Sport Tones
by Tony Ventrella

Wow, that didn't take long. Ichiro is now batting third in the Mariner order and Shone Figgins is the lead off man. I applaud this move and do believe it will help the Mariners be a much more exciting team this spring and summer.

There are many reasons the Mariners have lost their fans in recent years, the most glaring of which is their last of offense. Also consider this. When Dave Neihaus passed away in the fall of 2010 he left a gap that may never be filled in the Seattle area sports world. Dave was the Mariners and so far all attempts to replace him have not reached expectations.

The Broadcasters

I love Jay Buhner and Dave Valle and Dan Wilson and Dave Henderson but they don't come close to giving the fans the entertainment value Dave Niehaus brought to the broadcast every night. Mike Blowers is a capable color commentator, well researched with a good grasp of the game and Dave Sims is a professional play by play man with a letter perfect style, but neither makes you look forward to the broadcast like Niehaus did.

This season the Mariners will stay with their group effort approach to replacing Dave. They'll go with Ken Wilson, Ken Levine and Ron Fairly again. That was a good one season fix but now it just looks like the team is kicking this problem down the road so they don't have to deal with it.

NFL Combine

The entire Seahawks coaching staff is in Indianapolis for the NFL Combine this week. In the old days no one knew what was happening at the combine until a week or so after it ended. Now the whole darn thing is on television. I'm as a big a fan as anybody but to watch guys run, jump and throw day after day would drive me crazy.

One NFL off season event I really like is the draft set for the weekend of April 26-28. Now that's a television show. The first thing I look for is how much make up Roger Goodell is wearing how much more hair Mel Kiper has then he had last year and how much less hair John Clayton has. After that I'll be excited to see who the Seahawks draft.

February 22, 2012

Fans at the Husky basketball game were chanting "one more year, one more year," after their 79-70 win over Arizona but the chants weren't directed at graduating senior Darnell Gant and Brandon Sherrer.

There is no doubt about the future of the seniors, they're gone! It's freshman Tony Wroten jr and sophomore Terrance Ross the fans were chanting about. Although it's not certain what Ross and Wroten will do it doesn't take a rocket scientist to guess they'll both try to go pro.

In the past I would've ranted against such a move spouting the old school advice about staying in college, getting a degree, being loyal to your team. In recent years I've changed my stance on this subject. If Ross and Wroten want to declare for the draft and if they get drafted and realize their dream of playing in the NBA who am I to deny that opportunity?

College players of that stature usually get a free education and it would be nice if they actually got their degree but the reality is simple. If they want to go pro they should be able to go with our support.

Mariners Line Up

All winter long there was talk of Mariners manager Eric Wedge moving Shone Figgins to the lead off spot in the batting order and sliding Ichiro to the second spot. This is a great idea and it might just resurrect both men's careers. Figgins is a natural lead off hitter and Ichiro is a much better second spot hitter than Figgins. Give it a try, what can you lose, you didn't have any offense last year anyway.

Long Way from Home

The Sounders traded fan favorites Lamar Neagle and Mike Fucito to the Montreal Impact for veteran forward Eddie Johnson last week. Johnson responded immediately by scoring a goal in his first match, a 5-0 victory over Gulf Coast University. For Neagle it's a tough move. He's from Federal Way and was living the dream of playing professional soccer 15 miles from his home town. You would think Fucito would love the idea of playing pro soccer in Montreal just a few miles north of his Boston home and his alma mater Harvard, but you'd be wrong about that too. Fucito's Dad just moved to Seattle two months ago to be closer to his son. Now what?

High School Sports

The best ticket value in all of sports is still at the high school level. It's championship time for wrestling, swimming, gymnastics and basketball. Spend that ticket dollar supporting your local high school whether your kids are still there or not. The tickets are cheap, parking is free and I bet the hot dogs are better than the ones at the major league games.

February 21, 2012

I'm not sure but I bet February gets lost in the shuffle when people consider their favorite month of the year.

December is a big winner because of Christmas. November is always a contender because of Thanksgiving. July has the 4th, June has weddings and graduations, September marks the start of football season and October is when Washington apples are at their best. March has March Madness and the start of the Sounders soccer season, baseball season opens in April which is also the month the tulips pop out of the ground in the Skagit valley though some years they wait until May.

That leaves February all by itself with little or no identification except a holiday sponsored by Hallmark cards and Godiva chocolates.

Am I alone when I say I feel a certain amount of pressure on Valentines day? My wife claims to have no interest in that holiday but every year I'm there with flowers and candy. She never eats and candy but she does appreciate the flowers.

Some people step up with jewelry or a new car on Valentine's Day. If the car is a Honda it's a good idea. Otherwise you're wasting your money. One of my co-workers proposed to his wife on Valentine's Day. Please, is that all you have? You couldn't come up with a more original plan than that I told him. I'm kidding of course, I wish him well but I would've been much more impressed if he'd proposed on Founders Day or Arbor Day or Richard Nixon's birthday, something a little different.

Spring Training

Have you ever gone to Arizona to watch spring training? It really is quite a treat. During my 25 years as a television sportscaster I went to Tempe and Peoria many times to cover the Mariners. During the spring of 1996 still flying high over the "almost miracle 95 season our Kiro-7 sports crew spent the entire six weeks in Peoria with the Mariners. Every night we did a 15 program from Peoria Sports Complex covering every inch of Mariner training. By about the 4th week we ran out of stories and began covering everything from the grounds crew to the security staff. One night I even had a cactus on as a guest. He didn't have much to say but he looked pretty good in a Mariner cap.

If you have the time and the money I recommend a trip to spring training with your family.

Sounders in Florida

The SoundersFC season opens March 7th with a ConCaCaf game against Santos Laguna of Mexico at Century Link field with the MLS season kicking off March 17th against TorontoFC. Right now the team is in training in Bradenton Florida playing six games over a span of 12 days. Goalkeeper Kasey Keller will do his work from the broadcast booth this season after retiring in November. He'll work with new play by play announcer Ross Fletcher who replaces Arlo White this year in the broadcast booth.

February 14, 2012

I tried something new on Sunday. I boycotted the entire pre game show of the Super Bowl. I didn't watch a single minute of the constant over the top pre game hype. I used that valuable time to go to church, wash my 2011 Honda CRV, sweep out the garage, sort out dozens of old magazines and newspapers and talk to one of my neighbors about punching those little holes in my lawn so it can breathe.

At exactly 3:49 p.m. I turned on my television set in time to see the opening drive of the game. For the next three hours plus I watched the game, often muting the sound, read the Sunday newspaper and talked to my wife all at the same time. I'm not sure if she was listening because she was looking at her Ipad the whole time but you get the picture.

As the final gun sounded and the Giants began their celebration I reached over to turn off the set but then decided to listen to a little bit of the Lombardi trophy presentation. I turned it off after they awarded Eli Manning with a 2012 Corvette as winner of the MVP award. I love Eli but really, can't her buy 20 Corvettes with last months pay check? Over hype.

Don't get me wrong , I understand the value of commercials and I'm not anti social but do we really need a three hour pre game show with six people crowded onto the set all wearing suits that look too small? Is all of this necessary? As a baby boomer who watched the first Super Bowl in which the half time show was a college marching band I say no.

On the other hand if you're an NFL executive or a fan of pro football you probably disagree with me and that's okay. All the hype is for you. The six man pre game show is for you. The million dollar commercials are for you. Madonna at halftime is for you. Enjoy it. Hype or not Super Bowl Sunday has become an American tradition and I'm as patriotic as the next guy.

By the way my favorite commercial was the one for Fiat with a beautiful Italian woman and geeky looking guy. I've never been a fan of Madonna but I think she did a good job. Doesn't it seem like the half time entertainment is geared for an older audience in recent years? Maybe next year they should bring back Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, although I'm not sure if all the seasons are still with us. It might be Frankie Valli and the two seasons. After all time waits for no one.

February 7, 2012

It's Super Bowl week in America. That has different meanings to different people. For example Seahawks fans can watch Deion Branch try for his third Super Bowl ring and ask the fair question, "Why didn't he play that well when he was a Seahawk."

Indianapolis Colts fans can be grateful that the Super Bowl has finally come to their city even though when it was announced three years ago they felt pretty sure their team would actually be playing in the game. Now they're not even sure who their quarterback is going to be next year.

New York Jets fans are really depressed. Their cross town rival the Giants are going to their second Super Bowl in five years while the Jets can only wonder what might have been with their high paid talent and loud mouth coach.

Excellent Host

The city of Indianapolis is a wonderful host for the big game. It has everything with the possible exception of warm weather and beaches. Indianapolis is the home of the Indy Motor Speedway. Fans can visit the USS Indianapolis Memorial on Canal Walk.

Indianapolis was the only major city in America that did not erupt in riots on April 4, 1968 the night Martin Luther King was killed. That was the night Robert Kennedy, campaigning for President, tore up his stump speech and spoke from the heart to the gathering crowd. He asked the crowd to remain peaceful and reminded them that, "I had a member of my family killed, and he was killed by a white man."

Elvis Too

Elvis last concert was performed at Market Square Arena on June 26, 1977 in Indianapolis. One of the greatest college basketball games ever happened in that city when Duke stunned UNLV in the 1991 Final Four. One of the greatest high school games of all time happened in Indianapolis when tiny Milan high school upset Indianapolis Central for the Indiana state title in 1954. You know the story, it's in a movie called "Hoosiers" Starring Gene Hackman, Dennis Hopper and Barbara Hershey.

Indianapolis is a wonderful city to host the Super Bowl and I couldn't he happier for them. So when some bone head insults the host city on Twitter of Face Book remember anytime someone flings out a negative comment it is really a comment about themselves.

January 31, 2012

Suddenly I felt old when I heard Joe Buck talk about Super Bowl 46 after the Giants beat the 49ers in the NFC championship game Sunday. I remember watching the first Super Bowl in Los Angeles with Vince Lombardi's Green Bay Packers beating Hank Stram's Kansas City Chiefs 35-10..

Lombardi didn't even want to play in the game thinking it was anti climatic to the NFL title his team had just won two weeks before when they knocked off the Dallas Cowboys 34-27. That was the "real game" in Lombardi's view, this extra game wasn't going to prove anything.

The "extra" game turned out to be the first unofficial Super Bowl although it was not called the Super Bowl until two years later when the Jets played the Baltimore Colts and Joe Namath guaranteed victory and got it 16-7.

Now 43 years later the New York Giants will tangle with the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI at Indianapolis. The Giants have won the Super Bowl three times including a 17-14 victory over the Patriots in 2008. The Patriots have won the big game three times as well, last winning it in 2005 over the Eagles.

Television ratings for this game should break all previous records. Like it or not the east coast brings huge audiences to television and the international interest in the Giants and the Patriots is also enormous. This will be fun.

Former Seahawks

Good for former Seahawks Rocky Bernard, Deion Grant and Dion Branch. For Branch it's his second Super Bowl since winning the MVP award in the 2004 game.

The Seahawks can take some pride in the fact that they beat the Giants during the regular season 36-25 in New Jersey.

Soccer starts

The Sounders started training last weekend inside the Seahawks facility in Renton. It's the beginning of a new era with veteran goal keeper Kasey Keller retired now and moving into the broadcast booth.

He'll be replaced by Michael Gspurning of Austria who's played the last five years in Greece. Gspurning is 6-5 209 pounds and covers a lot of territory in the net. He'll be fun to watch.

The Sounders open their season at Century Link field on March 7 with a ConCaCaf Champions league match.

January 23, 2012

I'm writing this column on an old Underwood manual typewriter in front of a crackling fire in my cozy book shelf lined den in the winter of 2012. Snow is blowing past my window, the cat is curled up next to the dog in front of the fireplace and my wife is making home made biscuits on the wood stove.

This "Winterblast 2012" is a lot more fun that I thought it would be. Oh sure it's a little annoying every time I jam my index finger between the "T" and the "Y" on this old machine but I feel like a real pioneer. I'm even thinking about watching an old movie in black and white later today.

All this time under a heavy blanket of real or imagined snow I'm thinking about two things. First I wonder if we have enough tea, bread and honey for my afternoon snack and then I'm thinking about the NFL Conference championship games.

I feel proud to say that the Seahawks beat two of the team now involved in the title games. On October 9th in Jersey the Seahawks knocked off the Giants 36-25 highlighted by a Charlie Whitehurst TD pass to Doug Baldwin and an interception and a touchdown by Brandon Browner

Buck's story is amazing. As a child actor he shared the movie lights with Mickey Rooney and was once directed by the legendary if cranky Charlie Chaplin.

On November 13 in Seattle the Seahawks held off the Ravens with a sustained running attack that swallowed up valuable clock time at the end of the game resulting in a 22-17 victory.

Now the Ravens and Giants are in their respective conference championship games. The Giants go to San Francisco to face the 49ers, the Ravens travel to Foxboro to test the New England Patriots. This is my favorite weekend of the NFL season, even bigger than Super Bowl Sunday. Here's hoping for two great games and a Super Bowl that includes either the Giants or Ravens so Seahawks fans can brag about beating them for two more weeks.

January 17, 2012

This column is usually about sports. Today it's about Buck Compton. The beloved Skagit county resident and World War II hero celebrated his 90th birthday Saturday at Skagit Airport. I got there around 2pm and the place was packed with over 200 people from all over the country.

As I shook hands with Buck and wished him a happy birthday he smiled and said, "my daughters put this together and if I'd known about it ahead of time I would've stopped it."

It's not that he didn't appreciate it because he certainly did it's just that Buck is a guy who just loves life and has never thought of himself as anything special. On the contrary, he is one of the most special guys I've ever met.

I first met Buck when he raised the 12th man flag at a Seahawks game last season to the resounding cheers of 67,000 fans. I knew he'd parachuted into Normandy on June 6, 1944 and that he was depicted in the hit HBO series, "Band of Brothers," but there was so much more I didn't know until I read his book, "Call of Duty."

Buck's story is amazing. As a child actor he shared the movie lights with Mickey Rooney and was once directed by the legendary if cranky Charlie Chaplin.

Later as an athlete at UCLA he played baseball on the same team as Jackie Robinson. In basic training at Fort Benning Buck met former UCLA start quarterback Bob Waterfield whose wife was movie idol Jane Russell. My favorite story was the one about Bob asking Buck to take Jane Russell to a dance in his place. What young soldier wouldn't want that duty?

Still later as a federal prosecutor Compton helped convict Bobby Kennedy assassin Sirhan Sirhan of murder and send him away for life.

When Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks began work on "Band of Brothers" for HBO they brought in Neal McDonough to play "young" Buck Compton. McDonough was one of the honored guests at the 90th birthday party last weekend.

Everywhere Buck goes people walk up to him and say "thanks for defending our freedom." Of course he acknowledges the thanks but in reality he doesn't think he did anything most other people wouldn't have done. I'd never argue with Buck but in this case I think he's wrong. He's a true American hero who went well beyond the call of duty to save the world from tyranny.

Now as a spry 90 year old with hundreds of friends Buck looks forward to his coffee meetings four days a week at a local restaurant.

I'm thrilled to know Buck Compton and want to thank his daughters Tracy and Syndee for inviting me to his party.

January 9, 2012

Happy New Year everyone! Well the Seahawks season that almost didn't start seemed hesitant to end Sunday in Glendale, Arizona. The 23-20 overtime loss to the Cardinals was definitely indicative of the kind of the season the Seahawks had in 2011. Unfortunately in this case the "slow start-frantic finish" program fell slightly short on New Years day before a tepid crowd of red clad Cardinal fans.

Before to look to a bright Seahawks future let's go down the "what might have been road" one more time. The Seahawks finished 7-9 for the second straight season. Last years 7-9 was good enough to make the playoffs and actually win a game. This year's 7-9 was far shy of a playoff spot and yet there is no comparison to the two seasons. The 2011 run to possible glory was far better than 2011. In this past season four of the Seahawks nine defeats were by three points or less and the other one was by six. Flip half of those games and you have a 10-6 finish and a Wildcard spot in the playoffs.

Injuries took a massive toll on this team starting with three starters on the offensive line, two starting receivers and two starting cornerbacks. Now this is where we turn on the positive light because in the case of some of those injuries the team was able to find diamonds in the rough that most fans did not forsee.

When veteran Marcus Trufant went down with a back injury and back up Walter Thurmond had a knee injury the team turned to former Stanford receiver turned defensive back Richard Sherman. Little did they know they would be up grading the corner back position. Sherman had a fantastic season including a key interception in the final game that helped lead to a 4th quarter comeback and overtime.

After John Moffitt, James Carpenter and Russell Okung went down leaving the offensive line reeling, others stepped up without missing too much of a beat. Breno Giacomini, Lemuel Jeanpiere and Paul McQuistan grabbed the reins and kept riding and the latter had to switch from guard to tackle in the process.

Quarterback?

The biggest question about the future of the Seahawks is at quarterback. Tavaris Jackson got his chance to start and at times led the team admirably, expecially in their second half comeback. Coach Carroll has said Tavaris is his starter heading into the off season. That's a nice vote of confidence but anyone know in the NFL what changes the off season can bring. The Seahawks have a full free agency period and a longer look at the draft which allows them time to see every available quarterback on the market. You know they'll bring in some QBs and the competition at that position will be crucial. It'll either make Jackson the solid starter or allow someone else to emerge in that role.

Jackson will have the advantage of working with some of his receivers in the off season as Matt Hasselbeck used to do prior to Super Bowl 40. With a healthy Sidney Rice and the emergence of Ricardo Lockette, education of Golden Tate, steady play of Ben Obamanu and Deon Butler and return of Mike Williams the Seahawks could have the best receiver core in the league.

