A tradition unlike any other – thank goodness
A GRIP ON SPORTS • How many of you have been involved every year with an event that is 31 years old? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Read on.
•••
• Yes the event I’m talking about even predates “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” It’s that old. It is the Wet Dog Fur Open, the sports department’s annual golf tournament and it occurs, appropriately enough, always a week or two prior to the “other” Open, the U.S. one. Now the golfers who play in the latter one – also to be contested in the Northwest this year – are a bit better than the duffers who will play today, but I’m sure they do not have as much fun. Or are as loud. The WDFO was started during my first tour of duty in the S-R’s sports department. Back then it was a two-man, alternate shot affair. I was paired with, well, I won’t give away his name but the two of us were the most hot-tempered people in sports. I think the pairing was made in the hopes of seeing us kill each other on the 14th green. Didn’t happen. And, after two years of two-man teams, we went to a four-man scramble format we use today. For pure fun, pure stupidity, pure awful shot-making, no tournament I’ve ever participated in beats the Dog Fur, as it is affectionately called by the participants. It’s just a good time.
• Speaking of a good time, anyone think Steph Curry had one yesterday? I don’t say this often, but Curry choked in overtime against the Cavaliers. There is no other way to put it. He had the opportunity to put his team up 2-0 in the Finals and made two stupid decisions in the final 30 seconds that cost the Warriors. Curry had an awful game overall, Klay Thompson was playing exceptional and, as the game wound down, Curry didn’t try to create a shot for anyone, including Thompson. He just took a step back jumper, air-balled it, and ensured defeat. Now the under-handed Cavs get to go home tied. At least it’s been good theater.
••••••••••
• WSU: The scoring in the Pac-12 has exploded in the past five years.
• Gonzaga: Former Zag nemesis Matthew Dellavedova had an excellent game yesterday for Cleveland.
• Shadow: Spokane remained undefeated on the road in EPL play.
• Seahawks: Russell Wilson has never played with a target like Jimmy Graham. Never. ... Will Bruce Irvin make up his mind, please.
• Mariners: If you watched any of it, you know this is true. The M’s just finished their worst homestand ever. Chris Archer assured that, dominating the Mariners in Tampa Bay’s 3-1 win. ... We won’t see Fernando Rodney back in the closer role until he can get his mechanical flaws worked out in the bullpen. Let’s hope while he’s working on them, the M’s have a need for a closer. ... The struggling Robinson Cano sat out Sunday's game. ... The major league draft begins today, though the M’s don’t pick until the second round.
• Sounders: Portland has won three consecutive matches. ... Real Salt Lake and Colorado played a scoreless tie yesterday.
•••
• Funny, Christian Caple covered the M’s yesterday for the Tacoma News Tribune. Today he is part of my team in the Dog Fur. That’s two consecutive days for him hobnobbing with elite-level athletes. Until later ...
