A rare Tuesday with WSU news
For once there is a Tuesday morning with some linkable stories. Some from basketball, some from football. Read on.
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• We'll start with basketball because it happens to be basketball season (if you're not sure, just check the pile of snow in your front yard). As we related here yesterday, Taylor Rochestie became the first player from the state of Washington to earn Pac-10 player of the week honors. Yes, you read that right. The Huskies are in first place in the conference and have yet to have a player win the weekly award. UW and Oregon, those are the two schools without an honoree. Let's move on. ... Speaking of Rochestie, LA Times columnist Bill Dwyre had a column about him this morning. At least he didn't wonder why he would leave Southern California for Pullman, as seemingly every story about Klay Thompson has recently. ... The altercation at USC after the UW loss made for some interesting reading in this morning's LA Times. ... Arizona wins seven consecutive games, loses Sunday to ASU and interim coach Russ Pennell is even more interim to some. ... Nick Daschel of Buster Sports has some funny lines about the Pac-10 this week.
• Now on to football, that seemingly never-ending sport. Of course the number one topic of discussion around Pullman is Marshall Lobbestael"s recent arrest (third item). There was this story in the Daily Evergreen and this piece from freelancer Howie Stalwick in the News Tribune and other papers. ... Daschel also has a quick look at spring practice, which is just around the corner (as soon as the snow melts).
• Three other items. As most of you know, WSU radio announcer Bud Nameck had a little run-in with a UCLA fan Saturday. According to Nameck, late in the game, a fan leaned over the crowd microphone and yelled at Aron Baynes, calling him an unflattering term related to a feminine product. Nameck, ever mindful of FCC fines (thank you Janet Jackson), used his arm to move the fan back. Then, according to Nameck and others, the fan accused Nameck of hitting him. Well, the upshot is the fan was escorted out and Nameck finished the broadcast. Later, as Nameck was getting ready to leave, I walked by and told him he overreacted. Why, Nameck asked? Because, I joked, the unflattering term related to a feminine product is actually Australian for great player. Cultural differences strike again. ... The Cougar baseball team opens its home schedule tonight by hosting Gonzaga, weather willing. That's the lede of Steve Bergum's college baseball notebook. ... Finally, University High in Spokane has hired former WSU assistant – and a lot of other places as well – Bill Diedrick as its head football coach.
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• That's it for this morning. We'll be back this evening with an update on basketball. Until then …
