SR.com | The big feed

The Vox Box: Is it worth it?...

chloe

People camp on the street, lines are formed deep into the night, crowds surge through narrow isles, and bright sale signs are big enough to take on a snowplow...yup - it's Black Friday...

The stories, such as the killed Walmart shopper, continue to shock the public, while for some the event is avoided completely.

Should Black Friday be banned? Is the preholiday blow-out sale concept becoming too dangerous?

Community Comment: What will Bill do?

Dave Laird

Good morning, Netizens...
Photo Credit: Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Hoo boy! In this morning's David Horsey cartoon, I think he has posed the question that nearly everyone is asking. Once Hillary is sworn in as Secretary of State, what will Bill do with his time?

So, without dedicating more time to Bill Clinton than circumstances dictate, here are some ideas off the top of my head:

1. He could go to one of the Third-World countries as a personal emissary of his wife to combat the continuing growth of AIDS/HIV, Malaria and other horrific diseases striking many of these undeveloped/emerging countries. Even public awareness and acknowledgment of how many people are dying on a daily basis might make a difference.

2. As the courageous folks at Spokane Center for Justice have aptly demonstrated there is a crying need for justice for those least-able to pay for good legal counsel. Bill is a world-class lawyer, right? Why not have him work for the poor and underprivileged to develop a nation-wide program of low-cost legal centers for everyone, not just the privileged few?

He has an opportunity that few of us will ever attain in our humble lives, to serve with great dignity and acumen for people of all races, all walks in life, who desperately need help. With the economy already in the tank, full-blown recession coming on like a storm trooper in gum boots, a lot of little people are going to need all the help they can get just keeping their heads above water.

Now the question seems to me to be, will Bill serve?

Of course, as always, I would love to hear other opinions regarding Bill's future employment possibilities.

Dave

Huckleberries Online: KREM2: Wrong-Way I90 Driver Dies In Crash

DFO

An Oregon motorist driving on the wrong side of the freeway was killed after hitting a semi-truck head-on Monday night. The Idaho State Police responded to the report of the crash, which closed that portion of Interstate 90 near mile post 34 (Rose Lake & Highway 3 area). As of midnight the state patrol was diverting freeway traffic east and west via on and off ramps along the freeway to keep traffic moving. Authorities said the deceased motorist was driving a gray Toyota Scion west in an eastbound lane along the freeway/KREM2. More here.

Huckleberries Online: Idaho 72, Sacramento State 58

DFO

ESPN story & boxscore

SportsLink: WSU's Wulff looks back ... and ahead

Vince

COUGARS

Paul Wulff met the press Monday and closed the book on 2008 � emphatically. Of the 35 minutes, I would estimate 25 to 30 of them were spent talking about next year and beyond. A big part of that, of course, was driven by the questions asked, most of which centered around recruiting, player development, redshirts, things like that.

I've read most of your comments and questions and believe all of them will be answered if you follow the link. Read on.

��

� Before we get to the two pieces I've prepared for tomorrow's paper, I wanted to comment on something I read. More than one person today found fault with the coaching staff not adapting enough to the talent in the program. Sorry, but I think this is a bogus complaint. If you watched this team from the first day to fall camp in August to the last practice in November. as I did, you would realize how much the staff massaged and tweaked their schemes, their practices, their game plans, for the talent here. As they got to know the players better � their strengths and weaknesses � and as the injuries started to pile up, the staff went away from their favored offensive concept � the no-huddle � and their favored defensive concept � 4-3 gap control � to other, simpler systems that suited the players.

Sure, there were core principles that never changed, like expecting the players to practice with intensity, but if the staff thought there might be one other thing to try to ensure success, they tried it. Question other things if you want, but calling into question Wulff and his staff's willingness to adapt Xs and Os with an eye on winning, that's just not supported by the facts.

� Now on to the season in review story we've put together for tomorrow's S-R and a look back on the season in the same form we used to look back on each game.

PULLMAN � Paul Wulff held his final press conference of the 2008 football season Monday afternoon and talked extensively on ... 2009 and beyond.

Who can blame the first-year Washington State coach?

The Cougars were 2-11 this season, the first time in school history they had lost that many. They also were 1-8 in Pac-10 play, gave up a conference and NCAA record 570 points and yielded 60 or more points a BCS-record four times.

"(It was a) learning experience in so many ways," Wulff said of his first WSU season. "After one year, we can look at it all, make some adjustments and probably make our biggest strides as a program."

One thing Wulff didn't have to learn was no season is an utter failure if it includes an Apple Cup win, which this year did, a 16-13 double-overtime comeback two weeks ago.

And he promised there would be more moments like that next season.

"We'll be a much improved football team this next year, there's no doubt about it," Wulff said. "For a lot of reasons. We will have a lot of players back who will be bigger and stronger and they'll understand the system a lot better.

"I pray to God we don't have five quarterbacks that have to take snaps. I don't believe (the injuries) will be an issue again. We have some key players coming off redshirt that will make dramatic improvement on our football team."

The Cougars started the season with Gary Rogers at quarterback, saw him go down with a neck injury against Portland State, and had to use Kevin Lopina, Marshall Lobbestael, Dan Wagner and J.T. Levenseller at times under center.

The injuries to Lopina, also hurt against PSU, and Lobbesteal, lost to a season-ending knee injury against Oregon State, forced Levenseller to use a planned redshirt year.

Of all the injuries the Cougars suffered � starters missed a total of 73 games to injury � Wulff said Lobbestael's was the most devastating.

"He would have had a chance to play in nine games," Wulff said, "and he would have helped in all of them."

Wulff said the Cougars are going to be stronger next year through a more intense weight-lifting program featuring more accountability.

"They have to embrace it," Wulff said. "They don't have a choice. ... If we have players that can't embrace that, they have to go some place that will allow them not to develop.

"As coaches we have to make sure they make a lot of improvement in the weight room. ... For us to take a huge step as a program, every single individual has to take ownership of that. And they way to do it is to get yourself bigger and stronger as a player."

But Wulff tried to temper expectations about a huge strength improvement in one year.

"I think you see some change," he said of next year, "but I've been around long enough to know, when you have a good weight program, you don't reap the true fruits of its labor for 3 to 4 years."

And building long-term program success is also a layering process, according to Wulff.

"We're going to be a young football team," Wulff said. "We're not in a situation where we have a lot of fifth-year seniors, fourth-year juniors, yet. But that's what we have to get to. Once a program can cycle itself ... that's when you get solid teams.

"That's not what's gone on here the last x-amount of years. It went away from that concept so we sit where we sit because of not staying the course."

But now WSU is back to it.

"For us to get back to that, we have to redshirt players like we did this year, bite the bullet, and start layering the team that way," Wulff said. "That's how you're going to get it done here."

LOOKING AHEAD: Wulff said all positions need strengthening through recruiting, but the priority areas are receiver and defensive line. The Cougars are looking for immediate help in both areas. ... WSU has seven coaches out recruiting this week. ... When asked which players he was expecting to provide leadership over the off-season, Wulff mentioned Lobbestael and Kenny Alfred on offense and Louis Bland, Tyree Toomer and Xavier Hicks on defense. "Those are players that have that personality," Wulff said. ... There are a number of players who redshirted that Wulff expects to contribute next season, including Cal transfer running back James Montgomery and junior college transfers Zack Williams, an offensive tackle, and Bernard Wolfgramm, a defensive lineman. Many of the redshirts, including offensive tackle Tyson Pencer (shoulders) and defensive linemen Jessy Sanchez (shoulder) and Wolfgramm (knee) have already undergone surgery. More are planned, with the team doctor booked for most of December. ... The competition for quarterback should be intense, with Lobbestael probably unable to go in the spring. He'll battle with Lopina, Levenseller and freshman-to-be Jeff Tuel, of Clovis West High in California, who has committed to signing in February. ... Though Wulff doesn't expect any more Academic Progress Rate problems this year (WSU was docked eight scholarships last May), the Cougars won't sign 25 first-year players � the maximum � in February. Wulff expects to sign 17 or 18 high school seniors, two or three junior college athletes and use the rest of the available scholarships for nonscholarship players like linebacker Myron Beck, who would count against the initial total because he hasn't been on campus for two years.

��

Looking back �

High point of the season

This one is easy. It's when Nico Grasu's 37-yard, double-overtime-ending field goal passed through Martin Stadium's east uprights, winning the Apple Cup 16-13 and kick starting a wild post-game celebration on the turf. For a team winless in conference up to that point � the average margin of defeat had been 47.4 points � a win, any win, was going to be big. But when it was over archrival Washington, it was even bigger, no matter how bad the Huskies were.

Low point of the season

With time winding down late in the first half against USC, the Trojans had a second-and-8 at the WSU 10-yard line. There was enough time for USC to put another score on the board, but coach Pete Carroll said no, pulling his team off the field and back toward the tunnel as the clock ran down. From the first few plays of the game, it was obvious the Trojans could name the final score (it would be 69-0), and Carroll decided the first half would end 41-0.

A pat on the back

After a 59-28 home defeat to Arizona, WSU's defense had yielded more than 400 points in seven Pac-10 defeats. The group was ravaged by injuries. Everyone, from the coaches to the players, could have packed it in, playing out the string until the season ended. But they didn't. The coaches changed base schemes, going with three down linemen, and the players decided enough was enough. Over the next three games, the defense yielded just seven touchdowns and kept the Cougars in striking distance in each of them.

Needs fixing

There was only one game this season when Washington State lined up with bigger and better players at most positions: Portland State. But against every Football Bowl Subdivision foe, the Cougars were outmanned. Against most, it was glaringly obvious in size and speed. The speed will have to be addressed in recruiting, but the size can be adjusted through intense work in the weight room. Maybe that's why coach Paul Wulff said Monday that next season starts today.

