A busy weekend of Sun Devils action unfolded and many of our teams found great success. The baseball team swept Western Michigan, the softball team went 5-0, and the gymnastics team put together a hell of a performance against #18 Illinois. Only the men's basketball team embarrassed us. All in all, another good weekend to be a Devil.

ASU Vs. Washington State: Sun Devils Offense Nowhere To Be Found In 72-50 Loss - House Of Sparky
The Arizona St. Sun Devils generated only eight- yes, eight- points of offense the entire first half during Saturday's 72-50 loss to the Washington St. Cougars.

No. 15 ASU Baseball Wins 17-2, Completes Series Sweep
The 15th-ranked Arizona State baseball team completed its opening-series sweep of Western Michigan on Sunday, defeating the Broncos 17-2 in front of 2,587 fans at Packard Stadium. The Sun Devils outscored WMU 40-2 in 27 innings over the weekend.

Offense Powers Softball Past Illinois State 14-3 in Five - Arizona State University Official Athletic Site
The Sun Devils are now 10-2 overall after finishing the weekend 5-0 in their second home tournament, the Littlewood Classic. Sophomore sensation Dallas Escobedo is now 3-1 on the season.

Gym Devils Score 195.525, Fall to No. 18 Illinois - Arizona State University Official Athletic Site
Arizona State not only scored their second highest team score of the season, but also broke season and career highs right and left.

ASU women's basketball escapes Washington State
ASU women's basketball escapes Washington State, The Arizona State women's basketball team built a 19-point lead in the second half Saturday then lost all but two points of that before holding Washington State 47-42.

The Sun Devils are flying below the radar right now. Without a football season and a terrible basketball team, we just don't have much to care for. That led me to wonder, has January ever been interesting at House Of Sparky? I went back in time to find out.

2009:

James Harden Shuts Down #7 UCLA Bruins, #15 ASU Wins 61-58 in OT - House Of Sparky
The glory days of our basketball team, when James Harden and Jeff Pendergraph could defeat the 7th ranked basketball team in the country... on the road. January 2009 feels SO far away.

BYU Officially Drops ASU From 2009 Schedule - House Of Sparky
In January 2009, the Cougars said adios to the Sun Devils from the 2009 football schedule in favor of the Oklahoma Sooners in Dallas. We picked up Louisiana Monroe.

2010:

Gymnastics Corner: Q&A with Kaitlynn Bormann of the Lady Devils - House Of Sparky
We interviewed an ASU gymnast in January 2010.

2011:

Sun Devils Score 41 Points? Seriously? - House Of Sparky
Some incredibly insightful analysis after Stanford defeated the Sun Devils in January 2011.

My thoughts? No, January never has been interesting. But it can certainly start to be, with Brad and Nikil bringing you up to speed on ASU's football statistics for 2011 and the state of the basketball program (goodbye, Keala King).

I haven't written anything on this site for six days. In fansite time, that is an eternity. In truth, it doesn't feel like it was long enough.

The Sun Devils thoroughly embarrassed me against Boise State. Alone on my parent's couch in Vermont, it felt like my pants dropped on stage in front of a crowd of thousands.

This was a team I vouched for on a daily basis. "No guys, it's different this year. The Devils are ready!" I was all too happy to declare to anyone who would listen.

At the end of the day, they are just as bad as they've always been, finishing with a worse record in 2011 than in 2010 (which seemed blasphemous after the USC game). I need some time off from the Sun Devils, and thankfully I can have it. Here's to 2012 and Todd Graham.

Here are your lunchtime links in ASU land:

Arizona State loses another football recruit - Los Angeles Preps Blog - ESPN Los Angeles
The coaching change at Arizona State claimed another Inland Empire recruit last week. Chaparral outside linebacker C.J. Dozier has de-committed from the Sun Devils, according to the recruiting publication, Scout.com.

Wired Devils: Sun Devils' future non-conference opponents
A good look at what the future holds for the Devils.

New ASU coaches making progress recruiting in Arizona
Arizona State offensive coordinator Mike Norvell was given the go-ahead to begin recruiting at 11 a.m. on Dec. 16. By 4 p.m., he already had visited four high schools -- Scottsdale Chaparral, Scottsdale Saguaro, Chandler Hamilton and Chandler High.

