A Grip on Sports: A happy homecoming for Dan Wilson and our thoughts on Dennis Patchin’s farewell to our TV set

A GRIP ON SPORTS • If Dan Wilson is smart, and those of us who watched him direct the Mariner pitching staff for more than decade know he is, he would walk into Jerry Dipoto’s office this morning and retire. There is no way any experience managing the M’s is going to be better than what happened last night.

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• If you follow the San Francisco Giants at all this season, you know their bullpen is, to put it nicely, suspect. As in the team’s weakest link. With that in mind, we didn’t give up on the M’s last night, even as they fell behind by a handful of runs. In the eternal struggle between the movable object – the Giants’ pen – and the resistible force – the Seattle offense – we went with the physics of playing at home.

And turned the game back on in the eighth inning.

Well, just after the Mariners had strung together six consecutive hits – probably the first since 2001, considering the new faces in the dugout – and tied the game. Just in time to see Julio Rodriguez flail at an off-the-plate slider and strikeout with the go-ahead run at second. And see Cal Raleigh and Jorge Polanco strike out as well. Just in time to make our inaugural Edgar Martinez-really-fixed-the-offense joke.

But we stuck with it through the ninth and into extras. When the guy we actually wanted to see came to bat. Leo Rivas, the fill-in shortstop that is still too short to drive at Disneyland. Though also the one guy in the lineup who seems content, especially with two strikes, to actually just try to make contact. Not hit the ball as far as he can every swing. Put it in play. You know, old school. Like Martinez and Wilson used to do.

He did. Rivas’ line drive to center not only gave the Mariners a much-needed 6-5 victory it started one of the most heartfelt postgame hug lines we’ve ever seen. First in the dugout between Wilson and his – now – assistant coaches and then on the field between the players and the new manager.

No matter how often events like Thursday’s firing of Scott Servais illustrate Major League Baseball is a business, along comes a late Friday night to show you, once again, it’s also a game played by grown men. With emotions that rival those of 12-year-olds quite often.

The M’s gained a game on the Astros, who also blew a lead on this fateful Friday. They won despite losing another reliever to the injured list. Won on a day J.P. Crawford took live batting practice. But most importantly won Wilson’s first game. His winning percentage has four numbers and starts with 1. It can’t get any better. Can it?

• We have a personal note to share. The end of an era. Our friend Dennis Patchin’s retirement from the TV ranks.

John Blanchette has this perfect can’t-believe-he’s-retiring story on the S-R website today. It will appear in the newspaper on Sunday, where it will reach more people than any other day of the week. Which is appropriate.

Patchin has been visiting living rooms and kitchens throughout the Inland Northwest – and into Canada – for almost four decades now. He was the face, and voice, of KXLY for most of it. He’s at KHQ now. Will be until Friday. And then the dinner hour will have to do without his trademark “are you kidding me?”

But he’s not leaving. Not really. Unlike old soldiers, old sports guys don’t fade away. They keep busy. Patchin will do that as the voice of University of Idaho’s radio broadcasts, with football and basketball on his plate.

Our personal and professional history in Spokane is entangled with Dennis’. Somewhere in a closet drawer we still have our red KXLY basketball jersey, given to us four decades ago when we played with Dennis – a power forward, with the emphasis on forward – and his co-workers Rick Lukens and Bud Nameck in a county league. We’re not sure if Dennis still has his Paper Boys jersey, though. We reciprocated at one point, using the trio as supplements to the newspaper’s team roster.

Our paths crossed with Dennis’ off and on at prep sports events, our kids’ athletic endeavors and, most importantly, while we covered Washington State football and basketball. During our five years in Pullman, we would be a weekly guest on his radio show, talking with him, Lukens and Keith Osso, all the while standing somewhere outside Bohler Gym, babbling on a cell phone with crappy reception.

The signal must have been good enough. Dennis invited us to be a fill-in host on the show, which morphed into an off-and-on post-retirement gig.

Oh, and lest we forget, we teamed with Dennis on the Cougar football postgame show doing the first couple Mike Leach seasons. You know, when Leach’s teams weren’t very good and most of you were ticked off driving home from Pullman after another after midnight finish.

Before we took the gig, we asked then-athletic director Bill Moos if he was OK with us telling the truth. Not sugar-coating anything. Not be one of these home radio guys that tell listeners everything is going great when, in fact, there is an aroma of cow pasture in the building.

Moos said yes. And he was true to his word. Little did we realize, however, Dennis would make it a moot point to some degree. No one every listened to Dennis and not know how he felt. He always wore his emotions on the sleeve of his Hawaiian shirt. Call in, say something ill-informed and Dennis would just not have any of it. The term “pound sand” was used occasionally.

Yet, he was always professional about his business. He taught us so much. We hardly had to work thanks to his efforts. Got to enjoy ourselves immensely.

We miss those days – though not the late nights. Driving U.S. 195 in the wee hours of the morning took their toll on Dennis – he once hit a moose, the non-athletic-director type, and totaled his car – and on us. He stepped away because of it. Then a few years later we did as well.

Now Dennis is stepping away from a job we know he loves. It’s time. After all, his wife Dorothy, a longtime teacher at Centennial Middle School, has already retired. And we’re guessing she wants to make sure he’s free to drive around town delivering her Christmas time soft peanut brittle. And to travel the world, something the two do already and we expect will become more common.

You know, we’ve always wondered if the tour bus drivers of Rome ever heard anyone say “vai a battere la sabbia” before. While wearing a Hawaiian shirt. And regaling the other passengers with tales of the Palouse.