Three unanswered questions

� How many wins next season? Wulff said Monday he expects the Cougars to be improved in every aspect, from off-the-field performance to on-field results. Though next year's schedule hasn't been finalized � WSU is still looking for a third non-conference game, but that will probably be a FCS school � it should be a little easier in that WSU gets all of this year's Pac-10 bottom feeders, except Washington, at home.

� What players won't be back? Wulff expects there to be some attrition, though not much. But there probably will be a few scholarship players who leave by their own volition in search of more playing time. And there probably will be one or two academic casualties, if the past is any indication. In neither case, however, should the players be high-profile.

� How is the recruiting going? When the Cougars landed in Seattle on Sunday, returning from Hawaii, six coaches headed off recruiting � joining one who stayed in the Islands. Some of WSU's more high-profile recruits seem to be wavering a bit, and Wulff had a message for them. "In this day and age, you sure hope those individuals ... and their parents are mature enough to honor their commitment. If we've committed to them, then, by golly, you would hope they would hold the same back."

��

� That's it for today. We'll be back tomorrow in the morning and before the basketball game. Till then �

SportsLink: Idaho State will be in Pullman tomorrow

Vince

COUGARS

We've got a few things for you tonight, so we'll spit them into two posts. This first one has to do with tomorrow's basketball game, as Idaho State comes to Pullman with a deceiving 1-4 record. The Bengals have lost three times in overtime or double overtime. Read on for our short advance and a couple thoughts.

��

� Here is the advance �

After their first road trip, and first defeat, Washington State returns to Beasley Coliseum tonight to face hard-luck Idaho State in a nonconference game at 7.

The Big Sky Conference's Bengals are 1-4, with three of the losses coming in overtime or double overtime. Amorrow Morgan, a 6-foot-5 forward, leads ISU in scoring at 19.2 points per game, including a career-high 31 in last week's double-overtime defeat at Boise State.

The Cougars (5-1) are coming off a 57-43 loss to No. 3 Pitt in the finals of the Legends Classic. Freshman Klay Thompson, coming off his first career double-double in Friday's win over Mississippi State, paces WSU in scoring with 12.5 points.

��

� The scouting report on the Bengals is they will play multiple defenses, including three different zones and some man-to-man. They have played well most of this early season, but were hammered Saturday night at home by BYU, 85-65. Still, other than Mississippi State and Pitt, this will be the Cougars toughest test thus far. A much tougher one is coming up Saturday, of course, when No. 24 Baylor comes to town.

As for the Cougars, look for more time for DeAngelo Casto, who had a good practice Monday. He should be on the floor at the same time with Aron Baynes more than has been the case earlier this season. The freshman from Spokane has earned time at the 4 spot with his performance in Newark. Also, Mike Harthun is back from suspension and also practiced well. He should see some time tomorrow.

� That's it for basketball tonight. We'll add a football post soon. Till then �

Huckleberries Online: Wild Card/Monday 12/1/08

DFO

I'm blogging from home today, nursing the tail-end of a head cold that bedeviled me over the Thanksgiving holiday. It's more precautionary than anything else. I don't want to pass along any germs that may still be hanging around. So I won't be bringing you Scanner Traffic today b/c my scanner is at work. Also, I can't post a terrific photo or 2 sent me privately by local bloggers, including one that features the beautiful daughter of an HBO celeb at the CDA Christmas parade (but you can see her by clicking on the OnLocation North Idaho link). Otherwise, I'll post most of the usual stuff. And, of course, this Wild Card ...

Huckleberries Online: Parting Shot -- 12/1/08

DFO

Mark Baker/AP
Australia's Cameron Sinclair falls into the water after successfully completing a double backflip on his motorbike into Sydney Harbor Monday. The event was held to promote the "Crusty Demons" extreme sports show.

Huckleberries Online: Howard Provides Best-Sounding Cold Remedy

DFO

RE: Izzit it just me?

1. Zicam
2. Echinacea (or however you spell it)
3. Vitamin C
4. Chicken Soup
5. Tonic of Dr. Jack Daniels
6. Generic Nyquil at bedtime (be careful to not over do it w/ Dr. Jack)
7. You'll feel better in 7 days. If that doesn't work, you'll for sure feel better in one week/Howard Martinson

DFO: Several offered some sound advice re: how to get rid of a cold. Howard and Jantri were neck in neck at the end. I gave the nod to Howard b/c I got a chuckle out of No. 7. As a reward, I'm going to give Howard one of Doug Clark's CDs. Howard, come by the office and get it whenever you can.

Huckleberries Online: A Surprise Visit To/From Marmitetoasty

DFO

I think we should all go and surprise visit Marmite! I can just a big group of huckleberrians walkin down some English country lane and DFO's like "Kage Mann, stop throwing rocks at the sheep and stay in line" and we'd be all like "hey DFO you are SO NOT the boss here even if it is your stupid blog" and we'd be kind of bickering only cuz we're all really drunk from some pub we visited and we're all nervous that Marmite's gonna be mad we up and surprised visited her and so we're all like kind of on edge when a local constable rides up on his bicycle and rings his little police bell on the handlebar and makes us all stop and he gets off his bike and puts his hands on his hips and says "What the bleekin' hell is this? Who shivvered yer moppuls, ya gollops?" and we're all like wanting to be respectful because he is an officer of the local law but we actually have no idea what he's asking and he starts turning red and gets kind of louder while grabbing his whistle "Oh, a bunch of malarkers are ye? I oughta rantler yer boopers ya maloneys, me whistle's about to snurgle!"/TUBOB. More here.

DFO: Ok, I've heard the pleas of my people re: a move to bring Marmitetoasty to Blogfest 2009 (although I haven't asked new Editor Gary Graham if the paper will pop for the pizza and pop again this year). First, I suppose, we have to decide if Marmie's interested in attending the blogfest, then we have to find a date that'll match her schedule (probably later than earlier), and finally we need to raise some shillings or quid or pounds or whatever else passes for currency across the pond. So I'm opening this thread for ideas and volunteers.

Huckleberries Online: HBO's Headlines @ Closin' Time -- 12/1/08

DFO

Christopher Anderson/SR
A flock of birds take cover in a bush as the first significant dusting of snow covers Spokane Friday.

*EWU hall of famer killed in morning crash/KXLY
*At least some Idaho state government layoffs likely/Eye On Boise
*Idaho D's disagree w/Otter re: budget cut need/Eye On Boise
*Otter still pushing transportation plan/Eye On Boise
*EWU president taking medical leave/SR
*Bad economy dooms popular Boise radio duo/Idaho Statesman
*Best Western books of 2008/New West
*Gonzaga jumps to No. 5 in AP poll/KREM2
*Washington Supreme Court refuses to lift stay of execution/AP

Huckleberries Online: NW Sick: 3 Robbers Steal Groceries From 87YO

DFO

Police say an 87-year-old man in a wheelchair was attacked and robbed of his groceries Friday afternoon in Spokane. The disabled man, whom Spokane Police did not identify in a press release issued today, said his three assailants were armed with a hammer and a knife. The victim was cut on his face and neck, but apparently was not hospitalized. The man told police he was westbound on Mission Avenue near Hamilton Street when he was approached by the young men, whom he described as black with thin builds, wearing baggie pants with "greenish brown" hooded sweatshirts/SR. More here.

Movies & More: Shatner: A truly spacy man

Dan

I was just reading about William Shatner�s new interview show, which premieres Tuesday night on the Bio channel, and got curious about it. So I began looking for advance scenes on YouTube.

And I came up with the timeless classic posted below, which features the Shat himself, interpreting the Elton John/Bernie Taupin song �Rocket Man.�

Enjoy.

Eye On Boise: Report calls for raises, Guv says no

Betsy

Idaho�s annual Change in Employee Compensation report, which was required by law to be submitted to the governor and Legislature today, shows that state employee wages still lag 15 percent behind market rates, and calls for 5 percent raises, to be distributed by merit, to be funded for state employees except public school employees next year. But that�s not what Gov. Butch Otter is proposing in his budget. Otter said today he can�t advocate any raises at all for state employees next year, due to the state�s budget crunch.

�We did see the report before it was issued today,� said Otter�s budget director, Wayne Hammon. �They have certain things that they�re mandated to put in that report and go forward, so they did that, they�ve done their job. We just can�t do it.� The report also calls for making state employees pay for an increasing share of their benefit costs; Hammon said that, too, is likely to be put on hold. �In light of the current economic conditions, we have to slow the whole thing down,� Hammon said. Without raises, Otter won�t be proposing the accompanying benefit cost hikes, he said.

The report quotes state law, saying, �The Legislature declares its intent in Idaho Code 67-5309A that �regardless of specific budgetary conditions from year to year, it is vital to fund necessary compensation adjustments each year to maintain market competitiveness in the compensation system. In order to provide this funding commitment in difficult fiscal conditions, it may be necessary to increase revenues, or to prioritize and eliminate certain functions or programs in state government, or to reduce the overall number of state employees in a given year, or any combination of such methods.�� But Hammon said, �I believe that�s a requirement of the Legislature, who sets the budget. � All we do is recommend a budget. It�s the Legislature that actually sets it.� Here's a link to the full CEC report.

Movies & More: Just in time for the holidays ... depression

Dan

Some ideas are so good you wish you had thought of them first. Or at least had the cojones to rip them off. But, hey, I�m a slave to ethics. So I�ll just refer to this blog that, as it claims, runs down the �10 Most Depressing Holidays in Movies.�

I have to say, though, he's dead wrong about �Groundhog Day,� which ends up being both a comically inspiring movie and Bill Murray's best film.

SportsLink: Five Vandals earn all-WAC status

Josh

Idaho seniors Eddie Williams, Adam Korby and T.J. Conley were named first-team all-WAC football performers today, while offensive lineman Mike Iupati and place-kicker Tino Amancio were second-team choices.

Meanwhile in somewhat of a surprise move, Nevada quarterback Colin Kaepernick beat out Boise State's Kellen Moore for Offensive Player of the Year. Moore, however, was named the WAC's top freshman.

You can read more here and here.

