Assist by The Mitten

Are the Sounders outshining the Mariners?

mittensports@gmail.com (The Mitten) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 07:00:00 +0000

For anyone who has read this column, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that one of my favorite movies is Will Ferrell’s NASCAR spoof Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.

In the movie, Ricky Bobby loses his wife to his best friend and former racing teammate after Ricky has a mental brake down following a crash. Fearing the worst, Ricky will often strip down to his skivvies, stop, drop and roll because he thinks he’s on fire. But he’s not on fire, he’s just stupid. Clearly unfit to race, Ricky’s wife leaves him for his buddy Cal so she can continue to lead the lavish life of a driver’s wife.

In one of my favorite scenes, Ricky triumphs over his inner demons and is back on the track. Cal, meanwhile, is trying to reconcile what he has done to his best friend during a mid-race conversation with his pit crew chief. The conversation through the radio head sets goes like this as Ricky Bobby is making his move on Cal:

Crew chief: Cal, Ricky's passing you.
Cal: Do you think Ricky is passing me in my subconscious?
Crew chief: No, he's actually passing you. That's happening right now.

Love it. And it’s my long-winded way of comparing the trajectories of Seattle’s two summer season sports franchises: major league baseball’s Seattle Mariners and the Seattle Sounders FC of the MLS. The M’s represent Cal, a slow, careful franchise wondering if they are doing the right thing and trying to figure out if they can milk any residual novelty from Safeco Field. The Sounders look like our hero, Ricky Bobby – taking the bull by the horns and pulling all the right levers.

In the Sounders first season of MLS play, the team has generated an unbelievable amount of buzz while selling out every game. They’ve met some of the demand for tickets by making a few thousand additional seats available. The mainstream newspapers and sports radio cover the Sounders like they would the NBA if it were still here. So thirsty for new Sounders angles, I listened to KJR’s Mike Gastineau interview the president of one of the soccer team’s fan clubs. And I was riveted! Seriously, I was, and I don’t even like soccer. When was the last time you heard a radio interview of a Mariners fan club president? You want to know when? Never. You'll never hear one. My friends and associates are not making plans to go the M’s game. They are trying to figure out how to get Sounders tickets. If they can’t get tickets, they settle for tailgating in the parking lot.

Our hometown nine, in the meantime, have been following pretty much the same script they’ve written for themselves over the last five years. An early season, swoon followed by three or four months of “evaluating” young talent for the future. While they've teased us the last week by taking a series from the Dodgers and a series from the Red Sox on the road, it still feels like past seasons where a 10 of 11 losing streak is in the offing. The most compelling and contrived story line lately has been Russell Branyan’s home run hang time. Tracking the ball like one might for an NFL punt, Mariners broadcasters can now manufacture excitement over an inane measure of power. “That ball was in the air for 6.3 seconds, wow!” Ugh.

We are also getting an encore performance of the Brandon Morrow Show. Is he a starter? Is he a reliever? Will he pitch in Tacoma? Will he pitch in Seattle? Tune in tomorrow to find out! Spoiler alert, for those of you who don’t want to know how this show ends, stop reading now. After getting jerked around for the better part of three or four seasons, Morrow will undergo major reconstructive arm surgery, followed by a failed attempt to return to form. He’ll have the Mariners organization to thank for ruining the career of a promising young pitcher with a cannon for an arm.

The M’s look a lot like the teams that I grew up watching in the 70s and 80s. Ugly baseball, but you could always count on getting a gimmicky giveaway item when you went to the Kingdome. There is lots of talk about whether or not you should believe in this team. My question is "believe in what?" That the M's are built to win the world series? Because, as fans, that's the only question we should be asking now that the Mariners are one of only three teams that have not appeared in the fall classic. The Washington Nationals and Texas Rangers being the other two. So, do I believe the M's are a world series team? No.

Do I have any hard numbers to prove that the MLS is overtaking the M’s? No, not really, but the Sounders are definitely a hotter commodity and the novelty of soccer isn’t wearing off. Things will only get worse for the M’s when the Seahawks begin training camp in a matter of weeks. A turnaround, if it happens for the M’s, will no doubt bring the buzz back to the ball park. After all, it is still the national passtime and soccer isn't quite mainstream yet. But until the day the M's begin to make a real run at it, they should take a look in their rear view mirror. That’s the Seattle Sounders passing you on the inside.

That’s happening right now.

Kicking around the ashes of your Seattle SuperSonics

mittensports@gmail.com (The Mitten) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:02:00 +0000

It was a year ago today when Seattle’s 41-year-old NBA franchise decided Oklahoma City was a better place to be than Seattle. That sentiment alone was enough to push SuperSonics fans over the edge. How could a dusty mid-west pit stop, located in a big red flyover state be a more attractive home than Seattle, we asked. I mean, Seattle is a hip, iconic city. Pike Place Market, Tom Hanks movies, Eddie Vedder, Kurt Cobain, great coffee, Microsoft. Oklahoma has Bob Stoops, a pretty decent AAA baseball franchise and is the fast food capital of the U.S.

The handwriting was on the wall, though, when former Sonics owner Howard Schultz sold the team to Oklahoman of the Year Clay Bennett and his merry band of oil magnets. And the months of litigation, backstabbing and bad decision making played out in front of fans right up to the day the team picked up and headed East. It was no surprise to anyone who had a couple marbles rolling around in his or her melon. It was your typical hostile takeover, sorta speak, played to perfection. Make the team stink, alienate fans, show everyone you’re losing money because the fans don’t care, go to court, dupe a dim-witted mayor, cut him a check and then load up your truck for OKC.

I’m not going to rehash what happened, why it happened or what can be done next because, to be honest, I don’t have the first damn clue. I don’t know if we’ll see the NBA return to this city in my lifetime. For the NBA to return, it would take an ownership group who doesn’t mind burning piles of money while they spend more of their own cash to build an arena. It would be a pure philanthropic endeavor. You’re not going to get one red cent from state or local governments to upgrade or build an arena. That ship has sailed. There's no broad public support for it and it seems to be too complex an issue for state legislators to truly understand. If nothing else, I’ve learned that state congress is comprised of some of the denser, obtuse people in Washington.

If one actually got over the arena hurdle, he'd still have the issue of the NBA business model – a model in which you can’t make any money without building or upgrading your arena every five years with the hopes that shoe-horning in a couple new restaurants will offset inflating operating expenses. It’s akin to a dog chasing its own tail, but every so often a dog will succeed. Until expenses and salaries are reigned in, the NBA will continue to be a failing business venture for most franchises not named the Lakers.

There are a number of articles in the local media outlets looking back at what happened a year ago and its impact on surrounding businesses on Queen Anne. And surprise, surprise, surprise – many of them are hurting or gone altogether. What? You’re shocked to learn that high school graduations and Seattle U basketball games aren’t supplying the type of clientele who will hit a restaurant or bar and drop $100 on dinner and beers beforehand? I know, it’s hard to imagine that the college students who stand in the beer aisle at Safeway and do the math on how many cans of beer they can purchase with their last $11 are not going to go out to eat out before the big Seattle U basketball game.

The good news for the downtrodden Sonics fan, is that you’re not alone. There are people out there, with no political affiliation, who are keeping hope alive. Tonight, you can join like-minded fans at Floyd’s Place on lower Queen Anne for a rally and DVD viewing party. They’re going to fire up the 1979 Championship Series DVD and celebrate Sonics history. I'm guessing they'll knock back a few beers as well. You can learn more details here: http://sonicsmia.com/.

Friday Links: I'm gonna get you sucka ...

mittensports@gmail.com (The Mitten) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:31:00 +0000

There is a lot to like about our new President Barack Obama. He’s a hoops fan and sports enthusiast. He’s young and intelligent. And he can now add expert hunter to the list. This fly is just lucky that U.N. forces weren’t involved. Of course, PETA couldn’t help itself and condemned this naked act of aggression. The organization for the ethical treatment of animals has also pooh-poohed Pike Place Market’s famous fish throwers. I guess there isn’t much to do around the PETA offices these days. Your $36 million in donations hard at work.

