This from his "Minutes" column on ESPN.com:
The top of the West Coast Conference (19).
Why we used to care: Twelve straight seasons of at least 23 victories for Gonzaga. Dynamic guard Patty Mills made Saint Mary's entertaining and successful, leading them to 53 wins the past two seasons.
Why we stopped caring: Gonzaga's Austin Daye and Mills went pro early. The Zags also lost Jeremy Pargo, Josh Heytvelt and Micah Downs and figured to take a dip.
Why we care now: Life after those guys is fairly splendid, thanks for asking. The Gaels are 15-3, with victories over Oregon, Utah State and San Diego State. Randy Bennett's team is riding 20-10 guy Omar Samhan to the top of the West Coast Conference. But the recession-proof Zags are still the boss of the league after winning at Saint Mary's last week. Looks like a multi-bid league.
