A Grip on Sports: Yes, Tiger Woods is doing double duty at the Presidents Cup, just like you may have to watching sports this weekend

A GRIP ON SPORTS • What are your plans this weekend? Besides Christmas shopping, I mean. In an unrelated note, I am an XXL but hopeful of being an XL soon and could use a little inspiration (hint, hint). If you need a break from battling the crowds in the mall and on the Net, there is a lot to ingest in the sporting world. As usual, we are here to help.

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• It seems nice most sports are, to some degree, taking off today. It’s needed. After all, who wants to compete with the Presidents Cup?

Tiger Woods is playing – as well as serving as the U.S. captain. And you know what that means. Yep, ratings. People who haven’t stepped foot on a golf course since third grade are willing to sit down and watch Tiger play. Not that we are criticizing, mind you, just stating a fact.

Which means golf better start developing someone else with star power of at least 1/10th the magnitude soon. Tiger isn’t getting any younger you know.

And the U.S. team didn’t get any closer to the International group yesterday.

• If Tiger isn’t your cup of tea – the Cup is being contested at Royal Melbourne after all, so tea is an appropriate mention (as is, because it’s Australia, beer) – then there is some college football to watch.

The FCS playoffs are going on, something that might have escaped some notice around here due to Eastern Washington and Idaho’s exclusion. But there is one Big Sky Conference game. Well, two Big Sky members are meeting anyway. Weber State and Montana face off in Ogden tonight in a rematch of their conference game won in a walk by the Griz. By the way, if you want to watch Montana State play Austin Peay tonight, you’ll have to do it via ESPN’s streaming service.

If you want to watch something in person today, we recommend heading out to Cheney. Not only will you get to see Eastern play – the Eagles are 5-3 – but former Lewis and Clark Tiger Justin Martin is in town with Multnomah in an exhibition game. Martin is the NAIA Division II scoring leader at 31.4 points per game.  

• There are plenty of college basketball games to watch on TV tomorrow, highlighted by sixth-ranked Gonzaga’s visit to No. 15 Arizona (it starts at 7 p.m. on ESPN2 and, no, Bill Walton won’t be in the building).

If ranked teams are your thing, No. 10 Oregon is at fifth-ranked Michigan at 9 a.m. on CBS and No. 13 Memphis and No. 19 Tennessee meet at noon on ESPN.

But probably the most prestigious college event tomorrow is the Army-Navy football game. In memory of my dad, I will once again be rooting for the Midshipmen, even if there was only one Annapolis grad my father had any time for – and he died on my dad’s birthday in 1943.

• The Presidents Cup finishes Saturday here, though it is Sunday in Australia. The singles matches should be fun and, yes, Tiger will be playing.

Settle down, break open a Foster’s or something, and root for a bunch of millionaires from this country against a bunch of millionaires from other countries. In other words, professional sports, almost all professional sports, in the 21st Century.

• Sunday is all about the NFL and the excitement starts early, with Seattle playing in Charlotte against the Panthers in the early game. The 10 a.m. Seahawk starts are not the best when it comes to our personal NFL watching as that makes it nearly impossible to watch RedZone, my preferred way to digest the league.

Oh sure, after the Hawks win (or lose), the afternoon games are on, but there is never as many in that window. It’s just not the same.

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WSU: When it comes to many college football awards, the real estate maxim applies. Location, location, location. Washington State’s Blake Mazza, despite having the best statistics, had no chance to win the Lou Groza Award last night. There was a kicker from the SEC involved. Theo Lawson has the story. … Theo also has a story on the Associated Press’ All-Pac-12 team as well as another one on a Cougar recruit. … Elsewhere in the Pac-12, how did the coaches do this season? And how about one prognosticator? … Not making the playoffs again was bad. Even the commissioner thinks so. … The best lineman in the nation this year played for Oregon. … Oregon State was just fine at tight end. … Utah was dominated up front by Oregon and now the defense will be without some of its best backline players as well. … California will be playing a mirror image in the Redbox Bowl.

In basketball news, a freshman is starting to assert himself for Oregon. … Colorado’s biggest basketball rival isn’t a Pac-12 foe. … Arizona State coach Bobby Hurley wasn’t happy with the Pac-12 Networks’ broadcast of the Prairie View win. … Arizona has a problem with rebounding. … Missed this, but California handled Fresno State on Wednesday night.

Gonzaga: It seems to be a big day for coverage of former GU basketball players. Jim Meehan’s most in-depth story covers the new career of Rob Sacre, back at Gonzaga and raising money for the athletic department. … Jim also has a story on Zach Norvell Jr.’s release by the Los Angeles Lakers. Not sure, but I do believe the Zags could have found a spot to highlight Norvell this season. … Around the WCC, Mark Pope has a different personality than former BYU coaches.

EWU: The Eagles are looking to restock the defense for next season. They have reinforcements on the way, some in the form of transfers. Ryan Collingwood has the story of the latest one.

Idaho: Mike Iupati has pretty much made a tour of the NFC West in his career. His latest stop is with the Seahawks and the former UI star couldn’t be happier. Theo caught up with him recently and has this story.

Preps: It was a quiet night in the area, though we have roundups from boys and girls basketball.

Chiefs: Spokane is playing well. If you want to know why, listen to the latest Press Box pod in which Larry Weir talks with Mike Boyle, the voice of the Chiefs. As always, it’s well worth your time.

Seahawks: If Seattle is to have a successful finish to the season, the defense has to get its act back together. … And Josh Gordon needs to be used more. … C.J. Prosise is getting one more chance. It may be his last one in Seattle. … Hey, Marshawn Lynch was in town. … So is the flu bug.

Mariners: Larry Stone is a positive guy. Not Pete Carroll positive, but no one is. Anyhow, when Stone writes about the next M’s season, and warns of another year of drudgery, we should listen. And possibly weep a little. … The M’s didn’t make single trade or sign a single player at the winter meetings. … They did make a Rule 5 pick. …Do the Diamondbacks want Mitch Haniger back?

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• I actually did some stocking-stuffer shopping yesterday. It made me happy. That is all. … Wait, I just realized it is Friday the 13th. Be careful out there, especially if you run into anyone with a chain saw and a hockey mask. Until later …