A Grip on Sports: Is it possible for the four leftovers to make something positive after Pac-12’s implosion?

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Winners and losers. Deciding which is which is hardwired into the American DNA. For sports, it’s always right there on the scoreboard. When a scoreboard doesn’t exist? We make one up.

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• Such is the case with the most recent outbreak of realignment fever. Look near and far and you find a large group of folks willing to decide who won and who lost. Yesterday. Easy. Today. Easy. Tomorrow? That’s not as easy to discern. Current conquerors, laurels falling at their feet, could turn into the humbled subjects of a changing landscape. It’s happened before. If could happen again.

As this first week of the new world of college athletics dawns, people from Seattle to Tucson, from Eugene to Salt Lake City, are wiping their brows, thankful that, by the grace of the gods of television, they aren’t followers of those left behind.

Not so fast sparky. Or Sparky.

We always think we know what the future holds. But to quote our favorite foul-mouthed philosopher, Al Swearengen, “Announcing your plans is a good way to hear God laugh.”

Washington and Oregon are planning on the next Big Ten media deal to save their budgets. Hah. Haven’t we heard that before? This idea that those deals are going to continue to grow ad infinitum, despite the entire media industry rolling down the same path as the one newspapers and department stores walked not too long ago, seems misguided at best. It could happen. Just like the Pac-12 Networks could have brought in millions during the decade just past. It didn’t. Even though it was promised and, most importantly, budgeted for.

What is the saying? Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it? But that’s something that belongs to other guys, right? Joining the Big Ten or the Big 12 or whatever is the Golden Ticket – with an emphasize on gold.

Just ask Rutgers.

If you’ve forgotten, the Scarlet Knights are a member of the lucrative Big Ten. And their athletic budget is still bleeding red. Millions and millions of dollars each year. The debt piles up. All the while – and this should be instructive to UW and UO – earning a full share of the Big Ten media pie.

There is one truism in college athletics. Money in equals money out for a majority of schools. Actually, more-than-equals it often. There is never enough, not when there are shiny baubles to build, employees to pay and recruits to woo.

Today’s Scrooge McDuck pile of cash turns into tomorrow’s pile of ash.

As for the recent losers in all this, as decided upon by public opinion, what if tomorrow actually holds a chance for a reset? A way to build something new from what seems to be ashes?

A similar falling out happened on the West Coast not that long ago, if you aren’t averse to using geological time as your base. The precursor of the Pac-12 disbanded in the late 1950s, broken apart by a scandal involving, wait for it, paying players. The schools accused each other of nefarious actions, their fans screamed over social media – back then, it meant standing at the back fence while holding a warm cup of joe and sucking on a cigarette – and it took years before the haters finally turned back into friend-enemies.

But the new entity was strong. And included schools like Washington State, Oregon and Oregon State, three institutions the southern schools really didn’t want around and left for dead just a few years before.

Now, some 60 years later, a couple of those schools will have to walk a similar path. It’s easy to argue the path is steeper now. There are tougher barriers to climb. Re-forming a Pac-8 or Pac-10 or whatever won’t be easy.

Here’s a suggestion. Get after it. Now. Move quickly. And don’t announce your plans. You don’t want the television gods laughing – and destroying your chance.

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WSU: With football taking a much-needed break after the first week of practice, our focus turns, surprisingly enough, to women’s basketball. And an alum who is doing good things in the WNBA coaching ranks. … The changes won’t make it easier for Washington State’s recruiting. … Elsewhere in the Pac-12 and the nation, did we mention winners and losers? We did, didn’t we. Jon Wilner does too, in the Mercury News. And he also covers all the missteps of the past in the S-R. … Jim Moore feels college football is the biggest loser here. … Heck, there has to be a Pac-8 or something. If only to keep the Stanford band and those California folks who were straw hats battling each other. … Washington football coach Kalen DeBoer met with the media yesterday. … Oregon State’s defense has been strong recently but there will be new faces this season. … Utah’s Cam Rising has been working on his mechanics as he works his way back from a knee injury. … A former UCLA star has been around the NFL for a long time. … There is competition for the starting quarterback spot at Arizona State. … The move to the Big 12 is a big deal for Arizona and leads to a large group of stories this morning.

Indians: Another game in Everett, another defeat. Spokane lost four of six across the mountains and will return home on the heels of a 3-1 defeat. Dave Nichols has more.

Mariners: We’re going to spend a few moments here sharing something. Our M’s viewing habits have changed recently. We are watching more and more of each game. That’s not to say we wouldn’t sit and watch before. But so often earlier in the season something hard to swallow would happen and we would stomp out of the room for a while. That’s less common now. The M’s are playing better. And have a better chance at winning. As they did Sunday 3-2, even if it took 10 innings and they only scored the Manfred runner in the top of the inning. Lefty Taylor Saucedo made it happen. … The win climaxed a four-game sweep in Anaheim. … J.P. Crawford’s range isn’t what it once was but the shortstop is a better hitter and he still can make the spectacular play at times.

Seahawks: Sunday was a day of old friends visiting, injury news and catching up on a new contract. … There will be a new starting center this season and he will be young. … Geno Smith is playing freely.

World Cup: Stunned is the right word to describe the U.S. women’s program. And to describe its fans. … It’s time for change and we’re not just referring to Megan Rapinoe’s retirement.

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• Hey, we want to pass along this S-R story by Tom Clouse on our favorite downtown sandwich shop, Domini’s. It’s not sports-related, so-to-speak, but you should get a medal for finishing a regular. Until later …