Eye On Boise: At least some layoffs likely

Betsy

State agencies have until next Monday to decide how they'll make their cuts to comply with Gov. Butch Otter�s newly announced 3 percent additional holdback, and those moves could well include layoffs. Wayne Hammon, Otter's budget director, said, "I think there will be layoffs, I just don't know how many, and I don't expect a lot." Agencies already trimmed travel, meetings and the like for the earlier budget cut in September, he noted. September�s holdback was 1 percent; today�s announcement added 3 percent to that for a total of 4 percent, plus asked agencies to put an additional 2 percent of their budgets on hold in case further cuts are needed, bringing the possible cut up to 6 percent.

In a letter sent today to all state agency directors and administrators, Otter wrote, �Please examine all areas of your operation for potential savings. Nothing should be off limits for discussion and review. Particular attention should be paid to programs operating without direct constitutional or statutory authority. I strongly encourage you to consider eliminating entire programs that are not directly tied to you department, office or institution�s primary mission.�

Huckleberries Online: Mansfield: A Back To The Future Pick For Risch Post?

DFO

Who will Butch appoint to fill that vacancy? Lots of names tend to pop up, at times like this: new faces, old ones, good friends of the current Governor and politically expedient people as well....especially for a Governor who will most assuredly seek re-election. What should Gov. Otter do? Here are some facts for his and our consideration: 1. Appointed Lt. Governors have a very short shelf-life and they should; 2. Former Governor Kempthorne appointed a sitting State Senator (and college friend) who ran in the next election and was trounced by Jim Risch and others, as voters had their say; 3. When Lt. Governor Risch assumed the Governorship, as Kempthorne was appointed Sec. of the Interior, the new Governor chose a tried and true leader - one who had no political aspirations; 4. As Risch left the Governorship and was re-elected as Lt. Governor, his previous appointee stepped out of the way, as was expected. 5. Now, Governor Otter must appoint someone, pending Risch's ascent to the US Senate. But who? My call? Former Governor Phill Batt. He would be the best thing for Idaho/Dennis Mansfield. More here.

*Still no booze by the glass/Unequivocal Notion
*Corner bait/F-Words
*Is Obama's election 'the will of God'?/IVA
*Another year gone by/MountainGoat Report
*Idaho Demo legislative caucus responds/Red State Rebels

Question: What do you think of Dennis Mansfield's idea that Gov. Otter should pick former governor Phil Batt to be his lieutenant governor to fill out the remainder of Jim Risch's term?

SportsLink: 2008-09 GSL boys basketball glance

Mike

Greater Spokane League boys basketball begins Tuesday and everyone gets a game in this week except Ferris. Football delays the Saxons start until Dec. 9 at East Valley. Gonzaga Prep and Shadle are favored. Behind them anybody can finish anywhere. My predictions, as a result,are a bit off-the-wall this year giving you plenty to talk about. Don't be surprised if the standings wind up completely different.

Check below for expanded previews of each school:

GSL at a glance
In predicted order of finish:
Gonzaga Prep Bullpups
2007-2008 records: 14-6, 3rd; 14-7.
Coach: Mike Haugen
Years coaching, record: 19th, 261-205 (229-169 at Prep)
Starters, lettermen returning: 5, 8
Key players: Travis Long, 6-5, sr., p. Josh Kaufmann, 6-5, sr. p. David Stockton, 5-9, sr., g. Sean Fischer, 6-0, sr., g.sr., g. Nick Hansen, 6-1, sr,. g. Ryan Nicholas, 6-5, jr. p. David Nelson, 6-2, jr. p/w. Charlie Griffin, 6-1, jr. p.
Outlook: With virtually the entire team back from last year�s third-place league finisher and size throughout the lineup, the Bullpups are a unanimous choice to win the league this year. Illness hit at district last year ending the season prematurely. But a strong summer with players competing on traveling teams has meant improvement and added size and depth of younger players necessitates the favorite�s mantle.
Coach�s comments: �Quite frankly I knew it was going to happen with Aaron (Dunn) leaving Shadle Park. I�m not used to this. It�s nice to be recognized, but I tell the kids that what we do at the end of the year is what really matters. The kids kind of look at last year as unfinished business.�
Shadle Park Highlanders
2007-2008 records: 18-2, 2nd; 22-6. State qualifier.
Coach: Tim Gaebe
Years coaching, record: 7th, 76-69
Starters, lettermen returning: 2, 7
Key players: Anthony Brown, 6-5, sr., w. Robby Douglas, 6-0, jr. g. Matt Barnes, 6-5, sr. p. Taylor Pettersen, 6-1, jr., g. Luke Jordan, 6-0, sr., g. Jake Rodgers, 6-7, jr., p. Ryan Towner, 6-3, sr., w; Brett Boese, 6-4, fr. W.
Outlook: The Highlanders lost two key components, one to graduation the other to transfer, but bring back seven players from last year�s 4A qualifier, including WSU recruit Brown. Douglas was a shooting machine and Rodgers gives Shadle a big post presence in Aaron Dunn�s absence. With a gifted freshman, Shadle should be in the GSL title hunt again this year. They move to the loaded 3A classification.
Coach�s comments: �It�s not like Anthony�s got to be the guy that carries us. I think we�ll have nights when anyone can have a game. It would be nice for everyone to score anywhere from 8-12 points average on a regular basis. We need people to step into roles, there�s a question mark in that. We�ve got the pieces, but we�ve got to put them together.
Central Valley Bears
2007-2008 records: 9-11, 6th; 11-15, regional qualifier.
Coach: Rick Sloan
Years coaching, record: 13th, 176-117
Starters, lettermen returning: 1, 5
Key players: J.C. Agen, 6-3, sr., p. Brad Whitley, 5-10, sr., g. Michael Williams, 6-1, sr., g. Alex Howard, 6-4, sr., p.; Joe Arlt, 6-3, jr., f.
Outlook: The Bears struggled late last season, then upset Mead to qualify for regionals. Two key players graduated, most of the rest return. Howard and Williams, said Sloan, are among the league�s better players. Williams, Agen and Whitley were key to the Bears state quarterfinal football run. That could carry over into a basketball challenge, although it might take awhile to get their legs.
Coach�s comments: �We�re a little more athletic as a team than last year and I think we might have a little more inside presence. We�ve finally got all the kids back in the saddle. Hopefully we don�t start too slow, but it�s a definite possibility. I think all the 4A schools are pretty tough."
Ferris Saxons
2007-2008 records: 20-0, first in GSL; 29-0, district, regional and state champion.
Coach: Don Van Lierop
Years coaching, record: 15th, 7th at Ferris, 140-26 (225-115 overall).
Starters, lettermen returning: 0, 6
Key players: Justin Stewart, 6-1, sr., g. Riley Stockton, 6-4, so., w. Connor Halliday, 6-4, jr., f. Jason Bates, 6-3, jr., w. Taylor Kamitomo, 6-2, so., f. Jordan Tonani, 6-1, so., g. Grant Livingston, 6-2, so., f.
Outlook: Two straight unbeaten championship seasons give way to an entirely new Saxon lineup. But as one rival coach put it, �you�d have to search hard to find a bad team at Ferris in the last 20 years. They were otherwordly the last two.� The Saxons had one of their best summers in terms of improvement from beginning to end, said Van Lierop. Unlike the previous two when it didn�t take long to figure out a lineup card, the starting team could vary from game to game.
Coach�s comments: �This is a different group and style of play. We have a whol bunch of 6-foot-3, 6-4 players who are good athletes. All five can shoot from the perimeter. We�ve had to change the way we�ve played over the previous years. Having a low post that�s really good is a great thing, but it also closes things down. It�s hard to drive and back cut and do things."
Mead Panthers
2007-2008 records: 10-10, 5th; 10-11, lost in district
Coach: Glenn Williams
Years coaching, record: 20th, 11th at Mead, 219-217
Starters, lettermen returning: 1, 6
Key players: Ryane Laforte, 6-2, sr., p. Brendon Meyers, 5-6, jr g. Bo Tully, 6-1, jr., g. Mitch Kayser, 6-3, jr. f. Grant Fink, 6-2, sr., g. Jacob Midtylng, 6-3, sr., f.
Outlook: Only one part-time starter returns and the Panthers are young, but with good team quickness, they will be able to play at the fast tempo that Williams prefers, and can run. Shadle transfer Aaron Dunn�s season-ending football knee injury tempers pre-season optimism. �Like I told the kids, it was like a present we didn�t get to unwrap,� said Williams. That said, he likes Mead�s chances.
Coach�s comments: �Always our goal is to put pressure on defsnes and get easy baskets, to work off our pressure and pace. The biggest issue is we want to teach better defense. We need to be sounder in the half court. We have ways to score. We need more stops.�
Lewis and Clark Tigers
2007-2008 records: 5-15, 10th; 5-15
Coach: Jeff Norton
Years coaching, record: 4th, 18-43
Starters, lettermen returning: 2, 4
Key players: Taylor Eglet, 6-0, sr., pg. Sean Hoffman, 6-7, jr., c. Levi Taylor, 5-11, jr., g. Austin Ehlo, 6-2, jr. g/f
Outlook: LC�s state title run in football put the Tigers in an early hole and injuries did the rest. A late-season run came too little, too late. They return four core players from that squad in Eglet, Hoffman, Taylor and Ehlo around which to build. But depth will be a problem and injuries non existent.
Coach�s comments: �We have a pretty good foursome. Hoffman has gotten quite a bit better, is stronger and still growing. By the end of last year Austin was starting some. He�s bigger, too, and has a motor that won�t stop. We have to stay healthy and not get in foul trouble and we�re not real deep. I saw a quote from Gonzaga Univeristy women�s coach Kelly Graves who said you control what you can, but need three things you can�t � chemistry, good health and good luck. We haven�t had good health the last two years.�
Mt. Spokane Wildcats
2007-2008 records: 11-9, 4th; 14-11, 3A regional champion, state qualifier.
Coach: Bill Ayers
Years coaching, record: 17th, 12th at Mt. Spokane, 192-169
Starters, lettermen returning: 2, 7
Key players: Chaz Johnson, 5-11 sr., g. Connor Haley, 6-4, sr., g. Corey Plaggerman, 6-4, sr., p. Colten Williams, 6-1, jr., g.
Outlook: The one-two punch of Ryan Selland and and Jordon Poynor is gone, but in Johnson the Wildcats have the best point guard in league and he has upped his scoring capability. Without a great deal of size, but quickness and athleticism, this will be a more uptempo team. And with a state tournament under their belts, the returnees know what winning feels like.
Coach�s comments: �We�ll try to pick it up (the pace) this year and use more players. �Chaz is the outstanding player, but we�ve got more depth than we�ve had in a long time. We�re going to try and push the ball, attack off the dribble/drive and get to the free throw line a lot. These kids can score and will be fun to watch.�
University Titans
2007-2008 records: 8-12, 7th (tie), regional semifinalist.
Coach: Garrick Phillips
Years coaching, record: 16th, 3rd at U-Hi , 157-191
Starters, lettermen returning: 1, 6
Key players: Ali Alshahrani, 5-10, sr., g. Curt Smith, 6-4, sr., f. Austin Peasley, 6-6, sr., f. Tony Tabish, 6-1, jr., g. Anthony Kuipers, 6-4, sr., w/p. Kyle Bailey, 6-5, jr., w/p. Ryan McIntyre, 6-1, jr., g. Spencer Drury, 6-1, jr., g.
Outlook: The Titans pulled off a shocker or two after going from last-ditch district qualifier to regional semifinalist. They beat third-place, under-the-weather Gonzaga Prep to advance to regionals, then upset Wenatchee on the road. Although leading scorer Mason Johnson is a disciplinary casualty, U-Hi added Ryan McIntyre from East Valley, part of a strong junior class that will complement four senior returners.
Coach�s comments: �We did do a little swap (McIntyre for Johnson). I was hoping to keep the same and gain one, but that didn�t happen. We�re not hurting for individual talent. We may miss leadership, but that is yet to be determined. Our junior class is really strong. We will have to wait and see.�
Rogers Pirates
2007-2008 records: 6-14, 9th, 7-4
Coach: Tim Wood
Years coaching, record: 1st, 0-0.
Starters, lettermen returning: 2, 3
Key players: Jesse Vaughn, 6-4, jr. f. Zach Nelson, 5-8, jr., g. Pat McCabe, 6-2, jr. f. Cody Petersen, 5-6, sr., g. Jake Partridge, 6-3, sr., f. Deavon Daniels, 6-4, so., f.
Outlook: The mystifying and tight-lipped departure of coach Brian Kissinger has ushered in the Tim Wood era. Coaches in the league say the Pirates were much improved over the summer. They�ve also moved into 3A with a better chance at reaching post-season. Scoring leader Jesse Vaughn averaged nearly 16 points a game. Nelson and McCabe return. Among the newcomers are football players Partridge and Peterson. Daniels is a transfer from Gonzaga Prep.
Coach�s comments: �There�s optimism for sure. We feel we can be in the middle of the pack. The biggest (change) is twe�re trying to practice harder, be more uptempo and more physical. If we get a couple more stops we think we can score. If we shoot well and attack the basket we�ll be in good shape. We want to take the next jump and think we can.�
North Central Indians
2007-2008 records: 8-12, 7th (tie), 8-14, 3A regional qualifier.
Coach: Jay Webber
Years coaching, record: 21st, 14th at NC, 244-223
Starters, lettermen returning: 1, 5
Key players: Isaiah Antoine, 6-3, jr., f. Nathan Pelton, 6-2, sr. g. Dylan Harris, 6-2, jr., f. Brandon Olsen, 5-9, jr. g. Darwin Nelson, 6-1, sr., f. Justin Materne, 6-0, sr., g. Tyler Nebergall, 6-4, sr., c. Justin Konynenbelt, 6-1, sr., g.
Outlook: The Indians were in the mix again last year, finishing in the middle of the Greater Spokane League and advancing to post-season. This year�s hopes rest on academic eligibility, said Webber. If that gets squared away, and 6-foot-8 junior Lucas Evans emerges, the Indians can be a threat. Antoine will play a major part as will Pelton and Harris. Then, said Webber, there are lots of possibilities.
Coach�s comments: �This is probably as big a team as I�ve coached here. That�s really nice because you don�t coach (size). The big thing for us is academic issues with kids. A lot depends on how that plays out. Hopefully we can get it squared away. We have our work cut out for us, but hope to make some noise at the end of the year."
East Valley Knights
2007-2008 records: 1-19, 11th; 1-19
Coach: Drew Vanderpool
Years coaching, record: 21, 251-236, 7th at EV, 49-78
Starters, lettermen returning: 1, 6
Key players: Korie Sherman, 6-0, jr, g. Jared Sol, Austin Zurfluh, 6-4, jr. p; Steven Millan, 5-9, jr., g. Jake Pugsley, 6-1, sr., p. Tyler Jacobs. Nate Guthrie, 6-0, sr., f. Aaron Awbery, 6-4, jr., p.
Outlook: Vanderpool returns to head coaching of the Knights following a four-year break in which he assisted at Mt. Spokane and again last year at EV. He took the Knights to regionals in 1999 and 2000. This is something of an untested team having graduated its leading scorer and having another key player, Ryan McIntyre, transfer to U-Hi.
Coach�s comments: �It�s great to be back. A lot of our big football type guys turned out (late) and that puts us behind. We only won one game and definitely look to improve, but we�re in one of the toughest leagues in state. I honestly don�t know about the season. There were games in the summer that went well or didn�t so it�s hard.�
Tip-ins: Shadle's move to 3A was matched by Franklin of Seattle. Coupled with all the Ferris graduations, it could mean this year's state 3A tournament may be stronger than 4A.

