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July 2009
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| March 2009Viriginia released Tony Bennett's financial package. The former Cougars coach will receive $1.7 million per year for 5 seasons. Plus, he gets a $500,000 signing bonus and $500,000 if he stays five seasons. So he'll get $2.2 million in his first year, including the bonus. He was making a million at WSU. Anyways, Virginia's official news release is after the jump. ...If you've always wanted to ask a pro athlete a question, but never could? Well now is your chance to do it. We call it "Ask the Sounders". It's your opportunity to ask the coaches or players a question about the game or anything else. We will take the top 3 questions. So put your questions in the "Comments" section. We'll "Ask the Sounders" your questions sometime this week.
The Oregonian is reporting that the Cougars have asked permission from Portland State to talk to men's basketball coach Ken Bone about their recent opening. Bone seems like a logical choice. He knows the landscape of the Northwest. He's from Seattle. Plus, he already has head coaching experience. And he loves the Northwest. Here's a quote from Bone just weeks ago. "I really want to coach basketball in the Northwest where we can be successful. When you start looking around, there are a lot of schools like that in the Northwest, but I don't foresee those coaches going anywhere real soon." --- from the Oregonian's website 3/30/09 I guess things have changed now that Tony Bennett has accepted a job with Virginia. The Oregonian is also speculating that SDSU's Bill Grier, St. Mary's Randy Bennett, and former UCLA coach Steve Lavin could be candidates for the job. ...The Chicago Sun-Times reports that former Seahawks Ken Lucas is interviewing with the Chicago Bears. They also report that Hawks are interested in Lucas. The free agent cornerback broke into the NFL with Seattle. He spent 4 seasons with the Hawks before bolting for a big contract with the Carolina Panthers. ...The Chicago Sun-Times reports that former Seahawks Ken Lucas is interviewing with the Chicago Bears. They also report that Hawks are interested in Lucas. The free agent cornerback broke into the NFL with Seattle. He spent 4 seasons with the Hawks before bolting for a big contract with the Carolina Panthers. ...The body barely cold, but I guess there's no time like the present to think of who'll be the next coach. Who should replace Tony Bennett? Here are a few contenders:
Good afternoon hockey fans and friends, Well it's been another eventful week for the Houston Aeros in this tight playoff push. Let's just say we haven't made it easy on ourselves. ...The Cougars sent out a news release on Tony Bennett's departure to Virginia. Here's Athletic Director Jim Sterk's response: "Dick and Tony Bennett have elevated the men's basketball program at Washington State to an unprecedented level of success. We will begin a national search for a coach immediately with the goal of finding someone with the integrity, experience, and values that Dick and Tony brought to the program." According to the release, Virginia asked Sterk for permission to talk to Bennett last Friday. Today, Bennett told Sterk, then the players about his decision to leave. The whole news release is after the jump. ...The Everett Silvertips have announced that defenseman Taylor Ellington is joining the Manitoba Moose, the AHL affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks. Ellington signed a 3 year, entry level contract with the Canucks last week. He and the Silvertips wrapped up the season over the weekend, after falling to the Tri City Americans in first round playoff action. ...Our NBC affiliate in Spokane, KHQ, has confirmed that Tony Bennett is taking the Virginia job. They spoke with a source close to Bennett.
The Seahawks announced their pre-season schedule, at least who they'll play and the week they'll play it. The Hawks head to San Diego sometime between August 13th and the 17th. They return to Qwest field to face the Broncos Aug. 20-24th. Seattle then flies to KC for a game around August 27th-31st. The Hawks final exhibition game is September 3rd or 4th at Qwest against the Raidiers. All actual dates and times are "TBD" or to be determined. As you can tell, all the games are against their old division in the AFC West. All games will be televised on KING 5 or KONG 6/16. The official news release is after the jump. ...Say it isn't so Tony? Rumors and reports say Cougars coach Tony Bennett is going to Virginia. The Daily Progress out of Charlottesville, Virginia write they have a confirmed sources at U of Va that Bennett will be the Cavaliers next head coach. For what it's worth, all of this is news to WSU. Our NBC affiliate in Spokane called them in Pullman and they didn't know about it yet. Seattle Times UW beat writer Bob Condotta is already speculating that Portland State coach Ken Bone could be an early candidate.
KIRO radio is changing its AM station to an all-sports radio station soon. 710 ESPN Seattle is set to launch a week from today April 6th. You'll be able to hear former Hawks Fone Zone host Brock Huard, current Sounders FC announcer Kevin Calabro, and more of the ESPN radio guys weekdays. After the jump, you can see their official news release and time slots for their jockeys. ...Tuesday: Silvertips Send-Off Party at Sporty's
The Seattle Thunderbirds have confirmed that defenseman Thomas Hickey and center Jim O'Brien are embarking on the next level of their hockey careers. Hickey is set to join the Manchester Monarchs, the Los Angeles Kings' AHL affiliate. O'Brien is on his way to join the Ottawa Senators' AHL team in Binghamton, New York. Binghamton has posted a news release on its site about O'Brien's impendnig arrival. ...It's a possibility. Maybe not right away, but soon. Seattle Times M's beat writer Geoff Baker writes that Brandon Morrow is going from a potential starter to the bullpen as the M's head north. This probably explains the M's releasing Tyler Walker. Plus, it's just nice of them to do so, in case Walker can find another team to catch on with before the season starts. Back to Morrow, he sounds like he's comfortable with the move. "Once they traded J.J. [Putz], I thought, I kept going back and forth and back and forth. I just felt like a big relief when I went back to the bullpen, because I feel that's like my home now. I've been there two years and I don't know if I could go back [to starting]." ---seattletimes.com 3/29/09 Also in Baker's column, he talks about Morrow's diabetes. I must have missed that one. I guess he joins other pro athletes in the battle like Adam Morrison and Jay Cutler. But at any rate, Morrow's move makes sense for now, if nothing else to build up his arm strength. If they decide to move him back, they could just stretch him out during the season or put him the closer position for good. The Tacoma News Tribune also has him slotted for the closer position. I wonder if he has the right makeup to close yet? ...The Mariners released potential closer candidate Tyler Walker today. Walker had closed for the Giants a few years ago. He was trying to regain his form for shoulder surgery a while ago. Here's M's GM Jack Zduriencik's view on the move: "We have determined that there are other pitchers ahead of Tyler in our bullpen. That drove this ultimate decision." Hmmm...either they're happy with Chad Codero's progress (although he's few months away) or there's someone else on the horizon that can close or will move to the closer posisiton. The M's official news release is after the jump. ...Don't forget to watch Sounders FC Weekly tonight at 10:30 on KONG 6/16. It looks like a good show so far. Head coach Sigi Schmid, Kasey Keller, Freddie Ljungberg, and more on the show. Plus, defender James Riley talks about his favorite movie, first car and a lot more in our five question segment called "The Shootout". And we'll preview the next game with Toronto. Their head coach wants his fans to be louder the fans at Qwest Field. I guess that's a compliment for everyone at the Xbox Pitch. He already thinks you guys are the loudest in the league. Anyways, watch and hear it all on Sounders FC Weekly tonight at 10:30pm on KONG 6/16. ...Not a surprising move considering his slow start at the plate, but today, the M's send down catcher Jeff Clement to Tacoma. Clement was hitting .268 with 0 HR's and 4 RBI. Plus, as we already have known, Clement's defense is still a work in progress. Going to AAA will help him work on both. "He was disappointed. I know how much he cares and how hard he works, which is a credit to him. One thing you have to realize is he has been in professional baseball for only 2 1/2 years. I saw progress this spring, and I told Jeff that it's tough to make a decision on your career in six weeks. We have to do that to get down to numbers." - M's manager Don Wakamatsu on the Mariners website This is good news for either Jamie Burke or Rob Johnson. Both are battling for the backup spot at catcher. Kenji Johjima, for now, is the starter. I think there are going to be a few more interesting cuts at we march towards April 5th, the day final cuts are due. ...This game recap is a hard one to write. I'm not gonna lie. Writing up the last recap of a season is always difficult, especially when it is cut short. The Seattle Thunderbirds have provided excitement all season long, whether in the form of amazing wins or heartbreaking losses. The team took us along with them on a wild rollercoaster ride to the first round of the WHL playoffs. And now that ride is over. ...Everett Silvertips news release. Kennewick, WA - The Tri-City Americans defeated the Silvertips Saturday night 6-1, winning the opening round of the 2009 WHL playoffs four games to one over Everett. WHL regular season rookie leading scorer Kellan Tochkin tallied his first WHL playoff goal Saturday night. In his last game in the WHL, Taylor Ellington put up an assist totaling for five points in five games this post-season. Shane Harper also had an assist moving him to four points this off season with a plus two rating. ...