I left out Doug Baldwin for a good reason. He may be the best of the lot. He is the first non drafted free agent rookie to lead his team in receiving yards in the entire history of the NFL. Baldwin is the face of the Seahawks future, along with Sherman, Brandon Browner, Lockette, Red Bryant, Earl Thomas and a host of others.

Bright Future

Pete Carroll, Tom Cable and the entire coaching staff should be proud of the work they've done in the 2011 season and they're the first to admit the job is just beginning. In the off season the team must decide what to do with Marshawn Lynch though it would be shocking if they didn't sign him to a new contract. Decisions must be made on Chris Clemons and some of the other veterans of a much improved defense. Seahawk fans have more to be excited about now than at any time in the past.

Schedule

We don't know the dates yet but we do know the home games and Seahawks fans will see the Patriots, Jets, Packers, Rams, Cardinals, 49ers, Vikings and Cowboys at Century Link field next season. That should get fans pretty pumped up for a 2012 season with a very bright future.

January 3, 2012

Thanks to a lost fumble in the waning minutes of that Christmas Eve game against the 49ers, the Seahawks season will end Sunday night New Years Day in Arizona. A win over the Cardinals will give the Seahawks an 8-8 season. As we break down those 16 games we find definite signs of progress as many signs of areas that still need work.

First of all a victory over the Cardinals Sunday would give the Seahawks a 4-4 record away from home and that's something coach Carroll and the staff have been working on since day one. The only draw back to that is the team is also 4-4 at Century Link Field where the so called "12th man advantage makes opposing teams shudder. They would shudder a lot more if the Seahawks offense would learn to finish every game at home instead of just four next season.

A perfect example is the final four minutes against the Ravens on November 23rs. Marshawn Lynch and the offense used a grinding running game to take time off the clock and keep the Ravens offense on the sidelines. If that same formula had worked against the Redskins, Falcons and 49ers the Seahawks would be in the playoffs.

Progress

Definite progress was made in several areas during the 2011 season. The Seahawks got a lot better on kickoff and punt coverage and on special teams altogether. They improved by leaps and bounds on pass coverage and rushing the passer. The running game came around thanks to some young offensive lineman and a terrific coach named Tom Cable.

Areas of Need

There is no doubt that quarterback is still a concern for this team. Tavaris Jackson may still be the answer in the future but he did get a pretty good opportunity to prove himself this season with only mediocre results.

The best news for the Seahawks is that this coming off season will be normal. They'll have the time to develop their young players and to research the draft and free agency markets between now and April.

Reason for Hope

The 2011 Seahawks season definitely gives the fans hope for the future. A few player moves here and there and this Seahawks team could be back on top by this time next year.

Playoffs

Now it's time to enjoy the post season games and root for whatever team you like besides the Seahawks. I just want to see some great football, I really don't care who plays in or wins the Super Bowl as long as the half time show with Madonna is long enough to allow me to get my home made deep dish pizza in and out of the oven by the start of the second half.

December 27, 2011

"Second Half" should be the name of a motivational book about never giving up on a project, an idea, a life without going all the way to the end with full force and emotion.

That's what led the Seahawks to a 38-14 win over the Bears in Chicago on Sunday and that's also what's led them to a 5-1 second half of the season after a lowly 2-6 start.

"It's all about finishing." Every good coach, every good manager every good teacher, and every good parent will tell you that. It's that attitude that has allowed millions of people to find success in the second half of their lives. It's that attitude that led the famous Vermont artist Grandma Moses to discover and nurture her oil painting talent after the age of 65. It's that kind of passion that led my friend Noel Johnson to run his first marathon at the age of 75 and complete 25 more in his lifetime.

Football is a good metaphor for life and the Seahawks set a perfect example in Sundays win over the Bears. After scoring first on a recovered fumble and eventual touchdown run by Marshawn Lynch the Seahawks fell behind 14-7 at half time with an anemic passing game showing no promise for the afternoon. Tavaris Jackson completed just four of 12 passes in the first half. Did the team give up and settle for another loss on the road complete with all the excuses people use when that happens? They did not. Instead they made some mental and slight play calling adjustments in the second half and buried the Bears 31-0 in the final 30 minutes. Jackson completed 15 of 19 passes in the second half for 175 yards. Now that's finishing! That's how to execute the biggest lesson in life. "Finish what you start."

Final Two Games

Suddenly with two games left to play in the regular season the Seahawks have drawn even at 7-7. There is still a slight chance they can make the playoffs. Detroit would have to lose it's final two games while the Seahawks beat both the 49ers on Chrismas Eve and the Cardinals in Arizona on New Years Day.

Hey, Anything is possible. The Seahawks have proven that in the second half of the 2011 season.

Merry Christmas

Let me take this opportunity to wish everyone a wonderful Holiday or as we used to say Merry Christmas! I'm as sensitive as anyone about being politically correct but I've always felt that "Merry Christmas" was kind of a universal greeting of love and friendship to people of all races and beliefs, so Merry Christmas everyone.

December 19, 2011

This whole winning thing can become a habit. When the Seahawks the Rams on Monday night 30-13 it was their fourth win in the last five games. Had it not been for a collapse in the final 12 minutes against the Redskins on November 27th the Seahawks would be 5-0 for the second half of the season.

Special teams started the whole thing off long before the offense got rolling. That blocked punt by Doug Baldwin resulting in a touchdown by Michael Robinson set the stage for a fun night for 66,577 at Century Link field.

Baldwin went on to down a punt on the five yard line, catch 7 passes for 93 yards and grab a 16 yard touchdown pass from Tavaris Jackson. This undrafted free agent rookie from Stanford is showing everyone who passed on him at the draft what a mistake they made.

Filling in the Blanks

The offensive line has lost three starters in the last three weeks and yet with Paul McQuisten filling in at left tackle they more than held their own against the Rams defense. Two of the sacks suffered by quarterback Tavaris Jackson were caused by him as he admitted after the game.

First and Goal

How about that Seahawks defense? Faced with first and goal six times on the one yard line they almost kept the Rams out of the end zone. "Everybody showed up tonight," said defensive end Chris Clemons. He's been steady as a rock all season up front putting pressure on every QB the Seahawks have faced.

Playoff Dreams

Believe it or not the Seahawks are still in the playoff picture with their 6-7 record and three games left to play. There is one scenario that has the final playoff spot in the NFC coming down to the New Years Day game in Arizona. The players know that but they refuse to talk about it and who cam blame then, they have to beat the Bears in Chicago this coming Sunday for any chance to even think about post season fun.

Tebow Magic

I love the Tim Tebow story from lot's of different angles. Some people really believe Tebow has divine intervention because of his Christmas beliefs while others scoff at the idea. Here's what I believe. Tebow is a spiritual guy who's calmness under fire is directly connected to that belief. Calmness under pressure and great athletic ability can make up for inaccurate passing any day and he is living proof of that. I'll leave the question of divine intervention up to you. All I know is that Tebow is a great team player, a hard worker and at least for now a winner. I wish him all the success her can generate for himself. After all success is self generated and it doesn't hurt if you're a good person on top of that.

December 13, 2011

Have you ever wondered what Seahawks players do on their day off? If you imagine them counting their money, playing video games or tweeting their friends around the country you're probably getting the wrong picture. Oh sure they tweet their friends and some of them do play video games but almost all of them do something for others either in this community or their home towns.

This week Marshawn Lynch, Justin Forsett and Marcus Trufant signed autographs at South Center in Renton to benefit the toy drive at Seattle's Children's Hospital.

Cam Chancellor signed autographs at the Century Link Pro Shop and Roy Lewis appeared at Aki Kurose Middle School in Seattle.

The Seagals had their 23rd annual charity auction for the benefit of the Broadview Emergency Shelter and the Sea Gals Guild at Children's Hospital in Seattle.

During the football season the players usually have Tuesdays off but that's also the day many of them spend working on community events.

Monday Night Game

Up next for the Seahawks is a re-match against the St. Louis Rams on Monday Night Football December 12th. In their last meeting in St. Louis November 20th Marshawn Lynch and Justin Forsett scored rushing touchdowns and Tavaris Jackson tossed one to Sidney Rice for another score in a 24-7 Seattle win. Since then left tackle Russell Okung and receiver Sidney Rice have been lost for the season. Looks like Ben Obamanu or Golden Tate will start in place on Rice while Paul McQuistin will replace Okung.

Early Clincher

Since the 49ers clinched the NFC West with a win over the Rams Sunday the Seahawks push in the final four games will be more about a strong finish than anything else. At 5-7 they're still two victories shy of last years win total with four games left on the schedule. Sometimes on the talks shows the hosts refer to some games as "winnable." I've never liked that description since I believe all games are "winnable" and all games are "losable" if that's even a word. Just because the Seahawks beat the Rams 24-7 doesn't automatically give them the second game. Nor does the fact that the Bears crushed Seattle in the playoffs last year mean they'll win again when they meet in the windy city on December 18th.

At some point sports talk becomes like background noise. A long time ago I remember sitting at a boxing match at Madison Square Garden with a young colleague of mine and our much older boss. My friend and I were talking up a storm about the fight that was happening above us in the ring. After listening to the chatter for two rounds my boss turned to us and said, "just let them fight." My point is on any given day any team can beat any other team you just have to "let them play."

December 5, 2011

The Seahawks 23-17 loss to the Redskins Sunday begs the question, "What's worse, getting blown out or leading by ten points with 12 minutes left in the game and losing anyway?"

Most of the players in the sullen Seahawks looker room agreed that losing after leading is the most painful. Either way the Seahawks find themselves at 4-7 instead of riding a three game winning streak and standing on the door of a possible 6-6 record by midnight Thursday night.

In the good, bad an ugly category it's about even. The bad is obvious. The Seahawks lost. The good is less obvious but still evident. Marshawn Lynch ran for 111 yards on 24 carries as he did when the Seahawks upset Baltimore three weeks ago. The difference Sunday is that the offense didn't sustain a drive when they sorely needed it in the 4th quarter. Instead they gave the ball back to Rex Grossman who was on fire in the final period and led his team to victory.

The good is that Tavaris Jackson, still in lot's of pain from that pectoral injury tossed a touchdown pass to Marshawn Lynch and another to Golden Tate. The pass to Tate gave the Seahawks a 17-7 lead with about 12 minutes left in the game.

The ugly was all over the place. It started even before the game when Redskins linebacker London Fletcher and Seahawks full back Michael Robinson got into a verbal battle during the toss of the coin. Its one thing for teams with good records to do that but in a battle of sub .500 squads it's a little silly. Even more silly is all the penalties the Seahawks keep handing themselves. Cut those penalties in half this season and a Seahawks team that's staring at a 4-7 record might be 6-5 right now.

What's Next

There's no time to wallow in the mire of Sunday's loss because the Seahawks face the Philadelphia Eagles Thursday night at Century Link Field. The Eagles come to town with a chip on their shoulders too since their season has been less than expected. We might need a cage in the middle of the field for the pre game coin toss that night.

Apple Cup

I watched the Apple Cup from home and spent most of the night feeling sorry for the out manned Cougars. Even though the game was tied at 14 at one point I never felt as it the Cougars were in it. All I could think about every time the cameras got a close up shot of Paul Wulff is that the expression on his face made it seem like he'd been fired in the locker room before the game. As it turned out a 90 minute meeting with Athletic Director Bill Moos on Sunday still hadn't resulted in a decision by Monday morning.

Wulff is a good guy who deserved four years to try and turn the Cougar program around but in today's world of impatient fans and media not to mention restless alums, his time is probably up.

Seagals Auction

On a brighter note the Seagals annual auction is set for Monday evening December 5 at 6-8:30 p.m. at the munch Bar in Bellevue. Great items are available in the silent auction including sports packages, spa packages and restaurant, wine and hotel certificates. The auction will benefit Broadview Women and Children's shelter and Children's Hospital Seagals Guild.

November 29, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving!

Charles Dickens said, "Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every person has many, not on you past misfortunes, of which all people have some."

However you spend this wonderful holiday please do it with gratitude, not of the material things in your life but of your family, friends and the goodness that surrounds you.

Even though both of my parents have passed away, the rich memories of all the Thanksgivings we spent together flood back into my mind every year. Sure I'm a little sad that I can't see them again in this lifetime but I'll always be thankful for the years we had together.

There was the year my Dad, brother Phil and I went duck hunting at the old Norwalk Reservoir in Connecticut. Suddenly in a hushed voice he said, "there they are keep quiet and we'll get a couple." My dad and my brother fired two shots each and the ducks sitting on the water didn't budge. The frenzied flight to escape did not happen. We were stunned until we heard the rather angry voice of another hunter across the reservoir, "hey you sunk two of my decoys, are you guys crazy?" My dad and brother and I ran back to our car trying to not to laugh out loud. We had indeed mistaken four decoys for the real thing. That incident happened almost 50 years ago and yet I think about it every year.

The Thanksgiving Box

A few years before that in the early 1950s by Dad, who was a barber received a fruit cake for Christmas from a customer. He put it in the cabinet above the refrigerator and forgot about it until the next Thanksgiving. By that time the cake was as black as a hockey puck and just as hard. Instead of eating it we decided to save a small piece and put notes into the box every Thanksgiving. We wrote about events from the past year, predictions for the following year a few words of wisdom from my mom or dad. We followed that tradition for the next 40 years piling up hundreds of notes and thousands of memories in fruit cake box after fruit cake box.

When Dad passed away in 1998 we kept the tradition going at a family reunion for one more time to honor him and then multiplied the effort.

Now my family is spread out across the country each with their own fruit cake boxes of memories filled with new blessings that will wind into the future and keep us together even when we're miles apart.

Happy Thanksgiving, may your fruit cake box be filled with loving memories of the past and hopefuls thoughts of the future.

Every Thanksgiving morning I say a silent prayer, talking to my mom and dad, thanking them for their love and kindness and remembering the fruit cake box of memories in the cabinet above the refrigerator.

November 21, 2011

Thanks to a Seahawks win over the Ravens the sports week had a nice finish to it. Back to that in a minute.

Early in the week the sports world was mired in the horrible story of child abuse at Penn State University and the complete failure of the university to correct and eliminate the problem a dozen years ago when it was first discovered. Now maybe justice will be served on those responsible and peace can come to the victims and their families.

For those of us in the Pacific Northwest the week began to take on a brighter note when a red shirt freshman quarterback Connor Halliday led the Washington State Cougars to a Saturday night win over Arizona State. Throwing for 494 yards and four touchdowns the young QB may have given Cougar fans a glimpse into a very bright future.

Seahawks Surprise

Then Sunday brought a touching tribute to our military veterans at Century Link field before the game and a treat to the fans the rest of the afternoon.

For the first time this season the Seahawks clicked in all three phases of the game. Special teams caused two fumbles, the defense disrupted and upset Joe Flacco's aeriel attack and the offense did enough to win when it counted most.

The most encouraging sign all day was that final drive to run out the clock with just over five minutes left in the game. The drive started with a penalty, something that still needs to be cleaned up, but then on first and 20 from their own 10, Tavaris Jackson found Golden Tate for the 10 yard gain. Marshawn Lynch bullied his way for five yards sertting up a 3rd and five at the 25. That's when hard work in practice and the classroom paid off for Golden Tate. He was in the lineup because of injuries to Doug Baldwin and Sidney Rice and he made the best of his opportunity. Jackson's found Tate again with a short pass and the former Notre Dame baseball player raced 24 yards to mid field.

Beast Mode

I'll be the first to admit that the term "Beast Mode" is over used, but in this case it fits. Marshawn Lynch was involved in the next seven plays allowing the Seahawks to run out the clock and seal the victory over the AFC Central leaders.

This doesn't make a season for sure but it may kick start the second half and more importantly signal some real progress in all phases of the game for the Seahawks.

Flag Raiser

I was honored to interview 87 year old George Hickman before the game at the 12th man flag raising ceremony. George is a fixture at Seahawks and Husky games as he was when the Kingdome opened in 1976. George is one of the few remaining members of the all black Tuskegee Airman who served during World War II. He worked for Boeing for 29 years as an engineer and instructor on the B-52 and continues to share his smile and a hand shake every Sunday inside the Seahawks press box. George knew what real racism was all about and yet he never complains about it. He is a true American hero and I'm honored to know him.

November 14, 2011

Will the Seahawks win another game this season? Should we be hoping the Colts and Dolphins find the will to win three games catapulting the Seahawks into the "Andrew Luck Sweepstakes?"

Those questions and others are on the minds of Seahawks fans this morning as they mull over the 23-13 loss to the Cowboys in Dallas. I was at the game and I'm still trying to get over the "go-go" girls in the cages of the south end zone. I have many questions. Why are they there? Do they ever let them out? Id that their real job?

The Seahawks offense was also in a cage for much of the game too with the exception of the running game which suddenly came to life in Texas. For as effective as the running game was the passing game was just as ineffective. Tavaris Jackson had his worst day as a Seahawks starter, admitting to as much after the game. He threw three interceptions two of which led to Dallas points and one at the end of the game.

Having complained about all of that, the worst part of the Seahawks performance was those ten penalties, three in the first half and seven in the second. It's a problem that has not gotten better with each week as you would expect. It seemed every time the Seahawks got a drive going someone got a penalty, either for a false start or a hold. On the other hand the offensive line did protect Tavaris Jackson allowing no sacks in the game.

