A Grip on Sports: On this holiday Sunday, take some time to build a memory or two
A GRIP ON SPORTS • We’re going to be short today. Mainly because it’s Easter, and we’re sure a large group of you have better things to do than read us ramble on. If part of those better things includes watching the Masters finish up – without Tiger Woods – we are right there with you.
•••••••
• Our favorite Easter memory? March, 1986. First Easter in what would become our longtime (and current) Spokane home. Our sister visiting with her family. Our eldest just two, our niece barely five. Hiding the eggs in the snow. And watching the two of them struggle to find them.
We’ll never forget Tyler toddling around, over-dressed, falling every few steps. Noel’s mom telling her to stop grabbing all the eggs and let her cousin find a couple.
Good times.
Which is what the Cougars would like to have happen this fall in Pullman. And the best chance of that begins up front offensively.
Washington State gave up 46 sacks last season. As is always the case, not all of them were the fault of the offensive line. Quarterback Cameron Ward carries some of the responsibility as well – he often tried to make chicken salad when it wasn’t possible – but the o-line wasn’t great in 2022.
The rebuild is beginning this spring. The group has tremendous potential but not a lot of experience. Clay McGuire, who is in his second WSU stint, is charged with turning a group of saplings into mature Ponderosa pines quickly. How quickly will play a big role in the team’s success – or lack of it.
Memories are also being built today among the Georgia pines.
Whether it will be Brooks Koepka or Jon Rahm – or someone like Patrick Cantlay or Victor Hovland – donning the green jacket, we don’t know. But we have been assured it won’t be Woods. The beat-up legend withdrew before the third round finished up, taking his last-place score and packing his bags. Lower-body issues were obvious Saturday as he limped around the tough-to-walk course. They became too much.
It could be Woods’ final competitive walk around the hallowed grounds, as he’s hinted it just isn’t worth it to him anymore. But we doubt he’ll stop playing in his favorite tournament, one he dominated for so long. At least not until he can play with his son Charlie, a 14-year-old amateur.
Maybe that will happen on another Easter Sunday in the not-too-distant future. And, once again, the day will yield special memories.
•••
WSU: Colton Clark examines what’s happening with the offensive line in the S-R this morning. We’ve always felt the unit is the most important for any college football team and we’re not about to change our point of view at this late date. … The baseball team was swept by Arizona State. … Elsewhere in the Pac-12 and the country in football, Washington’s scrimmage Friday brought some much-needed information for the Huskies. … With pads on Saturday, the contact picked up at Oregon. The quarterback and new offensive coordinator are laying a foundation for the fall. … A foundation is also being built at Colorado. … It’s now a family thing for Utah’s defensive line. And the family name is familiar to those who follow Idaho football: Elliss. … There is a lot of cross-pollination these days between California and Stanford. … There is a friendly quarterback competition at UCLA with a young star in the mix. … The defense is getting better at Arizona. … In basketball news, Oregon has lost an assistant coach to Oklahoma. … UCLA has picked up a shooter from Utah. … On the women’s side, one Oregon transfer found a home while another player entered the portal. … Colorado has another player staying. … The transfer portal is hitting Stanford hard. And the Cardinal may not have the same ability to make it up as other schools have.
Gonzaga: The Zags’ Australian recruit, Alex Toohey, hardly played in the Nike Hoop Summit and did not score. We have more thoughts below in the prep section.
EWU and Idaho: Around the Big Sky, Montana is about to start on its indoor facility for football. … It is a homecoming of sorts for the new special teams coordinator at Northern Colorado.
Preps: We watched the Nike Hoop Summit from Portland last night on NBA TV. We tuned in to watch Lake City High’s Blake Buchanan play – he had eight points, eight rebounds and, by our count but not the official statistician’s, four blocked shots. And showed he belonged with the world’s best. The broadcast quality? Not as good as, say, something Murrow College would produce for a midweek baseball game. And way too much focus on Bronny James, though we expected that.
Indians: Another day of rain, and postponed games, in Vancouver. However, we have more than enough to keep you busy. It’s preview day, with Dave Nichols beginning with the fun coincidence of Gabriel Hughes really starting his professional career in the same city he played his college baseball. … Dave also introduces us to the new manager and checks in with former Spokane players in the Rockies’ system.
Mariners: Big game for the M’s today and it’s not even two weeks into April. If Seattle and Cleveland are in wild-card contention in September, the season series between the two could decide a lot. Both have won three games against the other, the Mariners getting their third Saturday 3-2 behind great pitching from Marco Gonzales and the bullpen. … Kolten Wong hasn’t contributed yet, as in just one hit in nine games.
Sounders: It’s early in the MLS as well. But Seattle’s 3-0 win against upstart St. Louis put the Sounders atop the Western Conference table.
Kraken: Despite having a playoff berth tucked inside their sweaters, the Kraken didn’t let up Saturday night, pounding Chicago 7-3 at home.
Masters: Koepka took a lead Thursday. Held it through Friday and the rainy Saturday. He finished up the third round Sunday morning with Rahm nipping at his heels. Hovland went on a birdie run late in the rain-delayed third round to move up the leaderboard. The rest of the day should hold quite a bit of drama.
•••
• Enjoy your Sunday. Until later …