Saturday starts with looking back
A GRIP ON SPORTS
If you want, this would be a good time to do a little dance. It's Saturday. A college football Saturday. Cue the music. Read on.
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• By the time you read this, today's slate of college football games might be already underway. And I'm guessing the easy chair is calling your name, the remote is beeping out a come-hold-me tune and the TV's lights are blinking. At least that's how it seems. No matter who your favorite team is, you can probably find their game on a TV or computer somewhere. Even Eastern's home opener against Division II Western Oregon is available. And let me tell you kids, that's such a change. It wasn't that long ago when only the powers, the USCs, the Michigans, the Nebraskas were on consistenly. Oh, and Notre Dame. Otherwise, Saturday's college game watching included a couple hours in front of the TV set staring at NBC and then a whole bunch of time listening to the radio, imagining the passes of Tom Roth or Steve Sogge or Sonny Sixkiller (pictured). Watching them play on TV was a special treat, an occasion that was not to be taken lightly. Say the Cougars were facing UCLA. That game just might be on TV, especially if it was being played in the Coliseum. So you couldn't miss it. A date? No way. An engagement party? Nope. A wedding? Forget about it. Your wedding? Well, she probably wasn't worth it anyhow. Where do you think the tradition of June weddings came from, anyway? There are no college football games in June.
• By the way, I had intended to get out to a high school football game last night but failed miserably. See, I have an old high school friend visiting this weekend and the guest room bedding needed a wash. So I spent the early evening with Kim in a very nice South Hill laundromat trying to get the comforters dry. By the time we were finished, it was about 7:30 and way too late to get to a game. Yep, I put keeping my marriage intact – "my friend is coming to town hon, so I'm going to a football game; could you get the laundry done?" – in front of a high school game. You can take my man card if you wish.
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• WSU: No need to miss tonight's game at USC. Unless, of course, you don't have cable or satellite or the right provider. Different time, similar problems. Anyway, Christian Caple is in Los Angeles (complaining on Twitter of the lines at In-n-Out) and has you covered. There is his advance of tonight's game, the keys, and his morning post with links. ... It's Saturday, so there is the Pac-12 blog's mailbag on ESPN.com, along with a look at the conference's games.
• Gonzaga: The men's soccer team upset ranked UC Santa Barbara yesterday.
• EWU: Speaking of the Eagles, Jim Allen has this short advance of today's game. He also has some links in this post.
• Idaho: On the same link from the S-R, Josh Wright previews the Vandals' game at Wyoming. He also has more in this blog post.
• Preps: OK, this is the big one today. ... Ferris took the inside track to the GSL title by dominating preseason favorite Central Valley in the second half at CV. Greg Lee has the story of the Saxons' 42-14 victory (pictured). ... Prep will always have a say in who wins. They dominated rival Lewis and Clark, 42-13. Tom Clouse was there and has this story. ... Mead and U-Hi will finish their weather-delayed Thursday game tonight at Albi. ... Jim Allen was at Shadle Park's 62-14 thrashing of Rogers. ... NWPrepsNow's Peter Sowards covered Mt. Spokane's 28-19 win over North Central. ... Lake City took advantage of Kennewick's mistakes in a 42-10 road victory. ... Jim Meehan covered Lewiston's 14-5 win over Lakeland. ... Deer Park handled Chewelah 31-7. Chris Derrick has the story. ... Mike Vlahovich was at East Valley's 37-21 win over Sandpoint. ... Steve Christilaw's piece on Medical Lake's 32-28 win over St. Maries leads one roundup and here's another with more games. ... Don’t like stories? Would rather see pictures? Well, we have that as well. Kathy Plonka has photos from East Valley's win, Colin Mulvany has the same from wins by Shadle Park and Mt. Spokane and Jesse Tinsley was at Ferris' victory.
• Golf: It's Saturday, so that means we have Jim Meehan's weekly column. This one is focused on former Ferris High and UW golfer Alex Prugh's quest to return to the PGA Tour.
• Mariners: The M's opened a six-game homestand by dealing a blow to Tampa Bay's playoff chances, winning 6-4 when Justin Smoak drove in two in the eighth with a double. Yes, Justin Smoak. ... James Paxton is looking forward to his first major league start. ... Eric Wedge's wife doesn't want to lose her husband to baseball's pressures. ... Even Wedge admits the M's don't have any sure-fire superstars for the future. ... That future is part of this discussion.
• Seahawks: The trip to Carolina will be accompanied with a bit of a question mark. Will Brandon Browner be able to play? If not, appropriately enough, Walter Thurmond will have to step in to begin this "season of destiny." (A little preseason-hype humor there.) Whatever, Browner and others will be a game-time decision. ... The Hawks are one of the youngest teams in the NFL. ... The Broncos' tight end who had such a good game Thursday night? He played hoops at Portland State for current WSU coach Ken Bone.
• Sounders: Before we get to the Sounders' items, the U.S. National Team's long winning streak went poof in Costa Rica last night, 3-1. Clint Dempsey scored the only U.S. goal. The win allowed Costa Rica to take the CONCACAF lead with three World Cup qualifying matches left. The U.S. has an easier schedule left, however, though Tuesday's home game with a wounded Mexico squad won't be easy. ... The Sounders' improvement can be traced directly back to improved defense. One of those defenders, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, is about to play his 100th match for Seattle. ... Chicago is in Seattle tonight.
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• That's it for now. We'll be on with Dennis Patchin late tonight for the postgame call-in show about an hour after the Cougar game ends. (And yes, I know we will probably start early tomorrow morning.) My understanding is the best way to listen to the show, if you are not in Eastern Washington where it carried on the WSU stations, is to use the Tunein Radio app for you smart phone or computer. I haven't tried it myself, but have been told good things from other, more radio-savvy people than myself. Until later ...