The two areas in which the Seahawks excelled were punting and running the football. I know what you're thinking, if you have to punt that much something else is wrong and that's true but let's recognize Jon Ryan for averaging 61 yards per punt.

The running game also took a turn for the better with Marshawn Lynch rushing for 135 yards and averaging 5.9 yards a carry.

Okay so where do we go from here? At the mid way point of the season the Seahawks are 2-6 and completely out of the NFC race. To make matters even more interesting the red hot Baltimore Ravens are coming to Seattle next weekend off a win over the Steelers Sunday.

We knew this re building season would be a challenge and it is. Now it'll be interesting to see how the players and coaches react to that challenge in the second half of the season.

Also on My Mind

I wonder if the Dallas Cowboys ever have "movie nights" at their stadium. The big screen is 72 feet high by 160 feet long, wouldn't that make a cool setting for a scary movie complete with surround sound audio and maybe a few bats flying around. I wonder if Jerry Jones has thought of that yet?

I saw an ad in the local newspaper in Fort Worth for a gun sale featuring AK47s. That's when I knew I was in Texas.

November 7, 2011

Sunday's Seahawks game had all the twists and turns of a thrill ride with one exception, a thrill ride is usually fun.

As an optimist I'll say this. Take a away the 11 penalties that cost the team 80 yards, the total of 61 yards rushing, the failure to get any points after an impressive drive at the end of the first half and those two Bengals touchdowns in the final minutes on a kick off return and a pass interception and you have a close game.

In all seriousness it's not as bad as it looks. Most of the problems can be boiled down to one thing, the running game is not working and that's killing the rest of the offense. If your running game doesn't work it doesn't matter who's at quarterback.

Charlie Whitehurst is not as bad as he's looked these last two games and Tavaris Jackson is still playing at about 85% percent with that pectoral injury but none of it matters until the running game is fixed.

Baseball is Slipping

I watched game six of the World Series and ranked it in the top 10 games I've ever seen which says something because I go back a long way. I can still remember the 1960 World Series when Bill Mazeroski hit a home run off Ralph Terry in the bottom of the 10th inning to beat the Yankees 10-9 after New York had dominated in their three series victories that year.

I remember the Carlton Fisk homer in the 1975 series, the Bill Buckner error in game six of the 86 series and the walk off, bases loaded bloop single by Luis Gonzalez off Mariano Rivera that gave the Arizona Diamondbacks a victory over the Yankees in the 2001 World Series. Game six of the 2011 series was right up there with all of them.

Here's the sad part though. Even with all that drama last Sunday's boring NFL game got higher ratings than game six of the World Series. More people, especially young men are watching football than baseball by a long shot. Baseball is slowly and gradually losing it's market share all across the country. The problem is the market share is slipping only slightly every year so there's no panic yet. At some point baseball needs to wake up and realize it is not the "national pastime" anymore and it may need to rein in some of those long term, guaranteed contracts before the bubble bursts as it has in the NBA.

October 31, 2011

In my never ending search for the silver lining in every cloud I will attempt to talk Seahawk fans down from the near by cliff they might consider standing on.

First of all sitting through Sunday's game in the Browns press box was only a step or two removed from trying to read the instructions for my new cell phone. It was boring, tedious and frustrating.

Now to the silver lining. The defense played very well all afternoon with one exception. They did allow Colt McCoy and the Browns offense to covert far too many 3rd and long situations, 12 of 24 at be exact.

On the other hand the Seahawks offense converted only two of twelve third down opportunities.

Special teams had a good game especially that punt run back for a touchdown by Leon Washington that was nullified by a penalty on Kennard Cox for a block in the back. You can question officials all day but the Seahawks had plenty of chances to win the game no matter how bad that call and others might have been.

They did have the ball first and goal on the two yard line and failed to score a touchdown. You can point to Charlie Whitehurst and his worse game as a professional. The ball he threw to Sidney rice for 38 yards should've been a touchdown but he threw it over Sidneys right shoulder forcing his to step out of bounds. Oh and by the way Mike Williams was wide open on another play and Charlie never saw him.

Missing Marshawn Lynch and center Max Unger were huge factors. Whitehurst was forced to field high snaps at least a half dozen times in the game and that can really mess up a quarterbacks rythym.

Now What

First of all Max Unger, Marshawn Lynch and Tavaris Jackson should make it back for next Sundays game at home against the Bengals. Second you can't let officials decisions sway your outlook on the rest of the season. Third you need a short memory in professional sports. Forget the 6-3 loss and get ready for the next game. I know that's easier said then done if you're a fan but it's still good advice.

One final silver lining item. The Sounders scored three points in their final regular season game against Chivas USA, equaling the Seahawks output against the Browns.

Hall Of Fame Tour

One final note for those of you who buy into all the "knock Cleveland" jokes. I got up early Saturday morning and drove 51 miles south toe the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It was well worth the drive. When you go do not expect to see a lot of Seahawks memorabilia, it just doesn't exist and it won't until Seattle wins a Super Bowl.

Later in the day I spent a couple of hours at the Rock N Roll hall of Fame in Cleveland. Again well worth the price of admission, especially if you're of very early 50s rock. The two hall of fame visits took the sting off the outcome of the Seahawks game,

October 24, 2011

I know I've gone on record before as a huge fan of this time of the year. There are so many reasons autumn ranks high on my list. Let's start with high school football, and college football and pro football.

The World Series starts on Wednesday in St. Louis one of the great baseball cities in America. The days are brilliant, the nights are cool, the leaves are changing and apples taste better in Washington in October that at any other time of the year. Everywhere you look there's a pumpkin patch. Autumn is the best time of the year.

Since the Seahawks had a bye week I had a rare day off on Sunday. I woke up early and went for a two hour walk in the woods kicking up leaves every few feet. It brought back memories of a game I used to play as a kid in New England. As soon as the leaves began to fall in our back yard I would toss a football up in the air, grab it like catching a punt and begin running across the lawn. The leaves on the ground were defensive players so I had to run without hitting a leaf. That was the "fantasy football" of the 1950s. I was every star of that era from Elroy "Crazy Legs" Hirsch to Johnny Unitas. Now every time I see leaves falling I feel like grabbing a football and running through the yard.

I wonder if kids do that kind of thing today or are they too busy on their I phones? As much as I admire the technology available to young people today I almost feel sorry for the fact that they may never reach as far into their imaginations as I did when I was a kid.

Random Thoughts

This section is called random thoughts because I seem to have a lot of them these days. As I watched the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Milwaukee Brewers Sunday night to end their season there was a brief camera shot of Prince Fielder in the dugout in the 9th inning. A couple of weeks ago he told the world he would probably make himself available to the highest bidder on the free agent market. How sad that is for all those loyal fans of the Brewers. Couldn't Fielder have kept his mouth shut until after the season?

Did you see the Lions vs 49ers game? Aren't those head coaches great example of sportsmanship? Yes my sarcasm is coming through. Jim Harbaugh will mature as a human being some day but he might be 90 years old when it happens.

Finally I saw a youth football coach yelling at his players a few minutes before a game a couple of weeks ago. He was in their faces yelling "Dare to be Great." I wonder if those ten year olds knew what he was talking about. I agree with his philosophy but did he have to scream it at them inches from their little faces? Here's a suggestion coach, tell the kids, "play your best and have fun," maybe they won't get burned out on football by age 11 that way.

October 17, 2011

"My brain was exploding," said Seahawks coach Pete Carroll when Brandon Browner picked off an Eli Manning pass and ran it back 94 yards for the game winning touchdown Sunday in New Jersey.

Browning, a refugee from the Canadian Football League, was only one of the heros for the Seahawks in their first road victory in the last six games. Undrafted free agent rookie Doug Baldwin, who had a try out with the Giants before coming to the Seahawks caught a touchdown pass from Charlie Whitehurst late in the game to give the Seahawks the lead. Baldwin caught 8 passes for 136 yards, he's on pace to go over 1000 yards in his rookie season.

On defense Chris Clemmons got two crucial sacks to raise his season total to four, Anthony Hargrove forced a safety and was jubilant in the locker room after the game. "I have eight points in my career now," said the former 2004 draft pick of the St., Louis Rams who won a Super Bowl with the Saints in 2009.

Staring fast

During the week coach Carroll was asked several time if he would consider going to a "no huddle" offense for an entire game. That did not happen but what did happen was 14 points in the first half and two impressive 80 yards drive. After talking about starting fast the Seahawks finally did that in New Jersey Sunday.

Half time thoughts

In the locker room at half time tied with the Giants 14-14 no one was wringing their hands over the fact that the Seahawks could've been ahead 28-7. A couple of penalties and turnovers kept the Giants in the game but did not discourage the Seahawks.

Then in the second half after Tavaris Jackson took a vicious hit in the chest, he came out of the game in favor of Charlie Whitrehurst. Cautious at first Whitehurst saw the Giants go off sides in the 4th quarter and shot a perfect pass to a wide open Doug Baldwin who raced 27 yards for the go ahead touchdown.

The drama was far from over. The Giants marched down the field to the Seahawks 10 and most of the 78,000 at Met Life Stadium figured the home team was about to seal the victory.

Apparently the Seahawks defense had other ideas because Cam Chancellor tipped Manning's pass and Browning grabbed it out of the air en route to his 94 yards touchdown.

The Seahawks will get the rest of this week off with no game scheduled and come back next week to prepare for a trip to Cleveland and a showdown the Mike Holmgren's Cleveland Browns.

Post Game Locker Room

I had a chance to be inside the Seahawks locker room after the game and heard the soft spoken Red Bryant tell his team how proud he was that they had the resolve to hang together and be tough even when it looked like they might not win. Well they did win and it lifted the spirits of every Seahawks fan out there. Coach Carroll expressed it well after the game. "No matter what they're saying about us on the outside or what they think about us, we've hung together and that allows you this kind of effort."

October 10, 2011

The Seahawks played two football games Sunday. They lost the first half 24-7 and won the second 21-6. Is Stephan Hauschka had somehow been able to launch a 61 yard field goal with 13 seconds left on the clock the Seahawks would be enjoying a 31-30 victory this week.

Now it's time to decide whether you are in the "glass is half empty" club or the "half full" club.

In the first half the Falcons controlled the football for nearly 22 minutes marching up and down the field with Matt Ryan finding his receivers and Michael Turner finding real estate behind his offensive line.

Suddenly in the second half Seattle went to a "no huddle" offense and began to find a rhythm. Tavaris Jackson had time for his check downs and hit his receivers on all parts of the field. Even the running game woke up and produced a Marshawn Lynch touchdown. If you judge this game by the second half you see good things for the rest of this season. If you judge it by the first half you may as well root for the 49ers the rest of the season.

I choose to see the bright spots in the second half and the even the few moments of glory in the first like that 52 yard touchdown pass from Jackson to Sidney Rice.

The offensive line is starting to come together and veteran Robert Gallery returns to action this week. Tavaris Jackson is looking more and more comfortable in the pocket and is finding all of his receivers. Sidney Rice catches everything, Doug Baldwin gets open on most of his patterns and so does Ben Obamanu.

It wouldn't surprise me if the Seahawks reels off a couple victories in a row at New York this weekend and Cleveland on October 23rd.

Felix and Jason

Mariners pitcher Felix Hernandez was on the sidelines before the Seahawks game Sunday. His work is finished for the fall and winter. Now it's up to the front office to make next year more fun for the Mariner ace and his fans.

Dallas Mavericks guard Jason Terry was the 12th man flag raiser prior to Sunday's game. What a career he's had. Jason led Franklin high school to state title in 1994 and 95, then led the Arizona Wildcats to a national championship in 1997 and just this past June helped the Dallas Mavericks win an NBA title.

October 3, 2011

Wednesday September 28th, 2011 was one of the most memorable days in baseball history for two good reasons and one bad.

First congratulations for the St. Louis Cardinals and Tampa Bay Rays for battling past terrific odds to reach the playoffs on the last day of the season. Evan Longoria's 12th inning home run capped an incredible comeback and put the Rays into the playoffs. First off they trailed Boston by 9 games on September 4th and came back to win the Wild Card race. Second, they trailed the Yankees 7-0 in Wednesday's game, tied it with a home run in the bottom of the 9th and won it in the 12th on Longoria's second homer of the game.

The Cardinals beat the Astros 8-0 while the Braves lost to the Phillies 4-3 in 13 innings putting the Cardinals into the playoffs. Now for the bad news we look in on the New York Mets, that high salary under achieving team that finished 4th in the National League East.

I was sad to see what happened in the final Mets game of the season on Wednesday. No one got injured but the game of baseball received a huge black eye. Mets shortstop Jose Reyes, in a season long battle with Brewers left field Ryan Braun for the National League batting title did something that got him booed by Mets fans and deservedly so. Going into the game Reyes and Braun were neck and neck for the batting title. Reyes reached base on a bunt single in the first inning and then was lifted for a pinch runner. His manager later explained that he wanted Reyes to preserve the .337 average he had earned by getting the bunt single. Meanwhile Braun went 0 for 4 and dropped out of the race. Late Hall of Famer Ted Williams must be spinning in his grave.

Back in 1941 Williams went into his final game of the season batting .399.6. The Red Sox had a double header that day so Williams's manager offered to sit him for both games in prder to preserve the average which would have officially been rounded off to .400. Williams refused to sit out either game, played in both and got five hits that day to finish the season at .406. No one has come close since. Ironically Williams didn't even win the Most Valuable Player award that year, Joe DiMaggio did.

Williams was a competitor, a warrior, a military veteran. Reyes is in the last year of his contract and wanted the batting title to help his launch into free agency. I disagree with what his manager did and I'm appalled that Reyes allowed himself to be pulled from the game to preserve his batting title. Is it really all about individual statistics and free agency money now? If the answer is yes than baseball has reached an all time low. I'd like to believe that most players today would've done what Ted Williams did 70 years ago. The game of baseball reflects society and I'm optimistic enough to believe most of us would do the right thing and compete all the way to the end.

September 29, 2011

Isn't it funny how a victory in a simple football game can change the outlook of thousands of people. When the Seahawks showed signs of life on offense and beat the Arizona Cardinals 13-10 Sunday there was a collective sigh of relief mixed with a smattering of excitement among the crowd of 66,199 at Century Link Field.

Early in the game is seemed that the fans were looking for reasons to boo Tavaris Jackson instead of supporting him but that may just be a statement on our impatient, rather cranky society these days.

When Tavaris scrambled into the end zone for a touchdown in the 3rd quarter the place erupted in cheers. Asked about it after the game, Tavaris was candid and refreshingly honest.

"You want to play for you fans but I'm playing for the guys in that huddle, I'm playing for the guys in the locker room. Matt was here for along time and did some great things here, so I have a lot of people to win over, I'll probably never win them over. I can try but my whole thing here is to try to be the best I can be and get this team some wins. If they booing and we keep winning I don't care."

Tavaris was 8 for 10 passing for 171 yards including four completions in that 14 play scoring drive. His teammates respect him and trust him. I say it's time to lay off Tavaris Jackson and give him time to lead this team to some victories.

Instant Rice

Sidney Rice practiced well all week and showed it Sunday with his performance. He caught the first pass of the day from Jackson and set the stage for a nice comeback effort. The only regret in the locker room after the game was that Mike Williams didn't get his hands on the ball at all. I have a feeling that'll change in coming weeks.

Youth Movement

The long and sometimes frustrating Mariners season has come to and end. I'm an optimist so don't come to me if you want to "pile on" the team, Ichiro, the manager or the ownership. I like the idea of going with young players and letting them develop. Everyone points to the Yankees being big spenders for free agents but the core of their championship teams have been players developed in their own system. Players like Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera have been Yankees from the start. Mariners youngsters like Dustin Ackley who batted .280 in his rookie season and showed brilliance on defense, Mike Carp who used this opportunity to show he's a big leaguer, Justin Smoak who can transform himself into a slugger with better conditioning in the off season. The Mariners will be an exciting team in 2012 and a playoff team the following year.

September 26, 2011

It's no secret that I work for the Seattle Seahawks as Digital Media Host for the web site. In that role I'm able to see and sometimes hear the frustration of fans whose patience wears thin when their team doesn't play well.

After Sunday's 24-0 loss to the Steelers in Pittsburgh hundreds of people lit up the blogs and forums with an array of comments about the team. Perhaps it is a statement about the mood of the country but most of the comments were negative at best and vicious at worst.

Thank goodness we live in a free country where freedom of speech is protected by the U.S. Constitution but occasionally that freedom is abused by a pathetic few who feel it necessary to lace every comment with an insult to the team, the coach or even the messenger.

I've been a sports fan my whole life but have never felt it my duty to verbally abuse my team when they play badly and lose. I realize with the internet people who ordinarily do not have the courage to speak their opinion are able to hide behind their key board or phone pad and say whatever they want.

I can assure that no one in the Seahawks organization is any happier about an 0-2 start or a 24-0 loss than the least happy fan. The question now is simple, what next?

Make no mistake about it, this is a re-building year for the Seahawks and when that's the case there will be outcomes no body wants to see.

The coaches and front office can't afford to take one second to complain about the state of the team, they're too busy trying to fix it.

There are three glaring examples of NFL teams that spent years losing while re-building their rosters to create a winner. The Green Bay Packers, The Detroit Lions, the New Orleans Saints and the Atlanta Falcons come to mind.

They lost for years and now they're winning. After years of frustration their fans are finally being rewarded. Some of the fans were patient, some were not but they're all smiling now that the re-building is showing results. Seahawks fans will have their day, it just won't be today or tomorrow or even this season but it will happen and when it does all the negativity will disappear.