The Everett Silvertips find themselves in a very precarious position this morning. Like their brethren down I-5, the Seattle Thunderbirds, the 'Tips are down 3 games to 1 in their playoff series against the Tri City Americans. Tonight, they face the daunting task of trying to win on Tri City's home ice to force a Game 6 back at Comcast Arena. ...Mike Sando at espn.com lists the Seahawks top 5 guys who earned a bonus under the NFL's Performance Based Pay Bonus program. Pork Chop Womack gobbled up just over $200 K. Center Steve Vallos received over $175 thousand for filling in for injured starter Chris Spencer. Koren Robinson made nearly $160,000. Ray Willis and D.D. Lewis filled out the top five. I'm just thinking, wouldn't it be nice to get a bonus from work like that? Ahhh, dare to dream. ...The Seahawks are suppose to have Wake Forest LB Aaron Curry over at headquarters today. But he's not the only guy the Hawks are flying out. Scout.com reports that Norfolk State CB Don Carey is coming out to Hawks HQ April 15-16. Carey falls into GM Tim Ruskell's style of drafting players. He's not a flash in the pan. Carey started all four years in college. Scouts Inc. has him ranked as a 5th round pick. So it's kind of peculiar that they're flying him out. But then again, I don't Lofa Tatupu was rated very high. The Hawks caught some flak when they drafted him in the second round. He turned out all right. ...Despite hitting very well, the Mariners have sent 3B Matt Tuiasosopo to Tacoma. Barring Tui hitting .750 (of which he hit .404) and/or Adrian Beltre's arm falling off, you had to know he was headed for AAA. But it gives them flexibility in case something happens.
Mixing a little news with sports today as former Sonic James Donaldson announces he is running for mayor of Seattle. The 7-2 Donaldson played for the Sonics three seasons (originally drafted in 1979) before later joining the Dallas Mavs. One year, he actually led the NBA in field goal percentage. And, by the way, James was an on-camera analyst for Northwest Cable News during the Sonics legal battle to leave Seattle. I don't know if he will get more votes than Greg Nickels, but he will defintely get more rebounds! What do you think of his candidacy? Here is some of what Donaldson said in a letter to the news media: Storm All-Star Lauren Jackson is coming back to the WNBA, but she's not sure with which team. She's deciding between two teams, the Storm and the Phoenix Mercury. LJ expressed her dilemma to Radio Sport 927 in Melbourne, Australia. I think Jayda Evans of the Times was the first to report this, at least on the states side. "I don't want to make the wrong (decision)," Jackson added. "It's something I'm going to decide for myself. Honestly, I'm going to wait until the Russian season is over so I can sit down and go over the pros and cons. And I also want to be with my parents when I do that." LJ is an unrestricted free agent for the first time in her WNBA career. Her Russian club could play through April 3rd. She plans on going home to Australia and then figure out her future in the WNBA. So we may not know for 2 weeks. It would be sad to see her in a uniform other than a Storm jersey. It would be weird like seeing Shaun Alexander in a Redskins uni, the first time watching Ken Griffey Jr. in a Reds jersey, or Gary Payton sporting a Milwaukee Bucks uniform. It just wouldn't be right for the fans, the WNBA, and probably LJ. ...
The Seattle Thunderbirds find themselves in a very tough position. They are down 3 games to 1 in the first round of the WHL playoff series against the Spokane Chiefs. The T-Birds lost a tough match at ShoWare Center tonight, 3-2. Now, they face the daunting task of trying to win both of their next games on the other side of the state. ...We're preparing for our second Sounders FC Weekly show on Sunday. It airs at 10:35 p.m. on KONG-TV. It's similar to the Mike Holmgren Show, but a little different.
Sounders forward Fredy Montero wins his second award of the year and he's only played one game. Today, Montero wins the MLS Goal of the Week. He was already named Player of the Week by the MLS. You can watch his award-winning goal right here. KING 5 Sports Director Paul Silvi didn't plan it, but the billboard to the right of the goal says "Silvi Covers Sounders FC Every Night". Just kind of weird how that happened on the first goal in franchise history. Everyone in the sports office kids Silvi that his name will be forever immortalized by the Montero goal. ...Huskies head coach Lorenzo Romar earns a spot on the USA Basketball committee for the Junior National Team. Romar will join Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim, Illinois coach Bruce Weber, North Carolina coach Roy Williams and former Duke University All-America Jay Williams on USA Basketball's 2009-12 Men's Junior National Committee (formerly known as the Men's Collegiate Committee). -- gohuskies.com Not a bad honor or feather in Romar's hat. ...Just a day after making some safey-related rule changes, NFL owners have decided to use post-season playoffs wins and losses to determine draft order starting in 2010. Read all about it. ...Good afternoon hockey fans and friends, I have to say it was an eventful week, to say the least, for my girlfriend, her family and myself. With having finished 3 games over the weekend last week, we had a whole week off from games and a chance to prepare for a big divisional match up at home against the Peoria Rivermen. ...Colin Jacobs scores first career WHL goal in 5-1 loss to Spokane Seattle Thunderbirds News Release ... Maybe it's already been discussed somewhere, but there's something different about Yuni Betacourt. I couldn't put my finger on it right away. Tonight, the M's are playing the Dodgers and it hit me. He's wearing a different number. Yuni is wearing #7 this season. For quite some time, the shortstop was sporting the number five. Maybe I should have used 4 really's. The PAC-10 rattled off it's All-Academic team today. Four Cougars made the 1st team. Of course, the All-Academic team is smarter than the All-PAC-10 team. The AA team has five players. The AP team has 10. Here's the list:
First Team Name, School, Year, GPA, Major Aron Baynes, WSU, Sr., 3.24, Movement Studies Derek Glasser, ASU, Jr., 3.14, Communication Daven Harmeling, WSU, RS-Sr., 3.54, Heath and Fitness Nikola Koprivica, WSU, Jr., 3.39, International Business Taylor Rochestie, WSU, RS-Sr., 3.37, Communication
Nikola Knezevic, CAL, Jr., 3.03, Interdisciplinary Studies Rihards, Kuksiks, ASU, So., 3.07, Business Communication Roeland Schaftenaar, OSU, Jr., 3.17, Pre-Business Drew Shiller, STAN, Jr., 3.08, Communication Jordan Wilkes, CAL, Sr., 3.13, Social Welfare
The NFL owners got serious today and passed some new safety rules: KING 5 Sports is now on Twitter. We going to use it a lot to let you know what stories we'll be working for KING 5 news and Northwest Sports Tonight. Here's the link twitter.com/KING5Sports Plus, we'll give you a quick tweet on the latest news involving the sports teams that we follow. So click on our Twitter link and follow KING 5 Sports. ...Matches on the lineup for Sunday, April 4: The main event is Orton-Triple H and I gotta believe Vince, Shane and Steph will interfere in this one since Orton has been pushing the "whole McMahon family" angle. He punted both Steph and Shane a few weeks ago and RKO'd Steph on Raw Monday night. Likely both guys will blade in this one, but I don't see them letting Orton win it. Michaels-Undertaker should mean the Taker's 16-0 WM streak will finally end, setting up a full program between these two after the PPV. Three-way handicap with Jericho vs. Steamboat, Snuka and Piper plus Flair at ringside shapes up terribly to me. Look for Mickey Rourke from "The Wrestler" to be in the front row at ringside and interfere here to help the legends get the win. Guess they didn't have enough dough to get Rourke in the ring for the whole match. Triple-threat with Cena, Edge and Show looks very weak and old hat. I predicted Mysterio would be the third man in the ring right after the Seattle "No Way Out" show and his great work with Edge in the finale that night, but they let that die and put in Big Show, which is a major mistake and will slow the work rate badly. Let's hear from you fans out there on how the card shapes up. Is it worth the money to get the PPV? ...Former Hawks FB Leonard Weaver tells a PhiladelphiaEagles.com reporter that last year's announcement of Jim Mora as head coach in waiting "affected us a lot". He also called it not the best move. Weaver made it sound like the locker room became a little divided. Those who were loyal to Mike Holmgren and those who started to gravitate towards Mora. I guess that's only natural. If you want to hear Weaver's interview, click here. The locker room stuff is about half way through. Take a listen. Do you think that's a fair assessment? And if it's true, should someone be held accountable for allowing that to happen? ...Yes, you can buy Ichiro's old house and at a bargain price. It was listed at a high of $3.2 million. Well Ichiro is willing to sell it at $1.75 million. Here's the listing. They're having an open house on April 5th. Ichiro doesn't live that Issaquah dwelling anymore. He's already found a new home.
