Basketball can warm up a cold winter’s night
A GRIP ON SPORTS
The weather is actually quite warm today for the middle of December. But usually this time of year about the only place a sports fan can go to warm up is a basketball venue. Which is why I'll be in the Spokane Arena tonight. Read on.
••••••••••
• Re-reading that lead-in paragraph, it makes it sound as if I usually need a warming shelter in December. That's not true, as our monthly Avista bill shows. It's just that one of the nice aspects of late fall and winter is the availability of basketball to cut through the cold, sleet, snow and monotony of this time of year. James Naismith knew what he was doing when he invented an indoor sport for December, January and February, that's for sure. There is something about parking your car on a cold December night, throwing on the gloves and stepping out into the cold, a school or arena lighting the way ahead. It doesn't matter who is playing. The steps toward the game are anticipatory ones, light and quick. The game beckons. As does the warmth of 200 to 20,000 people, there to watch the same competition you are. There is noise, light and aromas waiting once you cross the threshold and enter. You leave winter's cold behind and are transported into a different season. Basketball season. It's a game of sound, varying by how many folks are viewing the game with you. A small crowd means you can hear the players and coaches talk. You can hear the shoes squeak. You can experience the game at an intimate level. A large crowd is different. It is almost like one person at times, cheering together, commiserating together. The noise covers you like a blanket, cascading down from the upper deck to the court itself, stopping only when the game ends. Of all the memories I have of covering big college matchups, the one that will never go away is the noise in arenas like Hec Ed or McHale or the Pepsi Center in Denver or, hard as this might be to believe these days, Beasley, when the Cougars were rolling. The noise has a life of its own. It lifts the players, makes the game better, makes it more intense. Less personal, sure, but more vibrant. Then it ends. The game always ends. And, around these parts at least, the cold night always seems to beckon. The gloves and scarfs go back on. The walk back to the car takes a bit longer than the one in. But the conversation usually is more animated, colored by remembrances of what you just saw. Those memories warm you on the cold trudge back. And serve as a way to heat the long winter nights ahead.
•••
• WSU: The Cougars won the first matchup between Washington State and Gonzaga, when the women rallied for a 59-58 victory in the Kennel. Tom Clouse has the story and Tyler Tjomsland has a whole bunch of photographs. ... The men get their chance tonight in the Spokane Arena and a win over the ninth-ranked Bulldogs would do wonders for the Cougars' confidence. That's something Ernie Kent is working on according to this blog post from Jacob Thorpe. ... Jacob also has a morning post with links.
• Gonzaga: The game tonight begins at 8 p.m. and will be televised on ESPNU, if you can't get there. Kim and I will be in the upper deck, enjoying a matchup between two local teams – and the interplay between those teams' fans. Jim Meehan has an advance of the game in which Gonzaga is a 24-point favorite. ... So does Bud Withers in the Times. ... The Zags were ranked higher in this top 25 than they ultimately ended up. ... BYU's Kyle Collinsworth has made a remarkable recovery from his knee injury.
• EWU: Early in the season, when the Eagles' defense wasn't at its best, Eastern kept giving time to freshmen up front. It was a good strategy. Those freshmen are playing like veterans now. Jim Allen has the story. ... Venky Jois won his second consecutive Big Sky player of the week award, sharing it with ...
• Idaho: ... Mike Scott of the Vandals. Sean Kramer has more on Scott and the Idaho team in this blog post.
• Chiefs: Everett continues to lead the U.S. Division after going into the Tri-Cities and coming away with a 4-3 shootout win.
• Preps: Tuesday nights are always big during basketball season. Greg Lee was at the early season showdown between the Gonzaga Prep and Central Valley girls. It wasn't close. G-Prep rolled, 72-53. ... The CV boys did the same in the nightcap. That's part of our GSL roundup. ... We also can offer girls and boys roundups from around the area.
• Seahawks: How does one become really successful on defense in football? Get off the field by making third down stops. The Hawks have been really successful at that these days. ... Marshawn Lynch did an interview with his buddy Michael Robinson on the NFL Network over the weekend. The transcript isn't long. ... Richard Sherman is just the opposite. He'll step in front of a microphone at the drop of a helmet. He also will represent his fellow players on any issue. ... The next three weeks will tell the tale of where the Hawks will play in the postseason, if they make it. ... There is one person who doesn't want Jim Harbaugh to leave the 49ers ever. ... Jordan Hill is making the most of his chance.
• Mariners: OK, so maybe the Melky Cabrera talk was a bit premature. Or maybe the M's are leaking their interest in this White Sox outfielder just to bring Cabrera's price down a bit. Who knows? We do know they have a young player everyone seems to like. And a couple young shortstops that are in demand.
•••
• There is a good chance I will be a bit more active than usual on Twitter tonight. As a basketball fan, it could be fun to share my observations of the "neutral" crowd at the Arena. But maybe not. I might just get into the game and begin cheering for my favorite team – the referees. Until later ...
