September 2009
7:40 PM Wed, Sep 30, 2009 | Permalink |
Don't know if you really even care anymore, but OKC part owner Aubrey McClendon's stock has plummeted. Forbes.com put out the latest list of rich Americans. He's number 371, worth 1 billion dollars. Last year, McClendon was ranked at 134th and worth $3 billion. So he lost 2 billion over the past year. Ouch! Considering he sold off parts of two companies last year for 3.1 billion dollars. He's lost all of that and more.
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6:02 PM Wed, Sep 30, 2009 | Permalink |
According to the Boston Herald, the NBA has handed down an anti-handshake directive to help prevent the possibility of an H1N1 flu outbreak.
Players and coaches have been asked to greet each other via more sanitary means of contact, like fist pounding, or maybe chest bumps.
Should we all do the fist bump or chest bump at work when greeting a guest or co-worker? Is this getting a little out of hand? No pun intended.
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5:10 PM Wed, Sep 30, 2009 | Permalink |
Yes, I'm sure every Cougar fan would have you believe Ron Artest isn't the final piece to a Los Angeles Lakers repeat. Of course, it's guard Thomas Kelati. The defending NBA champs have signed the former Coug to a free agent deal.
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3:45 PM Wed, Sep 30, 2009 | Permalink |
While at work, I heard ESPN's Todd McShay say that if Jake Locker continues to improve and play like he can, the Ferndale star could end up going #1 overall, if he comes out early. Currently, Scouts Inc. has the junior QB ranked 7th overall and 2nd in quarterbacks. But, again, McShay thinks Locker could shoot up to the top of the draft board. McShay even compared him to Jets QB Mark Sanchez. He thinks Locker, on the run, throws a better and stronger ball than over a third of the NFL quarterbacks. High praise for a guy who's only starting to show his potential this season. Remember, Locker has been hurt for the past two seasons. I guess Steve Sarkisian's pro style offense is paying dividends to his Husky QB.
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2:03 PM Wed, Sep 30, 2009 | Permalink |
Seahawks DT Craig Terrill is spending his off-day Monday playing guitar at the Nectar Lounge. His PR person sent me an e-mail about it. You can read it below.
Monday October 5th Craig will be hosting a MNF event at Nectar Lounge for the Green Bay vs Minnesota game. During half time and post game Craig will play some of his tunes. The charity Craig and his wife support is Gloria's Angels. Tickets are $10 when bought online at NectarLounge.com or $15 at the door.
![Craig_Guitar[1].JPG](http://blogs.king5.com/sports/Craig_Guitar%5B1%5D.JPG)
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10:51 PM Tue, Sep 29, 2009 | Permalink |
On a night where Mariner fans got the chance to witness another Ken Griffey Jr homerun, the talk before the game centered around Griffey's future. Manager Don Wakamatsu was asked if he thought Junior would play next year. "He's pretty tight lipped about it, we actually went fishing yesterday, and he never brought it up. That's Junior's decision. That's Jack's decision. All I can speak of is my experience with him this year, and it's been an honor to have a player of that caliber, and get to know him as a person, and respect him all that much more.'' Griffey has stated that he doesn't plan on having an announcement about his future before the end of the season. So what do you think, should Griffey Return.
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7:57 PM Tue, Sep 29, 2009 | Permalink |
Congratulations go out to Everett Silvertips goaltender Thomas Heemskerk, who just signed an entry level contract with the San Jose Sharks. By all accounts, Thomas had an outstanding training camp with the Sharks last month. According to a news release posted at San Jose's website, he posted a 2-0 record along with a 1.50 goals-against average and a .948 save percentage. Those two wins came against the Anaheim Ducks.
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4:23 PM Tue, Sep 29, 2009 | Permalink |
The WNBA officially released the MVP voting today. Diana Taurasi won it. Seattle's Lauren Jackson came in 6th. Sue Bird came in 9th. Hard to fathom two teammates on two different teams beat out LJ. But I guess Jackson's injury didn't help. Below is the voting.
Points Player Team
323 Diana Taurasi Phoenix Mercury
163 Tamika Catchings Indiana Fever
128 Katie Douglas Indiana Fever
99 Cappie Pondexter Phoenix Mercury
77 Becky Hammon San Antonio Silver Stars
73 Lauren Jackson Seattle Storm
39 Candace Parker Los Angeles Sparks
27 Deanna Nolan Detroit Shock
10 Sue Bird Seattle Storm
9 Lisa Leslie Los Angeles Sparks
8 Sophia Young San Antonio Silver Stars
7 Sancho Lyttle Atlanta Dream
1 Alana Beard Washington Mystics
1 Candice Dupree Chicago Sky
1 Sylvia Fowles Chicago Sky
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8:24 PM Mon, Sep 28, 2009 | Permalink |
The Seattle Thunderbirds struggled this weekend, dropping a pair of games. But before I go any further, you must realize just what the T-Birds are up against. They have seven new players, including five 16-year-olds.
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5:21 PM Mon, Sep 28, 2009 | Permalink |
A day after a gut-wrenching loss to the Chicago Bears, Coach Jim Mora was asked if he still felt strongly in regards to the comments he made about his kicker, Olindo Mare, misssing two field goals. Coach Mora said, "I have very high expectations for Olindo and it's because of the work that he has done in this league. He has been an outstanding kicker and he has done a lot of great things for us. I think I let the emotion of the game get to me in my answers about Olindo. One of the things that confirms my feelings for Olindo Mare is the way he came out when we were down 16-17 and popped one through to give us the lead after having missed two. I feel strongly we're all paid, it's our job as professionals to make plays, to make correct decisions as coaches so at times you set the bar a little too high sometimes. His kickoffs were fabulous yesterday. Would I like him to make those two kicks? Yeah, but I wouldn't like him to make them any more than he'd like to make 'em."