Who knows what they mean. But the Chicago Tribune got their hands on the Wonderlic scores for some NFL draft prospects. The Wonderlic asks 50 questions on how to establish a players ability to problem solve. Each player has 12 minutes to finish the test.
The Hawks will receive a bonus of three 7th round draft picks for losing some free agents. Here's Profootballtalk.com's list of who'll receive compensatory picks for losing free agents off their 2008 team. After playing in his last game for the Purple and Gold on Saturday, I asked Jon Brockman, how much it hurts knowing that was it? He paused and then said, "I'm sure it will keep hitting me when I realize more and more things that I won't be doing again, the saddest thing about the entire thing is that this is the last time this team will play together." In a sport where we seem to recognize individual efforts for hi-flying dunks or high point totals, Jon Brockman is a true team player. Even though Brockman leaves the UW as the leading rebounder and second-leading scorer in school history, he doesn't like to talk about his individual accolades, he'd rather talk about his team becoming the first Husky team since 1953 to win a conference title. "I've said before, he is like the old-time, old-school hero you used to read about," Lorenzo Romar said on Saturday. "He plays for the love the game, he doesn't play for accolades or money or fanfare." Romar went on to say, "We would be very fortunate if we got another player as good as him. And it is a possibility we could get another player as talented as Jon Brockman. But I'm going to go out on a limb and say we're never going to get a player like Jon Brockman."
Talk about the icing on the cake, after winning its first game in franchise history, the Sounders FC have notched a "Player of the Week" award. Fredy Montero wins it with a 2 goal 1 assist performance. The Sounders FC news release is after the jump. ...Is it just me or does Craig Bolerjack sound the same as Ian Eagle, and does he sound the same as some of the other sound-alike no-names doing the games? I defy anyone to tell them apart. Even Lundquist and the vanilla-soft Nantz have dissolved into unrecognizability. Aside from Kevin Harlan, who has a very distinctive voice, the announcing of the NCAA tournament on CBS has not measured up to the action on the court. And don't even get me started about Clark Kellogg. He is totally lost out of the studio. On the other hand, Jay Bilas is amazing. Clear, knowledgeable, fast, on target and creative as a color analyst. Maybe they do miss Billy Packer, but I would move Bilas to the #1 team with Nantz next year. Greg Anthony is a master of the obvious. Why they picked him up from ESPN is beyond me. Seth Davis is OK but has been somehow marginalized this year. Maybe the games transcend announcers anyway....what are your thoughts out there? ...We're about three hours away from our first Sounders FC Weekly show and I'm pretty pumped. I'm sure it helps that the Sounders won their first game. It's going to be a quick paced show. On tonight's show, we've got owners Joe Roth and Drew Carey on the show. Plus, head coach Sigi Schmid answers your questions. And a quick look around the league with MLS highlights. So tune in Sunday nights at 10:30pm on KONG 6/16. ...I tried to listen to the Everett Silvertips/Tri City Americans game online last night but kept losing Jon Rosen's play by play. I later learned that North Sound 1380 was having audio problems so Jon had to resort to broadcasting the game using his cell phone. Nonetheless, I did not catch the full flavor of the game and did not want to try to rewrite from a news release, so I am just posting Jon's game recap below. Congratulations to Tyler Maxwell for his first WHL career hat trick!! ...
The Seattle Thunderbirds faced the Spokane Chiefs last night in Game 2 of a "best of 7" playoff series. Spokane won Game 1 in a hard fought 2-1 battle, but they could not hit the ice resting on their laurels. If there's anything I've learned about the T-Birds this season, it's that they do not take losing lightly. And I don't know what kind of pep talk Coach Rob Sumner delivered in the locker room Friday night after the loss or yesterday before Game 2, but the team that hit the ice had only one thing on its mind: WIN. ...
The Everett Silvertips faced off against the Tri City Americans in Kennewick last night, in a game that was as wild as it was close. Not being able to make the drive to the Tri Cities, I contented myself with following the game on the radio, and I have to say this: If you can't make it to a Silvertips game, you absolutely MUST tune in to North Sound AM 1380 and listen to Jon Rosen call the plays. His enthusiasm alone will almost make you feel as though you are at the game. ...The Seattle Thunderbirds opened playoff action last night in Spokane. I could not make the drive to Spokane, so I watched the game live online at the WHL website. It's not the same experience as being inside an arena surrounding by thousands of crazy fans, but in this case, it'll do. The radio commentary was provided by Spokane's play by play man Mike Boyle. His commentary was a few seconds behind the actual action, but it wasn't too distracting. ...KING 5 Morning News showed its support for the Everett Silvertips and Seattle Thunderbirds' quest for the Memorial Cup, by using its "Friday Playlist" segment to feature songs that Silvertips and T-Birds players say help them get pumped for a game. ...New Seahawk receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh has already changed his jersey number. Today, the Seahawks Pro Shop sent out an e-mail stating you can buy you #84 jerserys with Houshmandzadeh's name on the back. It's also on the team shop's front page. I guess when Bobby Engram signed with the Chiefs, it cleared the way for T.J. to claim good ol' #84. ...Legendary Mercer Island basketball coach Ed Pepple has retired. He's coached for 52 years...the last 42 at Mercer Island. Pepple tells KING 5 Sports after 52 years, it's about time. He's scheduled to join us on the Season 9 finale of HS Gametime next Saturday. ...Today, Huskies head coach Lorenzo Romar all but confirmed that Jon Brockman is playing with a broken nose. Talk about a tough dude, he's doing it without a facemask. Here's Romar's quote about Brockman and his broken nose. "He says he does. I haven't totally figured it out yet. He's got a broken nose. He says he has a broken nose but he doesn't have a mask (to protect his nose). And I think he's so use to having 'em, he's going to finish it out. He was 'just broke my nose again'. It's just kind of how he is." -- Lorenzo Romar 3/20/09 WOW! I know Brockman has broken his nose quite a few times, so like Romar, if says it's broken, then it's broken. No word if a doctor has confirmed it. Romar even said Brockman got popped in the nose last night and told him about, but then went on about his business. Again, I say WOW! You gotta love that kind of determination. ...If Huskies coach Steve Sarkisian can dominate the football field like he's doing to the World Wide Web, then a Rose Bowl could be in their future. Today, Coach Sark unleashed coachsark.com. It's a blog site where, it appears, he'll provide content as well as the guy running it. Coach Sark is promising to give you a behind the scenes connection to the program. My how coaching/recruiting/alumni relations have changed in the last 10-15 years. ...In a rather short and to the point news release, the Storm have waived forward Kelly Santos. The Olympic athlete played sparingly last season. But she would have provided a decent post presence if Lauren Jackson wouldn't return to Seattle. Hmmmm.... The current Storm training camp roster stands at 13 players. ...Free agent Leonard Weaver is the leaving the Seahawks for another bird of prey. Weaver has reportedly signed a 1-year deal with the Eagles. I guess that signing should be followed up by a quick signing by the Seahawks. I'm sure they'll pursue FB Justin Griffith soon. Griffith played for the Hawks O-Coordinator with the Raiders and Falcons. ...The M's start making the first of some interesting cuts. Today, they've optioned first basemen Bryan LaHair & Mike Carp and pitcher Gaby Hernandez. Not like we didn't really know this before, but with today's cuts, it seems very apparent the M's will go with Russell Branyan at first. When they brought in Branyan, it seemed LaHair would have been a longshot to make the club. Obviously, today's moves proves it. The Mariners now have 46 players in camp. ...The Everett Silvertips and Seattle Thunderbirds are both playing in the first round of the WHL Playoffs. The Silvertips square off against the Tri City Americans. The T-Birds face the Spokane Chiefs. Here's a look at playoff schedules for both teams:
We're starting a new Sounders FC show on Sunday. It's a weekly show that'll air at 10:35 p.m. on KONG-TV. It'll be similar to the Mike Holmgren Show, but a little different.
