Vince Grippi

A GRIP ON SPORTS • A headline caught my eye this morning. Something about college football. Whether it can be saved. And it hit me. The answer depends on how the person asking the question sees history.

A GRIP ON SPORTS • The long slog begins. You know what I mean. The stretch between the end of the holidays until the first 60-degree day of spring. Between snow pants and shorts. Between indoors and out. When the sun supposedly lasts a little longer in the afternoon but hardly appears from behind the clouds. Thank goodness there are enough Northwest sports stories to get us through.

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Is it OK to make an assumption? My dad would say no, I’m sure. He used to rail at me when I did, breaking the word “assume” into three sections to show me the error of my ways. But today? I can assume you watched the Seahawks’ defense overcome every obstacle in its way last night, right?

A GRIP ON SPORTS • We have to wait until 5 tonight? That’s like, what, all day? In this “I-want-it-now” society? What will we ever do before the Seahawks and the 49ers meet in the Super Bowl (site) to decide the NFC West. And the NFC bye. And the chance to be the team heading into the playoffs with the biggest target. We have an answer. How about read what we have here? My contribution will burn off at least five minutes. The rest is on you.

A GRIP ON SPORTS • A New Year’s Day of dominating defense, guard-changing and a wild, wacky, “the-stage-is-on-the-field” ending finally is done. Though I’m pretty sure in an alternative dimension somewhere the Upside Down still exists and Georgia is still lateraling the football.

A GRIP ON SPORTS • It is only the first day of 2026 and I am already 0-1. No, I didn’t pick Ohio State to win last night. Nor any other football game. Bucking tradition, I decided to get up this morning and do this column. Only because I told you I would. At 1:15 in the morning, as our dog shivered in my arms, scared senseless by the continuing rain of fireworks, I wished I hadn’t.

A GRIP ON SPORTS • It has been said the best measure of a compromise is if both sides are at least a little unhappy. If that’s true, then there was a lot of compromising going on Tuesday night. In the televised sports world at least.

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Did you enjoy your day off? Silly question, I know. Everyone enjoys a day off work. But we’re not talking about that. The question was aimed at the day off from a crowded sports schedule. Our one-day respite is just one of the items on our overflowing plate today.