Huckleberries Online: Atheists Post Anti-Christianity Sign In Olympia

DFO

Ted S. Warren/AP
Top: Dan Barker, co-president of the Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc., talks today about the sign his organization helped place at near a Christian nativity scene at the Capitol in Olympia, Wash. The sign promotes the observance of the winter solstice and is critical of religious beliefs. Bottom: A permanent bust of George Washington, center, sits between a Christian nativity display, right, and the sign placed by Barker's organization. Previous post & discussion on this topic

Community Comment: The Christmas Messenger

JeanieSpokane

I was appalled to read the news of shoppers stomping a Wal*Mart worker to death on "Black Friday." This is in response.

You may not know me. I roam in the background; I am the rays of the sun filtering through the trees; I am the laughing brook as it skips over stones and pebbles; I am every new born babe; I am the stars twinkling on high.

I am the Spirit of Christmas, with God's great hand on my soul; assigned to my position over two thousand years ago.

I was there when a sweet innocent girl gave birth in a humble beginning in a barn. She gave birth to the Son of God; she gave birth to the Rescuer of us all, surrounded by shepherds and common people.

What a miraculous night! Love was born! I watched with awe. I carried that love with me and have guarded and nurtured that love for over two thousand years!

But my heart is breaking. Change has happened. The message has been lost. Now, instead of earth's people celebrating the birth of awesome love, they are frantically "shopping" for over-indulgent gifts and they are avoiding entirely the celebration I bring � the reminder that this is a time to remember the Child in a manger so long ago, who would grow to be a fisherman of souls and the Lamb of God whose blood would cleanse and cover those same souls.

How I weep today at the profound pathos Christmas has become. My heart broke at the chaos of "Black Friday" and knowing that one that I watched over died at the feet of frenzied shoppers looking for a "gift." I cried to God with weary soul and wretched aching for all involved.

May God bless you, who blithely stepped on one of His favorite children, for you are one of his favorites, too. May God bless the soul stomped upon by a crowd of hysterical madness, insanity, spurred by greed.

I am the Spirit of Christmas. I am a whisper in your ear. Hear me. Hear my plea. Turn your eyes to the amazing night over two thousand years ago when Christ was born. Turn your heart to that humble beginning of Amazing Grace, the giver of Life.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV)

His Humble Messenger

Eye On Boise: Dems: 'A bleak budget picture'

Betsy

Idaho Democratic legislative leaders aren�t disagreeing with Gov. Butch Otter about the need for new budget cuts, but have issued a statement calling for �responsible, targeted cuts that protect critical services to middle-class Idaho families.� House Minority Leader Wendy Jaquet, D-Ketchum, and Senate Minority Leader Clint Stennett, D-Ketchum, thanked Otter for meeting with them before announcing the cuts. �Times are hard and the state clearly is facing a bleak budget picture,� Jaquet said. �We need to be as prudent and fiscally responsible as possible. The holdbacks give us all an opportunity to look at what we�re doing and how we are spending and whether we ought to do things differently.�

�But,� she said, �We also need to cut carefully. For example, Idahoans who�ve recently been laid off need opportunities to retrain for new jobs, so this is no time for drastic cuts to vocational and secondary education programs.� Added Stennett, �We need to be thoughtful and prudent in our approach to budget cuts.�

Huckleberries Online: Tumblewords: Winterland

DFO

AP Photo

Winter wet
froze hard upon the trees
a fairyland even Disney
could not replicate.
Cracking smashing limbs
glistened as they fell
reflections shot the dusk
before the day was done.
Colors of Joseph�s coat
on tails of wintry light
ricocheted thru town
to spread a magic mantle
upon the ice-clad ground.

Sue Turner/Tumblewords

Parents' Council Blog: Playing sports for fun?

Virginia de Leon

For $149, parents can now pay for a test that will predict their child�s natural athletic abilities.

In �Born to Run? Little Ones Get Test for Sports Gene,� New York Times reporter Juliet Macur wrote about the latest offering from Boulder-based Atlas Sports Genetics. After collecting your child's DNA by taking a swab of the inside of her or his cheeks and along the gums, the company turns it over to a lab to determine whether the child would be suited for speed and power (football or the 100-meter dash) or endurance (cross-country skiing and distance running) or a combination.

