A Grip on Sports: Let’s take the positive view about the cooler temps and chance of rain this weekend, as that gives us another reason to watch sports on TV

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Today is, literally, the longest day of the year. If by day you mean the time the sun is above the horizon the longest. And you are located in the Northern Hemisphere. But one thing is clear. It won’t be clear in Spokane. This first day of summer is going to be cloud covered. And when the solstice arrives this evening, it might even be raining. That sure feeds the cliché, huh?

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• When I travel outside of the Northwest and mention my hometown, the revelation is usually followed by one of two questions: “It rains a lot there, huh?” or “How do you stand all the rain?”

For years I would patiently explain the geography of Washington, in an almost Cliff Clavin style: “It’s a little-known fact the Cascades serve as a barrier for ocean storms while also …”

My voice would trail off as I realized the person who had asked was not really interested in Spokane’s annual precipitation or warm summer breezes. Now all I say is something along the lines of “Spokane is not Seattle” before complaining about their area’s humidity.

What has that to do with our usual Friday subject, TV sports on the weekend?

Everything. It might be best just to stay indoors this weekend. If you want to watch the M’s at Wrigley Field or an international soccer tournament or the last NBA game for a few weeks.

That last one will probably be the last TV you watch before you head back to work Monday, as the first NBA Finals’ Game Seven – it’s important enough it needs capitalization – in almost a decade doesn’t start on ABC until 5 p.m. Sunday night. At least it should finish before dark.

And that last fact is part of what makes this time of year in the upper half of the hemisphere special.

Well that and summer sports. Baseball, for one. The M’s, already five games behind the hated Astros, will be on the North Side of Chicago this weekend. That’s the bad news, as the Cubs are having a remarkable season – they lead the National League Central by 5.5 games and are 16 games above .500. The good news? The three-game set features a Wrigley Field staple. Day games. All three of them. Today and Sunday? A 1:20 p.m. start there (11:20 a.m. here). Saturday’s game begins 20-minutes earlier. All will be on Root. And all will feature cool images of ivy growing on brick walls.

The other baseball of note this weekend will be in Omaha, where seven-time College World Series champion LSU will face off against America’s hottest team, Coast Carolina. The Chanticleers, who have won 26 consecutive games, will be seeking their second title. The best-of-three title series begins Saturday (4 p.m.) and continues Sunday (11:30 a.m.) on ESPN.

Otherwise? The cool temps – the high is not expected to clear 60 on Saturday nor 70 on Sunday – may make it perfect hiking or golfing weather.

As long as we avoid a Seattle-like misty rain.

• If you have some time on Wednesday you might want to make your way down to Riverfront Park around 6 p.m. Just off Washington, just south of the Podium, near the cool playground and basketball court. Where Hoopfest houses its Hooptown Hall of Fame exhibit.

Especially if you’re a Zag fan. A couple of all-time Gonzaga greats, Mark Few and Heather Bowman, will be part of the four-person, one-team, 2025 class.

I can personally vouch for Bowman’s participation in Hoopfest (as well as Angie Bjorklund and J.R. Camel, both inductees – and champions).

As for the 1981-82 Idaho Vandal squad that made the NCAA Elite Eight? Not sure if any of them participated much after the event began in 1990, but I wouldn’t rule it out.

I’m pretty confident, though, Few has never played in the world’s largest 3-on-3 tournament. A highly interested spectator? That’s a given. Over the years all four of his children have done the most Spokane basketball thing possible, playing in Hoopfest. I’ve run into him more than once as his children have played. And noticed something also very Spokane-like.

Despite having the best winning percentage of any college basketball coach ever, I’ve witnessed Few standing and watching his children play without once being interrupted by other spectators, most of whom know who he is.  

I’m pretty sure that wouldn’t happen to Bill Self at a 3-on-3 tournament in Lawrence, Kansas or John Calipari in Fayetteville, Arkansas. No one haranguing him because the Zags haven’t won a title yet or, in the next breath, asking how they can get tickets to a Saint Mary’s home game.

Maybe in 2026 the thousands of polite folks who have wandered the downtown streets over the years, watching, cheering, enjoying, will join him in Hooptown’s Hall of Fame. It would be appropriate.