September 19, 2011

How quickly your football fortunes can change. Late in the 4th quarter trailing the 49ers 19-10 Tavaris Jackson hit rookie Doug Baldwin with a short pass and the Stanford speedster raced to the end zone for a 55 yard touchdown. Suddenly it was a two point game with about four minutes left to play. From where I stood on the side lines the players and coaches to a man thought they would win the game.

The kickoff sailed five yards deep into the end zone into the waiting arms of Ted Ginn Jr. and he put on a show from there. 105 yards later the 49ers lead was back up to 26-17.

The nightmare continued when one the next series Ginn returned a Seattle punt for another touchdown and the 33-17 final.

Good and bad

The Seahawks offense was bad in the first half and good in the second. The defense had two very good halves stopping running back Frank Gore all afternoon. Special teams had some problems obviously and they'll have to be worked on this week.

Practice has been moved to the morning this week in preparation for the game against the Steelers at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh.

Cougars roll

The Washington State Cougars are off to their first 2-0 start since 1995. Senior quarterback Marshall Lobbestael passed for 361 yards in that 59-7 win over UNLV in Pullman.

This week the Cougs travel south to face San Diego State and the second leading rusher in the country Ronnie Hillman.

Huskies Roll Too

It's off to Nebraska for the 2-0 Huskies this coming weekend. They beat Hawaii 40-32 last Saturday. Up next is 10th ranked Nebraska whose running game averaged 224 yards in victories over Chattanooga and Fresno State.

Sounders Speed Bump

Saturday's 2-1 loss to Real Salt Lake marked one of the worst performances of the season for the Sounders but don't panic, it's just a speed bump. Granted a victory over RSL would've helped Seattle's post season seeding a lot but then it's better to get your bad game out of the way now rather than in the post season.

Storm in Playoffs Again

Coming off a second WNBA championship last fall the Seattle Storm is ready to do it again. They cruised into the playoffs and then secured home court advantage for the first round in the last week or so. Lauren Jackson was rested in Sunday's 81-70 victory over Chicago giving her a few days to get ready for the playoff opener against Phoenix this coming weekend.

September 12, 2011

Labor Day has come and gone for another year. That means football season is in full swing.

Cougar fans have already felt the emotion of losing their starting quarterback and crushing Idaho State on the same day. The good news is that Jeff Tuel's broken clavicle will not need surgery and he may get back to action much earlier than first thought.

The other good news is senior Marshall Lobbestael was solid in his back up role leading the cougars to a 64-21 victory and a 1-0 record for the first time in six years. Next up is UNLV in Pullman Saturday.

The Huskies escaped with a narrow win over Eastern thanks to an interception by Desmond Trufant in the final seconds of play. It was a crushing loss for the Eagles who out played Washington for much of the afternoon.

Seahawks Changes

It seems the words change and Seahawks have been uttered in the same sentence since Pete Carroll took over as head coach 18 nearly two years ago. Only ten players remain from the roster he took over in January of 2010 but that's what it takes to change the direction of a team in the NFL.

There was a dash of hope in the way the offense played against Oakland in the final pre season test last Friday. Now that dash can become a splash with starters Marshawn Lynch, Sidney Rice and Russell Okung expected to play in the regular season opener at San Francisco.

Back To School

Speaking of Okung, the starting left tackle sponsored a "back to school" event for 400 kids in Tukwila on Sunday. The kids all got free "back to school" haircuts, school supplies and back packs courtesy of the Russell Okung UP Foundation. I've always felt more players should be active in their communities. Good for Russell for stepping up early in the season.

September 6, 2011

I took a long walk this afternoon on a shady lane that overlooks Lake Washington. This is by far my favorite time of the year for multiple reasons. On sunny days the skies are bluer than at any other time of the year. First thing in the morning you're greeted with a chill that signals the end of summer but by mid day it's warm again and hope is restored. The leaves are just starting to change and the apple crop is ready to burst into its peak season. Autumn is almost here.

While poets and fiction writers have feasted on this time of year for as long as I can remember sports fans get a kick out of it too. After all college football season is already under way this weekend with high school season not far behind. After a spring and summer of doubt the NFL season will kick off on time on the weekend of September 11th.

The combination of emotions on opening day between memorials for the victims of 9/11, the raw patriotism that comes with the American game of football and the games themselves should make it a memorable day.

Here in the Pacific Northwest there is hope. Not for the baseball playoffs of which there will be none in 2011 but for our major college football teams and our Seahawks. Skagit county fans may keep more of an eye on the Tennessee Titans and Jake Locker than the Seattle Seahawks but either way it's time for some football and every sports fan I know is happy about that.

Whether you're a Cougar, a Husky, Wildcat, Viking or Eagle your favorite team is getting ready to play. Whether you root for Burlington-Edison, Mt. Vernon or Sedro Wooley your team is getting ready to play. Enjoy this time of the year, it is a gift in the Pacific Northwest and it doesn't last forever.

September 1, 2011

If any football season needed four pre-season games it's this one. After watching the Seahawks lose to the Vikings 20-7 Saturday night it's very clear what the team needs. More time.

More time for the offensive line to work together. More time for Tavaris Jackson to work with the first team and actually get some protection. More time for the young players to realize the speed of the game is different than college and practice and mistakes are okay as long as they're not repeated.

There were several bright spots in the game. Safety Josh Pinkard made a fantastic touchdown saving play late in the game knocking the ball loose from Emmanual Arceneaux at the goal line. Another defensive standout was Reheem Brock who was in the face of Minnesota quarterback Donavan McNabb on several occasions. Leon Washington made a couple of nice run and Mike Williams made a fantastic diving catch on the two yard line.

Fans are already stirring up the notion of a quarterback controversy between Tavaris Jackson and Charlie Whitehurst. Charlie helped himself by completing 10 of 11 passes and engineering an 89 yard 16 play drive capped by a three yard touchdown pass to Anthony McCoy. During the drive chants of "Charlie, Charlie, Charlie" could be heard in the stadium.

After the game Pete Carroll explained to the media that there were two different halves and it was a different game out there in the second half. What he was saying without taking anything away from Whitehurst is that Charlie was facing the Vikings number two defense and not their starters. Most fans understand that and are fine with it as long as the number one Seahawks offense begins to produce in game three of the pre-season at Denver on Saturday night.

Sounders Crucial Win

In the oppressive heat and humidity of Frisco, Texas Saturday night the Sounders pulled off a huge 1-0 victory over FC Dallas putting them two points ahead of them in the battle for second place in the west behind Los Angeles.

Winning on the road is what a team must do to have any chance to win a championship and the Sounders have recently shown the ability to do that.

Seagals Calendar Unveiling

The 2012 Seagals calendar will be unveiled on August 31 in Bellevue. Follow Seahawks.Com for information on the time and location. All 32 Seagals will be there along with NFL Hall of Famer Warren Moon. It'll be the first time anyone has seen the new calendar including the girls.

August 22, 2011

Just a few weeks ago we weren't sure we'd have an NFL season and now we're approaching the second pre-season test for the Seahawks Saturday night when they host the Minnesota Vikings.

Sure it's a pre season game but it does offer a little more drama than most mid-August match-ups because of a guy named Jackson and a guy named Rice.

When the Seahawks signed free agents Sidney Rice and Tavaris Jackson from the Vikings and let Matt Hasselbeck go to Tennessee the message was clear. The Seahawks are starting over at quarterback and counting heavily on Jackson to reach his full potential or get somewhere close this season.

Jackson wasn't even in uniform yet when head coach Pete Carroll named his the starting quarterback citing experience "in the system" as his reason. It does make sense since Jackson is familiar with new offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell and receiver Sidney Rice.

Rice should help Jackson succeed with his ability to catch a football no matter how it's thrown not to mention his height and physical strength.

A number of fans have shown concern about Jackson based on his performance in the first pre-season game at San Diego. I wouldn't worry about that since he'd only had four days on the practice field prior to that game. Some of those same fans were impressed with the work of rookie Josh Portis who led a late touchdown drive that gave the Seahawks the victory. Keep in mind he was facing the Chargers third string defense but having said that I know the Seahawks are very high on Portis and have said he is in their future plans.

So what about Charlie Whitehurst? He also had a good game against San Diego and is quickly grasping the Bevell offense. If Jackson falters and Whitehurst continues to improve maybe there will be a "quarterback controversy" but it isn't happening yet.

No Tweets

Newly acquired guard Robert Gallery is an imposing figure on that offensive line with his long dark hair and beard. In person he's very pleasant, well spoken and completely uninterested in social media. "I never tweet, it's a waste of time. It's fine for others for I've got better things to do." For this reason alone I have great respect for Gallery. He was born and raised on a grain farm in Iowa still owned and operated by his family. Gallery is down to earth and friendly in person but don't expect him to be too polite to defensive lineman or linebackers.

August 17, 2011

One of the best sports writers I know Mitch Albom is also one of the best authors I know. He wrote the now famous book, "Tuesdays with Morrie." If you haven't read it, now is the time. The message in that book is probably more important in today's challenging times than ever before.

I met Mitch in the fall of 2004 when he was a guest on a show called Tony Ventrella Tonight on Channel 13 in Seattle. At the time we were discussing his new book, his love for the city of Detroit and its professional teams and his "old school" attitude.

In Sunday's Seattle Times in the Parade Magazine Albom wrote an op-ed piece about how busy today's kids are in the summer time. You know what I'm talking about, tennis camp, music camp, bible camp, softball, volleyball, basketball, football etc etc. Kids today have their schedules planned out far in advance leaving no time for just plain day dreaming.

As a kid in the 50s and a parent in the 70s I'd never heard of play dates. My mom would send us out the door in the morning with a list of chores and say, "do your work, then go have fun and be home by dark." That was our play date. We were allowed to enjoy our summers without being scheduled every minute.

Now I'll admit times were different then, we didn't have 50 inch color TV sets, I-pods, I-pads, I-phones. We didn't have organized sports clinics, classes, camps, schools. We didn't year round baseball, or basketball or football. Everything had a season. In the spring we played baseball, in the fall we switched to football and in the winter we played basketball or hockey on the frozen pond behind Kathy Young's house.

Kathy was a cutie by the way but since I was 12 and she was 11 I had more interest in my baseball card collection. And that's another thing in those days collecting baseball cards was about getting your favorite player and putting him into a shoe box, not about how much the card was worth.

I know I'm a baby boomer who loves to talk about the old days and as my wise mother used to say, "The good old days are right now." I'm grateful for all the technology and the sports programs kids have to choose from, I just think they should have some time off occasionally so they can sit under a tree and read the "Hardy Boys" or Nancy Drew" mysteries or whatever they can find on Kindle.

August 8, 2011

What a relief for football fans, the NFL is going to start on time. For the players, coaches and front office the seemingly sudden ending to the summer long saga of the CBA came as a relief too.

As of Thursday July 28th the Seahawks have been going from dawn to dark getting players ready for the first pre season game on August 11 in San Diego.

Teams are allowed to have 90 players in training camp but they're not allowed to have "two a day" practices with pads on. Instead the Seahawks are scheduling two practices every other day with the second being a "walk through" with no pads. This is one of provisions the players wanted in the new bargaining agreement to help preserve their health and longevity in the league.

It's a double edged sword for the veteran free agents who have signed with their own teams and with new teams. Anyone in that category can't get onto the practice field until the official start of the league year which is Thursday August 4th.

That means players like Robert Gallery, the offensive lineman from Oakland, and Tavaris Jackson the QB from Minnesota along with Sydney Rice, the former Vikings receiver must wait until Thursday. The same is true of Leroy Hill, Brandon MeBane, Tyler Polumbus and other Seahawks who became free agents and signed on with Seattle again. They understand the new rule is in their best interest but it's also frustrating for them to stand around and watch others practice.

It's been an emotional week for the players and fan of the Seahawks with the departure of Matt Hasselbeck and Lofa Tatupu. One realizes how much of a business NFL football is when long time favorites like Matt and Lofa are passed over by the teams on which they became famous.

Hasselbeck will thrive in Tennessee as a mentor for Ferndale's Jake Locker while Lofa will find a home on a team probably by the time you read this article.

A Step Up

For Eric Bedard and Doug Fister it must have been like moving from the cheap motel on the highway to the resort in Hawaii. Now don't take it personally Mariner fans but let's face it. If you're a starting pitcher in the major leagues would you rather be with the last place team in the AL West or the Red Sox who lead the East, or the Tigers who lead the Central. This is a wonderful opportunity for both Fister with Detroit and Bedard with Boston and I wish them well.

As far as the Mariners future I will former Yankees shortstop and broadcaster Tony Kubek who once said, "His future is in front of him." One would hope the Mariners have a future in front of them. I'm sure they do I just don't when it'll be.

August 1, 2011

Hello from Panama. I'm traveling with the Seattle Sounders for a CONCACAF Champions League match against San Francisco FC of Panama. The game is on the Fox soccer channel at 5pm Pacific time Wednesday night.

What a trip so far. The Sounders players left Sea-Tac at 6 a.m. Sunday for Houston. That part of the trip was smooth enough but after that it went downhill. As we got ready to take off for Panama the pilot announced a broken fuel gauge would need to be repaired. We sat on the plane for 90 minutes with the air conditioning off. As people began to perspire heavily and fan themselves the airline finally allowed everyone to leave the plane and return to the terminal. After another two hour wait there we re-boarded and took off four hours late. The Sounders players had what amounted to a seven hour layover in Houston.

Today they'll train in the late afternoon and then play the match Wednesday night before going back to Houston for an MLS game Saturday night.

NFL finally gets it right

Looks like the Seahawks pre season and regular season will happen on time. The Seahawks game at San Diego August 11th is the opener of the pre season schedule. Training camp should begin by the end of the week.

I was wrong

Remember at the start of the baseball season when I compared the 2011 Mariners with the 1969 Miracle Mets. Well I was wrong, they're far from the Miracle Mets. Too bad too because it would have been fun to cheer for a contender. I guess we'll have to wait a few years..

July 25, 2011

You'll have to forgive me for being a day late with my column; I was injured practicing a bicycle kick in my living room. And if you think it was tough on me you should see the soccer ball sized dent in the wall.

Of course I'm kidding but I do have to admit I became more of a soccer fan than ever this past weekend watching the Women's World Cup final between the United States and Japan.

For all the radio talk show hosts that are claiming the U.S. women chocked in their loss to Japan let me say this. "I'm tired of radio talk show hosts who've played the sport they're talking about." Obviously the object of penalty kicks is to make them while stopping the other team, but it doesn't always happen does it? Isn't that why we watch sports? Don't we watch because of the thrill of the un known? Do we need everything to go our way all the time?

The fact is the United States created numerous opportunities in the first half against Japan and did not score a goal. They did not score a goal because Japan is one of the best defensive teams in the world and earned that scoreless half time tie.

Then when the US did take a 1-0 lead in the 69th minute the Japanese came right back 12 minutes later to tie. Prior to that the Japanese had a one on one break to the goal that was called in correctly for off sides by the referee or else Japan would have a 1-0 lead.

In over time the US took a 2-1 lead and again Japan came back to tie it. Give credit where credit is due. The Japanese women would not roll over in defeat no matter what happened in the match.

Honestly I felt good for Japan's victory in light of the heart ache and horror of the past few months in that country. Remember that 25,000 people died in the earth quakes and tsunami last March. Japan needed something to cheer about and their women's soccer team provided that respite for millions of Japanese citizens in Japan and around the world.

Beyond the obvious benefits of a World Cup title for an entire nation let's give credit for a wonderful soccer team playing perfect technical soccer against a bigger, more physical U.S. team. Let's also give credit to the U.S. women who were underdogs to even reach the finals and brought us some much needed excitement in their quarter and semi final victories.

Summer of Soccer

Soccer has had an amazing summer thanks in part to the Sounders 11 game unbeaten string, friendly match against Manchester United Wednesday night and string of sold out matches at Century Link field.

Will soccer surpass baseball as America's sport in the summer time? I love baseball but I can see why soccer is the most popular sport in the rest of the world.

July 19, 2011

As you know I don't like to complain unless of course I have something to complain about. I guess you know what's coming.

I was in Portland Sunday for that fantastic SoundersFC 3-2 victory over the Portland Timbers at Jeld Wen field in Portland.

The atmosphere for the nationally televised ESPN game was electric. The crowd was passionate but well behaved, the soccer was intense and exciting. Overall it was a great show.

Are you still waiting for the complaint? Here it comes. I tuned into 710 ESPN radio this morning the KJR Sports radio and what do you think the guys were talking about? Were they talking about the wonderful soccer match in Portland or even about the thrilling U.S. Women's team victory over Brazil in the World Cup? No, they were talking about the Mariners. Who runs these stations? Who are the producers? Do the anchors do any research at all? Have they even heard of soccer?

Okay I'm fine now, I've vented and I feel much better but seriously are we really talking baseball after one of the greatest soccer weekends in recent memory?

Now before I make a complete enemy of Mariners fans I will say this, I love our baseball team, I want them to win, heck I just want them to hit the ball occasionally but when soccer is news please give it some credit.

By the way if any of the talk show hosts actually did discuss soccer and I missed it, I apologize in advance but I did not hear anyone talking about soccer.

Football Lock Out

Is anyone else completely tired of the NFL lockout? Are we all wishing this ends by the end of the week. I am a firm believer in collective wishing so if we all wish together maybe we can will the owners and player to stop the madness and get this thing done.

