Grip on Sports: Before we cede the landscape to college football, we should discuss another Hernandez injury

A GRIP ON SPORTS • It won’t be too long now. Soon, Sunday mornings will mean story after college football story, from the Cougars to the Eagles, from the Vandals to the Pirates, Huskies to Ducks. Nope, not too long. But we’re not there just yet. Read on.

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• Saturdays in the late summer and fall are taken up by college football. Has been that way my entire life – and yours probably as well.

Hunting around here is big too, as is hiking as the temperatures cool – and the trees begin to change colors.

But college football is Saturday’s king, prince, lord and duke all rolled into one.

Which means Sundays’ newspapers (and their websites) are filled with college football stories. Play after play, game after game, it’s all dissected, discussed and debated.

As it should be.

We aren’t there just yet. It is still only early August, after all.

But the buildup to the season continues apace. It’s fun (and educational) to cruise around the Interweb and read about this defensive lineman or that new coach or another season of glory to come.

We read the stories and then pass them on to you. To paraphrase that insurance commercial that seems to dominate the M’s broadcasts, it’s what we do.

• Speaking of the M’s, the bucketfuls of rain that descended on Kansas City yesterday made it impossible for the teams to play. A doubleheader – a doubleheader – is scheduled for today, to get the contest in.

The rainstorm may have washed away the game, but even it wasn’t powerful enough to wash away the stink of bad news emanating from the Seattle clubhouse.

The elder statesman of the pitching staff (if the word “elder” is used in the context of most experience with the M’s) is back on the disabled list. Felix Hernandez pitched the other day, felt some pain in his bicep, couldn’t shake it and now finds himself on the 10-day.

Mariner fans love Felix. But he has a lot of wear and tear on that once overpowering right arm. He’s an old 31 and is owed some $55 million over the next couple seasons.

That’s money well spent, if you are thinking he deserves some sort of compensation for all those years he was basically the only thing worth watching at Safeco. But if you are thinking about putting together a team in 2018 or ’19 that can contend, the money spent on Felix may well be an anchor that slows down the good ship Mariner. Or maybe even pulls it under.

Pitchers age quickly. That’s a given. Everyone knew that even five years ago when the M’s locked Hernandez up for the future. So it’s no surprise Hernandez is more fragile than he was, that trips to the disabled list are becoming more routine. It happens.

And yet this trip couldn’t have come at a worse time. August looks like a make-or-break month for this season’s playoff hopes. For the next week or so, the M’s will be without their King on the hill. That’s tough.

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WSU: OK, I admit it. I really like the stuff Theo Lawson is producing out of the Cougars’ preseason practices. Today he has a story on new defensive line coach Jeff Phelps (pictured). It’s good. But the piece on the position battles, with practice notes on the bottom, is not to be missed. … Do you agree with this opinion? … From odd autographs to young receivers to new coaching responsibilities, there is something for everyone out of Washington State’s practice. … Gabe Marks seems to be impressing the Jets’ coaches. … Around the Pac-12, there are few places that offer more football coverage than Salt Lake City, where two newspapers present Utah stories. … Actually, the same thing happens around Washington, with a special emphasis put on local products helping the Huskies. Or new players stepping up. Or old players with new responsibilities. … Almost all of Arizona’s defensive position groups are learning by doing. … The Arizona State offense didn’t do much in Saturday’s scrimmage. … UCLA will need its offensive line to do a lot if its offense wants to succeed. … USC has more on offense than just a good quarterback. … Colorado has a new look on defense. … Oregon has a new look everywhere.

EWU: Anxiety is a fan’s best friend. Or at least their constant companion. Jim Allen tries to relieve some of it with this story on the positives in Eastern’s near future. … Former Eagle offensive coordinator Troy Taylor is already making his mark in Utah. … Elsewhere in the Big Sky, the beginning of football practices are always accompanied by lists. Cases in point come from Montana and Cal Poly. … The coaching change at Idaho State meant a staff shuffle. … Montana State wants to improve its pass rush. … Every staff has a coach like this.

Indians: Eugene came to Spokane and threw some cold water on the Indians’ hot start to the second half. Johnathan Curley has the game story from last night’s 11-8 Emeralds’ win while Whitney Ogden adds more about a couple of longtime teammates. … Around the Northwest League, Hillsboro shut out Vancouver and Everett out-slugged Salem-Keizer.

Chiefs: Kailer Yamamoto’s summer “vacation” has been productive, playing for Team USA.

Preps: Speaking of summer vacations, longtime local track coach Linda Lanker had a fun one with the U.S. National Team. Greg Lee has more in this feature. … Former Coeur d’Alene High star Casey Stangel picked up a Pac-12 postgraduate scholarship.

Mariners: The rainout allowed Ryan Divish to examine what might be ahead the next couple weeks for Jerry Dipoto. … Former Gonzaga star Marco Gonzales will take Hernandez’s spot on the roster.

Seahawks: There is still fallout descending from Frank Clark’s practice punch. … Hazing isn’t supposed to happen any more. But the rookies still get some grief. … Kenny Easley was inducted in the Hall of Fame yesterday. His speech didn’t touch on his Seahawk career much. … Jon Ryan has enjoyed his first season as a baseball owner, even if his aspirations are for something more. … Doug Baldwin has something to say. He always does.

Sounders: Seattle dominated Minnesota. With Clint Dempsey scoring twice and Jordan Morris once, the Sounders won 4-0. … Real Salt Lake dominated Houston. But the match ended in a scoreless draw.

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• A quick congratulations to my son Jack and his wife Nichol. It is their one-year anniversary. I can’t tell you how proud I was that day last August as they stood together and pledged their love. I still am. Until later …