Plus, KING 5 Morning News rocks out with players' favorite songs.
The Seattle Thunderbirds hit the road today, on a journey that could lead them to the Memorial Cup. They're in Spokane to take on a strong Chiefs team in the first round of WHL playoffs. Spokane and Seattle are 4th and 5th, respectively, in the Western Conference, but the Chiefs boast a much better record. With 72 games under their belts, The T-Birds' record is: 35 wins, 32 losses, 1 tie and 4 overtime losses, for 75 points. Spokane's record is: 46 wins, 23 losses, 0 ties and 3 overtime losses, for 95 points. ...It's 25 minutes until gametime. Mississippi State has taken the floor to a chorus of boos. Meantime, it's like Hec Ed has moved south. It's very loud in the Rose Garden, just like a Husky home game. ...It's noon, and photographer Alan Reed and myself have just arrived in Portland. The Rose Garden has been taken over by Husky Nation. There's purple and gold everywhere...on fans and on cars as those little flags are flying. I just talked with two Dawg fans who had to come today, so much so that they're having a sick, er, mental health day.
I'm actually all for the extra post-season basketball tournaments such as the NIT, CBI, and CIT. That is until about an hour ago. It sounds like Leonard Weaver will make a decision sometime this week. The Hawks free agent fullback is trying to decide between four teams. According to his agent, here's his final four: The Hawks, Vikings, Bucs, and another team not yet named. The Eagles thought they had a shot, but it looks like they're out of it. ...Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner had hip surgery Tuesday to repair a labrum tear. Sure, the "old man" comments are sure to follow. Afterall, he will turn 38 in June which is like 60 in NFL years. Apparently, the surgery went well. It's likely that Warner will only miss the upcoming mini-camp. ...Wazzu sent out a news release today to confirm the men's basketball team's opponant in the 2009 Cougars Hardwood Classic. The Cougs will face the LSU Tigers. Former Stanford coach Trent Johnson led the Tigers to an SEC championship in his first year there. This game should be a good one. Ticket information won't be made until this summer. The official news release is after the jump. ...The MLS announced today that Vancouver, BC was awarded a MLS franchise for the 2011 season. Phoenix Suns Steve Nash is a part owner.
You may remember about a month or so ago, OKC part-owner Aubrey McClendon planned to sell his wine collection because the one-time billionaire isn't a billionaire no more. He's doing fairly well at the auction. The first half of the collection that was sold over the weekend raked in $2,225,009, topping the projected estimate of $1.5 million to $2.1 million. Fully 96% of the lots sold. -- Wall Street Journal 3/17/09 Here's the WSJ's full article. But the guy, who couldn't keep a secret or keep his e-mail private, needs the money. Forbes recently ranked the billionaires. Bubba Bennet's buddy is no longer on that list. McClendon went from $2.8 Billion down to $800 million. Or $802 million after the first part of his wine sale. ...President Obama filled out his bracket, and he doesn't have much love for the Pac-10, even though is brother coaches at Oregon State.
The Mariners moved 10 players today to various positions within the organization. The Moves bring them down to 50 in Peoria. Here are the cuts below. Optioned to AA West Tenn (2): Re-Assigned to Minor League camp (6): As you can see, no real big news or surprises. But you know some relatively big names cuts are around the corner. I just watched President Barack Obama make his NCAA picks on ESPN. He had the Huskies losing in the round of 32 to Purdue. Obama moved Gonzaga to the Sweet 16, but picked North Carolina over the Zags in the Sweet 16. The President declared it an off-year for the PAC-10. Do you agree? How far do you have the Huskies and Zags going in your bracket? ...Sonicscentral.com reports there's going to be a public hearing tomorrow on Senate Bill 6116. It's the bill that would allow King County to raise certain taxes on hotel, car rental and more (similar to the Safeco Field tax). Here's the link to find out when and where for the public hearing in Olympia. ...Games 3 and 4 on Tuesday, March 24, and Wednesday, March 25, at ShoWare Center
The Kansas City Chiefs announce they've signed former Hawk Bobby Engram today. Engram has long been Matt Hasselbeck's favorite receiver (at least that's what Matt says). Now that T.J. Houshmandzadeh is here, you knew Engram's future in Seattle would be short. It's too bad. Bobby is better man off the field than he is on the field. And that's saying something.
The Sounders FC continue opening week activities today. The team flag now flies atop the Space Needle.
... The Seahawks and Lions have essentially traded tight ends over the past few weeks. Free agent tight end Will Heller signed a one-year deal with the Lions. Just last week, the Hawks inked Lions free agent TE John Owens to a deal.
Gary Rogers (6-6 3/8, 224 pounds), who ran 4.74 and 4.78 seconds in the 40-yard dash and posted a 35-inch vertical, a 9-foot, 2-inch broad jump, a 4.23-second short shuttle and a 6.99-second three-cone drill. Pretty good numbers. The only thing is, being a good athlete doesn't neccessarily translate into being a good pro football player. Ask the Eagles about Mike Mamula. ...
The Seattle Thunderbirds honored players who have made a difference this season, on and off the ice. They presented their annual Player Awards following last night's regular season home finale against the Everett Silvertips.
Veteran Silvertips defenseman receives three-year entry level deal
Good morning hockey fans and friends,
I read two very different headlines today describing the same story. The title of The Seattle Times' Jim Riley's story read: "T-Birds set record in 10-0 win over 'Tips." Nick Patterson of the Everett Herald titled his story: "'Tips save worst for last in 10-0 loss to Seattle." No matter which way you look at it, one thing jumps out at you: the score. ...The Washington Huskies are back in the Big Dance! UW is headed to Portland as a #4 seed in the West Region. On Thursday 3/19, UW will take on 13 seed Mississippi State, a team that's hot right now after winning the SEC tourney. The winner of this moves on to play the winner of #5 Purdue and #12 Northern Iowa. I think the Huskies will win, but this is a tough draw against a hot team.
O'Brien has two goals in 4-3 overtime win over Winter Hawks
Everett falls to Chilliwack, 3-2 in final regular season home game.
