sports To jump or not to jump … on the GU bandwagon
The Current
32 • February 2013
By Chad Kimberley Current column
My assistant coach might have a field day with this column. Roughly two years ago while traveling for a district basketball game, we got into a heated debate about the Gonzaga Bulldogs. He claims he is a committed Washington State Cougars fan but cheers for the Bulldogs. I told him he MUST be loyal to one school and he is jumping on the Bulldog bandwagon simply because they are better, and he wants to cheer for a regular participant in March Madness. In my high-and-mighty voice, I proclaimed that I am an Iowa Hawkeye fan and loyal to no one else regardless of how poor we may be playing or how few NCAA tournaments we have been invited to dance in over the past decade. Yet here I am torn. My Hawkeyes are playing a bit better but
definitely living in the basement of the Big Ten standings, and I live in eastern Washington where Hawkeye games show up on ESPN once a month if I am lucky. I love college basketball. I want to get behind a team, cheer them on, advance them ridiculously further than I should in my bracket, and watch them on television regularly. So on the night of this writing, I am going to crack open the door of my college basketball loyalties. I plan to see if the Bulldogs can shove their way in, compelling me to jump on the bandwagon and forcing me to face the ridicule of my friend and fellow coach. I realize that if I am going to do this, I have to do it right. I’ve picked up my Gonzaga Bulldog game day-priced pizzas from Papa Murphy’s. The game pits probably the two best mid-major teams in the country — Gonzaga and Butler — and I even watched a YouTube video of trick shots from Zags players to potentially prepare me to make the jump.
trailing Kansas, Duke and Michigan State? An impressive point for the Bulldogs especially considering the fact that Iowa hasn’t danced since 2006.
T minus 15 minutes
Final Fours. Maybe I have to consider how I feel about that if I am about to become a Gonzaga fan. Hmm, I think I want to beat Butler by about 40. Gonzaga wins the tip and gets a quick two points from Kelly Olynyk, while the Hawkeyes currently lead the first place Wisconsin Badgers 34-18 at halftime.
The first pizza is nearing completion as I compare the best point guards to come out of Gonzaga and Iowa: John Stockton and B.J. Armstrong. Stockton had just a few more career assists in college and a bazillion more in the NBA. Armstrong does have more NBA titles, but I think that credit goes to a guy named Jordan. Another point for the Zags.
Gonzaga off to a great 11-4 lead with some nice inside play and a deep 3-pointer from Pangos. I love that the Zags roster has players from Canada, France, Germany, Poland and, of course, Spokane. Diversity city.
T minus 5 minutes
11:49 before the half
Before the game tips, I feel I have to get a few points for my Hawkeyes on the board. We have actually played in a Final Four contest, and we have an awesome name for our football stadium: Kinnick Stadium. The stadium was named after the 1939 Heisman Trophy winner, Nile Kinnick, who died in service to our country during World War II. Top that one, Bulldog fans.
T minus 30 minutes
Opening Tip
The oven is pre-heating, and the research is being done. Did you know that Gonzaga currently has the fourth longest consecutive tournament appearances (14 in a row), only
I wonder how Bulldog fans feel about Butler, considering that most pundits consider Gonzaga the best mid-major in the country yet Butler has been to two recent
15:15 left in the first half
Gonzaga is maintaining its seven-point lead as Sam Dower becomes my current favorite Zag by dropping in four straight silky smooth lefty jump shots, including one from 3-point land, for an early 9 points. Iowa is up 15 with 15 to play in their game.
7:10 left in the first half Gonzaga now trails by two as the Bulldogs have missed two straight lay-ups while Butler has gotten hot from the outside. This game features two of my favorite college coaches: Mark Few and Brad Stevens. I wonder if either of these coaches would want to coach my Hawkeyes if they
See BANDWAGON, page 37
Improbable victory propelled memorable Titan team 1980 district title game played out like movie script By Mike Vlahovich Current Contributor
They were the unlikeliest of Greater Spokane League basketball state qualifiers, worthy of an against-all-odds sports movie script. More than three decades later, theirs is a story worth retelling, dredged up from the deep recesses of memory after reading a recent Spokesman-Review feature about stellar Colfax basketball player Brandon Gfeller. Gfeller led the Bulldogs to a State 2B championship last year, is averaging more than 21 points per game this season and is headed to the University of Montana. How does he relate to University High’s 1980 magical journey to state? Gfeller is the nephew of Steve Shagina, who was the leading scorer on a Titan team that Shagina and fellow stalwarts Aaron Alteneder and Jim Peck agree probably had no business being there. Consider that the Titans had an average 14-6 regular season that tied them
See 1980, page 36
Submitted photo
Former all-GSL basketball standout Steve Shagina, center, is draped by fellow members of the state-placing 1980 University High School basketball team. Back row, from left, Jeff Jones, Aaron Alteneder, Kelly Sigel, team manager Lenny Urguleit, Chris Ericksen and Jim Peck.