Grip on Sports: The Mariners’ postseason hopes will have to rise from the grave
A GRIP ON SPORTS • The cat left us a present at the back door today, as cats will. The poor mouse – being a boomer, in these situations I always think of Stuart Little, or maybe Ralph and his motorcycle – was no more alive than the Mariners’ wild-card chances. Read on.
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• Seattle had a chance to make a move in the wild-card race this week. It did.
The wrong way.
No matter what happens today, the M’s lost their home series to Texas, one of the other contenders in the chase. It was the only thing they couldn’t do. But they did.
And that was that.
Oh, sure, the Mariners are still just four games back of the suddenly reeling Twins in the standings. But the series with Texas began with only one other team sitting between Seattle and Minnesota. That would be the Angels.
Now there are two more. They are the Rangers, who have leapfrogged to within 2 1/2 games of the Twins, and Kansas City, which sits 3 1/2 games back.
Meanwhile, the Mariners are four games under .500, would need to post one of their best winning streaks of the season to get back to even and back into the race. They are 3-7 in their last 10 games, have lost five consecutive times and seem poised to … make a turnaround and get right back in the thick of things?
Raise your hand if you think that’s really possible. Not you Steve, I know you are still doing cannonballs in the Mariner pool. The rest of us have jumped out, dried our hair and are watching football.
• Speaking of football, the Cougars announced yesterday their game with USC next Friday night, is sold out.
One West Coast writer who I read every day mentioned it would be just like WSU to lose to Nevada and ruin a showdown of 4-0 teams. It’s hard to argue with him, though this team doesn’t seem into that type of letdown.
What seems more likely is USC losing to California and stealing the Cougars’ chance at thunder.
USC has done such things to Washington State for decades. Heck, for years the Trojans wouldn’t even think of playing in Pullman, even though the two schools were in the same freaking conference.
From 1957 to 1983, the Cougars and Trojans played 15 times. Ten of them were in the Coliseum. The others were played in either Seattle (twice) or Spokane.
Pullman? C’mon man, we’re USC.
(To be fair, the Cougars were playing much of their home schedule in Spokane during that time. The UCLA, Washington, even occasionally the California and Stanford games, would be held at Joe Albi. But still, never? Even after Martin Stadium was expanded in 1979, it was five years before USC came to Pullman.)
• Speaking of road trips, the Times’ Adam Jude ranked the best ones in the Pac-12 today.
I have a bit different list, though our top spot is the same: the Rose Bowl, where UCLA plays. Love the tradition, the golf course parking, the proximity to In-N-Out (and my childhood home).
The rest …
2. Folsom Field (Colorado): The backdrop is magnificent.
3. Husky Stadium (Washington): Ditto on the backdrop. However, the old press box used to scare me senseless. That’s been fixed.
4. L.A. Coliseum (USC): Though the location is hard to get to – as is anywhere in downtown L.A. – the history and the college football atmosphere are hard to match.
5. Sun Devil Stadium (Arizona State): It’s in Tempe, man. It’s always nice.
6. Arizona Stadium: It’s in Tucson, man. It’s almost always nice.
7. Reser Stadium (Corvallis): Maybe my favorite Pac-12 road town (Corvallis is definitely not a big city). The stadium is nothing special and the postgame is hard, but the fans are great.
8. Stanford Stadium: They use reclaimed water to keep the field green. When it rains, it doesn’t drain well. And it stinks. Besides, Stanford fans would rather imbibe Chardonnay than cheer.
9. Memorial Stadium (California): Haven’t been back since the remodel but the stadium still sits at the top of about five thousand feet of hills.
10. Autzen Stadium (Oregon): For a school with seemingly unlimited resources, the parking is tough and the fans even tougher. Hard place to cover a game, probably even worse for visiting fans.
I can’t rank either Rice-Eccles Stadium (Utah) because I never covered a game there and won’t rank Martin Stadium, because it isn’t a road trip.
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WSU: It’s Pac-12 picks day for Theo Lawson and he isn’t dwelling on the past – too much. Good thing. He does, however, dwell a bit on the past for a couple of Cougar assistant coaches, and their relationship with Colin Kaepernick. … Theo also held a live chat yesterday and he posted the transcript. … What’s working thus far in Pullman? The Times’ Stefanie Loh talked with Jason Gesser to find out.
Elsewhere in the Pac-12, Jon Wilner looks at wins and NFL players in the most off-the-wall ranking of schools I can remember. It’s great. And he has his power rankings. … Washington will travel to Boulder to face Colorado and a former teammate. The Buffs are still working on the offensive line. … Oregon State has a bye this week, which will help. … Oregon doesn’t begin school until next week, after four games, including the conference opener at Arizona State. The Sun Devils need a win to cool Todd Graham’s seat. … USC faces a resurgent Cal team and its star receiver. … Utah opens the Pac-12 weekend in Arizona and will bring along one of the conference’s oldest players. … When UCLA faces Stanford, Josh Rosen needs to make quick, correct decisions.
Gonzaga: The NCAA’s rulebook is thick, heavy and painful – when it is thrown at you. Which is what happened to the University of Pacific yesterday.
EWU: It’s a good day to take a spin around the Big Sky Conference and Jim Allen does just that. It’s been an odd start for conference football teams. … Jim will also hold a live chat today. … Speaking of chatting, John Blanchette did just that with one of our favorite people, former Eastern coach Mike Kramer. This column ensued. Kramer is going to do the color for Eastern’s game with Montana on Saturday. Hilarity should ensue. … Elsewhere the Big Sky, North Dakota is wary of Montana State. … Idaho State is beginning to be recognized. … The same can be said of a Southern Utah receiver.
Preps: The Prep Page focuses on girls’ soccer today, with Jim Allen’s feature on the Lewis and Clark team and his capsule previews of area teams. … Greg Lee has his Pick Six with Sam Adams and we can offer roundups from volleyball, cross country, girls’ soccer and slowpitch softball.
Chiefs: Spokane yesterday signed one if its draft picks. … The Portland Winterhawks think this year can be their year.
Mariners: Five consecutive losses are bad anytime. In late September, it’s awful. … Could Seattle host another All-Star game? … Injuries have taken their toll this season, that’s for sure.
Seahawks: There is one aspect of the NFL – the injury list – Richard Sherman sees as helping just one segment of the population: gamblers. I guess Sherman believes all fantasy players are gamblers. … Is the NFL in trouble? … Experience counts in a variety of ways. As does ability.
Sounders: Want a ticket? You will be able to use a different vendor soon. … The Timber will begin rebuilding their stadium as soon as the season ends.
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• So it was raining again while I wrote this morning. We go 80 days without a cloud, basically, and now it won’t stop raining? I wonder if I could do this feature from Hawaii or Phoenix or somewhere. Until later …