A Grip on Sports: From the Mariners to a homecoming, we have some thoughts today about football, basketball and more

A GRIP ON SPORTS • The Baltimore Orioles won 101 games this season. The Los Angeles Dodgers 100. The Atlanta Braves, who will be playing to stay alive tonight, won 104. The M’s? The won 88. But, like Baltimore and the Dodgers, are already working on their offseason plans. Baseball is weird.

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• We’re not going to dwell on this, nor are we going to dig all that deeply, but there is something of a crapshoot nature to baseball’s postseason. We’re not sure why other than the nature of the game makes it so. And always will, as long as there are so many teams in the postseason tournament.

So, basically, from now until Waterworld becomes a documentary instead of a unintended comedy.

We’re not going back to one league champion versus the other, thus the 162-game regular season has become no more than prologue. There really is no acceptable way to give the best teams in both leagues enough of an advantage to almost ensure a best-versus-best World Series. Might as well forget it.

Momentum in the game is real. So is luck. Pressure. Health. All things no one really has control over, except maybe Loki and he’s a mythical – and Marvel – god.

Try to get into the postseason. And then cross your fingers. Rub your rabbit’s foot. Pull out that four-leaf clover you found in a box of Lucky Charms in 2012. It’s all part of October.

• Another part of October? Big-time college football games. There is one in Seattle this weekend. Another in South Bend. An ACC showdown in Chapel Hill. And, believe it or not, a fourth one pitting two ranked schools in Corvallis.

Hey, the Pac-2 is a real thing, isn’t it?

Clearly. What isn’t clear is who will emerge stronger. And who will limp home. Teams are ranked this time of year a bit more on what they’ve done than who they are, something that isn’t always true in September. When two of them clash, little things make a difference. One play. One bounce. One call.

We have our thoughts. In the four games matching ranked teams, we believe only one road team is going to win. You have to guess which. Not saying. But we will offer one obscure hint. It ain’t USC.

• The Seahawks would have been better served to play Cincinnati a couple weeks ago. When Ja’Marr Chase was in his blue period. Right now, the NFL’s most unstoppable wide receiver is red hot. Which doesn’t bode well for Seattle.

The best way to limit Chase’s impact, other than hoping Bengal offensive coordinator Brian Callahan returns to his September play sheet, is to put pressure on Joe Burrow. Don’t allow him to even see his old LSU buddy. Otherwise, Chase is going to make plays. Enough, in fact, to make it hard for Seattle to win one of those 10 a.m. road games we all like to bemoan.

Have the Hawks been able to supply unrelenting pressure this season? No. It comes and goes. The secondary is pretty darn good – Jamal Adams should be able to make a go of it as well, adding another level of help not only in coverage but in pressure – but if the maligned Cincy offensive line holds – maybe literally – up against Seattle, watch out.

• We’re in a prognosticating mood today. No, it’s not as painful as it sounds. Except maybe to you folks.

We’re guessing Jayden de Laura doesn’t start Saturday in Pullman. And unless things go sideways for freshman Noah Fifita, doesn’t play at all.

Arizona coach Jedd Fisch is going to play the quarterback that gives his team the best chance to win. A healthy de Laura was his choice early in the season. One that is not 100%? The way Fifita played last week in Los Angeles, it’s not a hard decision.

Add in the emotion of playing at Washington State, where de Laura first experienced the emotions of college football, good and bad, and it seems a no-brainer.

We’re perfectly suited to make that type of choice for Fisch. Sit de Laura. Ride with Fifita. And your team has a better chance.

