Vince Grippi

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Sports

A Grip on Sports: It’s hard sometimes to see clearly what’s happening in the world of sports but if you cut through the glare there is a lot to discover

Tue., May 20, 2025

A GRIP ON SPORTS • For the next couple months, the sun will be a bother. Maybe not for you, but for me, certainly. In the morning. Though my office window faces pretty much due north, the tilt of the Earth as we enter late spring means the morning sun is in my eyes. And may just blind me to the day’s possibilities.

Sports

A Grip on Sports: Though the proof may be non-existent, the idea May is the new June seems to be catching on

Mon., May 19, 2025

A GRIP ON SPORTS • I have a theory. May is the new June. I possess no empirical evidence to support that hypothesis, but my gut tells me it’s true. And when you’ve invested as much money in a gut as I have, you learn to trust it.

Sports

A Grip on Sports: Contrary to what seems to be the common opinion these days, change can be a good thing, hopefully the best of things, for some sports

Sun., May 18, 2025

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Sunday is probably not the best day of the week to be judging. To be sharing opinions. To be, well, harsh. Then again, when you are a contrarian, it’s probably the best day.

Sports

A Grip on Sports: Weather once again plays an outsized role in athletic competitions this time of year

Sat., May 17, 2025

A GRIP ON SPORTS • It’s always illuminating when spring’s volatile weather illustrates the truism about plans, laughter and the Almighty.

Sports

A Grip on Sports: A major horse race without its major participant highlights a weekend of minor flaws in most every TV event

Fri., May 16, 2025

A GRIP ON SPORTS • If you did not know, this weekend holds a special place on the calendar. It is the last before the unofficial start of summer, Memorial Day weekend. In other words, it’s the last time to travel without the roads being clogged. And gas prices being artificial inflated.

Sports

A Grip on Sports: Maybe the major golf on TV this weekend can distract us from another issue hanging over college athletics

Thu., May 15, 2025

A GRIP ON SPORTS • One eye is glued to ESPN+. Another is focused on the Seahawks’ schedule. And, if we had a third eye, it would not be blind to what’s going on in college athletics.

Sports

A Grip on Sports: Pete Rose’s lifetime ban for betting on baseball lasted longer than it should have, though it was appropriately rectified Tuesday

Wed., May 14, 2025

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Pete Rose in baseball’s Hall of Fame? It’s not a longshot any more.

Sports

A Grip on Sports: Another NBA star goes down with a leg injury but that was just the beginning of Monday night’s carnage

Tue., May 13, 2025

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Sitting down to watch Sports Center on a Monday night isn’t what it used to be. At least it wasn’t last night. Instead of highlights, talking heads or gambling advice, we were treated to an episode of “Grey’s Anatomy” or “St. Elsewhere.” That’s not right.

Sports

A Grip on Sports: No one on the M’s had a Mother’s Day star turn but there were a few to talk about, including Berkly Catton’s

Mon., May 12, 2025

A GRIP ON SPORTS • We have some questions as we begin the workweek, including which is the best Marvel movie and why is it “Guardians of the Galaxy?”

Sports

A Grip on Sports: There are a few holidays in which the emphasis is misplaced, though Mother’s Day isn’t one of them

Sun., May 11, 2025

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Wait. It is Mother’s Day? Again? Every year? My goodness. Let’s hope the local gas station mini-mart has a funny card left over. With rain in the forecast overnight, the dog house isn’t where we want to sleep.

Sports

A Grip on Sports: We don’t know the root of the issues but the Root broadcast of the M’s game in our home last night was unwatchable

Sat., May 10, 2025

A GRIP ON SPORTS • There was a glitch in the matrix last night. It could have originated in many spots between Sodo and Spokane but whatever or wherever it commenced its outgrowth was simple. We were unable to watch the M’s play.

Sports

A Grip on Sports: There is more than meets the eye on sports TV this weekend, though, sadly, watching Joe Moeller pitch isn’t among the offerings

Fri., May 9, 2025

A GRIP ON SPORTS • The month of May may feature flowers in the garden, but there is little in the way of earthly delights featured on your television during the month. Unless you are into the NBA. Or love playoff hockey. Or you are as boring as I am and like watching golf and baseball.

Sports

A Grip on Sports: College athletics is dealing with a House repair issue, one that could stretch budgets throughout the Inland Northwest to a breaking point

Thu., May 8, 2025

A GRIP ON SPORTS • One of the failings of our nation’s educational system? No one ever taught us how much work, and money, goes into keeping a home livable. The drip, drip, drip of time and dollars. Sort of like keeping a college athletic department humming along.

