With college football back, who needs an NFL preseason game?
A GRIP ON SPORTS • Were you torn a bit last night? The first real night of college football and there was an NFL game on. Not just any NFL game. It featured the local NFL team. Of course, it was an NFL preseason game. The fourth NFL preseason game. Read on.
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• The NFL owns the airways, doesn’t it? But how many of you did what I did, watched the Seahawks’ first defensive possession last night, held on through Russell Wilson’s 63-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Lockett (pictured) and then spent the rest of the night switching between college games? The fourth preseason game has been something akin to spare tire on the Honda. You know it’s there, you know it is needed by some people but you don’t want to have anything to do with it. The only people who really cared about last night’s 58-0 Seahawk win over the Raiders – OK, that wasn’t the score; the real score was 31-21 but does it really matter? – are the families of the guys who were trying to make the respective teams. And die-hard fans who paint their faces, own six $199 Hawk jerseys and think Kam Chancellor should be paid a gazillion dollars. But the rest of us wanted to know if the defensive changes at Idaho made a difference – the knee-jerk reaction after one game: no – or if Jim Harbaugh would be mellower now that’s he back at Michigan – another knee-jerk reaction: yes – and if Arizona’s Scooby Wright would be as dominant as he was last season – the sad reaction: no, as he injured his knee and it looked to be not good. College football was back, with all the pomp and circumstance, with all the blocked punts and fumbled snaps, with all the poor throws and breakaway runs. It was a good, no great, Thursday night.
• There is at least one college football game of local interest tonight, what with Washington making it’s first trip into Idaho in more than 100 years, but Friday nights are supposed to be reserved for the high school guys. And it is, though many of the big school teams in the Spokane area on the road this week. No matter. If you’ve been missing high school football, I’m sure you can find a game somewhere near where you live. To help, just click here. You’ll find a complete schedule. You’re welcome.
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• WSU: The Cougars better get to bed early tonight. I’ve found 11 a.m. can come awful early on a Saturday. Especially if you have to make the trip from Spokane to Pullman to see the game. No matter. It’s a lot better than having the game end at 11 p.m. ... Jacob Thorpe has a story on the need for these type of games for schools like Portland State – big payday games – and his usual morning post, with links. ... Portland State’s new defensive coordinator Malik Roberson (pictured), the Lewis and Clark High graduate who spent two years in Pullman as Paul Wulff’s defensive line coach, will have his hands full trying to stop Luke Falk and the Cougars. ... Jacob covers the game links from last night – Colorado’s loss at Hawaii seems quite a setback for the Buffs – and we’ll add this link to what awaits Oregon’s new quarterback. ... What is going on at Rutgers right now? Wow, next week’s opponent is having some real troubles.
• Gonzaga: The Zags released their final basketball schedule yesterday. Once again, GU is playing a tough non-conference slate and has a lot of games on the ESPN channels. Jim Meehan has more in this story and blog post. ... The Zags’ men’s soccer team rallied for a draw yesterday.
• EWU: Jim Allen just has to start his car and point it toward Eugene. As an Oregon alum, I’m sure it knows the way. He’ll be there this evening to take in the Eagles’ walk-through. Before then though, he has a feature on center T.J. Boatright, who is making a trip home for the game. Jim also has a transcript of the live chat he held yesterday and a morning post with some links. ... We also can pass along a story in the Register-Guard about Vernon Adams’ relationships with his former teammates as well as a preview of tomorrow night’s game. ... Boy, the Big Sky might just be really tough this season. Southern Utah gave a decent Utah State all it could handle last night before falling 12-9 on a late punt return. ... Weber State travels to Corvallis to face Oregon State tonight.
• Idaho: The new season opened like the previous two in the Paul Petrino era, with a 21-0 deficit morphing into a 45-28 loss to Ohio. The Vandals never could overcome the three-touchdown first-quarter gap last night, though they pulled within 10 late and almost came up with an onside kick. Sean Kramer has the game story from Moscow while Jacob chipped in with a notebook that leads with Jace Malek, the West Valley graduate who is dealing with cancer. ... Colin Mulvany has this photo gallery from the game.
• Chiefs: Spokane begins its preseason this afternoon in Everett. Chris Derrick has this story and blog post which explain what the goals are in the preseason.
• Indians: The Indians ended the home season with a dominant pitching performance in a 4-1 victory over Everett. Chris has the game story and a blog post on the strange happenings at Avista this summer.
• Seahawks: The win over Oakland last night showcased the play of the young guys, including Frank Clark, who was disruptive on defense, and Tyler Lockett, who was disruptive on offense and has been on special teams. ... Dion Bailey was banged up last night. But he wasn’t about to come out. ... Pete Carroll was upbeat after the game, but that can always be expected. ... When does the regular season start? Oh, right, next week in St. Louis. I wonder how the O-line will hold up.
• Mariners: Can Brad Miller be the M’s centerfielder? He has a month to prove himself.
• Sounders: We have no idea what the Sounders' lineup will look like tomorrow night when they host Toronto at CenturyLink. Part of the problem is the MLS doesn’t take time off during this international period.
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• Another work week checked off the calendar. It’s supposed to be nice today, though it’s a little chilly right now. And tomorrow? A good chance of showers and a high of 58 in Spokane, 56 in Pullman. Now that’s football weather. Remember, with the early start time we will have an abbreviated post if any post at all tomorrow. Until then ...
