Grip on Sports: The M’s win, WSU, EWU and Idaho are practicing football and golf is on the TV. Isn’t life perfect?

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Is it Friday already? It’s raining hard outside, so it must be. After all, how often are weekends around here clear and warm? But who cares. We can bask in the glow of the Mariner’s first victory. Read on.

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• Yes, the M’s won. That’s a good thing. Scored a couple of runs in the top of the ninth to break at tie at 2. That’s another good thing. Then used Edwin Diaz to close, less than 24 hours after he had thrown two innings. That’s probably not a good thing.

We get it. The Mariners had to salvage one win in the season-opening series at Houston. Imperative may be too strong a word, but it’s close.

And Diaz is also your closer. A guy with a chance to be one of the best in the business. But he’s also still only 23 years old, and rail thin. In other words, he’s still developing.

So using him for a couple innings one night – in a tie game – and then bringing him back to close the next is probably not optimal. The guy may be crucial to the long-term success of this franchise. And by “long-term” we mean making the playoffs this season.

That’s about as far out as we can look right now.

Now the M’s head to Anaheim for three games with the 2-2 Angels. I’m guessing Scott Servais is thinking, “let’s score nine runs tonight, get a win and not have to use Edwin.”

Then again, he’s probably thinking that most every night.

• After weeks and weeks of words about Gonzaga basketball than there are stars in the sky, it was a struggle to find anything to link today. The go-to guys, our staff, are still recuperating from the hurricane that was March and early April.

But we’re not about to let you down. No siree. (Or is that “Siri” these day?)

We are passing along a piece about the Zags from a Washington State fan’s perspective. Jeff Nusser, who teaches high school by day and writes Cougar news by night, gives the WSU perspective on their neighbors from 90 miles north.

It’s worth your time.

• Speaking of the Cougars (and Vandals and Eagles), it’s spring football “season.” In other words, practice without games.

Yes, it’s important. In some ways, as important as anything a college football program does. It’s a time for new players to step to the front, for new coaches to build rapport with their peers and players, and for newsmen to do features on the guys you won’t every see in the fall.

At least that’s how I saw it. There are at least a dozen kids on any college football team that work their behinds off at practice with little in the way of reward in playing time. The Rudys of the team, if you will. And spring always seemed like a good time to share a couple of their stories. They have them you know. Sometimes really interesting ones.

Part of the fun of the job was to share them. And to give a kid a moment in the spotlight.

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WSU: There are a couple new assistant football coaches in Pullman and they are bringing a different vibe to the Cougar practices. Jacob Thorpe introduces us to the new guys, Jeff Phelps and Derek Sage. … Stefanie Loh has a notebook of sorts in the Times. … ESPN’s Pac-12 blog rates Washington State’s triplets on offense and defense fourth-best in the conference. … Speaking of the Pac-12, if you were wondering whether Oregon is a basketball or football school these days, then read about this schedule change and draw your own conclusions. … Speaking of conclusions, didn’t this guy learn anything when he attended WSU? I mean, really, is this stupid or what? … How good will Arizona be next season? … Oregon State will lose a senior transfer. … On the football fields, USC wants to get back to the days when home field meant something. … UCLA has a new offensive coordinator again. That’s three in three years. … Recruiting never ends, at least not at Washington. … Oregon will need its seniors to buy in to the new coach’s program. … Arizona State has some pretty good running backs. … We head back to basketball quickly for Art Thiel’s look at the transformation that occurred around the state in a two-week span.

Gonzaga: As promised, here is your GU story for the day.

EWU: Jim Allen likes to cover all the bases in the spring, so he’s starting an eight-part series on the Eagles. Today’s installment covers the running backs. … Weber State has finalized its paydays for the next few football seasons.

Idaho: One of the Vandals’ emerging players is cornerback Lloyd Hightower. Josh Wright gives you an insight into what makes the coaches believe he will have a breakout fall.

Mariners: Dave Nichols has his daily Mariner log for you and it actually is about a Seattle win. We joke, of course. The M’s were bound to win one sooner or later.

Seahawks: The big news is still the future of Richard Sherman. He says he doesn’t think he’s going to be traded. He loves it here. Others, who have some good insights, believe it is Sherman who wants out. But the bottom line is, there is a lot of talk, something could happen and, no matter what, the past couple weeks will have repercussions in the coming months. … Speaking of repercussions, Trevone Boykin  is in trouble again.

Sounders: Clint Dempsey talked with the media yesterday and that was a good thing. It’s always nice to hear from the best player in the country – and on the Sounders.

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• A couple other items here. The Masters is underway – my chair has a nice imprint in it from my time spent watching the first day – and there is one guy everyone is missing. No, not Dustin Johnson or Tiger Woods, though probably them as well. We’re talking about Arnold Palmer. … This was in our business section but I see it as a sports-related item. Kimmel Athletic has been sold and will closing its retail store on Mission. I find that sort of sad. Until later …