A Grip on Sports: Teamwork is what makes the dream work – in sports and the movies

A GRIP ON SPORTS • We finally got around to watching the Barbie movie last night. Weirdly, we got out of the Laz-e-Boy after it was over thinking about one thing. It was a great sports movie.

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• Hey, if Die Hard can be a Christmas movie, Barbie can be a sports movie. We saw volleyball and surfing and lacrosse and frisbees and more. Heck, it was a sports potpourri. But that’s not why we thought it was a sports movie.

We know this wasn’t the filmmakers’ central focus but the main point we garnered from the film was simple: Working together is the only way to really have success.

OK, call us naïve. “Hey, you’re naïve.” Yep. And, certainly, our pink binoculars see things differently than most others. But in the end, near the end, when everyone worked together, success happened. And then everyone sung in the movie’s equivalent to the locker room.

Just like the best sports teams.

• OK, enough film criticism. Time to do what we do best. Critique the sports world.

For example, we’re disappointed in, and a bit sad for, Gardner Minshew. His last pass of the 2023-24 NFL season – and quite possibly his last pass as the Indianapolis Colts’ starting quarterback – hooked on him a little. Just enough to miss connections with his teammate in the left flat on a fourth-down, game-on-the-line throw against Houston.

Too bad. There was a great story ready to be written.

But it also seemed appropriate. The Colts’ defense didn’t do their part, allowing the Texans to convert big play after big play and matriculate down the field for a go-ahead score. Then former UCLA kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn hooked the extra point left. The miss gave the Colts, and their home fans, life.

Indianapolis moved slowly and surely into scoring position. But ended up facing fourth down inside the 15 with a little over a minute left. Time out. Everyone in the universe expected Minshew to hand the ball off. No one, especially not the Texans, expected a pass to a backup running back. The first down, and more, was right there. Then Minshew’s pass seemed to curve a bit behind Tyler Goodson, hit his hands and then the turf.

Houston is headed to the playoffs with a 23-19 win. The Texans are the NFL’s best turnaround story thanks to the NFL’s best draft pick, quarterback C.J. Stroud. And Minshew’s story will probably take another turn.

• Speaking of the playoffs, Seattle more than likely won’t be playing in them this season. To get there, and then face either Dallas of Philadelphia on the road, the Seahawks need to win today in Arizona. With the injuries on defense, the up-and-down nature of the offensive line and a host of other factors, including the Cardinals’ recent hot streak, that won’t be easy.

But that’s only part of the equation.

Last week’s home loss to Pittsburgh – a winner over Baltimore on Saturday as the Ravens rested their best players – took the playoff decision from Seattle’s hands. It resides in Green Bay, where the inconsistent Packers host the Bears.

A great rivalry game, right? Chicago is going all out, right?

Maybe not. The Bears have no chance to make the playoffs. None. But they do hold the No. 1 pick in the draft (thanks to Carolina’s dumb trade last year). And they could have as good as the eighth pick as well. A few weeks ago, Chicago was in line for the fifth pick but it got hot. Hot enough to drop into the 10th spot as we open play today.

A win could cost the Bears up to five or more spots. That’s important.

The players Chicago puts on the field will play hard. It’s a given in the NFL. But if the best players are nicked up at all, it wouldn’t surprise anyone if they are shut down for “their own good.” Which translates into “for the franchise’s good.”

Don’t cry for Seattle. The Hawks put themselves in this position over the course of 16 games. Having to rely on a visiting team with little motivation for a road in a truly hostile environment isn’t a recipe for success every year. Once in a while, sure. But every year? Nope.

