A Grip on Sports: Hey, it’s Mother’s Day, the one day a year we let mom pick which game we watch

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Last year about this time, we spent some time working with a piece of plywood, making a small item for Kim for Mother’s Day. Ever look at plywood? Though each side serves similar purposes, they look different. Feel different. Thankfully, only one needs to be perfect.

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• We found the perfect side. Varnished it. Put it atop an unused planter on the back deck. Anchored it down. Bought a couple inexpensive outdoor pillows and, viola, she had a nice place to rest her feet as she drank her first cup of coffee.

As she did this morning, the 38th time she actually gets to be the subject of a Mother’s Day celebration.

We’ve been around for all of them. Watched, in awe, as she’s filled the role perfectly over the years. Our two boys were – and still are – lucky she’s the one holding down that spot in our home’s lineup. So lucky.

Though they know no different, we’ve seen both sides of the Mother’s Day doubleheader and we can tell you, from experience, moms are crucial to how you navigate life.

Including the sporting life.

The original mother in our life wasn’t what you would call a sports aficionado. Beauty queen, yes – and actually appeared on a show titled just that in Los Angeles back in the day. But sports were her husband’s thing. Something that got in the way, she felt, of the life she wanted.

It wasn’t a secret in the house my dad had an opportunity right after the war to sign with the New York Giants. They wanted him in North Carolina, pitching in the minor leagues. He had a major league arm – more than one long-time L.A. area pro who faced him told me that – and a major league head. But not a minor league wife.

She refused to go. Wasn’t going to live in the South. And made it clear to him if he took the job and left, she wouldn’t be around when he came back. He had to decide. He picked his marriage over his baseball dream. Had a family. Worked two or three jobs. Supported them financially and, when it came to sports, emotionally as well. No matter their gender.

His two daughters had one big fan in their softball endeavors. Their mom? Playing sports was not what young women should be doing. Oh, she would show up and cheer them on. It was expected in the ‘50s and ‘60s. But encourage them? Pshah. Such activity wasn’t feminine. There was no way she would ever help them develop their skills. She didn’t want them to – and had none of her own.

Her son, however, was doted over. Though she left the physical stuff to dad, she was the emotional support coach before it became a thing.

An o-fer with three errors? No problem. He tried hard. He’ll get them next time. Stop yelling at him Joe. OK, so we appreciated it. Basked in it, actually. Really didn’t understand the double-standard until later in life. And didn’t really see the fissures such conflict – and many others – caused until they divorced after 30 years of marriage.

Up until then, that was our idea of a sports mom.

Then we met Kim. Fell in love. Married. Had children. And spent years watching her loving way with her boys.

Everything was never peachy keen all the time with her. She understood what it took to be a successful athlete – and person. Loved them enough to want that for them, as they wanted it for themselves.

She was there to support when needed. But, also, to discipline when that was needed too. To play catch. To rebound. To throw passes. Her time was their time.

Neither blossomed into athletic orchids, that’s for sure, but we’re smart enough to blame dad’s genes for that. And his lack of patience. Her contributions were spot on. The boys’ best sporting memories always have some connection to mom, whether it be in the stands at Safeco as she shucked peanuts and kept score, or in the backyard as she scratched her name into the cement basketball court she took the lead on building. And then helped them scratch theirs.

On this Mother’s Day, as her children deal with middle age, it’s easy to overlook how many hours Kim spent helping the boys reach their dreams, on and off the court. How many hours she still spends.

But being successful means not always doing the easy thing. She taught them that. Heck, helped teach me. So, we’re taking time, once again, to recognize her on a Mother’s Day.

Over the years, Kim never shied away from doing the tough job. Doing it with a gentle hand. Being strong. Being supportive. Being mom.

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WSU: A meeting Monday in Seattle may have an impact on Washington State’s future. Jon Wilner lets us know in the Mercury News, the conference will hold its quarterly board meeting at UW. Though nothing will be decided, it’s another step as the conference leaders navigate the path forward. … Elsewhere around the Pac-12 and the nation, two more transfers are headed to Oregon. One from USC and the other from Colorado. … If you need a scorecard-like look at Colorado’s transfers, we found it for you. … The conference held its first softball championship series. Third-seeded Utah won it over UCLA. … New California basketball coach Mark Madsen had some things to say. … Azuolas Tubelis should follow an earlier Arizona example.

Gonzaga: We loved the picture we’re running with this piece by Theo Lawson. Love the jackets, love the ties, love the idea of college hoops in the 1940s. Theo has a story on Frank Johnson, one of the oldest living Bulldog basketball players. It’s well worth your time. … Back to this century, Theo also has this story on former Zag players who have had an impact in the NBA playoffs this year.

Preps: Dave has a roundup of Saturday’s postseason action. The high school athletic season is winding down.

Golf: North Idaho College coach Russell Grove is a PGA of America member. As such, he had a chance to qualify for the organization’s premier event, the PGA Tournament, to be held next weekend in New York. Grove did. Jim Meehan has the story of how he became one of 20 to play one week at home and the next in a major championship.

Indians: The minor league baseball season is just getting started, however, and Dave has this coverage of Spokane’s disappointing 6-5 loss to visiting Hillsboro.

Kraken: It had to happen, right? Seattle had to win the sixth game of its Western Conference semifinal with Dallas, didn’t it? Yep. The Kraken won 6-3 to force a game seven Monday night in Texas. … The contributions were varied but a couple folks really came through. … The cliché of the night? Seattle will have nothing to lose Monday. Other than moving on in the playoffs, that is.

Seahawks: There are three quarterbacks with contracts this summer. Meet No. 3, Holton Ahlers. … Mike Morris hopes bulking up will help him hold up on the defensive line.

Mariners: OK, if you had Bryce Miller as being the mid-May ace of the M’s staff in back in spring training, raise your hand. And use it to open the door because we don’t want any liars in our room. The young righthander has been a revelation. A much-needed revelation. He pitched the M’s to another win Saturday, getting through a tight first inning and going seven in Seattle’s 5-0 win in Detroit. … J.P. Crawford seems to have everything coming together offensively. 

Sounders: Seattle needed someone to come through for it on a rainy night in Houston. And it was Paul Rothrock, a minor-league signee, who did, scoring late in a 1-0 win against the Dynamo, which was playing with only nine on the pitch.

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• What are you doing for your mother today? To us, doing something has always been the best gift for this holiday. After all, in our experience, that’s what moms are so good at, doing something for their kids. Returning the favor is appropriate. Until later …