Grip on Sports: All the issues just look different when you view them from up in the air

A GRIP ON SPORTS • When you are miles above the Earth, some problems, and people, seem achingly small. Like whom, you ask? What do you think today’s column is about?

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• After Chet Holmgren’s professional debut Tuesday night, the NBA punditry class took notice. And some of them, who may not have seen it coming, took umbrage. The target of their ire on Twitter and the like? Mark Few.

How could Few have held such a unicorn talent back? Why wasn’t Holmgren doing this on a day-to-day basis for Gonzaga? GU ran its offense through Drew Timme? Wow, college coaches are trash, man.

Forgot the fact this was one summer league game. The first one, in fact. Judgments had to be made. Wrong ones.

There are few college coaches who give their players more offensive freedom than Few. His program has been founded on the principles of teaching players how to score, then letting them do just that. Do the Bulldogs have structure? Do they have sets? Sure. But there is freedom built in. Not just available but encouraged.

Teach a player a play and they eat for a game. Teach them how to play and they eat for a lifetime. Or something like that.

Holmgren’s breakout first pro game was a combination of his abilities – he has plenty – and the lessons he was taught over the past year. He did what he did, partly, because of Mark Few and his program, not despite of it.

• Staying in the college ranks, there seems to be some simple answers to the Pac-12’s (and Big 12’s) issues. But they may not come to pass.

A super conference with the best of both, featuring 24 teams, with the 12 the Big 12 have, the Pac-12’s remaining 10 and two other western schools, quite possibly San Diego State and Boise State. Seems simple enough and with enough cachet (and TV markets) to have a solid financial base.

There’s a problem, though. One conference means one league office. One commissioner. And that may preclude to two from coming together. The Pac-12’s boss, George Kliavkoff, has been on the job for just a year. The Big 12 hired Brett Yormark in June to fill its void.

You think either man wants to give up their hard-earned position? Both are athletic outsiders, coming into the cut-throat world of college athletics from the cut-throat worlds of pro sports (Yormark) and gambling (Kliavkoff). These new gigs are a challenge, sure, but it’s what they signed up for.

• The Baker Mayfield dream is dead in Seattle. And it died an ignominious death.

Mayfield, the former Cleveland first-round pick, is headed to Carolina, another place quarterback’s careers go to die. At least he was expensive.

Well, monetarily. Somewhat. Not in player capital. The Panthers gave up a fifth-round (or fourth, depending on his success) pick. That seems cheap.

The Panthers will also pay part of his salary, though the Browns will pick up most of it.

Too rich for Seattle’s blood? The Hawks must be satisfied with either Geno Smith or Drew Lock as their potential starter. Or, maybe, they will swoop in just before training camp starts and make a deal with Philadelphia for Gardner Minshew.

We can dream, can’t we?

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WSU: Colton Clark is back and he’s tackling a couple of key issues today. The first, and probably most important, has to do with the Pac-12’s recent troubles. Since USC and UCLA announced their Benedict Arnold move, the Washington State hierarchy has been strangely silent. Undeterred, Clark talked with some key Cougar alums for this story. … The other subject of interest? Football recruiting. Colton has a story on the latest commitment. … There is also some basketball news from the alumni ranks from Colton. Robert Franks will be playing in the Las Vegas summer league for the Celtics. … Elsewhere in the Pac-12, football recruiting is a big deal for Jon Wilner as well, with the weekly summary in the Mercury News. WSU is mentioned. … Wilner also has his expansion thoughts in the S-R today. … And a story about money. … What is Washington’s best bet with realignment? … Colorado could easily end up back in the Big 12, even without others from the Pac-12. … Life would change for the Arizona schools in the Big 12. … Arizona had some good basketball news yesterday. … Let us blame Larry Scott, OK? Or maybe not.

Gonzaga: Holmgren’s second game wasn’t as productive as his first, though it was more well-rounded. Jim Meehan has this story on his double-double. … Holmgren isn’t the only Zag in the NBA’s summer leagues. Theo Lawson delves into the quartet that will be participating. … Around the WCC, what stands out about BYU’s roster?

Indians: Mike Ruff has been solid this season. But he wasn’t solid enough yesterday, nor was the Spokane bullpen. The Indians fell 5-4 to Tri-City. Dave Nichols has the story.

Mariners: Yes, Julio Rodriguez does deserves to be at the All-Star game.

Kraken: The schedule for next season is out. … The Kraken draft fourth. Who may they take?

Storm: This is pretty cool. … Russian media this morning is reporting Brittney Griner is pleading guilty to the charges.

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• Writing at 30,000 feet has its drawbacks. But we got it done this morning. Maybe not as in-depth as usual, but done. We will be better tomorrow. Until later …