Here are some more links to help you completely destroy what little productivity you had left this afternoon:

Bend It Like Bennett: Oklahoma City is TitleTown USA. Not sure if I feel pissed or sorry for these guys.

Deadspin: I don’t even know what to think about ESPN’s Chris Berman anymore. Do I hate him or revere him. I’m so confused.

Failblog: There is nothing funny about infant alcoholism. OK, it’s hilarious.

SportsbyBrooks: Unless you’ve lived in Kansas City, you don’t know Joe Posnanski from Joe Blow. Well, Posnanski is a sportswriter who now apparently he doesn’t like former Mariner and MLB broadcaster Harold Reynolds. I suppose he can join ESPN’s management in that camp.

HBO.com: So, I’ve got a lot of time on my hands. And going by the latest unemployment numbers, you may as well. Here’s something fun for you to do on a rainy summer day. Leave your buddy a custom message from your favorite washed up pitcher Kenny Powers!

Warming Glow: Here are some useful talking points for parents in those red flyover states who have children with bad perms. PBS’s contributions to society endure.

The good and bad of summer sports in Seattle

mittensports@gmail.com (The Mitten) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:34:00 +0000

Ask anyone who has lived in the greater Seattle area for more than a few years and they’ll tell you that the summers here are the best in the world. However, it has become a bit of a bummer if you’re a sports fan. In the world of Seattle sports there are few truly compelling local stories, but there are some constants:

The Mariners have made it a habit of dropping out of contention by the end of May. This year may be different because the new general manager actually looks like he has a bit of a clue. But this team looks like it is years away from making any noise in the division.
The Seattle NBA franchise that used to give fans something to glow about quit making the playoffs after the mid ‘90s and then left town altogether for a dusty, windblown one cow town in Oklahoma. I still can’t believe the NBA thought this was a great idea. Anyway, May and June used to be fun for NBA fans. Now, they get to watch hockey on TV.
The Washington football team and its fans talk themselves into thinking that their latest recruiting class will bring glory back to Montlake. Fans systematically bash every 17-year-old kid who decides not to sign with the Huskies after realizing playing for a team that didn’t win a game last season just might suck.
A Wazzu Cougar football player is arrested.
There is no regular PGA stop (although the Senior tour at Snoqualmie is spectacular).
And sports fans weary of a summer full of losers realize that the Seahawks season is still a couple months away.

If you were thinking about a week-long camping trip in the mountains, this week would have been perfect. You didn’t miss anything:

Apparently, people around here still care about what Ryan Leaf is up to. And I guess he’s taking more painkillers than usual. Good for him. The Times weighs in as does the P-I.
The Sounders goalkeeper calls out his teammates after a 3-3 tie with D.C. United. I know it’s more cultured and Bohemian to accepted ties as a reasonable outcome, but come on. The Sounders have six of them, almost as many as their wins and losses combined. Figure out a way to crown a victor. This isn’t Sweden and it isn’t a socialist country yet.
Starting today, M’s can try to sign their first round draft pick Dustin Ackley who some already have playing in the big leagues this year. Too bad his agent is the Devil’s bag man, Scott Boras. It’s also too bad that statistically speaking, Ackley has as a good a shot as making it up to the big club as Yuniesky Betancourt has of leading the team in walks. OK, maybe a little better than that.
Interleague play continues for the Mariners. Yes, they still have interleague play and Seattle has been battling their geographical rival the San Diego Padres. Uh, hem.

Things could be worse. We could live in Portland and talk about whether or not Greg Oden is Sam Bowie redux.

Gone fishing. And by fishing I mean Vegas

mittensports@gmail.com (The Mitten) — Sun, 31 May 2009 15:04:00 +0000

Some of you have noticed nary a post has been published in this space for more than a few days. Securing gainful employment has been a priority for me. So has playing golf in the first warm weather week that the Seattle area has seen in more than eight years. I’ll be back in the saddle later this week after I return from a short trip to Vegas.

While I’m away, June 2 will mark the 1-year anniversary of this blog. Here are some of the good, bad and mostly ugly postings for your review until I get back in town.

NFL commissioner should not reinstate Vick

mittensports@gmail.com (The Mitten) — Wed, 20 May 2009 18:34:00 +0000

Michael Vick should not be allowed to play in the NFL. There you go.

In case you’ve been living under Yuniesky Betancourt’s third chin the last few years, Vick has spent the last 19 months in federal prison for financing and participating in a dog fighting ring. The former NFL quarterback is now out of prison. He’ll spend a couple months in home confinement and then a few years on probation. NFL Commissioner Roger Goddell said he won’t make a decision on Vick’s future with the league until the sentence has been completed along with a new background check.

The details of Vick’s dog fighting ring have been well chronicled. If you need more information, just do a Web search and you’ll spend the next week and a half sifting through the documentation. For me, it’s not only the killing of the dogs, but the way that he and his dirt bag buddies engaged in the act. It’s not like they walked up and quickly put the dog out of its misery. No, these sociopaths strung them up, electrocuted or drowned the dogs. Vick personally hung or drowned seven dogs. I can’t comprehend engaging in such a thing, nor do I want to try.

Those who think Vick should be reinstated will point to the fact that there are a number of convicted felons or “criminals” who are playing in the NFL after serving their time in the clink. Tank Johnson (weapons), Leonard Little (manslaughter), and Pacman Jones (miscellaneous), just to name a few, have all been allowed to continue their careers in the NFL despite off field trouble. So, why shouldn’t Vick be allowed the same right, the argument goes. On queue, ESPN’s Jemele Hill has made this a racial issue – framing Vick’s case as a story of an African American man trying to “overcome.” Like always, Hill does a disservice for intelligent discussion about race relations. Vick being black is irrelevant to me. I’d feel the same way about him if he were a lily white Canadian NHL goalkeeper.

Here’s the thing: I don’t think any of the other convicted criminals should be allowed to play either. Playing in the NFL is a right not a privilege, that’s the easy argument. But that’s not all. NFL teams have a responsibility to the communities in which they reside to do the right thing and not employ (that’s the key word) people who are likely to commit crimes. It’s not only a PR issue, it’s also about being a good corporate citizen. NFL teams are a public-private endeavor. Us taxpayers will foot the bill for your stadium and amenities while you NFL owners import people from other locales who will not damage the fabric of the community and provide 17 Sundays of sports entertainment a year. That should be the deal.

Vick has the right to obtain gainful employment and shouldn’t be denied that right. But he is also a convicted felon. The NFL doesn’t have to hire him, nor does any other company for that matter. Almost all companies do background checks before hiring people for key positions in their companies.

I can’t get a good job if I’m a convicted felon. In fact, I couldn’t get a job if I had a misdemeanor on my record stemming from a violent altercation. If I got drunk in a bar, pushed someone over and was cited for misdemeanor assault, I couldn’t get a job at most companies. If I had a bag of cocaine in my pocket while doing this, I could forget about getting a job with at least 90 percent of businesses in the area.

Vick is trying to do and say all the right things now that he’s out of prison, but let's not forget that if he were not caught, he'd still be committing these crimes. Vick is contrite because he is going after a job that could potentially pay him millions of dollars for years to come. Nothing more.

Vick and his camp are in full PR mode. He’s got a film crew following him, hoping a studio will purchase the rights to a documentary. And Vick recently met with the Humane Society to talk about a partnership. However, I don’t think any of these activities should help Vick earn points toward an NFL comeback. He has the right to sell his story and write his book. He also has the right to try to find a job, wherever that may be. But he should not be allowed back on an NFL playing field.

Climber Ed Viesturs back on top of the world

mittensports@gmail.com (The Mitten) — Wed, 20 May 2009 14:33:00 +0000

Climbing legend and Bainbridge Island resident Ed Viesturs summited Mt. Everest yesterday morning as part of an expedition to promote Eddie Bauer’s new line of expedition gear. Ron Judd of the Times has the complete rundown of the details here. Also on the summit was Peter Whittaker, who comes from a long line of climbing legends. in 1963, his uncle Jim Whittaker was the first American to stand atop Everest. Peter’s father, Lou, opened Mt. Rainier guiding service RMI.

