A Grip on Sports: Maybe the major golf on TV this weekend can distract us from another issue hanging over college athletics
A GRIP ON SPORTS • One eye is glued to ESPN+. Another is focused on the Seahawks’ schedule. And, if we had a third eye, it would not be blind to what’s going on in college athletics.
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• It’s sort of a tradition for me to have the weekend’s major golf tournament playing in a small box on my computer monitor. Even as the search for stories and subjects to pass along to you rolls on.
This Thursday, the golf part of our brain is in North Carolina, on a vacation of sorts, joining Rory McIlroy’s putter in that regard. And why would I say that? Mainly because I just watched the Masters champ – never been able to type that before – miss a 3-foot birdie putt and leave himself a longer one coming back.
Nothing better than watching one of the world’s best do something I’ve done many times over the years. Including the last time I picked up a club.
Golf is a weird sport. A life-long one, it is said, though memories of past failures are about the only life-long items I drag around. That and my father-in-law’s little ditty bag, given to me from the man who taught me more about the game than anyone. Not how to play it. How to appreciate its lessons.
None of that matters to pros. It’s their profession. Watching them play, at least in major tournaments, is my avocation. My diversion. And it’s diverting my attention right now. I mean, come on, I had to watch Scottie Scheffler roll in a long Texas-wedge eagle on 15 more than once. After all, it’s something I’ve never done.
• Over the recent years our attention to details concerning Seahawks’ games has included meal planning. As those of you who have been reading for a while know, my eldest son came up with this idea to pair a family meal on game day to the home of the Hawks’ opponent.
It’s been a fun exercise, though after a decade, there is a repetitiveness to it, especially for NFC West opponents. In the case of Arizona, and the white chili recipe we discovered, that’s a good thing. But how many recipes are there for clam chowder or sourdough bread? It’s just another reason to dread 49er games.
Wednesday’s NFL schedule release allowed us some time to start planning. Yes, we knew the opponents. Knew where. But didn’t know the when. Now we do.
And know the first road game will have to feature perogies or a meat sandwich piled high with cheese, coleslaw and French fries. Maybe with a dessert that seems to have a high opinion of itself, like a burnt almond torte. After all, the first road game is in Pittsburgh, the new home of look-at-me aficionado DK Metcalf.
Other highlights this season?
It’s always good to face New Orleans. Lots of crawfish recipes we haven’t tried yet. And Tampa Bay might mean a blackened fish sandwich of some sort. Houston? Barbecue. Maybe even barbecued shrimp. Carolina? A totally different sort of barbecue.
The lowlights? Not a big fan of hot-dish but Minnesota is on the schedule in late November so it’s a must. Jacksonville (Waffle Houses are cool, sure, but the food is pretty mundane), Tennessee (why couldn’t the Oilers have moved to Memphis?) and Atlanta (not a big fan of Southern-style vegetables).
The most underrated team on the schedule menu? Indianapolis and its fried pork tenderloin sandwich. Make it right and it’s to die for. No, really. My doctor has asked me to try an Indiana-style salad instead. As if there is such a thing.
• From overeating to a sport that is in danger of starving? That seems proper in transitioning from the NFL to college track and field. They are interrelated in an odd way. College football is in the transition from its faux-amateur roots to a professional model. And it’s about to suck all the oxygen (and money) from the so-called Olympic sports. At least the ones that don’t fit in a nice ESPN window.
Track and field is in that latter category. Our longtime friend Ken Goe used the upcoming Big Ten Conference meet in Eugene to examine the sports future. His analysis? It’s in trouble. A big part of that is the sport has transitioned away from its roots. Away from team competition. The dual meet has been on life-support for decades. So long, actually, no one is willing to sit and watch anymore.
But the House settlement, and its roster changes and spending limits, will cut into track’s health even more. The sport isn’t on ESPN’s radar like softball or baseball or even beach volleyball. That contributes to its vulnerability when budget cuts are contemplated.
