A Grip on Sports: The final day of March isn’t the final day of the madness in college hoops but does hold hope for ‘Hard Knocks’ fans who also wear a 12 jersey
A GRIP ON SPORTS • This is supposed to be a lamb-like day, though March is giving the Spokane area a lion-like cold shoulder. Better put off the shearing for a few days. Maybe a few notes will keep everyone warm.
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• One thing on my list. Workshop a bit better end-of-March-cliché-ridden lead-in. Another thing. Avoid the urge to put any money on Arizona to win the NCAA title. Pretty sure only one of those two will happen before you read this.
Something else that will happen as well? Kim will smile at least once. After all, I get to tell her the Seahawks will be on one of her favorite TV shows this summer.
No, DeMarcus Lawrence and Sam Darnold aren’t making cameos on “The Great British Bake Off.” They and their teammates will be too busy with “Hard Knocks.”
Finally.
The announcement Monday signals the end of a 25-year streak. That’s how long the franchise has avoided appearing on the popular HBO series that began in 2001. Pete Carroll wanted no part of it. Neither, it seems, did management. But with the team on the market, it makes sense to put the franchise in the public eye as much as possible.
And “Property Brothers” seems a little too darn obvious.
• As the number of men’s basketball players announcing they will enter the transfer portal when it opens April 7 soars past 1,000, it’s only a matter of time before the school you follow is hit hard. If it hasn’t been already.
Washington State is in the latter category, with five players on the way out of Pullman. Across the border, Idaho will be losing at least a trio of players from its first team to play in the NCAA Tournament in three decades.
Gonzaga? Eastern Washington? No news isn’t necessarily good or bad. It just means no one is talking publicly yet. There will be changes.
The hard part before the portal opens? The “players-are-fleeing” announcements can’t be balanced by “hey-look-who-we-got” news.
Both will happen. Just give it time.
• What is it with new Pac-12 member Utah State and its basketball program?
The Aggies seem to be able to fall up every time a coach leaves Logan. And that’s happened three times since Craig Smith left for Utah in 2021, fresh off his second NCAA Tournament-ending season.
Smith’s replacement? Current Virginia coach Ryan Odom, who was 44-25 in Logan and made the tournament in 2023. Danny Sprinkle, who is treading water at Washington, followed Odom in 2024, was 28-7 and also made the NCAAs. Jerrod Calhoun, who just left for his alma mater, Cincinnati, was 55-15 in two years and made two NCAA appearances.
Monday the school announced the hiring of a coach with a bit different resume than the recent trio. Ben Jacobson, who has been Northern Iowa’s head coach for 20 years.
The one thing Jacobson has in common with most Utah State’s previous coaches? He wins. And his teams end up picking up NCAA money.
His best run came in 2010, when current Colorado State coach Ali Farokhmanesh helped the Panthers make a Sweet 16 appearance. This last season, Northern Iowa was 23-13, losing to St. John’s in the first round.
Next season’s Pac-12 may not have the names it once did but the men’s basketball will be first rate.
• The Mariners’ new TV setup is finally settling in. It’s starting to become second nature to punch 1621 into our Comcast remote. Thank goodness. Or Cal Raleigh’s first impactful hit of the season might have passed by unnoticed.
The struggling catcher was given the night off Monday, after striking out 10 times in his first 15 at-bats. But, with the first game of a three-game series with the Yankees tied at 1, Dan Wilson sent him up to the plate in the seventh. And he struck out.
But baseball always is about the next at-bat. And when Raleigh stepped into the box again in the bottom of the ninth, he came through. A single to right scored Leo Rivas with the game winner and earned Raleigh his first bubble-gum bucket drenching of 2026.
• The Mariners made an announcement this morning concerning Colt Emerson. Not that he will join the big club. Nope. But that he has agreed to a large contract extension. Thank goodness this surfaced today. If the organization had waited 24 hours, it might not have been believed.
