AS GOOD AS IT GETS

If you read Glenn’s blog today from the Spokesman Review, you will note constant criticism of Washington’s guard play in the Huskies wonderful loss to its new big brother–WSU.

Similarly, if you fast forward three weeks from now, you will hear Billy Packer and all the goons at CBS Sports talk about the importance of Guard Play in the NCAA tournament. In fact, if I had a dollar for everytime that Billy Packer and Dick Vitale talk about how guard play is the #1 recipe for success in the tourney, I’d be, well, something other than what I am today.

The point here is that given how crazy our guard play is–both offensively and defensively–this team is not only a bonafide threat to make the Sweet 16, it also has the look of a bonafide contender for the Final Four.

But the other side of the “guard play” issue is this: despite how GREAT our guard play is and despite how YOUNG of a basketball team we are, I want to alert all of Cougar nation that the MVP of this team , in my view, is none other than Mr. Ivory Clark.

Lest any of you have any doubt, think about what we were doing to the evil quack attack before he fouled out. Then think about what happened to the Clarkless Cougs thereafter.

Then, think about his defense against Stanford and his offensive output @ Arizona. Think about his defense last night against UW’s twin big boys. Think about all the back-cut dunks he gets, the second chance put backs, that allows the offense to run and allows the spacing for Weaver and Low to get to the basket.

My point is this: don’t for ONE MOMENT think that next year is going to be “the year.” While we’ll certainly be good–and I’m talking top 25 good–I would bet the kitchen sink that we will NOT be as good next year as we are this year.

So with that in mind, I encourage all of Cougar Nation to enjoy this. Granted, this season may end in dissapointment–as in a dissapointing early tourney exit or a Gonzaga or UWesque choke in the Sweet 16.

But, this Cougar nation, really and truly is “As Good As It Gets.”

Clark won’t be back next year. And because of that, a slide next year is just as likely as it turned out to be when Detlef, Chris Welp, Fortier, and Williams were all returning from their run to the Sweet 16 only to bounced by Kenny Walker and Kentucky in the FIRST ROUND the next year–all because the UW didn’t have their graduated point guard who turned out to be MUCH MORE important than anyone ever realized.

So, enjoy this. With a week off to rest those weary legs, the #7 ranked Cougs will storm into Mac court and steal one, gut out and ugly affair in Gil, and then host UCLA (we will be ranked #5 in the country) for the Pac-10 title followed by a very closely fought contest against USC.

By the end, we could be in the top 4 and assured of no worse than a #2 seed.

All of these games could be excruciating if we let it be so.

But don’t this moment in Cougar history pass you by. Enjoy every stinkin’ moment of this magical run.

This is truly as Good As it Gets.