Vince Grippi

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Did you know it’s one week until Bloomsday? That’s what happens when April’s showers get set to leave the stage for May’s flowers. That, and other thoughts, dominate our Sunday.

A GRIP ON SPORTS • We’ll say this for the Seahawks and John Schneider. The lack of draft choices Thursday and Friday – one each day – gave us plenty of time to do other things. Pity those poor fans whose teams had five or so picks in the NFL draft’s first three rounds.

A GRIP ON SPORTS • We may never get used to watching the party the NFL’s draft has become. From the bands playing between picks, to little pens of team’s fans, to the incessant blather from the analysts, we’re always sort of overwhelmed by the hype, hosannas and hope. We just don’t get it.

A GRIP ON SPORTS • There are more days than one might think we wake up not exactly sure what we are going to cover in this space. Many more. This is one of them. As always, though, our subject magically revealed itself. Talk about lucky.

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Two facts. You pick which is more important. A 12-11 record. First place in the American League West. Both describe the Seattle Mariners on this Wednesday.

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Here it is, springtime. Flowers blooming. Grass growing. Pollen sneezing. And yet an old man’s thoughts turn to football. Drafts. Practices. Transfers. National pastime, no. National obsession, yes.

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Shouldn’t excellence be award enough? Well, that and about $50 million. But, honestly, Scottie Scheffler and Nelly Korda deserve even more. Not money. Recognition. What the two are doing, at the same time mind you, is precedented, sure. But rare.

A GRIP ON SPORTS • No matter if you are 18 or 81, you’ve met people throughout your life. Sometimes meeting them means not ever actually, you know, being face to face. Case in point: athletic heroes. We all have them. And as you speed down the highway to your ultimate destination, those heroes exit the race more and more often. Another one of ours did Saturday.