Monday, December 30, 2013

Posted By on Mon, Dec 30, 2013 at 4:50 PM

click to enlarge Zag Watch: End of the year edition
Young Kwak photo
The Zags can't wait to get their students back in a couple of weeks. It's too damn quiet in the Kennel without them.

Tonight's matchup against San Francisco (6 pm tipoff, televised locally on KHQ) marks the last Gonzaga men's basketball game of a memorable (mostly) 2013 for the Zags. They went to No. 1 back in March, then a few weeks later, this happened. And now they've won 11 games to finish out the 2013 portion of the 2013-14 campaign.

But here's how things stand in Zagland at the end of the calendar year. Warning — there's some bad news ahead.

OUCH!

Compared to other successful basketball programs, I've always felt like Gonzaga has been shockingly immune to injuries. This year, that is hardly true.

Sam Dower Jr. missed Saturday night's game after falling on his back super hard against Kansas St. He's been positive about the injury, but it's uncertain whether or not he'll be playing tonight. He's not listed as a starter — that much is sure.
Speaking of pain, Gary Bell, Jr. injured his hand on Saturday night. And now the news has gotten worse — the hand is broken and it looks like the fiery guard will be out for a while.

Kevin Pangos hasn't missed any games, but his toe is bothering him. Don't laugh. Go try to jump if your big toe hurts. It's incredibly hard and you could tell that Pangos was in pain against Santa Clara on Saturday night. After getting some medical attention, though, he returned to the game to help the Zags pull it out against the Broncos.

QUIET TIME

There was something missing from Saturday night's game in the McCarthey Center against Santa Clara. What was it? Oh yeah, the 1,200 bonkers-to-quite-bonkers undergraduates you see bouncing gleefully on one entire side of the court. It's still Christmas Break and the students won't be back for another week. And their absence is hard to miss.

Damn, was it quiet in the Kennel last week and that may have contributed to an uncharacteristically slow start for the Zags, who struggled to pull away from Santa Clara.

If you're going to the game, you might want to down a Red Bull or something before taking your seat. They need some energy. I mean, I think the loudest people in my section on Saturday were the nuns who cheered on the squad while wearing habits and everything.

THE WOMEN'S TURN

The men's team has the luxury of playing its first four conference games of the season at home. That's not the case with the women Zags, who have to play their first three games on the road.

And the time away from the Kennel didn't start off well. The Zags fell 78-79 to Saint Mary's in overtime on Friday, despite 31 points from Haiden Palmer.


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Friday, December 13, 2013

Posted By on Fri, Dec 13, 2013 at 8:03 PM

Per their annual pre-Christmas tradition, the Zags are heading to Seattle to play a game in Key Arena, the former home of the Seattle Supersonics (pouring out a forty of Rainier beer in their honor right now) for the 11th installment of the Battle in Seattle.

This year, the game is being marketed with an AC/DC theme because, uh, I'm not sure. My best guess is to add some extra flair to the event, seeing as how the opponent is South Alabama. Last year, the Zags triumphed over Kansas State and prior years have seen other powerhouses like UConn, Oklahoma State and, in the inaugural Battle, they outlasted then third-ranked Missouri in overtime.

Still, it's a good chance for Gonzaga fans on the wetter side of the mountains to see the Zags play. Hell, it's a good chance for even Spokane fans to see the team, seeing as how tough it is to get a ticket into the McCarthey Center and they aren't playing any Spokane Arena games as of late.

So, South Alabama. Let me bring you up to speed, because I doubt there are many Jaguar (that's their mascot) fans in the Inland Northwest.

The Jaguars are 5-4 so far this season. They played Texas close in November and are coming off a three-overtime heartbreaker against Rice.  They are lead by senior Augustine Rubit, who is leading the team in scoring (16.7) and rebounding (10 a game)

If you're heading over to Seattle, drive careful over the pass. If not, you can catch the game locally on KHQ or on Root Sports. Tip off is slated for 7 pm.

Now, some other notes.