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6:45 PM Sun, Sep 27, 2009 | Permalink |
After a tough loss to the Chicago Bears Coach Mora sounded off in his post game press conference about his kicker, Olindo Mare, who missed two field-goal attempts. "No excuses for those, if you're a kicker in the National Football League, you should make those kicks, bottom line, end of story, period. No excuses, no wind, it doesn't matter. You've got to make those kicks, especially in a game like this where you're kicking, scratching and fighting, playing your tail off and you miss those kicks, not acceptable. Not acceptable. Absolutely not acceptable. We'll look at changes everywhere, we're not going to fight our *&*%^%^$ off and have a field-goal kicker miss two field goals. It's not going to happen."
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3:40 PM Sun, Sep 27, 2009 | Permalink |
- Still Hawks ball. After 2 plays, Mare kicks a field goal. Bears lead it, 17-16.
- Bears ball. They go three and out thanks to a 3rd & 1 defense stop by Red Bryant. Chicago punts it 51 yards. Burleson returns it for minus three yards.
- Hawks ball. Could it get worse for Seattle? Rob Sims is out and Mansfield Wrotto is in. No word on Sims' injury yet. On a 3rd and 1, Seattle tries a little trick play and pitches to Deion Branch. He's tackled for a 8 yard loss. Ryan punts.
- Bears ball. Seattle gets after it. Aaron Curry forces Cutler to fumble in the pocket. Cory Redding recovers the ball.
- Hawks ball. Seattle does very little, but Mare does kick a 46-yard field goal. Hawks lead, 19-17.
- Bears ball. The go down the field and score on a 36-yard TD pass to Devin Hester. Chicago scores on the two-point conversion. Bears lead it, 25-19.
- Hawks ball. Less than 2 minutes to go. Hawks start driving. On a 4th and inches, they go for it. John Owens makes a great catch with :46 to go. Seattle faces another 4th down. This time they only need 2 yards. It's an incomplete pass to Jones. Bears run out the clock. Chicago wins it, 25-19. Obviously, it's a much different game if Mare didn't miss 2 field goals wide left. Watch the Jim Mora Show tonight after Sunday Night Football on NBC. You can hear the Hawks take on today's loss.
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2:59 PM Sun, Sep 27, 2009 | Permalink |
- Hawks ball first. Second play of the drive, Houshmanzadeh fumbles the ball away.
- Bears ball. Five plays after the fumble, Johnny Knox scores on a 7-yard TD catch. Seattle throws the red flag to challenge the spot of the ball. They're not sure if he went out of bounds before scoring. Refs say the call stands. Bears lead it, 14-13.
- Hawks ball. Seattle driving, thanks to the legs of Seneca Wallace and 2 facemasks penalties on Chicago. Secena has made 2 plays via scrambling and finding a receiver. Also Edgerrin James is in this series. It appears that Edge comes in every few series to give Jones a breather. I'm sure it helps Julius remain stronger as the game wears on. As I wrote that part, Forsett comes in as a 3rd down back. Branch misses the ball off the tip of his fingers on a 3rd & 5. Mare misses his second FG. He goes wide left on a 34-yard attempt.
- Bears ball. They go 3 & out. But Forsett makes a mistake on the punt and Chicago downs the ball at the 6.
- Hawks ball. First play, Seneca scrambles and looks like he's throwing it away. Too bad for Seattle, he doesn't do a good enough job. Lance Briggs makes an incredible play for an interception.
- Bears ball. Seattle defense gets after it. On 3rd down, Patrick Kerney sacks Cutler and forces a fumble. Chicago recovers. They kick a 37-yard FG. Bears lead it, 17-13.
- Hawks ball. They start driving it. Seneca rolls out and throws it up for grabs. Houshmandzadeh goes up and grabs it for a first down. End of the 3rd, Bears lead it, 17-13.
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1:49 PM Sun, Sep 27, 2009 | Permalink |
- Still the Bears ball. They fumble the snap, but Cutler recovers. Chicago punts, it's shanked, and they're 2 penalties on the play.
- Hawks ball. Houshmandzadeh is back in the ball game. After a dropped pass by Owen Schmitt, Seattle goes to Nate Burleson 3 times. He catches 2 for 27 yards. Still, they stall and Mare kicks a 37-yard field goal. Hawks lead, 13-0.
- Bears ball. The Hawks defense looks good on this drive. Devin Hester makes a good catch and is given a generous spot for a first down. Then Seattle grinds them to a halt. Chicago punts and Justin Forsett returns it.
- Hawks ball. They go 3 & out.
- Bears ball. Chicago makes two big plays of 23 & 19 yards. They're driving. Matt Forte makes a play near the goal line and tries to strech for a TD, but looks like he fumbles. David Hawthorne recovers. Chicago challenges. The refs overturn it and give it back to the Bears. Seattle stops them on 3rd and goal from the 1. We hit the 2-minute warning. Chicago goes for it on 4th and goal. Deon Grant blitz and drills Cutler as he throws it. Unfortunately, he had enough zip on the ball to get it to Greg Olson, touchdown. It looked like Cory Redding was suppose to drop back in place of Grant. He couldn't get to Olson quick enough. Hawks lead, 13-7.
- Hawks ball. Ben Obomanu makes a nice return on the kickoff. Seattle kind of stalls. On a 3rd and 13, they run the ball off tackle. It didn't make much sense with :27 to go. You figure with Seneca at QB, he could have tried to make something happen. Instead, Jones runs for a yard. Mare tries a 43-yard field goal and misses left.
- Bears ball. They run the clock out. Hawks lead, 13-7 at halftime.
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1:09 PM Sun, Sep 27, 2009 | Permalink |
Not sure if I like the rave green jerseys, but who knows, maybe it'll be some good luck. They started the broadcast showing Matt Hasselbeck in a rave green jacket. Hopefully, we won't see him in plain clothes very much this season.
- Bears ball. Olido Mare kicksoff, makes the tackle and is flagged for a facemask. Chicago fails to make a first down. They attempt a 53-yard field goal. It's no good.
- Hawks ball. Seneca Wallace misses a wide open T.J. Houshmandzadeh badly on his first throw. He comes back with a few safe screen/flat passes to gain some confidence. But Seneca misses on a pitch to a RB (I think Julius Jones). They make up for on the next play. Jones takes a screen pass, breaks a few tackles, and scores. Hawks lead, 7-0.
