A Grip on Sports: Local bettors win, the M’s lose and everything else that happens in the middle of the week
A GRIP ON SPORTS • Here we are. At the midweek point. Camel day … or something like that. As we begin our slide into what will be a near-perfect weekend, let’s slide into a whole bunch of sports-related items. And other things.
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• The Mariners received an outstanding pitching effort from starter Yusei Kikuchi last night. They hit three home runs off Los Angeles star Walker Buehler. And they still lost 6-4. Huh. It’s almost as if having a solid bullpen is important.
Actually, more than important these days. Every team relies on its bullpen. One that holds leads builds confidence in every aspect of the game. One that blows leads does the opposite. Early on, the M’s were doing the former. Now it’s the latter. And the confidence has to be ebbing in the clubhouse.
That’s not good.
• We can say just one thing. It’s about darn time.
Betting on sports is pervasive in our culture. From New York to Nevada and all points in between, a Supreme Court ruling not that long ago opened the door to legal sports betting.
And now the ability to walk into a comfortable room and place a bet on the Dodgers winning the World Series or Montana winning the Big Sky basketball title is coming to Spokane County. Finally.
The Kalispel Tribe of Indians and Washington have reached agreement on a compact that will allow that to happen at Northern Quest. There are some limitations – outlined in Thomas Clouse’s in-depth story – but soon you’ll be able to head out to watch some 1980s pop star shuffle around a stage and also make a bet on the Mariners’ bullpen melting down against the Indians or Blue Jays or someone.
• As someone who is involved in Spokane-area high school sports at a lot of levels, it’s interesting to watch as the winter sports season unfolds in mid-May. This first week is especially wild, considering spring sports are wrapping up and some athletes are trying to do double duty.
All of it going on while the sword of Damocles, in the form of local COVID-19 numbers, hangs over the season. The governor didn’t keep Spokane County in Phase 3 forever. He just paused any change. If the numbers dictate a step back, it will be tough to hold games. (The trend seems to be flattening, but who knows?)
If we do drop back, maybe we can do what they did in Pierce County. Build outdoor courts indoors at the local fairgrounds. It is allowing the schools in that area to play games despite a Phase 2 designation. It also came about because a bunch of businesses wanted high school basketball to happen and the folks who ran the facilities facilitated the process.
We have no doubt the same sentiment is felt here. And we may have to find out if the same charitable stance, and can-do attitude, is pervasive among local businesses and governmental agencies. Stay tuned.
• In the early 1980s, our family made a radical change. Kim and I left our home and relatives in California and moved to Spokane. And we started to expand the Grippi name, with our first child, a masculine child, arriving in 1984.
Through it all we were accompanied by a bunch of friends. The staff at St. Eligius.
“St. Elsewhere” was our favorite TV show. No matter what happened, Kim and I made time to watch Dr. Westphall, Dr. Fiscus, Nurse Rosenthal and the rest every week, either live or on the VCR.
Above all, though, rose the patient guidance of Dr. Daniel Auschlander, the conscience of the show as played by veteran actor Norman Lloyd.
Lloyd’s character was supposed to disappear early on, but proved to be so popular he continued throughout the run of the series. And why not? Dr. Auschlander was a bridge to an earlier time, a pragmatic TV doctor with a heart of gold and an optimistic attitude. He guided not only the young St. Eligius doctors but viewers as well. He was, quite honestly, the type of doctor we wanted all our doctors to be.
And Norman Lloyd was an actor who had the type of career, and life, all actors want. He worked with Orson Welles and Amy Schumer. He shared the screen with Daniel Day-Lewis and the stage with Jessica Tandy. He was directed by Hitchcock and Scorsese.
But his greatest role was Dr. Auschlander, at least as far as we were concerned. That’s the role we will remember.
Lloyd lived to be 104. He died Tuesday in Los Angeles. And there seems to be only one thing to say. Thanks for all the advice Dr. Auschlander.
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WSU: The baseball team lost a home nonconference game. … Larry Weir checked in with the voice of the Cougs, Matt Chazanow, on the latest Press Box podcast. … Elsewhere in the Pac-12 and college sports, will there be any money left for the conference when it gets around to selling its media rights? And any demand? … Washington’s defensive line needs to stop the run better this fall. … What will Oregon State’s depth chart look like? … Oregon has two really good running backs. … USC has one less than it did yesterday. … In basketball news, Remy Martin has entered the transfer portal. But the Arizona State guard has his reasons and they don’t include anger at coach Bobby Hurley. … The newest Oregon assistant coach is making good money. … Don’t be surprised Arizona fans. More European players are coming. … Utah has a lot of holes to fill. … Women’s college basketball is starting to flex its muscle.
Gonzaga: UCLA coach Mick Cronin said yesterday there is little chance of a GU rematch next season. Jim Meehan explains in this story. … What’s next for Gonzaga? … Around the WCC, Santa Clara soccer is back in the women’s College Cup for the first time since 2004. … Matt Haarms was important to BYU basketball in many ways.
EWU: Chad Bonar’s firing has elicited questions Eastern athletic director Lynn Hickey says she cannot answer. Ryan Collingwood asked.
Preps: Dave Nichols has a roundup of Tuesday’s action as the spring seasons wind down.
Indians: Spokane headed to Hillsboro, Ore., for a series against Vancouver. Remember, Canada is closed for the pandemic. Anyhow, it proved to be a good start to the series, with the Indians picking up a 10-inning victory, 4-3. … Former Indian Drew Robinson homered for the first time at the Triple-A level.
Mariners: The Dodgers have played poorly enough that any win, even over the M’s, is treated like royalty. … Former colleague Howie Stalwick waxes poetic about baseball. … One more day until Jarred Kelenic is in the bigs. Will Logan Gilbert join him?
Seahawks: The opener in September will be at Indianapolis.
Sounders: The team’s new formation is paying off.
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• We need our house painted. We used a painter in the past who was exceptional. We were so happy. But even the best job has to be redone after a few years. I began calling the painter’s number in December. Have called multiple, multiple times since. His business has a website and the number I’ve called is on it. I’ve left messages, some sort of pleading. Have not even received a call back. No sort of acknowledgement. I’m not stupid. After a dozen or so ignored calls, I get it. I’m going to try one more time. (Did I mention the finished product was exceptional?) Then it’s time to find a new painter. By the way, if you wonder how retired sports guys spend their free time, here is one answer: meeting other retired sports guys for lunch. We are all fully vaccinated, so it is time to return to getting together. There is no chance I will spill where we are meeting, mainly because I do not want you to feel obligated to stop by and buy us a drink, as I know many of you will want to do. Until later …