TALKIN' ABOUT ANGELS

The Zags are going to get some much-needed rebounding help next weekend when Angel Nunez, a 6-8 transfer from Louisville, finally becomes eligible. Nunez transferred after the first semester of last season, so he had to sit out a full year, meaning he'll be able to play after finals wrap up at GU on Friday. Who knows if we'll see Nunez against Kansas State, who the Zags face in Kansas City next weekend, but I'd put money we do.

BETTER BASKETBALL

I've mentioned a few times here that the Zags, despite losing two NBA players last year, are scoring the ball at a nearly unprecedented clip. According to the NCAA, Gonzaga isn't the only team putting the ball in the hoop more frequently. A report released by the NCAA shows scoring in men's college basketball up about 5 and a half points per game over this time last year. Shooting has also improved and turnovers are down. This is all thanks to new, stricter rules that keep defenders from handchecking their opponents. Because of this, free throw are up by five a game over last year and fouls by two a game per team.

I'm all about the increased scoring, but the new rules seem to vary greatly from game to game. Some of these early season games have been marred by whistle after whistle until all star players have fouled out. That Dayton game comes to mind...

MEMORIES

And here's perhaps the best Battle in Seattle moment ever.

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Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Posted By on Tue, Dec 10, 2013 at 4:14 PM

click to enlarge Zag Watch: Primetime television edition
Young Kwak
Gary Bell is just one Zag who has has a hot hand this season. The Bulldogs are leading the nation in 3-point shooting and overall field goal percentage.

ZagNation is going national tonight. The now 20th-ranked Bulldogs take the court in Morgantown to take on the Mountaineers of West Virginia University. And they're doing it on national television during primetime — 6 pm PST on ESPN2.

To Gonzaga fans, West Virginia is best known as the squad that the Zags have beaten into the ground the past two seasons. First came a 24-point shellacking in the first round of the 2012 NCAA Tournament and then Bob "Mafia Tracksuit" Huggins brought his Mountaineers to Spokane just eight months later only to get even more shellacked, that time by 34 points.

This year's Mountaineers have been playing some tough ball. They've lost three games, but all three were to quality opponents, including a seven-point defeat to #10 Wisconsin. Where it's going to get interesting tonight is the long distance shooting. The Zags, as I mentioned on Saturday, are the nation's top overall shooting team, overall from the field and from three-point land. WVU isn't too shabby, either. They stroke it at a 44 percent clip, good for sixth in the nation.

Expect things to get fast. Both these teams can get up an down the floor and, as I've said, aren't afraid to let it rip.

Keep an eye on WVU's Eron Harris. The sophomore guard is averaging almost 19 points a game.

INJURY UPDATE

Gonzaga guard Gary Bell got dinged up in Saturday night's game against New Mexico State and sat the entire second half. Apparently, it was a hip injury, but expect him to be back in the starting lineup tonight. Hopefully we'll also get another look at freshman Ryan Edwards. The 7-plus-footer from Montana got a couple minutes in the blowout over Coppin State, but didn't make an appearance Saturday night. But all reports have him recovered from a tonsillectomy.

HOMEBODIES

It's December 10, but somehow this is Gonzaga's first actual road game of the season. They traveled to Maui in November, but those were technically "neutral site" games. This has to be a refreshing change for a Gonzaga team known to criss-cross the nation in the early months of the season, hoping to boost its tournament resume before dominating WCC play.

REMEMBERING PITTSNOGLE

Is it just me, or is there anyone else out there who still thinks of Kevin Pittsnogle when someone mentions West Virginia basketball? Anybody remember this ugly, yet deadly son of a gun? The guy could totally stroke it, as he did in the 2006 NCAA tournament, taking the Mountaineers all the way to the Sweet Sixteen. His prowess in that tournament prompted my friends and I to develop a drinking name called Pittsnogle. As I recall, it was a combination of beer pong and bowling and featured more than a page of rules.

What ever happened to ol' Pittsnogle, you ask? He never made an NBA squad but dabbled in the D-League for a few seasons. These days, he'll happily sell you a Jeep in Martinsville, W.V.


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Saturday, December 7, 2013

Posted By on Sat, Dec 7, 2013 at 9:08 AM

Zag Watch: Wind chill edition
Young Kwak

It is cold out here in Spokane. Yeah, we've seen some chilly temperatures in these parts, but the wind the last couple of days have probably been enough for Gonzaga fans to wish they were still back in Maui.

