A Grip on Sports: This fan stuff is just too hard for us as we found out once more during the NCAA’s first night

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Being a college basketball fan in March is hard. Difficult. Maddening, to say the least.

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• We weren’t working last night. Had nothing on our plate that would preclude us rooting for the team on our television screen. We did. And hated it.

OK, maybe it was because the team we were interested in just happened to play about as poorly as possible on both ends of the court. Or it could have been because we weren’t feeling all that well before the tip, though we don’t know if that was because we ate way too many tacos on this Tuesday or just because we were anxious.

Either way, we felt sick most of the time during Colorado State’s 67-42 dismantling of Virginia in Dayton, part of the NCAA tourney’s First Four games.

If this it what if feels like these days to be a fan, you can have it. We’ll go back to being a dispassionate journalist, thanks.

You know you’re not having much in the way of fun when you are yelling at the TV, “The guy’s name is Dick, Dick Bennett, for goodness’ sakes. Not Tony Sr.” OK, that’s not actually a quote, more of a family friendly paraphrase, as we didn’t have our recorder running. But the sentiment is correct. You’re working a NCAA Tournament game Spero Dedes. Do your darn homework.

Do you do such things watching the Cougs or Zags or Eagles? Do you regret it the next morning?

Watching, we mean. Then again, how often have any of those programs gone almost an hour of real time during one of their NCAA games without scoring a basket? You know, the main idea of the game? We’re guessing not often.

Anyhow, didn’t turn away. Kept watching, sort of like how we are mesmerized by cat videos at 3 in the morning. Without the occasional chuckle.

That’s not precisely true. When the players we were most interested in, local high school standouts Jake Groves and Blake Buchanan, were taken out and certain not to return, we switched the channel. And found something on Disney+ to watch. It wasn’t a cat video. But it had to do.

• One more day. That’s what we keep telling ourselves. One more day. Sort of like Christmas Eve without the snow. Tomorrow we get to open our presents.

Would you like to know who we have in our bracket? No? OK, we understand. We don’t want to know who you have either.

If you are interested, however, we want you to know we were as impassioned as we could be. Even penciling in Colorado State to win. And Saint Mary’s to win a few times. How’s that for analytical thinking?

Washington State and Gonzaga? Everything we plug into our mental computer tells us neither are getting past the first round. Which isn’t ideal, as the tournament is always better when there is someone you know really well – whether that’s because you want them to win or lose – is still involved. If we have it right – and that’s a Mt. Rainer-sized if – we’ll have to make do with a villain or two on our radar to keep this tournament interesting.

• Traveling as a fan to watch your team in the NCAA Tournament isn’t something we’ve ever done. After all, the only school we care enough about to do that, UC Irvine, our alma mater, rarely reaches that goal. And when the Anteaters have, we’ve been too busy working to make the trek.

(That being said, when UCI made its first appearance in the College World Series, we went into hock to pay for a trip to Omaha. Between the late airfare, the tickets and hotels, we quickly came to understand why folks who drop everything to follow their basketball team usually end up with so much credit card debt Anton Watson’s Papa Murphy NIL payouts wouldn’t be enough to pay it off.)

This year, many fans of the Gonzaga men (and maybe a prescient WSU fan or two) decided to invest in opening weekend tickets for Spokane. The idea: The Zags will be good enough to play close to home and you won’t have to pay a premium to watch.

Turns out that wasn’t a good bet. Until Saint Mary’s was slotted here. And all the Gael groupies found themselves in need of a seat. We hear the secondary market is booming.

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WSU: If you are not familiar with Drake’s resume, Greg Woods has you covered this morning. He passes along this conversation with someone who knows the Bulldogs well. … There is a fatalism in play with Cougar fans right now. They are excited about what will happen in the next few days but, at the same time, know the weeks after that may hold some really awful news. Dave Boling gets it. And wants everyone to, in the immortal words of Mick Jagger, to “just chill out.” Stay in the moment. What happens with Kyle Smith is going to happen. Don’t worry about it. … Speaking of Smith, he was voted the NABC district coach of the year. Greg has that story too. … We linked Jim Allen’s story above about tickets for the sub-regional in Spokane and do so again here. … Elsewhere in the Pac-12 and the nation, have some interesting in watching? Here’s a handy overview. And a look at each team. … Does Arizona have the mettle to actually make a run this season? Jon Wilner thinks so. And he tells us why in this Mercury News story. … The Wildcats’ first opponent, Long Beach State, has the NCAA’s most interesting story, one that is also reflected within the coaching staffs’ relationships. … Wilner also has his best bets, which includes WSU and Gonzaga losing. … Colorado and Boise State meet in one of tonight’s First Four games. … Utah opened up its NIT run with a win over UC Irvine. The Utes are now on our list. … Bobby Hurley signed his new contract with Arizona State. … The women’s teams from the conference should fare well in the first round. After that? Who knows. … Colorado has experience it can count on. … Arizona’s system is all Adia Barnes’ invention. … In football news, what is the outlook for each conference program as they go their separate ways? … Oregon State’s defense shined in the Beavers’ first scrimmage. … Utah has a couple transfer receivers who should really help. … It’s a different USC team in a lot of ways as it opens spring practice. … UCLA has a different look as well. … Arizona will play a couple of Friday night games in the fall.

Gonzaga: Dusty Stromer probably didn’t expect to walk right in and start for GU. After all, the Big Sky player of the year, Steele Venters, had transferred in and played the same position. Then Venters injured his knee and was lost for the season. Stromer was thrust into the spotlight. Until he wasn’t. All in all, for Stromer and fellow frosh Braden Huff, it’s been an interesting year. Jim Meehan has their story. … There is award news concerning the Zags today. Theo Lawson tells us Graham Ike was named an honorable mention All-American by the AP. … Theo also has a look at Salt Lake City and how it has fit within Gonzaga’s NCAA history. … Eliza Hollingsworth has come on strong for the women down the stretch. Just in time for the Zags to host the NCAA tourney’s first weekend. Greg Lee has this story on the graduate senior’s excellent run.

EWU: Jacinta Buckley took off after she graduated from Lewis and Clark High. Headed to Las Vegas to play for UNLV. But she returned to the area in 2022, to Eastern and the Eagles. And now, to have a big role in their NCAA run. Dan Thompson has her story. … The Eagles’ foe, third-seeded Oregon State, is a big favorite in Corvallis. … Cedric Coward made the National Association of Basketball Coaches All-District team. … Elsewhere in the Big Sky, Montana State plays in the First Four tonight against a Grambling team making the school’s first NCAA appearance. … The Bobcats’ spring football practice is underway. … Back to basketball, not only does Northern Arizona have a player who earned district honors, a former player was named to the AP All-American team.

Seahawks: Size on the defensive lines matters to new coach Mike McDonald. The Hawks’ most recent free-agent signing reflects that.  

Kraken: The offseason is actually starting now, even with games left in this one.

Mariners: Luis Castillo will be the opening day starter. We were hoping it would be Logan Gilbert. … Seattle pounded Colorado on Tuesday. … Ryne Stanek is now a Mariner. That makes the M’s hitters happy. … The Dodgers and Padres played in South Korea today to open the regular season. L.A. won 5-2.

Sounders: For once, national team duty isn’t stripping the Seattle roster.

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• This is the final day of nice spring around these parts. On, basically, the season’s first one. It will be nice today then turn rotten again. We saw the March lion earlier and had a visit from the lamb. But now we get the ratty part. Dang. Until later …