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WSU: The first question that passed through my mind when I read Greg Woods story on Washington State football’s pro day? How many of the assembled NFL scouts were smart enough to slow to 25 going through Colfax? The stories of folks earning their badge of honor over the years were legendary. But I’m guessing you’re more interested in what happened in the indoor football facility? Greg has you covered with this story. … Elsewhere in the (current, old and future) Pac-12 and the nation, the Jon Wilner mailbag linked last week is on the S-R site this morning. … Wilner has his thoughts on the Final Four in today’s Mercury News. … John Canzano answers questions in his weekly mailbag. … Just who may Oregon State hire as its new athletic director? It could be more than one person actually. … Any momentum Arizona State men’s basketball built by hiring Saint Mary’s coach Randy Bennett might be dissipating. Bennett, 63, has a health issue that has forced him to seek treatment. … We mentioned Utah State’s hire above. The Aggies may ask the student body to pay more for athletics. If there is a connection, you can draw it yourself. … Colorado and Stanford are set to play in the College Basketball Crown tournament starting tomorrow in Las Vegas. The many Buffs who will be transferring will not be playing. … Arizona doesn’t have to worry about that, or injuries, right now. … Boise State is losing a player who returned home just for one year. … Colorado State is losing a player as well. … The Oregon women have lost a third player to the portal. … UCLA is back in the Final Four. The Bruins have to reverse a couple reason outcomes if they want to win the NCAA title.
• In football news, Washington’s coaches spent time Monday breaking down the roster and spring practice. … Matt Calkins believes it’s time for UW to make the playoffs. … Did you know it’s possible to bet on Washington college teams now? Though there are limits. … Joey Browner was playing at USC when we were working in Southern California. He died this week at age 65. … The Arizona defensive line leans heavily on one consistent player. … Boise State needs to replicate one of their former stars. … Former Fresno State coach Jeff Tedford has been named to the CFP selection committee. … Colorado is happy with its new defensive ends.
EWU: Eastern’s spring camp, which starts today, will probably determine who starts for the Eagles at the most-important position. Aaron Best has three quarterbacks vying for the spot. Dan Thompson has more in this preview story. … Elsewhere in the Big Sky, we wondered if this was going to happen to Montana. The Griz best player, Money Williams, will enter the portal. … Portland State begins spring football this week with a new head coach in charge. … Montana is working to instill a new attitude among its running backs.
Idaho: The NFL scouts we mentioned in the WSU section? They also drove across the border to Moscow, as the Vandals held their pro day as well. Peter Harriman was in attendance and has this story.
Chiefs: The WHL series with Prince George moved to the Spokane Memorial Arena on Monday night, with the Chiefs facing a 2-0 deficit in the best-of-seven first round. Make that a 3-0 deficit after a crushing 3-2 overtime defeat. Dave Nichols was there and has this game coverage. The teams return to the ice on Wednesday.
Preps: We can pass along Cheryl Nichols’ roundup of Monday’s action.
Seahawks: We mentioned and linked the “Hard Knocks” news. And yes, Kim did smile. … Being it’s a national show, we can pass along other stories on the news as well. … We finally figured it out. When Hawks’ general manager John Schneider says “It’s going to affect us,” about the state’s new income tax for high earners, he is referring to himself as “us.” After all, he makes more than $4 million a year and is part of the group that will be hit by tax if its stands up in court. And the Hawks play in a division in which everyone of its rivals are in states with an income tax already. … Schneider and coach Mike Macdonald spoke at the NFL meetings in Phoenix yesterday. The Rams were there too. And still complaining about the two-point conversion that changed the season’s trajectory. … Macdonald isn’t having any of this defending-your-title talk. … Could we be seeing replacement officials on the field again? In unrelated news, is Green Bay on the Hawks’ schedule?
Mariners: We also mentioned Raleigh’s game-winning hit above (and linked the story). There is more to pass along, including news on the M’s plans for their two top pitching prospects.
Kraken: Bobby McCann has found his way with Seattle.
Sounders: FIFA will experiment with a looser off-sides rule in Canada this season. The offensive player will have to be completely past the defender to be offsides.
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• Tomorrow is April Fools’ Day. Don’t be. In either definition, fooler or foolee. The whole schtick is worn out and silly. We promise not to do anything to disrupt your trust in us. What’s that? That’s already been lost? OK then. It makes it a perfect day to announce our future plans. Until later …