Grip on Sports: A couple of eagerly awaited wins allows us to celebrate the present without worrying about the past – or future
A GRIP ON SPORTS • Another Monday morning. This one seems different. Why? A couple of wins yesterday. Read on.
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• The Seahawks’ home field advantage is still real. Either that or the Dallas Cowboys need some help. How about a strong safety that roams all over the field and can grab interceptions off his legs?
Seems like an ideal fit. Too bad – for the Cowboys – yesterday he was wearing a Seattle uniform. Oh, and Bobby Wagner was healthy and playing in front of him.
The “him,” of course, is Earl Thomas, who did his Superman routine after spending the week at practice acting like Clark Kent. After an encounter with kryptonite.
The defense played like supermen as well, for the most part, though there were a few long runs that showed the weakness up front. But the guys on that side of the ball were good enough.
And without a Von Miller or Khalil Mack on the other side, the offensive line also did its job.
Both take us back to a better time, back when the Seahawks’ defense was seemingly impenetrable and the offense used a punishing running game to batter the opponents into submission.
That’s the memory. The reality is something a bit different, but our memory is close enough to the truth to keep us all lusting for those old days. And yesterday, the Hawks were close enough to the truth to make us all think they have a chance to be OK. Maybe they will be. Or maybe whatever it is that’s going on with Thomas will eat away at them.
We are told, by his teammates, his antics and strategies don’t bother them – as long as he plays like he did Sunday. But if we have any sort of recognition of the past, we also know the Hawks’ locker room is filled with folks who don’t mind deceiving everyone about the culture inside. That’s their clubhouse and there might as well be a sign. “No one else allowed.” The truth of how they feel may not be anything close to what they are telling media members.
It’s happened before.
So has winning. That’s another reason why yesterday was so satisfying.
• Speaking of winning, the past and satisfying, did you see Tiger Wood’s redemption parade yesterday on NBC?
It’s the biggest thing to hit golf since Arnold Palmer’s comeback at Cherry Hills in 1960. Or maybe Bobby Jones’ ticker tape parade in New York City in 1926. Or the one in 1930.
All we are saying is just because it happened yesterday doesn’t mean it was the most impressive thing ever.
The golf world is ecstatic Tiger Woods has won again. It’s good for him and it’s really good for the game. And he’s a different person, it seems, than he was 20 years ago when he was routinely routing the best players in the world. Good for Tiger, good for golf.
It all makes yesterday’s two-stroke win at Eastlake – the place Jones learned how to play golf by the way – even more special. And the way the crowds reacted to him was special too.
Just don’t get catch the disease of present-ism.
Tiger’s story is special. It’s worth celebrating. It’s just not the biggest celebration in the sport’s history.
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WSU: Not much going on in Pullman, other than the Cougars getting ready for Utah on Saturday. Theo Lawson has video of an interview with outside linebackers’ coach Matt Brock. … After a bye, Utah has retooled some things in preparation for playing the Cougars. The Utes have scored 17 points in the last two games.
Elsewhere in the Pac-12, the Associated Press top 25 came out yesterday, with four conference teams in the poll. … Washington is still in it, but the Huskies dropped a spot after a tough home win. If they keep winning, they may be out in a few weeks. … Oregon has to put a tough defeat behind itself, though that’s not easy the way it happened. … Oregon State also lost and now the Beavers are headed on the road, where success has eluded them for a long time. … California is one of the ranked teams. … Colorado is coming off a bye. … USC feels Stephen Carr set a tone against WSU. … UCLA trusts its long snapper. … The loss at Washington means this week’s game is even more important for Arizona State. … Arizona is hoping to build off two consecutive wins.
Gonzaga: Sam Dower, one of the most popular players to ever wear a Zag uniform, is calling it quits. Balky knees have undone his professional career. Jim Meehan has more in this story.
EWU: The soccer team picked up its first conference win. … Around the Big Sky, Montana State is up next for the Eagles. … Montana quarterbacks have run well over the years. … Northern Colorado wants a “W” more than any other grade.
Chiefs: Around the WHL, Everett picked up its first win. It came over Portland.
Seahawks: John Blanchette was in Seattle yesterday for the 24-13 victory and has a column from CenturyLink. It focuses on Earl Thomas. … So does just about every other column and analysis from the game.
Mariners: The end of the road. That was yesterday, as the M’s played their final road game of the season. They lost to the Rangers. … The season may be winding down, but James Paxton and Felix Hernandez still want to pitch.
Sounders: After nine consecutive wins then a fluky defeat, Seattle decided it was time to get a big loss out of its system. That came yesterday in Los Angeles, 3-0 to the Galaxy.
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• Talk about a nice fall day. Sunny, cool and crisp. That’s our story. What’s yours? Until later …