Sports

A Grip on Sports: Julio Rodriguez’s smile is still the M’s signature look nationally but Cal Raleigh’s consistently solid play has him closing fast

Wed., May 7, 2025

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Wander around T-Mobile Field during a Mariners’ home game and one thing is abundantly clear. Julio Rodriguez’s name is on the back of most younger Seattle fans. Understandably. But there may be subtle shift going on. The name “Raleigh” should start showing up more often.

Sports

A Grip on Sports: Like a quarterback under pressure or a college hoops coach rebuilding a roster, there was a lot of scrambling this morning

Tue., May 6, 2025

A GRIP ON SPORTS • There are many mornings when I wake up, grab a cup of coffee and almost race to the computer to write. Mainly because the column subject is so clear I can’t wait to get started. Other days?

Sports

A Grip on Sports: Another Bloomsday washes over Spokane as we wonder if another Triple Crown winner will ever wash ashore again

Mon., May 5, 2025

A GRIP ON SPORTS • A record set. No rain and mild temperatures. A T-shirt that works with any color combo. Sounds like a near-perfect Bloomsday to me.

Sports

A Grip on Sports: There may be no crying in baseball, but it does have rainouts, unlike even the biggest of horse racing’s events

Sun., May 4, 2025

A GRIP ON SPORTS • We’re not a fan of mud. Or important horse race run in same. But it’s a long-standing tradition so we live with it. And shake our head at photos of horses, jockeys, heck, even fans covered with the stuff. All in pursuit of going down in the history books. Ya, it’s worth it.

Sports

A Grip on Sports: As the M’s were busy finishing off their latest victory, Gonzaga posted a couple of its own in the recruiting realm

Sat., May 3, 2025

A GRIP ON SPORTS • The Mariners are mashing the ball. And, as far as we could observe while watching in a West Side pub last night, that is exciting the M’s faithful.

Sports

A Grip on Sports: If you have entire Saturday to waste, you can do that this week in front of the TV set digesting hours and hours of Kentucky Derby coverage

Fri., May 2, 2025

A GRIP ON SPORTS • The Kentucky Derby takes about 2 minutes from when the starting gate opens until the winner passes into immortality. A 2-minute race with 6½ hours of televised runup on NBC. That’s a ratio of 195-1 on the side of blather over action. Seems about right.

Sports

A Grip on Sports: As the calendar turns to May, it just seemed appropriate to examine once again the growing income inequality in college athletics

Thu., May 1, 2025

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Is there anything in modern society that is more important than money? The pursuit of it. Its use. Want. Need. It’s crucial to everything. Everyone. Heck, take out the word “society” in the first sentence, replace it with “athletics” and it still rings true. Especially at the collegiate level.

Sports

A Grip on Sports: It seems like a good day to cover a bunch of subjects as varied as rain, transfers, playoffs and disappearing sports

Wed., April 30, 2025

A GRIP ON SPORTS • It’s the middle of the workweek. There is more than enough going on, including many friends and neighbors training for Bloomsday, so let’s get right to it. And see how many miles we can cover this morning.

Sports

A Grip on Sports: The first domino has fallen concerning the Pac-12’s media future, with others standing in line and waiting to drop soon

Tue., April 29, 2025

A GRIP ON SPORTS • The biggest complaint among college football fans the past decade or so have not been about the starting quarterback, the play calls nor the head coach’s salary. It’s been game times. And how often they aren’t announced until the last minute. Fear not Washington State fans. There is no problem this fall. They are already set.

Sports

A Grip on Sports: The M’s leading the A.L. West in late April is not new but winning games thanks to the offense is a bit different

Mon., April 28, 2025

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Is it summer already in Seattle? I ask because the Mariners usually wait until the weather warms, sometimes considerably, before they usually begin really hitting. That’s not the case this season. Which allows us to look at the American League West standings and see something odd for April.

Sports

A Grip on Sports: The Seahawks’ draft picks signal a change in direction and emphasis, at least on the offensive side

Sun., April 27, 2025

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Let’s just keep this short this morning, shall we? I have a busy, and long, Sunday ahead. Maybe you do too. Besides, how many more words does anyone want to hear, or read, about the NFL draft by now?

Sports

A Grip on Sports: What the heck is going on with the Seahawks’ draft? It actually makes sense

Sat., April 26, 2025

A GRIP ON SPORTS • This Seahawks’ draft seems like none other. In one regard. John Schneider and company are actually filling holes everyone and their uncle Steve could see.