A Grip on Sports: Forget the snow on the ground for a moment, and the weekend filled with Olympics and college hoop, there is Mariner baseball on the TV today
A GRIP ON SPORTS • Can you find a television during lunch time today? If so, see if it has access to the MLB Network. If you asked why, I get it. There is snow all over the ground here in the Inland Northwest, making baseball an afterthought, right? But it’s sunny in Arizona. At least sunny enough. And the Mariners have a spring training game.
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• Yep, folks, we’ve made it through the long winter. Though, actually, it’s been decent in Spokane and its suburbs, despite last night’s snow showers. Still, it’s been a long time since we last saw the M’s run onto a baseball field.
That game, in Toronto as fall was getting its grip on the Northern Hemisphere, had higher stakes. Much higher. But the hopes were the same. Make the World Series. All Seattle had to do in early October was win one game. Today? The Mariners start a journey that includes a month of exhibition games, six months of the regular season and then a playoff slog that may just end up in their first Fall Classic.
It’s possible. It’s always possible. Has been for more than 50 years. But this season it actually feels within reach. Tangible.
And it begins today at 12:10 p.m. on MLB. Might be worth tuning in. Even if most of those playing wear numbers in the 80s and 90s.
• The spring training game today heralds the future. The present? Well, actually, the top games of this weekend’s college basketball TV schedule herald the future as well. As in the future of this March’s madness.
For only the third time in recorded history – though we’re a little unsure about matchups in Mesopotamia back in the day – the top four men’s teams in the Associated Press’ poll will play each other on one day.
Outside of the NCAA Tournament, of course.
Saturday, No. 1 Michigan meets No. 3 Duke in Washington, D.C. (3:30 p.m., ESPN) and No. 2 Houston hosts No. 4 Arizona (noon, ABC).
Could this be a Final Four preview? Sure. But probably not. This season has been too wacky, too up-and-down, too fraught with injuries and tantrums and mistakes to predict this early the outcome of an event that’s history has always been a bit unpredictable.
• The three best men’s teams in the West Coast Conference will also be in action Saturday evening, with two of them in the Spokane area.
Gonzaga is hosting Pacific (6 p.m., KHQ) and this season the Tigers actually have a little bite in them as they are 8-8 in conference play. Saint Mary’s will be in Pullman an hour later (ESPN2) to face the dangerous Cougars. And Santa Clara, the other part of the league’s top trio? They are at Bay Area rival USF (7 p.m., CBS Sports Network).
• All that is fine (and good, of course) but aren’t we still in the middle of the Winter Olympics? Glad you asked. Yes we are. And the show is winding down with a couple of fun men’s hockey semifinals today. Canada faces Finland at 7:40 a.m. on Peacock while the U.S. and Slovakia meet at 12:10 p.m. on NBC.
The expectation is, however, both will win and then meet for the gold medal Sunday – just as the two countries women’s team did Thursday.
If the men can match the women’s drama – the U.S. rallied to win 2-1 in overtime on Megan Keller’s spectacular goal – then the early morning (on the West Coast) final will be a can’t-miss event.
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WSU: Around the (current, old and future) Pac-12 and the nation, Jon Wilner has a Mercury News column that outlines ESPN’s interest in having more February nonconference matchups like this weekend’s game between Michigan and Duke. Could they be the wave of the future? … John Canzano has part two of his visit to Utah State. … The bubble battle could get bloody this season. … California and Stanford meet again Saturday, with the Bears’ best player a Michigan transfer from a Hall of Fame family. … Colorado has a 3-point marksman. … A Utah player picked up his defense and helped shut down West Virginia. … Arizona showed a championship mettle in holding off BYU. … The Oregon State women rode a career-high 29 points from Tiara Bolden to a home win over Portland. … Oregon defeated Nebraska. … No. 2 UCLA did not look past Washington, winning for the 20th consecutive time. … USC survived a scary-looking injury to Jazzy Davidson to win again. … Stanford is in danger of not making the NCAAs for a second consecutive season.
