A GRIP ON SPORTS • The wind is blowing in Scotland. Blowing hard enough to move golf balls and to play havoc with DVR schedules all over the world. Read on.

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• There are times when you can't be in front of your TV set, right? But you still want to watch a certain show, whether it's "Survivor" or "Sponge Bob." Or, in my case, this weekend's British Open. So you set the DVR, confident in the fact modern technology will take care of you. In a week or two, when I'm back home, I was going to settle in, pop a Diet Pepsi or two and watch Jordan Spieth win his third major of the year. At least that was the plan. But as Al Swearingen once said on "Deadwood," a show you can watch on-demand if you have HBO, we plan and God laughs. The winds of the North Sea – or whatever body of water is next to where St. Andrews is located – must be God laughing today. My DVR plans have been blown right off the green, along with a myriad of golf balls. The end of the second round of the Open was postponed until today due to a gully washer – they probably don't call a downpour that in Scotland, but what the heck – on Friday. And then the winds came, forcing a postponement this morning, the finish of the second round today, the third round tomorrow and the final round Monday. God willing. Let's hope I can get the DVR reprogrammed. If Spieth does get it going and wins another major, I want to witness it. Heck, even if Dustin Johnson finally wins one, I want to watch.

• The Mariners began the unofficial second half the way they finished the first. Check that. The way they played the entire first half, with their bullpen letting them down. Nearly perfect last season, the pen has been up-and-down this one – but mostly down. Last night it was lefty Joe Biemel coming in and surrendering the game-deciding home run to Alex Rodriguez, of all people. Oh well, football season is right around the corner. 

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• WSU: Speaking of football, we have a couple pieces from ESPN.com's Pac-12 blog to pass along, including a look at the North's defensive lines and a Saturday morning staple, the mailbag.

• Shock: It's been a tough year for the Shock, No denying that. But last night in the Arena they rekindled some of the lost magic, starting late in the first half. Spokane scored 17 consecutive points to go into halftime up five en route to a 52-46 upset of the Arizona Rattlers. Tom Clouse has the game story.

• Indians: It was the opposite type of night for the Indians at Avista. Cody Palmquist was lights out over seven innings, but the Indians' offense was also off. Due to that, Tri-City took a 3-1 win in 11 innings. Chris Derrick was there and has the game story and a blog post.

• Golf: How does one shoot a course-record 59? Practice, practice, practice. Or something like that. Anyhow, that's the subject of Jim Meehan's column, the story of Derek Barron's 59 earlier this week at Indian Canyon.

• Seahawks: Bob Condotta has a really nice story today on the relationship between Russell Wilson and his agent, Mark Rodgers. ... Which position group will have the most competition this training camp?

• Mariners: So it was Biemel, a lefty, who faced the right-handed hitting A-Rod, right? And righthander Tom Wilhelmsen, who was just recalled from Tacoma because, presumably, he has gotten his act together, watched? OK. Whatever, the M's lost 4-3 despite two home runs by Kyle Seager, who has gone forever since having a throwing error. ... Before the game manager Lloyd McClendon had a discussion with his team. It didn't work. For one day at least.

• Sounders: Marco Pappa is back and will play tonight against the Colorado Rockies as the Sounders try to pull themselves out of a huge skid. ... The salaries of all the MLS players were released yesterday.

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• That's it for this morning. Enjoy your weekend. By the way, did you know yesterday was Disneyland's 60th birthday? Gotta love what Walt Disney did in Anaheim. Until later ...

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