A Grip on Sports: In college athletics’ money-driven new conference worlds, there are some first-time experiences worth savoring

A GRIP ON SPORTS • How does that one cliché go? The more things change, the more they stay the same? True. To a point. In college athletics, most everything is true. To a point. Or when you are trying to make a point.

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• An argument could be made there is nothing good that has come out of conference realignment. I mean, really, who wants to see Washington lose a league basketball game on a Wednesday night in West Lafayette, Indiana? Or to a team from West Lafayette, Indiana, even if it is in Hec Ed?

But I’ll take the contrarian view here, as (almost) always. Not about the Huskies loss last night, no. That was a waste of time. But about nothing good coming from realignment. After all, it has introduced some old realities to new folks.

That’s good, right?

As I cruised around the Interweb this morning, I stumbled upon a headline in the Corvallis newspaper. It triggered a rare Pavlovian response, though drooling is becoming a more common occurrence these days, dinner bell or not.

The headline on the Gazette-Times sports commentary: “Thursday’s matchup with Gonzaga is Oregon State’s most important home game in years.”

Wait, hasn’t that been the case for every school in the West Coast Conference at some point – multiple points, actually – the past couple decades? That’s a rhetorical question, because everyone from Portland, Oregon to Malibu, California knows the answer. It’s yes.

Say what you will about the WCC’s basketball prowess, and around the country that has mostly been negative, but when Mark Few’s Gonzaga squad hits the league road it is like P.T. Barnum’s back in the day. The Greatest Show on Earth.

Take any WCC school not named Saint Mary’s or BYU. Look at the attendance for home games in, say, 2016. You’ll see a lot of 356s and 653s. Until Gonzaga shows up. Then the number is, well, whatever the old gym will hold. Or more.

Guess who is jumping on board that circus train tonight? Yep, the good folks in central Oregon. Many of them, I’m certain, doubters of the Zags’ road challenges since the century was young. Now they are ready to prove its veracity.

It’s good, isn’t it, when ancient prejudices are turned on their head? For years, Pac-12 folks loved to look down their noses at the WCC. With some justification, sure. But downgrading Gonzaga’s accomplishments because of it was never proper. Now, a couple of those schools, OSU and Washington State, get to be part of the discussion for two years – before they welcome the Zags (and others) into their rebuilt home.

Even then, I’ll wager, a conference visit from the Bulldogs will be a big deal from Logan, Utah to Fresno, California. And lots of spots in between.

• There were a couple other headlines today that also hit hard, one sad, one happy.

The sad one is simple. Gus Williams has died at age 71.

People around these parts will remember Williams as a key member of the 1979 Sonics NBA championship team. And well they should. My memories of Gus’ brilliance are different. They go back some five years earlier than that, when he was the anchor of Bob Boyd’s USC program.

Why? Mainly because, as a senior in high school, my then-girlfriend was a freshman at the school. And date nights often consisted that winter of walking from her dorm room over to the Sports Arena for a home game. A first-or-second row midcourt spot was always available, even if we arrived right at tip.

The Trojans would win 24 games that year. No one in L.A. cared, not even most USC students. Williams was spectacular. But he didn’t wear a UCLA uniform, so no one in L.A. cared. But the uni didn’t matter. Williams was special and would prove it in the Northwest.

• The happy memory is more complicated. I’m sure Cougar alums won’t see it as happy in any way. But it has to do with Alex Mack, the former California center who was just elected to the College Football Hall of Fame. And a trip his Bears team made to Pullman in 2008. The final score was 66-3, Cal, but that’s immaterial to our memory. What Mack did to the interior of that overmatched WSU defensive line, though, is. Especially one late second-quarter touchdown in a game that basically was decided on Cal’s first play, an 80-yard Jahvid Best run, during which Best was never touched.

Paul Wulff’s Cougars were trailing 35-3 when they fumbled at the Cal 5-yard-line. The Bears gave the ball to Best again and he scored. What Mack did on the play will never leave my memory. He drove a 6-foot-3, 305-pound WSU tackle – who shall remain nameless – not just back into the endzone, but through it, not stopping, basically, until he had deposited him in the Cougar band’s empty seats.