Over 10 years ago, I had the chance to interview Viesturs, who at the time was promoting his IMAX film “Everest.” Considering the couple years he’d had beforehand, I found him to be one of the most honest and accommodating athletes I’ve ever interviewed. The “Everest” film captured the attention of the world after the so-called 1996 Everest Tragedy with the deaths of eight climbers, including local climbing guru Scott Fischer and noted guide Rob Hall – both of which were good friends of his. Viesturs was heralded as a hero who braved a deadly storm to help save the lives of other climbers stranded high on the mountain.

In the article I wrote over a decade ago, Viesturs had all but written off going back to Everest because of the crowds on the mountain and the feeling that there wasn’t much left to do on the tallest peak on earth. But even Viesturs admitted, “never say never.”

Here’s the article:

Haunted Up High
Seattle mountaineer Ed Viesturs gets on with life after ’96 Everest tragedy

By Dan Engel

Ed Viesturs awoke and set out for Camp IV on Mt. Everest at 11 p.m.

Heading into the pitch-black night with only his headlamp and knowledge of the terrain leading the way, he set out on his final summit push.

Viesturs made good time up the slopes of the mountain, despite breaking trail for his teammates who would leave for the summit an hour later. The circular light from his headlamp bobbed and danced on the blanket of virgin snow that covered the South Col.

Viesturs had been blessed with good weather on May 22, 1996. The weather was cooperating and Viesturs climbed relentlessly.

Step.

Breath.

Step.

Breath.

But the weather hadn’t been as forgiving just a couple of weeks earlier when his close friends Rob Hall and Scott Fischer died on Everest in a blinding snow storm along with four others.

As Viesturs trudged through the fresh, knee-deep snow, he knew he would likely run across the bodies of his friends. Eventually, he did.

“You have to remember I saw them on the way to the summit,” Viesturs recalls, more than two years later as he sits in the backyard of his West Seattle home. “So I tried to set myself up for that however I could. On the way up I focused on getting to the top.”

Viesturs summited at 9 a.m. with the IMAX® film team not far behind who shot the first footage from the summit with the bulky large-format camera.

With his goal achieved, Viesturs made his descent via the Southeast Ridge with two stops along the way.

“On the way down, I spent a few minutes with both Rob and Scott to pay my last respects,” Viesturs says. “I never lost a friend before, let alone two friends on the mountain at the same time.”

Even now, Viesturs can’t shake the thoughts of the Everest tragedy. He often turns to his wife Paula, who was the IMAX team base-camp manager, to talk about the ill-fated season.

“I still think about it every day,” he says. “And we still talk about it – somehow it still comes up.”

More than two years after the much publicized Everest tragedy of 1996, Viesturs continues answering questions about what happened and why. But he yields few answers about why those people died. He doesn’t even want to try to explain what possibly could have gone wrong.

“So many people from the media wanted us to speculate why things happened and whose fault it was and I just hated that,” he says. “I wasn’t on the summit ridge, I don’t know why they made the decisions they did – let it be. But of course everybody wanted to blame somebody. John Krakauer was as close to the action as anybody. Read his book, or read Anatoli’s (Boukreev) book. But you can’t ask the dead what happened.”

The inquires keep coming as Viesturs travels the country to promote the Everest IMAX film and give lectures. The 39-year-old climber is ready to move on with his life. But the media and the public aren’t finished with him yet.

“You miss these people, but you kind of have to keep going,” he says.

Viesturs understands and accepts his role in all of this, although it can be trying at times. Because of the lectures and film premieres, he hasn’t had the time or the financial need to continue guiding. Instead, his days are spent talking to corporate groups, college students and Everest junkies, an activity he enjoys.

“It’s tiring, though,” he says. “You go to a reception and there are 80 people who come up to you and ask the same questions. But you have to answer each person like he or she was the first person you talked to.”

The man without the mask
Viesturs is asked questions about his climbing abilities about as much as the Everest tragedy. He’s revered as one of, if not the, best high-altitude climber in the world.

“I would say Ed is the most consistent both emotionally and physically,” says Todd Burleson, founder of Alpine Ascents International in Seattle. “He has done great things and he has done them without luck. Ed is like the Mark McGwire of mountaineering. The interesting thing about Ed is that he looks so normal.”

Viesturs has summited 10 of the highest 14 peaks in the world, all without supplemental oxygen. He will try to make it 12 by the end of next spring. He has also led or been involved with Everest expeditions nearly every spring since 1987.

But his beginnings were humble.

After graduating from high school in 1977, Viesturs moved out to Seattle from Illinois to pursue his love of climbing.

His first summit was Mt. St. Helens that same year and it transformed his life.

“When I finally got to the top, I said ‘This is exactly what I’m looking for – this is what I dreamed about.'”

Viesturs studied zoology at the University of Washington for four years before moving on to Washington State University to attend veterinary school.

He practiced as a veterinarian for two years before making a decision to climb fulltime.

“By then I was climbing a lot and going on a lot of expeditions,” he says. “I realized that I couldn’t do both.”

Viesturs joined Rainier Mountaineering Inc. in 1982 where he guided clients for 12 years. While he has summited Mt. Rainier 187 times, climbing the Northwest giant is never mundane.

“It can be as nasty on Rainier as it can be on Everest,” Viesturs says. “If you climb a lot in the Northwest through the winter, other than altitude, you’d be ready for Everest.

“Look how many Himalayan climbers come from Seattle. It’s because of our terrain and our weather – it has produced some pretty hardcore climbers.”

Ascending the peaks of the Cascades prepared Viesturs for his first test with Everest in 1987. He fell short of making the summit by 300 feet when he ran out of rope. But Viesturs knew he could summit Everest and make it to the top without bottled oxygen.

“My physiology, just by luck, happens to work well at altitude,” he says. “You read these descriptions of people who just stagger to the top and are just wasted and they barely get off the mountain. It’s really not like that for me. It’s tiring, but I come down feeling pretty good.”

But he does use supplemental oxygen when guiding clients at high altitude, especially Everest.

“At that point I’m there for my clients and I’m not there for myself,” he says.

Viesturs’ client list has dwindled the past few years due in part to his lecturing and the birth of his son Gilbert. His time is more precious now. When he’s in town, Viesturs would rather be at home with his son.

However, Gilbert’s birth hasn’t changed how Viesturs climbs and probably won’t keep him out of the mountains.

“My attitude has always been that I wanted to be as safe as I could be and as conservative as I could be because I want to live through these climbs,” he says. “I’m equally as safe and conservative now as I’ve always been.”

After Viesturs summits the 14 peaks, he’ll likely turn his attention to smaller climbs not far from home.

“I could be happy for the rest of my life climbing here in the Cascades,” he says. “This is something that is in my blood, so I can’t see quitting.”

Everest Anonymous
The spring of 1997 marked the end of Viesturs’ Everest adventures.

The decision was a mutual one with David Breashears, expedition leader and producer of the 1996 IMAX team, and Pete Athans, a friend and fellow climber.

“We were sitting there on the South Col thinking, ‘What are we doing here?’” Viesturs says. “We’ve been here a dozen times each, let’s get on with our lives.”

The threesome dubbed themselves “Everest Anonymous,” a tongue-in-cheek name for their support group. Each member vowed never to return to the icy slopes of Everest. If one does return, there’s a hefty penalty.

“We’ll owe each other $1,000,” Viesturs says.

The reasons for Viesturs not returning have little to do with the Everest tragedy and more with personal goals and the crowds that flock to the mountain every spring. Everest has become a been-there-done-that thing. He has climbed the mountain on every side, guided clients to its summit, filmed a movie and shot a video documentary.

There just isn’t much more to do on the mountain he says is his favorite to climb. But he hasn’t closed the door completely on Everest.

“I don’t feel the need to guide on Everest again, unless it was for a unique individual or project,” he says.

