Um, Whitworth, may we have a word with you?

[Angelo Roncalli]

https://www.kxly.com/whitworth-will-...sketball-team/

[Radbooks]

From one of the media guys on Twitter:

Karthik Venkataraman
@KREMKarthik

Today Spokane County Commissioners are going to name Whitworth “Spokane’s Men’s Basketball Team”.


WSU AD Pat Chun said this past season WSU is the best basketball team in Washington no matter what anyone says.


Gonzaga doesn’t exist.

Karthik Venkataraman
@KREMKarthik
·
1h
So I just got word from Spokane County spokesperson Jared Webley that Whitworth WON’T be recognized as “Spokane’s Men’s Basketball Team”. Thread below.

Karthik Venkataraman
@KREMKarthik
·
1h
A draft had been mocked up by both Whitworth and the county to recognize the Pirates as “Spokane’s Men’s Basketball Team”. The county edited it and meant to send a copy that they would just recognize Whitworth for their accomplishments this season. But... Whitworth was sent an incorrect draft stating they would be recognized as “Spokane’s Men’s Basketball Team” instead when that was never going to be the case. So that’s what happened. There will be no such recognition for any school.

Still no word on if Gonzaga exists.

[Shanachie]

From the article:

Webley said they would never point out one team specifically considering there are several other prestigious basketball teams across the county. Gonzaga University and Eastern Washington University both have successful men’s basketball teams.

I guess that's one way to describe it.

[GoZags]

https://www.kxly.com/whitworth-will-...sketball-team/

When I first saw this on twitter (from KXLY) I thought to myself that Spokane Falls CC must have been a close 2nd ... and I was hopeful that our Zags would at least be a solid 3rd.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObpcGNCU944

[seacatfan]

By what metric is EWU successful (per the article)? Overall losing record in conference games, only 4 regular season conference championships and only 2 NCAA Tourney appearances. 12 20 win seasons since 1950, only 4 since 2000. If that is successful, the bar is set really, really low.

[229SintoZag]

By what metric is EWU successful (per the article)? Overall losing record in conference games, only 4 regular season conference championships and only 2 NCAA Tourney appearances. 12 20 win seasons since 1950, only 4 since 2000. If that is successful, the bar is set really, really low.

In 1990 the Chicago Bulls played Cleveland and Michael Jordan went off and scored 69 points. He also had 18 boards, six assists and four steals. A game for the ages.

After the game, Stacey King, a Bulls rookie, marveled that "I’ll always remember this as the night that Michael Jordan and I combined to score 70." King scored one point.

For some reason this story seemed apropos when discussing the relative accomplishments of Spokane County's collegiate basketball programs. Just think about it and let's be real. Over the past two decades, the Gonzaga, EWU, and Whitworth hoops teams have combined for 24 bids to the big dance and have collectively advanced to 9 Sweet 16s, 3 elite 8s and a Final Four.

I fully support the effort to recognize Whitworth and EWU hoops. I propose we name them the "Stacey King/Spokane County Men's Basketball Team."

[willandi]

In 1990 the Chicago Bulls played Cleveland and Michael Jordan went off and scored 69 points. He also had 18 boards, six assists and four steals. A game for the ages.

After the game, Stacey King, a Bulls rookie, marveled that "I’ll always remember this as the night that Michael Jordan and I combined to score 70." King scored one point.

For some reason this story seemed apropos when discussing the relative accomplishments of Spokane County's collegiate basketball programs. Just think about it and let's be real. Over the past two decades, the Gonzaga, EWU, and Whitworth hoops teams have combined for 24 bids to the big dance and have collectively advanced to 9 Sweet 16s, 3 elite 8s and a Final Four.

I fully support the effort to recognize Whitworth and EWU hoops. I propose we name them the "Stacey King/Spokane County Men's Basketball Team."

Whitworth is not D1.

They play in the post season almost every year, just a lower division.

[ZAG 4 LIFE]

When I first saw this on twitter (from KXLY) I thought to myself that Spokane Falls CC must have been a close 2nd ... and I was hopeful that our Zags would at least be a solid 3rd.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObpcGNCU944

Yes... I, too, was hoping for at least a Bronze ��

[zagmeister]

By what metric is EWU successful (per the article)? Overall losing record in conference games, only 4 regular season conference championships and only 2 NCAA Tourney appearances. 12 20 win seasons since 1950, only 4 since 2000. If that is successful, the bar is set really, really low.

Gosh, seacat... IMHO Webley was simply being PC. I seriously doubt there were any real basketball stats involved in his Spokane-region comment.

[daskim]

I'm a Whitworth undergraduate graduate and suited up for the Pirates years ago. Whitworth is a NCAA D3 school, and one of the most successful ones in the nation. In football, basketball, swimming, track and field, and other sports.

They have had a stellar basketball program at least over the last decade.

Whitworth had several other accomplishments during that decade:

Nine NCAA Division III tournament appearances
One Elite 8 and four Sweet 16 appearances
Seven regular season Northwest Conference titles
Seven Northwest Conference tournament championships
Six Northwest Conference Players of the Year
Five Division III All-Americans (either NABC or D3hoops.com), including the 2011 NCAA Division III Player of the Year (Michael Taylor)
Ten All-West Region honorees
A home record of 131-16 (.891)

Top Ten Winningest Men's Basketball Programs in the Decade, by Winning Percentage [for all divisions]:

.895, West Liberty D-II, 298-35
.874, Lincoln Memorial D-II, 284-41
.858, Gonzaga D-I, 308-51
.851, Whitworth D-III, 245-43

Not saying by a measure that they are Spokane County's team, but as a non scholarship Division III school, they are spectacularly successful.

