Grip on Sports: The M’s are mathematical OK, but September isn’t all about the numbers
A GRIP ON SPORTS • There is mathematical reality and then there is September reality. They aren’t the same. Read on.
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• The Mariners lost last night. They are 74-74. They are three-and-a-half games back of the Minnesota Twins in the race for the second American League wild-card spot.
That’s the mathematical reality. Part of it, anyway.
The M’s have played 148 of their 162 games. The loss last night doesn’t mean any more, mathematically, than one in April or May. But in reality, it does.
Sure, if the M’s had won two more April games and two more May games, they would be in control of their wild-card destiny. Heck, four more wins since the season began would have done it.
But last night’s loss means more. Much more. It’s all about, as my favorite banker, Andy Dufresne, used to say, the best of things.
The Mariners went into last night’s game at Houston having won three consecutive games. Only problem was, the Twins had done the same thing. Seattle hadn’t gained an inch in the race.
But Minnesota lost at home to Toronto last night. A Mariner win would have cut into their lead – and, though they didn’t know it at the time – allowed the M’s to keep pace with the Angels.
To add praise to health, James Paxton was making his return to the mound, the second consecutive night Seattle had welcomed back one of its top starters. But Paxton, unlike Felix Hernandez the day before, was not sharp. The Astros, coming off a road trip, battered him for three runs in the first inning.
Instead of gaining ground and entertaining hope, the M’s treaded water, though that’s probably not the right metaphor to use this time of year.
Yes, Friday night’s game meant as much in the standings as the one on April 12th did. That’s a mathematical reality.
But it seemed like so much more. That’s the reality that comes with a pennant race in September.
• College football in the Inland Northwest this week isn’t as crowded. Whitworth and Washington State are still at home, but Idaho is in Michigan and Eastern Washington is in the nation’s largest city, football-crazed New York.
Heck, football is such a big deal in the Big Apple, ESPN is taking GameDay there next Saturday. Say what? A city that sleeps on college football, and on college football only, is hosting college football’s signature show? Yep.
There are reasons.
It has to be easier setting up in Times Square than at Martin Stadium, right? And the other logistics have to be a tad easier as well.
The Cougar fans, so proud their flag has waved at every GameDay since Fred Flinstone was president of Delta Chi, are just as disappointed the show hasn’t visited the Palouse. Ever.
It’s a tough sell, sure, because of the out-of-the-way nature of Pullman and the big-top logistical demands of GameDay don’t mesh well. For years the only hope seemed to be a Cougar home game would be so big, ESPN would have to attend.
Ironically, that game may be on the horizon. USC, ranked in the top four, may bring an undefeated record to Pullman in a couple weeks. The Cougars may very well be undefeated as well and ranked in the top 20. ESPN couldn’t ignore that, right?
That’s where irony comes in. The game is being broadcast on ESPN, which would seem to being the clincher. But it’s scheduled for Friday night. By the time GameDay is on the air Saturday morning, one team could very well be 5-0 and the other 4-1. And the youthful audience that makes the show special? Home nursing either celebratory or sorrowful hangovers.
After USC visits, the Cougars will have just two more home games. Both are Saturday games. Maybe Colorado will be undefeated Oct. 21. Stanford, headed in Nov. 4, won’t be. Either way, it looks as if there is little chance this year the Cougs will host Lee Corso and the gang.
After all, Pullman isn’t New York. It gets excited on fall Saturdays.
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WSU: Oregon State’s defense hasn’t been good this season. For that matter, either has Washington State’s offense, at least as coach Mike Leach sees it. So the Cougars hope OSU is a way to iron out the kinks. Theo Lawson has an advance of this afternoon’s game as well as his keys to the game. He also has his pick, which calls for a WSU blowout victory. … Jen Greeny now has 100 wins as WSU’s volleyball coach. … Back to football, the as Stefanie Loh explores, Cougars have a strong pass rusher tandem that hopes to shine against Oregon State.
Around the Pac-12, it should be an interesting Saturday. … Washington finishes its not-all-that-tough non-conference schedule, hoping to run over Fresno State at home. … Both Stanford and California will feature running backs who were not featured last season. … Oregon’s players want to be involved with issues outside of football. … Colorado hosts Northern Colorado today. … Utah hopes to avoid a post-rivalry hangover. … UCLA may have to outscore Memphis this morning. … USC may have to push hard against Texas. … Arizona State’s running back is its most improved player. … Finally, there is one game already decided. But it was probably decided before Arizona took the field against woeful UTEP. The Wildcats won 63-16.
EWU: Aaron Best has one first left. He wants his first win. So do the Eagles. They’ll try to get it on Rose Hill, facing a Fordham team that has been looking forward to this matchup for a while. Jim Allen has an advance. … Elsewhere in the Big Sky, Portland State hosts UC Davis in a non-conference game. … North Dakota travels to South Dakota. … Southern Utah will rely on a freshman against Northern Iowa. … Northern Colorado is in Boulder for the first time in decades. … Montana State would like to win a close game. … Montana finishes up the non-conference schedule against Savannah State.
Idaho: The Vandals are at Western Michigan this evening, trying to erase the awful taste from the home blowout against UNLV. Luckily, Western Michigan is located in Kalamazoo, which, as any kid who watched cartoons in the 1960s knows, was home to their favorite cereal maker. Peter Harriman has an advance of tonight’s game.
Whitworth: The Pirates host La Verne today in the Pine Bowl. Ryan Collingwood has a preview.
Preps: Friday nights on the last full weekend of summer are reserved for football and there was plenty in the area last night. Greg Lee kicks off the coverage with two games, Mead’s 49-28 victory over U-Hi and Central Valley’s easy 49-7 win over Ferris. … Ryan was at Coeur d’Alene’s 35-7 win over visiting Moses Lake. … Steve Christilaw was at Gonzaga Prep for the Pups’ 49-7 rout of Lewis and Clark. … We also can pass along a roundup of other games last night. … Girls soccer and slowpitch softball also were played yesterday and we have roundups. … Finally, we want to call attention to Jim Allen’s and Eli Frankovich’s story on Freeman’s game last night.
Chiefs: Portland made a trade as the regular season inches closer.
Mariners: Yes, the M’s lost 5-2 last night. And the Times’ Ryan Divish missed the game due to food poisoning. Crud.
Seahawks: Richard Sherman has been on the injury list all week. But expect him to play against the lowly 49ers. … If you thought Jeremy Lane should not have been ejected against Green Bay, you were right. The NFL fines players for punches, over which Lane was ejected, supposedly, throwing. He wasn’t fined. Ergo, he didn’t throw a punch. … Russell Wilson would like a word about the no-huddle.
Sounders: The Sounders didn’t make any trades as the deadline passed. … Ramon Torres shouldn’t have been given a red card the other day either. … Portland and Real Salt Lake meet in a match that is crucial to both.
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• So who wins this afternoon in Pullman? It would be a major surprise if it were Oregon State, as the Cougars are a three-touchdown favorite. But it wouldn’t come as much of a surprise if the Beavers keep it close. Washington State hasn’t fired on all cylinders yet and OSU is desperate. That combination should add up to a game being competitive into the second half. Remember, we’ll be back with our three takes right after the game ends and then on the postgame radio show sharing thoughts until everyone, except us, reaches their destination. If you are outside of Eastern Washington, the TuneIn Radio app is the way to go. Until then …