• In football news, Wilner, in the Mercury News, also delves into the Big Ten’s latest proposal to expand the CFP to 24 teams. It has some interesting parts but one huge question: Will it derail interest in the regular season? … One of the more high-profile NIL lawsuits, this one a player suing a coach, school and collective, was settled out of court this week. … Oregon State released contract details for a couple new assistant coaches. And, as always, recruiting never stops. … There is a mailbag concerning Oregon we can pass along. … Colorado set a date for its spring game. … Utah has a new offensive coordinator again. … A big donor is stepping up to help Arizona State build a new indoor practice facility. … A USC transfer will use an eighth year of eligibility to play at Fresno State this fall. … There is contract news for Arizona’s coaches.
Gonzaga: The women (and their fans) took over the Kennel last night, welcoming in the Cougars after their couple hour bus ride up U.S. Highway 195. I’m guessing the ride back today will not be as happy, as the Zags rolled to a 75-50 victory. Greg Lee and Colin Mulvany were in McCarthey for the regional showdown, with Greg supplying the game story and Colin the photo gallery. … Mario Saint-Supery was back in the starting lineup Wednesday and the freshman point guard had himself a game. Theo Lawson delves into that and more in his day-after look at the win over USF. … Graham Ike just keeps picking up award mentions. As Theo tells us, the senior post is remains a part of the Naismith conversation.
EWU: The Eagle men are playing better. It showed again Thursday night in California’s capital. Dan Monson’s team rolled over Sacramento State 102-94 to raise its Big Sky mark to 8-6. A tougher test awaits Saturday as the Eagles travel to first-place Portland State. … The women are going in the opposite direction, losing 69-60 at home to the Hornets. … Elsewhere in the Big Sky, the season is slipping away for the Montana men, who lost at Idaho State last night. … Montana State also lost at Weber State. … Northern Colorado is on a roll as it tries to run down Portland State. … The Idaho State women picked up a win in Missoula. … The host Bobcats defeated Weber State by 45 points. … The Big Sky and Summit League will play a four-year, eight-team challenge series.
Idaho: The Vandal women stayed atop the conference standings with an easy 88-66 home win over last-place Portland State. … The men, facing the first-place Vikings on the road, rallied from a 20-point deficit to pull within three. But they lost 77-67 to fall to 6-8 in conference play.
Preps: The State wrestling tournaments are underway in Tacoma and Madison McCord has the first-day coverage. … For the first time in seven years, Mead didn’t qualify for the State 4A gymnastics team competition. But there were GSL athletes competing in Bellevue on Thursday. … Mead’s girls stayed alive in District 6’s 4A tournament Thursday, with the Panthers moving on at the expense of Lewis and Clark. Dave Nichols has the game story. … Dave also put together this roundup of the other District action from last night.
Braves: Spokane is holding a retirement ceremony Saturday night. The Braves will retire Derek Ryan’s number not that long after Ryan finished his 10-year NHL career. Dan Thompson has a preview of the event at Eagles Ice Arena.
Seahawks: Yes, the Hawks are for sale. If you have questions, this Bob Condotta story will answer them. All except who is going to be the next owner. … Whoever owns it may ask their own question: Can the Hawks repeat? … Could John Schneider add a first-round cornerback in the draft? … Mike Macdonald still has a few open spots on his staff, even after introducing his new offensive coordinator yesterday. It’s seems a little weird Macdonald is entrusting the offense to someone who has never called plays before.
Mariners: As we said yesterday when we linked this Times story, Josh Naylor is special. … Bryce Miller had a special way to heal his elbow issue. It did not involve surgery.
Sounders: As the MLS kicks off for the last time with a spring/summer schedule, Seattle fans wonder how the franchise can avoid its recent fate. An early playoff loss.
Kraken: Seattle will still have NHL hockey on an over-the-air channel in the future.
Olympics: The best story I read about the women’s hockey win? It comes from Barry Svrluga in the Washington Post. For now. … The other big event yesterday yielded a U.S. champion as well. For the first time in a couple decades. Alysa Liu won the women’s figure skating gold medal. … Jordan Stolz did not win his fourth speed skating gold medal. He won silver in the 1500.
UFC: Charlotte McKinley has a preview of Juliana Miller’s latest fight.
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• I mentioned it yesterday. Will repeat it today. No column tomorrow morning. It returns Sunday. Until then …