A Grip on Sports: The Mariners are doing their best (or worst?) to make the transition to college football season easier for all of us

A GRIP ON SPORTS • If you are wondering why we are in the process of switching our focus from summer’s main sport to the fall’s, it’s simple. We watched the Mariners play last night. And actually fell asleep. Before you call it a you problem, or make an age joke, did you watch? That was ugly.

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• Remember how we used to spend the previous decade of this century complaining about the lack of run support Felix Hernandez received? How Hernandez was the best pitcher of his generation, his numbers showed such, and the M’s ineptitude elsewhere dimmed what should have been the brightest of lights?

Turns out that complaining was just prelude. Or practice. For now. When the freaking team has five Felixs starting. Well, four and Luis Castillo. Though the least of their starters, statistically, doesn’t get much in the way of run support either. Or bullpen help.

We were all in with Logan Gilbert and the Cy Young before the season began. He was worthy once again last night. Six innings. Four hits. Ten strike outs. No walks. Most importantly, no runs. Oh, and no decision.

The M’s lost. The bullpen gave up three runs. Again. Gave up a home run in the seventh and one in the eighth. Again. The offense? One Little League run, another in an eighth inning that should have been more. A 3-2 loss.

Felix would understand, right? Commiserate? And make fun of John Stanton and the M’s ownership group. Like the rest of us.

• Let’s forget all that, shall we? We are, in theory, supposed to be switching our focus to football. College football, as the NFL takes a week’s hiatus from roster cuts to game days. The colleges? Their season gets underway with a few games Thursday night, including one in Cheney, a trickle on Friday, and then a flood on Saturday. There is even overflow Sunday and Monday, with a game apiece.

Everything’s changed, though. Well, not everything. The Pac-12 may be a shell of its former self – going from 12 to two fits that definition – but the problems the conference carried with it for a decade seem to be sticking around.

We are referring to television, of course. Carriage issues. Again.

This time it is Comcast, the second-biggest cable provider in America and within a hare’s breath of Charter for the top spot. Even in this era of cord cutting, some 14 million households still use Comcast for their TV-watching experience.

We’re one of them. And we won’t be able to watch Oregon host Idaho or Washington welcome Weber State.

Ironically, we will be able to see WSU and Oregon State, as the new Pac-12 is a CW production and just about everyone can access CW.

What’s going on with Huskies and Ducks this week? We not entirely clear on the particulars but Comcast isn’t broadcasting the four former Pac-12 schools’ Big Ten Network-scheduled athletic events just yet. And that includes football games.

Jon Wilner and John Canzano brought this issue to light yesterday, delving into a “territorial rights” debate – whatever that means – and carriage fees – that’s money, which we get.

Bottom line? The Big Ten Network and Comcast, and only Comcast, have not agreed on some financial considerations. It’s part of a bigger game, as it always is when it comes to broadcast fees. If it’s not fixed by Saturday, no UW or UO games. Blocked, as was Washington’s soccer match with Oregon State on Monday. Folks with a different way to watch TV, be it another cable company or satellite or one of those modern sticks or magic streaming devices, can watch. Not Comcast customers though. Fun. DirecTV-ish.

Ironic too.

• Not that we care that much. There are so many options this week. So many great matchups. Heck, Clemson and Georgia start the day at 9 a.m. on ABC. And, yes, Comcast carries ABC. At least as far as we know. That’s great because of the rivalry as well as the fact both are ranked in the top 14.

Wyoming is at Arizona State on FS1, starting at 7:30 p.m., in a game important to this area, what with the Cowboys on both Palouse schools’ schedules. The matchup, harkening back to the Pac-12 After Dark days of old, also caps the games us Comcast customers can see.

The Huskies and Weber State, starting at 8? If you have Comcast in Spokane, you better make friends with a Husky fan with Dish or Fubo or Sling TV or the like. Otherwise, you had more coverage with the Pac-12 Network.