Classy Fan

When Derek Jeter smacked a home run into the left field seats for the 3000th hit of the major league career a fan named Christian Lopez of Highland Park, New York caught it and gave it back to him. On Monday the talk shows lit up with news of the cool gesture but what disturbs me is the fact that half the people who called in thought Lopez should've kept the ball and held it for ransom.

Is that what we're about now? Is money all anyone cares about? Does the fact that this young many did the right thing mean anything to anybody?

I congratulate Christian Lopez for doing the right thing and I'm certain the Yankees and Jeter will reward him anyway. Of course when that happens people will accuse him of being a nice guy just so he could get the reward.

July 11, 2011

Every year on the 4th of July my Dad used to say, "Whoever is in first place in baseball will win the pennant." That used to be the standard measuring stick for pennant races when there were two leagues with no divisions. For the most part he was correct, the teams in the lead at the half way point of the year did hang on to win the pennant most of the time. Also keep in mind that when I was a kid the Yankees won the pennant almost every year.

In fact in a recent issue of Sports Illustrated featuring stars of the past there was an amazing statistic about Yogi Berra. The 86 year old Hall of Fame catcher broke into the big leagues in 1949 when the Yankees started a five year World Series winning streak. After losing the pennant to Cleveland in 1954 when the Indians won 111 games, the Yankees won the pennant in 1955, 56,57 and 58, taking the series in 1956 and 1958. They lost it to the White sox in 1959 then ran off another string of pennants from 1960 through 1964. All in all Yogi Berra has been to the World Series 14 times as a player, a record that will never be broken.

In 2011 the old adage doesn't work any more. If it did The Cleveland Indians would go to the playoffs. I'd love to see that happen but I'm not confident they can hang on through September.

Remember the 1992 movie"Major League?" of course you do. This year's Cleveland team parallels that fictional pennant winner in many ways. It's a combination of young, un proven players and veterans like Snohomish County's Grady Sizemore. I really hope the Indians do hang on and win their division.

Hope for Football

As I write this article there is hope the NFL will start on time this summer. The Cleveland Browns have scheduled to start training camp before any other team on July 23rd. The Seahawks are scheduled to start July 30. Let's hope it all starts on time.

Packed Soccer Schedule

Things get busy for the Seattle SoundersFC starting this week in Portland. They meet their arch rival Portland on Sunday and then come right back to face the L.A. Galaxy in a U.S. Open Cup Quarter final match at Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila on July 13th. After that they come right back for a home game against Colorado on Saturday after noon July 16th.

July 6, 2011

As I sat and watched the Sounders battle New England on a beautiful Sunday afternoon in Seattle I got into a discussion with two fellow journalists about youth sports in America.

We were recalling the days when three or four of us would meet at a vacant lot and hit fly balls to each other for hours while calling "play by play" to no one in particular. Then the topic turned to today and the financial and emotional cost of keeping a kid involved in sports.

Back in the day every sport had a season. In the winter we played basketball, turned to baseball in the spring and football when the leaves began to change color. Today some kids play the same sport all year. Some are driven to perfection by parents who have dreams of college scholarships or worse yet the pursuit of athletic success vicariously.

We all agreed about the benefits of competitive sports for young people from team building skills to healthy life styles. Then the discussion turned to the disparity between athletes from high income families to middle income to poverty level. The consensus is that kids from higher income families have an advantage over those from low income families for one big reason, the cost. It's becoming really expensive to keep your child involved in sports year round.

In recent years an entire new industry has sprouted up in America because of the desire of parents to have their children be the best they can be. Now there is certainly nothing wrong with wanting the best for you child but at what expense.

If you push your child to be the best at soccer, baseball, volleyball or any of the sports offered at countless camps and academies around the northwest it will cost you a lot of money and you may not get the results you're hoping for. There is a good possibility your child will have a wonderful experience and earn a college scholarship some day. There is an equal chance he or she may be burned out on their sport by the age of 14 after you've spent thousands of dollars helping them get to the elite level.

And what about the kid from the low income family who has the same potential as your child but will never realize it because his folks can't afford to send him to camps? The answer to this problem launches a debate as old as the nation itself. The words "all men are created equal" in the preamble of the U.S. Constitution still hold true today but being created equal and remaining equal are two different things.

I realize that some sports camps have "scholarships" for a certain number of youngsters and that's a good thing but that money is limited as well.

Most people over 50 years old reading this will remember when sports was purely fun for kids and the pressure to perform for over zealous coaches and parents didn't exist as it does today.

Sports and fun should always be synonymous for kids. Ask your child is he or she is still having fun playing sports. If the answer is yes you've done your job.

Sustaining Major League Baseball

Another discussion that popped up Sunday was the future of major league baseball under the current system. For the first time in history professional soccer has begun to out distance baseball in some television markets. Obviously in Seattle the Sounders routinely outdraw the Mariner in the ball park and out score them in television ratings as well. Baseball must look at it's system of guaranteed contracts when it comes time to re negotiate a deal with the players union.

We all know Shone Figgins is in a two year slump. Every day on talk radio someone suggests a solution. The fact is the Mariners will owe him 25 million dollars whether he's on the team or not the next two seasons.

What kind of a business guarantees someone a salary whether they perform or not ? The answer is simple, a business rolling in money from television revenue. Now that's fine unless that television revenue slows down some day.

The other challenge baseball faces is getting young kids to come to the ball park. The Mariners has barely 10-thousand fans at Sunday nights game against Florida. Granted there were no season ticket holders at the game because of the late schedule change that put the game in Seattle instead of Florida but 10,000 for major league baseball on a perfect summer night is pretty sad.

It does not take a rocket scientist to figure this one out. Ticket prices are two high, food prices are too high and souvenirs prices are too high. You cannot grow a young fan base if parents can't afford to take their kids to the games. Baseball must end guaranteed contract and use the savings to bring fans back to the ball parks.

June 27, 2011

Let me be one of the first to say "Happy Summer." What started out looking bleak for the Mariners has turned into a summer of hope. As I write this the M's are two games over .500 and only a half game out of first place. They've brought up Dustin Ackley and he's off to a hot start on offense and defense. I do think talk radio is jumping the gun on Ackley's Hall of Fame credentials but that's what sports guys do for a living. It's all about hype on today's broadcasts, journalism and real reporting is a thing of the past in the corporate ownership world.

Having whined about that I'm still excited over the teams chances to be a contender when the dog days of summer get here in mid-August.

Sims Sponsorship

Sims Honda has stepped up again to support local athletes with it's sponsorship of last weekends soccer tournament in Burlington. Teams from all over the state came to town to play "the world's game" in front of proud parents and friends of soccer.

Naming Rights

Qwest field is getting a new name. Beginning this week it'll be called Century Link Field, all part of the deal when Century Link took over Qwest in April. The naming rights agreement runs through 2014. Now I'm a believer in bringing in new revenue but I do get a tinge of sadness when I look around the country and realize that most professional stadiums and arenas are named after corporations. Some of the names are cold and uninteresting and some of them are downright silly. Remember when Monster.Com bought the rights to Candlestick Park in San Francisco? It was known as Monster Park for a couple of years. I didn't know if I was going to a football game or an amusement park.

Thank goodness the people of New York and Boston would never stand for changing the names of Fenway Park or Yankee Stadium.

No Deal

Baseball commissioner Bud Selig disallowed a FOX TV deal with Dodgers owner Frank McCourt. The deal would've allowed McCourt to make some money and maybe pay his team's salaries but since he's in a nasty divorce battle with his wife Jamie, the commissioner decided to say no to the deal and clear the way for Major League baseball to take over the club completely.

Frank and Jamie McCourt are involved in one of the worst divorce battles I've seen. About the only thing they've settled is how to split their tickets to games. One of them gets great seats near the dugout and the other sits in the owner's box. In the meantime the Dodgers owe millions to players they don't even have on the roster anymore. That's not unusual since most teams are in the same boat as a result of failed free agency signings over the years. Can you imagine as an employer paying a former employee long after he or she has moved on to another job or retirement. Sounds like a bad business plan to me but apparently baseball has enough money to do bad business and still survive.

Part of the reason for that is our love for the game which has survived major wars, the assassination of a president, terrorist attacks, earth quakes, player strikes and steroids.

NFL future

As an eternal optimist I predict the NFL labor dispute will be settled by July 15th and the season will start on time.

On that note I'll say goodbye for this week and "Happy Summer."

June 21, 2011

Mark Cuban has his NBA championship. I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry over that fact. I was impressed by the way Dirk Nowitski, Jason Kidd, Jason Terry and company dismantled the talent laden Miami Heat to win the title in six games. I was impressed with the way they fought back in most of the games and then won the championship at Miami. The only think I'm not thrilled about is the Mark Cuban factor but it's a personality thing, he probably wouldn't like me either.

The NBA season is over and it's not even July yet, my time flies when you're having fun. Now it's up the owners and players to have a public battle over hundreds of millions of dollars and perhaps even cancel the 2012 season. It seems like the NFL is trying to do that so what the heck, join the club NBA.

If I sound bitter it's only because I'm fed up with owners and players of all professional leagues who year after year take the fans for granted than have the nerve to roll out such hypocrisy as "fan appreciation" day. If you really appreciate the fans you'll get your business dealings done behind the scenes without threats of lock outs or strikes. Appreciate the fans by giving them their season on time, keeping your team competitive and occasionally giving them a "two for one" deal on tickets. Now that's fan appreciation.

A Time Out

Everyone needs a "time out" occasionally. Today's parents use the "time out" to give their children a chance to think about why they got a "time out" in the first place.

When I was a kid my Dad used the back of his hand against my rear end. That was my time out and it worked fine. I'm getting off the subject here. The Mariners gave Ichiro a time out last Friday night when they sat him out for one game. It worked because he got four hits in the next two games. Time outs are good even if you're a major league baseball player headed for the Hall of Fame someday.

June 14, 2011

I went to a Mariners game Friday night and watched them knocked off the Tampa Bay Rays 7-2. It's been quite a streak for the team since that awful start. A big part of the reason for their resurgence is the patience of manager Eric Wedge and the departure of Milton Bradley.

A couple of weeks ago I compared this team to the Miracle Mets of 1969 and I will stick to my guns on that one until proven wrong. To win a pennant either today or 40 years ago you need a combination of many factors. Pitching leads the way followed by defense up the middle and of course timely hitting. Another major factor is a veteran player or two getting hot enough at the plate to be able to wield a little influence on other players in the club house. Miguel Olivo is that player this year. His tie breaking three run homer Sunday helped the Mariners beat the Rays and win their sixth series in a row.

If he wasn't producing at the plate he couldn't be as effective a leader in the dugout or clubhouse. Take Ken Griffey Jr and Mike Sweeny last year. Both were solid veterans but both lost the clubhouse by not performing on the field. As long as Olivo keeps hitting and hustling and diving face first into bases he'll enjoy that leadership role.

In the background in all of this is hitting coach Chris Chambliss whose patience and guidance has helped the Mariners hit better with men on base even if their overall batting average is among the lowest in the league.

It's a little puzzling that only 25,000 fans showed up Friday night for the game I saw but the crowds were better on the weekend. I will say this in defense of the fans who don't show up. It is very expensive to take a family to the ball park. I went to buy a pretzel for my wife and saw a sign for a combination deal that included a hot dog, fries and a beverage all for just $17. I thought it was a mis-print. Yikes. But that's what you get in baseball for giving players guaranteed contracts. The Mariners may have gotten rid of Milton Bradley but they're still paying his salary.

Thank goodness for players like Olivo who has really shown an appreciation for being in the game and being able to contribute every day. Baseball is supposed to be fun and Miguel is definitely having fun this season.

UW workouts

I ran into Seahawks Tight End John Carlson at the grocery store Sunday. John was at Sims Honda in February signing autographs for the fans. He's been working out four days a week with Matt Hasselbeck and other NFL players at the University of Washington. Since neither of us is at liberty to talk about the NFL lock out we talked about the weather instead. We agreed it was a nice weekend. By the way John looks great and probably feels more rested than he ever has.

Vancouver Week

All the buzz north of the border is about the Canucks and their early dominance in the Stanley Cup finals but the other Vancouver team, the Whitecaps has a big game this coming weekend in Seattle. The Sounders will host Vancouver at Qwest field Saturday night at 7pm. The two teams first met on June 9, 1974 at Vancouver's Empire Stadium. Saturday will mark the 112th meeting between the two cities in soccer. Including their rivalries in the NASL, USL and now MLS they've met 111 times with Seattle holding the edge 54-45-15.

June 6, 2011

I'm not sure but I think this is the Un official start of the summer. It always used to be when I was a kid. On June 1 we began to pay more attention to the baseball season. On June 1 we started counting down the days until the end of school. On June 1 the warmer weather swept in signaling the end of winter sports. My how things have changed. As I write this on Monday neither the NFL Stanley Cup finals of the NBA final have started. It'll be at least mid-June and maybe later when they end. But if that doesn't bother you it doesn't bother me.

The folks in Vancouver B.C. are certainly jacked up about their Canucks and another shot at the big title. I remember covering the Canucks vs the New York Rangers in 1994 and the city was abuzz with excitement then. This year they face another original NHL team in the Boston Bruins and I'm feeling pretty good about their chance of getting that first cup. I love the tradition of the Stanley Cup. Every player on the winning team gets to spend 24 hours with the cup in his possession. Now that's democracy at it's finest.

I must admit I'm not as excited about the NBA finals but I do think Dallas vs Miami gives us the best opportunity to see a seven game thriller. I'm sure everyone in Cleveland is rooting for Dallas and hoping LeBron James eats his famous words. "I'm going to take my talents to South beach." Again this will be a great championship series. May the best team win.

More Hits

Closer to home the Mariners took two out of three from the Yankees proving that this 2011 Mariner team is better than we've seen in years. The fact that neither Chone Figgins or Ichiro is hitting means they're one day closer to getting back on track. Is that optimism at its best or what?

One Man Show

When I was seven years old I spray painted a strike zone on the back of our garage in Connecticut and every day pitched a full game from a pitching rubber 60 feet six inches away. I used a rubber ball called a "Spauldeen". You can still buy Spauldeens but now their called "pinkys." We didn't have a lot of kids in my neighborhood so I had to invent games. While throwing strikes and balls to imaginary batters I would call play by play out loud. Little did I know that my next door neighbors, the Olsens were listening. Years later when I came home from the Army Mr. Olsen put his arm on my shoulder and said "You know Tony we used to listen to you call the plays in your back yard and were fascinated that a young kid could entertain himself like that for so many hours." Then when I got my first broadcasting job at WMMM in Westport, Conn, one of the first people to congratulate me was Mr. Olsen. "We knew you had a future in broadcasting," he said.

May 31, 2011

Okay Ray Lewis turned me. The Baltimore Ravens linebacker told ESPN over the weekend that cancellation of the NFL season would cause an increase in crime. When I read the first part of the story I was curious to see his explanation. I figured maybe he had some research to base his opinion on. I should have known better.

Here's Lewis' explanation for an increase in crime caused by the cancellation of the football season. "Do this research, if we don't have a season, watch how much evil, which we call crime, watch how much crime picks up if you take away our game." When asked why crime would increase if there's no NFL football Lewis said, "There's nothing else to do."

This comes from a man charged with two counts of murder, felony murder and aggravated assault after the 2004 Super Bowl. Lewis pleaded guilty to the third charge in exchange for testimony against two of his friends. In America you are innocent until proven guilty and Lewis was not proven guilty but there are plenty of people who think he got away with murder that night. So I think it's curious that Ray Lewis would be warning the rest of the world that if there's no NFL football crime will increase. Apparently NFL football didn't stop two guys from getting killed that night in 2004.

Miracle Mariners

The Mariner starting pitching staff is beginning to remind me of one of my favorite teams of all time, the 1969 Mets. You may recall that team won the World Series in five games over the heavily favored Orioles. You may also recall the 69 Mets had the likes of Tom Seaver (25-7), Nolan Ryan and Jerry Koosman in the rotation and a closer named Tug McGraw. In 1968 the Mets finished last in the National League East with a record of 73-89. One year later after 41 games the Mets record was 18-23. The next day they went on an 11 game winning streak and for the rest of the season had a record of 82-39, a .678 winning percentage. The Mets won the N.L. East with a record of 100-62, swept the Atlanta Braves in the first NLCS and then beat the Orioles in the World Series.

Five days ago the Mariners were 17-24 and since have gone on a five game winning streak. Their starting pitching is even better than the 69 Mets and their hitting is certainly no worse. A few breaks here and there and who knows this may be the year of the Miracle Mariners.

May 24, 2011

We are a sensitive species aren't we? After former University of Washington basketball star Nate Robinson tweeted to his friends how special the fans are at Oklahoma City Thunder games he was roasted in social media. Here's a guy trying to thank the fans of the team he's playing for this season and he gets bashed for it. Most of the bashing came from Sonics fans still upset about their team moving to Oklahoma City. Let it go people, the team is gone, it's never coming back so get over it.

It's unhealthy to fret over things that are missing in your life for too long. It's must better to show some gratitude for what you do have. Smile people, you have the Mariners. On second thought that may be a little depressing too. Okay then smile you have NFL football. Wait a minute let's change the subject now I'm getting depressed.

Here's one to be excited about. Jake Locker gets drafted in the first round by the Tennessee Titans and it headed to Southern California to work out with former Jets quarterback Ken O'Brien. After that he'll hook up with some of his Tennessee teammates to keep his arm in shape during the lockout.

