THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Questions, and more questions (and some answers)

What’s going to happen to the leaves still on our trees — the leaves that normally fall off before the first snowfall? Will they “redshirt” and come back for another season? If so, how will they get along with the incoming freshman leaves?

It looks odd to see leaves on top of the snow.

WILL ANYBODY pay attention to today’s NFC championship game?

Most of the focus seems to be on the AFC title game, where the one quarterback seems to spend most of his free time all over television pitching insurance, and the other signal-caller lights up stogies after a big win.

As you may have noticed, we have somewhat of a rooting interest in the NFC game. But the other bunch seems to be portrayed as the football version of the Broad Street Bullies, especially on defense.

As Richie Cunningham once said on “Happy Days” about a rival gang that he and his friends were thinking of playing in a game of slowpitch softball, in order to ease the tensions between the rival gang and The Fonz’s gang: “I played with them once. They slid into the pitcher.”

Hopefully we can keep it close, and get out of town intact — perhaps even with a victory.

WILL LAKE City’s boys cap their “seek and destroy” mission of a season with a state basketball title in March? As a followup question, can you imagine what a Lake City-Lapwai boys basketball game would look like?

CAN YOU name the women’s singles champion at this year’s Australian Open — without relying on Google?

I like to think I follow tennis fairly well, but I guess I need to channel my inner Cliff Drysdale a little more.

I only recognized one of the four women’s semifinalists this year — and she lost in the semis.

One of the men’s semifinalists was named Karen.

The days of Roger, Nadal and Novak winning all the men’s majors are coming to an end.

At least an American (Tommy Paul) reached the semifinals, the first time that’s happened in Melbourne since 2009 (Andy Roddick).

What in the name of John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors is going on here?

And the days of seeing Serena in the women’s finals ended years ago. Apparently this year’s Australian Open women’s runner-up won Wimbledon last year. How did we miss that?

What in the name of Naomi Osaka is going on here?

WILL THE Idaho Vandals follow their breakthrough football season of 2022, when they made the FCS playoffs for the first time since returning to the Big Sky, with another playoff appearance, and become regulars in the national title conversation?

As a followup question, should the Vandals start playing Boise State in football again, at least every few years or so? The teams haven’t met since 2010, when Boise won for the 12th straight year.

WILL THE lovable Zags do what rarely happens, and get upended in the West Coast Conference tournament? The Zags have won 19 of the last 24 WCC titles, and 20 overall. They haven’t lost in the WCC tourney before the finals since 1997.

Even crazier — could the Zags lose before the conference finals, then win the NCAA tournament?

(Trivia: Who’s the only other team — other than Saint Mary’s — to win the WCC tournament since 1999? And are you surprised it’s not BYU?)

Whatever happens, will we finally see a Gonzaga-Boise State matchup in the NCAAs — Mark Few vs. former Zags assistant Leon Rice? We almost got it last year, but the Broncos couldn’t beat Memphis State.

With the continued improvement in Boise, this matchup seems inevitable.

WILL ANYONE watch the Pro Bowl next weekend, whatever the goofy format it is? It has turned into a glorified touch football game in recent years, and now it will actually include a flag football game. But remember when the one guy (Robert Edwards) blew out his knee in a rookie beach football game during Pro Bowl week in 1999, and only played one year after that — and that was after missing the next three seasons?

The answer to the WCC trivia question: San Diego, in 2003 and ‘08.

The answer to the first question, according to gardeningknowhow.com:

“Don't worry, your tree will be fine. The leaves will fall at some point, and new leaves will grow in normally the following spring.”

Whew! Now we can go on with our regularly scheduled winter.

Mark Nelke is sports editor of The Press. He can be reached at 208-664-8176, Ext. 2019, or via email at mnelke@cdapress.com. Follow him on Twitter @CdAPressSports.