A GRIP ON SPORTS • The void of summer is filling, isn’t it? From football practices, if not real games, in full swing to baseball pennant races kicking it into high gear, we’re almost to the point where every day has something special to get excited about. Almost.
•••••••
• Actually, sports fans never get there, do they? There is always “that day” when we get to catch our breath, at least a little. Most weeks it is Monday, especially since the NFL decided to put its top prime-time game on Sunday night with NBC and relegate the dregs to ESPN on Monday.
Some of us are old enough to remember when Monday night football was a happening, not a game. When Dandy Don sang and Howard Cosell ticked off everyone in America in some way. Ah, those were the days. Of course, Monday night also included Alex Karras, Dennis Miller and O.J. Simpson over the years, so it wasn’t always honey and cream, if you know what I mean.
But, as usual, I digress from my main point. Which was what again? Oh, yeah. Despite the smoke, despite the heat (both of which are missing this morning, thankfully), there is a lot going on.
Down the road (from where I am) in Pullman, Washington State is almost 10 practices through the preseason. It’s decision time. And yet, Nick Rolovich can’t make one concerning his starting quarterback. Or, at least, won’t. Not yet. And it seems the competition also includes a fourth entry, walk-on Victor Gabalis.
(Which makes me wonder. If Gabalis wins the competition, will the Cougars follow the BYU model and solicit someone in the Pullman business community, say DABCO, to sponsor his tuition? After all, the company owns just about everything else in town, so why not the starting QB?)
All other questions pale in comparison, for fans at least, to this one. After all, when the Cougars win, who earns the praise? And when they lose, the blame? Besides the head coach, I mean? The quarterback of course. It’s the main conversation over beers at The Coug, over fries at Cougar Country and while walking the aisles at Dissmore’s.
Maybe that’s Rolovich’s diabolical plan. Wait until just before the Utah State opener to pick a starter. Not only will that discombobulate the Aggies but it will keep interest high among the WSU faithful. Now that’s devious.
• Speaking of Pullman, there is a changing of the guard today. At least the beginning of it.
You’ll notice a new byline in the paper. It’s from Colton Clark, who most recently worked at the Lewiston Tribune. We don’t want to steal the thunder from sports editor Ralph Walter, so we’ll just say you’ll be seeing Clark’s byline more often and leave it at that. Anyhow, Clark is joining the S-R sports staff – his Twitter handle is now @SpokesmanClark if that’s any clue – with his first story today.
• Baseball took the day off yesterday, locally and regionally. The Indians, who are playing as well as anyone in the High-A West, always have Mondays off. It’s the league’s travel day. The M’s deserved it, as they head to Texas where it may be wet outside but it is sure to be hot and humid inside as they face the Rangers. Unless the air conditioning at Globe Life Stadium works exceptionally well.
Even without playing, the M’s still dropped a half-game in the wild-card standings to the Yankees, while picking up the same against the A’s. Welcome to the rest of the season, folks. It should be fun to be in a pennant race – of sorts. No, you don’t get a triangular piece of cloth for finishing second in the wild-card chase. All you get is one road game to prove you belong. And the pride of knowing, in the Mariners’ case, a two-decade-long streak is over.
•••
WSU: Theo examined the quarterback battle as part of his notebook covering the ins-and-outs of Monday morning’s practice. … Colton’s first S-R story is about how the depth of the playbook will grow this season. With the pandemic truncating the 2020 season, a lot of the run-and-shoot offense didn’t make the cut for games. … The Times’ Scott Hansen has a story on the QB competition as well. … Larry Weir’s Monday Press Box podcast includes college football talk. His Tuesday one should as well, as he and I are conversing this morning. … Elsewhere in the Pac-12 and college sports, the first Associated Press Top-25 of the season was released yesterday. We can pass along Jon Wilner’s poll which includes the five conference teams that made the cut nationally as well. Wilner just has them in a different order. … Is it possible the next step in college football’s evolution is a super conference that leaves the Power 5’s financial have-nots (including WSU) behind? … Back to the poll. The five conference teams? Oregon, USC, Washington, Utah and Arizona State. … The Huskies are taking a large page out of the LSU playbook. Hopefully, everyone will stay healthy, which hasn’t been the case. … That hasn’t happened at Oregon, either. The Ducks lost a tight end yesterday. The quarterbacks gave stayed healthy though. … Colorado lost one of the two quarterbacks battling for the starting role to a knee injury. … The offense did better at Oregon State’s latest practice. … A former Utah assistant coach, John Pease, died this week. … Dorian Thompson-Robinson would not say why he missed eight UCLA practices. … The USC offensive line is still a work in progress. … Arizona State has three new assistants trying to mesh with their position groups. … It looks as if former Washington State quarterback Gunner Cruz has moved ahead in the Arizona quarterback competition. … In basketball news, Colorado ended its Costa Rica trip with a blowout win.
EWU and Idaho: Around the Big Sky, there is depth among Montana’s wide receiver corps. … At Montana State, the Bobcats feature an “old-school” linebacker.
Mariners: So why hasn’t Jerry Dipoto been given an extension? At least why hasn’t it been announced yet? … Yes, Jarred Kelenic is maturing as a player. … Marco Gonzales is mature in every way.
Seahawks: The Hawks made some cuts yesterday. But who will make the final roster to start the season? … Chris Carson is a given. The rest of the running back corps is sort of up in the air. … Seattle relies on its cornerbacks as much if not more than any defense in the NFL. Is that dangerous this season? … Jamal Adams isn’t a corner but when he returns, he will help the defense just by his presence. … Another holdout who is badly needed is Duane Brown.
Storm: Breanna Stewart has a new role. She’s a parent.
•••
• As we said, we will be talking with Larry Weir this morning. He’ll post the podcast sometime afterward, once he edits out my fumbles and profanities. Just kidding. No one ever would give me the ball, so there is no chance I would fumble. By the way, when the dentist tells you to just keep doing what you’re doing, that your teeth look fine, that’s a win, right? It has to be the genes, however. I don’t take care of my teeth like I should. Thanks again dad. Until later …