Killebrew says goodbye

Sad news about former Minnesota Twins great Harmon Killebrew. He's chosen to end his treatment for Esophageal cancer and is getting Hospice care at his home. "I am very comfortable taking this next step and experiencing the compassionate care hospice provides, said the Hall of Famer last week.

Killebrew signed his first professional baseball contract at the age of 17 and was immediately nicknamed "killer" by sports writer Bob Wolfe. Harmon his 573 home runs in his career.

Quite a Show

When 36,533 fans showed up at Qwest field last Saturday night to watch Seattle play Portland in their first official MLS meeting they set a new record for league games at the Seattle stadium.

It poured rain for the entire 90 minutes of play but that did nothing to quell the excitement in the stadium from start to finish. The 1-1 tie was a little frustrating even for the players but these two teams meet again in Portland July 10th for a chance to get the edge of bragging rights for 2011 season.

May 16, 2011

The original Milton Bradley is 150 years old and most famous for producing board games like Scrabble and Life. That Milton Bradley is still going strong.

The baseball playing Milton Bradley is 33 years old, has played in the big leagues since the year 2000 and has come to the end of his career after being designated for assignment by the Mariners on Monday.

The Milton Bradley game company's first game was introduced in 1861 and was called, "The Checkered Game of Life."

The baseball playing Milton Bradley was introduced to Mariner fans in 2009 and offered his own version of a "checkered game of life." His frequent outbursts and moody behavior was magnified by his lack of performance on the field.

The first Milton has had many great years making tons of money by entertaining people all over the world.

The baseball Milton has also made tons of money but really only had two great seasons and never even hinted at greatness in his 101 games as a Seattle Mariner.

Milton Bradley games cost less than 20 dollars and bring hours of fun to the family. The baseball Milton Bradley cost the Mariners 12 million dollars this season and gave nothing in return except embarrassment and headaches.

Once you buy a Milton Bradley game and put it on your shelf it costs you nothing else. The baseball Milton Bradley is on the shelf and the Mariners still have to pay him 12 million dollars.

So now the Mariners move forward elevating young sluggers Mike Wilton and Carlos Peguero. They may flap in the breeze on occasion facing big league pitching every day but the Mariners have nothing to lose with this experiment. Good luck to the new guys.

Portland Rivalry

The major league soccer rivalry between the Seattle Sounders and Portland Timbers gets it's first test Saturday night at Qwest field when the two old USL rivals square off at 8 p.m. Portland is 4-3-1 with 14 points while Seattle is 3-3-4 with 13 points. A crowd of 36,000 is expected at Qwest on Saturday night.

Root Sports

Have you noticed that FSN changed its name to Root Sports. What do you think of the name? I don't like it. Every time I hear it I think of my yard and all those roots I have pull up to keep it clear. Root Sports? What committee of middle managers came up with that name? Wow.

May 10, 2011

After spending the entire weekend at Seahawks headquarters covering the NFL draft on Seahawks.Com I can say without reservation that the team improved itself in crucial areas a great deal.

Obviously the area of concern among fans and national media critics is quarterback. The two questions most frequently fielded by coach Pete Carroll over the weekend were, who is James Carpenter and why did you not draft a quarterback.

The answer is consistent with everything Carroll and GM John Schneider have said since they took over this team a year ago. "We have a plan and although some may not agree with it, we are happy with the results of this draft," said Carroll Saturday evening.

Top priority for this team since Steve Hutchinson left for Minnesota four years ago was to re-build the offensive line. It is not a coincidence that Matt Hasselbeck has struggled on and off since the magical Super Bowl 2005-06 season. Not re-building the offensive line through the draft has been a flaw in the Seahawks plan since that year. Coach Carroll and John Schneider are making up for lost time.

Granted we don't know the status of Hasselbeck and won't until after teams can negotiate with free agents.

Right now Charlie Whitehurst is the only quarterback on the Seahawks roster which causes concern among some fans and certainly causes criticism from NFL analysts across the country. The only people is doesn't seem to bother are Schneider and Carroll. Without knowing the details I can tell you this. When the NFL labor dispute is resolved and teams can sign free agents and make trades the Seahawks management will deal with all of the areas left un-filled in the draft.

James Carpenter was here at headquarters Saturday morning. The Seahawks chose the Alabama offensive tackle 25th in the draft with quarterback Andy Dalton still on the board. He went to the Bengals in the second round. It just proves to me how crucial building the line is to this team. Without protection up front no quarterback will succeed in the NFL.

I understand that patience is not something most fans have but in the case of the building the Seahawks from the bottom up and especially with the lockout still in effect a little patience might be handy.

Road Warriors

I love what the Mariners did on the road last weekend. After sweeping the Tigers they took two out of three from the Red Sox at Fenway Park. Granted a five game winning streak doesn't call for printing playoff tickets yet but it's a heck of a lot better than what they were doing in the first 20 games of the season.

The word patience comes to the forefront again. Getting back into the playoffs is going to require patience and I speak for the fans when I say, "we don't mind waiting but show some hope occasionally." This past weekend was a sign of that hope.

The Long Run

Speed Skating Gold medalist Apollo Ohno plans to check off another life time goal when he runs in the 2011 New York City Marathon this coming October. From winning gold in two Olympics to dancing with the stars on television to the streets of the Big Apple, Ohno faces every challenge with the same approach. He's started training already and I wouldn't be surprised to see him break three half hours over the 26.2 mile course this fall.

Sea Gal Finals

I covered the 2011 Sea Gal finals Sunday at Qwest field. In the final audition the girls had to dance to Lady Gaga's "Born that way." The 58 finalists danced two at a time which means we listened to that song 29 times. After all that I'm still not a Lady Gaga fan but I'm a big fan of the 31 girls who made the 2011 Seagals team. Congratulations ladies, see you on the field. By the way you can see the new team on Seahawks.Com. Just click on "Seagals."

May 2, 2011

What is it about players going to the New York Yankees and becoming stars. Freddie Garcia, once a Mariner rookie, was thought to be washed up until the Yankees gave him a chance to make their roster this spring. Now he has an 0.69 earned run average and just pitched six innings against the Orioles Sunday walking two and striking out seven batters.

Eric Chavez is another example. Injured for the past five season he's finally thriving in Yankee pinstripes. Or how about Bartolo Colon, another guy who earned a spot on the Yankee roster.

By the same token free agents who come to the Mariners tend to flop. What happens to these guys when they get here? Adrian Beltre, Richie Sexon, Jeff Cirillo, Jack Cust, Shone Figgins and the list goes on and one. It seems that the only stars the mariners ever have are brought up in their own farm system. Ken Griffey Jr, Edgar Martinez, Alex Rodriguez, Felix Hernandez. Jay Buhner came here in a trade for Ken Phelps and became a Mariner star but free agency has not been nice to Seattle.

NFL Draft

Okay the NFL draft starts Thursday and there's a ton of interest in Jake Locker. In fact given the state of affairs in the NFL the Locker story may be the biggest one in the Pacific Northwest.

The Seahawks will load up on players in this draft, probably even trading down in the first round for more picks later. They would have done that no matter what was happening with the CBA.

NBA Playoffs

I'm wondering how many former Sonics fans are rooting for the Blazers in the playoffs? You certainly can't root for Oklahoma Coty can you?

Costly Victory

That ugly foul on Steve Zakuani in the Sounders 1-0 victory over Colorado will cost the talented Sounders midfielder the rest of this season. The best suggestion for punishment of Colorado's Brian Mullan, the player that fouled Steve came from Sounders General Manager Adrian Hanuar. He suggested Mullan should be suspended until Zakuani gets back on the field next season. Sounds fair to me.

April 25, 2011

I tried something new last week. I challenged myself to go the entire week without listening to any form of sports talk radio. I decided that hearing grown men discuss the same topics over and over all day long interrupted only by beer commercials every five minutes was not conducive to my well being.

After the first two days of my "fast" I had more energy, was in a better mood and actually knew more about sports than I did before. I am now sworn off sports talk radio for ever. If I need information I'll read the paper, check my phone or go to Costco and stand in the television section for a few minutes.

I did watch a couple of Mariner games last week though and I'm ready to weigh in on my favorite broadcaster. This season instead of replacing the legendary Dave Niehaus with a single play by play person the team, decided to bring back three guys who have worked the broadcast in past years.

Niehaus' first broadcast partner Ken Wilson came back, as did Ron Fairly and former MASH writer Ken Levine. I've always liked Fairly even though some critics think he repeats himself too much. Levine is a refreshing break from the ordinary and Wilson is a "throw back" to the old days of play by play men. He reminds me of a combination of Vin Scully, Jack Buck and Mel Allen.

Rick Rizzs is the veteran of the staff and does a solid job with Dave Sims on the television side. Former Mariner and Yankee infielder Mike Blowers has become a favorite in the booth as a color commentator. Blowers played high school baseball at Bethel in Spanaway.

NFL Draft

Seahawks General Manager John Schneider met with the media today to discuss the NFL draft schedule for prime time on Thursday April 28th. The Seahawks have the 25th pick in the first round and need help at several positions. "Last year we picked 6th and 14th, Schneider said, "picking 25th definitely makes it harder but it's easier in terms of preparation. This year we're all on the same grading system and everybody knows what to expect.

Asked what's he's looking for in a potential 2011 roster Schneider said, "We'd like to get younger. Late in the season last year we had to go to some veterans to fill in for injured players. We got older because of it and there were holes to fill."

The Seahawks General Manager will talk in more depth next week at his pre-draft news conference at team headquarters in Renton.

Freddie Garcia

It's always fun to watch former Mariners make good on other teams, especially after the M's gave up on them. The list got longer this week when Freddie Garcia got a victory in a Yankee uniform. The Yanks are in need of a starter and Freddie might just be the guy.

Probably the most glaring example of a rejected Mariner making good in a new uniform was veteran lefty Jamie Moyer who went to the Phillies and got a World Series ring after the M's traded him away. He rehabbing from surgery now and will try to make a comeback at 50 years old next season. Anyone remember Satchel Page? He's known for the memorable quote about getting old. Satchel once said, "Age is a case of mind over matter, if you don't mind it doesn't matter."

April 18, 2011

Wow, there's a lot to chew on this week. I'm not a guy who spends a lot of time watching golf on television but I did make a point to catch some of the final round of the Masters Sunday.

What a wonderful metaphor for life that game can be. Here you have the 21 year old from Northern Ireland Rory McIlroy leading the tournament after through 63 holes only to be over taken by a flood of other players. Afterwards he reflected on a missed opportunity that he would learn from in the future.

South African Charl Schwartzel had the round of a life time with four straight birdies from 15 thru 18 to finish at 14 under par and win the title. His success on the European PGA tour finally translated to his first victory on the PGA tour and at Augusta no less.

Rough Start

All the pre-season bally-hoo for the Mariners has been forgotten already now that the losing streak has reached seven games as of Monday morning. All the talk of the grit Jack Cust would bring to the club house and the new look Shone Figgins has gone by the way side behind a rushing wave of offensive ineptitude. In other words this team can't hit and the last time I checked hitting was a big part of the game.

I wish the Mariners well but it's going to take a lot patience for fans to show up at Safeco Field this spring and summer. I believe in supporting your home team no matter how bad they are because some day they'll be better. It's just a matter of when.

A Victory Finally

The Sounders put together two goals in a 2-1 win over Chicago Saturday afternoon for their first victory of the season. Already forward O'Brien White has become the favorite of Seattle fans. The former University of Connecticut start from Jamaica scored one goal and assisted on another in the victory. Now the team hits the road for a tough challenge back east against the Philadelphia Union.

Little Known Sports Fact

The Harlem Globetrotters, known for their entertainment and showmanship were once a legitimate amateur team and won the World Professional Basketball Tournament beating the Chicago Bruins 37-36 in overtime in 1940.

12 years later in 1952 Seattle University led by John and Eddie O'Brien, upset the Trotters 84-81.

April 11, 2011

Time for a quick update. I am on record as a fan of the University of Connecticut sports programs. My sister, two cousins and a brother in law graduated from UConn. It's my home state and I still root for them today.

Having admitted that I have to say I was rooting for Butler in Monday's title game because I felt so sorry for them. UConn played great defense but Butler added to it by having the worst shooting night in recent history.

I have great respect for both programs and coaches and I'm sure they'll be back in it next season. Maybe the third time will be a charm for Brad Stevens and the Butler Bulldogs.

As far as the women are concerned I'm happy for Texas A & M and their first title. It UConn and Maya Moore couldn't win their third straight I was rooting for the Aggies to win their first.

Mariners and Sounders

Now its baseball season and the Mariner pitching staff shows promise, at least the starters do. All we need now is more timely hitting and a bullpen and we'll win 80 or so games this season.

Look for the Sounders to break out for a big win Saturday against Chicago in a 1 pm game at Qwest field. They finally have the scoring combination they need up front with O'Brien White and Brad Evans getting their first goals last weekend at San Jose.

April 6, 2011

I love Final Four weekend whoever wins. I didn't do a bracket this year which is fine since I wouldn't have picked UConn vs Butler anyway even though I'm a UConn fan. I was sorry to see the UConn women lose to Notre Dame in the semi final. Maya Moore is the classiest player in women's sports though it's hard to feel sorry for her since her UConn team did win back to back national titles in her sophomore and junior years.

It's difficult for me to root for one team or the other in the men's final Monday night. I love UConn but I worked in Indiana for five years and have seen games at Hinkle Field House on the Butler campus. "I'm fine with either team winning.

Not Declaring

Let me dispel the rumors before they go too far. I have not declared for the NBA draft and I will not be leaving school early. As a 5-9 athletically skilled man in his mid-60s I feel my game is not mature enough yet for the NBA. However with another season of recreation ball at various run down middle school gyms and YMCAs I should be ready by next year at this time.

In that spirit I congratulate Klay Thompson of the Cougars and Isiah Thomas of the Huskies for having the guts to declare for the NBA draft instead of finishing their senior years. I say guts because when the NBA locks out its players next year and there is no season both players will need some guts to figure out what they're going to do with their lives. I guess they could play in Europe, get some experience and then enter the NBA when the league starts up again. Of course I'm assuming there will be enough fans left to care whether or not the league starts again by that time.

High School Sports

I just discovered a great web site for high school sports in Skagit County. NWCathletics.com is a great resource for following your favorite team. Students often contribute blogs to the site about their sports teams and local sponsors use the site to expose their products and services to the high school students and their parents.

It brings me back to the 1960s when I was a "stringer" for several newspapers in my home state of Connecticut. Every Friday night I'd phone in basketball results to four different area newspapers netting the hefty sum of $5 from each paper. If we had web sites in those days I would've spent my entire youth at a keyboard instead of listening to Yankee ball games on a transistor radio out in back of the gym.

April 5, 2011

I love it, all four top seeded teams are out. Believe me I have nothing against top seeded teams but I love the fact that an underdog like Virginia Commonwealth can make it to the final four of the NCAA tournament. Of course you know why this is happening more than ever before don't you? It's because the major schools like North Carolina, Kansas, Florida and Ohio State fall victim to the lure of the NBA almost every season.

Big time players go to big time colleges so they can leave after their freshman year and play for money in the NBA. This doesn't happen as often at the smaller schools like VCU and Butler and that's why they're in the Final Four. Juniors and seniors have more poise than freshman and that's why the teams that keep their players make it farther in the tournament.

Is there a solution? Not really because you know the NBA is all about getting the hottest names in college into the draft to keep their brand in front of the public. As long as high schools and select leagues around the country keep feeding colleges with top flight talent there will not be a problem.

Since I'm from Connecticut it's natural that I'm rooting for both the men and women's team from the Nutmeg state to go all the way. UConn is the last school to win both the men's and women's title in the same year. It happened in 2004. Go Huskies.

The new fight night

When I was a kid I got excited about Muhammad Ali fighting Sonny Liston for the heavyweight title or Floyd Patterson's three bouts with Swedish champion Ingemar Johansson.

Saturday night in Seattle nearly 15,000 fans paid big bucks to watch mixed martial arts. Like it or not that's the new boxing. I may be old school but I am not going to use this column to put down a well marketed sports concept that's kicking the daylights out of conventional boxing.

Why is this happening? Very simple. Conventional boxing had no competition for years and got slow and sloppy. Gangsters have always had a hand in boxing and no real solutuion was eve found for that. There were too many weight divisions and far too many different titles in each division. In the 1940, 50s and 60s most sports fans could name the heavyweight and middleweight champions without hesitation. That's because there was only one of each. As soon as greedy promoters, handlers and managers got involved the whole thing went down the drain.

Along comes MMA and UFC with better promotions, better overall management and a younger demographic and once again boxing is on the canvas struggling to beat the count. I still love boxing and it can be saved but that will only happen when there is one organization with one champion in each division. It has to be run like the NFL. Oh wait a minute, maybe that' not a good idea either.

March 28, 2011

"The Thrill of Victory and the Agony of defeat," used to be the opening catch phrase for a wonderful ABC program called "Wide World of Sports." That phrase describes the seconds following the University of Washington's 86-83 loss to North Carolina in the NCAA tournament last Saturday.

Where else but in amateur sports will you find young men openly weeping at the their lockers as the reality of a career ending game sets in. Fans will play the last few seconds of the game over and over again in their minds during the long off season but to the seniors leaving the UW program for un charted waters the disappointment could linger for years.

I don't wish to use this column to judge any coach or player on what happened on the court Saturday afternoon, they'll do it themselves. I will say this. The Huskies had plenty of opportunities to win the game and fell short.

