The Front Row with ERIC PLUMMER March 20, 2011
The first weekend of March Madness is upon us, and per usual, I’m pinch-hitting in the Sunday column space for my colleague Mark Nelke, who is making his annual pilgrimage to the first weekend of the NCAA basketball tournament — hopefully enjoying some warm sunshine and entertaining hoops in Tucson as you read this.
Speaking of March Madness, and many of you are this time of year, if you weren’t one of the millions of Americans frittering away company time on a bracket pool this week, don’t worry. I more than made up for you.
Even though it’s not in the official job description, as sports editor of a small daily paper you’re entrusted to run the fabled office pool. You get to play the part of a bookie and goad fellow employees, who wouldn’t know Mike Krzyzewski from Mike Hammer, into paying $5 to fill out a bracket.
The beauty of March Madness, named so for a reason, is that often times the more you know, the worse you do. That same person who doesn’t know Bobby Knight from Bobby Fischer ends up winning the pool.
For my money, it’s the greatest sporting event in the world. The drama, the buzzer beaters, the upsets, the moments many of us still remember to this day.
It’s been nearly 30 years since Lorenzo Charles dunked in Sidney Lowe’s airball at the buzzer to lead big underdog North Carolina State past Clyde Drexler’s Phi Slama Jama Houston Cougars, yet I can still picture the late Jim Valvano running up and down the court in utter euphoria, while Hakeem Olajuwon lay in shock on the floor.
What great moments will this year be remembered for?
Stay tuned.
Free coaching clinic
If it wasn’t already obvious to those privy to watching the Zags for the past decade, it was made crystal clear on Thursday night that Mark Few is one of the elite X’s and O’s coaches in all of college basketball.
The Zags put on a hoops clinic on both ends of the floor, dominating St. Johns of the Big East from start to finish. The players looked loose and relaxed and executed a finely-crafted game plan to near perfection.
On St. Johns bench was former UCLA coach Steve Lavin, along with assistant coach Gene Keady, a Big 10 coaching legend in his own right. Mark Few and his assistants out-coached the lot of them, pure and simple.
I know players win games, but on this night, so did coaches.
Putting the fun in fundraiser
Equal parts reunion, fundraiser and good time, the 24th annual Clark Fork Alumni Tournament was held last weekend, as more than 100 area hoopsters and 40 volleyball players turned out for a weekend of action.
The fundraising event started with humble roots, picking teams of alumni out of the bleachers in the first year. Now eight 13 player teams fill quickly, as more than 30 players were turned away this year for lack of space.
The event regularly raises more than $6,000 to fund Wampus Cats activities. The games feature high school players intermixed with some in their 60s and 70s, and are surprisingly competitive and physical.
“I’m surprised more schools don’t do it,” said Clark Fork athletic director Brian Arthun. “It’s a great fundraiser.”
Former Clark Fork, Oregon State, Seattle Seahawk, Atlanta Falcons and San Francisco 49ers tight end Ron Heller, still looking like he could probably pad up and haul in a Joe Montana pass on a seam route, returned for another year and helped his squad win the tournament.
“I live in Santa Barbara, but I get back here as much as I can, it’s part of the bargain with my wife,” laughed Heller, who loves the mountains and took his 11 year-old son archery hunting in the Cabinets last summer. “The tournament is a great time. You get to see all of your buddies, play basketball, and hang out for three or four days.”
Spring is in the air?
Spring sports can be trying for coaches in North Idaho, a point driven home on Thursday after watching longtime Sandpoint head coach Dave DeMers shoveling huge chunks of ice from the entrance to the track.
“They don’t have to do this in Lewiston,” quipped DeMers, who once threw the javelin and played quarterback at Boise State.
Eric DeMers, a former decathlete at Boise State who now coaches the jumpers for Sandpoint, was getting a workout shoveling more than eight inches of heavy snow in the hopes of clearing a runway in the high jump pit. It’s that, or wait another couple more weeks for Mother Nature to get rid of the snow.
Welcome to spring sports, North Idaho style.
Eric Plummer is sports editor of the Daily Bee in Sandpoint. For comments, suggestions or story ideas, he can be reached at 263-9534, ext. 226, or via e-mail at eplummer@bonnercountydailybee.com.