- Bears ball. They start driving. Chicago has 6 plays of 10 yards or more. One of those plays was called back due to a penalty. Still, too many big plays. But Seattle makes the big play to stop the drive. Daryl Tapp hits Jay Cutler as he throws the ball. David Hawthorne makes his first career interception.
- Hawks ball. Seattle is driving. The announcers say Houshmandzadeh is getting his hand worked on. He would leave for the locker room. On a 3rd and 4, Seneca goes up top to Burleson. Nate has a step on his guy, but Seneca overthrows him. Seattle settles for a 46-yard Mare field goal. Hawks lead, 10-0.
- Bears ball. They run 2 plays, then it's the end of the 1st quarter. Hawks lead, 10-0.
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12:02 PM Sun, Sep 27, 2009 | Permalink |
It's another nice day at Qwest Field. It's sunny and 60 degrees an hour before gametime. Jon Ryan and Olindo Mare are on the field practicing, and they're doing it in the rave green uniforms. Green jersey, blue sleeves, white numbers, blue pants. Actually, it doesn't look bad at all. Here are the inactives for today's game.
SEAHAWKS
QB Matt Hasselbeck
CB Josh Wilson
FB Justin Griffith
LB Lofa Tatupu
LB Leroy Hill
T Walter Jones
T Sean Locklear
DT Michael Bennett
Chris Spencer starts at C for Steve Vallos
Owen Schmitt starts at FB for Justin Griffith
David Hawthorne starts at MLB for Lofa Tatupu
BEARS
WR Juaquin Iglesias
WR Devin Aromashodu
CB DeAngelo Smith
CB D.J. Moore
LB Pisa Tinoisamoa
G Lance Louis
DT Matt Toeaina
TE Desmond Clark
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5:12 AM Sat, Sep 26, 2009 | Permalink |
Last week, I introduced you to "Dave Schultz", who will be blogging about the Tri City Americans for th hockey page this season. Today, I'd like you to meet Rhaen, a diehard Spokane Chiefs fan who has excellent insight into the team. The Chiefs are no strangers to ShoWare Center and Comcast Arena (they defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds in the first round of the playoffs last year), but things may get a little more interesting this season, because Spokane has picked up former Everett Silvertips star Kyle Beach from the Lethbridge Hurricanes. Read on for other reasons the Chiefs are definitely a team to watch this year.
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2:20 AM Sat, Sep 26, 2009 | Permalink |
In an era where 3 straight losses brings out the "we need a new coach" crowd, it's good to see the Canucks end speculation on the immediate future of their head coach.
Now, if Vancouver could just figure out which kind of team they want to be, then they can get past the 2nd round of the playoffs.
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2:13 PM Fri, Sep 25, 2009 | Permalink |
Seahawks Coach Jim Mora talked after practice today and gave an update on the playing status of several of his stars, including quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, "I would say that it's extremely unlikely that Matt will play, so that probably won't happen." Coach Mora also talked about left takle Walter Jones, "He hasn't played in a long time and he's coming off a pretty significant injury so we have to judge his health and where he is conditioning wise and all those things and make the right decision for this team, not only for this game but for future games and for Big Walt himself so we'll make sure that we do that." Linebacker Lofa Tatupu hasn't practiced this week and Coach Mora says,"I don't think that we'll see much of Lofa on Sunday, it's not looking real good for him right now."
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4:43 PM Wed, Sep 23, 2009 | Permalink |
As the Mariner season winds down, the speculation about Ken Griffey Junior's future in both Seattle, and Major League Baseball, starts up again.
He's been called plenty of names by plenty of fans over the years. The term Hall of Famer hasn't been used enough.
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2:42 PM Wed, Sep 23, 2009 | Permalink |
I just returned from Seahawk's headquarters, where Coach Mora addressed the media before practice. Matt Hasselbeck did not practice with the team, but Coach Mora did say, "We're not ruling him out, we'll see where he is on a day-to-day basis, but he's feeling better." Not feeling better are Josh Wilson and Sean Locklear, both have high ankle sprains and both players have been ruled out for Sundays game against the Chicago Bears. Linebacker Lofa Tatupu is questionable for Sundays game. He suffered a hamstring injury in the season opener. Coach Mora said, "I don't know exactly what to tell you about Lofa, I don't know if he'll play or not. I'd say that there's a chance that he will, but we'll see, OK? We've got to evaluate him as the week goes on." On the bright side, it does sound like receiver Deion Branch will be ready to play after missing the first two games of the season. Mora said if all goes well this week, he should be available. I talked with Branch after practice and he tells me, "I'll play this Sunday."
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6:20 PM Tue, Sep 22, 2009 | Permalink |
The puck drops in less than an hour at Comcast Arena between the Phoenix Coyotes and Tampa Bay Lightning. And while both teams sport some big names (Lecavalier, Stamkos, St. Louis, Doan, Prucha, Jovanovski), some of the most attention is being given to players who may not be considered "marquee". Players with names like: Mueller, Heshka, Tokarski... and for Seattle Thunderbirds fans: Helenius.
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4:53 PM Tue, Sep 22, 2009 | Permalink |
When I posted a story yesterday about tonight's game between the Phoenix Coyotes and Tampa Bay Lightning at Comcast Arena, I mentioned several players with ties to the greater Seattle area. I mentioned Coyotes (and former Silvertips) Peter Mueller and Shaun Heshka, and Lightning goaltender (and former Seattle Thunderbird) Riku Helenius. Well, It seems I forgot someone whose roots run even deeper than the three mentioned above.
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10:08 AM Tue, Sep 22, 2009 | Permalink |
Everett Silvertips News Release:
Everett, WA - September 22nd, 2009
Everett Silvertips Vice President / General Manager Doug Soetaert announced Tuesday that the Silvertips have acquired center Chris Langkow from the Saskatoon Blades in exchange for a 6th round draft pick in 2010 and a 3rd round draft pick in 2011.
