-3 with a winnable game Sunday at California. Colton Clark has that and more in this story. … Two days after being named to the Cougars’ football leadership council, receiver Joey Hobert put his name in the transfer portal. Colton has that story as well. … Elsewhere in the Pac-12 and college basketball, Jon Wilner looks at the tournament projections in the Mercury News. … Washington is 7-3 in conference play after its easy 84-63 win at California. … The game of the weekend was last night in Tucson, with Arizona getting revenge for its Los Angeles loss with a 76-66 win over UCLA. Afterward, a Bruin was arrested for spitting at the UA student section. It was deemed assault. I’ve always said, when you outlaw spittle, only outlaws will have spittle. … Oregon State seems to have fallen off the map, not even fighting while losing at Utah 84-59. It snapped the Utes’ 10-game losing streak. Not a good look for the Beavers. … Oregon broke its drought in Boulder, defeating Colorado on the road for the first time ever. … USC didn’t shoot its best but it did get past host Arizona State. … On the women’s side, there is another showdown in Tucson tonight. Hopefully, it won’t include one coach saying their team was homered or being accused of being a bully. The Oregon vs. Arizona games have reached an odd level. … In football news, the Arizona State situation is really weird. … As for recruiting, Wilner looks at most every school’s class in the Mercury News. … Oregon’s offense may look a bit different. … So will USC’s roster. … Washington is going local in recruiting.

Idaho: The Vandals didn’t have a good night in Cedar City, losing to Southern Utah 75-59. … Around the Big Sky, Weber State seems to have Montana’s number, winning another close one against the Griz. … It was close in Portland State’s win over Northern Colorado. High scoring, but close. … In football news, Montana State has attracted a running back from Frisco, Texas. … It looks as if Weber State has picked its offensive coordinator. … Idaho State’s recruiting class has local connections.

Preps: There is a new single-game scoring record holder among the GSL boys. Central Valley’s Dylan Darling poured in 57 points Tuesday nights to break Brett Bailey’s record. Dave Nichols has a lot more in this story. … Dave also has a roundup of last night’s action.

Chiefs: Tonight Spokane will retire Tyler Johnson’s number 9. Instead of writing a mundane story about that, Dan Thompson reached further and delved into numbers that have been retired locally. It’s a story that’s well worth your time.

Seahawks: Can the Seattle special teams become even more special?

Storm: Seattle dealt Katie Lou Samuelson to Los Angeles.

Mariners: Is Adam Frazier set to be the everyday second baseman? … Andy McKay is back on the field and he couldn’t be happier.

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• Please don’t bother me today. I want to watch golf. I just wish they would show more of the play at Spyglass. There was a sand trap at the 18th hole that threatened to bury me once. And succeeded to bury my score. Until later …