In the McCarthey Athletic Center, though, things should be nice and toasty as the now 19th ranked (or 15th if you go by the other poll) Bulldogs and their faithful student section get things rocking tonight against New Mexico State. You're thinking, oh New Mexico, they've been a powerhouse in the last five years. Stop right there. State. This is New Mexico State. The Aggies, they call them, and they are no slouches, either. They've made the NCAA tournament the past two seasons.

NMSU comes into the game with 7-3 record, all three of those losses being relatively close ones, the last of which was in the form of a 79-70 defeat to the aforementioned New Mexico. Keep an eye out for a potential Canadian-on-Canadian as NMSU's lead scorer Daniel Mullings might come up against his rival Ontarian (is that what you call someone from Ontario?) Kevin Pangos.

We're hoping the Kennel Club isn't camping out for this one. That would be brutal out there. You can watch on ESPNU at 8 pm in the warmth of your favorite bar or armchair.

The Zags don't get much of a break after NMSU, making their only East Coast trip of the regular season on Tuesday night to play West Virginia. The Mountaineers are 6-3 with quality losses against 10th ranked Wisconsin, Missouri and an early season close one to Virginia Tech. Expect the three-pointers to be flying in that one. Gonzaga and West Virginia are second and 10th, respectively, in three-point percentage. And in terms of pure volume, WVU has made a staggering 84 total threes in their first nine games. More on that...

FROM DOWNTOWN
Going into tonight's game, the Zags are shooting 48 percent from three-point range, the second-best average in the country. That is a better percentage than 60 other Division I teams are shooting period. What's even more remarkable is that they've shot like that with more than a few guys firing away. Bell, Pangos, Barham, Coleman and even Dower can all light it up from long distance.

BEST SHOOTING TEAM?
There's no question that Gonzaga has fielded stronger, faster, more athletic, more dunktastic, and as I've mentioned, better hairstyled in previous seasons, but the way this group of Zags can shoot the ball has been impressive. The team leads all of Division I in shooting percentage at a smoking hot 55.8 percent. Gonzaga finished third in the nation last season at just over 50 percent.

RUN IT UP
Keeping with the theme here, it's no surprise that the Zags are scoring the ball a hell of a lot this year. They are averaging 91.8 points per game in the early going, good for fourth in the nation. That fourth place total would be more than ten more than the leading team last year. You can blame some of that on this hot shooting, but scoring is up in college hoops across the board — mostly thanks to the new rules in the game making defensive fouls a hell of a lot easier to call.

Enough with the number nerdery — enjoy the game. And stay warm, fer God's sake.

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Monday, December 2, 2013

Posted By on Mon, Dec 2, 2013 at 2:27 PM

For the past five years, the Spokane Police Department has played a hockey game against the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office to raise funds for the Behind the Badge Foundation and Chiefs Care. The Behind the Badge Foundation honors and supports Washington state law enforcement personnel who have been seriously injured in the line of duty and their family members in the case of death. Chiefs Care provides continuing education for Spokane Chiefs players.

According to the hockey game founder, Bradley Moon, “It was supposed to be a one time deal. But, the Spokane Chiefs came back, thought it was a good event and wanted it to continue.”

The original game was played to provide support for the families of four Lakewood police officers killed in a coffee shop in 2009. The hockey game raises an average of $3,000 through a silent auction that takes place during the game.

This year, the Spokane Police Department won 5-1 in front of 800 people.

