A Grip on Sports: If the Mariners ever make the World Series, that will be No. 1 on our list but, for now, Dodgers vs. Yankees will have to suffice

A GRIP ON SPORTS • The World Series begins this week. The Mountain West has a showdown in Las Vegas. The Seahawks are coming off a weekend of success. And Washington State tries to continue its march to 11-1. That’s the calendar for this week, folks. Make sure it’s all in your phone. And reminders have been set.

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• It’s not often the World Series stirs the Grippi household much anymore. If we were to rank the top five possible matchups that would move the needle, the Mariners would be in four of them. Mainly because, you know, the first time and all that.

But a Dodgers vs. Yankees Fall Classic has one of the reserved spots. Partly because of tradition. Partly because of star power. Partly because of the geographic diversity. And partly because it illustrates a point.

In the salary-cap-deficient MLB, spending money doesn’t guarantee success. But it serves as a form of fire insurance.

The Dodgers’ starting pitching cabana burned to the ground more than a few times this season. If that happened to about 25 of the 30 MLB teams, they would have sold the entire property. Not L.A. The $300 million or so invested in the Chavez Ravine estate allowed the franchise to throw a bunch of money at an architect, hire a new crew of contractors and overpay for the materials to rebuild the place. Sure, it looks different. It has been somewhat hobbled together. But it also survived the heat thus far. And now will try to stand up to the New York’s wolves huffing and puffing.

• Boise State, the current favorite to be handed the Group of Five’s token spot in the expanded college football playoffs, was off last weekend. The 17-ranked Broncos (5-1) got to rest and prepare for Friday night’s showdown in Las Vegas. The home team? UNLV played. On the road. At Oregon State, in a physical battle Saturday night the Rebels (6-1) finally won, 33-25.

Maybe that’s why the visitors are favored by three points. Or maybe it’s because their loss, at No. 1-ranked Oregon on a last-second field goal, is much better than UNLV’s lone defeat, a 44-41 overtime shootout at home to 5-1 Syracuse. Or it could be because BSU has Ashton Jeanty – not just the nation’s leading rusher at 208 yards per game but someone who can turn a game on each and every handoff – and UNLV doesn’t.

Whatever, Friday night’s 7:30 p.m. matchup (on CBS Sports Network) is must-see TV. If only to help fill out your Heisman ballot.

• DK Metcalf’s knee is a concern. But not a season-ending one. That is the news out of Seattle on Monday. News that continued Mike Macdonald’s run of good luck this week.

That’s not to say the Seahawks were lucky to win in Atlanta. Yes, turnovers are often more luck than anything but they were in command of the 34-14 victory even before the Falcons’ three consecutive giveaways. And luck had nothing to do with Kenneth Walker III being able to play. The majority of the credit has to go to the medical staff and an IV or two.

But injuries, and the run of them that has hit the Hawks, often come down to a roll of the dice. For a while there, all Macdonald and Co. rolled were snake eyes. Monday, they made a hard eight. Will they rake in some winnings? We’ll all find out Sunday afternoon.

• A quick question. How many teams left on Washington State’s schedule have a winning record? If you answered one, 4-3 Oregon State, you win a kewpie doll. But hurry. That answer could be outdated as soon as Saturday, what with the reeling Beavers headed to snake-bit Cal in an old-fashioned Pac-12 shootout.

The march towards December may include five games in which Washington State will either be favored, or favored by a lot or, if the Beavers get their act together, head in as a slight road underdog. Of course, that doesn’t guarantee the Cougars anything. Except a chance to be part of the playoff conversation.

WSU’s name was whispered about this week again. No one is banging a drum just yet, but there is a bit of a pianissimo thing going on. Nothing makes us believe an 11-1 Cougar team will make the CFP cut, not with the schedule it has, but just being able to hear ESPN’s talking heads chatter about it must be good for the Pac-12’s media-rights appraisal, currently underway behind the scenes.  

