A Grip on Sports: No matter what, let’s keep our priorities straight this college football season

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Welcome to the best day of the best month of the year. And that’s saying something coming from someone who celebrated his birthday earlier this October. But today is special. It’s the day we can watch new episodes of the Mandalorian again. Hey, we all have a bit of an inner nerd yearning to be free, don’t we?

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• “Mando” would be a cool nickname, don’t you think, for a college football player? After looking through the Washington State roster, I’ve narrowed the moniker down to a couple players: either quarterback Cammon Cooper (“Mando” Cooper is pretty good) or defensive back Armani Marsh (“Mando” Marsh has alliteration going for it).

Heck, I can’t make the choice, not on a decision this important. You folks decide. (But if you don’t pick Marsh, I’m disowning you.)

Such out of the blue thoughts are the inevitable outgrowth of the Pac-12 waiting until Nov. 7 to start its schedule. If the darn conference had begun its football season earlier, we already could be discussing which quarterback is missing time from the virus – as is the case in the ACC currently – instead of some silly Disneyfied nickname. Wouldn’t that be better?

Uh, no.

I’m not sure what is worse, the fact Clemson’s All-American, Trevor Lawrence, actually came down with COVID-19, or that the first couple paragraphs of most every story about his illness opines on whether he’ll be back for Nov. 7’s game against Notre Dame.

OK, it’s the illness. But the other is close. Statistics tell us Lawrence will emerge from his bout with the coronavirus fine. He could go through some tough times, but most people in his physical condition aren’t at major risk – most being the operative word. There are outliers. And we hope beyond hope Lawrence isn’t one of them. Heck, we hope no one is.

And yet, here is a college student, one who is better at football, sure, than just about any of his peers, but a college student nonetheless, and the most important aspect of his sickness, to many, is when he will be able to play again? That’s a sickness in its own right. The objectification of a human being is never a good thing. That’s what is happening to Lawrence, and any other victim of this disease whose main purpose, it seems, is to entertain us.

But these aren’t fictional characters. No Greef Karga or Cara Dune here. (Though Nick Saban does a mean Moff Gideon impression for those Aflac commercials.) People like Lawrence are people first. Let’s treat them like that.

• Predicting the outcome of this pandemic-addled college football season is probably impossible. Though that doesn’t stop everyone from trying it.

Take the Cougars for example. Theo Lawson asked readers to do just that and got a bunch of wide-ranging responses. I’m sure 7-0 and 0-7 were included. San Jose Mercury-News Pac-12 columnist Jon Wilner has them 1-5 headed into the crossover game. His one win? The Apple Cup.

Talk about a dilemma for the Cougar faithful. For years at many a cocktail party, alums have argued the existential question: Would you rather win every game except the Apple Cup or win the AC and lose every other contest? Maybe this year it won’t be just another thought exercise.

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WSU: Besides his mailbag filled with your predictions, Theo has a lot in today’s S-R sports section. He also has a story on Lamonte McDougle opting out from this season. And one on your chance to buy a cardboard cutout to put in Martin Stadium (and/or Beasley Coliseum). Hope someone combines those two, purchasing a McDougle cutout so the big defensive lineman can be at games. … There was also basketball news from yesterday. Theo has a story on the Cougars’ conference schedule. Washington State will open conference with, wait for it, Oregon State. … As we said, Wilner takes a look at the WSU football schedule. (And he also examines Washington’s.) … Former Cougar quarterback Gardner Minshew has been playing recently with broken bones in his thumb. And no one realized it. … Around the Pac-12 and college sports, it’s not a bad take to take a quick peek at the possible Washington offensive depth chart. … What happens if a player tests positive on the day of a game? … If you want to get on the field with the Oregon State secondary, be willing to fill any role. … The Beavers have plenty of tight ends. … Oregon needs to replace the heart of its defense. … Colorado has been cleared by health officials to play its opener against UCLA. … Utah has picked a starting quarterback. The name is not being released. … Chip Kelly wants to reboot his UCLA fortunes. … Clay Helton probably wants the same at USC. … The Bruins and Trojans’ special teams are in today’s positional spotlight. … Two Arizona State players, best friends, are vying for the same starting spot. … Some of Arizona’s new assistants are graybeards. Not that there is anything wrong with that. … In basketball news, there are schedule stories all over the place if you are really interested. But we’re going to focus on other things, like a Washington leader returning after getting his academic house in order. … UCLA is looking forward to playing Kentucky in a battle of blue uniforms. … The schedule is not a surprise for Arizona.

Gonzaga: Trying to put together a nonconference basketball schedule this season is sort of like trying to put together a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle after your beagle buried three pieces in the backyard. It is possible but a true pain in the neck. Jim Meehan has a story on another additional piece the Zags recently uncovered. … Jim Allen and Larry Weir got together yesterday for a conversation concerning the women’s team, a conversation that turned into our latest Press Box podcast. … Elsewhere in the WCC, BYU’s Mark Pope is willing to examine the bubble concept for conference games.

Preps: Football playoffs kickoff tonight in North Idaho, with the weather predicted to be much better than the last weekend of the regular season. Dave Nichols experienced the snow and appreciates the clear skies forecasted for tonight, I’m sure. He has a preview of the action on the Panhandle’s football fields. … He also spoke with Larry on Wednesday for a Press Box podcast, one I missed yesterday. Sorry.

Seahawks: A beat-up Seattle squad will face a beat-up San Francisco team. What will happen Sunday? … It doesn’t look as if Jamal Adams playing is one of the things that will occur. … Carlos Dunlap’s acquisition will not only help the Hawk defense, it can help Russell Wilson win the MVP. … … In actuality, the playoffs begin this weekend for the NFC West teams. … The Hawks enter them with the worst defense they’ve put on a field in years. 

Mariners: Kyle Seager is about to enter his last offseason as a Mariner. More than likely. … The M’s cut Kendall Graveman on Wednesday. They re-signed him for less money Thursday. Blame a neck injury for everything. … I’m thinking of starting a new career. Major league baseball manager. I have at least 10 good years left, right White Sox?

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• I enjoy all types of entertainment. My favorite all-time TV show? The Rockford Files. Or The Wire. Or maybe Deadwood. Or Cheers. So my infatuation with The Mandalorian shouldn’t come as a surprise. What is cool, though, is there is a really fun Star Wars show on TV at the same time as another great Star Trek one, Discovery. Yes, love of the two universes can exist in one viewer’s heart. I am living proof of that. … By the way, I have already voted. Will the darn robo-calls and texts please stop? It’s too late to change my mind. Until later …