click to enlarge PHOTOS: Police vs. Sheriff's Office Fundraiser Hockey Game
Young Kwak
Spokane County Sheriff's Office/Spokane Valley Police Department Deputy Joe Bodma, left, and Spokane Police Department Detective Jeff Barrington chase a puck, during the first period.
click to enlarge PHOTOS: Police vs. Sheriff's Office Fundraiser Hockey Game
Young Kwak
Spokane Police Department Corporal Jeff Schaal (7) positions himself for a shot as he is challenged by Spokane County Sheriff's Office/Spokane Valley Police Department Deputy Clay Hilton, during the first period.
click to enlarge PHOTOS: Police vs. Sheriff's Office Fundraiser Hockey Game
Young Kwak
Spokane Police Department Officer Brad Moon, left, blocks a shot by Spokane County Sheriff's Office/Spokane Valley Police Department Deputy Clay Hilton, during the second period. Moon is the founder and organizer of the game.
click to enlarge PHOTOS: Police vs. Sheriff's Office Fundraiser Hockey Game
Young Kwak
Spokane Police Department, blue jersey, and Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, white jersey, play the second period of a hockey game.
click to enlarge PHOTOS: Police vs. Sheriff's Office Fundraiser Hockey Game
Young Kwak
Spokane Police Departments Retired Frank Scalise, left, and Spokane County Sheriff's Office/Spokane Valley Police Department Deputy James Ebel fight for a puck, during the second period.
click to enlarge PHOTOS: Police vs. Sheriff's Office Fundraiser Hockey Game
Young Kwak
Spokane County Sheriff's Office/Spokane Valley Police Department Sergeant Khris Thompson (30) attempts to block a shot, during the second period against the Spokane Police Department.
click to enlarge PHOTOS: Police vs. Sheriff's Office Fundraiser Hockey Game
Young Kwak
Spokane County Sheriff's Office/Spokane Valley Police Department Deputy Joe Bodma, left, and Spokane Police Department Sergeant Brad Hallock fight for puck, during the third period.
click to enlarge PHOTOS: Police vs. Sheriff's Office Fundraiser Hockey Game
Young Kwak
Spokane Police Department Officer Brad Moon watches the third period of a hockey game against the Spokane County Sheriff's Office. Moon is the founder and organizer of the game.
click to enlarge PHOTOS: Police vs. Sheriff's Office Fundraiser Hockey Game
Young Kwak
The Spokane Police Department team celebrates after winning a hockey game against the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.
click to enlarge PHOTOS: Police vs. Sheriff's Office Fundraiser Hockey Game
Young Kwak
Spokane County Sheriff's Office/Spokane Valley Police Department Deputy James Ebel, bottom left, and other members of his team watch an overtime style shootout after a hockey game against Spokane Police Department.
click to enlarge PHOTOS: Police vs. Sheriff's Office Fundraiser Hockey Game
Young Kwak
Spokane County Sheriff's Office/Spokane Valley Police Department Detective Jeff Welton (18) and Spokane Police Department Detective Jeff Barrington (46) speak during an overtime style shootout after a hockey game.
click to enlarge PHOTOS: Police vs. Sheriff's Office Fundraiser Hockey Game
Young Kwak
Spokane Police Department Chief Frank Straub, left, and Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich speak after a hockey game.
click to enlarge PHOTOS: Police vs. Sheriff's Office Fundraiser Hockey Game
Young Kwak
The Spokane Police Department and the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office teams pose for a photograph after a hockey game.
click to enlarge PHOTOS: Police vs. Sheriff's Office Fundraiser Hockey Game
Young Kwak
Justin, left, and Heather Arts look at silent auction items after a Spokane Police Department and Spokane County Sheriff’s Office hockey game.
click to enlarge PHOTOS: Police vs. Sheriff's Office Fundraiser Hockey Game
Young Kwak
Spokane Police Department Community Volunteer John Silano, right, shows Mary Freeman a T-shirt after a Spokane Police Department and Spokane County Sheriff’s Office hockey game.

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Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Posted By on Tue, Nov 26, 2013 at 5:23 PM

click to enlarge Zag Watch: Maui Edition
Young Kwak Photo
Kevin Pangos scored 27 points last night against Dayton and 18 against Chaminade today.
Gonzaga  basketball fans got a dose of pre-Thanksgiving reality dumped on their heads last night when the Zags blew an early lead  and  ended up  losing  to Dayton, 84-79.

For a team not used to losing in Maui, it was a tough one.
The Zags fouled up a storm last night, losing both big men, Sam Dower Jr. and Przemek Karnowski, in the final crucial minutes. Still, GU battled back, making some key baskets but couldn't seal the comeback.

Today, though, Zag Nation nursed its first hangover loss of the season by knocking off Division II Chaminade (the tournament host) 113-81. Seven Zags scored in double figures, with Dower and Gerard Coleman both dropping in 19.