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WSU: Greg Woods spends his space this morning examining the players, including presumptive starter Ethan O’Connor, who might fill in for injured cornerback Jamorri Colson. … Mike Vorel delves into Easop Winston’s once-again submarined hopes of making the Seahawks’ roster, as the former Washington State was cut yesterday. We have two words for Winston: River Cracraft. … There are also a few Scott Hanson Cougar stories in the Times this morning, including some keys to the season, a John Mateer profile and a look at an offensive tackle. … Elsewhere in the (new and old) Pac-12, the Mountain West and the nation, we linked above Jon Wilner’s and John Canzano’s pieces from yesterday concerning the Big Ten Network and Comcast issue. They are linked here too. And we have Canzano’s story from this morning that delves into the dispute a little deeper. … The Rose Bowl is going to become a CFP quarterfinal site this year (and into the future). Which means there is no longer blocked out seats for the Big Ten and Pac-12 participants. Almost every seat is up for sale. And that sale started this morning. … Changing conferences may be financially sound but it rarely plays out with success on the field. … Washington has some keys to a successful season and some key players. … The starting quarterback decision isn’t the only Oregon State story today. But a day later it still lingers. And is accompanied by a food story.  … The Oregonian’s numbers stories reach No. 4, with pieces on Oregon State and Oregon. … The Ducks’ TV issues were also covered by the Oregonian and in Eugene. As are Idaho’s chances. … There are five things Colorado needs to do to be successful this season. Stopping the run is crucial, this week at least. … Utah is ready for whatever the Big 12 schools throw at it. As long as Cam Rising plays. … Wilner has another story this morning in the Mercury News. He takes a look at Arizona. … The Wildcats will have one of its key players ready for a New Mexico game that features a lot of connections. … Change is the subject today in Los Angeles, for USC and UCLA. … An Arizona State player has been a Sun Devil fan forever. … In the Mountain West, what are Colorado State’s five keys to a successful season? We also pass along five bold predictions. … There’s an underrated transfer who could shine for Utah State. … Boise State has leaders on both sides of the ball. … Hawaii has the advantage of already playing a game as it gets ready to host UCLA. … Texas A&M-Commerce should be overmatched against San Diego State. … Finally, college volleyball’s rivalries and strength of schedules are changing due to football-fueled realignment. All that, sure. As well as exotic travel schedules.  

Gonzaga: Poor Steele Venters. The Ellensburg High grad, who spent a trio of productive years at Eastern Washington, was supposed to debut for the Zags last season. A knee injury derailed that. After rehab, he was scheduled to be a key piece this year. No longer. Venters suffered an Achilles tendon injury this week and will miss the season. Again. Jim Meehan has the details. … As do national sites, what with the Zags expected to be among the best teams in the country.

EWU: Just who is Monmouth and why are the Hawks traveling across the country for a Thursday night football season opener against the Eagles? Dan Thompson must have wondered that as well. He found out and shares his answer here. It has something to do with being challenged. … Elsewhere in the Big Sky, Montana released its depth chart. … Northern Colorado expects its offense to be improved this season. … The Bears are losing a member of their athletic administration as well. … Sacramento State’s offense should be improved too. … Oregon State will test Idaho State’s special teams. … Single-digit numbers are a big deal at Weber State.

Idaho: The “we’ll-play-anyone-anywhere” attitude seems to prevail with the Vandals as well. That starts with head coach Jason Eck, a man Dave Boling profiles in this story, covering how the longtime coach has awakened a “sleeping giant.”  

Indians: Whomever Spokane plays in the Northwest League title series in a couple weeks, they’ll have to get past Indians starter Victor Juarez. Juarez was exceptional again last night as Spokane opened its final home regular season series with a 6-0 win over Tri-City. Dave Nichols has the coverage. … Elsewhere in the league, if Spokane takes both of the NWL’s split-season titles (and they lead by a game), their opponent in the championship will be the team with the second-best overall record. That’s a close race right now, after Hillsboro’s 9-5 win over visiting Vancouver. The Hops (62-58) are two games back of Vancouver (63-55). … Everett, which is still has an outside chance in that race too, defeated host Eugene 12-7.  

Seahawks: We could have delved into the Hawks’ cuts today – and we sorted of did in the Washington State section above – but the group will change some as the week plays out. The big news? Uchenna Nwosu’s injury doesn’t seem to be that bad as the team kept him off the injured list. … How does the roster makeup break down? There were some surprises but mainly the status quo prevailed. … It seems as if every NFL expert sees Geno Smith as a middle-of-the-pack starting quarterback. … A new arrival wants to get back to his old ways.

Mariners: The Astros lost again Tuesday night, which means Seattle wasted a chance to cut into their lead. … Dan Wilson says the M’s hitters have responded well to suggestions. Could it be nothing will help?

Storm: There is real danger of Seattle sliding all the way out of the playoff picture. The slump since the season restarted needs to end tonight. … We haven’t seen a better explanation for Caitlin Clark’s excellent rookie year than we ran into here.  

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• We are hitting the road again tomorrow. This feature will be up early as we want to get as far south as we can tomorrow. That usually means Bend. But if we can make it to Klamath Falls, we will be happy – even if we miss our boys and our dogs. The road to the ocean always starts by getting through the mountains. At least for us. And yes, we are writing tomorrow. It’s a big time of the year. Heck, the local college football season actually begins tomorrow. Wow. Until later …