GRIP IN SPORTS • Have you ever left the house intending to go to Home Depot only to end up at 31 Flavors? Regretting the calories but enjoying the unexpected joy of an ice cream cone? Today I present to you the equivalent of column writing, though I’m not sure there’s anything here that rivals mint chocolate chip/chocolate fudge in a waffle cone. It’s like a sugar-fueled post-dentist experience.
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• Last night we wrote a rant in our heads, from start to finish.
But we woke up this morning and realized there is far too much going on to devote our limited space to one subject, one that can wait. After all, between now and the end of October there are important baseball games that will be won or lost on ball/strike umpires. That’s more certain than taxes. And if the billionaires who control the sport (and pay very few taxes) don’t fix this, it will sound the death knell for baseball.
But as I said before, I will save the complaining for a quiet moment. Today I want to focus on something that has caught your attention.
Paris? Um, no. Sorry. The Washington State or Eastern Washington or Idaho football practice squads? No, no. No, no. There’s still time. We’re talking about the beautiful big city of Renton, Washington, home of the Seahawks, the one team that unites most of the Pacific Northwest.
The NFL is king, right? And each of the 30 Prince and Regent leagues that make up the league controls a geographic area. For teams with the same city and city name, like the Chargers and Jets, that area may be a few blocks from the pier, but they also have their own area of dominance.
The Seahawks have an unparalleled territory: their territory stretches from the Arctic Circle to the rapids of the Rogue River, from the Pacific Ocean to Our Lady of the Rockies.
For nine months of the year, the Hawks provide a catalyst for the community to come together, even if it’s just to burn an effigy of their head coach. That’s exactly what happened after last season, when the old king of Lumen Field was dethroned in a coup despite bringing the nation its only true championship.
Yes, it had to be that way. Pete Carroll was past his prime. Both the lineup and the strategy. Cut off Carroll’s head. Long live the new king, Mike McDonald.
Would a change of government actually result in any good, especially considering that the people behind the powers that be, Jody Allen and her football guru, John Schneider, still hold the real power?
In some ways, it already is. There’s a new sense of excitement buzzing around the franchise early in training camp. A different energy, one that’s not limited to the guys in white tennis shoes but spreads to attract even the most mercurial of fans. Change, especially revolutionary change, makes it happen. Until the games start.
McDonald has done a good job in his previous roles, albeit in supporting roles. But being a head coach is different. It’s a lot harder. It’s even harder when you don’t have the ability to manage a roster. And the Hawks’ roster still has flaws. Big flaws.
The most obvious one? The offensive line. It’s pretty much the same group that’s underperformed the last few years. Can offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb sprinkle magic dust on a pumpkin and turn it into a carriage? No. His offense at Washington was anchored by a veteran offensive line that kept Michael Pennis Jr. safe and opened up vast running lanes. This group isn’t at the pro level, that’s for sure.
But McDonald’s prized defense has other problems. A poor front seven is the main problem. That alone would make everything I write here pointless. But the questions still have to be asked: Do I trust my defensive line at all? Do I trust my linebackers? I don’t. And no strategy is going to cover up deficiencies in those areas.
Sure, come late July fans in Renton, Butte, Anchorage, Medford and Spokane may be smiling and grinning at the changes around them, but who among us is confident they won’t be fooled again?
That’s not it.
