We have questions … but few answers
A GRIP ON SPORTS
Reading is usually a good way to get to sleep late at night or in the early hours of the morning when your cat decides she wants to wake you up. But picking up the newspaper on-line and reading the sports section sometimes doesn't do the trick. Not when you read a story or stories that present more questions than they answer. For example, why was Jim Irsay driving around with $29,000 in cash in his car, as the police say in their report? And what would I do if I had $29,000 in my car? Heck, my car isn't worth $29,000. Read on.
• Really, what was the Colts' owner doing with that much cash on him? Looking for an all-night Laundromat for his teams' uniforms? I can honestly say I have never had $29,000 in cash on me at any one time, not even in a bank. But if I were in Indianapolis and I had $29,000 cash on me I know what I would do. I would drive to the airport, buy a one-way ticket to Los Angeles, get off the plane, take a cab to the In-n-Out on Sepulvada, buy a boatload of Double-Doubles and then try to figure out where to go next. After that, everything is a bit fuzzy, sort of like Irsay's future. But that wasn't the only question today's sports section prompted in the middle of the night.
• Over the years Mike Leach's senior quarterbacks have had incredibly proficient seasons. Will the same thing happen to Connor Halliday? As I read Jacob Thorpe's story on yesterday's first day of spring practice at WSU, I wondered if Halliday will follow in the footsteps of Leach's Texas Tech guys. If he stays healthy, yes. Not just yes, but heck yes. The Cougars' receiving corps is really good – watch out for Vince Mayle this year, he could be a beast – and Halliday understands the offense as well as anyone can. All the passing records at WSU? They should be rewritten this fall.
• How could the Chiefs end their season with such a whimper? Maybe it's because Victoria is just really good. We'll find out next week when, more than likely, Victoria faces off with Portland in round two.
• Who is this guy the Hawks just signed? And is he the guy, come November, we are all marveling about? Since John Schneider and Pete Carroll took over, there always seems to be one or two guys each year that come out of nowhere and star later in the season. Maybe Phillip Adams (pictured) will be another one.
• Wonder when the Mariners will be eliminated from the American League race? July? August? All the way until September? Wow, wouldn't it be nice if they were relevant in September again? I really don't remember what that was like.
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• WSU: It was a busy Thursday for Jacob yesterday, what with the Cougars opening spring drills and baseball coach Donnie Marbut being involved in an auto accident. Jacob covers it all in his morning post today and had a post yesterday on the football. He also had one on the basketball coaching search. He will also be holding a live chat at noon. ... A lot was going on yesterday, what with three Pac-12 teams playing in the NCAA tournament. Only one, Arizona, survived. The Wildcats' best player, Nick Johnson, finally scored down the stretch and UA pulled away. Stanford had a disappointing second half and fell to Dayton while UCLA doesn't seem to have an answer for Florida. ... Back to football, ESPN.com's Pac-12 blog looks at the defensive side of the ball and Athlon has a spring preview of the Cougars.
• Idaho: The Vandals will begin spring practice today in Moscow but the process of building next year's team is well underway. Josh Wright has that story in today's paper and also adds a blog post.
• Chiefs: A 4-2 win Thursday night capped a four-game sweep for Victoria in the WHL playoff's first round. Chris Derrick was in the Arena and has the game story and a blog post. Colin Mulvany was also there and has the photographs. ... Tri-City will try to dig out of a 3-1 hole at Kelowna. ... Everett's hole against Seattle is even deeper.
• Preps: Despite the cold weather and rain yesterday, softball games were played. Which makes Chris Derrick's season preview and feature timely. ... Greg Lee has a notebook in today's paper.
• Seahawks: If you are planning on watching the NFL draft but only for the Hawks, you can pick it up really late. Seattle, as Super Bowl champs, has the 32nd pick in the first round. I do believe that is the last one.
• Mariners: What is that about go big or go home? The M's went big yesterday when they signed free-agent pitcher Chris Young (pictured) to bolster the starting rotation. The 6-foot-10 Young has been through a couple injury-marred years recently. ... Will history repeat itself with another young M's pitcher? Jerry Brewer is afraid it will. ... The M's didn't play yesterday.
• Sounders: Believe it or not, Clint Dempsey doesn't agree with the two-game suspension he received from the MLS. It would have been real news if he had. By the way, neither did Sigi Schmid but he was less outspoken about it. No reason to risk a fine. Schmid also talked about the Crew. ... Chad Marshall is starting over with the Sounders.
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• As I looked out the window this morning and saw the sun, I wondered how the weather man could say there was a really high chance of rain today. We'll see. Until later ...