[MDABE80]

What’s their NCAA tournament record? I don’t remember

[phxfireflames]

Time to settle this on the court

[23dpg]

Maybe THE Spokane’s Men’s Basketball Team

Nope. Sounds just as bad as I thought it would. Sorry Buckeyes.

[229SintoZag]

I'm a Whitworth undergraduate graduate and suited up for the Pirates years ago. Whitworth is a NCAA D3 school, and one of the most successful ones in the nation. In football, basketball, swimming, track and field, and other sports.

They have had a stellar basketball program at least over the last decade.

Whitworth had several other accomplishments during that decade:

Nine NCAA Division III tournament appearances
One Elite 8 and four Sweet 16 appearances
Seven regular season Northwest Conference titles
Seven Northwest Conference tournament championships
Six Northwest Conference Players of the Year
Five Division III All-Americans (either NABC or D3hoops.com), including the 2011 NCAA Division III Player of the Year (Michael Taylor)
Ten All-West Region honorees
A home record of 131-16 (.891)

Top Ten Winningest Men's Basketball Programs in the Decade, by Winning Percentage [for all divisions]:

.895, West Liberty D-II, 298-35
.874, Lincoln Memorial D-II, 284-41
.858, Gonzaga D-I, 308-51
.851, Whitworth D-III, 245-43

Not saying by a measure that they are Spokane County's team, but as a non scholarship Division III school, they are spectacularly successful.

You know what? Thanks for posting this. I was ignorant of every single one of these facts. And I am ashamed that I belittled Whitworth. And I am happy to admit it. I support student athletes at all levels and these accomplishments deserve respect. I am sorry that my own zeal as a Zag fan blinded me to this. As a Division III school Whitworth has acquitted itself admirably based on what you have shared and I, for one, am one Zag who tips my cap and is not at all ashamed to admit I was wrong to have been perhaps arrogant and condescending in my ignorance here.

[gu03alum]

Whitworth isn't even in Spokane.

Oh nevermind, I missed the part about it being county not city.

[willandi]

Time to settle this on the court

Agreed, but to make it a little more fair, only with non scholarship players.

[daskim]

You know what? Thanks for posting this. I was ignorant of every single one of these facts. And I am ashamed that I belittled Whitworth. And I am happy to admit it. I support student athletes at all levels and these accomplishments deserve respect. I am sorry that my own zeal as a Zag fan blinded me to this. As a Division III school Whitworth has acquitted itself admirably based on what you have shared and I, for one, am one Zag who tips my cap and is not at all ashamed to admit I was wrong to have been perhaps arrogant and condescending in my ignorance here.

Don't get me wrong. Been a huge Gonzaga fan for the last 25 years. I do some video work for Whitworth's athletic department among others, and have been on the sidelines for football and court side for basketball at Whitworth for about the last 12 years.

Like all teams with a winning tradition, Whitworth plays hard and to win. They fill their fieldhouse and footballs stands for every home game, and travel decently.

[MDABE80]

It’s a great school. They’ve much with less... all kidding aside.

[zagdontzig]

Why not let them have it? It doesn't hurt us, and it helps them. Donavan Mitchell doesn't complain when a high-school gets named "Mr. Basketball."

[krozman]

Big companies pay Congress to declare that July is "National Pickle Month" also. I view it the same way. Marketing is marketing, and it's just silly when government gets involved.

[Malastein]

Big companies pay Congress to declare that July is "National Pickle Month" also. I view it the same way. Marketing is marketing, and it's just silly when government gets involved.

This! Good to see recognition for the accomplishments of another small school from Spokane. Gonzaga is clearly one of the top 15 college basketball programs(I’d say top 10 is justifiable, and top 5 if drunk. Number 1 in my heart). The Zags have really transcended more than perhaps any program in college basketball history. I don’t think Whitworth is any level of real challenge to the hearts of the city of Spokane, so if one of their people want to try and become the official basketball team of the Spokane County, I don’t think it affects the Zags and their trajectory of continued success.

[sittingon50]

Thanks daskim.


Yeah, Whitworth can play.

[DZ]

You know what? Thanks for posting this. I was ignorant of every single one of these facts. And I am ashamed that I belittled Whitworth. And I am happy to admit it. I support student athletes at all levels and these accomplishments deserve respect. I am sorry that my own zeal as a Zag fan blinded me to this. As a Division III school Whitworth has acquitted itself admirably based on what you have shared and I, for one, am one Zag who tips my cap and is not at all ashamed to admit I was wrong to have been perhaps arrogant and condescending in my ignorance here.

I don't have any association with Whitworth, but the times I lived in Spokane, whenever I checked the forecast and saw sun and 50-60 degrees on Saturday, I immediately looked to see if I could find a way to work in an afternoon Whitworth football game. It is an absolute gorgeous experience, perfect crisp weather, beautiful trees surrounding the place, feels so friendly, good popcorn, and it's not a 90 minute drive to Pullman - even though Pullman is just as good once you're there.

My daughter also took [expensive] swim lessons there after we heard that swim lessons at Gonzaga were limited to children of Gonzaga staff, professors, and students. The Whitworth pool is fine, it's just a 50 minute drive from the South Hill.

This concludes my knowledge of Whitworth.

[willandi]

Maybe Whitworth SHOULD be Spokane's team. After all, Gonzaga is Washington's team!

[TexasZagFan]

Maybe Whitworth SHOULD be Spokane's team. After all, Gonzaga is Washington's team!

Gonzaga is America's Team!!!