Tomorrow, Gonzaga takes on Arkansas in the fifth place game. It's slated for a 2 pm tip off, and you can catch that on ESPN2 after ditching out of work early because, dude, it's basically Thanksgiving.

Now, some notes...

BIG GUYS
That loss to Dayton wasn't a fluke. Those guys were tough dudes. I think I saw one of them bench pressing David Stockton at one point. This is where the Zags are not excelling. Other than Dower and Karnowski, the team doesn't have much by way of size or strength. I'm sure fans were wishing Mike Hart was still scrambling around last night as Gonzaga got out rebounded 42-32 — and allowed Dayton's 18 offensive rebounds. This will need to change soon – and thankfully help is on the way. Freshman Ryan Edwards (7-foot-1) should be back soon after getting his tonsils removed and transfer Angel Nunez (6-8) becomes eligible on Dec. 20.

ZAG FANS TRAVEL WELL
Not unlike previous years that Gonzaga has gotten an invitation to Maui, there is a strong contingent of GU fans in the stands again this year at the Maui Classic. It's a good fit. It's getting cold, and colder, here in Spokane and Maui is both decidedly not cold and not Spokane. Still, that's no easy (or cheap) trip, yet they get a couple thousand folks down there. This is hardly a new phenomenon for Zag fans.

It was weirdly refreshing, for some reason, to see all those Dayton fans there last night. It's good to know that Gonzaga isn't a lone bastion of intense mid-major (yeah, yeah I know that's a bad word amongst GU lovers) fandom. Dayton packs their home arena every game and has the sort of devoted fans it's easy to believe only exist in the Northwest.

I'm not saying Dayton fans are superior in their travel habits. If the Zags scheduled a game on the moon, I personally know no less than a dozen fans who would begin studying rocket science.

DECEMBER
There's no rest for the weary. After playing three games in three days, GU returns to Spokane to take on Coppin St. on Sunday at 5 pm. That's a lot of basketball and Coppin St. isn't to be over looked. They beat Oregon State on Nov. 10.

They'll have some hard-earned rest for the rest of the week before New Mexico State comes to town on Dec. 7. Then, they are back in the air to head to West Virginia on Dec. 10.

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Friday, November 22, 2013

The cold snap means snow on the mountains, and several local resorts are opening this weekend.

Posted By on Fri, Nov 22, 2013 at 12:46 PM

Skiers and snowboarders alike, rejoice! The season is upon us, and the powder is fresh. Here are the opening dates — most are this weekend, though many have already opened — for some of our favorite area ski resorts. 

MOUNT SPOKANE
click to enlarge Inland Northwest ski resorts open
Mount Spokane opens for the season on Saturday.

Opening Day: Sat, Nov. 23 at 9 am
Cost: Adult: $24-$52, Youth: $24-$42. Opening Day: Adult: $30, Youth: $20
Snow: Lodge, 24 inches; Summit, 31 inches
What’s New: New restrooms, more seating in the main lodge, a new outdoor deck and a new chairlift servicing seven new runs.

49º NORTH
Opening Day: Opened on Sun, Nov. 17
Cost: Adult: $45-$57, Youth: $39-$48.
Snow: Lodge, 19 inches; Summit, 39 inches 
What’s New: New lighting, doors and wiring in lodge.

LOOKOUT PASS
Opening Day: Opened Thurs, Nov. 21
Cost: Adult: $31-$36, Youth: $22-$28.
Snow: Base, 10 inches; Summit, 26 inches
What’s New: A new terrain park, new beginners programs including cross-country skiing, new ski instructions, a downloadable trail map for smart phones and upgrades to ski shop and rental shop for smoother service.

SCHWEITZER MOUNTAIN
Opening Day: Sat, Nov. 23
Cost: Adult: $61-$71, Youth: $40-$50. Opening Day: $45; Musical Chairs: $25
Snow: Base, 20 inches; Total snowfall, 40 inches
What’s New: Bringing back the sun deck outside the Lakeview Lodge, new progressive terrain park and a new FIS downhill course.

