213. Gonzaga Men's Basketball

 I love Gonzaga men’s basketball. I like the women’s program a lot too, but I just can’t seem to get enough of the men’s program. We just got home from Seattle yesterday because we had gone over to watch “The Battle in Seattle” that has been on hiatus for a few years. You can’t get into the McCarthy center (“The Kennel”) in Spokane very often unless you already have season tickets because that’s how popular the men’s program is. So, the Zags go to Seattle so more of their local fans can actually watch them live. It’s crazy that I live only an hour from Gonzaga but I have to often travel five hours across the state of Washington to watch them play.

This year they played the Alabama Crimson Tide, so yes, they play very famous teams. They are now one of those very famous teams. Unfortunately, they lost this one, but I’m still glad I got to be part of the 18,048 fans at the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. The excitement of a Zag game with that kind of crowd is just electric, like you’re about to be struck by lightning at any moment! There was quite a student crowd there and the cheerleaders were there. One thing missing was the band. I have never before been at a game that the Zags lost, but I haven’t been to all that many live games because they’re hard to get into. I’ve been to one men’s game at the McCarthy Center when my oldest son was a student there. His attendance at Gonzaga has made me feel a big part of the Zags because I now have financial investments in that university. 😊

The other live games I’ve been to have been right here at WSU when the Zags used to play the Cougs every year. We also made a trip to Las Vegas one year to watch the West Coast Conference tournament which the Zags handily won. I do sometimes think the intense national spotlight on them can be a bit much. This year they were ranked #1 before they even played a game and now they are #5 or lower after losing to Duke and Alabama.

I have been attached to this program for a long time. I like how so many of the Zags stick to their alma mater in one way or another. Dan Dickau often reports on them on live television broadcasts. Adam Morrison always reports on them on live radio. These two are legends in their own right. So many Zags are playing in the NBA right now that I can’t even keep up with what teams they are on. Cory Kispert, Rui Hachimura, Jalen Suggs, etc. Others are playing abroad like Kevin Pangos and Przemek Karnowski. These guys just keep the magic rolling as they take great pride in the fact that they are Zags. And rightfully so.

Coach Mark Few is largely responsible for all this fame. The best thing about it all is that he stays with Gonzaga where he probably doesn’t make half as much as he would in a larger university. He seems to love Spokane and his job as it is. It’s not about the money for him, but the success of the young men in his program. That’s the kind of guy I admire and the kind of guy I hope I am.

The truth is that I like basketball and Gonzaga has given me a team to pin my hopes to. It’s a small liberal arts college with a faith-based background that strives to help young people become servants to their communities to make this world a better place. Like many, I tend to see athletics as slightly over promoted at the expense of other aspects of education. The joy of the game, the competition and the sportsmanship at any Zag game will show, however, that good things are promoted in friendly competition. Friendships are formed and bonds are made even when we might not know the players or the coach. Gonzaga is achieving its goals of making the world a better place through all of its sports programs and the window into that wonderful university is opened just a little wider through its basketball program. I’m proud to be a part of Zag nation and I love the Bulldogs. Go Zags!