Preseason Cougs send off Postseason Cougs in style

Buonasera dalla Toscana, il grazioso paesino a nord delle Cinque Terre per la precisione.

I haven’t run “Cinque Terre” through the old Google translator, but if I did, I’d bet it stands for “(bleep) ton of stairs” in English.

Business is picking up around the Palouse, as the Washington State Cougars football team held its third spring practice on Saturday, while those Courageous Crimson Cagers boarded a plane bound for New York. Before they did so, Michael Flowers and the gang dropped by Rogers Field to collect some good vibes from the 2022 Coug football team.

#1 favorite part of that video: Efe’s shirt.

#2 favorite part of that video: Seeing Dishon Jackson in that line and thinking, “my man couple probably wreck some dudes playing tight end!”

After the campus sendoff, it was time to get on the plane.

Runway best part of that video - Ryan Rapp signing autographs!

Seriously, though, it was cool to see the footballers take a moment from practice to wish the basketball team well.

4.5(ish) hours later, the Apple Cup-owning Cougs touched down in the Big Apple. Once they arrived at the hotel, it was time for a photo with the skyline.

Least favorite part of that photo - Could someone please give Derrick Phelps some hashtag lessons?

Can’t wait for the Cougars to tip off in Madison Square Garden. Hopefully they don’t take any Ambien in the city that never sleeps, right, Jay-Z?

After cheering on the departing hoops team, the football team got back to a morning of work on day three of spring practice. Once again, quarterback Cam Ward was the focus, as Colton Clark featured the new signal caller. Ward is high on his receivers, and he’s probably not far off, as the top line guys are pretty solid.

“The receiver room is great. I feel like our receiver room is the best part of our offense right now,” Ward said. “The way they can make plays in one-on-one coverage, the catches they can make. … Our receiver room is going to evolve. Right now, it’s the best part of our offense.”

WSU will need to find some depth, though, because there isn’t a whole lot behind the first four. The Cougars return to the practice field next Tuesday, and the ungodly hour of 6:50 a.m. You know, because young people are raring to go at that time of day!

Football

'He's gotta be our engine that starts the car': Cameron Ward is key in Washington State's new, 'quarterback-driven' offense | The Spokesman-Review
Ward is the focal point of the offense, and he relishes that assignment.

Kudos to Konner Gomness, who was Saturday’s juice recipient!

College Football Playoff expansion creates frustration with multiple issues to settle ahead of next deadline - CBSSports.com
Key parties are nowhere close to agreeing on numerous issues preventing expansion.

Finally in the football realm, real life dropped like a hammer recently, as former WSU assistant Dave Nichol tragically passed away at an age far too young. USC Trojans coach Lincoln Riley posted a heartfelt tribute to Nichol.

Baseball

Raise your hand if you want to see WSU’s baseball team play more opponents like Tarleton State and Hawaii. I sure do! Pac-12 play has been a brutal eye-opener for this team, as it has lost seven of eight and five in a row. That doesn’t even account for the tail-kicking they took at Santa Clara. Sheesh.

Cougars Drop Saturday Contest at No. 18 Stanford - Washington State University Athletics
Washington State dropped a 7-1 decision to No. 18 Stanford at Sunken Diamond Saturday afternoon.

This Week in Parenting

We were walking about the village of Monterosso al Mare on Friday evening, looking for a place to eat when the 10 year-old remarked that we were out of liquid ibuprofen (he’s prone to headaches and getting him to swallow a pill takes something akin to a unanimous U.S. Senate resolution). So he said that if it were necessary, he’d “eat an edible one.” Mrs. Kendall said, “I think you mean chewable.” “What’s the difference?” he asked, and without missing a beat, the teenager said, “Do you need an edible? I have a friend.” I thought it was rather funny, and a big part of me believes that a friend of his could indeed produce an edible. So anyway he’s never leaving our basement ever again.

Non-Sports

20 days in Mariupol: The team that documented city’s agony | AP News
Over the last three weeks, a team of AP journalists have been documenting the agony of the Ukrainian city of Mariupol from inside the city center. They quickly became the only journalists on the ground, taking risks to show the world the war's human toll.

The death spiral of an American family
After generations of stability, a family reckons with death, debts and a desperate fall from the American middle class.