Local newspaper coverage of Vandal athletics is undergoing a change. Change can be scary! Change can be also be good!

Change is good, and I think will result in better coverage of a football program that should expect to go bowling and a men’s and women’s basketball program both with NCAA Tournament aspirations.

Let’s break it down!

Four local print news organizations account for the majority of Idaho athletics coverage: The Moscow-Pullman Daily News, The Lewiston Tribune, The Spokesman-Review and The Argonaut.

Moscow-Pullman Daily News and Lewiston Tribune

Times are hard. The Alford family, who own both of the Palouse’s major newspapers, responded to hard times by merging the sports sections of both papers into one.

This means Michael-Shawn Dugar has been moved off the every day beat and Theo Lawson’s coverage in the Trib will also account for the D-News coverage. Mike addressed the change on the D-News website today. The change will allow him to give you more coverage on game day and more in-depth features on both Idaho football and men’s basketball, if he’s not covering Washington State.

Dale Grummert will continue as the main Idaho basketball writer.

Mike also tells me he’s hoping to be able to do more on the digital side with photography and video in his coverage of both Idaho and Washington State.

Follow the Trib’s Idaho football blog here / They also may still put things on the Daily-News blog here.

Michael-Shawn Dugar … Theo Lawson … Lewiston Tribune sports

Spokesman-Review

By now you’re all surely aware my move back to the Seattle area meant the Spokesman would have to replace me. Like two of you were sad about this. Now, none of you should be!

Remember Josh Wright? He had been covering the team forever and could probably tell you Robb Akey’s favorite brand of water beer by now. Well, he’s back! Josh is simply one of the best writers I’ve ever met in my life, and has a history of great scoops and reporting. I no longer feel bad about having to walk away, the Spokesman upgraded.

Follow along the Spokesman’s football coverage here … Also check out their SportsLink blog coverage

Josh Wright … Spokesman Sports

The Argonaut and Vandal Nation

I guess I’ll talk about The Argonaut too, even though as a journalist the student paper is never as good as it was when you were there.

I kid, I kid … Josh Grissom has led Vandal Nation’s coverage of Vandal football and Vandal Nation manager Mihaela Karst will also cover the team. Staff writer Luis Torres will also contribute. Josh is also a Seattle sports fan, so if you loved my obnoxious brand of football coverage then Josh will certainly suffice. Tess Fox leads the group as sports editor. Keep following them throughout the year to see how they divvy out coverage of the various sports on campus.

The fun thing about The Argonaut is the shift in students every year means there’s a new personality and a new pool of ideas of how to cover the team and invigorate the website.

Read all of the great coverage here on TheVandalNation.com and other news from around campus at uiargonaut.com.

Vandal Nation … Josh Grissom … Luis Torres … Tess Fox … Mihaela Karst

The Idaho Statesman

The wild card in Vandals coverage will be the Idaho Statesman in Boise. Lately their Vandals coverage, which is very much a secondary beat because of distance and resources available to cover it, has been left to the Boise State basketball and second college football writer. Dave Southorn held that post and has now ascended to the BSU football beat.

 

UPDATE (8/31): Michael Katz is moving over from the Times-News in Twin Falls to cover the BSU basketball beat, which probably means he’ll have some Vandal football on his beat. Although, the Statesman has been stringing some Vandal coverage this year. Either way, they’re diligently covering the Vandals this year.

You can read the Statesman’s coverage here.

You can also just read this website and read my rants. Your choice.