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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

A Grip on Sports: We love college football. The other stuff? It takes up too much time and energy

A GRIP ON SPORTS • We interrupt your summer munching hot dogs at the ballpark for this update on the Pac-12’s financial future. Ok, we lied. We don’t have one yet. Even after the conference’s football media day. But don’t worry. All is well. In fact, better than well.

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• That is, if you believe commissioner George Kliavkoff. And why shouldn’t you? The Pac-12 commissioner’s office has been such a bastion of honesty and trustworthiness in the past decade or so.

Unfair? Sure. But when Kliavkoff tries to sell the idea the long wait is actually a plus for the conference, that not announcing a media deal in Las Vegas on Friday was a conscious choice, please excuse us for being skeptical. Too many scars have built up to just accept such lines on face value.

Maybe, as Kliavkoff said, we’re trying to build too much into all that was said yesterday. Which, actually, was our point heading into the event. Due to a lack of finality, a day that is designed as a celebration of the football season ahead, suffered a case of split personality.

Which is too bad. The Pac-12 may not be the best football conference in the nation but it does, this year at least, feature the best group of players at the most-important position, quarterback. And most of them were in Las Vegas, talking about the season ahead.

Heisman winners, Heisman contenders, should-be Heisman candidates. Guys who can run, guys who can throw. Guys who can do both consistently. It’s a bumper year in the Pac-12 at the position. We can’t wait.

The media deal, a key element of the conference’s future after USC and UCLA leave for the Midwest following the school year, will have to wait. But we can be assured it will be great. After all, we have heard it straight from the lead horse’s mouth. The Pac-12 is ready to run. When the time is right.

• Maybe we’re being too hard on Kliavkoff and the conference’s presidents. There is a chance – fat or thin, we’re not sure – being patient will result in the conference outdistancing its one peer, the Big 12, in financial largesse. It’s needed to compete with the other members of the Power 5. Yes, the Big Ten and the SEC are too far ahead to catch and the ACC is an enigma, due to its longer-than-usual grant-of-rights agreement. As the landscape changes between now and the end of the decade, the ACC, Big 12 and Pac-12 seem to be battling each other for a third-place finish. A spot that may end up being the last chair available when the soundtrack of realignment stops playing.

• How about the football? All the premier quarterbacks, from Caleb Williams to Michael Penix Jr. to Bo Nix to, yes, even Washington State’s Cameron Ward, were in Las Vegas. This time of the year everyone is happy about everything. As well they should be. Even Utah’s Cam Rising, coming off knee surgery, is pleased with how his rehab is going and pledged to be ready for the opener against Florida.

The reality is simple. Not everyone will win every game. No one might. But as July enters its final week, the promise of perfection seems possible.

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WSU: Jake Dickert is ready for his second full season in charge of the Cougars. This year he will have two new coordinators, one just 27-years-old, and a veteran quarterback. There are holes to fill on both sides of the ball, as there always are, especially in Pullman. But if the tenor he struck Friday is any indication, he is excited about it. Greg Woods has a story about Dickert’s and Ward’s day, and another on Ron Stone Jr.’s outlook about just about everything but football. … Elsewhere in the Pac-12 and the nation, Jon Wilner has his thoughts about Kliavkoff’s media-deal comments yesterday. … So does Stewart Mandel. And others from the West Coast, including Larry Stone. … The same can be said about John Canzano, who also has some other thoughts. … As does the guy who replaced him at the Oregonian, Bill Oram. … OK, we have multiple stories to pass along from Washington. And from Oregon, including about Nix, coach Dan Lanning and the other Ducks. … Oregon State is covered in depth as well. … From the rest of the conference, Colorado sent a stand in for Deion Sanders, who is dealing with foot issues. … Utah has a veteran coach in Kyle Whittingham who still is healthy (unlike his quarterback) and enjoys what he is doing. … USC is expected to be one of the nation’s better teams, not just the Pac-12’s. … UCLA is breaking in a new quarterback in its last go-round. … Arizona State’s new coach was in the spotlight. … As was Arizona (and former WSU) quarterback Jayden de Laura, who spoke a little about the sexual assault case from his high school time.

Gonzaga: Team USA needs a team to scrimmage as it preps for the FIBA World Cup. And Chet Holmgren is expected to be named to that group. Jim Meehan has more on the reports. … Theo Lawson has a story on Joel Ayayi signing with a French pro team. … Elsewhere in the WCC, a jury awarded a former USF basketball player $750,000 in a lawsuit against the school and coach Molly Goodenbour.

EWU: Former Eagle and Shadle Park High standout Tanner Groves, who finished his career at Oklahoma, will play next year in Poland. … His brother Jake is ready for his first season at Virginia, which will also be his first in college without his brother. … Elsewhere from the Big Sky, a Northern Colorado assistant took a roundabout path back to football.

Indians: Another game, another loss to Vancouver. Spokane fell 4-1 Friday. Dave Nichols has the coverage from Avista.

USL: Spokane Velocity FC is the name of the new professional soccer team in town. Jim Allen shares that and more in this story.

Seahawks: Hey, we can pass along another ranking of players heading into training camp.

Mariners: Teoscar Hernandez made his old team pay. With a loss. The former Blue Jay’s single to the wall in the ninth lifted the M’s to a 3-2, come-from-behind victory at T-Mobile. … His teammates have Jarred Kelenic’s back. … What will the Mariners do in the next couple weeks?

Kraken: Vince Dunn is now the highest-paid Seattle player after signing a new four-year contract.

Storm: How has Jewell Loyd changed her game to become such a prolific scorer?

Golf: Jon Rahm announced his presence with authority this morning, with the first 63 ever shot at Royal Liverpool during an Open Championship. Will his 6-under be leading the tournament at the end of the day?

Sounders: The U.S. women opened the World Cup with a get-to-know-you 3-0 win over Vietnam in New Zealand. … Of course Lionel Messi did. His free kick as time was running out was perfectly placed in the upper left corner. It lifted Inter Miami to a 2-1 Leagues Cup victory. … Seattle opens the tournament against Real Salt Lake.

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• You know, no matter how well you hit the golf ball, scoring depends on be able to make putts. Not just long ones, but medium ones and short ones as well. That sure was obvious watching this morning. As if we haven’t learned that lesson in the first 50-plus years of playing. Until later …