Macur also interviewed a mom who was interested in getting her 2 �-year-old son tested.

�I could see how some people might think the test would pigeonhole your child into doing fewer sports or being exposed to fewer things, but I still think it�s good to match them with the right activity,� the mom said. �I think it would prevent a lot of parental frustration.�

What do you think? If you had a spare $149, would you have your child take this test?

Movies & More: Are you ready for 'Punisher'?

Dan

No word yet on whether �Milk� is going to open in Spokane on Friday. Which means that �Punisher: War Zone� and �Nobel Son� are the only two scheduled movie openings.

�Punisher: War Zone� offers no real surprise, unless you consider that it�s directed by a woman � former world karate and kickboxing champion Lexi Alexander, who shared a 2003 Oscar nomination for her short film �Johnny Flynton.�

Otherwise, if it�s at all true to its source material, the film should proved to be about as subtle as an ax in the face.

I do like Ray Stevenson, though. He and Kevin McKidd, the new addition to �Grey�s Anatomy,� were the best things about HBO�s miniseries �Rome.� And of all the actors who have portrayed Frank Castle, he�s the closest in terms of physical resemblance.

The film�s not likely to be much more than a guilty pleasure, though.

Below: The new Frank (�Punisher�) Castle, Ray Stevenson (left), starred as one of two ex-Roman soldiers in HBO's �Rome� miniseries.

Associated Press photo

Huckleberries Online: Izzit Just Me ...

DFO

... Or do brand name over-the-counter drugs, like DayQuil and NyQuil, perform a heckuva lot better than generic store brands?

Question: How do you fight a cold when you feel one coming on? Which over-the-counter medication do you take for one?

Huckleberries Online: Local Blogs -- 12/1/08

DFO

Shawn Gust/CDA Press
Keia Morgan, left, and Eliana Tefft, both 5, step out into the road Friday to see what's next in the parade on Sherman Avenue in Coeur d'Alene during the 22nd Annual Holiday Lights Show and Opening Ceremony in Coeur d'Alene. The event draws tens of thousands to downtown Coeur d'Alene, Idaho each year.

*Try the in-denial party/Arch Druid
*She's 111 years old today/Atmospheric Ruminations
*The Christmas messenger/Community Comment
*Team of rivals, or team without rival?/Dogwalk Musings
*100 years or corruption or more/Simple Mind
*County My Blessings: Mom/Gathering Around The Table
*Soap Falls/Hauser Thoughts
*Crash casts dark lining over silvery Thanksgiving/JeanC's Cat House
*How about a drive to Harrison?/Kootenai MPO
*Tree hunting/Live, Love, Laugh, Hope
*MamaJD's Cyber Monday tips/MamaJD
*My little miracle Marble/Marmitetoasty

HBO Numbers (for month of November): 251,753 page-views/139,433 unique views

A Matter Of Opinion: Dow -- ow! -- more than 600 points

garyc

Do you bother to look anymore?

Huckleberries Online: 'Living Will' For Pets Lets Caretaker Know Options

DFO

Item: 'Living will' for pets enables caretakers to know options/Betsy Cohen, Missoulian

More Info: Recently, Pet Living Wills made it's debut at www.petlivingwills.com, offering �peace of mind for pet lovers.� The service is an online registry of a pet's key health-care information, which helps ensure a pet owner's wishes are followed should his or her animal companion fall ill or be injured when in the care of others, and the pet owner cannot be reached, Campbell said. The Pet Living Wills registry stores the owner's directives concerning their pet's medical care, and provides the pet's veterinarian and other pet care providers with timely information, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Question: Have you ever been in a situation where you wished you'd have a living will for one of your pets?

Huckleberries Online: Many Try, Few Succeed In Predicting Winter

DFO

Numb's the word,� Caleb is telling the world about the winter of 2008-09. Weatherbee, a recluse with a pseudonym, has used a secret formula to predict long-range weather, two years in advance, for the Farmers' Almanac since 1818. By now, he must be getting it down to a science. Of our neck of the woods, Weatherbee says the winter will be marked by icy temperatures and decent snowfall over the next few months. Then there's the more staid and widely read Old Farmer's Almanac, which got a good quarter-century's head start on all the Caleb Weatherbees. The banner across the top of the 2009 edition of the traditional yellow paperback trumpets, �Cold, Snow, Hurricanes Blow - Global Cooling?� Now that'll catch your eye. Inside, on page 220 to be precise, the Old Farmer's Almanac forecasts the following for the intermountain region: �Winter will be much colder and drier than normal, on average, with snowfall above normal in the north and below normal in the south�/Kim Briggeman, Missoulian. More here.

Question: Now that we've entered December with little to no snow in the lower elevations, anyone willing to predict what this winter will be like?

Movies & More: Say hello to these clueless little friends

Dan

I was just reading a story by Steven Rea of The Philadelphia Inquirer about Ken Tucker�s new book, �Scarface Nation: The Ultimate Gangster Movie and How It Changed America.� Tucker, for anyone who isn�t familiar with him, is editor-at-large at Entertainment Weekly and a TV and pop music critic who regularly contributes to NPR�s �Fresh Air with Terry Gross.�

His book, which was a two-year project that saw him interviewing dozens of people involved in the making of the 1983 gangster film �Scarface,� includes some surprising items. Most surprising to me was that the three people most responsible for the film � director Brian De Palma, screenwriter Oliver Stone and star Al Pacino � can�t understand the film�s enduring popularity.

As Rea wrote, �They just don�t get it.�

�When I talked to Martin Bregman, �Scarface�s producer, he, too, was like: �I don�t know why these college kids watch it over and over again � but I�m glad they do!�� Rea quotes Tucker as saying.

That�s particularly true for Stone. �I would tell him that �Curb Your Enthusiasm� and �The Simpsons� and �The Family Guy� were all referencing �Scarface,� and that was news to him,� Tucker told Rea. �So, they�re kind of clueless to their own phenomenon.�

That and, clearly, pop culture in general.

Below: As proof of the popularity of the film �Scarface,� the photo below comes from Vivendi Games' videogame �Scarface: The World Is Yours.�

Associated Press photo

Huckleberries Online: Huckleberries Best of the INorthwest -- 12/1/08

DFO

Kerry Maloney/Idaho Statesman, AP
Gov. Butch Otter addresses the state budget during a news conference in Boise Monday Dec. 1, 2008. Otter on Monday ordered state agencies to cut another 3 percent from their budgets because of the sputtering economy that has reduced tax revenue. Story below.

David Horsey/Seattle PI 'toon

*Otter orders another 3% cut in state budget/SR
*Coroner: Archery death of middle schooler accidental/SR
*Edgy DUI ads hit Boise airwaves/Idaho Statesman
*Boise State Vs. Ball State in bowl game battle of unbeatens?/KTVB
*Living will for pets lets caretaker know options/Missoulian
*Montana felons can't possess bows & arrows either/Daily Inter Lake
*Arson not suspected in Moscow's Wingers bar fire/KXLY
*Idaho's 2nd largest county OKs Sunday booze sales/AP
*M's to offer Ibanez salary arbitration/Seattle PI

Orbusmax Special: Oregon State students back smoking ban here

Eye On Boise: Otter still pushing transportation plan

Betsy

Despite the state�s gloomy budget situation, Gov. Butch Otter says he�ll still press forward with his proposal to increase the state�s transportation funding, saying in a down economy, it�s especially important. He�ll present lawmakers with a �user pay� proposal, he said, �for their consideration and hopefully their approval.� Keeping the state�s roads in shape is key to both the economy and safety, Otter said. After the governor�s press conference, Senate President Pro-Tem Bob Geddes said, �I think the governor�s correct in that effort, because obviously we can�t afford to see our transportation infrastructure crumble and fall into disrepair. � We have to protect what we have.� Geddes said lawmakers are unlikely to consider as large a boost as Otter proposed (unsuccessfully) last year, $240 million. �But will he get some? I think that potential is pretty much there.� Here�s a link to my full story on the governor�s announcement, at spokesmanreview.com.

Eye On Boise: 'Maybe a bad time to say it'

Betsy

As he closed his press conference this morning after announcing new state budget cuts, Gov. Butch Otter said, �Thank you all very much for being here this morning.� And then he added, with a rueful chuckle, �Maybe this is a bad time to say it, but Happy Holidays.�

Huckleberries Online: HBO @ Noon: Dealing w/Illness & Work

DFO

As you know, I'm blogging from home today, nursing the remnant of a head cold that floored me for four days beginning Thanksgiving morning. I spent my vacation on the couch or watching videos or sports instead of spending quality time w/Amy Dearest and her mother. Today, I'm 85 percent of the way back. But I didn't want to take the chance of giving any bugs to co-workers. Besides, I want to be in the 95%-plus recovery mode before I return to work.

Question: How do you deal w/illness when you simply have to work?

Spin Control 2.0: 6th Legislative District recount starts Tuesday

Jim

The hand recount of that super-close legislative race between John Driscoll and John Ahern starts Tuesday with the separating of the district's 75,947 ballots.

A training session on procedures for observers and staff starts at 12:30 p.m. and the actual recount starts at 1 p.m.

The Spokane County Elections Office expects 10 teams to be separating and counting ballots, and has asked for a dozen observers from each party to be present for the operation, director Mike McLaughlin said.

Democrat Driscoll, the challenger, currently leads Republican incumbent Ahern by 74 votes. For more numbers, go inside the blog:

Total votes for Driscoll: 35,107
Total votes for Ahern: 35,033
Total write-in votes: 100
Total Undervotes: 5,704

Teams counting ballots: 10

Estimated days for recount: 3

Huckleberries Online: Hard Times Ends McManus 40-Year Column Run

DFO

Colin Mulvany/SR
Patrick F. McManus of Spokane, a former Eastern Washington Univeristy writing instructor, is ending a 40-year career of writing the book-ending humor columns for Field & Stream and Outdoor Life magazines. Rich Landers SR story here.