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WSU: We are a little more positive about the Cougars’ fortunes than most pundits, but we’ll reserve our thoughts on them until further into preseason camp. As always, we’ll make the drive south to watch at some point, even if Mike Leach’s Lewiston adventure hasn’t resurfaced. Greg Woods is in Pullman for now and for the time being, so he’s doing the coverage we’re following. Today, he covers tight end, a position that’s been a highlight of Leach’s tenure, if by “highlighted” you mean “eliminated.” … Across the Pac-12, Mountain West and elsewhere in the country, John Canzano sent out a mailbag on Monday that includes questions related to OSU and WSU. … Washington will have at least five questions to answer once training camp begins. … The Oregonian’s football numbers series continues with Oregon and Oregon State at No. 33. … The Ducks held their media day yesterday, and the number of articles was very impressive. The topics are wide-ranging, including NIL and video games. Add in that The Oregonian is finally getting to preview position groups, and there’s just too much to tell. As much as Dillon Gabriel will pass in September. … Oregon State, which will start camp soon, has another member of the seven-year club. … Five things need to happen for Colorado to win big this season. … I thought Utah had decided on a backup quarterback, but I was wrong. … Arizona State has 10 players who are essential to its destiny. … Arizona has a prize and will play a rival nobody knew about. … Boise State has three big questions on offense. … Utah State will soon build some kind of legend with its team. And it’ll be playing Oklahoma not too long from now. … Fresno State moved its football coach to another position. … Hawaii’s quarterback is on Maxwell’s watch list. … New Mexico’s preseason camp is already a week old. … This isn’t football, but in a few years there’s going to be a new basketball arena in Reno.
EWU: For most of this century, Eastern’s football team has been known for its offensive prowess. That remains true today. But successful seasons have been key on the other side of the ball. When the Eagles’ defense is anywhere near dominant, the whole team soars. With camp opening today, Dan Thompson highlights the changes made on the defensive side of the ball during the offseason and hopes to improve the team’s overall standing. He also delves into three key questions for camp: … Elsewhere in the Big Sky, no one is happy about the fact that Montana and Idaho will not be playing football this season. … The Griz and Bobcats have built a golden era of football in the state. Need more proof? The two teams combined have 11 players on preseason All-American teams. … Montana State will try to sort out its quarterback alignment in preseason practice. … Which non-conference road game will be key for Idaho State? Probably the one in Corvallis. … Northern Arizona University is promoting six players in Paris. … California Polytechnic University has announced seven former Mustangs who will be inducted into the school’s athletic hall of fame in November.
Velocity and Zephyr: Whether you’re using the new or old world definition of football, fans band together into groups of supporters. That’s what happened in Spokane with an old sport’s newest team. A supporters group called the 509 Syndicate has grown since the founding of the men’s and women’s teams. Olive Pete tells the story of the ever-growing group.
Olympics: The contrast between the U.S. women’s basketball team and their Japanese opponents couldn’t have been sharper — not just in numbers, but in style of play, too — and it made for an exciting, if not competitive, match. The U.S.’s numbers and depth led to a 102-76 victory in the opening pool match for both teams. … This week, the best women’s gymnast in the world will be decided. Sunisa Lee, who won the title in Tokyo, has had a tough time since winning gold. She’s back now, and her journey is worth exploring. … The U.S. men’s team won its first team medal since 2008 (bronze) on Monday, with a Buddy Holly lookalike leading the group to victory. The women’s team matches are today (9:15 a.m., NBC). … The women’s team lost in the rugby semifinals this morning. … The end of an era was evident in the men’s tennis singles on Monday. Rafael Nadal’s singles career is probably over.
Seahawks: Defense dominated on the first day of putting on pads. This isn’t unusual. When reading articles about other teams, you often see the same theme. … This could be another great season for Tyler Lockett. The glove offense seems tailor-made for him. … The Hawks may have found another ace among the surplus players. … Russell Wilson gets another chance with the Steelers.
Mariners: If you thought we were going to complain about one missed call that cost the Mariners seven runs in a game they lost 14-7, you’d be right. If you were at home last night. But we Logan Gilbert’s comment And I decided not to stress out. And, well, that won’t change until I dig into when that scenario happens. I’m sure it will someday. … Justin Turner is the type of veteran that has helped the Mariners in the past (Carlos Santana?). But he’ll only be useful if he still has something left in his bat. Is there one guy who’s upset about the trade? The one who washes his uniform (see photo). … Ty France is heading to the Reds. … There are more trades to be made before the deadline at 3 p.m. PDT today. Seattle still needs a bullpen pitcher or two and a left-handed hitter.
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• We’ve hidden a classic rock n’ roll Easter egg in today’s column. We hope you find it. If you did, we salute you. You weren’t fooled. Now, back to regular programming and deciding who will be next for the Mariners. See you later…