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3:59 AM Tue, Sep 22, 2009 | Permalink |
The Tampa Bay Lightning and Phoenix Coyotes will drop the puck tonight at 7:35 at Comcast Arena in Everett, and as of this writing, there are still a few tickets available, although they're going quickly.
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7:33 PM Mon, Sep 21, 2009 | Permalink |
In advance of tomorrow night's preseason match-up between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Phoenix Coyotes at Comcast Arena in Everett, I've asked Cassie McClellan, Tampa Bay blogger and Associate Managing Editor of Lightning blog Raw Charge, to give us a preview of the team as we move toward the new season. In addition to blogging about Tampa Bay, Cassie is a Western Washington native and a Western Washington University alum. Read on for her valuable insights, then check the team out for yourself.
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6:50 PM Mon, Sep 21, 2009 | Permalink |
Tomorrow night, Comcast Arena in Everett will welcome some big boys to the ice, as the Tampa Bay Lightning take on the Phoenix Coyotes in preseason action. And of the big names that could grace the team benches (Lecavalier, St. Louis, Stamkos, Doan, Jovanovski... oh, and possibly Gretzky), I can safely say that two names will receive more thunderous cheers than anyone else.
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2:36 PM Mon, Sep 21, 2009 | Permalink |
Seahawks Head Coach Jim Mora just confirmed in his Monday press conference that Matt Hasselbeck suffered a fractured rib from Sundays game in San Francisco. Mora says Matt is day-to-day and is not ready to call Seneca Wallace his starter for the Chicago Bears game on Sunday. If Wallace is the starter, what do you think, can he lead this team to a victory?
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1:01 PM Mon, Sep 21, 2009 | Permalink |
Fresh of their huge upset win over the USC Trojans, a couple Husky players received some nice honors today. Husky linebacker Donald Butler has been named as the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the week and Erik Folk the Special Teams Player of the Week.
Butler had 12 tackles and an interception against USC on Saturday and Folk was 3-3 on field goals including the game-winner with three seconds left. Those are UW's first Players of the Week since the 2007 season.
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10:09 AM Mon, Sep 21, 2009 | Permalink |
KING 5 Photojournalist Jim Scott and I went up to Everett on Thursday to shoot a promo for the Silvertips new season. To say I was stunned to see the turnout by 'Tips fans is a little bit of an understatement, but when I really stop to think about it, I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. Silvertips fans have been among the most loyal, diehard supporters I have seen for any team.
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8:48 PM Sun, Sep 20, 2009 | Permalink |
The Seattle Thunderbirds seem to be a team that will keep fans guessing this season, after going 1 an 3 their opening weekend. The T-Birds came out strong Friday night against one of their two I-5 rivals, the Everett Silvertips. Seattle and Everett both showed lots of spirit during the game, with plenty of hard hits and several shoving matches that landed players in the box on roughing penalties.
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3:56 PM Sun, Sep 20, 2009 | Permalink |
- 49ers ball. They eat up a lot of clock, 9:27 and get field goal. San Fran leads 23-10.
- Hawks ball. Seattle goes 3&Out.
- 49ers ball. Seahawks play good "D" and force them to a 3 & Out.
- Hawks ball. They drive, but eventually stall.
- 49ers ball. They go 3 & out.
- Hawks ball. Time runs out on Seattle. They lose, 23-10. Not much exciting happened in the fourth quarter. Tune into the Jim Mora Show tonight after Sunday Night Football on NBC to hear their take on the game.
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2:41 PM Sun, Sep 20, 2009 | Permalink |
- 49ers ball. First play, Frank Gore busts a 80-yard TD run. Seattle needs to find a way to stop their running game. That's all they've got. San Fran leads, 20-10.
- Hawks ball. Seattle needs to find some continuity in their offense. They only looked decent on the last drive of the first half. But with Matt hurt, can Seneca lead them? The announcers just said Hasselbeck has a rib injury. I guess that's good news that it's not the back, but we'll see. Seattle goes 3 & out. But a 64 yard punt by Jon Ryan helps ease the pain.
- 49ers ball. They go 3&Out after trying a Wildcat formation. They announcers thought it was silly. Brian Billick claims it doesn't work against good defenses. Not that he was saying Seattle's defense is good. Niners punt.
- Hawks ball. Their offensive play remains choppy at best. KING 5 executive sports producer Tony White tells me that Hasselbeck has a rib injury and he's doubtful to return. Justin Forsett breaks a 19 yard catch & run. He reminds me of Dave Meggett from the Giants in the 90's. Seattle punts.
- 49ers ball. San Fran can't do much. They try the Wildcat again on 3rd down. It fails. They punt.
- Hawks ball. Seattle catches a break when Nate Clements is called for pass interference. But three plays later, former Husky Dashon Goldson intercepts Seneca. End of third quarter, San Fran leads, 20-10.
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1:52 PM Sun, Sep 20, 2009 | Permalink |
- Hawks ball. After a bad screen pass to Julius Jones (and resulting in a 5 yard loss), the Hawks start moving the ball. John Carlson grabs a 17 yard catch. Houshmandzadeh goes for 13 & 21 yards. The last was a high ball and nice catch by Housh. Sean Locklear on the bench. He's hurt, but no word on the injury. Seattle has to settle for a 36-yard field goal. San Fran still leads, 10-3.
- 49ers ball. San Fran uses a pitch to break off a couple long Gore runs. Lawrence Jackson sacks Hill for a seven yard loss. LJack continues to impress after a bad rookie season. Hawks force them to punt. 49ers down it at the 4 yard line.
- Hawks ball. Seattle goes 3 & Out. They look out of sync like they did last week in the first quarter.
- 49ers ball. San Fran rips off a 15 yard run right up the middle. Seattle misses Lofa in the middle. The Hawks get stout after that. They force them into a 42-yard field goal. San Fran leads, 13-3.
