A Grip on Sports: Even Easter’s obligations couldn’t intrude completely on watching the M’s top the Astros

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Sunday was actually a tough day to watch sports. All the Easter obligations kept cutting into Mariner time. Or golf. But not football.

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• The USFL was on yesterday. Actually, we may be contractually obligated to say something like “the reconstructed USFL” or “the reborn USFL” because this isn’t your former president’s league.

It’s a whole new chance for someone to fail at spring football.

We can actually swear in a court of law we didn’t watch a moment of the new spring football league over the weekend and not get cited for contempt or perjury are whatever it is judges cite. Not one second.

We sort of planned to, though. Just for you. To let you know what it was like. But instead we got stuck in an Easter movie rabbit hole – Mexican-born Anthony Quinn playing a Ukrainian pope was once a thing – which took up our morning. And then the M’s were on and Matt Brash’s tightrope act made it hard to turn away. When was he going to fall off?

Turns out that happened after the Mariners had scored six runs. And after we got caught up in Jordan Spieth’s mission to overcome a missed 12-inch putt – that’s our estimate, not everyone else’s – from Saturday afternoon.

We missed it when Michael Brantley’s sixth-inning two-run home run knocked Brash from his first major league win, but we hadn’t missed Ty France’s earlier three-run bomb. Called it actually, which impressed the recently retired Mrs. Grippi, sitting in her chair watching baseball on a Sunday instead of making lists of everything she had to get done before the hell that used to be Mondays.

The only thing she had to do this day was flee the TV room if she wanted to avoid our gloating about getting one prediction in 1,474 correct.

We certainly didn’t predict Spieth would birdie the 18th hole at the RBG Heritage tournament, watch every other contender except Patrick Cantlay melt away down the stretch and realize his Saturday miscue had cost him his second consecutive Easter Sunday win in regulation.

Of such things are regrets made. Except, thanks to a one-hole playoff, Spieth redeemed himself. Picked the perfect day for that, didn’t he?

Farthest out off the tee on the playoff hole, Spieth misjudged the wind and plunked his second shot in the front bunker. No problem. Cantlay did the same thing. And Cantlay, a UCLA grad, ended up with a fried-egg lie near the lip.

Spieth knocked his bunker shot so close even he couldn’t miss it. Cantlay didn’t. And his 20-footer had no chance.

Victory. Now we have to delve into whether or not Spieth actually returned to the kids CBS showed him with to sign autographs. Last night we weren’t sure we would ever know.

(After extensive research, which consisted of Googling “Jordan Spieth autographs,” we discovered he indeed returned to the passel of fans and spent time signing. Good for him.)

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WSU: When the Cougars scrimmaged Saturday, there was more than enough for Colton Clark to write about. So much, actually, he has a notebook in this morning’s paper. … Elsewhere in the Pac-12 and college football, kickers feel stress too. Especially at Colorado, where long-distance is the norm. … There is another linebacker at Utah that everyone is raving about. … Former Oregon State coach Mike Riley and wife Dee is one reason to focus a bit on the USFL. … In basketball news, the walk-on roster at Colorado is thin right now. … Utah seems to be filling up its bench.

Chiefs: In the rush to get Spokane’s regular-season-ending win in Sunday’s paper, mistakes were made. And we linked them. The Chiefs are actually the seventh seed in the WHL’s Western Conference playoffs and will open their series at Kamloops on Friday.

Indians: A get-away 8-1 win Sunday in Eugene had to salve the wound of a tough series against the Emeralds that including four consecutive losses. The Indians return to Avista on Tuesday to host Hillsboro. Dave Nichols has the story.

Mariners: Not only did Brash earn his first win in the 7-2 decision, Jarred Kelenic and Julio Rodriguez also contributed to the offense as the M’s took two of three from Houston.

Seahawks: An offensive tackle with the ninth pick? It could happen. … When will a quarterback be the choice?

Kraken: Seattle is finally playing break-even hockey, which makes one wonder what’s ahead.

Storm: Sue Bird is back for her last season. At least it looks that way. Who really knows?

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• A quick note. We are going to be busy tomorrow so we are taking the day off. Sorry. Or you’re welcome, whichever is appropriate. We will be back Wednesday. For those of you wondering, no it is not because we have to leave the country to avoid the IRS. Took care of that already. Until then …