A GRIP ON SPORTS

For quite possibly the first time in my life, today I would rather live in Cleveland. At least there the major league baseball team battles through adversity and has an ownership that will spend a bit of money to help its team compete. Here in the Pacific Northwest, we have trouble saying such things with a straight face. Read on.

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FROM PULLMAN — For a regular ol' Thursday in mid-May, yesterday was pretty heavy on WSU news of the basketball variety. Oh, and Mike Leach apparently shot a bear. Read on.

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FROM PULLMAN — Ken Bone confirmed today that center Richard Peters, who signed as part of WSU's 2012 recruiting class, will not make it into school. Read on.

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FROM PULLMAN — WSU officially confirmed today that former assistant basketball coach Jeff Hironaka has accepted a new role as the team's director of player development/special assistant to the head coach, a move made in order to allow coach Ken Bone to hire a new assistant with broader recruiting reach. Read on for more.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

When I started this morning, the temperature outside was in the mid-30s. Now it is in the mid-40s. Oh the power of sunshine. Now if the sun could only make up for no Mariner game and little other news to link. Read on.

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FROM PULLMAN — There are a few reports circulating today that 6-foot-10 center James Hunter, who played at Gillette (junior) College the past two seasons, has committed to play at Washington State.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

Let's put aside the dropped pop ups, the 14 strikeouts, the game-deciding home run that was helped over the wall. Let's put the Mariners aside today and focus on something else. Heck, it's May 3, right? So let's focus on college basketball. It seems appropriate. Read on.

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FROM PULLMAN — After a one-day blog hiatus, we're back with a small news item and some links around the Pac-12. Read on.

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FROM PULLMAN — As we've said in this space recently, this time of year is typically accompanied by a dearth of college football and basketball news. Well, Tuesday was different. Read on for our daily rundown.

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FROM PULLMAN — Spoke for a bit earlier this evening with former Iowa State center Jordan Railey, who has given his commitment to transfer to Washington State next season. Here's a part of our conversation.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

Life can be tough. No doubt about it, especially if you are a Mariners fan. But there's an easy way to make it a lot more bearable – and by it, I mean life as well as being a Mariner fan. Humor. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

The sun is peaking over the house next door. Yes, we can actually see the sunrise today and, no, the surprise has nothing to do with the hour. We're up this early a lot. It's the fact there are no clouds in the way that is surprising. But clouds are on the horizon, especially around Augusta, Georgia. Read on.

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FROM PULLMAN — Anything for a Bon Jovi reference. WSU will surpass the halfway point of spring football practice with a scrimmage later this afternoon at Martin Stadium. As usual, we'll be there. For now, your daily dose of links and whatnot.

A GRIP ON SPORTS • UPDATED: 10:30 A.M.

We're not real focused today. Don't know what it is, whether it's the looming deadline on the 15th, which seems to sneak up on me every year. Or if it's something else causing me to act like a dog cooped up in the house too long. But whatever, we know we have to get our mind right and hunker down to writing. All of you are counting on it. Look, a squirrel. Read on.

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FROM PULLMAN — At about 2:40 p.m. tomorrow, WSU will be exactly halfway through spring practice. But we go more than halfway with our links this morning. Read on for the whole thing.

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FROM PULLMAN — WSU coach Ken Bone spoke with reporters for about 22 minutes this morning, putting a wrap on the 2011-12 season while looking forward a bit to next year. We've got some news and notes after the jump.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

Over the years I've come to realize this is one of the best weekends in sports. Masters weekend. I think it really sunk in about 1986, when I was playing in a softball tournament at Franklin Park and told everyone not to mention a thing, I was taping the Masters (for you young pups, go find your Fraggle Rock collection and wander down memory lane from the time before the DVR). It was so much easier to avoid news back in the pre-smart phone days, so I had no idea how the finale was going. I also had no idea there had been a problem at home, either. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

Best sports moment on the first Sunday in April? It might have been I.K. Kim missing an 18-inch putt that would have sealed the deal at the Nabisco Championship, though where I was at that moment, the television was having trouble keeping the Golf Channel in focus, so I really can't be sure. What I am sure of is the best sports moment around here occurred in the Spokane Arena, where the Spokane Chiefs finished off the Vancouver Giants, bouncing back from an 0-2 hole to win the WHL first-round playoff series 4-2. Read on.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

It was a pretty fun five hours or so last night, other than all the commercials and the usual over-the-top CBS promotion. But the national semifinals were once again can't-miss television, with Kansas rallying down the stretch to upset Ohio State and Kentucky winning state bragging rights by holding off Louisville. If the past is any guide, the Jayhawks just clinched the national title, as sooner or later the NCAA will find out the Wildcats did something untoward and John Calipari's team will have to vacate its 37 (or 38) wins this season. Though Calipari will probably be coaching the Los Angeles Clippers by then. Read on.