I will also say this North Carolina had three times as many chances at the free throw line as the Huskies converting 18 of 23 while Washington was seven for seven. In a three point game that's a huge factor.

So it's all about next season now. Isiah Thomas tweeted right after the game that he would be back next year, then a little later changed the message to "we'll see," only to change it back again to "I'll be back." That's the trouble with tweeting people say things purely out of emotion and that's the worst time to make any kinds of decision. I hope he comes back, he's fun to watch.

Green Sports Alliance

Have you ever wondered how much of the garbage generated at a Seahawks game at Qwest field is actually re-cycled? The answer is a lot more than every before the percentage will continue to grow thanks to an effort by all the local pro sports teams.

The Seahawks, Sounders FC, Seattle Storm, Mariners, Portland Trailblazers and Vancouver Canucks have formed the Green Sports Alliance. The goal of the alliance is to reduce their impact on the environment. The teams and their venues will measure environmental efforts and improve on them in hopes of attracting other professional teams from across the country.

They're expecting the effort to not only have a positive impact on the environment but on their overall budgets as well. Expect to see more opportunities to re-cycle and save energy at the next pro sports event you attend.

March 21, 2011

March Madness is only mad if your team is in the tournament. For Husky fans this is truly an exciting time of the year. Lorenzo Romar's team has recovered from its late season swoon just in time to be playing its best basketball.

Isiah Thomas is the best kind of big time basketball player, he gets better when the pressure is on. Matthew- Bryan Amaning has shown he is good enough to have three names and C.J. Wilcox proves a young player can spark a rally just when it's needed.

Who knows what's going to happen in the tournament itself, the one and out format makes this a thrill a minute test for players and fans alike. Just like life itself you have to play without fear of losing otherwise the experience isn't even worth your time.

I see the Huskies getting to the Sweet 16, a goal they achieved last season. Going beyond that point depends a lot on the draw, who's hot and who's not, the officiating crew and luck.

March Madness is something we do in this country that doesn't involve budget debates, political rhetoric or nasty unfounded accusations. Its pure fun for the fans. Enjoy.

Training Camp Visits

Jay Buhner and Edgar Martinez are scheduled to visit Mariners training camp this week as "guest instructors." Can you believe it's been 16 years since that magical 95 season in the Kingdome? Buhner will also be part of the broadcast team this season along with former play by play men Ken Levine, Ken Wilson and Ron Fairly. So far no sign of Ken Griffey Jr, signed a few weeks ago as a special assistant. He is expected to show up at some point during camp but hasn't been spotted so far.

Sounders Season

The Sounders travel to New York to face the Red Bulls in their first road game of the 2011 season Saturday night. Their next home game after that is Friday March 25th against Houston at Qwest field.

March 14, 2011

The best rivalry in professional soccer in the United States is right here in the Pacific Northwest.

This past weekend at Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila Seattle SoundersFC played host to The Cascadia Summit, a round robin soccer tournament involving Portland, Vancouver BC and Seattle.

The pre-season tournament is a perfect warm up for the first regular season in Major League Soccer for Portland and Vancouver and re kindles tri city soccer rivalry that began in the mid 1970s.

In fact the year Bill Gates and Paul Allen started Microsoft Corporation was also the first year Seattle met Portland soccer. Both teams were in the North American Soccer League in those days. Since that time they've met in regular season or playoffs 62 times with Seattle winning 35, Portland 22 and five draws.

Over the past weekend Portland beat Seattle 2-0 Friday night and tied Vancouver 1-1 on Saturday afternoon. In the finale Sunday Vancouver jumped to a 2-0 lead and held on for a 3-2 win over Seattle.

It is the pre season after all there's no reason to panic if you're a Sounders fan but the sting of losing will follow the players for a day or so until they get back to the pitch against Colorado in the final pre-season test for both teams. The regular season opens for Seattle on March 15th at Qwest field against the LA Galaxy.

High School Basketball

I was sorry to see the WIAA state basketball tournament change its format this year to include only the quarter final teams at the Tacoma Dome. The reason for the format change was financial. Too many games in the early and consolation rounds were being played before sparse crowds in recent years.

Maybe the way to solve the problem is to market the event better and make it more special for the fans. The WIAA is looking for suggestions.

Pac Ten Tournament

The Huskies play the Cougars in the first round of the Pac Ten basketball tournament Wednesday night. I'm riding the fence on this one since I didn't attend either school but It wouldn't shock me to see Washington state knock off the Huskies in this one.

NFL negotiations

It's really nice to see the players and owners continue their discussions this week thanks to a seven day extension of the CBA late last week. The more they meet and talk the better the chance of a resolution.

March 7, 2011

Every time I see an Avocado in the grocery store I think of Duke Snider. After he retired from baseball in 1964 he went to work on his Avocado farm in Southern California. He was probably responsible for more guacamole than any other single person in America.

Sunday February 27th, opening day for spring training games in Florida and Arizona, Duke Snider died. He was 84.

Known to baseball fans as "The Duke of Flatbush," Snider played 18 seasons for the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers, had a life time batting average of .295 with 407 career home runs.

Playing in the hot bed of baseball, New York City, Snider was often compared to the other two center fielders in the city, Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays. All three were the subject of one of the best baseball ballads of all time, "Wille, Mickey and the Duke," by Terry Cashman.

Long time voice of the San Diego Padres, Jerry Coleman, a teammate of Mickey Mantles in the 1950s, called Snider a better fielder than Mantle or Mays.

Snider is the only man in baseball history to hit four home runs in two different World Series 1952 and 1955. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1980.

Toward the end of his career Snider played briefly for the expansion New York Mets. When he came to the Mets he couldn't get his favorite number 4 uniform because teammate Charlie Neal already had it and refused to give it up. Snider quietly wore #11 until Neal was traded, then Duke got his number back.

He retired as a member of the San Francisco Giants in 1964. Now only one of the famous three remains. Mickey Mantle passed away in 1995 at the age of 63. Willie Mays is alive and well at age 82.

Baseball Movies

After watching the Academy Awards Sunday night on ABC I started to think about all the baseball movies I've enjoyed through the years. My favorite is "Field of Dreams and it ranks 2nd on the overall list compiled by "Baseball America," magazine.

Here's the list from ten down to one. Major league, The Sandlot, A league of their own, The Natural, The Bads News Bears, Pride of the Yankees, Eight Men Out, Bang the Drum Slowly, Field of Dreams and number one Bull Durham.

I don't know about you but I thought "Angels in the Outfield," was kind of fun.

February 28, 2011

The one thing we can all count on in life is change. Growing up in Wilton, Connecticut I remember looking forward to my 16th birthday so I could get my driver's license. It seemed to take so long and yet today I've turned 16 many times over.

So much has changed since that June afternoon when I took my 1957 Plymouth for a solo drive to the center of town for no particular reason.

In the years that followed I graduated from high school, attended college, enlisted in the U.S. Army, opened a business, got married and had children. Now my children have children, I live on the other side of the country and both of my wonderful parents are gone.

While everything else changes one of the most constant aspects of American life is baseball. I can always count on baseball.

In 1919 baseball survived the Black Sox scandal when "Shoeless Joe" Jackson and seven of his teammates were accused of throwing the World Series and getting paid to do it.

Baseball survived the stock market crash a year later, the depression that followed and the war that followed that. In fact baseball not only survived the war, it contributed to the American effort when stars like Jackie Robinson, Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams signed up for duty.

In the early 1940s the All American Girls Baseball League filled in while the stars of the men's game served over seas. The short lived league became the subject for one of the best baseball movies I've ever seen, "A League of their own." Starring Tom Hanks, Madonna and Gena Davis.

Actually 1941 the year before the United States got into the war was one of the greatest seasons in baseball history. That year Ted Williams hit .401 and DiMaggio hit in 56 consecutive games.

Six years later Branch Rickey brought Jackie Robinson up to the Brooklyn Dodgers to become the first black player in major league history. Robinson endured horrible treatment by some of the fans in visiting ball parks but kept his cool and gave this country a lesson in humility and patience. There is no doubt that baseball led the way for Civil Rights legislation even though it took the U.S Congress another 17 years to get it passed.

Baseball has endured strike shortened seasons, crazy owners, a 1994 season with no World Series, a 1989 World Series with an earth quake, a September day in 2001 that shook the country but did not stop our national past time.

Sure there have been changes in the game over the years. Mickey Mantle was forced to take a $5000 pay cut when his batting average slipped from .365 to .356 one season while today an average pitcher can command millions, get hurt and still get paid.

The tickets are too expensive, not to mention the hot dogs, soda and beer but the game goes on. The game signals the end of winter and the beginning of spring, the end of dark days and the beginning of sunny afternoons at the ball park.

No matter how bad your team was last season there is always hope for the new season. Baseball represents hope. Baseball is passed from generation to generation. It brings people together just because they happen to be sitting next to each other at the ball park.

Through thick and thin baseball is the one constant we can count on. Play ball.

February 22, 2011

Welcome to a new week. While we take cover from the wind and rain in the Pacific Northwest, baseball players converge on training camps all over Florida and Arizona. Spring training is starting, all is right with the world. Okay not all. Now it's time for a brief gripe session.

Before the griping begins let me announce that popular Seahawks tight end John Carlson will be at Sims Honda this Thursday evening February 17 from 6-8 pm signing autographs. He'll be joined by Seagals Amber and Kelly. See you there Thursday night. On to the gripes.

Is the sports world going crazy or am I just clinging to the black and white world of my childhood. If the latter is the case I'll blame it on the new book I read over the weekend.

I cruised through "The Last Boy," about the life of Mickey Mantle by Jane Leavy who also wrote "Koufax," the story of the greatest pitcher I ever saw Sandy Koufax.

Forgive me if I sound like the baby boomer I am but this book about Mantle is filled with brilliantly told stories of a time when baseball was a game and the world was a lot more innocent than it is today.

Mickey Mantle received no bonus to sign with the Yankees in 1950. One of the greatest hitters of all time got no money to sign his first contract. I woke up this morning to an ESPN report that Cardinals star Albert Pujols is asking for a ten years contract at 30 million a year and wants the deal finished by opening day of training camp Wednesday.

Albert is a great player but if the Cardinals give him 300 million to play the game no better than Mantle, Jackie Robinson, Ted Williams of Stan Musial did it will be another sign of the decay of professional sports. If I were the Cardinals management I would say "thank you Albert for your years of service and by the way see you later."

I know what you're thinking, what about A-Rod, that guy left the Mariners to sign a 250 million dollar deal with Texas, nearly bankrupting that franchise while never bringing them a World Series appearance. I'm a Yankee fan and I agree with you about A-Rod who finally helped New York to their 27th World Series title in 2009.

Back to "The Last Boy" for a minute. Whatever your opinion about modern era baseball you'll love this book. If you're a boomer like me, you'll really love it. The book seeks to align the end of American innocence with the end of Mantles hall of fame career.

Mickey retired in 1968, the same year Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy were killed, the Watts riots ripped Los Angeles apart and thousands of American boys were killed in Viet Nam including one of my best friends in high school.

Okay it is personal. I fully appreciate the talent of today's pro athletes, I work with them every day whether it's Seahawks or Sounders but a sneak peak into history will tell you that things have gotten just a little out of hand in recent years.

Take the current battle between the NFL players and owners over how to split the billions of dollars that you fans hand over to them every year. You struggle to keep your job, provide for your family and have some fun while the sources for a good portion of your entertainment argue over slicing up the pie that your hard earned dollar provided.

How come we all get so mad when the teachers go on strike. "That's irresponsible," we holler, how dare them." Yet I don't hear much of that now. Maybe I will if there is no CBA by the March 4 deadline and the lockout begins. Or maybe I will when your home team can't sign free agents or start training camp on time. Maybe then the fans will speak out.

I have many friends in the league and on the Seahawks in particular and I also know people in management across the league. They are smart, clear thinking, business minded people led by Roger Goodell, maybe the best NFL commissioner of all time. I'll be shocked if they don't get a deal done by May 1 but they better get going.

My whining continues now with the story of Jadeveon Clowney, the 6-6 245 defensive end from South Pointe high School in South Carolina. He had a news conference Monday morning on ESPN to announce he's going to South Carolina. Just last week his high school teammate defensive end Gerald Dixon also chose South Carolina, as did Dixon's half brother Gerald Dixon Jr. Needless to say South Carolina will have a pretty good defense but PLEASE, do we really need to see a high school kid "live" on ESPN to tell us where he's chosen to go to college?

Jadeveon Clowney is a great player and a nice kid and I wish him well, but national television? That's overkill at its best.

February 14, 2011

I am not one of those Steeler haters but I'm thrilled about the Packers 31-25 victory in Super Bowl XLV. As an "old school" kind of guy I love the fact that the Lombardi trophy goes back home Green Bay. Vince Lombardi's Packers won the first two Super Bowls in 1967 and 1968 before a 30 year gap left the cheese head fans without a title until Mike Holmgren and Bret Favre brought it back there in 1997.

Now led by Aaron Rogers and playing without several key starters the Packers helped end a frustrating and bazaar week in Fort Worth, Texas on a high note.

All week long a rare winter storm in north texas made it nearly impossible to get to the game let alone enjoy the outdoors once there. Than there was the seat incident in which some people who paid $800 dollars to watch the game were told their seats had been double sold. Some of them got refunds worth three times the ticket prices. Perhaps a new way to make a buck but no fun if your goal was to see the game.

Speaking of high notes much of the "talk radio" babble this week will be about Christina Aguilera's muffing of the National Anthem and the multi million dollar commercials that have become so much a part of the Super Bowl experience. I refuse to "pile on" a talented start like Aguilera. In fact I'll take the positive approach and say she made a nice comeback after missing a key word in the anthem. Stars do that. When you're performing live you cannot just stop and start over again. She had the courage to keep going and actually finish strong. I bet most people didn't even notice the mistake until Monday morning.

The talk shows will also trash Ben Roethlisberger for his turnovers and not being able to convert a key third down opportunity late in the game. How about the fact that the guy has been in three Super Bowls and won two of them, have we forgotten that?

One of the best aspects of the day long entertainment on the Fox network was Michael Douglas' tribute to the history of the two Super Bowl franchises. I also love the way he tied that history to the American story and the resilience of the people of this great country.

I thought President Obama's live interview with Fox host Bill O'Reilly was tasteful, informative and probably went a long way to increase the popularity of both men.

My only real disappointment was the mean spirited, slap stick, "three stooge" approach to some of the commercials. Do we really like to watch people get wacked in the groin by a Pepsi can or slammed with a log? Apparently the ad makers think we do.

All in all it was a wonderful event watched by millions of people all over the world. It gave us a reason to gather, to yell, laugh, cheer, boo, complain, write sports columns, wear large foam pieces of cheese on our heads and most of all eat food that in no way can be good for any part of the human body.

Thank you Super Bowl. You brought us together for one day. Congratulations Green Bay, the smallest city in the league brought the title back home. Somewhere Vince Lombardi is smiling, but only today. Tomorrow he'll be calling his players to remind them that they are defending Super Bowl champions and the real work is just beginning.

February 8, 2011

A great NFL tradition will be renewed Sunday in Arlington, Texas when the Pittsburgh Steelers face the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV.

References to Vince Lombardi, Bart Starr, the MVP of the first two Super Bowls, Chuck Noll, Terry Bradshaw, "The Steel Curtain" defense, Art Rooney and even Bret Favre will dominate the airwaves this week across the country.

Since Lombardi's Packers beat Hank Stram's Kansas City Chiefs 35-10 in the first Super Bowl on January 15, 1967 this game has become a celebration of America's most popular sport across the 50 states and around the world.

From the days when The University of Arizona and Michigan and Grambling College provided the entertainment to the infamous 2004 Janet Jackson wardrobe mal function the Super Bowl has become a holiday celebrated by people who study the sport day and night and by those who don't know a first down from a first date.

Just like the days before Thanksgiving people will head to their local grocery stores for "football food." It may not be the healthiest holiday on the list but it's become one of the biggest.

Super Bowl Sunday also has its down side. More incidences of spousal abuse are reported on Super Bowl Sunday than any other day of the year. That has as much to do with alcohol consumption and money lost gambling that with any other factor.

For the most part however the Super Bowl is a wonderful event that brings friends and families together in front of over sized television sets everywhere for a few hours of fun and laughter.

In and around the city of Dallas the celebration began on Monday and will last well into the wee hours of next Monday. According to a report in the Seattle Times, local Dallas and Arlington clubs have put out a call for 10,000 more strippers. Talk about job creation, that's ridiculous.

The game itself is often a disappointment, over shadowed by the more competitive conference championships. The most disappointing Super Bowl ever for local fans was the one in Detroit won by the Steelers over the Seahawks 21-10 five years ago. The Seahawks were robbed that day and some fans have still not gotten over it. I guess the best medicine for that illness would be a Green Bay win over Pittsburgh on Sunday.

I have several predictions for Super Bowl XLV. The image of Cowboys owner Jerry Jones will appear on television at least 10 times during the broadcast. The name of Bret Favre will be mentioned by the announcers a minimum of five times. Ben Roethlisberger will get at least one bloody nose during the game. Julius Peppers will go helmet to helmet twice and get caught once and finally one fan will be seen wearing real cheese on his head instead of one of those foam hats.

Packers win 27-20.

January 31, 2011

Members of the "old school" society rejoice, two of the original NFL franchises will meet in Super Bowl XLV in Arlington, Texas February 6th.

The Green Bay Packers have won 12 NFL or Super Bowl titles since they were founded in 1919 by J.E. Clair of the Acme Packing Company.

