Thursday links aren’t perfect, but Felix was
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FROM PULLMAN -- We'll start today's morning post with a personal thank you to whatever it was that influenced Mike Leach to hold a morning practice yesterday. Because of the 9:15 a.m. start, we were able to watch Felix Hernandez do what only 22 others have done before him -- and none of them Mariners. Read on for links and such.
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I got to thinking yesterday, which doesn't happen too often. Just about the same time Felix was finishing the seventh inning of his perfect game -- and about the same time I was finishing a story about WSU's offensive line, which might not receive quite as much attention in today's paper -- it occurred to me that as sports fans, at some time or another, we've made the "get to a TV RIGHT! NOW!" phone call. Maybe it's for a no-hitter. Maybe it's for a breaking story on the news. And it occurred to me that we each have our own hierarchy for who we dial first. Me? The first call always goes to my dad, who works in an office with no wireless Internet and no TV, and has no reason to keep up with the Mariners on his phone during seasons such as this. Fortunately, he was headed to a dentist's appointment and caught the final out on the radio en route. The second call, predictably, went to my mom, who was at her job as the Parish secretary for the Catholic church in Kelso. She flipped on the radio in time to hear the last inning, just as several variations of the "are you seeing this???" texts started pouring in. So my question is this: who's on your "must call" list? And who did you call yesterday to make sure they saw history?
We already linked our offensive line preview, but we'll do it again, because why not? As usual, you can find notes from yesterday's practice on the blog, as well as a recap of yesterday's live chat, which went off without a hitch, thankfully. ... The AP has a story on WSU on SI.com.
Around the Pac-12 (and BYU) ... A redshirt season means a defensive end will be on the field for Arizona this year. ... More on Arizona State's return to Camp T. ... Oregon's defense is seeking more sacks. ... Oregon State needs a breakout season from a sophomore receiver. ... Washington has some work to do on its defense. The Huskies have moved yet another safety to linebacker. ... Colorado has a starting quarterback. ... Utah wants some consistency up front. Who doesn't? ... Jeff Tedford was pleased with California's first scrimmage. ... Jim Mora doesn't like when his players fight during practice. ... USC may actually have some options in the backfield.
WSU practices at 1:15 today. We'll be back after.
Christian Caple can be reached at christianc@spokesman.com. Twitter: @ChristianCaple