For me, this one hurts. Anytime I was in a pinch and needed a interview, I turned to Julian Peterson. It also seems, that anytime the Seahawks needed a spark on the field, they turned to Julian Peterson. Let also not forget, anytime the 12th man needed a little pump-up, they also turned to Julian Peterson. This is a guy who is a class act on and off the field. Maybe this trade will pan-out down the road, but for me, right now, I'm shocked and a little sad that Julian Peterson will now be taking his talents to Detroit. We'll Miss you JP. What Do You Think About the Trade??? ...The Seattle Seahawks have traded linebacker Julian Peterson to the Detroit Lions for defensive tackle/end Cory Redding and an undisclosed draft choice in next month's NFL Draft. Peterson signed with Seattle as an unrestricted free agent from San Francisco before the 2006 season. During his three years in Seattle, he started 47 of 48 games, collected 249 tackles, 24.5 sacks, three interceptions and was named to the Pro Bowl after each season.In his nine years in the NFL, Peterson has totaled 714 tackles, 46 sacks, eight interceptions, 48 passes defensed, 15 forced fumbles and eight fumble recoveries. "The entire Seahawks organization greatly appreciates the contribution that Julian has made to our football team and to this community," said President Tim Ruskell. "He has exemplified the highest standards of excellence and character both on and off the field. He will be greatly missed by all of us in the Seahawks organization and we wish him well with his new team, the Detroit Lions." Redding was originally drafted by Detroit in the third round (66th overall) of the 2003 NFL Draft and started 77 of 86 career games, collecting 306 tackles (204 solo), 16.0 sacks, three passes defensed, three forced fumbles and six fumble recoveries in his six seasons. "Cory Redding is a guy we've had our eye on for some time," said Ruskell. "We liked him coming out of Texas because of his versatility to play inside and out and also because of the type of person he is. This gives us another big, physical presence along the defensive line and someone we can play at multiple positions." The Everett Silvertips lineup changed this season; when Everett traded fan favorite Kyle Beach to the Lethbridge Hurricanes in exchange for Defenseman Alex Theriau and Left Wing Dan Iwanski.
As the regular season starts winding down across the WHL, teams have to deal with the fact that some players will not be back next year, for the simple reason that they will be too old. The WHL's age limit is 20 years old. ...The Hawks trade of LB Julian Peterson should effect the team's draft focus. Seattle acquired a versatile D-Lineman Cory Redding. So that should mark DT B.J Raji off their radar. But with the loss of J-Pete, all of a sudden Wake Forest LB Aaron Curry shows up on their radar. Before the trade, there was no real reason to consider Curry. The team franchised OLB Leroy Hill. Julian was under contract. And there's no way MLB Lofa Tatupu was going anywhere. So it appeared the Hawks were set at LB. Now there's a hole. I don't think D.D. Lewis can fill the position, even though he did an admiral job filling in for Leroy Hill late last season.
NFL.com reports that LB Julian Peterson has been traded to Detroit. The Hawks will get DT/DE Cory Redding in return. Seattle will also send a 5th round pick to Detroit. J-Pete was reportedly asked to redo his deal to make it more cap friendly. He didn't want to. Who knows if this sparked the trade. It probably didn't help.
The Everett Silvertips headed into Vancouver last night, stinging from three losses in a row, including a 7-2 whipping at the hands of the Spokane Chiefs Wednesday night. The 'Tips were ready to take their frustrations out on someone, and the Vancouver Giants just happened to land in their sights. The Silvertips also had a little payback in mind for the Giants, as the last two times the teams faced each other, Vancouver shut Everett out, 8-0 and 3-0. ...Last night's Seattle Thunderbirds game was an ugly one on many counts, except for anyone who is a Portland Winterhawks fan. ShoWare Center was pretty packed (attendance: 5701) for Fan Appreciation night and the stage was set for what everyone thought would be a good game, with the T-Birds coming out on top. After all, in the ten times the two teams have faced each other this season, Seattle won 8 of those games. The two they lost were by slim margins. ...Softy from KJR-AM Sports Radio thinks the Hawks are close to cutting linebacker Julian Peterson. J-Pete has declined a pay cut in 2009. As Mike Sando at ESPN.com reports, his cap number is $8.8 million if he's on the team and $4.6 million if he's not. Is the difference, $4.2 mil, enough to make a difference? Especially when you've got an All-Pro type of guy like J-Pete.
It's hard to forget about Steve Hutchinson leaving the Hawks for the Vikes. Now another Seahawk is talking to the Vikings. Minnesota is apparently interested in FB Leonard Weaver. Of course, Weaver isn't in the same class as Hutch, but it's hard to separate the two because of the team that's interested in him.
"He's an excellent receiver, runner and blocker. The fullback pay scale doesn't reflect his talents. We're just trying to find the right situation and the right contract. We can always go back to Seattle, because they'd like to have him back." The Eagles still remain interested. It sounds like it could be between them and the Hawks. Here's Weaver's interview on KJR Sports Radio 950 with Ian Furness today. Here's the link. ...Numerous reports have Hawks free agent OL Floyd "Pork Chop" Womack signing with the Cleveland Browns. The oft-injured, yet very versatile, offensive lineman leaves Seattle after 8 seasons. It's okay that Pork Chop is gone. The Hawks re-signed Ray Willis recently. He can play both guard or tackle positions. Plus, they've still got Steve Vallos, who filled in at center last season. Vallos can play center or guard. Plus, who knows what will happen with the #4 overall pick? They could still select a lineman. So losing Pork Chop means virtually nothing, except the Hawks will get younger on the line. ...Former Husky Reggie Williams will not be going to court for DUI or possession of pot any time soon. His agent sent us a news release stating a Harris County, Texas judge has ruled there was no probable cause for stopping Williams during a traffic stop. Because there was no probable cause, all the charges that Williams faced were dropped. He was pulled over February 27th. You can see his agent's news release after the jump. Williams is currently a free agent. He spent last season with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Rams, as expected, released WR Torry Holt. He was the last holdover from the group called the "Greatest Show on Turf". That group included QB Kurt Warner (with the Cardinals), Marshall Faulk (retired), Isaac Bruce (with the 49ers), and Holt. Of course, this was cap driven. Holt's 2009 number was around $8 million. It sounds like Holt's body was also breaking down. He is 32 and played every single season on turf with the Rams. Besides his worn down knees, Holt has wanted out of St. Louis for some time. I guess when you've got a new head coach, no time like the present to start rebuilding. The Rams have now rid themselves of Orlando Pace and Holt within days of each other. ...Mike Bellotti is calling it quits...at least on the football field. The former Oregon Ducks head football coach is moving up into the Athletic Director position July 1st. Offensive Coordinator Chip Kelly takes over for Bellotti. Kelly was named "head coach in waiting" last December. So the move comes as no surprise, except for Bellotti stepping down so soon. ...The Mariners just sent over a news release stating they've signed pitcher Chad Cordero to a minor league contract. Cordero had shoulder surgery in July to correct a torn labrum. It usually takes 12-18 months to heal. But he sounds like he's ready to go. That remains to be seen. Here's GM's Jack Zduriencik's take: "We are going to take it one step at a time, but we are optimistic that Chad can help us this season. Chad has been a quality Major League closer and we look forward to his contributions to our ballclub in 2009." Cordero has been an All-Star closer for the Nationals. In 2005, '06,and '07, he rattled off a pretty good run of saves, 47, 29, 37 respectively. Maybe his signing is a sign of the M's faith in the current group of potential closers. If Cordero's arm is healthy again, the M's have found themselves a cheap closer. Keep an eye on him fantasy baseball owners, he could come cheap to you, as well. The M's official news release is after the jump. ...The Sporting News is reporting that Hawks free agent DT Howard Green has signed with the Jets. It's reportedly a one-year deal. Green played for current Jets coach Rex Ryan back in 2002 when Ryan was with the Ravens. ...The Storm announce their pre-season schedule. There's only two games. That's kind of weird. You would think pre-season would be a little longer, but they play overseas, so they don't have to get into shape. The first one is May 21st against the Monarchs. The second is May 30th versus the Mercury. The news release is after the jump. The Wooden Award finalists were announced today. Huskies forward Jon Brockman and former Rainier Beach star and current Louisville Cardinal Terrence Williams are on the list. Voting continues through March 30th. The winner will be announced April 10th. Here's the list for the other finalists. ...The Mariners have moved five players down to their minor league camp. Pitchers Josh Fields & Tracy Thorpe, catcher Israel Nunez, and infielders Callix Crabbe & Oswaldo Navarro. I just talked to Chris Egan. He tells me that General Manager Jack Zduriencik thought it was a high probability that former 1st round pick Josh Fields would be sent down to the club's Minor League camp. Jack figures Fields would get a lot more innings down there and be better off in the long run. The move brings the roster down to 58. The official M's news release is after the jump. Cougars point guard Taylor Rochestie wins the PAC-10 Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year award. He averaged 13.6 points per game, 4.7 assists per game and scored 3.37 grade points average in the classroom. He's the second straight Coug to win the award. Robbie Cowgill won it last season. You can read the press release after the jump. ...Cougars women hoops earned a few accolades today. Freshman Jazmine Perkins makes the PAC-10 All Freshman team. She's also honorable mention All PAC-10. April Cook joins Perkins on the honorable mention list for All PAC-10. Cook is also honorable mention for the All Freshman team.
