A GRIP ON SPORTS • When the NFL went to a 17-game schedule last season, the league dropped a preseason game. Makes sense. What didn’t make sense then, and still doesn’t, is the regular season start remained on the same weekend.

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• In the late 1970s, when the NFL lengthened its regular season schedule from 14 to 16 games, the league moved opening weekend to Labor Day. Seemed appropriate. End summer with the greatest of all fall sports.

But in 2001, the league decided to punt the holiday to college football, moved the Super Bowl to February and changed the viewing habits of America.

Which meant each NFL team received one bye over the course of a 17-week schedule. It’s been that way ever since. Now, however, the regular season is 17 games long, extending the grind an extra week.

And grind it is. One that crushes players at an unacceptable rate.

Yet, when the teams finish their exhibition games this weekend, they don’t return to game action for two weeks. Then play week after week. In the Seahawks’ case, this season’s bye doesn’t come until week 11. Ten consecutive weeks of games is too many in a league with limited rosters.

The solution is simple. People are willing to watch football on Labor Day weekend. Colleges know that, and take advantage. Move opening weekend back to that date. End on the same weekend. Instead of a week off before the deluge, give the players another respite mid-monsoon. Let everyone play 17 games in 19 weekends. Then start the postseason.

We know why it hasn’t happened. Money. The networks have programming available from colleges (even on Sunday and Monday) so they aren’t pushing. Without their shove, the league won’t change.

Until they add the 18th game to the regular season. It will come someday soon. And with it will be Labor Day weekend games. Though no bye. The labor force will be asked to shoulder another burden. Rosters may expand some but that’s it.

And folks at home will have another holiday viewing option.

• Little-known fact about yours truly. There is a temper imbedded deep in our personality. Another little-known fact. Tom Weiskopf was the golfer we most enjoyed watching in our formative years. Are those facts related? Certainly.

Weiskopf, who died of cancer Saturday at the age of 79, was a firebrand with a tendency to explode in flames, just like the teenager who watched him win the 1973 British Open at Troon.

Most golfers kept their tempers in check. Not Weiskopf. When he wasn’t doing his best, you knew it. It was refreshing. Out-of-the ordinary. And made us feel as if we could, maybe someday, be pretty good at a game that drove us crazy.

Weiskopf spent his career in the shadow of Jack Nicklaus, the greatest the game had ever seen. During the 1970s, while Nicklaus was dominating the majors, Weiskopf was one of his foils. The foil everyone recognized, due to his size, talent and alma mater – Ohio State, same as Nicklaus.

OK, that’s not completely true. Weiskopf’s ability to display his anger was unparalleled on the PGA Tour. It cost him. Often. And yet, in a game in which stoicism was admired (and rewarded), Weiskopf would make a mistake and express his self-contempt. And still compete. Think Jordan Spieth after 17 Red Bulls.

Little did everyone know, Weiskopf was dealing with a disease that was, in the 1970, only then starting to be seen as a disease: alcoholism.

Weiskopf made it clear later in his life the bottle ruined his youth. He didn’t win that battle until he was in his 50s, and by then he had moved on to the third stage of his golf career.

Playing was over. Commentating was winding down, despite his honesty being as fresh as a winter wind in his favorite place, Big Sky, Montana. By the time the 21st Century dawned, Weiskopf was foremost a course designer. An exceptional one, actually.

Tom Weiskopf wasn’t the greatest golfer of his generation. But he was as well-rounded and as normal as any of them. And his blueprint of redefining his life, of overcoming his biggest weaknesses, set a benchmark for many. Including one ill-tempered oaf who admired him long ago.

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WSU: The Cougars will open their season Saturday of Labor Day weekend at home against Idaho. There are position battles to complete between now and then. Colton Clark takes a look at five key ones. … Alums of the local colleges are battling to make NFL teams. How did they do this weekend? … The basketball team added what is probably its last recruit of the year, a 6-foot-6 guard from France. Colton has this story on Kymany Houinsou’s commitment as well as Kyle Smith’s entire class. … Elsewhere in the Pac-12 and college football, just how well will Stanford and California do this season? Jon Wilner has his game-by-game predictions in the Mercury News. … Oregon is pretty well set with specialists. And the Ducks seem to have their depth chart elsewhere figured out as well. … A Colorado player is entering his final college season with confidence. … Utah always has good players at linebacker. … USC wasn’t able to get through preseason camp without injuries. … UCLA developed some leaders in camp. … Arizona State developed some tight end depth. … In basketball news, Oregon is on its international trip to (checks notes, laughs) Canada. That is a pretty short trip.

Idaho: Former Vandal golf standout Sophie Hausmann returns to Circling Raven this weekend looking to return to form. Jim Meehan has a preview of the tournament and a look at Hausman’s season.

Indians: A dominant Sunday win allowed Spokane to split its six-game home series with Tri City. Dave Nichols has this story on the 14-4 rout at Avista.

Mariners: It was a bad weekend in Oakland. Lack of key hits. Key defensive plays. The keys to winning the past couple months were fumbled, resulting in a lost series with the woeful A’s. Sunday’s 5-3 loss, with Luis Castillo on the mound, especially hurts. … The trades with Cincinnati seem to be good for both teams thus far. … Sam Haggerty has a sore shoulder. He still made an impact Sunday.

Seahawks: Drew Lock returned to practice about a week from coming down with COVID-19. Whether he gets a chance to start in the last exhibition game against the Cowboys is still up in the air. … There are always players who take big risks to make a roster.

Storm: Sue Bird made sure her career wouldn’t end in the first round of the WNBA playoffs. She did “Sue Bird things,” led Seattle past Washington and into a second-round matchup with Las Vegas, the top seed.

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• One last thought on Weiskopf. The courses he designed are all really good. My favorite aspect of them? Not the risk-reward par 5s or the drivable par 4s (right). It’s his propensity for short, well-bunkered par 3s. They are hard, sure, but they give short hitters a chance. But make a mistake and, oh boy are you in trouble. Until later …