Grip on Sports: This type of doubleheader is tough to watch

A GRIP ON SPORTS • The Mariners are in a playoff chase, albeit quite possibly the worst one since the advent of the second wild card. The Seahawks are pushing toward the regular season, trying to answer crucial questions in what could be a special year. Their worlds collide tonight. What to do. Read on.

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• The M’s are in New York tonight. The battling Yankees – forget Mayweather/McGregor, the best fight of the week was in Detroit last night – are leading the wild-card chase. The M’s need to keep winning to keep pace in said race. The game begins at 4 p.m. our time.

The Seahawks play a preseason game vs. Kansas City tonight. The result doesn’t matter. But what happens, especially at left tackle, does. The Hawks will hold their first rehearsal for the most important position on the offensive line since George Fant was lost for the season. The game begins at 5.

They will overlap. A lot.

What’s a fan to do?

The first hour is easy. And maybe the M’s will pick tonight to score a dozen runs in the first three innings, ensuring their spot in the wild-card standings. Or the Yankees will take Ariel Miranda out of the park four or five times before you can say Aaron Judge, making a comeback all but impossible.

But if the Mariners are locked in a tight game when the Hawks kick off, then the choice is tougher.

Watch a non-counting exhibition NFL game or a crucial-to-the-playoffs MLB game?

Most of you will opt for the football game, I’m sure. It is the Seahawks playing, after all, and there are only so many times to watch them, preseason or not.

Me, I’m going to stay with the M’s as much as possible. Commercials, interminable replays, heck, conference on the mound, will immediately call for punching the remote.

If I’m lucky, the Hawks will be on offense every time I switch over. The left tackle situation is what intrigues me, not the number of times Michael Bennett jumps offsides.

But, knowing my luck, every time I get a moment or two to check in, Jon Ryan will be jogging on the field trying to pin the Chiefs inside their 20. And I’ll go right back to the baseball game.

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WSU: The first football game is eight days away, which makes it a perfect time for Theo Lawson to take a stab at the Cougars’ depth chart for the opener vs. Montana State. … But that’s not all that’s happening in Pullman. Jim Meehan has a preview of the women’s volleyball season in the area, and he begins with WSU trying for an encore to last year’s successful season. … Jim Allen previews the women’s soccer season and he begins with Washington State’s new digs. … Back to football, the Cougars’ top quarterback recruit is set to try to top last week’s performance. That may not be possible. … Luke Falk is more than just a college football player. He’s looking beyond that, as Stefanie Loh’s story in the Times illustrates. … Elsewhere in the Pac-12, the biggest failing for the Pac-12 Networks is its inability to get on DirecTV. Jon Wilner delves into the negotiations deeper than anyone ever has. … Wilner also picks the Cougars to win nine regular season games. That’s certainly possible. … No one questions Washington’s ability up front on defense this season. … Oregon State has a new quarterback, new running back and a new outlook. … Oregon still has some questions on the defensive line. … Stanford won 10 games last year and that wasn’t enough. … Everyone has to wait for their shot on Colorado’s receiving unit. … The coach’s son could be the long snapper at Utah. … USC will have some surprises this season. … UCLA lost some depth on its offensive line this week. … The special teams are all new at Arizona State. … Arizona’s schedule isn’t easy.

Gonzaga: Another transfer is considering the Zags, but 6-foot-8 forward Brandon Clarke also has WSU and Oregon in his final three. We predict the San Jose State transfer will end up in the Northwest. Jim Meehan has the story. … The women’s soccer team drew with SMU yesterday.

EWU: It will be hot in Lubbock next Saturday, so new coach Aaron Best is trying a new approach to the Eagles’ final scrimmage. It’s in the heat this afternoon. Jim Allen has the story. … Around in the Big Sky, Montana has a big fellow up front who hails from a tough neighborhood. … How do you prepare for an opener with a team featuring a new staff? … Portland State opens at BYU tomorrow.

Preps: Coeur d’Alene High opens its football season tonight with another trip to California. But star quarterback Colson Yankoff won’t be able to play just yet. Greg Lee has all the particulars in this piece.

Indians: Spokane kept its second-half pennant hopes alive with another walk-off win last night. Whitney Ogden was at Avista and she has this game story. … Elsewhere in the Northwest League, Eugene also won in its last at-bat yesterday. … Everett couldn’t get past Vancouver. … Hillsboro pounded Boise.

Chiefs: Training camp is officially underway. And the WHL regular season is just around the corner. Dave Nichols has a look at what’s happening for the Chiefs.

Mariners: The M’s had an off day yesterday, so there was no news on Robinson Cano’s injury. But there are answers to other questions, via Ryan Divish. … The M’s two top draft picks have been injured this summer. … John McGrath has his thoughts on who to watch when both the M’s and Seahawks are on.

Seahawks: For the non-star players, making an NFL team takes doing the little things few of us watch. … You have questions? The Times’ Bob Condotta has answers. … There should be a couple of familiar faces back on the field tonight. And others missing.

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• What is your favorite song about Fridays? Didn’t Steely Dan do a memorable one? And The Cure? Until later …