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WSU: It’s Tuesday morning so we can pass along Greg Woods first look at the Cougars’ Saturday night game at San Diego State (7:30, CBS Sports Network). Greg will become only the second S-R WSU beat writer to cover a football game with the Aztecs. The other one? Yours truly, who was in Seattle in 2007 – Alex Brink threw for 469 yards and five touchdowns in a Cougar rout – and San Diego in 2011 – Marquess Wilson caught six passes for 236 yards, including an 80-yard touchdown and still the Aztecs won in a rout by scoring the final 28 points. … Nick Haberer’s back may be healthy enough for him to punt some before the season ends but he will only do it in four games. The Cougs will preserve his redshirt season. Greg has more on his injury and others in this notebook. … Former Washington State backup offensive lineman Jack Wilson, who also played basketball in Pullman and Moscow, is on the Indianapolis Colts’ practice squad. … Elsewhere in the (new and old) Pac-12, the Mountain West and the nation, Jon Wilner has his weekly CFP assessment in the Mercury News. Nope, no Washington State. … John Canzano has his weekly mailbag. Yep, some Washington State. … As we mentioned above, Oregon State is at California this week. The offensive line has to play better. … The Beavers also found out yesterday recruiting never stops. … Yes, Washington went through roster churn after the coaching change and all. But so did others, most notably Indiana, and they are winning more than UW. … Oregon needs to continue to force turnovers it if wants to keep its No. 1 ranking. Oh, right. Dan Lanning and the Ducks don’t care about the ranking. Everyone else in Eugene does, but not the players and coaches. … You know, the noise out of Boulder is less this season. Maybe that’s why Colorado is winning. That and the Buff’s interesting NIL arrangements. … Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham issued another apology to his kicker Monday. … Now that Utah has made a change at offensive coordinator, will the offense pick up? Or will it just be more of the same? … UCLA picked up a win on the football field. And suffered a loss concerning its baseball field. … Miller Moss will still be USC’s starting quarterback. … Why is anyone in Arizona still focused on what Jedd Fisch says? … In the Mountain West, New Mexico expects a physical game with Colorado State. … After Air Force’s bye week, No. 23 Army is on the schedule. … Utah State had opportunities in its latest loss. … Hawaii may have a bunch of money to spend soon. … Not only did Wyoming lose at San Jose State on Saturday, the Cowboys’ locker room was burglarized.

Gonzaga: Let’s start today with a couple NBA contract extensions. Surprise. They were signed by former GU players. Jim Meehan has this story on Jalen Suggs and Corey Kispert reaching agreements Monday with Orlando and Washington, respectively, on their second contracts. Both are going to be paid enough to buy a round (or 349) at Jack and Dan’s. … Speaking of the NBA and the Zags, sports editor Ralph Walter, the guy who signs my checks, showed off his incredible writing chops again this morning. He’s got this fantastic story about Seattle, the NBA and Spokane. The G League is mentioned. So are a bunch of names from Gonzaga’s past. And present. … Might as well put another NBA story here. A precedent has been set.

Idaho and EWU: The U.S. Highway 195 Rivalry, anyone? Or would it be better to call the showdown between the Vandals and Eagles the U.S. Highway 95/Interstate 90/State Route 904 Rivalry? Too cumbersome? OK. But, as Peter Harriman passes along in this story, the Big Sky showdown in Moscow this Saturday is a big enough rivalry game Jason Eck pulled out the “you can throw the records out” cliché. Oh, that reminds me. The wife has been bugging me about my LPs for a while. I’ll put the Bananarama one in the trash today and see if that appeases her. … Elsewhere in the Big Sky, parity is not a word used often to describe the conference’s football teams. … Montana is rightfully favored to handle Northern Colorado with ease despite being on the road. … Montana State faced some misfortune against Portland State.

Preps: Dave Nichols has a short roundup of Monday’s short slate of games and matches.

Seahawks: Are your expectations of what the Hawks could accomplish been reset by Sunday’s win? Me neither. … Metcalf’s injury report was Monday’s biggest news, but there are a couple other notes to pass along. … Speaking of passing, Geno Smith just keeps completing them. Under pressure. … A bunch of defensive backups played big roles in the victory. … Any other questions? … How about the right side of the offensive line. Who will play there?

Kraken: Everyone needs a little help every once in a while.  

Storm: Why did Breanna Stewart leave Seattle? More money, sure. And what happened Sunday night. … Did you see the final couple possessions of regulation in the WNBA’s title-deciding game, won by New York 67-62 in overtime? We did. Saw Stewart not just travel, but take enough steps her Fit-Bit buzzed. And then miss a well-challenged shot. That the first was not called and the second was, resulting in game-tying free throws, ticked off Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve enough she used words like stolen and such. Wonder what the fine will be?

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• A free Monday night? That’s not usual around the house, so we used the time wisely. How about watching Lamar Jackson do what he does, play great on Monday Night Football? OK, that was just part of it. There was also a good dinner and time with the dogs. Ya, lack of imagination, I know. But relaxing. Until later …