A Grip on Sports: It’s a typical Thursday in that we cover the mundane, the exciting and a little bit of the personal

A GRIP ON SPORTS • What’s out there on this cool but sunny Thursday? This and that. The mundane, the exciting, the personal. Just like every day ever.

•••••••

• There is nothing mundane about Washington State’s football season. The Cougars’ gap year – they and Oregon State will have two of them before the Pac-12 re-forms in a more appropriate size – has been successful on the football field. Off the field, too, though that’s harder to quantify.

No easy-to-read scoreboard, showing who has more points. Who wins. Whose fans can spend the next week reveling and bragging. Nope.

In the scoreboard metric, the success is obvious. A 7-1 record. A national ranking, even with the College Football Playoff folks. A chance to win 11 games, to be in the CFP conversation and a fun group, led by swashbuckling quarterback John Mateer, that makes every game broadcast must-see.

If you can stay up late enough to watch.

One of the consequences of conference realignment has shown up on Saturdays’ schedules. The two-school Pac-12 needed a broadcast partner. The CW was available. They made a marriage. Except The CW also is wedded to the ACC, a majority of whose members reside in the only time zone that matters to TV executives. There is little chance Wake Forest or Georgia Tech or its nearby neighbors are filling The CW’s 7:30 p.m. PST window. Too late.

That window is reserved for those schools that used to play in the 12-school Pac conference. Stanford and Cal fit that bill, as do Oregon State and WSU. And when only one of those schools are winning consistently, it’s no wonder it is going to be the most-common late-night denizen.

It happens again this Saturday. At home against Utah State. It will happen again the next one. At New Mexico. And then it’s over. Two afternoon games to finish the regular season. In all, with the networks the Cougars have appeared on, this season will have featured half of their games starting at 7 or later Pullman time.

It’s part of the cruddy deal the defectors left them (and the Beavers). It’s not going to change much when the Pac-12 expands. It’s life in the 21st Century.

• Excitement comes in many forms. One of my favorites? Watching an outstanding defensive performance on a basketball court. Has been that way since the early 1970s, when I would watch the local public high school play a before-its-time brand of tenacious man-to-man. I learned early defense really does lead to basketball success.

Which is why, after watching Gonzaga undress Baylor on Monday night, I am excited about its chances. The Zags don’t just have dudes, they have dudes-who-can-guard. That’s how you compete for NCAA titles. Win one? That’s hard.

Play for one? GU’s history tells us when the Bulldogs defend well, they have a real shot at the title game. In 2017, they were No. 1 in Ken Pomeroy’s defensive ratings. In 2021, they were 11th. This season? We’ll see.

• Before I leave you today, there is a shout out that needs to be heard. Happy birthday Linda. It will to be a good one. After all, seven is a lucky number and for the next 365 days you get to wear two of them.

If you came here this morning expecting nothing but sports news, notes and opinions, then I’ll make sure even this personal one tilts that way. It’s women like my older sister who should be our sports heroes. Now and forever.

Her generation played and loved sports – in her case, softball – without a glimmer of hope of participating beyond the intramural level. And yet they played. Reveled in playing. Got dirty, got bloodied – a line drive once flattened Linda’s nose while pitching – and became unstoppable.

Dads came home from the terror that was World War II. Had daughters. Treated them differently than their dads had treated their sisters. Put tennis rackets, softball bats and basketballs in their hands. They knew the lessons they learned on the playing fields and courts translated into a better life.

The country changed. But most of sports’ doors were still barred shut for women, even in the 1960s. Linda was good enough to play club sports at UCLA, but not good enough for anything else. Only because there wasn’t anything else.

Her generation’s inability to take “no” for an answer helped change that. Led to Title IX. Led to open windows. Led to the road to equality – a half-century journey that still hasn’t reached its destination.

Happy birthday Lin. And thanks. For everything.