- Hawks ball. Seattle gets a first down. We hit the 2-minute warning. After three 13+ yard gains, Hawks take a shot at the end zone. On 2nd and goal, Hasselbeck scrambles to the 1, Patrick Willis takes a shot at Matt's back. Matt tries to get up, but he goes right back down. He's hurt. Seneca comes in. First play, he finds Julius Jones in the flat for a 1-yard TD catch. San Fran still leads, 13-10. Hasselbeck walks into the locker room.
- 49ers ball. They run the clock out. San Fran leads, 13-10 at halftime.
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1:11 PM Sun, Sep 20, 2009 | Permalink |
Seahawks get the ball first. They go three and out. Matt Hasselbeck gets sacked on third down. Not a good first series.
- 49ers ball. They drive it down the field thanks to Vernon Davis and Frank Gore. Patrick Kerney sacks Shaun Hill on a third down play. It forces San Fran to kick a 37-yd field goal. 49ers lead, 3-0.
- Hawks ball. Seattle does very little. They look out of sync. Ryan punts the ball.
- 49ers ball. Lofa Tatupu is out of the game. First play, Frank Gore busts a 79-yard TD run. San Fran leads, 10-0.
- Hawks ball. Seattle goes three and out. Nate Burleson drops a pass in the flat. Ryan punts, Rossum returns for TD, but it's called back for an illegal use of the hands. SF also flagged for an unsportsmanlike conduct. The Hawks take the illegal use of the hands penalty.
- 49ers ball. Seattle's D looks better. They force a 3&Out after Patrick Kerney and Craig Terrill sack Hill. End of the first quarter, San Fran leads, 10-0.
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12:04 PM Sun, Sep 20, 2009 | Permalink |
It is a very warm day at Candlestick Park as the inactive list comes out an hour before gametime. Here are the lists.
SEAHAWKS
CB Travis Fisher
LB Leroy Hill
C Chris Spencer
T Walter Jones
WR Deion Branch
DT Michael Bennett
DT Brandon Mebane
Craig Terrill will start in place of Mebane
Mike Teel is the 3rd QB
49ers
CB Marcus Hudson
S Curtis Taylor
LB Ahmad Brooks
C Cody Wallace
WR Brandon Jones
WR Jason Hill
DT Ricky Jean Francois
Nate Davis is the 3rd QB
At halftime today, the 49ers will honor former owner Eddie DeBartolo, the man who built the 49ers championship teams along with Bill Walsh.
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8:32 PM Fri, Sep 18, 2009 | Permalink |
This season, I'm pleased to introduce several bloggers who will help us provide more complete coverage of the WHL. One of them is "Dave Schultz," who follows the Tri City Americans and is a heck of a photographer, to boot. Look for "Dave's" blogs regularly here and feel free to share your own thoughts about the Ams. You can also check out her own hockey blog by clicking here.
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7:40 PM Fri, Sep 18, 2009 | Permalink |
As the new WHL season gets underway, head coaches for the Everett Silvertips and Seattle Thunderbirds visited with KING 5's Paul Silvi on "NorthWest Sports Tonight." 'Tips new coach Craig Hartsburg and Vice President/General Manager Doug Soetaert joined Paul Wednesday night. If you missed the interview, just click here to watch it again.
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7:18 PM Fri, Sep 18, 2009 | Permalink |
I was at ShoWare Center last weekend for a charity game between the Seattle Thunderbirds and the Everett Silvertips. Tonight's match-up pits the same two teams against each other, but the air tonight is already more electric, even though the arena is not even halfway filled. What's different? Tonight's game is for real-- the WHL season is officially under way!
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7:15 PM Thu, Sep 17, 2009 | Permalink |
The Mariners have traded catcher Jamie Burke to the Washington Nationals for money. Hopefully, for Burke, he'll get a little more playing time with the Nats. Burke just faced a logjam of young Mariner catchers and Kenji Johjima. The M's official news release is after the jump.
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11:12 AM Tue, Sep 15, 2009 | Permalink |
The Mariners Released their 2010 schedule today, here's a look at some of the key dates: The Seattle Mariners 2010 regular season begins on Monday, April 5, on the road against the division-rival Oakland Athletics, according to the tentative schedule announced today. The Home Opener is scheduled for Monday, April 12, also against the Athletics. Highlights of the 2010 schedule include interleague match-ups with teams from the National League Central Division and weekend visits by the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox in July. The official schedule with road game start times will be announced at a later date. The Mariners open on the road for the second consecutive season. The opening road trip includes four games against Oakland (April 5-8) and three against the Texas Rangers (April 9-11). The nine-game opening homestand, which begins on Monday, April 12, includes three games each against the Athletics (April 12-14), the Detroit Tigers (April 16-18) and the Baltimore Orioles (April 19-21).
The Mariners will be busy at Safeco Field on holidays in 2010, with home games on Mother's Day (Sunday, May 9 vs. Los Angeles Angels), Memorial Day (Monday, May 31 vs. Minnesota Twins), Father's Day (Sunday, June 20 vs. Cincinnati Reds), and the observed Independence Day Holiday (Monday, July 5 vs. Kansas City). Interleague play begins in May with a three-game weekend set at Safeco Field against the San Diego Padres (May 21-23). From June 11-27, it's all interleague action as the N.L. Central Division Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs come to Seattle for a six- game homestand (June 18-24). The Mariners will play the St. Louis Cardinals, Milwaukee Brewers and Padres on the road during that stretch. July features two seven-game homestands that include weekend series against the New York Yankees in their only visit to Safeco Field (July 8-11) and the first of two trips to Seattle for the Boston Red Sox (July 22-25).
August opens with a nine-game homestand against the Rangers (August 3-5), Royals (August 6-8) and Athletics (August 9-11). The month also includes the Mariners longest road trip of the season-12 games with stops in Cleveland (August 13-15), Baltimore (August 16-18), New York (August 20-22) and Boston (August 23-25).
The Mariners finish up with key American League West match-ups in September, the return of the Red Sox (September 13-15) and a final nine-game road trip. A four-game series against the Athletics closes out the season September 30-October 3.
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11:28 AM Mon, Sep 14, 2009 | Permalink |
Seattle Storm President and CEO Karen Bryant announced today that Brian Agler, head coach and director of player and personnel, has signed a two-year contract with the Seattle Storm. The new contract runs through 2011, but includes an option for a third year.