Crowding and differences in mountain-guiding philosophy on Everest also keeps Viesturs at a safe distance.

“There are so many people there now, half of them shouldn’t be there,” he says, alluding to what he feels are too many clients with a lack of climbing skills. “And if someone gets in trouble, you are obligated to help.”

When Viesturs made the decision to take a client to Everest he considered the criteria. His client had to climb for the right reasons, meaning no trophy hunters. He also wanted a client who had enough experience to be self-sufficient.

“A guide isn’t supposed to hold your hand, wipe your nose, set up your tent and cook your food,” he says. “We are there for leadership. I think a lot of guides have produced a client that requires someone to be there all the time and I think that’s wrong.

“Just because someone can write a check doesn’t mean they should climb Mt. Everest. Just because you know how to drive a car doesn’t mean you go to the Indy 500.”

Viesturs made it a practice to tell his clients that payment didn’t equal an automatic shot at the summit. Clients had to perform down low and show that they were up for the challenge. He didn’t want to put his life and the lives of other clients in danger.

Unfortunately, the public believes that for $85,000 someone can climb to the top of Everest, Viesturs says. Consequently, the guiding profession has taken a knock and Viesturs is trying to mend the wound when traveling the country for lectures and IMAX-film premieres.

“I get a chance when I get out there to tell them Everest is difficult,” Viesturs says. “I trained for 10 years before I went.

“They think these guide services are just schlepping people up Mt. Everest and it’s not true. Most guides are experienced professionals. Most clients have been climbing for years and years before they work their way up to Everest. Of course, there are a few services running shoddy trips, but that is the minority.”

Through his lectures, Viesturs also gets to share why he loves climbing. Most people can relate, he says, because mountain climbing is all about setting goals for yourself as well as enjoying the beauty of nature.

“The feeling you get when you accomplish something very difficult, it’s a feeling that is very addictive," he says. "It’s also just being in the cold, crisp air … being high on a ridge when the sun comes up while climbing with one of your best friends.

“You just can’t take a picture of that and have it describe what you’re feeling.”

But Viesturs will continue trying to explain that feeling to as many people as he can.

*As it appeared in the November 1998 issue of Sports Etc. Magazine.

This Week’s Man Crush: Don Wakamatsu

mittensports@gmail.com (The Mitten) — Thu, 14 May 2009 14:35:00 +0000

You ever wonder what Don Wakamatsu says behind closed doors when no one is listening except for maybe his most trusted advisors? Do you think he just comes unglued after watching night after night of head-case baseball? You don’t think about it? Could you maybe play along then? Super, here we go.

He came as close as probably ever will to calling out a player the other night after Yuniesky Betancourt had yet another mental lapse to go along with his swing from your groin plate approach. Yuni isn’t the only free swinger in the lineup. There may be only three guys on the roster who have a semblance of a plan when stepping to the plate.

You really gotta feel for the skipper. He’s got a middle of the lineup that doesn’t produce offensively. A beginning and ending of the lineup that doesn't produce, either. An overweight and overpaid middle infield. A handful of non-major league caliber players signed to expensive multi-year deals that have to play. An on again, off again relief corps with no real closer. And a latter-half of the pitching rotation that is being filled by choosing names out of a hat.

M’s have dropped 9 of their last 10 games. They finish up with Texas this afternoon and then play their next seven games against the Red Sox and Angels. Not really the pushover opponents you’d like to see when trying to right the ship.

There are bright spots, though. There seem to be some live arms like Jason Vargas and Chris Jakubauskas. Jarrod Washburn is actually winning games and has an ERA around 3. Before his last two starts, Felix Hernandez was generating Cy Young talk. And Erik Bedard hasn’t gotten hurt and is looking like a prime candidate for a July trade.

Hang in there Don, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. It may or may not be an oncoming train.

About the Man Crush: This is a weekly installment for the blog where, for good or for bad, I’ll highlight one stand-out player or sports celebrity.

M’s falling back to earth

mittensports@gmail.com (The Mitten) — Wed, 13 May 2009 14:11:00 +0000

The jubilance of spring training has vanished while the crispness and optimism that sprung eternal for this Mariner ballclub has officially been extinguished. It was fun while it lasted, but I think we all knew deep down what this team was. There is nothing wrong with dreaming big in the first weeks of a season, but now we’ll have to face the harsh reality that this team is truly in the beginnings of a long rebuilding process.

The Mariner’s 7-1 blowup loss to the Texas Rangers last night again exposed area’s of this team’s game that still need to be revamped and that it is going to take years to get out from under former manager Bill Bavasi’s devastating contract and personnel decisions.

Jason Vargas pitched well in his first start since 2007, replacing Carlos Silva in the rotation. However, it was a constant reminder that the Mariners are saddled with a massive contract with Silva who can’t pitch but is still owed $12.2 million this season. The really good news is that we have Silva sewn up through the 2011 season. If Silva never sees the pitching mound again in a Mariner uniform, Seattle will have paid him $10.6 million per win (5). We are in similar dire straits with contracts owed to Kenji Johjima and Miguel Batista.

Never one to share the spotlight of shame, free-swinging head case shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt brain farted yet again, failing to come up with a play that would have stopped the bleeding in the seventh inning. It was a big enough a play that manager Don Wakamatsu uncharacteristically called out his shortstop. According to the Seattle Times:

"If he makes that play, we get out of the inning, and it's 3-1. Whether they gave it a hit or not, that play needs to be made. There were a couple of plays we threw the ball around and didn't contain it. That's something we have to make changes with."

Lastly, there is the anemic production at the plate. The M’s posted four hits and one run yesterday. In nearly half their games, the M’s have scored two runs or fewer. They are last in the American League in runs scored (132) while ranking 7th in the league in runs allowed (156). And the lineup is littered with free swingers like Betancourt who has never seen a pitch he doesn’t want to take a hack at.

Despite the poor play, the M’s show signs of life. They are getting solid pitching from the top of the rotation and their outfield, while not producing power numbers, is saving runs and playing great defense. They are pointed in the right direction, the destination is just a ways away.

Breaking Non-News Story: Holmgren wants to return to NFL

mittensports@gmail.com (The Mitten) — Tue, 12 May 2009 23:48:00 +0000

Quite a few blogs and news outlets broke this huge non-story, fresh from the “Stuff We Already Know” file: Former Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren wants to return to the NFL.

According to the Washington Post, Post reporter Les Carpenter talked to Holmgren at an event in Washington, D.C. hosted by Redskins coach Jim Zorn where Holmgren dropped an apparent bomb shell on Carpenter that he’d like to return to the NFL. This was apparently news to Carpenter and Mark Maske of the Post. But if anyone paid attention to Holmgren’s year-long goodbye tour last season, including the myriad of supporting news and analysis, they’d have come to the conclusion that Holmgren was politely booted out to make room for new coach Jimmy Mora.

Here's the huge scoop by the Post:

Former Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren said he has made the decision that he wants to work again and is open to the idea of coaching, but has not made a final decision on whether he will do that or work in a front office somewhere. He said he has not thought through his emotions enough to know exactly what it is he wants to do.

Holmgren is in the midst of a year off to cool his jets and spend some time with his family before returning to coaching or a front office gig. Who didn’t know this? You know who didn’t know this? The media outlets located in NFC East cities.

And yes, D.C., New York, Philly fans, all Seattleites paddle their skiffs to work and live on house boats like Tom Hanks in “Sleepless in Seattle.”

Flopping comes to Washington

mittensports@gmail.com (The Mitten) — Mon, 11 May 2009 15:40:00 +0000

I was wondering when this was going to happen. Both Steve Kelley of the Times and Art Thiel of the P-I jump all over the beautiful game that was anything but yesterday on the Qwest pitch.

The Seattle Sounders and L.A. Galaxy scrummed to a 1-1 tie yesterday, but a majority of mainstream press focused on what many people who are not fans of the sport point to as a reason for their loathing of soccer: Flopping.