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WSU: Cedric Coward spent a lot more time representing Eastern Washington University as a college basketball player. But even though he only appeared in seven games as a Cougar before injuries ended his Pullman experience, he will rep the school Wednesday night at the NBA Draft. As Greg Woods tells us, Coward was invited to be in the league’s Green Room, where the main hopefuls wait to hear their name called. … Elsewhere in the (current, old and future) Pac-12 and the nation, Jon Wilner sees the future. Sort of us. His Mercury News column we link this morning expects the fortunes of Arizona State and the University of Arizona to be test cases for how the new era of school-paid athletes plays out. In a lot of ways. … John Canzano spends some time making it clear he feels the Pac-12 will announce Texas State as its next member. And do it in the next 10 days. … Oregon proved us right once again that recruiting never stops. And won’t for the Ducks on Tuesday. … Same with Utah State. … Utah is going to play a tough schedule in the fall. … A Boise State assistant coach has died. … Fresno State made a push not too long ago to move its athletic events back to campus. Now the Bulldogs are examining playing downtown again. … In basketball news, Tommy Lloyd is trying to build a culture with his USA Basketball team. … The USC men picked up another transfer. … In baseball news, though Oregon State did not reach its ultimate goal, the Beavers overcame much during their successful season. … A former Arizona pitcher is not doing well health-wise.

Gonzaga: Why did we mention the Hooptown Hall of Fame ceremonies above? Mainly because of Greg Lee’s informative story about Bowman, the hometown kid who made good with the Bulldogs after winning a State 4A title at Lewis and Clark High, the culmination of a tournament I remember well. … Elsewhere in the WCC, this Jalen Williams story seems a little out-of-date.

EWU and Idaho: Around the Big Sky, the Sacramento State defection continues to resonate.

Indians: Everett needed to keep on winning if it wanted to clinch the Northwest League’s first-half title. It did, handing Spokane its ninth consecutive loss overall and third in the Avista series Thursday night, 8-3. Dave Nichols was there and has this coverage. … Dave also has a look ahead to the team’s second half. 

Track and field: The Podium is a big deal for Spokane. Just read Dave Cook’s story about what has been going on in the downtown facility and you will agree. 

Mariners: The M’s were traveling Thursday but good news has a way of finding you wherever you are. Luke Raley has been mashing the ball in his injury rehab assignment with Tacoma and could be back as soon as this weekend. … I will say it again. Baseball rivalries are the best. Even when they are between a team and a government agency. … So are deadline trades. … Julio Rodriguez has a new friend.

Seahawks: Sam Darnold understands the talk. He must once again prove his worth. This time in Seattle. 

Kraken: Though the Stanley Cup finals ended, what, five minutes ago, Seattle’s offseason is in full-go mode. The Kraken pulled the trigger on a trade, sending draft picks to Dallas for left winger Mason Marchment, who will be a free agent at the end of next season.

Sonics: We mentioned above there will be a Game Seven in the NBA Finals on Sunday. How did that happen? The Pacers played great Thursday night and routed the visiting Thunder 108-91. … How bad would it be for Seattle fans if the Thunder won?

Storm: The WNBA determined Jewell Loyd’s complaint was unfounded. And, no, the three officials who worked the recent Fever/Sun game were not the ones who made the decision.  

Sounders: It felt like a do-or-be-out-of-the-Club-World-Cup match Thursday. And yet, even though Seattle fell 2-1 to Atlético Madrid before an exuberant crowd of 51,636 at Lumen Field, it is still alive in its quest to continue on in the tournament. How? Botafogo earned a 1-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain, throwing Group B into disarray. It will take something of a miracle, though, as Botafogo must top Atlético and the Sounders have to blow out the best club in the world in its final group match Monday. … The USMNT moved on to the knockout round in the Gold Cup with a hard-earned 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia, though the final group standings are still to be determined.

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• I hate this day. It’s a weird opinion, I know, but the summer solstice is not a happy time for me. The sun begins to recede on the horizon and we begin the inevitable march toward winter. Yes. I know. Live in the moment. Sorry, not my forté. Until later …