Question: Are you a fan of Patrick McManus' outdoor humor writing. If so, which McManus book is your favorite?

Valley of the Shadow: Chapter 44

John

Around four o�clock, I think, we were awakened by a knock on the door. Lewis and I both sat up in bed, wondering if we should answer. If it should be the doctor from the asylum, how would we explain who we were and what we were doing in Lorenzo Sawyer�s hotel room?

But after a few hesitant knocks, we heard a small voice say, �Messer Soiya? This Soon Hing. You tell me come your room, Messer Soiya.�

Right away we knew this was one of Sawyer�s Chinese clients. We opened the door to a small, pigtailed Chinaman, standing with his hands closed flat together and his head bowed. As we looked down at him, he rose up slowly and suddenly realized that neither of us was the man he was calling on. Looking confused, he took a few steps backward, bobbing his head as he did so. Lewis and I figured that was how Chinese people cancelled out a forward bow. About that time, Lorenzo came rushing up the stairs and ushered the confused old coolie into the room, shutting the door behind us.

�Sorry I�m late, Soon,� he told the old man. To us he said, �Gentlemen, this is Soon Hing, a gold miner from Chinese Camp, and now a resident of Nevada City. His is the legal case I�m taking, and after talking with him earlier this afternoon and then doing some research of my own, it turns out that your mission here in Nevada City may be linked with Soon�s own case.�

Soon Hing bowed low again, and Lewis and I did likewise, though Lewis� hat fell to the floor in the process, and I bumped my head on the bed post, causing a knot that didn�t go away for three days.

We all sat down at a small table in the corner of the room, and Lorenzo went on to explain what he was talking about.

�Soon Hing here has worked in nearly every camp around Nevada City during the past year,� he began. �Since the American miners don�t have a great deal of fondness for the Chinese, he and his men are forced to move on pretty regularly. In any case, Soon has been a keen observer of who owns which mining claims around these parts, and he hasn�t missed any movement of these claims between one person and another. With the information he�s given me, I�ve discovered that a prominent Nevada City resident � a Mr. Nicholas Carlson � has been steadily buying up all the claims he can get his hands on, or else having his men buy them for him in their names. He�s been doing this for the past couple of years, ever since the Marshall strike at Coloma. But, let Soon tell you about it himself.�

I should mention here that Soon Hing, like most Chinese we met, had a problem with the letter L. Because of this, the way he said a lot of different words made Lewis and me smile. Sometimes we�d even chuckle right out loud. Words like �claim� became �craim� and Lewis� name came out �Rewis.� At first, I thought I�d try to put down everything down just the way he pronounced it, but then I figured it would be too hard to read. Besides, after we spent some time with Soon, Lewis and I came to respect the old man and his people. Suddenly, it didn�t seem right to be poking fun at him. Anyway, after Lorenzo�s brief introduction, Soon Hing bowed a couple more times and then began to tell us what he knew.

�Messer Carlson,� began Soon, �he stake claim all along river, up into hills, and when other man own claim, Carlson he offer buy it from him. If man he no want to sell, Messer Carlson he hire other men, they come beat up owner of claim until owner decide sell. If owner still no want to sell, he suddenly gone next day.�

�Why does Carlson want to own so many small claims?� Lewis asked.

�A few months ago,� Lorenzo answered, �Soon and some of his friends observed a number of Carlson�s men working a hillside in an isolated ravine near the town of Auburn, which is south of here about 25 miles or so.�

�Many men carry long hose,� Soon said, �and hook it to big metal machine with other hose that go down into river. Then they point hose at hill and water from river come out of hose and wash hill away.�

�For the past few years,� Lorenzo said, "people have been predicting that if the power of the rivers here can be harnessed and channeled into a pressurized stream, the gold can simply be washed out of the soil and captured in sluices.�

�Jim Savage told us something like that," Lewis said. �Remember, Will? He called it hydro-licks, I think.�

�I do remember,� I said, �but Savage also told us he didn�t know if anyone could ever build up enough water pressure to make the thing work.�

�That�s been the long-standing argument,� Lorenzo said. �But it seems fairly clear that Carlson has latched on to some sort of system, and it�s one that�s awfully close to working. Soon told me that there were plenty of leaks in the hoses and the pump burst a few times and had to be repaired, but these were all minor difficulties, and he and his friends saw enough before they were chased off to know that Carlson was close to perfecting things.�

�So that�s why Carlson�s buying up all the claims,� I said. �He needs to own a whole hillside before he can wash it away.�

�Exactly,� Lorenzo said. �There are lots of steep slopes around this area, and most of the miners� claims are small in size, sometimes no more than a few dozen square yards. What�s more, the owners of these claims are severely limited as to how much they can get out of the ground by panning or digging or even using a Long Tom. In many cases, a good enough offer will convince them to sell their claim. In most cases, they�ll probably make more money selling it than they�ve ever taken out in gold. So if Carlson can buy a few hundred small adjacent claims and consolidate them into a single large holding, he�ll be able to go in there with his hydraulic device and get rich off all the gold that lies just a little bit farther beneath the surface. Unfortunately, it seems some miners would rather not to sell their claims. That�s when their troubles set in.�

�Except for his strong-arm tactics,� said Lewis, �I�d say he was simply a shrewd businessman. If he�s managed to come up with a pressurized water system that really works, it won�t be long before someone else is bound to come up with a similar one. And if this Carlson can buy up all the land and beat everyone else to the punch, it�s clear he�ll make the most profit out of it. What I don�t understand is how all this has anything to do with our immediate problem � getting Becky out of that place.�

�You�ll understand after I tell you a few things I discovered by looking over some old newspaper clippings,� Lorenzo said. �It seems Carlson is one of the richest men in the region, that he moved here from Georgia about two years ago, and that he was a strong proponent of � and primary contributor to � the establishment of the asylum. He also was the one who came up with the name �Safe House.� He sold the idea to a town full of citizens who were tired of brawls in the streets and drunks in the gutters each morning. He sold them on the idea that many of the troublemakers in town were mentally unstable and the obvious solution was to lock them all up. Then he personally contributed $5,000 to begin building an asylum outside the city. He developed the plans and supervised the construction as well. He also recruited the superintendent, the man named Hadley, from some well-known Georgia hospital for the insane. The newspapers here have treated the whole thing as a positive, forward-thinking plan, and Carlson himself has been portrayed as a philanthropist.�

�So when Carlson runs into some miner who won�t go along with him by selling his claim, his men rough the miner up, carry him off, and dump him at the �Safe House,� � I said.

Lorenzo nodded. �And once inside,� he said, �the poor devil rots in a cage or, worse, he just disappears completely, depending how much trouble he�s caused.�

�But why haven�t the miners around here caught on to what�s happening,� Lewis asked. �Don�t they even notice that people are here one day and suddenly gone the next?�

�You have to remember that miners in California are a mixed class,� Lorenzo said, �from different backgrounds and for the most part disunited except for their dogged pursuit of gold. Even though many of the mining camps around here might look like real communities, most of the people in them have nothing in common save the fact that they own a claim in the same area. People drift in and out all the time, and no one keeps tabs on one another as people might do in a real town."

�Miners are so worried about their own claims that they don�t pay much attention to other people�s,� I said.

�Don�t get me wrong, Will,� Lorenzo said. �I have no doubts that there are some caring, concerned citizens scattered in amongst them, but these sometimes seem like isolated grains of grass that are smothered by noxious weeds. The majority of these men are transients anyway, every bit as much as the unfortunate souls who inhabit the innermost recesses of our largest cities � New York, or Philadelphia or Boston. Most miners have no place to call home. They move around from one camp to the next at a moment�s notice, solely on the basis of the color in their pans.�

�But how did Soon Hing, who�s also a miner, manage to catch on to these changes in claims?� asked Lewis.

�Soon Hing see everything,� Soon said with a grin. �Have big eyes!�

�Our friend Soon,� Lorenzo said, �belongs to a tight-knit family of Chinese countrymen. All of them are trying to put down roots here, to establish a second homeland. They want to create permanent communities where they can raise their families and escape the poverty of their native land. The fact that they are less than welcome in these parts has only made them more sharply attuned to the comings and goings of their fellow miners. If for no other reason, they need to be alert as a means for their own survival. As for Soon himself, I�ve found him to be unusually observant.�

�Carlson not good man,� Soon said. �His men chase us away from mining camps. He steal our claims and his men cut off our queues.�

�Cues?� Lewis said. �What are cues?�

Soon Hing reached back and grabbed his pigtail.

�This is queue,� he said. �To cut queue is to suffer damnation of soul.�

�To the Chinese,� Lorenzo said, �their braided pigtails, or queues, link them with their souls� destinies. To cut these off is to lessen their chances of reaching heaven. Carlson�s men, besides stealing claims and threatening the Chinese miners, have been known to descend on them in during the night and cut off these locks of hair. This serves to demoralize them and makes it easier to force them off their land.�

"So, the long and the short of it,� Lewis said, �is that the man we�re after with our complaint is the same man you�re after for stealing the Chinese claims.�

�Exactly,� Lorenzo said. �And though he has men under him in whose names most of these illegal acts are being carried out, he is certainly behind it all and is the one we need to bring to justice.�

�But now that we know what we do about Carlson,� I said, �why can�t we just go to the sheriff here in town?�

�I wish it were that easy,� Lorenzo said, �but the matter is complicated because Carlson has the Nevada City sheriff in his coat pocket. He virtually financed the man�s entire re-election campaign, he�s put money into improvements at the jailhouse and he�s seen by the community as a public-spirited town father. There�s not a person in town who wouldn�t call Nicholas Carlson a proponent of public safety and city improvement.�

The room fell silent as each of us considered the problem.

�The way I see it,� Lorenzo finally said, �is we have only two options. First, we could try to help Becky to escape from the asylum, which would mean we�d need help from the inside.�

�The doctor?� Lewis asked.

