A Grip on Sports: The Pac-12 holds its football media day in Las Vegas and proves to a degree the ‘stays in Vegas’ cliche

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Did you know the Pac-12’s preseason football media event kicked off in Las Vegas on Wednesday? And ended the same day? We did, though we had not been invited. Makes us wonder if we should just ignore the event, as most everyone around the nation did.

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• If there is anything the two remaining members of the once sprawling conference needs, it isn’t subtlety. But that was the path they seemed to chose yesterday. Talk about a wrong turn.

As we read Greg Woods’ story in the S-R this morning on the late-night gathering, we realized we hadn’t run across any other stories in our daily journey through the internet’s athletic realm. We decided to double-check. Pulled up Google. Did a search of Pac-12 football news. Found coverage from AP and more from Athlon Sports. A few social media posts. A John Canzano column, sure, with a different perspective and a different judgment of the event than we have. Not a lot more.

Yes, there might be more later today. The conference’s decision to begin a new era with an evening kickoff harkened back to the recent “Pac-12 After Dark” past. But was awful late for the East Coast crowd.

The open bar – new commissioner Teresa Gould told the audience “We are drinking tonight. If anyone has earned the right to drink, it is the Pac-12.” – harkened back to a long time ago, when sports media members would compete in the bar after watching the competitions on the field.

Forget about the tone deafness of Gould’s statement, considering the Big 12’s media event across town had already been derailed a bit by a roasting of Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy for his comments asserting, basically, everyone makes the mistake of driving drunk. And focus on the big picture.

The conference must stay relevant to some degree over the next two years.

Sure, media events aren’t going to mean a lot if the product on the field isn’t strong enough to engender debate. But a few major national media hits before the football season begins couldn’t hurt.

Holding an, at times, irreverent event in Las Vegas as the Big 12 and the Pac’s new best buddies from the Mountain West were finishing their big hits makes sense – on paper. However, a lot of decisions the former version of the conference settled in its last years did the same thing. And failed in reality.

This one? Well, if the goal was to attract attention, even if only “gee, isn’t that cute?” attention, it didn’t work all that well. Maybe ESPN featured video of the two schools’ mascots facing off on stage and we missed it. Or maybe there was a lot of buzz on TikTok or Instagram or some other much-more-modern way to spread the news and we are unaware. Maybe word of mouth – or text – is spreading.

All possible. Doubtful, but possible.

If so, good for the Pac-12. All that has to happen now is for Oregon State and Washington State to win football games. The more the better. And make the Pac-12 impossible to ignore. And not just for having an open bar.

• After a failed Copa America appearance for Gregg Berhalter’s U.S. National Team, it seemed only a matter of time before the organization’s sporting director, Matt Crocker, would make a change. Wednesday was the time. Berhalter was fired.

Expectations were, and are, high for this generation of American soccer players. There has even been an overwrought mention or two of gold, in many contexts, in relation with the men’s team.

Such expectations are hard to meet. And if they are not, then there is only one person who can pay the price. The person in once was Berhalter’s spot.

The U.S. will host the 2026 World Cup along with Canada, who advanced further than Berhalter’s team in Copa, and Mexico, who didn’t. The expectations might be toned down by then, but not completely tamped out. The new guy, whomever it is, will have a bit of cover though. At least heading in.

Come up short of what the nation’s soccer fans see as the correct floor, though, and watch out. A precedent has been set.

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WSU: We mentioned Greg’s story above. We read every word. You should to. A new world awaits the Cougars – of which they are acutely aware. … The debate about Mike Leach and his eligibility for the college football Hall of Fame isn’t slowing down. … Elsewhere in the Pac-12 and the nation, Oregon State is part of that new world as well. And the Beavers are in the same spot, aware and ready. … There is also one more installment of the Oregonian football numbers stories to pass along. We’re on No. 52 for Oregon State and Oregon. … The Ducks held their vigil for Khyree Jackson. … Here are Washington’s most important players – non-quarterback variety. … Colorado was one of the stars of the Big 12 media event. … Arizona is in that category as well. … So was Utah, which has different questions to answer. … UCLA has made changes to its future football schedules. … No surprise. There are football recruiting stories to pass along, from Oregon and Arizona. … OSU’s Travis Bazzana has a fun story. And soon he will have another one. … USC president Carol Folt is sticking around a bit longer. Her contract has been renewed. … The Huskies added a women’s basketball assistant coach. … Oregon State is looking for a women’s soccer coach. They filled the hole in the interim, however. … Finally, we are all interested in what’s happening with sports media, right? After all, it’s how we ingest a majority of our information and games concerning our favorite teams. We have an Athletic mailbag to pass along.

Gonzaga: Kelly Olynyk, team leader. If that label with the Canadian men’s national team seems new, it is. Theo Lawson’s story from Las Vegas explains how Olynyk has ascended to that role. … A GU rower has won an international competition. That news leads off the latest S-R local briefs column.

EWU and Idaho: Around the Big Sky, a Montana State men’s basketball player has left for a lower level. … Dillon Jones’ first NBA experience is over. … UC Davis has added another game with UCLA down the road.

Indians: An Everett error in the bottom of the ninth allowed Spokane to take a 5-4 victory at Avista Stadium on Wednesday night. Dave Nichols was there and has this game story. … Elsewhere in the Northwest League, Vancouver just keeps winning, topping host Eugene 9-4. … Tri-City shut out Hillsboro 7-0.

Mariners: Speaking of ninth innings, closer Andres Muñoz faced a tough one yesterday, all of it his own making. Two walks to open the frame in San Diego. The M’s up two runs. Muñoz got out of it and Seattle got out of town with a 2-0 victory and a series sweep. … It’s time. Time for Jerry Dipoto to add to the offense. The bullpen too. … Dominic Canzano went on the injured list once more.

Storm: Las Vegas defeated Seattle yesterday. But the Storm still is in the midst of a good season. Can it be a great one?

Olympics: The U.S. men’s basketball team played Canada as they finished up their Las Vegas stay. And won. In large part thanks to Steph Curry.

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• There are two members of the Pac-12 these days. That’s reality. How the next two years will play out is one of the mysteries of life. But watching it happen will be interesting. And that’s not arguable. Until later …