We're one day away from ASU playing Boise State in the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas. We will have a Q&A with OBNUG about the Broncos coming up, but for now here's some interesting Sun Devils links for your hump day.

Erickson's ouster at Arizona State shows no coach perfect fit - Sports - ReviewJournal.com
A football game will end Thursday evening, and Dennis Erickson will walk across the field at Sam Boyd Stadium and shake hands with opposing coaches and players.

Arizona State Women's Basketball Having Success Despite Missing Turner Thorne - SB Nation Arizona
The Arizona State Women's Basketball team just continues to win. It doesn't matter that they are playing for a different coach for the first time in 15 years, it doesn't matter that they are playing in front of a half filled arena, they just continue to win.

Arizona State Basketball: Ruslan Pateev Reprimanded, Suspended By Pac-12 For Part In Altercation - SB Nation Arizona
The junior center will be forced to miss the Sun Devils' next game on Wednesday vs Fresno State.

ASU football coach Todd Graham's contract has BCS incentives

ASU's new football coach Todd Graham, hired last week after spending one season at Pittsburgh, will have a five-year contract that expires Dec. 31, 2016.

ASU football excited about Boise St. matchup - The Arizona Republic

"We’re treating it like a BCS bowl," senior receiver Aaron Pflugrad said. "That was our goal at the beginning of the year. We didn’t make it to a BCS bowl, but we got a BCS opponent, so we’re excited about the matchup."

Howdy, Sun Devil Nation. Time for your lunch time links!

ASU football enters a coaching transition
On one hand, the Sun Devils are planning for a new era under coach Todd Graham, who was hired Wednesday. On the other, they still have one last game under Dennis Erickson, next week's Las Vegas Bowl against Boise State. It's not an ideal situation.

Defending ASU's Hire Of Todd Graham - Desert Dirt - SB Nation Arizona
Graham left his position at Pittsburgh for a better situation for his family. That is something people do everyday. I know people who have left their job after one year because they got offered a better one. At the end of the day, Graham owes it to his family to take the best position that he can.

Todd Graham job hop to Arizona State shows weakness of NCAA – Sentinel Sports Now – Orlando Sentinel
I feel for the football players at the University of Pittsburgh. After being jerked around for the past year with instability at the coaching helm, their former head coach Todd Graham sucker-punched Pitt players with a shocking announcement that he’d accepted the Arizona State coaching through, wait for it….a text message.

Pittsburgh Panthers’ Cam Saddler: Todd Graham Better Not Dare Come Back and Attempt to Meet With Us
Pitt wide receiver Cam Saddler, one of the team’s leaders, spoke out on the situation, describing how Todd Graham spoke often of his money and the shock that the players were experiencing. At the mention of Graham possibly returning to meet with the team after leaving so hastily, Saddle said Graham better not dare come back.

What I'd like to see in the bowl game (and you should too) - One Bronco Nation Under God
Somehow there's only 6 days until the Broncos take the field and put a bow on the 2011 season. Any way you look at it, it was another successful season for the Broncos even if not every rung on the ladder was ascended. But here we are—less than a week from one last game day and one last time watching the likes of Kellen Moore, Billy Winn, Shea McClellin and everyone's favorite steroidal rodent, Doug Martin. We've talked about why this game might be better than some think, now let''s discuss our wants and desires for the swan song of 2011. We're a needy bunch, aren't we?

Lots of interesting stuff happening with Arizona State, per usual. Too many cooks in the kitchen has been the motto of the past week.

Statement From Sun Devil Athletics - ASU Official Athletic Site
ASU came out with a statement regarding what went down this past week, calling most rumors 'unfounded.' Interesting spin.

Jones: 'I'm very happy at SMU' - NCAA Football - CBSSports.com
June Jones says he's very happy being SMU's coach, even though he was set to leave for Arizona State and has been contacted by multiple schools about vacant head coaching jobs.

ASU search appears to be nearing train-wreck status . . . | Seattle Times Newspaper
This is what happens when you don't really know how to go after a football coach, and you don't really know whom you can get.

