A Grip on Sports: The weather makes it a perfect time to head indoors, where high schools supply as much sporting drama as anyone could want

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Kim went out to get our newspaper – yes, we still have the print version of The Spokesman-Review delivered to our house – yesterday. And had to walk down the block to find it. The wind had decided to pick it up like Dorothy’s house and take it to Oz or somewhere. That better not happen today.

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• Today is all about prep sports in the S-R. Winter version. Perfect timing, as the roads across the Cascade passes are almost all closed by the wind, rain and snows of December. What better way to spend your Thursday than settling in with an old-fangled newspaper (or a new-fangled computer) and read about those sports that warm up gyms throughout the area?

Dave Nichols and the S-R crew has marshalled its forces – a lot less than when I handled that chore two decades ago – and put together an eight-page section filled with stories on local boys and girls basketball, boys and girls wrestling and gymnastics.

It’s worth the time, even if part of that has to be spent putting in a few steps tracking down wherever the pre-Christmas cyclones have deposited it. Or the couple of clicks on your pad or phone.

• That’s the happy news for the day in sports.

Oh wait, there is more. Tom Moore’s son visited Washington State, interviewing with the Cougars for their open head football coach position.

Who is Tom Moore, you may ask – if you haven’t been following high school sports in this state for four decades like some of us.

Moore was the head football coach in Prosser for 21 years. Won four State titles, the final one in 2007. Produced a myriad of college football players, though none more famous than his eldest son Kellen, a record-setting quarterback for the Mustangs as well as at Boise State. A longtime NFL assistant. And currently the head coach of the rebuilding New Orleans Saints.

Younger brother Kirby was his main target for Kellen with the Mustangs, a standout in his own right before following Kellen to Boise. Unlike his brother, though, he’s stayed on the college coaching tenure track, moving up the ladder from UW graduate assistant to Fresno State receivers and quarterbacks to offensive coordinator. These days he is in the SEC as the University of Missouri’s OC. And was recently in Pullman, as reported by Greg Woods.

If school president Elizabeth Cantwell is looking for someone outside the school’s immediate family, she would be hard pressed to find anyone with more knowledge of the school, the area and the new-look Pac-12.

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WSU: We linked Greg’s story on Moore above. And do it again here, too. … He also has his transfer portal tracker online, though I don’t see any additions. … Elsewhere in the (current, old and future) Pac-12 and the nation, Utah’s foray into private equity money won’t be the last. Is it selling college football’s soul or just another step in the continuing evolution of the sport? … UNLV has sold patches on its uniforms. The NCAA has yet to decide if that will be allowed. OK, I laughed at that last sentence too. As if the organization really has a say in such things anymore. … Yes, I am well aware of the Sherrod Moore story. Read a lot about it as well. It was going to be my sad counterpoint to the two happy stories I delved into above. But it seemed just too sad. And too far away for that sort of treatment. Though Michigan is looking for a new coach and that could impact this area. Never know. … Jon Wilner seemed surprised Kirk Herbstreit and Nick Saban both mentioned how much they dislike the weekly CFP ranking show. After all, it is on their network, ESPN. But there is little chance it will change significantly. Unless the network wants to. … John Canzano is not surprised some Oregon fans have bailed on attending next week’s first-round CFP home game against James Madison. It’s expensive. Especially for what should be a blowout Duck win. Then again, so is following the team throughout the postseason. … Dan Lanning shared some thoughts on the fraud talk from Penn State’s athletic director. …  It doesn’t look as if Washington will be looking for a new defensive coordinator after all. The Huskies play the first bowl game of the season on Saturday in L.A. … How much is Oregon State paying new coach JaMarcus Shephard? Here are the contract details. … The Beavers seem to have decided on their defensive coordinator. … A home visit from the new coach meant everything for California’s quarterback… All this talk about UCLA playing in SoFi next season has quieted down. Overwhelmed by the hiring of a new coach. But USC playing in SoFi is probably going to happen. In 2028 as the Coliseum preps for the Summer Olympics. … The Trojans are preparing their recruits for the off-field aspects of the game. … Arizona State’s defensive success has been keyed by a couple stars. … Colorado State has a new coach. And a new batch of recruits. … Arizona may be losing an assistant coach.

• In basketball news, it’s the time of the season when those on the benches around the nation, including Colorado, have come to realize their role. … One Arizona player has been playing basketball from a young age. … A Boise State player is enjoying a breakout stretch. … San Diego State routed Lamar. … The Arizona women stopped their losing streak.

Gonzaga: Bree Salenbien came west to Spokane as the most-highly touted recruit the Zag women had ever attracted. But the 6-foot-2 wing never made a huge impact, derailed by two knee surgeries. After graduating in the spring, Salenbien transferred closer to her Michigan hometown and is now leading the charge for a rejuvenated Ball State program. Greg Lee has more in his weekly notebook. … This is a weird stat. Since 2004, every men’s NCAA champion has been ranked in the top 12 of the Week 6 Associated Press poll. Gonzaga is included in this year’s list. … Elsewhere in the WCC, former USF standout Marcus Williams was caught up in one of the betting scandals that are roiling the sport these days. … The Saint Mary’s women won again.

EWU: The Eagle women traveled down U.S. 95 to Pullman yesterday and returned home with a 71-69 victory over Washington State. … The Eastern men have played a tough schedule and it’s shown in their record: 2-7. But second-year coach Dan Monson has seen growth among a group that has had to learn to play together. Dan Thompson delves into the roster today, one built with transfers from all levels of college basketball. … Elsewhere in the Big Sky, Montana’s men snapped a three-game home losing streak last night. … Weber State picked up a win away from home. … In football news, the Griz rely on the efforts of a senior who has gone through a gantlet of injuries.

Idaho: I spent some time last evening keeping track of the Vandals upset chances in South Bend, Indiana. The men were tied with Notre Dame at halftime. But the Irish pulled away in the second half, probably fueled by the worry a loss to UI would doom their CFP chances – or something like that – for an 80-65 victory. … The women played at Cal, where the Bears pulled away late for a 68-61 win.

Preps: Before we get to the links to all the winter sports stories, Dave spent some time explaining why he liked this time of year so much. And why he always feels so tired. … We’ll start with the basketball feature stories from Dave, on Mt. Spokane’s Jaden Ghoreishi, West Valley’s Nathan Zettle, Mead’s Addison Wells and a Deer Park group that is trying one last time for a State title. … Dave also has capsules of all the 4A, 3A and 2A GSL schools, for boys and girls. … He covers gymnastics as well. … Madison McCord has the wrestling coverage, with features on Mead’s brothers, Kaysic and Trandyn Lundquist, and another on the continued growth of the sport among girls.

Seahawks: It seems pretty certain the Hawks will look across the line Sunday and see 44-year-old Phillip Rivers quarterbacking the Colts. … No matter. The Seattle defense has had answers to pretty much every quarterback. Just like the old days. … The special teams have been honored as well. … Seattle is one of two main Super Bowl contenders. There might be a rematch in the final game of the season.

Mariners: The Winter Meetings are over. The M’s haul during the three days? Nothing. But some groundwork may have been laid. … Seattle still has a bunch of top prospects even after trading Harry Ford for another left-handed relief pitcher. … How will the team handle third base?

Sounders: Seattle has some options in free agency.

Kraken: Finally, another win. A 3-2 comeback win. Against the L.A. Kings.

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• The only thing missing, weather-wise, around these parts? The white stuff. To paraphrase Igor in “Young Frankenstein,” the greatest comedy ever made, “It could be worse. It could be snowing.” Until later …