A Grip on Sports: When you are a frontrunner, it doesn’t matter for which country or team the winners compete

A GRIP ON SPORTS • There is a gene buried deep in our DNA. It stays hidden for the most part. But certain athletic achievements trigger its activation. Most folks try to suppress it but, heck, it’s genetics. You can’t fight it. We have even named it. The SFR, or the Sports Frontrunner gene.

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• It’s hard not to be excited by success. And disappointed in failure. Whether that is actually hard-wired in mankind’s DNA, we don’t actually know. But we believe it is. How else would you be able to explain a person who, say, grows up in the wilds of Spokane rooting most of life for the New York Yankees? An affinity for pinstripes? Hatred of facial hair? No way. It has to be genetic.

The gene has to be working overtime during the Olympics. Why else would the late-night shows on NBC draw the ratings they do? We, as a species, love to live vicariously through winners. Their wins become our wins. Conversely, when the athletes and teams we root for lose, their losses become someone else’s.

Genetics.

Case in point: Armand “Mondo” Duplantis.

You may have heard of him. He wore Sweden’s yellow jersey in Paris. Raced down the runway at breakneck speed and vaulted himself over a bar at a height unseen before. He did it again Monday in Paris, setting the world record for the eighth time in winning his second consecutive gold medal.

Boo. Can’t like him. He’s Swedish. And he edged an American, Sam Kendricks. Yet, somewhere deep in our innards, we knew we needed to root for this guy. There was something about him that drew us, inexorably, to the Google machine to find out more.

Turns out he’s as American as Bobby Boucher. And from the same place, Louisiana. Born in Lafayette for goodness’ sake, just a couple alligator tosses from Baton Rouge.

His mom is Swedish? Big deal. He attended LSU. Sat in Tiger stadium and rooted for the football team. Drank a few Abita Ambers beforehand, we’re sure. Heck, his brother played baseball for LSU and set the school’s career hit record. What’s more American than that?

And the reason why he’s wearing a yellow jersey instead of blue? Totally American as well. Being Swedish helps him earn more money in Europe, where track and field is actually a major sport. (And got his dad a job.) Finding a way to extract every last dollar from your talent has to be among the most dominant American genetic traits, right? No? Ask Snoop Dogg next time you see him in Paris.

The pursuit of the dollar is also why Duplantis has broken the world record so many times. There is money awarded for each record. Break it by a quarter inch or a foot, no difference. But the shorter increment makes it easier to break it again the next competition. And cash another check.

Ya, our SFR gene was spot on once more. We can root for this guy. And still keep our U.S.A. card.

• It’s also possible the gene never fully activates if you have some sort of connection to the Mariners. Our theory in this regard is simple. And probably true. Maybe. Sort of.

The gene exerts itself when we’re young. Triggers hormones throughout our bodies. Forces us to attach ourself to the closest Major League franchise. The only way to counteract its effects is to be consistently disappointed. Some folks are more amiable to the cure. And move on to the Braves or Dodgers early in life – or, if their genetic makeup also includes the regressive gene CSS (or Chicago Sports Syndrome), the Cubs.

Others can’t stop its effects entirely. Which explains why, even in the dark days of Lloyd McClendon and Rob Johnson, some Mariner fans still believed.

Two years ago, SFR was in bloom all over the Northwest. Like algae at that pond down the street. SFR was tamped down last September. Nearly eliminated last month. But a couple of well-received trades later, it’s back. In full force.

There is no real cure. Well, other than the one the White Sox have discovered.

