Grip on Sports: Awards are nice and all, but they are only the appetizer for what is ahead

A GRIP ON SPORTS • We are looking forward to the next week. And the week after that. And the week after that. And … well, you get the picture. In the next little-over-a-month there will be the NCAA Tournament, the Masters, Opening Day and the beginning of the last season of “Game of Thrones.” Talk about jam-packed. Read on.

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• Lest we forget, spring starts in a couple weeks. This is just the best time of the year.

But before we get to all that good stuff, we first have to endure awards season. And it’s accompanying guffaws.

It began, around here, yesterday with the announcement of the All-West Coast Conference men’s and women’s teams as well as the All-Pac-12 women’s teams.

The grumbling you heard wasn’t about who was chosen in the WCC, but how many.

Why does the conference pick 10 players on its first team? Can a team play a game with 10 players on the court at once? No. So it doesn’t make sense to have 10 players on a first team. Make it five, which seems appropriate considering, you know, that’s how many really play. Or make it 15 because that’s the usual roster. But 10? It just seems silly.

OK, this is the definition of a tempest in a coffee pot, but it’s still odd. It reeks of appeasement, of participation trophy-itis. If everyone is special, than no one is.

Then again, if the WCC went with a five-person first team, then the Gonzaga men would have at least three selections – and it would show the world once again the Snow White nature of the conference. At least with a 10-person first team, there is room for a majority of the selections to be from the Sleepy and Sneezy and Doc members of the conference.

At least we aren’t arguing this morning about some overlooked Zag in the major awards. Both coaches of the year, Mark Few and Lisa Fortier, came from GU. The men, who were undefeated in conference, had the player of the year, Rui Hachimura, and the defensive player of the year and the newcomer, both Brandon Clarke. The women didn’t receive any of the major player awards, but their championship season was more of a collective effort after Jill Barta turned pro with a year of eligibility remaining.

The next couple weeks will be filled with these types of debates. Yes, they are silly. And yes, in the grand scheme of things they are not too meaningful. But it’s a small price to pay to see if Gonzaga can win an NCAA title, or if Tiger can dominate at Augusta again, or if Bryce Harper looks good in a Phillies uniform, or if any of the Stark clan survives.

My guess? Only one of those things happens.

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Gonzaga: Before we get to the WCC awards stories, we want to point out another meaningful one. GU assistant Donny Daniels will be part of the first group of inductees into a basketball assistant’s hall of fame. That’s pretty cool. Jim Meehan has more in this story. … Jim also has the story on the men’s awards while Jim Allen has the women’s awards covered.

WSU: Oregon is on the Palouse tonight to face the Cougars. We have a preview. … Around the Pac-12, there is a scenario out there in which the conference could have as many as three schools in the NCAAs. Not a viable scenario, probably, but a scenario. … Washington should make the tournament, though it’s not locked in headed to the final week of the regular season. And it should win the conference’s top player award next week. … Oregon needs to keep winning if it wants a bye in the Pac-12 tournament. … Oregon State only needs to win once to clinch that coveted accomplishment. … Colorado has owned UCLA recently. … Utah has a father-son duo. … Believe it or not, Arizona could still get a bye. … In football news, USC began spring practice in a place that actually has spring. … UCLA started yesterday as well. … Oregon State is dealing with an important injury. … A Utah defensive back changed positions.

EWU: The Eagles promoted an off-field football assistant into an on-field position. Ryan Collingwood has the story. … Around the Big Sky, spring football is getting started soon at Montana State. … It hasn’t been the best basketball season at Weber State.

Chiefs: Spokane led 1-0 in the third period, but Everett rallied for a 3-1 win in the Arena last night. Kevin Dudley has the story about a game both teams really needed to win.

Preps: Longtime University High wrestling coach Don Owen is retiring. Ryan has more in this story. … Dave Nichols talked with Larry Weir yesterday for the latest Press Box pod.

Mariners: Mallex Smith’s arm is feeling better. … Yes, there are ties in baseball, but only at spring training.

Seahawks: What’s up with this franchise tag thing? And why is Frank Clark OK with it?

Sounders: With a new-look attack, the midfield needs to see things differently.

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• I don’t consider myself a procrastinator. After all, when I need a nap during the day, I don’t put it off. I get right to it. But there are other tasks, like changing linen or sweeping the garage, that I’m not as quick to attack. Does that make me a bad person? Until later …