A Grip on Sports: We don’t know the root of the issues but the Root broadcast of the M’s game in our home last night was unwatchable

A GRIP ON SPORTS • There was a glitch in the matrix last night. It could have originated in many spots between Sodo and Spokane but whatever or wherever it commenced its outgrowth was simple. We were unable to watch the M’s play.

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• Maybe it was a gift from the baseball gods, considering the Blue Jays knocked around a currently below-average Luis Castillo – the one the M’s are paying millions, not the other one who is no longer in the organization – and won 6-3. But we certainly didn’t view it that way Friday night, considering we had a free evening, a full belly and some great company, all prepped and ready to watch the opening game of the M’s homestand.

Every time we switched to Root Sports, we were greeted with a pixelated broadcast that would waver in-and-out, would freeze occasionally and a couple times just reverted to a black screen. Sadly, last night wasn’t the first time the glitch has happened this season. It’s been an off-and-on occurrence, but never to the degree we experienced last night.

Usually, like what happened one day when the M’s were in Cincinnati, the choppy nature of the broadcast disappeared, mostly, after an inning or two. Not this time. The Food Network. TBS. ESPN. The Comcast-supplied broadcast of those networks was just fine. So to was the streaming we watched, using the Interweb supplied by the same mega-corporation.

But the M’s on Root? Unwatchable.

Anyone else deal with this Friday? Or at other times? Or is an aging, overweight, semi-retired sports writer who occasionally glitches on old athlete’s names the only one impacted? Inquiring minds don’t really care, but would welcome knowing.

The conspiracy theorist in the house, our cat, believes it is part of Root’s long-term strategy to force everyone to its streaming app, thus eliminating the middle man – cable – and keeping all $19.99 a month in its coffers. But cats are irrationally suspicious of regional sports networks’ motives – and have been for decades.

The dog is more trusting. And slept through it all anyway. He really only watches sports when UW or Gonzaga are on anyhow. He tried watching baseball but never could understand why, after Julio Rodriguez chases down a ball in a gap, he throws it in. Why not do what Donut does, just sit in the grass and chew on it? It is fun.

Donut did offer a theory about the jerky broadcast, though his Cliff Claven-like explanation of a giant Dane, a buried cable and a game of tug-of-war with a Mastiff-Poodle mix made no sense whatsoever.

But was as good an explanation as this Comcast subscriber received from anyone Friday night.

• Over the years there have been many attempts to hold a men’s college basketball tournament featuring the Inland Northwest’s schools. Our favorite? The Rosauers-Alpo Classic, featuring the four universities and played for three years at the old Coliseum in the late 1980s. That predated the Inland Empire Classic and the Inland Northwest one.

And was almost four decades before the latest incarnation, albeit a matchup of only half the classic Inland Northwest schools, Eastern Washington and Washington State.

The two agreed to a three-year series in the Spokane Arena, starting this December. It will be called the 509 Classic, which brings to mind former WSU coach George Raveling’s definition of a “classic.” He felt it was any tournament in which the host coach invites three teams he knows he can beat.

In this case, no one knows who will win. Or, the way things stand these days, even who will be on the teams’ rosters.  

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WSU: Yes, Greg Woods has a story on the 509 Classic, announced yesterday afternoon. … Elsewhere in the (current, old and future) Pac-12 and the nation, Jon Wilner has his weekly mailbag in the S-R. … He also passes along a West Coast football recruiting summary in the Mercury News, which includes a section on Idaho’s recent successes. … Christian Caple has a Washington mailbag on his website. … John Canzano spent Friday looking at the five most important football folks associated with the Northwest’s universities. His WSU five, in order, made in association with Jason Puckett: Jack Thompson, Drew Bledsoe, Elson Floyd, Mike Leach and Bob Robertson. My only change? I would combine Floyd, Leach and Bill Moos into one spot (three people were needed to pull the Cougs out of the Jim Sterk/Paul Wulff-era sinkhole), creating an opening for Mr. Rose Bowl, Mike Price, to fill. … A new Arizona law is expected to bolster the NIL efforts for schools in the state. … Just when the Fresno State athletic department needs more support, the cash-strapped university is cutting its financial largesse. … Colorado State continues to attract transfers from Power Four schools. … In basketball news, Washington has reached into its past for a men’s special assistant. … Just what positions has Utah bolstered the most? … A San Diego State star is still contemplating his future.

Gonzaga: The Bulldogs are rising, albeit slowly, in some preseason Top 25 listings. Maybe the idea of having a handful of experienced returnees being a good thing is catching on? … Former GU women’s player Chelsea Waters was named head coach at Tallahassee State yesterday. 

EWU: We linked Greg’s story on the basketball series with WSU above (and here too). … Elsewhere in the Big Sky, Idaho State and Weber State will meet today to determine the conference’s softball tournament title and the lone NCAA tourney bid. … The Bengals came through the losers’ bracket, defeating Northern Colorado along the way. The host Bears topped Sacramento State. … The 49ers expect a big return from Montana star Junior Bergen. … Idaho State will put down new turf at its football practice facility.

Preps: We can pass along Cheryl Nichols’ roundup of Friday’s action.

Chiefs: After all the anticipation for Spokane’s first WHL finals appearance since 2008, the joy lasted all of about a minute. Medicine Hat scored 54 seconds in and only grew the lead from there, winning 4-1. Dave Nichols has this story and Tyler Tjomsland has this photo report from Alberta.

Indians: Vancouver dominated from the get-go and hammered Spokane 10-1 at Avista Stadium. Colton Clark fills in for Dave and has this coverage.

Mariners: The tariffs and tensions between Canada and the U.S. may have another unintended – or intended, who knows? – consequence. Fewer Blue Jays fans made the trip south to root for Canada’s MLB team in its visit to T-Mobile. Didn’t matter, though. Not the way Castillo was throwing and has thrown more often lately. But, as has been the case recently, the M’s rallied late and had a good shot with the bases loaded and none out in the bottom of the eighth. Unlike the two rallies in Sacramento, nothing came of it. … Yes, the offensive glow may last a while. … Trent Thornton is on the injured list. … Guess what song is back on the seventh-inning stretch playlist? Yep. “Louie, Louie.”

Seahawks: The 2025 draft class is large. Has been dissected to death. Is expected to play an oversized role this season. But what about the 2024 class? What can be expected of it in 2026? … The roster is back at 90.

Storm: Gabby Williams is expected to fill the lineup void opened with the trade of Jewell Loyd.

Sounders: Danny Musovski has been hot, scoring in four consecutive matches. Can he keep it going today in Houston?

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• Friday was a near-perfect day (until, if you read the column above, Friday night’s Root/Mariner snafu). Warm, sunny, welcoming. The temp will hit the 70s again today, though the sun will be hiding most of the time. And then? A cool down. Some rain, maybe. Nothing in the 70s for a while. Which means I will have to get off my derriere and do something outside today. Decisions, decisions. Should I mow the lawn? Take a hike? Weed the flower beds? Sit under the back tree and sleep? All of the above? I’ll let you know what Kim decides. Until later …