A Grip on Sports: If you are into omens, the United States win Friday night was historic but not unprecedented
A GRIP ON SPORTS • It seems mandatory. National pride is at stake. Un-American if ignored. After all, a 4-1 win to open a home World Cup is about as well as United States men’s soccer has done on the international stage in, I don’t know, 96 years. Or so.
•••••••
• The first World Cup competition was hosted by Uruguay in 1930. All of 13 teams showed up, mainly because it was held in South America, which might have well been Mars as far as the European teams were concerned.
One of the countries to actually participate? The U.S. The Americans won their group. Finished third overall. It remains the country’s best showing in the tournament. And it included a three-goal win over – hey, this is weird – Paraguay.
An omen for success in 2026, perhaps? After all, here is the U.S., one of three North American countries hosting the tournament, opening in Los Angeles against the Paraguay and, yep, winning by three goals.
Nearly 100 years apart. And a similar result. Though it’s probably safe to assume in 1930 many people in the U.S. didn’t know what happened until at least 24 hours after a match ended. In 2026, anyone who wanted to stay in touch with the action from So Fi Stadium could. Did. And celebrated like Knick fans after the final whistle.
An offense that actually looked world class? A defense that made few mistakes, only one of which it couldn’t overcome. And a coach who refuses to recognize failure and only highlights potential success.
Heck, even though the one U.S. player folks from Alaska to Alabama recognize, Christian Pulisic, didn’t play the second half – a precautionary member according to manager Mauricio Pochettino due to being kicked in the calf – the night couldn’t have been much better.
It was good enough to even allow every youngster with a Pulisic shirt in his closet – soon to be accompanied by one with Folarin Balogun’s name on it if Amazon can meet the demand – to fall asleep dreaming of his team hoisting the trophy on July 19. Just as the host in 1930, Uruguay, did.
Now that would be something.
• It wouldn’t be a Saturday if I didn’t have a little bone to pick. One that sticks in my craw. Today it has to do with soccer. Of course.
I’ve been a baseball fan since, seemingly, before I was born. It’s in my genes. Because of that, the sport’s nomenclature and quirks have always felt right, even if some seem out of place. Why runs and not points? A strike seems odd when most of them are not actually struck. Why 90 feet or 60-feet, 6-inches? There are just a bunch of sport-specific terms and such that we can all agree need to be respected, if not fully understood. And everyone does.
Which is why those who don’t respect the terms used by soccer, or football as it has been called for couple hundred years everywhere but the U.S., bugs the heck out of me.
So what if it’s played on a pitch, not a field? Or the teams play matches, not games? That’s the sport’s way. I would be a bit ticked off if someone said the Mariners scored more points than the Astros, though such an outcome would still make me happy. I’m sure it must grate on some soccer folks’ ears to read a story that says the U.S. team’s next “game” is in Seattle on June 19. It’s a match. And it might end up in a draw, not a tie. No matter what,the U.S. would still have a chance to win its group. No, not its pool.
Thanks for coming to my Ted talk. Though I will leave this with you: Why the heck does the sport insist on calling a match that doesn’t count in any standings a “friendly?” Even when the teams obviously hate each other? Maybe it’s related to the reason why the NFL insists its non-counting exhibition games need to be referred to as “preseason” ones.
Even if no one you ever heard of is playing on you team’s pitch.
•••
WSU: Evans Kurui is only a sophomore. The distance runner from Kenya, however, is already a two-time All-American. His ninth-place finish in Friday’s 5,000-meter run in the NCAA Track and Field meet, along with his sixth-place result in the 10,000 Wednesday, assured that. Another sophomore, EWU’s Cort Gebbers, set a personal best in the discus throw. … Elsewhere in the (current, old and future) Pac-12 and the nation, Jon Wilner has his mailbag in the Mercury News today and also passes along the weekly West Coast football recruiting notebook. … Oregon State has dealt with more off-field issues the past few months than any school should have to deal with. Though, to be fair, most of them are of the Beavers’ making. John Canzano has more in his column. … Yes, there have been a lot of lawsuits. But maybe not as many as that may follow soon in the Brendan Sorsby, Texas Tech fiasco. Oklahoma’s attorney general called his Texas counterpart’s bluff and raised the stakes Friday. … Speaking of issues, Utah’s private equity sellout is official. It will either be the worst decision ever or the wave of the future for college athletic departments. … OK, this is more fun. A list of the best Washington football players since Chris Petersen retired. … Arizona’s athletic department actually made money in the past year. And we’re not talking private equity money. Football playing more like football teams from the past helped. … In basketball news, UW coach Danny Sprinkle lost his father recently. The former Husky football player died this week at age 80. … The Big 12 also announced women’s basketball matchups this week. We pass along a story from Arizona.
Gonzaga: It was a big Friday for MLB pitchers with Inland Northwest ties. Eli Morgan, who once was the Zags’ ace, and WSU grad Ryan Walker were both recalled from the minors. Morgan rejoined the Royals and Walker the Giants. Both pitched last night and threw 1-2-3 innings.
EWU and Idaho: Around the Big Sky, let’s start with news from Utah Tech, which joins the conference officially in a few weeks. The Trailblazer men added a four-star basketball recruit recently. … Can you put together an all-time team from your school and go 32-0 like this Weber State group? … John Madden meant everything for Cal Poly football. … Idaho State’s team is back in Pocatello for its summer workouts. … A Bengal discus thrower gave the school its first track All-American in six years. … Northern Colorado’s volleyball team is off for a visit to Japan.
Indians: Spokane’s two-game winning streak ended Friday night as first-place Eugene walked off the Indians thanks to Trevor Cohen’s solo home run in the bottom of the ninth. Dave Nichols has this coverage of the Emeralds’ 7-6 victory.
Mariners: Speaking of pitch (see above), Bryce Miller threw a whole heck of a lot of good one’s over eight innings Friday night in Washington, D.C. The M’s also hit a lot of bad ones from the Nationals’ pitching staff and cruised to a 10-2 victory. … Randy Arozarena tweaked his hamstring last night. But he said it’s minor and he’ll be back soon. In M’s injury parlance this season, that means he may not be back until July. … Cole Young as Seattle’s long-term answer in the leadoff spot? Discuss among yourselves.
Seahawks: The Hawks are off on their summer vacation. As they leave town, here are five things to know.
Storm: Is there tanking in the WNBA? Maybe that’s what the Storm are doing. They lost 76-72 to the Valkyries last night and have dropped eight consecutive games. … Kelsey Plum is putting up hard-to-believe numbers this season.
NBA: Can San Antonio somehow find a way to bounce back from its game four collapse against the Knicks and win the NBA title? The most-important Spur, Victor Wembanyama, thinks so. He might wonder, though, how New Yorkers can afford to throw eggs at him, what with the price these days.
World Cup: Others, such as Allan Bulukula with this story for the S-R, have more to offer in way of coverage of the competition than I ever could. Including a look at the matches that will be held in Seattle. … There are also many stories concerning the U.S. win I can pass along. More, actually, than I want or you could read. It is Saturday though, so you might have some more time. There is even a Sounder-specific story for your reading pleasure.
•••
• What a beautiful weekend on tap in Spokane. Sun. Breezes. Cloudless skies. The golden orb not setting until nearly 9 p.m. Why would anyone stay indoors and watch TV? Or to do anything else? If I can figure that out, I’ll let you know. Until later …