"We are thrilled that Brian Agler will continue building on what has been a very successful two-year tenure with the Storm organization," Bryant said. "During his short time here, he has led the team to two 20-win seasons and established the Storm as one of the top defensive teams in the WNBA."
The third coach in the Storm's history, Agler has taken Seattle to two straight playoff appearances, guiding the team to a franchise-best 22-12 record in 2008. He also played a major role in the Storm's 2009 re-signings of free agent and two-time MVP Lauren Jackson and five-time All-WNBA player Sue Bird.
"I am excited to have the opportunity to continue to coach the Seattle Storm into the future, and I'm looking forward to working with our quality players and staff," Agler said. "Lauren Jackson and Sue Bird are two of the best in the world at their positions. It has been great working with them, and I look forward to continuing our pursuit of another championship."
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3:43 PM Sun, Sep 13, 2009 | Permalink |
-Hawks ball. Not much happens. They run the ball 6 times and pass it 3 times. Seattle just trying to run some clock. Hawks punt.
- Rams ball. They go three & out. Nick Reed in the game. He gets a tackle. Plus, Brandon Mebane, Will Herring, and the Hawks d-line combine to sack Bulger. St. Louis punts.
- Hawks ball. Seattle is giving some time to the back ups. Ben Obomanu catches an 11 yard ball. Plus, Edgerrin James is running the ball. Hawks are stopped after 5 plays. Ryan punts the ball.
- Rams ball. St. Louis has 3 plays of 18 yards or more. They get it into the red zone, but fail to punch it in. On 4th & 7, the pass goes off the tip of Randy McMichael's hands. Seahawks take over on downs. 2-minute warning.
- Hawks ball. They eventually punt. But Rams can't do anything. Seahawks secure the shutout and win it, 28-0. Be sure to watch the Jim Mora Show after tonight's Sunday night football on NBC.
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3:05 PM Sun, Sep 13, 2009 | Permalink |
The first half was definitely a tale of two quarters. The first quarter looked like the Cougars 1st half from Saturday's game with Hawaii. The Seahawks turned the ball over 3 times. But unlike the Cougs, the Hawks survived and didn't give up a point.
- Hawks get the ball first in the 2nd half. Not much to talk about. Five plays into the drive, Seattle forced to punt.
- Rams ball. St. Louis moves the ball a little, but Richie Incognito gets another personal foul penalty. Talk about a dude who needs anger management. Donnie Jones punts the ball and the Rams down it at the one.
- Hawks ball. Seattle starts from their one, they drive a bit, and then explode. John Carlson grabs a 38 yard catch. The very next play, Hasselbeck to Carlson again. This time it's a 33 yard touchdown. Hawks lead, 21-0. Drive: 7 plays, 99 yards, 3:55 off the game clock.
- Rams ball. St. Louis goes 3 & out, thanks to a big hit by rookie Aaron Curry. Rams punt.
- Hawks ball. First play, Julius Jones busts a 62-yard touchdown run. He gives the Ric Flair strut after the TD. Or Jeff Jarrett, who actually ripped it off of Flair. Hawks lead, 28-0.
- Rams ball. L-Jack sacks Bulger. Again the guy from USC playing well. On a 3rd down play, Bulger runs and gets lit up by David Hawthorne. Bulger didn't like it. Rams punt. End of the 3rd quarter Hawks lead it, 28-0.
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2:01 PM Sun, Sep 13, 2009 | Permalink |
- Still Rams ball. They get it into the red zone. Lawrence Jackson stops Steven Jackson for no gain. For a guy that didn't show much in the pre-season, L-Jack playing well. Rams get a false start & delay game on the drive. Josh Brown misses 37 yard field goal.
- Hawks ball. On a 3rd and inches, Hasselbeck runs the QB keeper. He must be healthy. Two plays later, Burleson gains 13 yards before going out of bounds, then Leonard Little hits him and gets a personal foul. I hate to say it, but I think that was a bad call. Burleson was tippy-toeing the out-of-bounds line. Deon Butler makes his 1st NFL catch on the drive. He got a first down, a 7-yard catch to the 2-yard line. Two plays later, Hasselbeck to John Carlson for a 1-yard touchdown. Seahawks lead, 7-0. Drive: 13 plays, 73 yards in 6:15 off the game clock. Mare kickoff. Samkon Gado returns to the 26.
- Rams ball. Seattle plays great defense on a 3 & out series. Lofa Tatupu comes up the gut on 3rd down and sacks Marc Bulger. No one blocked him. Rams punt.
- Hawks ball. The Seahawks do a good job at picking up a blitz, Burleson catches the ball and fights for a first down. Two-minute warning. Hawks try to kick a 49-yard field goal. It's blocked and returned for a touchdown. The play is reviewed for the Rams having 12 guys on the field. TV replay shows 12 men on the field. Waiting on the challenge ruling. Play is overturned. It's a 5-yard penalty and a 1st down for Seattle. Three plays later, Nate Burleson catches a 12-yard touchdown. Hawks lead, 14-0. That's a 14 point swing in the game. Drive: 12 plays, 69 yards, using 3:55 of game clock. Halftime score, Hawks lead, 14-0.
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1:47 PM Sun, Sep 13, 2009 | Permalink |
Seahawks LB Leroy Hill has gone to the locker room with a groin injury. His return is questionable.
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1:21 PM Sun, Sep 13, 2009 | Permalink |
The Seahawks start off with a bang. Olindo Mare kicks off. Lance Laury forces a fumble. Will Herring recovers. Too bad for Seattle, three plays later Matt Hasselbeck throws an interception in the end zone. The pass was intended for T.J. Housmandzadeh. He had 2 guys around him.
- Rams ball. First play is a false start. The crowd is loud. A couple of plays later, the Rams have to punt.
- Hawks ball. Seattle doesn't fare much better. Rams nearly jumped a route on Hasselbeck and almost got picked again. Ryan punts.