It's only one step in the process, but it's a big step. Portland City Commissioners voted today on a deal to set aside $85 Million for a proposal that could bring a MLS expansion team to Portland. ...Hot off the presses. Here's the 710ESPN KIRO radio programming lineup when debut day hits in April It's a mix of local and national from ESPN, still leaving KJR with all local hosts. But I think having a name Seattle guy like Kevin Calabro and the addition of a local hero like Brock Huard are great counter plays. Of course, a good season for the Mariners will be a key to the station's early success, creating the buzz so needed for the new talkers. 3 a.m. - 7 a. m. - "Mike and Mike in the Morning" 7 a.m.-11 a.m. - "The Herd with Colin Cowherd" 11 a.m.-3 p.m. - Brock Huard and Mike Salk 3 p.m. - 6 p.m. - Kevin Calabro 6 p.m.- 7 p.m. - Mariners pre-game show or ESPN GameNight 7 p.m.- 12 midnight - Mariners Play-by-Play broadcast or ESPN GameNight ...The Carolina Panthers made a cost cutting move today by releasing CB Ken Lucas. Lucas left the Hawks back in 2005 for a great deal with the Panthers. It was a 6-year deal worth $36 mil. You might remember Lucas got into a fight with WR Steve Smith last year in the pre-season. Lucas got a black eye and broken nose in the fracas. They say over it and they're good friends now. Lucas just turned 30, so he should have some good tread left on his tires. Maybe he could return to Seattle to compete as a nickel back? ...NFL.com reports that offensive tackle Andre Smith continues his free fall. During his pro day Smith ran a 5.28 forty yard dash, bench pressed 225 lbs 19 times, 25 inch vertical, and apparently looked out of shape. Nothing Smith did would have placed him in the top 10 at the NFL Combine. For what it's worth, Huskies center Juan Garcia did 34 lifts on the 225 lb. bench press, second best at the combine and 15 better than Smith. ...A report out of Philadelphia writes that fullback Leonard Weaver is talking to the Eagles. His agent, Harold Lewis, claims he's talking to a few teams about Weaver's services. Hmmm, that would make it interesting for the Hawks fullback position. If Weaver leaves, that would put Owen Schmitt into the starting lineup, barring a free agent signing or running a one-back offense. ...ESPN's John Clayton reports former Kentwood Conqueror star Mike Karney is now a St. Louis Ram. Karney was cut by the Saints last week. I think Steven Jackson is throwing a "Welcome to St. Louis" party for Karney. Jackson sorely missed not having a quality FB to block for him. According to Clayton, it's 3-year deal worth $3.6 million, 1.2 guaranteed. ...The good people at Save Our Sonics are sending out the word again about another Blazers/OKC battle. They want you to go to the game with them Monday April 13th. Tickets are $22 or $46 depending on where you want to sit. The group hopes to raise awareness again. Here's a quote from S.O.S co-founder Steven Pyeatt: "Seattle has been an outstanding NBA city for 41 years, and we're still fans of the game. We want to remind everyone - the league, the state legislature and especially Clay Bennett - that we are still here and still angry after being unjustly robbed of our team." You can even ride the "Blunder Bus" aka Shuttle Express. The name "Blunder Bus" is farce on what the team formerly known as the Sonics have become. A ticket on the "Bus" costs $49 roundtrip. You can read the S.O.S news release after the jump. As KING5 told you last Friday, Seattle will host MLS Cup 2009 November 22nd. It'll be held at Qwest Field at 5:30pm. Here's majority owner Joe Roth's thoughts: "This is a tremendous honor and reward for our season ticket holders and an added incentive for our coaches and players" You can read the official news release after the jump. The interesting part of the release is right here: The club has sold more than 20,000 season ticket packages, which now include a ticket to MLS Cup 2009, the League's 14th annual championship game. Yes, according to the release, season ticket holders get a ticket to the MLS Cup.
It's kind of surprising that the NBA didn't suspend Lakers Trevor Ariza for a clothesline like hit on Blazers guard Rudy Fernandez. If you didn't see, I've added a youtube video of it below. You gotta love former Husky Brandon Roy letting the Lakers know, right away, that wasn't cool. After watching the video again today, I still can't believe there's no punishment for Ariza. He just winds up and whacks while Rudy is in the air. And it's from behind, Rudy had a clear path to the hoop. The NBA should have sent a message and suspended him for at least a couple of games. Btw, Rudy was released from the hospital today. He's doubtful (No duh) for Wednesday's game. ...It's hard to believe, but the Rams have waived Orlando Pace today. He's only 33 and nearly two full years younger than Hawks OT Walter Jones. Of course, injuries have hurt his stock in 2006 & 2007. But he's still, when healthy, one of the best in the game. The move saves the Rams about $6 million in cap space. Not a lot when you're talking about a left tackle. Now it sounds like WR Torry Holt could be the next. Between the two, the Rams would save $14 mil in cap space. As far as the impact felt by the Seahawks, with Pace out of the picture, you gotta believe the Rams are going to draft a cornerstone left tackle. Can you say Baylor's OT Jason Smith?
KING 5 Sports is doing a story on amputee basketball on Tuesday, 3/10, on Northwest Sports Tonight.
For more information please contact: Jaclyn Burkeen You can also check out their website: www.amputeebasketball.com Games are played in Seattle at Aki Kurose Middle School. What a great place for Owens to end up, eh? He'll have the team over a barrel quicker than a Niagara Falls diver. Talk about short honeymoons!! In a division with the Pats (Brady's back), Jets (Ryan, the new coach) and Dolphins (Parcells revenge factor), it will take a lot more than touchdowns from T.O. to get the Bills into even a wild card slot. The whining will start early and often. Usually he tries to behave the first year, but since it is only a one-year deal, you have to wonder how that will play out. Any thoughts? ...A lifelong Philadelphia Eagle fan, and a six-year worker on gamedays at Lincoln Financial Field, was fired over the phone by the team after he made a disparing remark about the Eagles on his Facebook page. He knew he shouldn't have done it, and apologized numerous times, but the team wouldn't give him a second chance. Not a meeting, not a warning, nothing. Here's the story from the Philadelphia Inquirer. What would you have done? ...The Huskies fly out early Wednesday morning for the Pac-10 Tournament at The Staples Center in L.A. The Dawgs have a "bye" in the first round and will play the winner of the Oregon State/Stanford game. The Huskies get either the Beavs or Cardinal Thursday at 2:30pm.
