NFL draft ain't the only game in town

Wow, that was exciting.

There’s nothing like the NFL draft to get the blood flowing, is there?

But we’ve reached halftime — so to speak — as the first round is finally over and league execs now can spend two more days selecting players you don’t know from a bale of hay.

Even though the draft dominates TV like a State of the Union address, it’s our journalistic duty to note that there are other issues and events worth mentioning in the world of sports.

So let’s check a few…

ITEM: Gonzaga fans already are fretting over the loss of some – perhaps most – of this year’s starters to the NBA draft.

Five Zags have declared their eligibility, including freshman backup Filip Petrusev, but at least the big Serb already has said he’s coming back to school.

Zag Nation has braced for the certain loss of Rui Hachimura and the near-certain departure of Brandon Clarke, but there are lots of fingers crossed that Killian Tillie and Zach Norvell Jr. might return.

Personally, I think Norvell is probably gone unless he’s told — point blank — that moving over to spend a year as Gonzaga’s point guard might make him a lot more money in next year’s draft class.

Meanwhile, if Norvell does leave, the Zags will be desperate to find another guard.

And unfortunately…

One of Mark Few’s grad transfer guard targets, Max Hazzard of UC Irvine, has declined the honor and will take his talents to Arizona — with the possible caveat that UA Coach Sean Miller is still employed.

Miller’s name is coming up far, far too prominently this week in the federal trial stemming from shoe company influence in college hoops recruiting.

Stay tuned.

For now, however, Hazzard is headed to Tucson and the Zags’ search continues.

ITEM: You know how teams in most sports have days where they trot out throwback uniforms?

Well, the Mariners have managed to unearth a new phenomenon: an entire throwback game.

On Wednesday afternoon, Felix Hernandez turned in what was possibly his best pitching performance of the past three seasons.

Felix finally went to his off-speed pitches (as Seattle management has begged him to do), and in his own words, “pitched backwards.”

In other words, he used a sharp breaking ball to get ahead of San Diego hitters — only spotting his long-trusted sinker — and held the Padres to a single run and three hits over seven innings.

Hernandez struck out eight and walked just one.

Unfortunately, San Diego rookie sensation Chris Paddack was even better, rolling through seven himself and shutting out the Mariners on one hit while ultimately bagging a 1-0 victory.

Ironically, the San Diego run came when slumping Ian Kinsler ambushed one of Hernandez’s trademark sinkers for a cheap home run.

Mariners fans know this story far too well.

As Yogi famously said: “Déjà vu all over again.”

Over his 15 mostly frustrating years in Seattle, King Felix has pitched an awful lot of brilliant games like Wednesday’s, and wound up with a defeat or no-decision.

Now the Mariners have a team that’s been bashing the ball, and Felix had to suffer through one of their rare off days.

Call it a “throwback loss.”

ITEM: The NBA playoffs are beginning to pick up steam, and reader Glenn Miller emailed a question that intrigued me.

Aren’t there a healthy number of Portland fans here in North Idaho — given that the Trail Blazers are the only NBA franchise in this part of the country? Miller is a California transplant living in Coeur d’Alene, and he doesn’t get it.

“They’re a good product,” Miller wrote of the Blazers. “Dame Lillard (who tossed in 50, including a 37-foot game-winner, to eliminate Oklahoma City on Tuesday night) is the kind of player you want leading your franchise for any number of reasons.

“Please, more coverage for Portland. I can’t be alone.

“Or am I?”

I’m not sure about this one, Glenn, so what do our other readers say?

Where are your NBA loyalties, gang, assuming you have any?”

Full disclosure: I’m a front-runner with the Dubs, simply because of the style they play.

And Steve Kerr, my favorite coach.

Check that…

Pretty much my favorite person.

Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns for The Press appear on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Steve also contributes the “Zags Tracker” package on Gonzaga basketball once monthly during the off season.

Email: scameron@cdapress.com