The Pittsburgh Steelers, founded in 1933, by Art Rooney, have brought home 8 AFC championships since 1974 and six Super Bowl titles.

If you love history, you've got to love this match up. On the other hand if you love the Seahawks you probably don't love the Steelers who beat Seattle 21-10 in Super Bowl XL in Detroit five years ago.

There is only one Seahawk connection on either of these team's rosters. Third string quarterback Charlie Batch was number three man on the Seahawks roster two years ago. Charlie is going to the Super Bowl.

Cruise Booster

A couple of weeks ago when I was in Chicago for the Seahawks vs Bears game I saw a commercial on local television for an off season "Bears Cruise." The pitch man on the ad was none other than third string Bears quarterback Caleb Haney. My first thought was, "who the heck wants to go on a cruise with the third string quarterback." Now after his second half heroics in Sunday's loss to the Packers I bet that cruise will have a lot more takers now.

Seahawks Off Season

This Monday morning at Seahawks headquarters I noticed both Pete Carroll's and John Schneider's cars in the parking when I arrived here. Their off season work is more intense than ever even with the CBA lock out looming on March 4. The coach and Gm need to prepare as if there will be business as usual even if there isn't.

Mariners Broadcasters

I like what the Mariners are doing to fill the huge void left by the passing on Hall of Fame broadcaster Dave Niehaus. They're bringing back and Niehaus' original partner Ken Wilson and one of Dave's favorite booth partners Ron Fairly to help with the radio broadcasts this spring.

Also invited into the booth are former players Dan Wilson and Dave Valle and Ken Levine, award winning TV comedy writer who spent a couple of years in the booth in the early 1990s.

By making this a "broadcast by committee" season the Mariners won't put any un due pressure on one person to fill the shoes left by Dave Niehaus. Now all we need is a good team. More on that as we get closer to the start of spring training.

January 24, 2011

Everywhere you look its Blue Friday. From my desk at Seahawks headquarters I can see television satellite trucks gathering for the send off of the team to Chicago later this afternoon.

Earlier this morning Marilyn Niehaus, widow of Hall of Fame broadcaster Dave Niehaus and her family raised the 12th man flag from high atop the Space Needle.

Mayor Mike McGinn issued a proclamation declaring it" Blue Friday" in Seattle and wishing the team success against the Bears in Chicago.

After arriving in Chicago around 9 p.m. tonight the team will do a walk through either at a local high school or college on Saturday. Kickoff is at 12 noon local time in Chicago, 10 a.m. here at home.

By now you've seen and heard analysis of the game from a hundred different sources. It boils down to this. The team that plays it's own game, forces it's will on the opponent, does what it does best, will win.

If the Seahawks protect Matt Hasselbeck, get a running game going, create some positive field position with special teams and pressure Jay Cutler they'll win.

If the Bears get to Hasselbeck, stop the run, unleash Devon Hester and give Jay Cutler some time to show his stuff, they will win.

I like what Pete Carroll is doing here with his players and coaches. He preaches total support of each other, focusing on every single play, beating your opponent every time you step in front of him and never allowing outside distractions to take you away from your goal. That is a key to success no matter what you do for a living. It's difficult to do but it works when you do it.

Have fun watching the game and cheering for the Seahawks. We'll try to bring home a victory and keep this magic going all the way to Dallas on February 6th.

January 14, 2011

I'm writing this from Seahawks headquarters in Renton. This place is abuzz with activity. The coaches are working on a game plan for the Chicago Bears and the rest of the staff is getting ready for another busy week. We think in very optimistic terms at this place so our game operations staff is already planning for a possible home game against the Green Bay Packers for the NFC Championship on Sunday January 23rd at Qwest field.

For that to happen the Seahawks must beat the Bears in Chicago and the Packers need to dispose of the Falcons in Atlanta. Let's face it stranger things have happened. In fact after the Seahawks beat the Saints 41-36 Saturday afternoon I made a short list of great upsets in the world of sports.

Keep in mind I go back a few decades and lived through some great moments as a fan and as a journalist. I remember watching Cassius Clay upset the great Sonny Liston in February 1964 on a big screen closed circuit telecast in New Haven, Conn.

Five years later Joe Namath led the underdog New York Jets to a victory over the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III. A few months later the New York Mets, known as the Miracle Mets beat the Orioles in the 1969 World Series.

In 1990 a little known heavyweight named Buster Douglas knocked out the feared champion Mike Tyson in Tokyo, Japan.

For movies fans how about that Rocky Balboa victory over Apollo Creed in "Rocky Two," Or Hictory's win in the Indiana State Basketball championships in the movie "Hoosiers." That was based on the true story of Milan High School's victory over Indianapolis Central in 1952.

Everyone loves an upset in sport and the Seahawks win over the Saints has captured the imagination of the entire nation. Okay it caught the imagination of my brother in Florida, my sister in Connecticut and my friend Bill in Maryland but that's close enough.

Now the big question, can the Seahawks keep it going in Chicago. Simple answer here. Yes they can.

January 10, 2011

As we get closer to kickoff for Saturday's NFC playoff game between the 7-9 Seahawks and the 11-5 Saints it's fun to watch and listen to the local and national experts opinions on the outcome. Now it's time for mine, expert or not.

Most of the national media is picking the Saints despite the fact that they are traveling to Seattle for the game and have never won a playoff game on the road.

The odds makers have made the Saints the biggest favorite of any NFL visiting playoff team in league history at 10 and a half points despite the fact that the Saints two leading running backs are on injured reserve. Chris Ivory who ran over the through the Seahawks defense for 99 yards in November is out for this game as is Pierre Thomas whom Ivory replaced in that game.

Don't get me wrong the Saints are not exactly crawling into town with no weapons. On the contrary they have multiple possibilities on offense even without their injured players.

Reggie Bush did not play in the 34-19 win over the Seahawks in New Orleans on November 21. He will play this weekend. His back up is a guy named Julius Jones, cast off by the Seahawks after they signed Marshawn Lynch. If Jones has anything left ion those veteran legs he's like to show this Saturday.

Drew Brees still has a number of receivers he can find even though tight end Jeremy Shockey and receiver Marques Colston are both playing hurt. Bush can catch and run, rookie Lance Moore from Auburn and tight end Jimmy Graham from Florida will also give the Seahawks secondary some trouble.

If the Saints can somehow get a lead their defense will have a chance to put crazy pressure on the Seahawks offense as they did in New Orleans.

Here's the argument for the Seahawks. They are at home and the 12th man is a huge factor in disrupting offenses even though Drew Brees is one of the best. The Saints have played poorly against less talented teams this season, losing to both Arizona and Cleveland early in the season and the Saints have never won a playoff game on the road.

On the other hand their road record this season is (6-2) one game better than their home record (5-2).

Any way you look at it this is an intriguing match-up. If the Seahawks can get their running game going and turn those red zone field goals from their last meeting into touchdowns they have a chance. If the Seahawks can disprupt Drew Brees and maybe even pick off a couple of passes they have a chance. If Leon Washington can give his team good field position with kickoff and punt returns they have a chance.

Anytime you put on your helmet you have a chance and the last time I checked all the players will be wearing helmets this week.

January 6, 2011

What a week for sports fans in the Pacific Northwest. "You know it's another great opportunity," said Seahawks running back and kick returned Leon Washington in a jubilant locker room after Sunday nights 16-6 win over the St. Louis Rams. "Some players go through an entire NFL career and never get to the playoffs," added safety Jordan Babineaux, " We need to seize this opportunity."

To a man the Seahawks locker room was lit up with enthusiasm after the victory that put the team into the playoffs for the first time since 2007. Next up for the Seahawks, the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints at Qwest field Saturday afternoon at 1:30 p.m.

For defensive end Raheem Brock this is a special opportunity. "I was on the Colts team that lost to them in last year's Super Bowl, it would be great to knock them out o the playoffs this year," said Brock who had a sack and several other big defensive plays in the victory over the Rams.

The big question this week will be who starts at quarterback for the Seahawks against the Saints. Charlie Whitehurst led a perfect drive in the first quarter that led to a touchdown and a 7-0 lead Sunday night. When asked if he would be the starter against the Saints Charlie put the team first as he always does. "I'm excited about the opportunity but I'll do what the coaches tell me to do."

Matt Hasselbeck worked like crazy to get himself ready for the game Sunday night and could've played but coach Pete Carroll held him out to give him more time and in hind sight that was a good decision. Now he has two healthy quarterbacks and can go with either one against the Saints.

In their last meeting on November 21st in New Orleans the Saints scored five touchdowns and beat the Seahawks 34-19 getting four touchdown passes from Drew Brees. Before you write off the Seahawks this week keep in mind that Matt Hasselbeck threw for 366 yards against the Saints and one touchdown and Olindo Mare kicked four field goals. A little improvement in the red zone and that's a different ball game entirely.

The Seahawks are reporting some ticket available for the game Saturday and suggest you go to their web site Seahawks.Com for purchase information.

Perhaps the Huskies win over Nebraska in the Holiday Bowl sprinkled a little magic dust on the Seahawks. Jake Locker went out like the champion he is and the Husky defense showed signs of the old "James Gang" days.

Football fans in the northwest haven't felt this good in January for years. Enjoy it, embrace it, come see the game or watch it at home with friends but seize the moment because they are rare in the competitive world of big time sports.

January 3, 2011

Let me get this straight. The 6-9 Seahawks are playing the 7-8 Rams for the NFC West title and the game has been "flexed" by the NFL to be played in prime time on national television.

Are we making an extra effort to have the rest of the country dislike Seattle or is this some strange way of making up for stealing our NBA team and rushing it off to Oklahoma City?

As almost every coach in the league has said at one time or another, "it is what it is." The NFL is set up in such a way to allow each of it's division winners to host a playoff game. If the Seahawks find a way to beat the Rams Sunday night they will host a playoff game the following weekend.

They may have to do it without Matt Hasselbeck who re-injured his hip scoring a touchdown in the first quarter at Tampa. Unfortunately Charlie Whitehurst, who had shown progress in each of his appearances prior to Sunday, seemed flat in the loss to Tampa.

There are a couple of ways to look at this season and it's bazaar finish. The most practical way to look at it is this. From the start Seattle was a 6 or 7 win team and not much better. No matter what happens Sunday night the Seahawks will be a 6 or 7 win team.

From the start this was and is a re-building year. The Seahawks are ripe to be rebuilt from the top down. It started in January with coach Pete Carroll and General Manager John Schieider and it will continue this off season with deep changes in the teams roster.

The recipe for success on any team is its offensive line, its quarterback, defense and special teams in that order. Russell Okung represents the beginning of a new era on the O-line. During the off season the rest of the needs will be addressed.

Now granted I work for the Seahawks so if I seem like a "homer" please forgive me. I'm more of an optimist than a "homer." I firmly believe the old saying, "it is darkest just before dawn," and believe me it's plenty dark now if you're a Seahawks fan.

Here's the bright side. We could win Sunday and make the playoffs. After that all bets are off. If we don't win the coaching staff will definitely have a clear cut view of the changes needed to make the Seahawks a winner again.

Finally this is football, it ain't brain surgery, it is not a life and death situation, there is light at the end of the tunnel. The big questions are, where is the end of the tunnel, how long will it take to get there and is the light a freight train?

Mike Singletary

The firing of 49ers coach Mike Singletary begs the questions I've been asking for three years. Will Mike Holmgren somehow find his way to the bay area as President of Football Operations and General Manager and will he hire Jon Gruden to be his coach?

Tuesday game

Because of snow the Steelers will play at Philadelphia on Tuesday night December 28. I predict this will open a whole new can of worms in the NFL offices. Look for "Tuesday Night Football" to be introduced to the public by around 2014.

Have a great week, Happy New Year.

December 27, 2010

Is there light at the end of this tunnel or is that just a freight train coming down on us? That and other questions are on the minds of Seahawks fans on the morning after another lopsided one defeat at Qwest field.

Atlanta's 34-18 win puts them squarely in the drivers seat for home field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Falcons are in that position because they play error free, penalty free football. They're in that spot because their quarterback Matt Ryan is precise with his passes and sound with his decisions.

All week long in preparation for the game the Seahawk players and coaches pointed to the Falcons as the template for playoff success. "We need to be more like them," said Matt Hasselbeck during the practice week. On the first drive of the game the Seahawks played evenly with their template for success. Led by Hasselbeck the Seahawks drove 80 yards in 12 plays and scored on a one yard run by Marshawn Lynch. 7-0 Seahawks.

Without missing a beat the Falcons Eric Weems returned the kickoff 46 yards to their own 49 yard line and engineered their own 15 play, 51 yard drive to tie the game at 7-7.

Up until that point the Seahawks looked like the Falcons. After that the Seahawks looked like the Seahawks and the Falcons looked like the Falcons.

After a Seahawks punt the Falcons ran off another 15 play 51 yard drive ending in the go ahead field goal for a 10-7 lead.

Another short Seahawks drive gave the Falcons the ball again but Jordan Babineaux picked off a Matt Ryan pass and took it to the Falcons 27. Olindo Mare tied the game at 10-10 and that's as close as the Seahawks got for the rest of the day.

The turning point happened early in the second half when Hasselbeck's naked boot leg ended in an end zone fumble, a Falcon recovery and a 24-10 Atlanta lead.

Playing from behind is not a strong suit for this Seahawks team. It's when mistakes happen and two interceptions by Hasselbeck proved that out again.

Late in the game Charlie Whitehurst replaced Hasselbeck to chants of "Charlie, Charlie, Charlie." Suddenly the Seahawk fans who booed Whitehurst a couple of weeks ago were chanting his name. Let's face it we live in a world of instant gratification and if fans don't get their way "now" they get impatient. I don't blame them I'm just stating a fact.

Now comes the big question, who starts at quarterback against Tampa Bay. My guess is Matt Hasselbeck. I know you think I'm crazy but I expect Matt to start at Tampa and be on a short leash. One mistake into that game and you'll see Whitehurst again.

There are still a number of scenarios in which the Seahawks can make the playoffs. For example if the Rams beat the 49ers next week and the Seahawks beat the Rams on January 2, the Seahawks will host a playoff game the following weekend. The Rams win if they beat the 49ers and the Seahawks. The 49ers win the division if they win out and the Seahawks lose either one of their last two games.

The whole thing makes me dizzy but it is good to know there is still light at the end of the tunnel and I don't hear a freight train yet.

Tim Lincecum

I had a chance to interview San Francisco Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum before the game. The two time Cy young Award winner and World Series pitcher was the official "12th man Flag Raiser" before Sunday's game.

I asked Lincecum when he first realized he might be good enough to play in the major leagues. He told me he began to believe it was possible after his first year with the University of Washington. Before the interview he told me he was more nervous for the flag raising than he was to pitch in the World Series.

Babineaux Christmas

Seahawks safety Jordan Babineaux will give away 46 gift and food baskets to needy familes at a Seattle school on Tuesday. It's something the Seahawks veteran does every year. It's also one of many gestures by Seahawk players during the holiday.

Game Time

The Seahawks game in Tampa on Sunday will start at 1:15 pacific time. The time change means the Seahawks team flight to Tampa will be Christmas morning instead of Christmas Eve.

December 20, 2010

Seattle sports fans had a rough weekend. The Husky basketball team lost on a blocked shot with no time left on the clock, The Seahawks handed the 49ers a fumble, four interceptions and several missed tackles in a 40-21 spanking at Candlestick Park and Mariner fans said goodbye to Dave Niehaus.

Under this dark cloud of despair is a little hope however. Dave Niehaus had a wonderful career and blessed us with his baseball story telling talent for 32 years. He will be missed but as time goes on the memories will replace the sadness.

The Husky basketball team is very good and will make the NCAA tournament and may go far in that competition but what about our Seahawks.

Let's back up a few steps and remember the last two seasons in which team totaled nine victories. Real improvement in the NFL takes years, not months and certainly not weeks. Since Pete Carroll took over as head coach the team has made nearly 150 personnel changes with many more to come next year.

Going into the 2010 season I saw this team as a six game winner maybe seven. Getting a shot at the playoffs is not something I expected since San Francisco was a huge favorite to win the NFC West. Now 13 weeks into the season all four teams have a chance to win the division. It may come down to the final home game of the season against the St. Louis Rams.

No matter what you may think of the "soft" competition in the NFC West somebody's going to win it and that somebody will host a playoff game and that somebody could very well be the Seahawks.

All we can do now is hope for a return to action by receivers Mike Williams and Ben Obamanu by this Sunday's game against Atlanta. The Seahawks will be huge underdogs for the next two games and could easily going into the final game of the season against the Rams at 6-9.

As a person who sees the team and the game from the inside out I can tell you how important it is to let go of the game you just played and move on to the next one win or lose. That's what the Seahawks are doing as we head into the week of preparation for the Falcons.

Questions will arise about Matt Hasselbeck and why he's still starting at quarterback and the answer you'll hear will be the same, "he gives us the best chance to win." As frustrated as that may make the fans, it is probably the truth right now.

No matter what happens in these final games I can assure you there will be more growth, more improvement and many more moves in the off season.

Goodbye to Dave

I was in San Francisco with the Seahawks and missed the Safeco field tribute to Dave Niehaus. Dave was one of the last of a rare breed of professional broadcasters. He was a story teller, an entertainer, a baseball expert who did not let his knowledge of the game turn a broadcast into a boring clinic. To Dave Niehaus every game was an event, a performance and he left his audience feeling better for having come to the show.

December 13, 2010