Okay, maybe stalking is a little strong, but former Seahawks CB Shawn Springs is heading to New England. Terrell Owens is going to Buffalo. Both have been in the same division for a good chunk of their careers. Sam Wyche from NFL.com goes over the
New Seahawks receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh did a chat with NFL.com today. On the chat, someone asked him "What's up with the stupid picture?" Who goes on-line and asks a question like that? Like a pro, T.J. answered back pretty nicely. He said he did it for his daughter. "Housh-your-mama" also addressed the Hawks receiver situation, Chad Johnson, and a whole lot more. T.J. chatted that using #18 isn't written in stone yet. So who knows, if Bobby Engram leaves, T.J. could go back to #84. Here's the link for the chat. ...Let's get some talk going on how the Huskies will fare in the upcoming Pac-10 tournament. Yes, it's true. The Lingerie Football season is just around the corner. They team/ShoWare Center in Kent announced tickets go on sale next Monday. The first game is September 11th vs. San Diego Seduction. You can read the press release after the jump. ...The PAC-10 handed out its awards today. Three Huskies take three of the top 5 awards. Isaiah Thomas wins the "Freshman of the Year" award. Justin Dentmon wins "Most Improved Player of the Year". Head coach Lorenzo Romar earns the "Coach of the Year" honors. Dentmon and Jon Brockman made the 1st Team All PAC-10 list. Thomas made the second team and the All PAC-10 Freshman team. Venoy Overton was voted honorable mention for the All-Defensive team.
Storm forward Swin Cash underwent successful back surgery today. You may remember she played (and sometimes she didn't) the second half season with a bad back. Recovery time is expected to be 8-12 weeks. The season starts June 6th. So it's conceivable that Swin should be ready before the season starts, barring any setbacks. If everything goes right, the only thing the Storm will have to worry about is her conditioning. The Storm's official press release is after the jump. ...Hey, we just learned who will be sharing the mike with former Husky star and NWCN alum Brock Huard come April on 710 ESPN radio. Here's the release hot off the presses from KIRO radio head honchos: Bonneville Seattle Radio Group today announced the addition of sports broadcaster, Mike Salk, to the daily programming line-up for its new all-sports radio station, 710 ESPN Seattle, launching next month. Mike Salk will join Brock Huard for a daily sports talk show. The time of the show will be announced in the near future. This announcement was made by Bonneville Seattle Program Director, Rod Arquette. "Coming from the ESPN family, Mike has tremendous knowledge of sports and the ability to deliver a great radio show with a sports insider's point-of-view," said 710 ESPN Seattle Vice President/General Manager and Bonneville Seattle Director of Sales, Dave Pridemore. "He has an in-depth knowledge and passion for baseball that fits perfectly with 710 ESPN Seattle as the new radio home of the Seattle Mariners." During his career, Salk has been a talk-show host and reporter with ESPN Radio Network. In his time with ESPN, Salk teamed with ESPN NFL reporter Michael Smith to host "Countdown to Kickoff," ESPN Radio's NFL pre-game show. In addition, he was a regular contributor to ESPN News and ESPN's "First Take." Most recently, Salk co-hosted "Salk and Halloran," 890 ESPN's midday show in Boston. The new 710 ESPN Seattle will feature radio play-by-play and comprehensive coverage of the Seattle Seahawks and Seattle Mariners. 710 ESPN Seattle will broadcast a line-up of local Seattle-based sports news and sports talk programs, along with selected nationally-syndicated programs from ESPN Radio Network. Mike Salk joins the previously announced selection of Kevin Calabro and Brock Huard as part of the daily broadcast team.
The stage was set last night at ShoWare Center and there were two ways the Seattle Thunderbirds could play their role. They could come out and hand the Tri City Americans their 8th win of the season against Seattle, following a 4-2 loss Friday night against the Americans. Or they could come out and show everyone what makes the T-Birds such a darn good team. ...For Husky fans, it was a moment in time, many will never forget. Lorenzo Romar standing tall on a ladder cutting down the final pieces of a net and thanking his players and the fans for helping him bring the University of Washington their first outright title since 1953, and the first of any kind since 1985. Quincy Pondexter told me as Lorenzo was talking, "It feels like we just one the Super Bowl, Im going to Disneyland." Jon Brockman, who tied a career high with 18 rebounds said, "That was an unbelievable feeling, you see it on TV every year and you want to be in that position. Then when I got up there to cut down the nets it was about 100 times better." Congrats to Jon Brockman and the rest of the Huskies for their pac-10 Title. It's been a roller coaster ride over the past few years and it's nice to see a class act like Jon Brockman get to finish his career at the UW in style. And yes, I know, they still have a Pac-10 Tournament and a NCAA tournament to go. So, with that in mind, how far do you think the Dawgs can go in the tournament? ...Cle Elum's Patrick Deneen has won a gold medal for moguls at the 2009 World Championships for skiing. Deneen was the rookie of the year in 2008. He's never even won a World Cup. Although, Deneen came close four times. So suffice to say, this was a pleasant and unexpected surprise. If you want to check out his website, I've linked it right here. ...NFL.com is reporting that the Seahawks have re-signed offensive tackle Ray Willis to a 2-year deal. Clare Farnsworth at the P-I also has the deal. Willis visited the Redskins on Wednesday. I guess Jim Zorn couldn't convince him to defect. Willis could be a player for a spot on the offensive line next season. He started 10 games last year. ...Yes, you read that correctly, the Sounders FC will be the host team for the 2009 MLS Cup. KING 5's Paul Silvi just confirmed it with the Sounders. The Cup will be played November 22nd. We were first tipped off about it on centerlinesoccer.com. Back in January, we blogged that Seattle was a finalist for the event.
This weekend was to be a "family affair" of sorts. Seattle Thunderbirds goaltender Calvin Pickard was set to square off against older brother Chet, net minder for the Tri-City Americans tonight and tomorrow night at ShoWare Center. Chet Pickard did not make the trip, however. He remained behind in Tri-City, nursing an injury suffered in last Saturday's game against the Spokane Chiefs. Children ages 5-15 with dance experience are invited to try out for the 2009 Storm Dance Troupe. Preliminary auditions will be April 14 and 16 at the Storm's Furtado Center practice facility in Seattle, with the final round conducted at Alderwood Mall in Lynnwood on Saturday, April 18.
The New Orleans Saints signed Heath Evans to be their fullback. That takes Leonard Weaver out of the picture there. The Hawks free agent FB was planning a visit to the Saints. He recently called it off. Who knows, maybe Weaver's agent got wind that the Saints wanted Evans.
The Seahawks have apparently signed a man with the last name Owens. No it's not T.O., but Lions free agent Jim Owens. And he's a TE not a WR. According to Scout's Inc., Owens is a good blocker, but not much of a receiving TE. Who knows what this means for Hawks free agent TE Will Heller.
I've got a little more information on Bill 6116 today. It isn't necessarily designed specifically for KeyArena. But it opens up an avenue to potentially help fund. The bill gives the King county the authority to raise certain types of taxes if they want help to fund a variety projects.
When you ask the Mariners about how their playing, how the team is looking or who's going to start in certain positions, the guys will usually answer in a very serious tone. But, when you ask them, like I did, what is their favorite sports movie, you'll get a smile, a chuckle and then a trip down memory lane. Here is a list of some of the Mariners I talked with and their favorite sports movies: Jarrod Washburn: Field of Dreams Chris Egan's Favorite: Hoosiers So, Whats Your Favorite Sports Movie? ...Just got off the phone with the big guy and he is psyched. He says he will be a "co-host," but no more details quite yet (that's called a tease in TV land). And he says he is not just gonna be talkin football, which is terrific. Props to Chris Egan who first brought Brock to our attention at NWCN some four years ago. His work on cable got him noticed by ESPN and obviously that graph is headed nowhere but up. Good day for the Huards. Damon to the 49ers and Brock to 710 ESPN. The official press release from the radio station is after the jump. ...I found an interesting blog on Sonicscentral.com. It appears that a Senate Bill was introduced Ed Murray and co-sponsored by Jeanie Kohl-Welles. Here's the Bill. Maybe you can decipher it better than I. It appears to be like the taxes/bonds raised for Safeco Field. It's just a bill and it can be altered and changed before it makes through the House or Senate.