There was an abundance of it yesterday in the game along with some questionable officiating that may have encouraged it. In any case, the drama queens were in full drag and Thiel pulls a quote from his notes when Sounders coach Sigi Schmid last week addressed the issue:

"The bigger concern right now is I think situations happen on the field that players embellish and over-dramatize what happens," Schmid said. "You watch soccer anywhere in the world. A guy gets hit in the thigh and he grabs his knee. A guy gets hit in the shoulder and he grabs his face. It's just wrong."

The articles have yet again ignited a debate about the relevance or worthiness of pro soccer on the American stage. The opponents point to the flopping and the lack of scoring as reasons the game is a sham. The proponents, like any involved fan of any particular sport will point toward the opponents’ ignorance of the game.

Flopping is irritating in any sport, to say the least. The NBA is almost worse than soccer and has rendered some teams unwatchable. It’s the passive aggressiveness of the acts that so infuriates the Bud-drinking, football loving crowd. They’d just as soon see the player take a real shot to the chin and get up. Or deliver a blow to the mid section and stand over his fallen victim. The whining and acting has not and never will be embraced in this country. It's why we all hate Duke.

What I don’t understand is the compulsion by both camps to debate the merits of the sport one way or the other. If you don’t like soccer, by all means, don’t attend games, read the articles or watch it on TV. Same goes for the soccer snobs. You’re worse than baseball stat geeks. The Sounders have already proven that the MLS can work in a North American city in a fantastic way. They’ve put a quality, entertaining product on the field that plays in an electric environment full of soccer hooligans. Let it go.

Put on your scarf, have a pint and enjoy yourself.

Seattle sports revisionist history

mittensports@gmail.com (The Mitten) — Mon, 04 May 2009 15:10:00 +0000

Yeah, I mailed it in last week. There were extenuating circumstances, though. My last day of work was Friday. I had a couple of phone interviews. I may have played golf three or four times. I may have stayed out until the wee hours of the morning playing poker on one occasion.

So, reader Charlie’s e-mail was a nice reminder to get my act together and get back to work … sorta speak. I’m waiting for someone to make a video completely revising my 2008. That would be nice. But we’ll give these guys an A for effort when it comes to 2008 Seattle sports revisionist history.

Curry was perfect choice for Hawks

mittensports@gmail.com (The Mitten) — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 20:10:00 +0000

The 2009 NFL Draft couldn’t have played out better for the Seattle Seahawks. They didn’t get sucked into the hype of Mark Sanchez, stuck to their scouting reports and went with the best player in the draft after he fell to No. 4: Aaron Curry.

The linebacker from Wake Forest had to have been a no-brainer for Seattle GM Time Ruskell. Curry is a high-character, explosive linebacker who will pay dividends in the years to come.

For the Hawks’ NFC West rivals Niners and Cardinals, they reached in the first round. The Niners get a busted up head case wide receiver in Michael Crabtree. Arizona picked up a busted up over-used running back from Ohio State in Beanie Wells.

And don't cry over not picking up Sanchez. He might look great in shorts and solid on the white board, but paying franchise money to a guy who has played just 16 college games in his career is a risk.

Getting Denver’s No. 1 pick in 2010 was a master stroke. Then giving up the third and fourth round picks for center Max Unger from Oregon was just as good. This draft was shallow and Ruskell getting Denver’s No. 1 should guarantee a high pick next year because the Broncos are going to suck.

The 2010 draft should provide ample opportunity for Seattle to pick up a quarterback and running back of the future. Names like Tebow, McCoy and LeFevour will be available at the quarterback spot. And possibly Sam Bradford and Jake Locker – after he gets tired of taking a beating because he’s got no talent around him. Running back prospects include C.J. Spiller, Chris Brown and Jonathan Dwyer. Bottom line, there's lots of talent at the skilled positions, so don't freak out.

Here's a little preview of the guy you'll see at Qwest Field next season:

Sober Seattle Saturday: The week in sports missed because you were intoxicated

mittensports@gmail.com (The Mitten) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 15:08:00 +0000

It appears the athletic directors at Washington and Washington State hit a major roadblock at the last moment and could not come to an agreement that would move the Apple Cup to Qwest Field. The hiccup? The greedy SOBs couldn’t agree on how many tickets to divide up between the two schools. Qwest holds 67,000 and UW wanted all 43,000 season ticket holders to be guaranteed tickets. Wazzu wouldn’t go for it, insisting the seat allocation be split down the middle. Seems to me that it would have been fair to alternate every other year. One year the Huskies take care of their season ticket holders, the other year, Wazzu takes care of theirs. But that probably makes too much sense. In any case, the Apple Cup won’t be played at Qwest and that’s a good thing.

Seattle PI

Seattle PI wears women’s underwear
The once venerable Seattle news gathering institution jumped the shark on Wednesday with its front page domination of The Seattle Mist training camp. Anyhoo, The Mist is Seattle’s Lingerie Football League team and columnist Jim Moore and photographer Joshua Trujillo were hastily dispatched to watch the girls run around in tank tops. I’ll be honest, like many of Moore’s columns I couldn’t make it past the third paragraph before giving up. So, there you go. Since the PI went exclusively online a few weeks ago, it’s probably figuring out what many of us bloggers learned a while ago: girls wearing little to no clothing drives traffic. Welcome to the Dark Side SeattlePI.com!

Erik Bedard: Eat sh*t Mitten
My favorite punching bag, Mariners starting pitcher Erik Bedard, is providing less and less fodder for this blog. Quite simply, the guy is lights out – pitching like we all hoped he would when he joined the Mariners last season. Last night’s performance was no different. Bedard went 6-2/3 innings, giving up just 2 earned runs, 5 hits and striking out 6. The two earned runs are understandable and came in the bottom half of the sixth inning. The M’s put up six runs in the top half of that inning and Bedard sat cold on the bench and watched the offense bat around. M's won 8-3.

Breaking News: NFL Draft Today
The only way you wouldn’t know about today’s NFL Draft would be you don’t watch sports, read this blog or are currently being held in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. But I’m pretty sure they get SportsCenter even down there. In case you still haven’t laid a wager with your buddies on who will be the Seahawks’ first pick, here are some updated mock drafts. NFLDraftScout.com, NationalFootballPost.com, SeahawksDraftBlog.com, WashingtonPost.com, ChicagoTribune.com, and NFL.com.

Bill 6116 barely breathing
Senate Bill 6116 is on life support, but it may still be passed by tomorrow. If you’re clueless as to what this is, well, it is legislation that will pretty much determine whether or not Seattle ever gets another NBA team. You can read one of my prior posts on the subject here. I may have called people some names in that one. Not something I’m proud of. A little proud. Giddy, really.

Call the legislative hotline, but be nice-ish: 1-800-562-6000

Thanks to Madden Curse, Fitzgerald will miss the '09 season

mittensports@gmail.com (The Mitten) — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 16:38:00 +0000

Great news today for Seattle Seahawks fans who were dreading their undersized and under-talented defensive backs having to face Arizona wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald twice next season. EA Sports unveiled the cover of Madden NFL 10 and Fitzgerald shares the spotlight with Pittsburgh’s Troy Polamalu.

Players who grace the cover of Madden have a knack for suffering a devastating injury while oftentimes crushing the chances their teams have of making the playoffs. If you've been living in hole somewhere, it's called the Madden Curse. Here's a complete biography of players who’ve been doomed by the curse.

Former Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander busted up his foot the year he was on the cover following an MVP season. Cover boy Michael Vick was injured in 2003. And Vince Young told a national TV audience that he prayed he wouldn’t get hurt after he learned in 2007 he would be featured on Madden NFL 2008.

“I done prayed about it and we're gonna go home and try to get to the playoffs and try to get to the Super Bowl,” he said. “We'll see what happens.”

Young had a solid season in 2007, but in 2008, he injured his knee in the season’s first game against Jacksonville. He was subsequently benched and lost his job to Kerry Collins.

