With spring practice still a week away, basketball on hiatus until late 2012, and baseball, golf, and track still being hidden under the oppressive shroud of the current Pac-12 TV situation*, it's a pretty slow news week in Duckland. Seems like as good a time as any to take a look around the Pac-12, and see how everyone else in the conference is keeping themselves occupied.
*It says situation because I thought "clusterfuck" was too strong a word for an opening sentence. But in sentence three, in italics? Shit is a clusterfuck.
We start with the most pressing matter of the week: a gif of Mike Leach fishing in a raft. You didn't know it before today, but you need this to play a major role in your life. Coug Center, you win an internet. Congratulations.
Mike Leach has been a busy bee as of late. In addition to his aquatic escapades, he recently advocated for a 64 team college football playoff. Now, this would be fantastic for the Cougars, because a tournament of that size would necessitate the creation of football's version of the CBI tournament, where WSU would square off against Indiana, Duke, and Kansas in a four team round robin to determine college football Least Worst BCS Conference Team. The winner receives a $100 gift card to Dick's Sporting Goods, and a trophy made of PVC pipe and glitter glue. The three losing teams must enter the Hunger Games arena and fight to the death for the amusement of Jim Delaney, Mike Silve, and the rest of the conference commissioners.
Cal's men's swimming and diving team won their second straight NCAA championship. Remember at your high school, when you'd see the nerds walking around with letterman jackets on? It's because nerds joined the swim team. Sure, they started doing it because it's the only sport that meets before school and therefore doesn't interfere with concert band and physics club, but the end result is a national title and a UC Berkeley education.
Building the Dam has a post up about OSU's NBA Draft prospects, and a poll with six players to choose from. I'll say that again: six OSU Beavers are (apparently) NBA Draft caliber. Six. Six players. There was an NBA talent sitting on the bench in Corvallis all year. It's all right there, in the article.
Speaking of ridiculous things in Pac-12 basketball, the ASU basketball program is falling apart, with three transfers in the past month. Duck fans may talk about Dana Altman's issues with retaining players, but things look even worse with Herb Sendak. But on the bright side for both coaches, neither of them are Ben Howland.
Colorado has made a huge basketball recruiting splash, garnering a commitment from "Vision Quest" and "Full Metal Jacket" actor Matthew Modine.
Washington State won Game 1 of the CBI Championship last night, beating Pitt by a point. Ending a meaningless postseason tournament that loses money for all teams involved with a best-of-three series: great idea, or BEST IDEA?
washington and Stanford play tonight in the NIT Final Four; Stanford takes on UMass, and the huskies play Minnesota. Could an all Pac-12 final be on the horizon?
Recently deposed Arizona head coach Mike Stoops had some scathing words to say about his former employer. Arizona Desert Swarm thinks there is some truth to his comments. I think if you had asked me, "What's the most Mike Stoops thing Mike Stoops could do?", I'd have said, "make some dickish, sour grapes comments about the football program that gave you your first and only head coaching job, after they fire you for wallowing in inconsistency for half a decade." It's either that or "choreographed pike jumps".
The Stanford women are on to the Final Four and a date with Brittney Griner and Baylor. OMG everyone freak out Brittney Griner can dunk! Of course she can dunk, she's 6'8"! When you factor the length of her arms, she only needs like an 18" vertical leap to slam. I have an 18" vertical leap right now, and I had Jack in the Box twice yesterday. So everybody get the hell over it.
Lastly, the Stanford community is currently mourning the loss of sophomore volleyball player Samantha Wopat, who passed away Sunday night at the age of 19. Our thoughts and prayer go out to the Wopat family, as well as the Stanford volleyball family.