Energetic student leads 400-member Sun Devil Marching Band | ASU News
After Sparky and the cheerleaders, the most energetic person preceding the football players on the field at Arizona State University each fall weekend is usually Greg Rudolph, a sophomore from Laguna Niguel, Calif.

Jeff Pendergraph, ASU Basketball Alum, Signs With The Pacers - Desert Dirt - SB Nation Arizona
Jeff Pendergraph has signed a two-year guaranteed deal with the Indiana Pacers.

Things to remember about the ASU football coaching search
Here are some things to remember in an ASU football coaching search that makes the one we had five years ago seem quaintly tame.

Twitter / Does next ASU coach have to have Head Coaching experience?
That is what Paul Calvisi of Arizona Sports 620 said on Twitter.

Welp, we're scheduled to play Boise State in the MAACO Las Vegas Bowl on December 22 and we still do not have a new head coach in place. This is getting worrisome, and I'd like to see either Larry Fedora or Kevin Sumlin hired ASAP.

Anyway, here's some links for your early morning cup of coffee.

Bruce Cooper: ASU football needs to think big
With the hottest name (Kevin Sumlin) apparently no longer an option, ASU should look for the biggest name. Think: Mike Bellotti.

Arizona State Head Coaching Search: Handicapping The Race - SB Nation Arizona
The Arizona State Head Coaching position has taken more twists and turns then an episode of "The Young and the Restless."

Fedora a sought-after commodity at meetings | The Clarion-Ledger | clarionledger.com
Reports link coach to vacancies at UNC, A&M, Kansas and Arizona State

ASU Coaching Search: Revised Top 5 Candidates Among The Chaos - SB Nation Arizona

The ASU coaching news is coming in fast and furiously. Here is what has happened and how it forms a revised top five list.

Creekmur's minutes take a hit for ASU - The Catch-Up by Travis Hines - TimesRepublican.com | News, Sports, Jobs, Community info - Times Republican
After playing at least 20 minutes in each of Arizona State’s first five games, Arizona State sophomore Chanse Creekmur has seen his playing time slashed in the Sun Devils’ past two contests.

From the looks of things, Lisa Love and the Arizona St. Sun Devils are moving quickly to hire Houston coach Kevin Sumlin in the wake of Wazzu's impressive hire of Mike Leach.

Here's a bunch of links for your Thursday morning. Go Devils!

Mike Leach Hired By WSU: Contract Details And A Timeline - SBNation.com
Speaking to reporters shortly after the Cougars announced Leach as their next head coach, athletic director Bill Moos said, "A lot of schools wanted Mike Leach. He wanted us."

ASU football has chance to retain some of 2012 recruits - Arizona News from The Arizona Republic
Dennis Erickson and his staff at one time had lassoed 25 commitments, including three four-star prospects and 14 three-star prospects as judged by recruiting service Rivals. The entire class is sure to change.

ASU football: Official: We aren't starting over
As Arizona State launches its third coaching search in 11 years, Lisa Love wants to make one thing clear: "We are not starting from Ground Zero," the school's vice president of athletics said.

ASU football target Kevin Sumlin, Houston plan to talk
ASU's leading candidate to be its next head coach, Kevin Sumlin, has had discussions to extend his contract at Houston, but that may not mean much.

ASU Football Coaching Search: Noel Mazzone Being Pushed By Sun Devils Players - SB Nation Arizona
With Dennis Erickson out, it appears the players are rallying around their offensive coordinator as their next head coach. Chris Karpman of ASUDevils.com reports.

Is the ASU-Sumlin marriage closer to fruition? - ArizonaSports.com

The real nugget there is the amount ASU is reportedly ready to spend. Erickson made $1.5 million this season. Just last week, the University of Arizona hired Rich Rodriguez as their new head coach, and he agreed to a five-year, $9.55 million contract, or about $1.9 million per season (including money from IMG and Nike).

Hot coaching jobs? ASU, UCLA rank high - Pac-12 Blog - ESPN
ESPN.com analyst Brock Huard took a look at the college football landscape after a flurry of recent terminations and ranked Arizona State and UCLA high on the list.