SILVER MOUNTAIN
Opening Day: Fri, Nov. 29, conditions permitting
Cost: Adult: $43-$56, Youth: $32-$41. 
Snow: At Kellogg Peak, 23 inches; Mid-mountain, 12 inches
What’s New: A whole new run, and the Bootlegger run has been vastly improved, taking out obstacles like shrubs/bushes.

Check out the Inlander's latest edition of Snowlander for more updates about area resorts and more. 

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Thursday, November 21, 2013

Posted By on Thu, Nov 21, 2013 at 4:00 PM

click to enlarge Zag Gameday: Here comes WSU
Young Kwak Photo
TONIGHT


In what has become Gonzaga's fiercest regional rivalry (ever since Lorenzo Romar decided his Huskies couldn't be bothered to take on the Zags) Washington State is coming into the Kennel tonight.

The Zags and Cougars tip off at 6 pm tonight. And unless you're a season ticket holder or have been freezing your ass off for the last 36 hours, you're probably going to be watching it locally on KHQ or on Root Sports outside of the greater-Spokane area.

Gonzaga comes into the game ranked 13 in the nation with three well-handled games under their belt. The Cougs have two wins in the young season, but those were against lowly Cal State Bakersfield and Lamar. They'll be looking to DaVonte Lacy for points tonight. The junior guard is averaging 24.5 points between those first two contests. You can expect the Zag's bevy of talented guards to stay busy tonight.

They might need it. The Zags needed a last second drive from Kevin Pangos to squeak by the Cougs last year in Pullman.

WHO IS AGENT ZERO?
Casual fans who tuned in to the opening contests of the season were probably wondering who in the hell was wearing number zero on the court for the Zags. They aren't wondering anymore. His name is Gerard Coleman and he's from Boston. But he's not a freshman — rather, the 6-4 junior played two solid seasons at Providence before transferring across the country. He made a hell of an entrance against Bryant, scoring 15 points and racking up 5 steals.

READY FOR MAUI
It's really cold here in Spokane. Like, crap-I-forgot-how-miserable-the-winters-are-here sorta cold. But the Zags are going to be in flip flops and tank tops in just a few days. Tonight is their last game before the Maui Classic, where they start off against Dayton on Monday night and could face ranked teams like Syracuse or Baylor if they keep winning. The last time the Zags headed into the Pacific Ocean, they won the tournament. The time before that, this happened.

WHERE'S THE HAIR?
Maybe it's just me, or is this the first Gonzaga basketball team in the last decade without at least one player with excellent hair? Last season, there was, of course, the sexy locks of current Boston Celtic Kelly Olynyk. Before that, you could rely on Elias Harris for a solid 'fro. Stephen Gray had some killer dreads and Matt Bouldin's curls were the envy of the WCC. Going back even farther, you have Adam Morrison's mop-top, Ronny Turiaf's massive 'fro/cornrows. This was all preceded by Dan Dickau's shaggy do. Perhaps not surprisingly, one of Dickau's business ventures these days is a barber shop in North Spokane.

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Monday, November 18, 2013

Posted By on Mon, Nov 18, 2013 at 11:44 AM

This weekend the Washington State football team took on Arizona and actually won. It was a big and necessary win to keep WSU’s bowl hopes alive. But if you were following the game on social media, you might have gotten the impression the whole point of the game was to get revenge on someone named Megan Coghlan.

Coghlan is the sports editor at the Arizona Daily Wildcat, the student newspaper, and she penned an essay for Yahoo Sports bashing the Cougs:

The possibility of Washington State beating Arizona this weekend does not keep me up at night. In fact, the chance of the Cougars having any sort of advantage over Arizona is not something I'll ever worry about. WSU, you should be worried.

Arizona has a lot to brag about, not just in football but in many areas. Let me count the ways.

First, I have yet to meet a legitimate Cougar fan. I may not live in Washington or spend much time there, but the Washington Husky fan base is serious business. Sorry to bring up a touchy subject, it can't be fun living in the shadow of your "rival" Washington. Your program just won't be as relevant as the famed Huskies. I'd like to say I understand what it's like to be the lesser in-state rival, but I can't relate.

