A Grip on Sports: The checkered flag will drop in Indianapolis today, even though there will be no fans there to see it
A GRIP ON SPORTS • When wandering through the nation’s newspapers today, one thing hit me. The Indianapolis 500 doesn’t seem to be making much of an impact. Maybe it’s the new pandemic-forced date. It could be the lack of fans. Or maybe the race is just passé.
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• It’s almost like one of those philosophical questions from college bull sessions: What if they held an Indy 500 and there was no one there to hear it? Did it really happen? Dude, I’ll go you one better. What if no one wrote about it?
Yes, one of the longest running car races will be run today. And, no, no one will be in the stands watching. But it will be on television and available, free, in your homes, so there is that. And yet, it doesn’t seem as if the race, a Memorial weekend tradition since, seemingly, forever, is making much of an impact this year.
Cruising the front sports page at the websites of the three most-read sports sections in America (the New York Times, Washington Post and Los Angeles Times), there is nary a story to find concerning today’s race. The same can be said for CBS Sports home page. One of the signature events in sports for decades seems to be an afterthought these days.
That’s not to say auto racing isn’t as strong as ever. Maybe even stronger. NASCAR, though maybe not at its nadir, is still popular and is, seemingly, running about six races a week these days. There was one yesterday in Dover, Del. And another today.
But Indy? Its 104th running seems to be lost in the pandemic shuffle. The NBA playoffs have moved into the pole position, followed closely, it seems, but NFL training camps. College football’s soap opera is holding off the NHL playoffs for third, with baseball trying to avoid another outbreak so it stays relevant. After that, put everything from golf to the WNBA to racing and the like into a hat and pull one out.
There is only so much time in the day for sports. And only so much focus, as folks try to stay physically healthy and avoid economic disaster.
The Indianapolis 500? A big deal, sure. But not what it once was.
By the way, television ratings for the 500 are expected to be great. Maybe even record breaking. It seems as if there is a bit of a disconnect here.
• Theo Lawson has a story today concerning Tay Martin, who announced yesterday he is headed to Oklahoma State for his senior year. Which immediately begged a question: When will that senior year be?
Will the Big 12 be able to play football this fall? Will anyone? And will the NCAA allow players who transfer from schools who put off football until the spring immediate eligibility to compete?
That last question is crucial.
The NCAA seems to have decided it can’t order schools not to play football this fall. But its medical staff has been out and about, beating the bushes and telling everyone who will listen it doesn’t seem safe to be doing so. Which, if true, would beg the question why the organization would then allow players, who under the current rules should sit a year, to play right away?
Seems disingenuous at best, hypocritical at worst.
It would be easy for the organization to fold, of course, and just let everyone play. But it also would be defensible if its eligibility folks, you know, enforced the organization’s rules. Wouldn’t that be novel, the NCAA showing some spine?
It will be interesting to see where this leads.
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WSU: Besides the Martin story, Theo also examines where the NCAA’s recent decision on eligibility leaves the Cougars. He looks at their roster and wonders who might return and what impact they will have. It is not to be missed. … Around the Pac-12 and college sports, we’ve wondered this ourselves. What does happen with the #WeAreUnited movement? … The conference did the right thing. And schools are adjusting. Though the financial implications are still being determined and will be for a while. … A Utah football player may just play hoops. … Arizona has lost a lot more than it expected to off its defense. … With so many Olympic sports reeling under pandemic-caused cuts, the U.S. Olympic teams could be reeling down the road. … In basketball news, all of Arizona’s players have arrived on campus.
Gonzaga: Former GU standout Laura Stockton is finally ready to begin a professional career after rehabbing her knee injury.
EWU and Idaho: We’ve been trying not to lose focus on other fall sports touched by decisions to postpone competition due to COVID-19. Jim Meehan examines the impact to the Vandal and Eagle volleyball programs. … Elsewhere in the Big Sky, Weber State thought it could win a national football title this fall. Not happening. … A couple of Montana basketball players are still playing overseas.
Preps: If you had a connection to the Spokane baseball scene over the past 50 years, you know who Dave Vaughn is. You may not have known Vaughn, the former Mead High coach, suffered a debilitating accident a couple years ago. And you may not have known the depth of his local history. John Blanchette has the remedy this morning to any gaps. This column covers Vaughn’s time as a bat boy for the 1970 Spokane Indians, the best minor league team ever.
Mariners: It’s Sunday, so that means there is an Out of Right Field column. This one is from Dave Nichols. … The M’s are making mincemeat out of the Rangers’ pitching staff this weekend, winning last night 10-1. … Dylan Moore’s season has been put on hold due to a wrist injury. Jake Fraley gets his chance. … Are there trade possibilities looming? … Finally, the cutouts in the stadium tell many stories of the fans behind their existence.
Seahawks: The Hawks played a mock game yesterday in CenturyLink. There were no fans, as will be the case, so Pete Carroll also coached up the sound system folks. … The game was cut short after an injury. … Will Carroll let Russell Wilson off the leash earlier this season?
Sounders: Seattle returns to the pitch tonight in Portland. It’s the Sounders first match since they were eliminated from The MLS is Back tournament, which the Timbers won.
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• We’ll be here tomorrow. Hope you will be too. Enjoy your Sunday. And I hope the latest Andretti wins the 500 today. Until later …