Daye in sun shouldn’t be focus

I realize Wednesday newspapers can be challenging for sports departments, but The Spokesman’s Jan. 21 effort was, at best, paltry.

Wasn’t there something more important in the world of sports that day than the fact Gonzaga forward Austin Daye was planning to wear “all shorts and T-shirts” on the team’s road trip over the weekend and, under a photograph of the talented athlete holding a basketball, saying, “Austin Daye … is looking forward to some California sun?” And that on the top half of the section’s front page?

I’m a fanatical Zags fan and see no reason why they can’t go deep into the tournament this year. In fact, running against normal consensus, I believe their unanticipated losses to Portland State and Utah could become assets if they weather the WCC and make the tournament.

But shorts, T-shirts, and sunshine without saying anything of merit about the teams they will be playing?

Still, the adjacent story was about the Mariners giving Eric Bedard a $750,000 raise, up to $7.75 million for one year, for spending half of last season on the disabled list. Go figure.

Rocky Wilson

Spokane