A Grip on Sports: For one more year, at least, Eastern’s men stay stuck in a rut and come up short of the Big Sky’s coveted NCAA bid

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Do you listen to vinyl? You know, as Bob Seger once sang, “Just take those old records off the shelf …?” We haven’t in some time, but we do remember the one thing about the experience that used to drive us wild. Skipping. When the needle would get stuck and play the same notes over and over. It almost always signaled the end of the record’s usefulness. Wonder why that came to mind today?

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• Before we get going into our deconstruction of Eastern Washington’s loss to Sacramento State on Sunday in Boise, we want to reiterate something. We despise the way the Big Sky Conference has designed its postseason tournament. You know, the one that is supposed to send the conference’s best school, its most-deserving school, to the NCAA Tournament.

It rarely serves that purpose. And won’t, as long as the conference’s top two teams are only granted a weird bye into the quarters and then given another before the semifinals. Case in point – or should we say cases in point? – Sunday saw the top two men’s seeds, Eastern and Northern Colorado, each lose to teams who had already played on the Boise court previously. And each of the top two women’s seeds, Eastern Washington and Northern Arizona, fell behind early too, as they were getting acclimated.

Say what you will about how weird the WCC’s tournament bracket looks – and we admit it is odd – but it gives the teams who did better in the regular season a much greater advantage. If a low seed gets hot, it has a much-longer gantlet to traverse before it comes upon either of the top-two seeded schools.

It’s an advantage in that conference to play well in the long grind of the regular season. A big advantage, that begins today in the semifinals. In the Big Sky, the advantage is mitigated. And it shouldn’t be.

• OK, we got that out of our system. We also now have the overwhelming urge to cleanup our stereo system and play “Stranger in Town” about a hundred times.

Instead, we’ll focus on the broken record. EWU’s men in Boise. Last year, it was Northern Arizona and a last-second shot. This season Sacramento State, who won all of eight games – and lost 23 – headed into tournament week, led pretty much from start to finish.

The Hornets have shown some sting lately, even giving the Eagles a tussle in California a week ago. That three-point loss, in hindsight, was a signal. One that Eastern blew right through. And now the Eagles have crashed out of the tournament again, after their late rally came up short, 74-69.

Once again, EWU will be able to hang a regular-season banner above Reese Court. And, sadly, once again the Eagles won’t have an NCAA one next to it.

Despite a 21-11 record. Despite a season in which they competed against highly rated foes. Despite more than a few tough-it-out victories.

Will the season continue? There’s a chance. But, thanks to the NCAA trying to appease the unappeasable power conferences, there is no longer a guaranteed berth into the second-tier NIT. And the other two tournaments available take a lot of money, a commodity in short supply in Cheney, either to host or to travel.

• Speaking of money, Russell Wilson took to social media platforms yesterday to let everyone know he’s found a home. And it is an inexpensive one – at least for his new employers, the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The former Seahawk star puts his Denver experience in the rearview mirror, though it will be the Broncos’ accountants who are charged with sending him his multi-million-dollar paychecks. How’s that for a win-win for the Steelers?

Only if Wilson can get back to doing what he did in Seattle. You know, win-win … and win some more.

Can Wilson thrive with the spotlight on others, as it was in his early – successful – Seattle seasons? Or does he now need to be the center of attention? Heck, those are only esoteric concerns. More importantly, does he have the legs left to buy time, to find receivers, to deliver the ball all over the field? Or have his skills deteriorated to a degree he can’t help even a defense-first, run-oriented franchise?

It will be fascinating to watch as we discover the answers.

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WSU: The 18th-ranked Cougars will take the second seed into the Pac-12’s tournament quarterfinals this week. Will face either California or Stanford. To win, they may not have to be on the top of their game. But close. And that starts, for them, by hitting outside shots. They do that, they compete. Greg Woods examines today the recent production in that regard for one key player, point guard Myles Rice. … The baseball team had every opportunity to sweep the Pac-12-opening series against Utah but instead suffered two close losses, including one Sunday. … Elsewhere in the Pac-12 and the nation, Jon Wilner presents his conference awards in the Mercury News and, in the final year of the conference, they have a WSU-tinge. In fact, there is a lot of crimson throughout. … He also has his power rankings. … There just aren’t a lot of other NCAA possibilities for the men after Arizona and WSU. … It was time for Washington to move on from Mike Hopkins. … It is also all or nothing this week for Oregon. … Same with Utah.  … Colorado’s starters play a lot of minutes. … No. 5 USC showed the past week in Las Vegas it is more than just JuJu Watkins. The Trojan women roared through the final Pac-12 tournament and then handled second-ranked Stanford 74-61 in Sunday’s final. Both schools, as well as possibly seventh-ranked UCLA, could be No. 1 seeds when the NCAA Tournament bracket is announced next week. … In football news, Colorado will be counting on its transfers once again.

Gonzaga: Say what you will about the convoluted look of the WCC tourney. It works. The top four seeds on the men’s side made the semifinals. Upsets may be exciting, but extra NCAA berths help purchase more shiny baubles. Tonight’s shiny matchup between third-seed San Francisco and second-seed Gonzaga (8:30, ESPN2, though, with only a two-hour window for the preceding Horizon League matchup, expect a later start, possibly on ESPN News) should be a bauble in itself. Jim Meehan is in Las Vegas and has a game preview and the key matchup. … The top-seeded Zag women have a little-easier road, at least as far as seeds are concerned. The 15-ranked Bulldogs face Pacific, seeded fifth, in today’s (noon, ESPN+) semifinals. Greg Lee has the preview.

EWU: We had our thoughts above on the men’s loss to Sacramento State and the women moving on at the expense of Weber State. John Blanchette is in Boise and he has the game stories. … Former Eastern standout receiver Kendrick Bourne is re-signing with New England. … Elsewhere in the Big Sky, Northern Colorado’s men are surprised to be done. … Idaho State knocked out the Bears and get a day off. … Montana has a deep senior class leading the way into today’s conference opener. … The Montana State men and women have the same goals this week. … Weber State played its best game and still lost to the Eastern women. … Northern Arizona pulled away in the second half Sunday.

Preps: Former Mt. Spokane High star Tyson Degenhart is ready to lead Boise State into what should be a wild Mountain West Conference tournament. Dave Cook talked to the former GSL MVP and has this story.

Mariners: Jorge Polanco hit a grand slam and the M’s won Sunday in a game we wished we could have watched. … Seattle also made a couple roster moves.

Seahawks: We’ve more than likely seen the last of Bobby Wagner in a Seahawk uniform. That’s sad. He’s one of the franchise’s all-time top five players, by stats and by fan appeal. … Another money move has cost the Hawks their former special teams captain. Tyler Lockett, however, is staying with a restructured deal.

Kraken: As we mentioned yesterday. Not every player on the roster suits up every game. Some are healthy scratches. The Ryker Evans story ran in the S-R today. … Is Jordan Eberle headed for the captain’s sweater?

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• One thing we forgot to update yesterday around the house? The thermostat’s clock. The heater didn’t kick in until 7. Have to get on that this morning. We rely on it to serve as something of a 6 a.m. alarm clock. Until later …