It was the most impressive demonstration of line dominance I have ever seen.

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WSU: The Cougars play tonight on the WCC road. At the University of San Diego. In a gym that resembles Bohler more than Beasley. But that doesn’t matter. What does is the home team and how much the visiting one needs to get back on track after consecutive losses. Greg Woods delves into all of that in this game preview. … Another offensive lineman, Rod Tialavea, has entered the transfer portal, the fourth lost since Jake Dickert left town. Greg has that story as well. … Elsewhere in the (current, old and future) Pac-12 and the nation, what is the best way to improve the CFP selection process? Jon Wilner talked with a couple basketball analytical gurus for their thoughts and has the story in the Mercury News. … After six years playing for Washington, linebacker Drew Fowler has a lot to cover in his exit interview. … Yes, Oregon State’s roster is still in flux. … A former Oregon defensive lineman is headed to the Hall of Fame. … Where will Travis Hunter end up in the NFL draft? … The Utah offense is undergoing huge changes this offseason. … So is UCLA’s linebacker room. … More accolades were recently heaped upon Arizona State’s Cam Skattebo. … How has Arizona gotten to where it is under Brent Brennan? … Among the future Pac-12 members in the Mountain West, Colorado State picked up a highly thought of transfer receiver from the portal. … In basketball news, Jeff Metcalfe has his Best of the West women’s ratings today, and the area’s two WCC squads are mentioned. … Oregon won another Big Ten home game last night. … The NCAA voted unanimously yesterday to change the women’s tournament payout structure to one that mirrors the men’s tournament. … Among the men, Oregon State will welcome a transfer portal addition from France (and Howard College). … No. 22 Utah State dropped its first MWC game last night, as UNLV scored the final seven points to win 65-62 at home. … Boise State’s recent schedule has shown the importance of depth. … The win over Colorado State was important to San Diego State.

Gonzaga: When the 16th-ranked Zags take the Gill Coliseum court tonight, the guy in charge of the home team will be familiar to the older Bulldog fans. Wayne Tinkle will also have memories of watching GU play in the Martin Centre back in the day. Jim Meehan, who fits both those categories, talked to the Ferris High grad this week for his game preview. … Jim also has the key matchup, picking OSU’s Michael Rataj, the only member of the Beavers’ 2022 recruiting class still in Corvallis. … The women host Portland in a crucial WCC matchup tonight. Maybe Bree Salenbien will hit a key shot or block one. Either would be a miracle of sorts, considering the trials and tribulations the 6-foot wing has gone through since coming to Spokane. Greg Lee highlights her journey, one that has been interrupted three times by ACL injuries. … Back to the men, we can pass along a Bill Oram column on the importance of tonight’s game to OSU. … Elsewhere in the WCC, the Santa Clara men have turned their season around, though they are just a few seconds or points from having a much-better record.

EWU and Idaho: Around the Big Sky, former Eastern quarterback/kick returner Michael Wortham has landed at Montana. … In basketball news, the Northern Colorado men are trying to stay even-keeled concerning their hot conference start. … It’s a big weekend for Weber State.

Preps: Wednesday nights are wrestling nights. We pass along a roundup.

Chiefs: The offense is clicking. Wonder why that is? Dave Nichols knows, and shares, in his coverage of Spokane’s 10-0 win at Kelowna. It has to do, in part, with the go-for-it addition of forward Andrew Cristall.

Seahawks: Yes, we have the Times’ look at the running back position again. It ran in the S-R today. …Today in the Times? The receivers.  … Could the Hawks change their draft philosophy this year? … The latest OC candidate is 28 years old. Is he too old to be successful as a play caller in the NFL these days? … Speaking of age, we give you a Pete Carroll column.

Mariners: Yes, the M’s made another move yesterday that will excite few, but that’s the franchise’s way these days. Back in the day they would move mountains to grab a star. We’re talking about Ichiro, of course, who has a shot at being the Hall of Fame’s first unanimous choice among position players.

Sounders: World Cup matches are coming to Seattle in 2026 and Spokane has a role. Emry Dinman tells us what it is. … The newest striker will strike sooner than expected.

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• Some days there is just too much to share. Today was one of those days. Hard for me, good for you. Until later …