Sunday

Alone in Gonzaga’s indoor rowing facility — the media workroom, I mean — I glanced back and forth from Colorado at Kansas St. to this blank sheet. I’ve rarely been the writer who stares at a blank sheet. There’s always something to say, though it might be off-topic or mundane. (Natalie Goldberg wrote a couple […]

Sleeping until hotel breakfast before noon, then press conference at 1:25

I’m beat. I got home from chess club Friday night, watched Stanford and Colorado on DVR, Lyfted to the airport, and here I am at the Wyndham by Ramada in downtown Spokane. I went to the Wyndham by Ramada at the airport first, but that was wrong. I also learned something about cars that start […]

Pac-12 could put 7 teams in the round of 8.

The Pac-12 could put SEVEN teams in the round of eight. In Albany 1, it’s #1 South Carolina vs. #3 Oregon State (who beat #2 Notre Dame) In Portland 4, it’s #5 Utah (who beat #1 Texas, and host team #4 Gonzaga) vs. #2 Stanford. In Albany 2, it’s #5 Colorado (who beat #4 Kansas […]

The oldest conference in D1 is too dumb to introduce Caitlin Clark last

The Big Ten Conference — the oldest collegiate athletic league in the nation — couldn’t get its shit together for player introductions at its tournament Saturday, with no clock running, nothing at stake, nothing to do but read a list of names. Iowa’s got the biggest draw in women’s college basketball history on its bench, […]

“Don’t I wish.”

Flight for Salt Lake and hotel reservations cancelled for rounds 1 and 2 of the NCAA. “Thank you for calling the University Guest House. This is Blahblahhhh.” “Canceling reservation. Reference number C500B2.” “We’re sending you an email confirmation of your cancellation. Is there anything else I may help you with today?” “Can you improve the […]

Day 1

#4 Oregon St. vs. #5 Colorado Colorado beat #12 Oregon so thoroughly, we have to ask whether the Buffaloes who rose to a national #3 are back in business, or if it was a mirage courtesy of the Ducks’ record-setting badness. I wouldn’t hazard an educated guess or a shot in the dark. Maybe the […]

Ready or not

It says below that my car broke down Sunday afternoon. I spent three hours waiting for the tow truck, writing aimlessly, and then two days running around without a car. I’ll be homeless in 10 days. There could hardly be a less convenient time for the most emotion-charged month of the basketball season, but here […]

In Leap Years, the madness begins a little later

I watched UCLA 53 Colorado 45 in a sports bar. 20 chicken wings plus two beers came to $55 before tip, suggesting I should have made the car trip to Los Angeles Sunday, and stayed for two games. However, the sports bar experience is unique, for how else would I have known the Campbell Fighting […]

Imagining one end-of-season scenario

Imagine UCLA wins this afternoon vs. Colorado. Imagine on the last weekend, Arizona — with the longest current win streak in the conference — beats the SoCal schools, while they both win in Tempe. Further imagine the mountain teams sweep the Washingtons. Also, Oregon St. loses to Stanford but beats Cal. Then you’ve got a […]