And so forth. Sports editor Michael-Shawn Dugar of the Daily Evergreen, at WSU, also weighed in. It’s part of a whole rivalry series called the “Loyalty Report” or the “Battle Loyale.”

When the Cougs actually won, Coghlan became the designated target of WSU fans’ celebratory rage. Fans found her Twitter account, forcing her to make it private. They found her on Instagram. They posted the college newsroom phone numbers for her and the editor-in-chief. Within the state, #MeganCoghlanSucks was briefly trending on Twitter. Someone made a not-very-funny parody Twitter account. Some tweets directed her way were absurd and generic enough to be more funny than mean. “Megan Coghlan listens to Nickelback.” “Megan Coghlan tells children Santa isn’t real.” “Megan Coghlan sucks more than Pac-12 refs.”

But a lot were just plain mean. Not even trying to be funny.

And there were some loyal Cougs who questioned whether this was a good idea. It’s done, they said, maybe it’s time to lay off.

But lots of people didn’t.

Now, I’m a lifelong Coug, so I know WSU fans don’t get much occasion to practice being good winners. And you know I’m loyal because this tweet from a so-called journalist made me pretty annoyed:

Asshole. Stay out of our business.

But he’s exactly right. WSU fans, you’re embarrassing yourself. You’re embarrassing all the rest of us. Do you get that she’s a real person? That she probably got assigned to write that essay? Do you get that angering you was the whole point?

And, worse, the abuse directed Coghlan’s way took a decidedly sexist turn. It’s totally possible a male writer would have gotten the same backlash, but he would not have been called a “slut,” an “ignorant bitch” and much worse.

“She asked for it.” “She had it coming.” You get that’s the language of rape apologists, right? She didn’t ask for anything. She wrote an essay, probably because someone else told her to, and then a whole bunch of other people play a football game. That’s how it’s supposed to work. And if Arizona had won, that would have been the end of it. So now I imagine most of the conference is saying, “Yeesh, good thing WSU doesn’t win more often.”

Fans who’ve been participating in this: It makes you look desperate. It makes you look like an ignorant pack of witch-burners. Most of all: It draws attention to the fact that you don’t have much experience with winning.

And all of you who somehow think this “ruins” her writing career? You’re completely wrong — unfortunately, “getting attacked by strangers on the Internet” is practically a job requirement these days for journalists with opinions (and some say a big reason we don't have more women writing opinion). Coghlan didn’t hide; she came back with this indignant but completely justified response to her weekend of abuse. I suspect (and hope) she’ll be fine. It’s you I’m worried about.


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Monday, November 11, 2013

Posted By on Mon, Nov 11, 2013 at 5:13 PM

click to enlarge Zags meet Colorado St. as part of all-night basketball marathon
Young Kwak
Kevin Pangos and the new-look Zags take on Colorado State tonight.

College basketball season is upon us, as you may have noticed on Saturday when the Zags met, and then promptly dispatched Bryant University.

Tonight, the Zags take on Colorado State here in Spokane at 6 pm. CSU made waves last season, earning their first national ranking in decades while advancing to the second round of the NCAA tournament.

It's going to be a nice first challenge for a Zags squad that looked solid on Saturday night, especially considering the amount of talent that went to the NBA (and wherever Mike Hart went) in the off season.

Tonight's game is part of an outrageous made-for-TV tradition over at ESPN that features more than 24 hours of nonstop basketball on the company's family of stations. Want to get a look at the Zags WCC rival BYU? Tune in at 8 pm to ESPN2 to see them take on Stanford. Or maybe you want to size up this year's St. Mary's squad? They're playing Akron at midnight, also on ESPN2.

And that pesky Wichita St. club that ruined GU's season last March? They play Western Kentucky at 10 pm. If you can't sleep, I recommend sitting in front of ESPN2 at 4 am to see Florida Gulf Coast in all of their dunking glory against Hartford. That game is being played live on the East Coast at 7 in the morning local time. They might as well play in their pajamas.

Brew the coffee. It's time for an all-nighter.


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Envisioning a Restored Lower Snake River Flotilla @ Hells Gate State Park

Fri., Aug. 15, 7-9:30 p.m. and Sat., Aug. 16, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
  • or