Changes are needed. A return to the past when, say, a WSU vs. UW track meet meant something, may be the only way to save it. And save our Olympic teams’ chances at success down the road.
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WSU: Around the (current, old and future) Pac-12 and the nation, Jon Wilner’s look at the House settlement and publicly traded companies appeared in the S-R this morning. … Wilner also has some thoughts in the Mercury News on how the NFL manages its schedule release and what college football could learn from it. … In the recent discussions about the future of the playoffs after this season, the SEC and Big Ten made a power move with a proposal for 16 teams and eight automatic bids divided between the two. The other conferences aren’t happy. Other power players are not as well. But can anyone stop it? … At least there should be change in this year’s seeding, even if the NFL’s schedule will challenge the first round for eyeballs. … USC has a “superfan?” Who knew? … There are a lot of reasons for UCLA’s financial challenges. … Arizona State seems to be doing well at this recruiting thing. … Is Boise State in danger of becoming a farm club? … In basketball news, Washington landed a Canadian big man. … Oregon has cut ties with a transfer who has been accused of multiple misdemeanors related to sexual encounters. … There is common thread in Stanford and Cal success. His name is Mike Montgomery. … Arizona knows for sure now. Carter Bryant is not coming back. … Finally, Oregon State has turned out a couple good catchers over the years. It has another one now.
Gonzaga: Ryan Nembhard originally wasn’t supposed to be at NBA draft combine. He had to earn his spot through last week’s G League camp. But now that he’s in Indianapolis, he’s showing why the original oversight was another miss for the league. Theo Lawson watched his game yesterday and has this coverage. … Next season’s schedule will feature a Big 12 opponent in the Spokane Arena in early November. No, not Baylor. Oklahoma. Jim Meehan has more in this story. … One final story to pass along. It covers the newest iteration of international basketball recruiting. The money-rich schools are becoming more involved, which is not good news for Gonzaga or Saint Mary’s or others.
Preps: There was one more day of District 6 golf on Wednesday. We can pass along a story.
Chiefs: Spokane is in trouble. A key penalty last night ignited a Medicine Hat scoring spree that jump-started the undermanned Tigers’ 5-2 win. Dave Nichols has all the particulars of the victory which put Medicine Hat in control of the seven-game WHL final series 3-1. … Tyler Tjomsland has this photo report from the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena.
Indians: Two games in Eugene. Two wins for Spokane. The Indians ran their way to a 5-3 victory Wednesday night.
Mariners: To paraphrase Chevy Chase from 50 years ago, the Yankees are Aaron Judge and the Mariners aren’t. Or something like that. Judge’s 15th home run of the season lifted New York to a 3-2 victory and a series win. It also ended a disappointing 1-5 homestand. … Even Julio Rodriguez couldn’t get to Judge’s drive. … Sixty percent of the starting staff is on the injured list as Bryce Miller joined George Kirby and Logan Gilbert yesterday. … We had our thoughts on Pete Rose yesterday. The Washington Post’s Sally Jenkins has hers. And they are better written and more persuasive. That’s why she belongs in the Hall of Fame and I don’t. … The Dodgers have cut loose longtime backup catcher Austin Barnes. The M’s should swoop in and grab him to replace Mitch Garver.
Sounders: Seattle was hot, with the emphasis on “was.” LAFC did what it often does to the Sounders and cooled them off Wednesday night in Los Angeles. Froze them, actually, with a 4-0 rout.
Sonics: Phil Knight says he is not interested in buying the Trail Blazers now. Maybe it’s a negotiating strategy.
Seahawks: Of course there are quite a few stories about the schedule. None besides ours, however, cover the culinary aspect of it. The football implications? Oh, sure. If you are interested in that sort of thing.
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• I have to plant some flowers today. Figure out what to burn for dinner. But the No. 1 priority today is simple. Watch golf. Root for Scheffler, who followed up that eagle with a water-logged double bogey on the next hole, and Tommy Fleetwood, who I picked to win earlier this week. Until later …