Friday Links: Stop Working Immediately

mittensports@gmail.com (The Mitten) — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 09:00:00 +0000

You may not have noticed that the NBA playoffs have begun. It’s understandable that you forgot because your pro basketball team the Seattle SuperSonics was stolen from you with the help of the elected officials you helped put into office. You may also have become a small, bitter man like me who never passes on the opportunity to make fun of the NBA, David Stern and anything related to Boston sports.

The following is a list of links to help completely destroy your productivity at work this afternoon. Enjoy:

Hockeyfights.com – Ummm, I just found out about this site aaaand I’m pretty sure I’m never leaving the house again. Pure genius. I love this country. [via With Leather]

Sky Entertainment – One day people will learn that the only thing you win by dunking a basketball off a trampoline is the loss of your two front teeth. Until that day arrives, we get great video.

9 to Fried – A few tips in case you feel like lashing out at those annoying “Green” Office Nazis.

Awful Announcing – Pop star Justin Timberlake stops by SportsCenter. He was likeable, stylish and insightful. I hate him.

InGameNow – Washed up professional athletes who can’t fight, swim, golf, box or play baseball. Included is video of Chuck Barkley swinging a golf club. It’s so bad it’s beautiful.

YouTube.com – The other night I watched HBO’s boxing special “Thrilla in Manila” about Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali, two of the greatest fighters of all time. These guys are nothing like them.

Droppin' draft knowledge, the non-Sanchez edition

mittensports@gmail.com (The Mitten) — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 01:12:00 +0000

We've reached a fever pitch about who the Seattle Seahawks might choose with the No. 4 pick in the NFL Draft. It's crazier than a rat in a tin sh*t house and I’m pretty much loving every moment.

There's a dearth of information out there about prospective draft picks. Forgive me if I don’t go all Sanchez all the time, but there's too much of it and there’s no way the Hawks pick him. Right? Here’s some reading material about guys not named Sanchez in preparation for your Saturday afternoon in front of the television. Take it easy on the cheese doodles:

Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest
Rob Rang of NFLDraftScout.com says Aaron Curry will not be the first defensive player drafted and my head just exploded. Defensive end Tyson Jackson is going to be the guy, he says (more on Jackson below).

Danny O’Neil at the Seattle Times posts some video on his blog of Curry hurting people and a short scouting blurb. Also included is Mark “The Second Coming” Sanchez and busted up wide receiver Michael Crabtree.

Beanie Wells, RB, Ohio State
Nope, not kidding at all. Chad Reuter likes Seattle to pick up the running back from Ohio State. In the first round, not the second.

Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU
Matt Bowen of NationalFootballPost.com says former LSU defensive end Tyson Jackson’s stock is rising. Even if Aaron Curry is still on the board when the Hawks pick, it’s not impossible that the Seahawks take Jackson. Later on in the same post, Bowen opines about Redskins owner Daniel Snyder’s man crush on Mark Sanchez.

Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State
Field Gulls tries to get into Seattle GM Tim Ruskell’s head and makes a strong case for Jenkins. It totally makes sense until I get talked into something else a few minutes later.

Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech
The Sporting News’ scouting report on Michael Crabtree. At the bottom of the page is a video by Pro Football Talk, which predicts Crabtree falls to No. 7 with the Raiders or possibly out of the Top 10 due to concerns about his character and attitude.

Matt Bowen looks at the hurdles rookie wide receivers face in the NFL thinks taking Crabtree in the top 10 would be a mistake.

Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia
The New York Times NFL blog likes Eugene Monroe with Seattle’s No. 4 pick.

Seahawks General
Clark Judge at CBSSports.com says Seattle’s pick at No. 4 will set the tone for the rest of the draft.

Pro Football Weekly runs some quotes from unnamed team executives. There are some nuggets in there about whether the Hawks go with Curry or Sanchez.

This Week’s Man Crush: Jarrod Washburn

mittensports@gmail.com (The Mitten) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:25:00 +0000

Even as I write this, I can’t believe it. Mariners starting pitcher Jarrod Washburn is This Week’s Man Crush. Amazing and well deserved. Dare I say he has even become the rotation’s stopper? Yikes.

Washburn ended a Mariners two-game skid on Tuesday, pitching 7 innings with a cramp in his side. He allowed 2 earned runs, 5 hits and struck out 9. Nine. The win takes him to 3-0 with a 1.71 ERA.

While many are pleasantly surprised, we all may have been able to forecast a turnaround at some point. Since the start of the 2005 season, no American League pitcher has received worse run support than Washburn. His teams have scored 2 runs or less in 58 of his 120 starts and 0 runs in 13 games.

Washburn’s first victory came on April 9 in Minnesota when he threw 8 innings of shutout ball. On April 15 he went 6 innings, giving up just 2 earned runs.

Here’s what Mike Sweeney told M’s Seattle Times beat writer Geoff Baker:

"In the fifth inning, he was grabbing his side," Mariners first baseman Mike Sweeney said. "Many people would have gotten through the fifth, just shut it down and said 'Bullpen go get them!’ But he went out there for two more innings and really showed the heart of a lion tonight. And that's what this team is about. Fighting for each other. Guys feed off that. When they see the starter going out there every fifth day, not just five and dive, and playing through injury, it means a lot."

About the Man Crush: This is a weekly installment for the blog where, for good or for bad, I’ll highlight one stand-out player or sports celebrity.

Gutless state Democrats try to kill arena bill

mittensports@gmail.com (The Mitten) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:51:00 +0000

There are certain types of spinelessness you might encounter from time to time. A friend who is afraid of roller coasters, for example. Laying up on a short par 5 instead of going for the green. Or maybe the fear of riding shotgun with Seahawks linebacker Leroy Hill.

Then there’s the spinelessness that is reserved for those who hold public office. This is the worst kind and it’s currently on display in your state capitol of Olympia. I really don’t like to resort to name calling … who am I kidding, it’s my favorite thing … but we’re at a point here with this whole KeyArena/Sonics/Seattle Center/Free F*cking Money From Rich People thing that we need to begin calling our government leadership for what they are.

Gutless.

Substitute Senate Bill 6116 had passed a key committee over the weekend and was poised to go the floor for a vote yesterday. The bill would extend existing hotel, restaurant and rental car taxes and redirect a portion of those funds to be used for upkeep on Qwest and Safeco Fields as well as the $75 million needed to renovate KeyArena. Extending the tax would also fund tourism, youth sports, regional centers, low-income housing and a remodel of Husky Stadium.

Sonics fans were hoping the bill would pass because if funding isn’t in place for a KeyArena upgrade by the end of 2009, there is virtually no chance the arena will be upgraded by 2013 and former Sonics now Thunder owner Clay Bennett won’t have to pay the city $30 million as part of the lease-breaking agreement. Plus, the city would lose out on an additional $150 million that would have been donated for renovations to Seattle Center and the arena by a group of local business people led by Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer.

Then the Democrats got together.

According to an item in the Seattle Times, the state Democratic Caucus had too many objections to the bill. Some didn’t like that the revenue would fund the arena upgrade. Some didn’t like that it would fund the arts. Some didn’t like that it would fund public housing.

So, they decided not to bring the bill to a vote. They made a decision behind closed doors – where the voting public can’t hold them accountable. I would have a whole lot more respect for them if they brought it to a vote and then voted it down. But sitting on the bill in a caucus meeting is, well, gutless. In the nearly 20 years I’ve been allowed to vote, I’ve never voted Republican. That may soon change. Democrats seem to be OK with raising taxes everywhere else, but when it comes to extending this existing tax, no dice.

Sports fans in this region lost a 41-year-old civic institution when Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels let the Sonics out of its lease for pennies on the dollar. The state legislators owe it to us to bring this to a vote so we can learn who voted for and who voted against the bill. It’ll give sports fans and voters another piece of information to help them with their choice when their senator is up for re-election.

I encourage anyone who cares about this, for or against, to call the legislative hotline at 1-800-562-6000.

Seahawks should address defense in the draft

mittensports@gmail.com (The Mitten) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 17:58:00 +0000

One NFL draft analyst said this week that if the draft were held in June, quarterbacks would comprise the top five picks. The logic being that given enough time to think about it and the criticality of having a top tier quarterback to win, every general manager would have talked themselves into thinking any available quarterback could be their franchise quarterback. Franchise QBs are like gold they say, and if you find one, you have to pick ‘em.