- Rams ball. They get a first down via the ground game. But hot head Richie Icognito received a personal foul for punching Lawrence Jackson after the whistle. They punt the ball back to Seattle.
- Hawks ball. First play, Nate Burleson fumbles. St. Louis recovers.
- Rams ball. Despite a holding penalty, St. Louis kind of driving. Rams already have 3 penalties for 30 yards. They've used 2 timeouts this drive. That'll cost near the end of the half. Leroy Hill on the sidelines getting looked at. Donnie Jones punts & Rams down at the 4 yard line. Seahawks challenging whether Rams player was on the end zone line when he touched the ball. The call stands. Hawks charged a timeout.
- Hawks ball. Seattle starts driving thanks to Seneca Wallace pass to Matt Hasselbeck back to Wallace catch and run for 24 yards. Next play, Hasselbeck intercepted by Atogwe. It's Seattle's 3rd turnover of the game, let alone the 1st quarter. The announcers say Leroy Hill is in the locker room. He's got a strained groin.
- Rams ball. They driving thanks to 3 plays of ten yards or more. End of the first quarter, 0-0.
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12:40 PM Sun, Sep 13, 2009 | Permalink |
Deion Branch will not play for the Seahawks today. Here are the inactive lists for both teams.
SEAHAWKS
CB Travis Fisher
C Chris Spencer
T Walter Jones
DT Red Bryant
WR Deion Branch
DT Michael Bennett
DE Derrick Walker
Mike Teel will serve as the 3rd QB
RAMS
S Anthony Smith
S Craig Dahl
T Eric Young
G Roger Allen III
G John Greco
DE Victor Adeyanju
DT LaJuan Ramsey
Keith Null will serve as the 3rd QB
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11:29 AM Sat, Sep 12, 2009 | Permalink |
When the Everett Silvertips and Seattle Thunderbirds kick off their seasons, they'll do it in style. Well, in a fashion sense, that is. The WHL (Western Hockey League), as part of the CHL (Canadian Hockey League) have switched to the Reebok "Edge" jerseys and socks. They fit more closely, are lighter and more breathable. The players I spoke with already love the new jerseys better than their traditional uniforms and can't wait to try them out.
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4:47 PM Thu, Sep 10, 2009 | Permalink |
Sue Bird will be in a Storm uniform for a few more years. The team signs their All-Star point guard to a multi-year deal today.
"We are delighted that Sue will continue her career with the Storm, and we are certain that our fans feel the same way," said head coach Brian Agler. "She is an outstanding point guard and a team leader, and we appreciate all that she does to contribute to our success."
Bird is the Storm's all-time leader in assists and recently became the third player in WNBA history to record 3,000 career points and 1,000 career assists.
"I am excited to continue my playing career with the Storm," Bird said. "Seattle is a great basketball town, with the best fans in the WNBA. I feel fortunate to be part of this team and the Storm organization."
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3:08 PM Thu, Sep 10, 2009 | Permalink |
In a stunning comeback, Bethel/Curtis, down by 1,000 votes at one point, beat Olympia/Capital in the final minutes of voting by just 30 votes. Chris Egan will be live from Curtis High School Friday night for The Big Game.
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4:32 PM Wed, Sep 09, 2009 | Permalink |
The Mariners recalled pitcher Brandon Morrow today. There was a thought Morrow might stay with the Rainiers for their playoff run. I guess the decided against it. The M's official news release is after the jump.
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2:53 PM Wed, Sep 09, 2009 | Permalink |
The Seahawks continued to make preparations on Wednesday for Sunday's season opener against the Rams. Coach Jim Mora says, Walter Jones and Chris Spencer are out, but there is a chance they would both be available for week two. Mora also says
Justin Griffith will be the starting fullback. T.J. Houshmandzadeh practiced today for the first time in nearly a week and tells me he feels great and is ready to make a statement in week one against the Rams.
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2:35 PM Wed, Sep 09, 2009 | Permalink |
The Storm dropped below 9 players and were given a waiver to sign another player. Today, the Storm announced they've signed La'Tangela Atkinson. The Storm official news release is after the jump.
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2:45 PM Tue, Sep 08, 2009 | Permalink |
Profootballtalk.com reports that the Jacksonville Jaguars have signed former Seahawks safety Brian Russell. Good for Russell. He's a good guy who's really carved out a nice career in the NFL. He went from a college quarterback at San Diego State to a undrafted rookie in Minnesota. The Vikes changed him into a safety. Seven plus seasons later, Russell still has a job. Not bad.
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5:44 PM Mon, Sep 07, 2009 | Permalink |
The Seahawks went indoors for today's practice and T.J. Houshmandzadeh was not working out with the team. If you recall, the Hawks receiver did not dress for the preseason finale against Oakland and he did not practice last Monday or Tuesday.
Seahawks Head Coach Jim Mora said last week that general soreness was the reason for his absence.
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5:00 PM Mon, Sep 07, 2009 | Permalink |
The Seahawks just sent over a news release about their Practice Squad. You can read it below.
Seahawks Announce Practice Squad Signings
Renton, Wash. - The Seattle Seahawks have signed the following eight players to the practice squad.
Practice Squad Signings
S Jamar Adams
WR Mike Hass
CB Roy Lewis (claimed off waivers from Pittsburgh)
RB Devin Moore
WR Logan Payne
C/G Blake Schlueter (claimed off waivers from Denver)
LB Thomas Williams (claimed off waivers from Jacksonville)
T Kyle Williams
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7:09 PM Sun, Sep 06, 2009 | Permalink |
The Seattle Seahawks have waived tackle Kyle Williams and claimed tackle Brandon Frye off waivers from the Miami Dolphins, the team announced this evening.
Frye entered the NFL with the Houston Texans in 2007 but did not play in a game. He played in seven games last season with Miami. Seattle's eight-man practice squad will be finalized tomorrow.
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3:00 PM Sun, Sep 06, 2009 | Permalink |
The Seattle Seahawks have signed safety Lawyer Milloy to a one-year contract, the team announced on Sunday. Milloy, 35, began his career in 1996 with the New England Patriots where he played seven seasons before signing with Buffalo in 2003. He played three seasons for the Bills before spending the last three years with the Atlanta Falcons.
