BLOGS

Broken backboard? Spokane Arena? Again?

Blog: The Wildcat Word

I had the Gonzaga-Oklahoma game on last night while laying out the sports section, and looked up just in time to catch replays of Sooner Tiny Gallon's missed dunk attempt that broke the backboard. Yet unlike most people, I didn't get all hot and bothered about the glass shattering. No, instead I asked the question, "What is wrong with the Spokane Arena's backboards?"
See, this wasn't the first time such a thing has happened at the venue. Back in 2001, Zag legend Casey Calvary did the same thing in a game against New Mexico — even down to the part where he failed to convert the basket.
So, remembering that, plus the fact that Gonzaga leaves the friendly confines of the Kennel maybe a handful of times each year to play in the Spokane Arena, I was mostly embarrassed for whoever is in charge of buying baskets for the arena. In a way, it's like the old "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me," adage ... or something (it makes sense in my head, so just go with me on this).
My figuring is this: the majority of basketball that is played in that arena is the Class 2B state championships every early spring, so the Spokane people decide they don't need the strongest hoops since hardly any 2B players dunk, and if they do they weigh maybe all of 200 pounds.
If that's their logic, I can understand. But if they're going to keep having GU play games against teams that have players over 250 pounds that dunk with regularity, they might want to reconsider. Because as cool as shattered backboards are (and granted, it is pretty awesome to watch it happen), it's not very cool to have a 50-minute-long interruption during a nationally-televised NCAA game.