A Grip on Sports: As 2024 exits the stage, the only thing we remember with clarity is all the changes the year wrought

A GRIP ON SPORTS • The final day of 2024. Usually, this is the day to reflect. To look back on the past year and either celebrate successes or lament failures. But, lucky for us, everything that’s happened since 2023 exited stage left is something of a blur. Though the sunsets over the Pacific Ocean stand out.

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• That’s not what you care about, right? You’re more interested in sports accomplishments. Changes. Traditions. Wins. Losses. Stars. Duds.

Every year has a lot of that, though 2024 will probably stand out in the change category. After all, just about coach of consequence in Washington made a move of some sort in 2024.

Scott Servais. Jake Dickert. Pete Carroll. Kalen DeBoer. Dave Hakstol. Kyle Smith. Mike Hopkins. On Jan. 1, 2024, all of them woke up with a Washington-based head coaching position. Today? They have moved on, either by their choice or someone else’s.

Heck, Pat Chun, who doesn’t coach but decides who does, also hired a moving van – but somehow stayed in the state.

If there is anything memorable about 2024, it is movement. Earth-shaking. A tidal wave. Think about this: Servais and Carroll had combined for 23 years leading Seattle’s two major professional teams before they were unceremoniously kicked out of town – by guys who hired them.

They each had success. They each experienced mediocrity. Ups, like Carroll’s 2013 Super Bowl championship. Downs, such as the Seahawks’ final play of the next year’s Super Bowl. But Servais won 51.4% of his Mariner games and Carroll 60.6 of the Seahawks’ 227, which may not be incredible but isn’t bad.

And now they are gone. Washed away in the churn of 2024.

• It’s not just coaches moving on we will remember, is it? Professional athletes come and go all the time, so Teoscar Hernandez stopping in Seattle for a season and then leaving to become a big part of the Dodgers’ run to the 2024 World Series title doesn’t hurt too badly.

What does hit differently, though, is the evolution in college athletics. Simply put, 2024 will go down as the year change – and professionalism – took over.

Freedom of movement might be a basketball term, but it applies to every collegiate sport. Athletes can switch schools for whatever reason. They can shop their skills, using an agent to represent them. They can ask for a mid-season raise. They can organize, union-style, without the pesky worry about being considered, under the law, an employee.

A John Mateer can go from being an unknown backup in Pullman to a star – and leave for a bundle of name, image and likeness cash that was unthinkable just a couple years ago. In other words, players have even more freedom than coaches have enjoyed forever, as there are no buyout clauses in their contracts.

• There were some traditions, however, that remained in place. Sunset at the Rose Bowl. Tyler Lockett grabbing a key third-down reception – and ducking under an oncoming hit. The Cougars fading in November. The hole in our heart the Sonics once filled. The Mariners suffering a weird early season loss, seemingly immaterial at the time, that looms large as they battle, unsuccessfully, for a playoff spot. Washington and Washington State fans acting like third-graders when interacting on social media. The Zags reaching the Sweet Sixteen. The Sounders winning some sort of trophy. Whitworth taking home a conference basketball title. Freshly fallen snow coating the way to a high school gym.

• Which win stands out? How about a loss? That’s personal, isn’t it? Ask a Cougar football fan and they will probably site the Apple Cup in the first category. A Husky? They would probably mention the playoff title game with Michigan.

There are so many games, so many matches, so many times the outcome fills our heart with joy or rips it apart, it is hard to remember, or pick, just one over the course of 366 days.

There is a familial feel to it. Which child do you love the most? It’s a fool’s quest to discover only one.

Looking back, everything is obscured in the haze of memory. There are a couple bright lights, a couple dark spots but, mainly, a fog. It’s time to let 2024 go.

And hope 2025 is the year the M’s finally make the World Series.

