A Grip on Sports: This weekend’s TV schedule features baseball, football and more but not everyone can enjoy it

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Yesterday we wrote a bit about how the rhythms of the football week had been thrown off a bit by the weekend’s byes. But it really hit home this morning as we prepped our usual Friday column, examining the sports TV schedule for the next couple days. There are some huge holes.

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• Football gaps, mind you. Baseball? It’s overflowing Saturday with four divisional-round playoff games. From 10 in the morning until probably 10 at night, baseball playoffs will dominate FS1 (American League games) and TBS (National). The sport’s fans that still are alive – you can take two ways if you wish – must be ecstatic.

We would love to join the group but are committed in another way. Which highlights a conundrum many college football fans have to deal with each week. Attending games in person is great. Fun. Exciting. Fulfilling. But there is also the frustration of missing out. In-person means one game for the occasional attendee. The rest of the Saturday schedule? Oh, there are bits and pieces caught on a TV at the tailgate, if you are lucky enough to be acquainted with someone who has a setup out of a DirectTV commercial. Or maybe you get home early enough to watch a Pac-12 After Dark game.

It’s part of the pressure on in-game attendance all colleges are dealing with. It’s putting pressure on budgets everywhere.

The other side of the financial equation? The more people who watch your games on ESPN or Fox or any other entity that is willing to pay for it, the more money available to feed the schools’ unquenchable need for moola. And the urge to make a change to reel in those big bucks.

• What to watch on Saturday?

In this area, of course, the most important Top-25 game will be the one we are watching in person, No. 13 Washington State at UCLA (noon, Pac-12 Networks). However, the conference’s most-fun game might be its last, Arizona at No. 9 USC (7:30 p.m., ESPN). Could there be a monumental upset in this week’s After Dark battle?

Otherwise, we would have our eyes on 11th-ranked Alabama’s visit to Texas A&M (12:30, CBS), 20th-ranked Kentucky at No. 1 Georgia (4, ESPN) or No. 10 Notre Dame at 25th-ranked Louisville (4:30, ABC).

Sunday’s NFL? Without the Seahawks there seems to be two choices. An all-day RedZone Channel marathon – here’s a cool game: try to figure out how often Scott Hanson is away from his desk to, you know, eat – which would be fun, or go outside and enjoy the summer-like day. At least around Spokane.

Or, if you want to keep up with other sports, can we suggest the noon WNBA finals game between New York and Las Vegas? It’s on ABC.

• Speaking of rhythm of the college football season, it was disrupted by a jazzed-up release of upcoming Big Ten schedules on Friday. The conference threw a whole bunch of possibilities into a computer, weighed each schools’ needs, including the West Coast newcomers, and consummated its pursuit of football schedules for the rest of the decade.

Then it just asked Fox what it wanted, and went with that.

Here we are, in the midst of the best Pac-12 football season since Chip Kelly was in Eugene and everyone except Washington State and Oregon State are fixated on what their “new” conferences will do with their team. Or, in the hinterlands of the Northwest, what will happen with their future.

Both are kind of interrelated, however. After all, the Beavers and Cougars are in the midst of a court battle for the remains of the Pac-12. They are trying, rightfully, to assert the primacy of the contractually agreed-upon bylaws.

The deserting members seem to be arguing over the definition of giving notice of departure. How about publicizing their new football schedules in their new conference for next five years? Would that suffice?

Anyone who says it wouldn’t either has an I.Q. of a rattlesnake or the ethics of one.