Lorenzo nodded. �Even then, it might be next to impossible,� he said. �The other option would be to try and get help from someone so high up that even the sheriff would have to cooperate.�

�Someone like who?� I asked.

�Someone like the territorial governor, Peter Burnett,� Lorenzo said, �or maybe one of the justices on the Territorial Supreme Court.�

�Do you know any of them?� I asked.

�Not at present,� Lorenzo said. �But I had hoped to make my introduction at some point/ I suppose this is as good a time as any. Chief Justice Hastings might be a good person to write, or perhaps Associate Justice Henry Lyons, who�s also a fair-minded individual, from what I�ve read. In any case, it would have to be done soon, since the impending statehood could bring in a whole new sea of faces to the governor�s office and to the courts as well.�

�When you talk about writing a letter,� Lewis said, �wouldn�t it be weeks or even months before we got a response?�

�I�m sure the gravity of this situation would merit a quicker reply than that,� Lorenzo said. �And when you consider that Becky�s father was to be the new judge amongst their ranks, I�d expect the justices to have more than a casual interest in seeing this case resolved and the perpetrators brought to justice.�

�But what do we do in the meantime?� I asked. �I couldn�t just park myself here in Nevada City and sit on my hands while I knew Becky was still in that place.�

�It would still help if we could find this Skeeter Daniels fellow,� Lorenzo said. �If we could convince him to confess that he dumped Becky there, I don�t see how they could get out of releasing her. Of course, it�s by no means a sure bet that we can even find him. But it�s worth pursuing nonetheless.�

�That�s fine by me,� I said. �I�d like to see that guy face to face anyway and tell him what I think of him.�

�The problem,� Lewis said, �is that we still don�t know where he holes up between his business deals. Don�t forget, Lorenzo, that a whole posse from Sonora hasn�t been able to track him down. How are we supposed to?�

�That brings us once again to Dr. Zeissler,� Lorenzo said.

�But how could he help?� I asked. �Besides, do you really think he�ll show up here? Why should he go out of his way to look you up?�

�Because,� answered Lorenzo, �he seemed anxious to talk about his work with someone. I also believe he is genuinely interested in treating the insane, and that if given the chance, he might be inclined to turn witness on his present employers. I believe Zeissler is basically a good man, and I am gambling on that gut feeling. As far as how he could be helpful, I�d like to try and get him to talk about Becky�s remarks again � you know, about the rushing river and the insects she had to ward off. Somehow, I think her words might give us a clue as to where we might find this Skeeter Daniels.�

�One thing we might do,� Lewis said, �is to contact Mr. Granger again and update him on our situation. Who knows, maybe Capt. Hunt knows someone in the California territorial government. In any case, the more he�s aware of our plans, the better.�

�Mr. Manly, you have a most productive idea,� Lorenzo said. �As for myself, I will get to work on letters to both the governor and a few of the court justices I mentioned. Then, let�s all just hope and pray that the good doctor decides to pay us a visit.�

Huckleberries Online: JPMorgan Cutting 3400 WaMu Jobs

DFO

JPMorgan Chase is laying off 3,400 Washington Mutual employees in Seattle, according to spokesman Tom Kelly. That's more than 80 percent of the 4,300 people it employs in the city. Most branch workers will keep their jobs, however. WaMu's former headquarters city is taking the brunt of the 9,200 WaMu layoffs that JPMorgan is making nationwide. It employs about 43,200 people altogether/Seattle Times. More here.

Question: Do you know anyone who has been affected by layoffs in the current economic crisis? How is he or she or they doing?

Spin Control 2.0: Today's fun video: If the election were a game

Jim

The sound track on this should bring back memories of the old Nintendo games...

Huckleberries Online: Brand X Ranch: 'Tis The Season To Simplify

DFO

I don't know if it is because the Holiday season makes me more aware - it shouldn't - or that my Seasonal Affective Disorder has me looking for indignities over which I can become depressed . ... but, it seems there is an explosion of the "I-me-my-mine" attitudes. I am watching behaviors become negatively modified with fast-everything, we are encouraged to not delay any gratification, buy, spend, charge it, no interest for 100 years, make it bigger, better, Super sized!! I don't want to be a part of this. ... I want simple. I want a nice pot of homemade soup, not takeout. I want a game of double 12 dominoes, or crib, not Nintendo. I want to read outloud to the family after dinner, not plug in a video/Jantri, Brand X Ranch. More here.

Question: Do you share Jantri's sense of being overwhelmed by man's inhumanity to man -- and desire to simplify life?

Huckleberries Online: She's Ba-aack

DFO

Stephen Morton/AP
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, center, waves to a crowd during a campaign stop for U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga, Monday in Savannah, Ga. Chambliss and Democratic challenger Jim Martin are in a Tuesday runoff that will shape Democrats' hold on power in Washington.

Question: If Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is, as toxic as some of you Hucksters think she is, why would a Georgia U.S. senator tap her to campaign for him?

Eye On Boise: Otter announces budget cuts

Betsy

Gov. Butch Otter just announced that he�ll trim 3 percent from the current year�s state budget, effective right away. It�s the second mid-year holdback Otter�s announced this year; the first, in September, trimmed 1 percent. He also ordered state agencies to hold another 2 percent in reserve in case more cuts are needed. �We do not have a lot of good news,� Otter said. �Our economic downturn is getting much worse than we originally thought.� The governor said he doesn�t anticipate layoffs right away, but he won�t be advocating any pay increase at all for state employees in next year's budget, and the state may have to begin looking at eliminating programs.

Huckleberries Online: Survey: Idahoans Don't Know Much About Land Board

DFO

Forty-one percent of Idahoans have never heard of the state Land Board, according to a new state-funded poll, and 92 percent don�t know who�s on it. The panel, formally known as the Idaho State Board of Land Commissioners, is chaired by the governor, and also includes the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, the state controller, and the state superintendent of schools. It�s responsible for managing the state�s endowment lands, whose earnings benefit public schools and other specific state institutions/Betsy Russell, SR Eye On Boise. More here.

Question: OK, go ahead and impress the rest of the Merry Hucksters by telling us what you know about the Land Board?

A Matter Of Opinion: Your national security team

garyc

Obama announced the team today.

Starting at center, Hillary Clinton at State.

At power forward, Janet Napolitano, Homeland Defense.

At shooting guard (but, hopefully, not shooting), Robert Gates, returning to his position at Defense.

Napolitano is the governor of Arizona. When I first heard of her, it was as an attorney for Anita Hill in the Clarence Thomas nomination imbroglio.

Clinton and Napolitano represent the kind of women Rush Limbaugh used to refer to as femi-Nazis. Just another sign of progress.

Thoughts on this team?

A Matter Of Opinion: A scaled-back freeway

garyc

Legislators from Spokane want to downsize the next section of the north-south freeway to boost the chances for funding. We think that's a wise move.

Here's animated video of what it would look like. And an aerial view. OK, we're not going to look under your hood, but that's pretty close to full service, eh?

What do you think?

Huckleberries Online: Dogwalk: Written Word Worth 10,000 Pictures

DFO

I have yet to understand why some of these books haven't had permanent approval but then I'm not up on scholastic politics. Here are a few that are up for review. For eleventh grade - Catcher in the Rye, Death of a Salesman, The Grapes of Wrath, The Great Gatsby and The Scarlett Letter. A few from the 12th grade list - 1984, Frankenstein, Anthem and Slaughterhouse Five. One parent complained her ninth grade daughter was uncomfortable reading two books because they contained profanity and sexually explicit situations. I've got a hot flash for that parent. You're ninth grade daughter is already familiar with both or she's not living in the real world. What's next? Banning Shakespeare? Look at the subject matter of Romeo and Juliet or Hamlet/Dogwalk Musings. More here.

Alison Boggs' SR story

DFO: I don't believe in banning books. Nor do I believe in forcing children of families with religious or traditional values to be required to read books that go against those values. I prefer a system that allows those families to opt out of reading those books, especially if young high schoolers are involved. What do you think?

A Matter Of Opinion: Monday's Loose Thread

garyc

We have double the staffing this week! Woot!

What's on your mind?

Huckleberries Online: Richert: Letters To Editor Online Only?

DFO

Every month, I get a tally of how many letters we published in the Statesman. This morning, I got two numbers, reflecting the 325 letters in print, plus 207 election-related letters published online. This grew out of necessity: an 11th-hour influx of election-related letters. But it has me thinking about how we should handle letters in the future. If we made online-only letters a regular feature, this would allow us to give more readers their say. It might also allow us to publish letters in a timelier fashion, another plus. It also gives us a little bit more flexibility for publishing syndicated columns on national and international issues. On the downside, I'm sure many letter writers would much prefer their letter appear in print and online, as opposed to only running online. I know I would. This puts us in the position of having to pick some letters to put in print and some that won't make print/Kevin Richert, Idaho Statesman. More here.

Question: Would you object if a newspaper posted the letters it receives online only?

SportsLink: Day after Tennessee

Jim

Time for more notes and quotes from Gonzaga's 83-74 win over Tennessee.

Read on.

First, the links. Here's the S-R gamer, ESPN.com, sportsline.com, Foxsports.com, Orlando Sentinel and A.P.

--Volunteers coach Bruce Pearl applauded Gonzaga's play. Contrary to a year ago when the teams met in Seattle, Gonzaga had the upperhand in terms of experience and Pearl has the young squad.

"I think you'll see teams in November like Gonzaga that are just ahead of everybody because of their experience," he said. "Mark has got his team a little farther along than I have my team."

--Gonzaga didn't exactly put a pretty bow on the victory as an 18-point lead dissolved to six in the final minutes. In fact, Tennessee had three shots from a combined, what, six feet, to cut the margin to four, but couldn't connect.

The Vols cleaned up on the glass with 27 offensive rebounds, but struggled to convert.

"We weren't getting our buckets tonight at close range," forward Tyler Smith said. "We've got to make those shots."