And this seems to be the direction the 2009 NFL draft is going. On Saturday we might see two quarterbacks taken within the first four picks - Matt Stafford to Detroit and Mark Sanchez to Seattle. Now there is more talk that St. Louis and Kansas City are willing to trade their No. 2 and 3 picks respectively, opening the door to anyone who is will to trade up to get Sanchez (Redskins or Jets maybe?). We could see quarterbacks taken No. 1 and 2.

That scenario would be the best possible outcome for the Seattle Seahawks at No. 4. The temptation to take Sanchez is there, but they don’t need him. Not right now. Not with the defense the Seahawks currently have in place. If you go by the numbers, the Seattle Seahawks defense was a catastrophe last season.

25th in points allowed with 24.5 points per game
30th in the NFL in total yards allowed with 378 yards per game
32nd in passing defense, allowing 259.3 yards per game
18th in rushing defense, allowing 118.7 yards per game

It was a considerable drop off from the 2007:

7th defense in points allowed with 18.2 points per game
15th in total yards allowed with 321.8 yards per game
19th in passing defense, allowing 219.1 yards per game
12th in rushing defense, allowing 102.8 yards per game

The reasons for the drop off are varied. Some say the defense was gassed because the Seahawks patchwork of an offense couldn’t ever string together a drive. There’s merit to the argument, opponents had the ball nearly two hours more than the Seahawks for the season. They lost the time of possession battle in every game except for the season finale in Arizona, when they still lost by nearly two touchdowns.

However, the “bend, but don’t break” defense that they like to talk about running pretty much invites opponents to eat up the clock on you. And if you’re going to play that way with an undersized defense, wouldn’t you think they’d be better conditioned to stay on the field? In any case, the Hawks defense didn’t help their own cause by coming up with a stop and gettting off the field. Their opponents converted on third down 42.3 percent of the time, which puts them in the bottom third of the league. Opponents converted 61.5 percent on fourth down. Unfortunately, it could be they don't have the talent or size to compete. It may not be just the system.

Another big question is whether or not the Seahawks have adequately addressed the defense with the addition of defensive lineman Cory Redding along with a new coaching staff and defensive coordinator. Without a real answer for that, the Seahawks should look at picking the best available defender in the draft because, they can use the help at every position. Here are the top five defensive players in the draft and what NFLDraftScout.com has to say about each:

1. Aaron Curry, LB - The 2008 Butkus Award winner, given to the nation's top linebacker, Curry so impressed the award's namesake that Dick Butkus surprised him in early December when he arrived on campus to personally hand the award to its recipient. Curry started 49 of the 51 games he appeared in, going on to rank third in school annals with 45.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage. The All-American defender also finished ninth on Wake Forest's all-time record list with 332 total tackles.

2. Tyson Jackson, DE - Jackson's decision to return to school for his senior season in 2008 seems to have paid off. With more NFL teams expected to convert to a 3-4 defensive alignment in 2009, Jackson has the frame, strength and run-stuffing ability to fit the mold of the type of defensive end used in that system. In a classic 4-3 setup, most scouts felt he would be better suited playing inside at defensive tackle. A three-year starter at left defensive end, Jackson proved to be a capable, yet unspectacular pass rusher, managing just eight quarterback sacks over his last two seasons -- compared to 8.5 as a sophomore. His forte was flushing the quarterback out of the pocket, as he boasts 30 pressures for his career, along with his run-containment skills, ranking 11th in school history with 27 tackles behind the line of scrimmage.

3. Brian Orakpo, DE - Orakpo, a product of the Texas training program, came to the university as a lanky basketball player, but is leaving the school as a rock-solid defensive end. He worked his way up the depth chart to earn a starting job as a junior. Despite lost time in each of his last two years due to knee injuries, he filled his mantelpiece this winter, capturing Big Twelve Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors. He also claimed the Lombardi Award (best lineman), Nagurski Trophy (best defensive player) and Hendricks Award (best defensive end).

4. B.J. Raji, DT - Raji made a successful return to the field in 2008 after sitting out the previous season due to academic issues. He re-joined teammate Ron Brace in the middle of the front wall, as they proved to be one of the most feared defensive tackle tandems in college football. With those two anchored in the middle of the line, they combined for 11 of the team's 35 sacks (31.43 percent) and 27 of the Eagles' 108 tackles behind the line of scrimmage (25.0 percent). Raji led a unit that led the Atlantic Coast Conference in rush defense (91.21 ypg, seventh in the NCAA) and total defense (268.14 ypg, ranked fifth nationally).

5. Malcolm Jenkins, CB - Positives: Lockdown corner. Very physical at the line, has a strong punch to knock receivers off their route. Attacks ball carriers behind the line, making secure tackles. Also willing to assist in tackles downfield or inside. Effective playing off receivers as he can flip open his hips and accelerate, close quickly on the ball in front of him or change direction to mirror receivers. Stays with even the fastest receivers down the sideline. Plays free safety on occasion and has all of the tools to succeed there in the NFL. Excellent hands for the interception, and he has the vertical to high-point the ball and strength to fight for it. Can make plays with the ball in his hands.

M’s middle infield is fat, not 'ph' phat

mittensports@gmail.com (The Mitten) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 15:05:00 +0000

Yesterday afternoon’s game against the Detroit Tigers provided fans a sort of “State of the Middle Infield” for their Seattle Mariners.

Second baseman Jose Lopez started the game at first base, which should tell you something right there. And shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt booted consecutive late inning ground balls, yielding two unearned runs for the Tigers. M’s lose 8-2.

There is plenty of statistical evidence stretching back to last season that outlines what a train wreck the shortstop position has become. There’s an excellent post on U.S.S. Mariner about this. Anecdotally, just from watching the games as a spectator, it’s pretty clear that Betancourt and Lopez have become too large to play the position effectively. They’ve lost their range and possibly their desire. To sum it up, they’re too fat.

In Betancourt’s case, not only has become a liability in the field, but he’s still hacking away at the plate. He’s been able to lay down a bunt or two, but he’s yet to draw a walk and can’t work a count to save his life. On the drive home, fans were treated to more anecdotal evidence of Betancourt’s laissez-faire attitude toward improvement. The Mariners flagship station clubhouse reporter Shannon Drayer implied that getting Yuni to take some extra ground balls, at the very least, would be next to impossible and getting him to even listen to his infield coach would take an act of God. Asking Betancourt to change his approach at the plate would be equally futile.

Lopez’s largesse was on painful display a couple nights ago when he tagged up at third and was thrown out at the plate on a rainbow toss from Detroit’s Curtis Granderson in center field. Not only did Lopez do the penguin dance down the third base line, but he ass-flopped into home plate. No hook slide to avoid the tag, no going wide to the inside to swipe the plate with his hand – two cheeks went up in the air and two cheeks came straight down. It was like a cartoon. Haven’t seen anything like it since Little League.

The saving grace in this is that GM Jack Zduriencik had the foresight to add infielder Ronny Cedano to the roster in the offseason. Originally, the thought was Cedano would push Lopez and Betancourt to improve while indirectly pushing them from the dinner table. If the M’s want to continue to hold a lead in the AL West, it now seems that Cedano is a no-brainer at shortstop and maybe some backup middle infield relief can be found at the AAA or AA level.

Here’s where the much hyped, new and improved clubhouse chemistry will be tested. Next step, if it hasn’t been done already is for Mike Sweeney and Ken Griffey Jr. to take Lopez and Betancourt by the scruff of the neck and out of the buffet line. At the very least, this is what they should do. If they can get either of them, especially Betancourt, to put in some extra work, that would be a bonus.

Hawks' interest in Sanchez a ruse?

mittensports@gmail.com (The Mitten) — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 15:19:00 +0000

It’s been two weeks in which people have attempted to talk me into the idea that drafting Mark Sanchez would be a good thing. And for two weeks I’ve attempted to talk them into the idea that drafting Mark Sanchez would be a bad thing.