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WSU: Speaking of the Palouse, we can pass along Jon Wilner’s weekly mailbag, filled this week with questions, and answers, about the two remaining Pac-12 members. … The Associated Press has a Washington State preview story. … Elsewhere in the (new and old) Pac-12, the Mountain West and the nation, Wilner also passes along the weekly West Coast recruiting roundup in the Mercury News. … The season begins this morning in Dublin, where it is night time. What do you need to know about the new look of college football? And the streaming part of it, something that is crucial these days. … Oregon State athletic director Scott Barnes likes what he’s seen thus far from new coach Trent Bray. And Bray probably likes what he’s seen with at least a few players. And the secondary’s competition.  … The Oregonian’s number stories are repeating themselves. Sort of. There were so many greats who wore No. 8 for Oregon State and Oregon, there is second part for both schools. … We know a few things about Washington. And not others. But there are guesses about the depth chart, at least. … The best way to earn respect? Let your play do your talking. It’s something an Oregon running back has learned. … What the heck is going on at Colorado? An assistant coach is let go for soliciting NIL funds in Saudi Arabia and Deion Sanders says he won’t answer questions from a Denver Post columnist? The Buffs better win or things could go south in Boulder quickly. … Remember when Sanders was a victim of theft during a game at the Rose Bowl? Three folks are facing felony charges from it. … Not only does Utah have a prime-time team, it also has better wi-fi in its stadium. … Arizona has a prime-time quarterback. … Could UConn be joining the Big 12? If so, does that open the door for a local school?  … In the Mountain West, two quarterbacks are still vying for San Jose State’s starting spot. … There are a bunch of stories on Wyoming to pass along today, so we will just send you to one page with all of them. … Strength is a, well, strength for Boise State’s top running back. … We had Hawaii’s first opponent wrong all week. Not sure why. Didn’t realize it until one hawk-eyed reader passed along the mistake. Thanks. The Warriors kick off the season tonight. … Utah State’s nickname? The Aggies. The school is leaning into the agricultural part of its heritage. … Yes, New Mexico is an FBS school hosting an FCS school. And yet, that FCS school, Montana State, is favored by double digits today. … UNLV is trying to rev-up its offense. … Each position group at Colorado State has strengths and weaknesses.

Gonzaga: If you have, or know someone who has, season tickets to the GU men’s games, you know the whole Kennel is being re-seated. No matter of you’ve had those two seats behind the east basket for almost two decades. You may not have them come October. Why? That’s easy. It’s the same answer for every college-sports-related question these days. Money. The Gonzaga athletic department needs more of it. And the only sure way of bringing it in is to reward those folks who donate more. Thomas Clouse has a story on the changes coming to seating at the McCarthey Athletic Center on the S-R website this morning and in the newspaper Sunday.  

EWU and Idaho: Around the Big Sky, once again, Montana has sold a record number of season tickets. … Idaho State has one more week before it begins play. … Cal Poly’s running backs’ room features four returning players. … The radio home of Northern Colorado athletics has to change.

Preps: Dave Nichols was in North Idaho last night. Why? Other than he lives there, Dave was watching Coeur d’Alene High open its football season against Rigby. The Vikings, top-ranked in Idaho 6A, topped the third-ranked Trojans 24-14. Fun fact. C’dA quarterback Caden Symons played about 60 basketball games for us over a couple spring/summer seasons. And he’s not the first point guard we’ve had who became an exceptional high school quarterback. The two positions demand quite a few similar skills.

Indians: We were unable to find a link today (though you can try the e-edition story). Sorry. But Spokane’s bats came alive last night in Hillsboro en route to a 7-2 victory. … Elsewhere in the Northwest League, Everett scored two in the top of the ninth to tie and another in the 10th to top Vancouver 3-2. … Eugene fell again at Tri-City, this time 6-3.

Velocity: There is no story to link here as well, but Spokane earned a draw on the road at Knoxville.

Hockey: The Eagles Ice Arena has undergone renovations as it prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary. Alexandria Osborne has the story.  

Mariners: Yep, the M’s won. … That still doesn’t forgive the fact the way Scott Servais found out he was fired was inappropriate. For his part, Servais took the high road. … The players did as well, though anyone expressing shock is not being truthful. … Wilson seems prepared for whatever happens the rest of this season.

Seahawks: The Hawks are at Lumen Field tonight. A 7 p.m. kickoff against the Browns. The last preseason game. What should you be looking for? … Don’t look for Darrell Taylor. The team sent the linebacker to the Chicago Bears for a 2025 sixth-round draft pick. And picked up a $3.116 million salary cap savings. … The Pro Football Hall of Fame folks changed the eligibility rules Friday. There is no longer a five-year waiting period. They did it for Pete Carroll. No, not Bill Belichick. Pete. … Dee Williams has made a good impression.

Sounders: The MLS season returns. Seattle is in Minneapolis. … Hey, even Salt Lake City realized you have to make additions if you want to win. The Sounders? Three years of nothing. And no titles.

Reign: Megan Rapinoe’s jersey will be retired soon. She talked with the Times about her post-playing-career life.

Storm: Gabby Williams gives Seattle someone who can do a lot of different things.

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• We only have one Mariner T-shirt in our possession. And it’s not even a Mariner one. The white shirt has black lettering. It says “Thou shall not steal second. Dan 2:6.” It was a gift. We wore it a lot under our fastpitch jersey back in the day. That is not why our stories about Dennis Patchin did not lead off the day. Breaking news has to come first. It is something we are sure Dennis understands. Until later …