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WSU: The term “by-the-book” has taken a new meaning these days. Greg Woods reveals the secrets behind Washington State’s decision-making process on game days, including the book the staff uses to inform decisions. That’s a cost that has been added on to the budget in recent years. … Greg also moved over to basketball for a day, putting together this story on the men’s schedule. … The top-ranked team in Pullman? That would be Jen Greeny’s volleyball squad, ranked fourth nationally. Jim Meehan highlights the Cougars’ setter, Argentina Ung, who plays the most important position on the court (and yes, the person who typed that sentence played the position a long time ago). … Back to football, UCLA seemingly has to win Saturday or its season may just slip away. … Jon Wilner delves into the feud with ESPN and says it’s time for the grownups at ESPN to show up. But what if the network axed all of them to save money? And hired Pat McAfee instead? … Elsewhere in the Pac-12 and the nation, Wilner also examines the new Big Ten schedules in the Mercury News, looking at the scheduling philosophy and how it impacts the four outgoing Pac-12 schools. … It’s also time for picks, with John Canzano offering his – he apologizes for last week – as does Christian Caple. … Jake Dickert is quoted extensively in this Athletic story on recruiting during a coaching change. … The family of former Washington football player Joe Jarzynka is still dealing with his untimely death. … As we mentioned, the Big Ten’s football schedule release is a big deal for Oregon, who has to deal with the conference’s best in 2024, and the L.A. schools, USC and UCLA. … Oregon State’s Noble Thomas has made an immediate impact. … California starts a tough stretch beginning with the Beavers tomorrow. … Colorado plays the underdog card as well as anyone. The Buffs can’t do that this week against Arizona State. … Turns out Utah quarterback Cam Rising’s injury was worse than ever known. He’s practicing but has yet to be cleared to play. That’s frustrating Kyle Whittingham. … If Arizona is to upset USC, Jayden de Laura probably needs to play and play well. The Trojans have a bunch of weapons. … In basketball news, Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd answers five questions. … Oregon would like to keep playing Oregon State. … The Ducks are dealing with injuries. … Every UCLA game will be on TV this season.

Idaho: Anthony Woods has already shown how good he is. But the running back to his game to a new level last week at Eastern, rushing for more than 200 yards and winning the FCS player of the week award. Colton Clark has this story about the Vandal star. … The opponent tomorrow, Cal Poly, is led by Paul Wulff, who knows a thing or eight about the Palouse. … Elsewhere in the Big Sky, Northern Colorado has two weeks to prepare for Sacramento State. … The Bears helped Weber State learn some lessons last week. … UC Davis knows Montana has speed and strength. … A Northern Arizona player punches above his weight class.

Preps: East Valley’s football program is starting over under new old coach Adam Fisher, back at the school after five years. The Knights picked up their first win of the season last night, defeating North Central. Dave Nichols was at One Spokane Stadium and has this story. … Colin Mulvany has a photo report from the game as well. … Dave also has a roundup of the rest of Thursday’s action from all sports. … Finally, Dave has a preview of local football action this weekend.

Chiefs: More Dave. He’s put together this notebook about the start of Spokane’s season and the weekend ahead.

Seahawks: Marshawn Lynch seems to be a guy who doesn’t pull punches. Turns out, he sort of is. He’s understated his dislike of Russell Wilson and, to a lesser degree, Pete Carroll over the years. He opened up about the enmity recently. … Will the Hawks add a third quarterback? That and more questions are answered by Bob Condotta in the Times. … Raise your hand if you ever saw a middle linebacker hit as hard as Dick Butkus. OK, anyone who says they did, including Ray Lewis fans, either are lying or didn’t see Butkus play. The Bears’ Hall of Famer died yesterday at 80.

Mariners: Jerry Dipoto realized he messed up. His comments were ill-chosen. And he admitted to that yesterday on a Seattle radio show. He says he did a poor job of explain the franchise’s path ahead. Yes, he did. Best way to appease the fans? Win something. … One certainty in baseball. If you a member of the Houston Astros and do something awful, the folks in New York will never do more than slap your wrist. Softly. Happened with Hector Neris.

Kraken: There is going to be fights, literally and figuratively, for the final roster spots. There always are.

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• We found a hat yesterday. A ball cap to protect our head Saturday. The only one that fit my giant noggin was a throwback Brooklyn Dodger one. It is Dodger blue, with a B on it. Our hope is no one will think we’re rooting for the UCLA Bruins. Don’t want to portray any favoritism in any way. Well, there was one hat that also fit. It was a USC one. We thought about buying and wearing it just to tick off everyone in the Rose Bowl. Our UCLA-graduate sister refused to allow it in her house. Aren’t rivalries fun? Until later …