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WSU: The Cougar defense last night was, well, putrid. Kyle Smith admitted it. So did the players Greg Woods talked with after Oregon shot 58% from the field en route to an 89-84 win in Pullman. The loss left Washington State 1-3 in Pac-12 play. … There are stories from a Duck perspective as well. … The football team added a quarterback from the portal. An FCS quarterback. Sound familiar? Greg has that story as well. … When the Cougars face Boise State next year, the Broncos might feature this USC transfer quarterback. … Elsewhere in the Pac-12 and the nation, before we get into Saturday’s basketball results, we want to pass along this Jon Wilner’s ode to Jen Cohen in the Mercury News. … OK, back to hoops. Washington picked up its first conference win, handing Oregon State a 79-72 loss in Hec Ed. The Beavers’ Jordan Pope scored a career-high 29 points but it wasn’t enough. … Arizona continued its dunkfest of a season with a 93-72 win over visiting Utah. Even the tall Utes couldn’t keep up. … Arizona State improved to 4-0 – who saw that coming? – with a win over shorthanded Colorado. … On the other end of the spectrum, UCLA lost again on Saturday, falling apart – even at the coaching spot – in a 66-57 loss to visiting California. … USC put together a complete game to defeat Stanford 93-79. … The Oregon women have another tough one today, facing No. 9 USC in L.A. … No. 5 Colorado will try to finish up a road sweep at Arizona State. … Stanford will have to take more charter flights to stay competitive in the ACC. That’s the word from Tara VanDeever and she’s rarely wrong. Will it happen? … In football news, one more day to the national title game. Washington against Michigan, which will be a Big Ten game in October. Wilner’s column we linked above pinpoints the reason Washington is here. The Kalen DeBoer hire. The guy has a better record as head coach than Knute Rockne for goodness sake. And he’s humble about it. … Oh, and the UW receivers are great too. As is Michael Penix Jr. … The Washington success helps Adidas as well. … The 1991 team has this year’s squad’s back. … Dillon Johnson is ready to play. He’s not 100%, but he’ll play. … Oregon will keep its best tight end. … How has the Colorado roster changed since the season’s end? … Arizona is trying to keep its assistants in the fold. … UCLA hired a new assistant who was one of the most successful head coaches in Navy’s history.

Gonzaga: The Zags are into West Coast Conference play. And all is right with the world. Their offense kicked into high gear early, the defense was disruptive and the result was a 101-74 butt-kicking of visiting San Diego. Jim Meehan has the game story and the recap with highlights. … Theo Lawson delved into the defensive effort and put together the difference makers. … Tyler Tjomsland was on the court and has this photo gallery. … If you’re wondering, we’re only doing TV Takes on the big games this season. By our choice. We’ve done so many games broadcast locally it’s hard to come up with fresh material. But the games on other networks at least hold the potential for something out-of-the-ordinary. … Speaking of out-of-the-ordinary, we pass along this Ethan Myers story and these Colin Mulvany photos from Friday night’s reunion of the 1999 team.

EWU: The long slog to crest Mt. .500 reached its conclusion yesterday for the Eagles. Dane Erikstrup scored 27 points – that’s 59 in two games – as Eastern defeated North Dakota State 91-83 in the Big Sky-Summit challenge series. Dan Thompson has the coverage. The win gives EWU an 8-7 record after its tough nonconference schedule. … Both the Eastern and Idaho women won. … Elsewhere in the Big Sky, Montana plays for the FCS title at 11 a.m. this morning, facing top-seed South Dakota State in Frisco, Texas. The Griz, seeded-second, have lost just once this season (against Northern Arizona) under revitalized coach Bobby Hauck. … In basketball news, the Montana State women suffered a rare loss in the challenge series. … Both the Northern Colorado women and men won. … Montana’s men kept their hot streak alive. So did the women. … Weber State handed Oral Roberts a shocking home loss. No one had won at ORU in years. … The Bobcat men lost to South Dakota State. … Idaho State rallied from 17 down to pick up a win. … St. Thomas won its second challenge game, defeating Sacramento State 63-50. … Portland State lost both of its, the second last night against Kansas City. … Northern Arizona came back to defeat North Dakota.

Preps: Yes, we pass along Dave Nichols’ roundup of Saturday’s action. That’s a given. But the best story today is Dave’s interview with Dave McKenna, who is stepping down after 16 years as Gonzaga Prep’s head football coach. It’s well worth your time. … Former Ferris High pitcher Andrew Kittredge has a new team for 2024. No, it’s not the Mariners, which would have been poetic. It’s the Cardinals.

Seahawks: Win or lose today, playoffs or not, there will be many offseason questions for the Hawks. Jordyn Brooks’ future. Defensive line depth. Jamal Adams. Many others.

Kraken: There is finally some offensive-finishing depth in Seattle.

Mariners: The M’s just might be done making additions to the roster. That insight comes from Ryan Divish. Our thoughts? It’s typical. More bats are needed. More arms. But getting productive ones costs a lot. And this franchise is never going to invest enough to be successful. They are always destined to be the Allan in comparison to baseball’s Barbies and Kens.

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• Have a great Sunday, no matter what happens with the Seahawks this afternoon. Win or lose, life goes on. Don’t let your favorite NFL team’s success, or lack of such, color your week or the rest of the month. Roll with it. You know we’re really writing this for ourself. It’s silly but it happens. Until later …