Now, I don’t know anything about anything anymore.

With the No. 4 pick overall in the NFL Draft, the Seahawks have made it known that the former USC quarterback is near or at the top of their list. Draft gurus and analysts are all pointing to Sanchez. I listened to ESPN insider John Clayton for a few hours on his Saturday radio show yesterday and he doesn’t even know for sure what the Hawks should do in the first round. And if Clayton doesn’t know anymore, you know something is screwy.

If you like to over-think things like I do, one might come to the conclusion that the Seahawks’ interest in Sanchez is simply a clever ruse to get Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder to make another irrational decision to trade up to the No. 3 spot for Sanchez. A one-sided bro-mance emerged when Snyder fell head over checkbook for Sanchez after watching the quarterback workout in Los Angeles for scouts.

If this happens, and Danny Boy gets his man in Sanchez, badass linebacker and high-character guy Aaron Curry would be right there for the taking. Seattle GM Tim Ruskell must have developed a man crush of his own when he learned Curry wouldn’t be attending the draft with a posse of his boys. No, he’s taking a young kid who survived a battle with leukemia. Almost to a fault, character matters more than talent for Ruskell. Plus, some are saying Curry is the next Dick Butkus. Stop it already!

I’m not sure what the Redskins could give Kansas City to lose Aaron Curry. Definitely multiple picks, including their first rounder, possibly a starting defender, an offensive lineman and probably a kidney. Who knows?

If Sanchez is as good as some of the draft gurus are saying he is, and he’d be the franchise quarterback of the future, I’d have to concede that it would make sense to take Sanchez even though the history of highly drafted quarterbacks is littered with cautionary tales (see Leaf, Ryan; Smith, Alex).

From what I’ve read thus far, Sanchez could be the safest quarterback pick among he, Matt Stafford and Josh Freeman. Sanchez’s arm might not be as strong as the other two, but it is said he has better intangibles, footwork and a greater ability to grasp the pro playbook. Bottom line, he’s a smart guy who can lead an offense and a team. Sounds like Matt Hasselbeck.

Speaking of Hasselbeck, Sanchez has indicated he’d love to come to Seattle. Well, duh. Sanchez would be paid $12 million a year to hold a clipboard and learn from one of the best quarterbacks in the NFC for a couple years. Who wouldn’t like that gig? Conversely, if Sanchez goes to Washington, he can kiss his sweet California-tanned keaster goodbye. He’ll be playing and playing right away. Danny won't wait and coach Jim Zorn doesn't have the seeds to stand up to him.

On the weeks the draft gurus aren’t picking Sanchez, they are back to picking Michael Crabtree. This is the wide receiver that hasn’t run a 40-yard dash for scouts yet, is still recovering from foot surgery, was shorter than everyone thought and teams have begun to question Crabtree’s overall desire to push himself. Sounds terrible, but pretty much on par with any wide receiver you get these days. Offensive tackle Eugene Monroe’s name is still out there as well. He could be the safest pick of all with the fewest question marks.

We’ll know what the Hawks do for sure in about six days. Sometimes you just have to go big or go home. Roll the dice and hope for the best. The moment Seattle selects its No. 3 pick may be one of those times.

Friday Links: Stop working immediately

mittensports@gmail.com (The Mitten) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 10:00:00 +0000

If you wondered why the youth of America continue to lag behind the rest of the free world in math and science, please review Exhibit A, below. If Bevis had paid attention during sixth grade science hour, he’d have learned taking a bat to a home-made bomb and then standing in a puddle of ignited fuel would be painful. Especially in flip flops. Lesson learned. Maybe. Probably not.

The following is a list of links to help completely destroy your productivity at work this afternoon. Enjoy:

With Leather: More proof that cheerleaders are like the mafia. When you get whacked by a cheerleader, she doesn’t make a sound. You’re just dead.

Black Sports Online: I know O.J. Simpson seems like a cool guy who has it all together, but Hulk Hogan should try not to be like O.J. Killing your wife is bad. And pretty illegal.

Awful Announcing: Because I hate the Yankees and Bob Costas.

Midwest Sports Fans: A video ode to the retired John Madden. Warning: there is video of Madden calling a play in Super Bowl XL. I hate you Ben Roethlisberger.

Sports by Brooks: Tampa fans hock their free bling because looking like a goodfella went out with The Sopranos.

Trojan Wire: Esquire magazine profiles the fall from grace of former USC quarterback Todd Marinovich, who at the time was touted as the perfectly engineered athlete. If you ever thought, “Hey, I wonder if doing heroin would be cool,” your answer can be found here.

This Week's Man Crush: Ichiro

mittensports@gmail.com (The Mitten) — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 17:03:00 +0000

Actor Eddie Murphy famously once said, “I'm a karate man! And a karate man bruises on the inside! They don't show their weakness.” That little jewel of Zen-like wisdom can be applied to Seattle’s favorite Japanese philosopher and right fielder Ichiro Suzuki.

Ichiro played in his first game last night since being placed on the 15-day DL with a bleeding ulcer. Looking at him last night you wouldn’t have known he was ever injured. But maybe the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim pitching staff thought Ichiro was weakened because of his injured insides. Maybe they thought they could hang a curveball and get away with it. And that's what Ichiro wants you to think. Just when it looks like you’ve got him on the mat, he strikes back with deadly precision.

Showing no weakness, Ichiro took a 3-2 breaking ball and deposited it into the right field stands for a grand slam last night as the Mariners throttled the Angels 11-3. The home run capped a seven-run seventh inning and put the game out of reach for the Angels.

The hit also puts Ichiro at 3,085 career hits between his seasons in Japan and Seattle. He’s now tied with Japan’s hit king Isao Harimoto, who made the trip to Seattle and was in attendance at Safeco Field.

"A lot of time when I have a record on the line, I have a tendency to hit a home run in those situations, so it crossed my mind maybe it would happen,” Ichiro said after the game. "But a grand slam? That barely happens in any situation, so it definitely didn't cross my mind."

About the Man Crush: This is a weekly installment for the blog where, for good or for bad, I’ll highlight one stand-out player or sports celebrity.

Don’t play the Apple Cup at Qwest Field

mittensports@gmail.com (The Mitten) — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 16:32:00 +0000

Even Wrigley Field finally succumbed to the mighty dollar, erecting lights so the team could play more night games and the owners could make more money. According to an article in The Spokesman-Review, the officials at Washington and Washington State universities are strongly considering playing the Apple Cup at Qwest Field in Seattle. Permanently. An agreement is expected to be finalized soon.

In a word: dumb.

However, I understand the economics driving the decision. The schools would be guaranteed $2 million each if the game was held at Qwest. Currently, the schools earn about $800,000 when the game is played at Husky Stadium and $240,000 when in Pullman.

From an esthetics standpoint, this decision blows. A move to Qwest Field would sterilize and corporatize the event. Each year, the game would look the same. There would be no future “Snow Bowls.” And worst of all there would be no tailgating. That’s right, you’re not allowed to at Qwest Field. But there are a number of restaurants around the area that would be happy to serve you $7 beers and $15 hamburgers.

We would lose the feel of an on-campus event. Where students can shake off the prior night’s “social” event and meander down to the stadium. You take away the homecoming feel for alumni travelling back to Pullman for a showdown with the Huskies. Last time I checked, this game was still a collegiate event.

And speaking of Husky Stadium, remind me why we’re all writing our legislators and asking for state funds to renovate the football stadium on Montlake? If you’re going to start reducing the number of home games played at Husky Stadium, why upgrade? That’s a question that’ll be asked – not that I totally agree – but it’s a valid concern. Why not play all the games at Qwest Field. Are you ready to answer these questions? How would the Tyee Club feel about this?

If this is the route college football programs want to take, so be it. But if they chose to chase dollars while paying lip service to the sanctity of the “Student Athlete,” I suggest these college athletes form a union and get what they deserve.

Go get paid.