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WSU: There is a lot here this morning, mainly because the Pac-12 held something of a basketball media day. We say “something” due to the absences. No George Kliavkoff. No Bill Walton. No hope for the conference that, after this year, will no longer hold the NCAA record (15, tied with the ACC) for most titles – unless Arizona wins one in its swan song. Greg Woods delves into Washington State’s chances in this story. And, what’s up with Kliavkoff? The 12 schools sure aren’t getting their money’s worth. Maybe they should fire him for cause and split up the salary. … The Times has a story on Kyle Smith working with UW’s Mike Hopkins to keep the rivalry alive next year and beyond. … On the football side, the Cougars should welcome back receiver Josh Kelly but probably won’t have Lincoln Victor. Greg has that story as well. … Greg also wonders if they will use backup quarterback John Mateer, and his running ability, more this week as a change up – and to bolster a languid running game. … Former WSU quarterback Gardner Minshew has become the Flo of the NFL. Someone who is always there when you need insurance. … Elsewhere in the Pac-12 and the nation, John Canzano has heard some rumbling of Oregon State and Washington State positioning themselves to play it alone next year. The Pac-2 might actually be a thing. At least for a short while. … Jon Wilner makes his picks for the week in the Mercury News. … He also has thoughts concerning the Huskies’ A.D. hire. … The Seattle showdown features a Washington team with an offense that’s posting historic numbers against an Oregon squad that seems a bit more well-rounded. Almost a complete reversal of the roles displayed when Chip Kelly was in Eugene. … The game also features the conference’s two best teams. But will its luster survive when the teams are in the Big Ten? … There is a Friday game this week and that ticks off Deion Sanders. His Colorado squad hosts Stanford, the second time this year the Buffs have played a night game. Sanders expressed his happiness with getting out of the Pac-12 and its late starts. Sorry, man. The ACC, Big-12 and Big Ten mined the left coast for just that. The Buffs aren’t done with 7:30 p.m. starts on ESPN (and elsewhere) for the foreseeable future. … What’s up with California’s defense? The Bears may have struggled in the past few seasons, but at least they stopped people often. Not this year. … Utah has a true freshman playing left tackle. … UCLA has one playing quarterback. … If Caleb Williams lifts USC to a win over Notre Dame, does that earn him another Heisman? Maybe not. … In basketball news, an Oregon State player changed his number to honor his mom. … Oregon wants to make some noise as it leaves the Pac-12. … Expect the current teams to play each other in nonconference games next season and beyond. A good example: Arizona and UCLA. … The return of its best player is a boost for Colorado. … It’s a new optimistic era at California. … Stanford hears the noise but hopes to ignore it.

Gonzaga: The West Coast Conference women held their media extravaganza Wednesday in Las Vegas and the Zags were picked once again to win the regular season title. Jim Meehan has that story. … Theo Lawson has a piece on coach Lisa Fortier’s side trip while in Vegas, taking in Courtney Vandersloot’s WNBA finals game. Her Liberty lost to the Aces. … Jim and Theo, who will be covering the men’s media as well, combined on this notebook as well.  

EWU and Idaho: The Eagles should be refreshed from their bye. They will return to action Saturday someplace they haven’t played since 2021, Pocatello. Next up for the 21st-ranked Eagles is Idaho State. Dan Thompson has a preview. … Elsewhere in the Big Sky, Idaho has mined Helena and Montana Tech for an impact player. … UC Davis will be trying to salvage its playoff chances when it travels to Ogden this week. … In basketball news, Montana made some staff additions on the women’s side.

Whitworth: Austin Ewing lost his love of football. Injuries will do that. Not playing much when healthy had an impact as well. He decided he would uses his COVID-19 year and transfer from Southern Utah to some place where he had a better chance to play. Enter the Pirates. And enter their starting quarterback. Greg Lee has more in this story.

Preps: The S-R’s Thursday feature is from Madison McCord, who delves into the well-rounded aspect of Gonzaga Prep’s volleyball team this season. … Dave Nichols has a roundup of Wednesday’s GSL action.

Chiefs: Dave was also in the Arena last night, covering Spokane’s rally and ultimate win 3-2 over visiting Kamloops.

Kraken: We wrote yesterday about the new pricing for Root on Comcast. If you want to watch the Kraken and others, this story presents you with some options. … A Las Vegas player was suspended for a dirty hit in the opener.

Seahawks: Bobby Wagner is still getting the job done at 33. … Jarran Reed has become a key to the Hawk defense. … Two young corners may hold the key to containing Chase on Sunday.

Mariners: What does Seattle have to do in the offseason to help its chances to be a participant in the playoff crapshoot? Bolster the offense.

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• OK, we’ll spill. Yep, we think Notre Dame will slow the game, keep Williams off the field and had USC its first loss. We also think Washington will hold off Oregon. And Miami won’t bounce back against North Carolina. But UCLA in Corvallis? The Bruins’ defense is really good. That travels. Maybe they should stay in a Pac-3 next season. They might be the favorites. Until later …