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WSU: A weather delay for football practice in Pullman? In August? And it’s not smoke related? What is this, Phoenix? Or Tuscaloosa? Nope. Just a humid Monday on the Palouse leading to a harvest of thunderstorms. With school still not in session, the Cougars were able to delay, not cancel (or move indoors) practice. Greg Woods was there and he has this coverage of what went on. And he adds some injury news as well. … We’ll link this story in the Olympics’ section below as well, but Washington State alum CJ Allen moved on in the 400-meter hurdles qualifying Monday. … Elsewhere in the (new and old) Pac-12, the Mountain West and the nation, John Canzano covers a lot of questions in his Monday mailbag. … Oregon State has a balance of old and new players on defense. … Nick Daschel has a mailbag about the Beavers today. … The Oregonian’s football number series is on No. 26 today for Oregon State and Oregon. … Washington was back at practice Monday with its offensive line in the spotlight. … The Ducks, ranked third, were one of four former Pac-12 members in the coaches’ preseason poll. Also in the poll: Utah (13), Arizona (21) and USC (23). … The Utes hope their receivers shine. … UCLA feels the same way. … It’s not often an offensive tackle grabs the spotlight like Jordan Seaton has at Colorado. … The ACC adventure is just that for California’s athletic director. … A big-armed transfer hopes to find big-time quarterback minutes at Arizona State. … Arizona has finished a week of practice already. … In the Mountain West, we can pass along a preview of Boise State. … More problems for Utah State. This one is huge. The local auto dealer is no longer giving coaches cars to drive. The horror. … San Diego State’s linebacker group has a new look…. Who will win UNLV’s quarterback competition? … Honors continued to roll in for an Air Force player. … In basketball news, Isaiah Thomas loves Seattle hoop – and wants to keep it growing.

Gonzaga: We also linked Jim Meehan’s most-recent update with Mark Few above. Why? Because Few had a chance to fist-bump Snoop the other day. … Former Bulldog standout Sunny Greinacher earned a gold medal in 3x3 basketball Monday. Germany, which also had a player from Oregon, defeated Spain for the women’s championship. … Gonzaga’s Grace Lee, who Jim wrote about Monday in his golf column, shot an 82 on the first day of the U.S. Women’s Amateur at Tulsa’s Southern Hills’ Country Club. She will have to improve today to make the match-play portion of the competition.

Idaho: When a respected voice speaks players listen. Even if the words are in the same vein as they have been hearing for weeks and months. That’s why Jason Eck had his former boss, South Dakota State’s retired coach John Stiegelmeier, at practice this week. Peter Harriman has more in this practice coverage. … The Vandals were one of six Big Sky Conference schools in the preseason Stats Perform FCS Top 25 poll, released Monday. UI was ranked seventh. The others? Montana (three), Montana State (four), Sacramento State (eighth) and UC Davis (18th). Dan Thompson has more in this story. … Elsewhere in the Big Sky, Steve Kragthorpe, who had connections throughout the conference, has died. … Who will be Montana’s quarterback? … And who will star for Montana State at wide receiver? … Four Northern Arizona players picked up some honors Monday. … In basketball news, Idaho State’s nonconference schedule is set.  

Olympics: Could e-sports be the next addition to the Olympics? Spokane gamers hope so. Troy Slack talked with some of them for this story. … It’s not since the latest House of Dragons episode have we seen a bow so impactful as the one Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles performed yesterday in Paris. … Scottie Scheffler has been good for golf. For a lot of reasons, not the least of which is how successful he’s been this year. The game is better with a great player setting a standard for everyone to chase. Roaring down the stretch to win the gold medal is also good for the game’s Olympic prospects. Though his emotional response at the medal ceremony will be more important to IOC officials as they determine whether the sport stays in the Games down the road. … The U.S. Women’s soccer team has a semifinal rematch with Germany today. … Finally, we pass along this roundup of Monday’s action.

Mariners: Additions have been made. The pieces are in place (we add, parenthetically, maybe). Now it’s up to the players to win the American League West. … Of all the moves the M’s have made, picking up Victor Robles after the Nationals had cut him has proved to be the best. And most cost-effective. … Logan Gilbert is not the same pitcher as he was when he came to the big leagues.

Seahawks: Geno Smith was back at practice Monday. Easing himself back into the grind. That’s good news for the Hawks. … No one is going to argue the offensive line can’t improve. In fact, there may be even more additions aimed at doing that. … Mike Macdonald was the answer to John Schneider’s prayers.

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• You know what is best for Tuesday dinner? No, not tacos. Tamales. Saving my quota of carbs for a special treat tonight. Tamale Tuesday. Sounds right to me. Until later …