•••

WSU: Of course there is a Greg Woods’ story about game times that informed this morning’s column. Where else would I have noticed it? Well, when I tried to figure out my Saturday schedule, of course. And saw I’m not getting a bunch of sleep before Sunday morning. … Elsewhere in the (new and old) Pac-12, the Mountain West and the nation, Jon Wilner just happens to have a look at college football ratings this morning in the Mercury News. How timely. … The Athletic also has a look at the weekend’s best games on your TV set. … Predictions too. … We would be a hypocrite if we didn’t acknowledged well-written stories that aren’t really sports specific from other sports websites. So, of course, we are linking John Canzano’s column today. It jumps off the screen at you. … Sorry Big Ten member Maryland. You don’t get to complain about having to travel across the country to play at No. 1 Oregon. You should still be in the ACC. This is the life for which you sold your soul. … The Ducks have some questions to answer before the Terrapin game. … Oregon State is hosting San Jose State in Corvallis on Saturday. … There is a new two-way player for Colorado. … The different paths for Utah and BYU come into stark relief this week as they play their rivalry game. … UCLA still hasn’t won in the Rose Bowl this season. Can the Bruins do that this week? … It seems as if USC has been moving toward its new quarterback for a little while at least. … It’s been a bad week for Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo. He’s hurt, probably won’t play Saturday at home against UCF and, for a little while yesterday anyway, lost his dog. … Recruiting never stops. That’s really true for Arizona during its bye week. … In the Mountain West, the final two home games could be crucial for San Diego State as it tries to drum up fan support for next season. … Air Force’s leading players learn leadership lessons in a down season. Great lessons for their future career, right? … A bowl game is in Colorado State’s future. … Boise State was always in these high school players’ future. … Wyoming’s season, and the seniors’ careers, are winding down. … In basketball news, if you want to watch Washington’s women play this season, you need to have the Big Ten’s streaming service. … The Oregon women won again.

Gonzaga: Again, an S-R story led to a comment. In this case, Jim Meehan’s story on the Zags’ improved defense against Baylor. The performance came on the heels of a sieve-like one in the exhibition against USC. It’s obvious GU improved its ability to defend the perimeter with its transfers. Will it translate into better team defense? We vote yes. … Domantas Sabonis had a triple-double to remember last night. … Elsewhere in the WCC, San Diego lost its opener despite a big game from a JC transfer.

EWU: Dan Monson brought in some new players after he took the Eastern men’s basketball head coaching position. But it’s the returnees who have highlighted the first two games, including last night’s 93-86 win over visiting Seattle University. Though, to be fair, as Dan Thompson’s story points out, Carroll College transfer Andrew Cook led the Eagles in scoring with 25 points. … Colin Mulvany was in Cheney and he has a photo report. … Hey, football season is not over. The Eagles have three games left, starting Saturday at Northern Colorado. Dan takes a look at the remaining schedule. … Elsewhere in the Big Sky, great genes always help any college athlete. … UC Davis knows how important this week’s game against Montana is. … And Sacramento State knows how good second-ranked  Montana State is. … Every college football player faces the final stretch of their senior season.

Preps: A fun aspect to this time of year? The State playoffs introduce us to schools and team who have been experiencing success. Like West Valley High overall and, as Dave Nichols tells us this morning, their football team overall. Dave focuses on the offensive line and running attack. … Dave also has a roundup of Wednesday’s postseason action.

Seahawks: If the Hawks want to play in the NFL’s postseason, they better win the NFC West. It seems like the only entry point at the season’s halfway mark. … That lack of success can be placed at the feet of one man. John Schneider. It’s his job, and his job alone these days now that Pete Carroll is gone, to put together the roster. … Will DK Metcalf be a member of that roster much longer?

Kraken: The Kraken’s future players? They are already being tapped for this season.  

Mariners: Hey, it’s time. Time to look ahead. To 2025. And how the offseason will impact the summer. And fall. Adam Jude takes a look at the M’s outfielders, a group that seems set. There should be little in the way of movement here. … What are the M’s needs? And will they try for any of the top 40 free agents? (Spoiler alert: Top 40, maybe. Top 20? No way.) … If you are a stats nerd, like me, then you know Baseball Reference. And you know how big a deal its recent change is.

•••       

• Coffee was never part of my life until I retired. Well, let’s say “quit being on someone’s payroll 40 hours a week.” But since I started doing this column? It’s become my constant companion. If I ever get another dog – Kim says that’s not happening – he or she will be named Coffee. Pairs nicely with my little friend Donut, don’t you think? Until later …