The 13-year veteran has started 196 of 202 career games, registering 1,586 tackles, 25 interceptions, 17 sacks and 11 forced fumbles.
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4:31 PM Sat, Sep 05, 2009 | Permalink |
The Seattle Seahawks announce roster moves to comply with the NFL's required roster limit.
Waived:
S Jamar Adams
DE Baraka Atkins
K Brandon Coutu
G Brian De La Puente
CB Marquis Floyd
T Na'Shan Goddard
S Courtney Greene
WR Mike Hass
CB Kevin Hobbs
FB David Kirtman
RB Devin Moore
CB Nate Ness
TE Joe Newton
WR Logan Payne
LB Dave Philistin
T Andre Ramsey
T William Robinson
QB Jeff Rowe
WR Courtney Taylor
Waived with an injury settlement:
WR Jordan Kent
Terminated the following vested veteran contracts:
LB D.D. Lewis
S Brian Russell
Terminated the following player contract from Reserve/Injured with an injury settlement:
G Cory Withrow
Placed the following player on Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform:
CB Marcus Trufant
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4:39 PM Fri, Sep 04, 2009 | Permalink |
As you've all heard by now, Oregon suspended RB LeGarrette Blount for the season for punching Boise State DE Byron Hout. The punch came after Hout went out of his way, ran up to Blount and taunted him. The Oregon Ducks did the wrong thing.
First off, Blount should be suspended indefinitely with the stipulation he can play again only if he shows remorse, completes anger management, and apologizes to Hout, the Broncos, and his team.
Make sure the suspension runs through half the season and possibly through three-quarters of it. But give him a chance to bounce back. This is college. This is where kids learn to become adults. This is place for teenagers can make mistakes before they go out into the real world.
A couple of years ago, former Duck basketball player Aaron Brooks gave then Huskies guard Ryan Appleby a vicious forearm shiver to the face. Brooks was suspended two games. Yes, 2 games. Not the season. Not the rest of the season (in all fairness it was the PAC-10 tournament and Oregon's season was over). But two games at the beginning of the next season. The suspension had little or no impact on the team.
So what happened to Brooks? He stayed in school. He stayed at Oregon, instead of transferring closer to home (Seattle). He was drafted by the Houston Rockets in the first round of the NBA Draft. Brooks is now a starter with Houston. The former Duck also went on a tear during the 2009 NBA Playoffs. Brooks got the message. He sat his 2 games and was given a chance to mature. Blount deserves that same opportunity. Some of the so-called "experts" say he's gone from 2nd or 3rd rounder to undraftable.
Oregon instead went with a knee-jerk reaction because it was all over the headlines. Ten to twenty years ago, a coach at a major institution would have maybe made the athlete run extra sprints or hold him out of the next game, provided it was against a creme puff team. But now there's a hypersensitivity to anything bad. In order to appease the masses and act like you know what you're doing, Oregon (or any school doling out punishment) acts swiftly and, in my opinion, unjustly.
"Football at the University of Oregon is a privilege, and with that privilege goes responsibilities" -- Oregon head coach Chip Kelly
Someone should also tell coach Kelly it's a privilege to coach a football. Coach Kelly and Boise State coach Chris Peterson should bear some responsibility. Both need to realize it's their privilege to teach the student/athletes the proper way to act before, during and after the game. Coach Kelly should learn it's a privilege and his duty to escort Blount out of the stadium before another incident, like with the fans, could happen. Coach Peterson should tell Hout it's a privilege to play football. It sounds like the instigator will only get a talkin' to. Coach Peterson and Boise State should tell their fans that it's a privilege to watch a college football game. Will those fans get suspended or banned from games? I doubt it.
This is an event where everyone needs to take part of the blame. Of course, Blount should shoulder the most for his actions. If nothing else, every institution and coach across america can use this as a learning experience. It's too bad Oregon went too far and failed to provide one for Blount.
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8:39 PM Thu, Sep 03, 2009 | Permalink |
A great weekend of hockey gets underway at Comcast Arena tomorrow (Friday, September 4). It's your chance to see six WHL teams under one roof. The Everett Silvertips are hosting a pre-season tournament featuring the Seattle Thunderbirds, Portland WinterHawks, Tri City Americans, Spokane Chiefs and Prince George Cougars.
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12:16 AM Thu, Sep 03, 2009 | Permalink |
Nellie" Celebration of Life Set for 3 p.m. Sunday
A Celebration of Life honoring John "Nellie" Nelson, who passed away last Sunday, will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 6, in Olson Auditorium on the Pacific Lutheran University campus. Memorial gifts may be made in honor of John "Nellie" Nelson to the Office of Development, Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, WA 98447. These gifts will be designated for athletic facilities that benefit the PLU football program. Nellie, an inspiration to two decades of Pacific Lutheran football players, coaches and fans, was 44 at the time of his death. He had served in recent years as a PLU football volunteer assistant coach, taking an active role in the program's administrative duties.
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4:18 PM Wed, Sep 02, 2009 | Permalink |
Forbes.com updated their list of what each NFL team is worth. The Seahawks come in 20th. They're worth $994 million. It's kind of scary that a team worth nearly a billion dollars is only ranked 20th in the league. You can find the complete list here. The Cowboys are #1 at $1.7 billion. The Raiders are the worst at $797 million, almost billion less than Dallas.
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3:03 PM Tue, Sep 01, 2009 | Permalink |
The Seahawks had to make one more roster move today to make the 75-man limit. The Hawks cut former Cougar Michael Bumpus. The official Seahawks news release is below.
Seahawks Reach 75-Man Roster Limit
Renton, Wash. - The Seattle Seahawks have waived wide receiver Michael Bumpus, the team announced today.
Bumpus originally signed with Seattle as an undrafted rookie free agent on April 27, 2008. He played in four games with one start, catching five balls for 48 yards with one touchdown.
The Seahawks will set their 53-man regular season roster on September 5.
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