Earlier this week, we caught up with Schaap over the phone to talk about a project that’s been two years in the making. The renowned sports journalist shares a few anecdotes about his experience with Leach, provides a rave review of a certain Pullman eatery and shares why his first visit to the WSU campus was so meaningful.

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Perfection is hard to come by. Almost impossible, as Mike Leake found out to open the ninth inning Friday night.

A team of researchers on the Palouse pitched in directly to the $24 billion effort that sent man to the moon’s surface 50 years ago today, but their contribution to that historic mission has been almost entirely forgotten. Until now.

This is the second straight year Mauigoa has earned a spot on the 80-man preseason list. The Rimington Trophy honors the best center in Division I football.

A GRIP ON SPORTS • You know what is easy? Watching sports at home on your personal television. You know what isn’t easy? Watching sports while traveling either on your computer or phone.

The last time linebacker Samson Ebukam, quarterback Gage Gubrud and the Washington State Cougars were on the same field, the former Eastern Washington stalwarts helped spearhead a 45-42 upset in Pullman.

Patmon hauled in 61 catches for a team-best 816 yards and five touchdowns last season for the Cougars.

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Where has the month of July gone? You blink for a moment and it’s more than halfway done. And with it goes our chances to see a major league baseball game.

Borghi was one of 72 players named to the preseason list and one of eight in the Pac-12 Conference.

A GRIP ON SPORTS • If you love golf, this is a good week for you. Even if your love goes no further than infatuation with local courses.

Johnson took over as WSU’s interim athletic director in 2017 after former AD Bill Moos left the school for the same job at Nebraska.

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Summer, we hardly knew you. But, sadly, we have to say goodbye. Fall is unofficially here. How do we know? A local conference held the first football media day of the year yesterday, and it happened to be in Spokane.

A GRIP ON SPORTS • It’s rare that a commotion on Twitter gets me interested in what’s happening in a sporting event. But yesterday morning the tweets were blazing around the net almost as fast tennis balls at Wimbledon. Which was appropriate.

A GRIP ON SPORTS • We arose early enough to watch the men’s final from Wimbledon. But there is too much to get done for that. Nope, we have to spend our time wondering about the fortunes of the Seattle Mariners.

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Let’s see, what’s going on? How about a incredibly emotional no-hitter? And a couple of other interesting thoughts, from salaries to a fast runner.

As usual, Mike Leach and Chris Petersen top the annual state employee salaries list.

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Baseball’s All-Star break gives every team, every player and every fan an opportunity to hit pause and reflect on what’s already happened in the season and what may be ahead. Let’s do the same.

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Jim Bouton didn’t put much of a mark on baseball as a pitcher, winning 62 games in 10 big league seasons. But he changed the game nonetheless. The 80-year-old, who died yesterday, opened a door behind the scenes with his uproariously funny “Ball Four,” and it’s not closed since.

Who’s in? Who’s out? With Washington State’s 2019-20 basketball roster finalized, we take a look at all of the offseason transactions, dividing it up by the returners (6), newcomers (8), departures (3), transfers (4) and decommits (2).