As you can see two blogs below, former Husky and former Fone Zone host Brock Huard has a new gig with 710 ESPN Seattle. It's the new sports radio station starting April 1st. So what does that mean for the competition, 950 KJR Sports Radio? Do you listen to Softy/Ian Furness or Brock Huard? Do you tune in for Groz with Gas or Kevin Calabro? I'm sure there's room enough for 2 stations, but it has the potential to provide some good competition. Who do you listen to? ...11TH ANNUAL HOCKEY CHALLENGE A SUCCESS
The King 5 Sports department has just learned former Husky quarterback Damon Huard has signed a one-year deal with the San Francisco 49'ers. Huard, who was just released by the Kansas City Chiefs, has also played for the Miami Dolphins and the New England Patriots. The Puyallup native won two Super Bowl rings with the Patriots. ...King 5 Sports has learned that former Washington Husky Quarterback Brock Huard is going to host his own sports show. The Puyallup, WA native who spent six seasons in the NFL and also helped launch the Seahawks FoneZone on Northwest Cable News is going to jump into the sports talk radio business in Seattle, and will reportedly host his own radio show from noon-3 p.m. on 710 ESPN Seattle, now known as KIRO-AM 710. Huard has been working in local real estate and has also be busy with ESPN, serving as an analyst on college football games and also doing in-studio analysis on College Football Live.
Bucs strong safety Jermaine Phillips will visit the Seahawks, according to Profootballtalk.com. Phillips has a connection with the Hawks. GM Tim Ruskell was with the Bucs when they drafted him. D-Coordinator Gus Bradley was on the Bucs defensive staff last season. So they may know him and what he can do. Right now, Deon Grant is the strong safety. ...Good morning hockey fans and friends, NFL.com reports Bobby Engram is visiting the Chiefs. You'd hate to see Bobby, but the writing is on the wall and it's been on the wall for awhile. When the Hawks didn't redo his contract last year, you knew his time was short.
After years of frustration watching Jeramy Stevens and Hackett and Koren (see Redskins game last year) and you name 'em dropping key passes week after week after week for what seems like years, it will be refreshing to have a guy upfield with a real ability to hold on to Matt's throws. I think there has been a loss of confidence in the receiving corps and now Hasselbeck has a clutch guy. Just getting out of the messy Bengals organization into the Seahawks fine family ought to make a difference in TJ's mindset and focus. He won't be overshadowed by Ocho Stinko. I think we are gonna like this guy....Touchdown TJ! I can hear the 12th Man cheering his name even now. ...As the newest Seahawks receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh took center stage at Hawk headquarters, many fans are left wondering, what does this mean for Bobby Engram?
The Seahawks officially introduced their newest wide receiver today, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, at a press conference in Renton at Hawk Headquarters.
The Sounders FC defeat Tristan Suarez, 5-0. Seattle erupted for three goals in a 10-minute span to take control of the match. The Sounders extend its unbeaten string to five matches. During the run, the team is 4-0-1, and 7-1-1 overall in the preseason.
"Obviously you have to be flexible and with the weather situation and schedule adjustment, the game was not the opponent we were expecting to play today. So we wanted to get some fitness work out of it and get some guys to at least play 60 minutes. I thought when the second group, they played fairly clean the first 30 minutes and then it's tough sometimes when the game becomes easier to maintain your motivation as a player and I thought the first group played well too." The Sounders complete the Argentina tour on Thursday morning at 3:30 a.m. PT before heading for home later that night.
Somebody call Lois Lane for this scoop. The NBA got beat by a comic book giant. The NBA wanted to make a limited series t-shirt to honor Nate Robinson's Slam Dunk Contest win. It was a green NY Knicks t-shirt with "Krypto-Nate" on the back. Check it out below. Robinson's Krypto-Nate scheme - designed to topple a red-caped Dwight Howard and his Superman shtick - was too close to home for DC Comics. Kryptonite is the green emerald crystal found on the fictional planet Krypton that weakens Superman. -- nypost.com 3/2/09 Oh, in case you have a few extra bucks laying around, the NBA is auctioning off Nate Robinson's green ball. It's the one he used to win the Slam Dunk Contest.
As of 8pm on Monday night, the highest bid on the Krypto-Ball is $1525. Click here if you want to see the auction. ...If you've been going to Seattle Thunderbirds games this year, you've seen him, quietly amassing a respectable 37 points on the ice this season. 17-year-old Jonathan Parker isn't a flashy player, but he is effective. The Center has 16 goals under his belt, including two he scored Saturday night in a 5-3 win over the Portland Winterhawks, a feat which earned him recognition as the Number One Star of the Game. ...Wazzu will induct seven people into their Athletic Hall of Fame this fall. Olympic athlete Bernard Lagat, former football coach Jim Walden, and former NBA star Craig Ehlo are probably the most recognizable names. You can see the list and description of the WSU career after the jump. ...The Seahawks say T.J. Houshmandzadeh hasn't officially signed the contract, but they expect something to happen by tomorrow. You've got to wonder if this signing means they won't draft Michael Crabtree in the draft. Or it frees them to pick him and not have to rush him onto the field post-surgery. Or by signing Houshmandzadeh it frees the Hawks to pick the "best player available" and not have to pick a "need". At any rate, below is the Houshmandzadeh fantasy football commercial. It's already made the rounds in the sports office here at KING5. ...I guess this soccer thing is well liked in the Seattle area. Sounders FC say they've sold out the season opener March 19th against the NY Red Bulls.
According to the terms of the proposed agreement, Beckham would extend his current loan to AC Milan beyond its March 9 expiration and play there until the May 31 Italian season finale. He would then have to wait until the MLS international transfer window opens on July 15 to rejoin the Galaxy, meaning he would miss the first 17 games of the 30-game 2009 MLS season. His first match for the Galaxy would be on July 18 at New York. -- latimes.com I'm sure it won't hurt the Sounders sales that much. But it definitely would have made it a more desirable game to see. ...ESPN just reported that T.J. Houshmandzadeh is going to sign with the Seahawks. Every blogging, newswriting, and random Seahawk fan is saying "championship" right about now. Here's John Clayton's article from espn.com. I guess the new digs in Renton may have helped. ESPN's Michael Smith is saying it's a 5-year deal worth $40 million, $15 mil guaranteed. ...They say it takes a special kind of person to be a goaltender, and I would say that's not far from the truth. Goalies need nerves of steel, cat-like reflexes and the ability to see a play developing on the other side of the ice. Not to mention not being afraid of pucks flying at you at a hundred miles an hour from all directions. I guess that goes in the "nerves of steel" category. ...There's a big guy in the Everett Silvertips lineup getting more playing time and when he's out on the ice, you can't miss him. He's the guy who's in the corners, digging for the puck, using his 6'4" frame to deliver some punishing hits. And 'Tips fans, Number 26 doesn't turn 18 for a couple more months. ...It sounds like Michael Crabtree is going to have surgery to fix a stress fracture in his left foot. Typically, the recovery period is 10 weeks. "As a competitor, I wanted to run at my pro day, but it became clear that the best thing for me is to have the surgery and be ready to get on the field as soon as possible." In the meantime, if you want to see his combine presser, you can find it on NFL.com right here. I'm not sure he's a replacement for Rocky Bernard, but the Hawks have signed DT Colin Cole. He's a 330 pound run stopper. Yet Cole didn't start a game the past two seasons. He's only started 7 in his 7-year career. He sounds like he's been a rotation d-line kind of guy. Danny O'Neill at the Seattle Times believes he's gonna start next to Brandon Mebane. Cole is going to get a 5-year deal worth $21 million. Earlier I thought I read it was 5-year $5mil deal. Sorry my mistake. It was $5 mil guaranteed. Here's the details.
Houshmandzadeh left Seattle without a deal but with favorable impressions of the city and organization. His two children got a kick out of their plane landing on Lake Washington near the Seahawks facility. - bengals.com 2/28/09 As for the other free agent, the Hawks planned on talking to Cowboys DE Chris Canty, but I'm sure that interest waned when they signed Cole and when this happened. NFL.com reports Canty has signed with the NY Giants. It's reportedly a 6-year deal worth $42 mil, $17.25 mil guaranteed. Wow, that wouldn't have been good for Seattle. Canty's payday would eat up a lot of Seattle's cap space. ... |