Few said Tennessee "hung one on us pretty good" on the boards, but there were some tradeoffs.

"That hurts," Few said. "We knew coming in that�s a big key and a big part of their game. They can really go get it, but that being said, they're sending five guys, so we got a lot of run-outs off that, too."

Said Josh Heytvelt: "They outrebounded us by 24. They punch, claw, do everything they can. They're more of a shoot-the-first shot, and go-get-the-rebound and make-the-second-shot team."

--GU made 11 of 20 3-point shots, many of which were uncontested. Much of that can be traced to Jeremy Pargo directing the offense.

"He scored when he needed to score and he handled their pressure and he got some guys great shots," Few said. "Some of those wide open 3s were because of him, simple setups. That's a great sign of maturity."

Pargo said, "I just wanted to slow things down, keep everything under control and not get erratic and wild out there."

--Austin Daye spent a considerable amount of time on the bench in foul trouble during the tournament.

He was frustrated at times on the court after a couple of the whistles, but far from it when he embraced ex-Zag David Pendergraft shortly after the final buzzer Sunday.

Gonzaga burned up most of an 18-point lead in the last five minutes with some costly miscues. Pargo forced a shot in the lane with 2 minutes left and Daye was hit with an intentional foul while grabbing Tyler Smith on a breakaway layup.

"My foul didn't help," Daye said of the frantic finish. "I tried to go for the ball, but it's so hard to go for the ball when someone is going full speed. They're a good team. We just tried to punch them back when they punched us."

--Pargo's mohawk is receiving lots of attention in the media, but he said it's nothing compared to older brother Jannero's hair system. Jannero is playing professionally in Russia.

"He hasn't cut it since he's been in Russia, which was Aug. 26th or so," Jeremy said. "I talked to him and he was picking it out and he said, 'It hurts. I have to wet it so the comb goes through."

--In the aftermath of winning the title, Daye and Robert Sacre joked about going to Disney World (like Super Bowl MVPs do in those commercials). That wasn't necessary, Daye pointed out, because the Zags had already gone to Disney World on Saturday.

For a while, anyway. "We went for a couple of hours. I think we went on two rides. Then we came back to the hotel and watched more film," he said.

Huckleberries Online: AM Headlines -- 12/1/08

DFO

Phelan M. Ebenhack/AP Photo
Gonzaga guard Demetri Goodson, left, and Tennessee guard Bobby Maze race for a loose ball during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Old Spice Classic tournament in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., Sunday. Gonzaga won 83-74. ESPN game & boxscore , and: Story here.

*Idaho Records/Sherry Adkins, SR
*Elderly Spokane man robbed of his groceries/SR
*21YO woman dies in Bonners Ferry fall/SR
*Man charged in Thanksgiving Day shooting/Bonner County Bee
*Boater helped rescue 2 fishermen from Lake Pend Oreille/KXLY; related: Man who drown in Lake Pend Oreille remembered/KREM
*Minnick learns the ropes on Capitol Hill/Idaho Statesman

Huckleberries Online: APhoto of the Day w/Top Cutlines -- 12/1/08

DFO

John Maniaci/Wisconsin State Journal, AP
"Stuck in a Truck" contestants Tommy Kempfer and Lisa Thompson - shown Nov. 12 - agreed last week to end their endurance match after two months to win a Ford F-150 pickup. Instead, each will get $10,000 toward a new vehicle, a trip to Las Vegas and $1,000 toward a mattress. You write the cutline.

Top Cutlines:

1. The contest was like Thanksgiving with the family: Having to long hours sharing confined spaces with people you don't particularly like -- Whippersnapper.
2. Event coordinators stopped the competition after a DOE (Department of Ecology) inspection of the vehicle deemed it a potential Super Fund site -- Poolman.
3. Lisa grins as she thinks that forgetting her deodorant actually was in her favor, that and her head cold, that she got from DFO. No smell is a good smell -- JeanieSpokane.

HM: A Token D

Huckleberries Online: Online Poll: Pro-Development? Pro-Green?

DFO

Which side of the land-use fence are you on?/CDA Press

*I lean toward development
*I lean toward little or no growth
*I lean squarely in the middle

Huckleberries Online: Survey: Today's Youth Lie, Cheat & Steal

DFO

Item: Students lie, cheat, steal, but say they're good/AP

More Info: In the past year, 30 percent of U.S. high school students have stolen from a store and 64 percent have cheated on a test, according to a new, large-scale survey suggesting that Americans are too apathetic about ethical standards. Educators reacting to the findings questioned any suggestion that today's young people are less honest than previous generations, but several agreed that intensified pressures are prompting many students to cut corners.

Question: Are you concerned that today's youth seem prone to lie, cheat & steal?

SportsLink: Keeping it in perspective

Jim

A little different strategy from here today. Instead of my usual day-after post, I put together a follow-up article for Tuesday's S-R.

Click below for the unedited version, which discusses the Bulldogs trying to keep their feet grounded and minds focused after taking the Old Spice Classic crown.

I have the misfortune of flying through Chicago (which is having serious weather issues). So if I have time before I board my delayed flight, I'll be back here with some more notes in a while. Until then, click below.

By Jim Meehan
Staff writer

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. � Gonzaga men�s basketball coach Mark Few had a message for his players after their convincing 83-74 win over No. 12 Tennessee in the Old Spice Classic championship game Sunday.

�The first thing he said is we can celebrate,� sophomore forward Austin Daye said, �but know that we have a tough task at hand next week (against Indiana).�

And the week after that, and the week after that�
Gonzaga�s three-game dash through the Old Spice field will generate a higher ranking and waves of national publicity. A Foxsports.com columnist in attendance wrote that the Bulldogs appear to be Final Four worthy.

Few doesn�t mind the attention, but he�s quick to remind anyone within earshot that the season is only five games old and the calendar just flipped to December. He also pointed out that Gonzaga beat three quality opponents, not just SEC preseason favorite Tennessee.

The Bulldogs defeated Oklahoma State by 12, Maryland by 22 and had Tennessee 18 points down in the second half.

�It�s huge, really huge,� senior forward Micah Downs said. �This was the best field of any of the preseason tournaments this year and winning this is a great way to kick off the season, a great way to give guys confidence and the team confidence.

�But we can�t celebrate for too long because we have some big games coming up.�

In the next five weeks, Gonzaga will face Indiana, Washington State, Arizona, Connecticut, Portland State, Utah and Tennessee.

�Like coach said, every week is a different battle,� guard Matt Bouldin said. �There�ll be a lot of hype after winning a big tournament like this, but we know it�s a long season and we really need to focus on each game. It�s really clich�, but we need to do it.�

Gonzaga-Tennessee, volume III

Few half-jokingly said that he wouldn�t mind calling off the Gonzaga-Tennessee game Jan. 7 in Knoxville.

�I�d rather not go to Knoxville,� Few said, laughing. �That thing is a long way off. We�ll deal with that when it comes.�

The rematch probably won�t lack intensity. The teams met in Seattle last December with Tennessee claiming an 82-72 win before Gonzaga returned the favor Sunday. The Bulldogs handled Tennessee�s pressure defense and didn�t back down when things got physical.

True freshman Demetri Goodson, the smallest Zag at 5-foot-11 and 164 pounds, got into a heated exchange with 6-9, 242-pound Volunteers center Wayne Chism as the teams exited the court at halftime. Teammates separated the two and officials huddled briefly with Few and Tennessee counterpart Bruce Pearl before the coaches departed for their respective locker rooms.

�With about 4 or 5 minutes left in the half I drove baseline and stepped out of bounds and he started jawing at me,� Goodson said. �I was just trying to let him know I wasn�t scared of him.�

Goodson said there were no flare-ups in the second half.

�We knew it was going to be a battle,� guard Steven Gray said. �We really had to be physical and tough � all the things that were big question marks for us � to see how we responded not only in this game but in three physical games. We definitely showed we�re a lot different team than last year.�

Tennessee has a 34-game home-court winning streak.

Balanced approach
Gonzaga�s three-game tournament totals reflected the team�s balance.

Heytvelt was the leading scorer with 45 points and he grabbed 18 rebounds. Downs was the top rebounder (20) and added 37 points. Bouldin finished with 37 points and 14 rebounds. Tournament MVP Jeremy Pargo had 36 points, 17 assists and 14 rebounds. Gray contributed 35 points. Austin Daye scored 33 points to go with 18 rebounds.

Gray made 4 of 6 3-pointers after going 3 of 18 in Gonzaga�s first four games.

�We should be able to start six guys,� Few said of Gray, who started 19 games last season but is coming off the bench this year. �Starting Micah has helped Micah�s confidence and it doesn�t seem to matter to Steven. We�ve all been waiting, the staff and players, for him to bust out like this and sure enough he did.�

Gonzaga�s balance made picking all-tournament selections difficult. Heytvelt and Pargo were honored, but several Zags had strong resumes.

�That�s what you�re going to want down the road,� Gray said. �It�s definitely going to help us. That�s one of our weapons this year and we�re going to have to utilize it.�

Huckleberries Online: Owners Ignore Laws Against Dogs In CDA Parks

DFO

Earlier this summer, my son, his family and I were picnicking in the Coeur d'Alene City Park. A woman was walking her little dog all the way through the park on the grass. At that point I went looking for the signs, knowing there had never been dogs allowed in our beautiful city park. There is a big sign at the entrance near where Playland Pier was located, there is a sign at the west entrance, and there are numerous signs on the lifeguard stands; they all say "no dogs." The only exception is that they're allowed on a leash on the sidewalks which show embedded paws, but they are not allowed on the park grass or city beach. I caught up with the woman and asked if she had read the posted notice; her response was, "I do it all the time." I asked if I could have her name and address so I could report her. She didn't respond/Elaine Hossom, Post Falls. More here.

Question: Is it time for an emphasis patrol at CDA city parks to crack down on dog owners who ignored clearly posted laws against running dog?