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WSU: Good news or bad news first? OK, good. Riley’s basketball team traveled to Spokane, filled the Arena about 30% full and shot down Loyola-Marymount 73-59. Greg Woods was in Spokane and has this story. … The women also picked up a WCC win, topping Pacific in Stockton, 74-66. … The bad news comes from the portal, as Levi Eckhaus, who led the Cougar offense in the Holiday Bowl, announced yesterday he was leaving Pullman. Greg has that as well. … Jon Wilner’s thoughts about Jimmy Rogers’ hire ran in the S-R today. … Elsewhere in the (current, old and future) Pac-12 and the nation, Washington plays in the Sun Bowl this morning, facing 8-4 Louisville. How will the Huskies’ El Paso trip play out? … The CFP quarterfinals begin tonight, with Boise State meeting Penn State in the Fiesta Bowl. The Broncos are led by a first-year coach. The Nittany Lions by a coach whose first college job was in Pullman. … Tomorrow there are three more games. We, of course, are most interested in the Rose Bowl, not just because it is the best bowl game. It matches Dillon Gabriel and the Oregon offense with Ohio State’s up-and-down defense. It also matches the Ducks’ less-than-perfect run defense against a Chip Kelly-led Buckeye offense that has weapons galore. This one could be great. … Arizona State holds a key role in the playoffs’ future as the Sun Devils face Texas in the Peach Bowl. One person is rooting for the Sun Devils from Tucson. …  Predictions? We have some to pass along, including Jon Wilner’s game picks from the S-R and his Rose Bowl thoughts in the Mercury News. … There is also a John Canzano mailbag from Monday to link. … We love “Ted Lasso,” even if it began as an NBC promo commercial. And we would be inclined to watch a “Fansville” series if it were ever developed from the Dr. Pepper commercials. … Deion Sanders was able to do something not many coaches can. He coached his sons. … Among the future Pac-12 members in the Mountain West, Fresno State continues to add to its roster. … Utah State picked up a quarterback from the portal. … In basketball news, the Oregon men had a great nonconference showing.

Gonzaga: We watched much of the Zags’ game last night, though our buddies were locked in on the Lions/49ers lack-of-defense NFL show. Come to think of it, defense wasn’t on display on either channel, as GU outscored Pepperdine 89-82 in Malibu. Theo Lawson has coverage of the Zags’ WCC-opening win as well as a story on Monday’s Associated Press basketball poll. … Jim Meehan was also in what we still call Firestone Fieldhouse and has a couple stories, including the buzzer beater and a look at how Gonzaga dominated inside. … Jim also has an in-depth story on something we brought you peripherally yesterday, the close-call the Bulldogs’ charter had Friday at LAX. … Tyler Tjomsland has his photo gallery. … Jim also sat down with Richard Fox, who was the analyst last night, for their podcast, which you can listen to here. … The women were at home against Pepperdine and put together an outstanding second half to run away from the Waves 75-54. Greg Lee was there and has this coverage. … Finally, Jim returns with news about Drew Timme’s new home. … Elsewhere in the WCC, Oregon State’s men hosted Portland and withstood the Pilots’ hot-shooting start en route to a comfortable win. … USF received 34 points from Malik Thomas and topped Santa Clara in overtime. … The OSU women handed Portland its first loss, winning on the road in overtime – again.

EWU: The Eagles welcomed NAIA member Eastern Oregon on Monday in their final nonconference game. As Dan Thompson tells us, they had little trouble topping the Mountaineers, winning 89-63. The Montana teams visit to start Big Sky play this weekend. … Elsewhere in the Big Sky, the Griz men enter conference play as one of the favorites. … Sacramento State picked up a nonconference win. … Montana State football coach Brent Vigen, rumored to be WSU’s top target, signed an extension with the Bobcats yesterday.

Preps: Dave Nichols has this roundup of Monday’s GSL basketball action.

Seahawks: The final two years Carroll was in charge, the Hawks were mediocre. That’s why a change was made. The first year Mike Macdonald is in charge? Mediocre as well. Huh. … Maybe Carroll will get another chance in Chicago. … The Hawks’ 2025 schedule is shaping up even with one more meaningless game to go.

Kraken: Seattle played its first game against the Utah Hockey Club (real nickname TBA). The Kraken rolled 5-2.

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• Yes, we will look forward to 2025. Not tomorrow, though. We’re taking the day off. We need time to prep for the best day of football watching college offers. Let’s hope all three CFP games are tight. Blowouts are no fun – unless the team you are rooting for is doing the good part. We aren’t rooting for anyone. Against someone? Sure. Long-time readers know who that is. Until later …