Assist by The Mitten

Employment, Football and Week 2 Picks

mittensports@gmail.com (The Mitten) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 19:10:00 +0000

So, a lot has happened in the nearly two months since my last post. Most of these things have contributed to my not writing and some may just get me divorced. Let’s get to it:

Gainful Employment – Yes, that’s correct, there are jobs out there and I got one of the four that were available in the country. Don’t worry, if you’ve been laid off, you too can earn 25 to 50 percent less than you made a year ago.

Baseball Season – Thank God it’s ending. Seattle fans are so painfully in denial about how bad this team is, they were assigning moral victories to late-season trades. This season reminds me a lot of the 1991 team that finished over .500 for the first time in franchise history and everyone was high-fiving each other. Except for manager Jim Lefebvre. He got canned. I don’t want moral victories for small improvements. I want a fucking World Series. Enough already.

Washington Football – Speaking of moral victories, the Dawgs hung in there with LSU to start the college football season and then beat on a weaker Idaho team. And good for them. Eventually, the Athletic Department will stop scheduling BCS Top 10 opponents to start the season and let the kids kick the hell out of some smaller schools so the team isn’t starting the season 1-4 or 0-3. By the way, if gambling were legal, I’d be pounding Washington -20 at home against USC. I smell a giant letdown after the Trojans beat Ohio State on the road. There was lots of hype, lots of energy, and lots of ESPN interviews and behind the scenes features leading up to that game for USC. There will be none of that crap this week and they’ll come out flat in Seattle. They’ll win, but won’t cover. Banging Washington and taking the points.

Seahawks Season Opener - I took the wife to the Seahawks season opener. Enough said. Actually, one more thing. Is anyone else concerned that Matt Hasselbeck couldn’t throw the ball downfield unless it was into double or triple coverage? I’m hoping it’s rust since he hadn’t played in a meaningful game in almost a year and hadn’t really played in a game in nearly three weeks.

NFL Week 1 – There were plenty of WTF moments in week 1. Neither the Pats nor Bolts cover, but both eek out wins. New England’s defense looked porous at best. San Diego is looking like the Seahawks from a year ago. Instead of listing who is injured on offense, the Chargers should just tell us who isn’t and we’ll go from there. Houston, who I thought was a super dark horse to do big things in the post season threw up all over themselves and got whooped by a rookie quarterback, making his first start on the road. Maybe Mark Sanchez is the real deal. I’m not buying yet. The supposed stout Baltimore defense gives up 24 points at home to the Chiefs who were playing without Matt Cassel. Backup Brodie Croyle posts a 116.1 passer rating.

NFL Week 2
Here are my picks and sometimes thoughtful reasoning:

New England (-4) at New York Jets – Maybe I’m stuck in 2008, but I just don’t see Bill Belichick allowing the Patriots to not bounce back in a big way. Tom Brady looked not so great in the first half Monday night, but he gained his rhythm back in the second half and the defense seemed to figure things out a little bit. I’m not jumping on the Sanchez bandwagon yet and I’m not buying the Rex Ryan is a genius thing either, just like I didn’t buy the Man-genius hype. I’m taking New England.

Baltimore (+3) at San Diego – Baltimore is 1-4 against the spread in the last five on the road at San Diego. They had a hard time with the Kansas City offense last week at home. So, why wouldn’t you take Baltimore straight up, right? That and the Bolts are banged up and feel a shame spiral manifesting since they didn’t blow out Oakland on Monday night.

Houston (+7) at Tennessee – Titans running back Chris Johnson will go off, there’s no way he repeats a 57-yard rushing day. And Tennessee seemed to quiet down the talk of a rough life after Albert Haynesworth. Taking Tennessee -7.

Cincinnati (+9) at Green Bay – Green Bay fans want to see Aaron Rogers open it up and the Packers want to prove they are for real after sputtering to a win over the Bears. Beating the Bengals won’t do anything to help announce their arrival, but a healthy ass kicking would be a show of good faith.

Carolina (+6) at Atlanta – Jake Delhomme is shell shocked and they can’t run the ball. The Panthers had seven turnovers last week, Delhomme is probably on a short leash and they’re going into Atlanta who has a running back in Michael Turner who is due. Love Atlanta to win big.

Seattle (+1.5) at San Francisco – Homer pick. San Francisco continues to pat themselves on the back for beating the NFC champs at home the week prior. Meanwhile the Seahawks do just enough to squeak out a late field goal to win. Seahawks +1.5.

Minnesota (-10) at Detroit – Adrian Peterson is real good. Detroit is real bad. Minnie -10.

St. Louis (+9.5) at Washington – St. Louis committed so many knucklehead penalties in Seattle last week and Marc Bulger had the swagger of Jake Delhomme. The Rams are 3-6 ATS on the road at Washington and 3-7 ATS in last 10 games. Washington at home -9.5.

Arizona (+3) at Jacksonville – There is nothing I like about this game. I have no idea what AZ is, but I know they aren’t very good, like most West Coast teams, when they head to the East Coast. Jags for no real good reason -3.

Oakland (+3) at Kansas City – It sounds like Matt Cassel will be back for this game and the Raiders are still the Raiders. Unless Raiders coach Tom Cable can take an early flight and bust the jaws of two thirds of the team, KC wins -3.

Tampa Bay (+5) at Buffalo – Tampa Bay is a mess. Trent Edwards looks like he can move the ball for Buffalo and T.O. hasn’t lost his shit. Yet. Buffalo -5.

Cleveland (+3) at Denver – I’m taking Clevland and Brady Quinn looked ayight. Except for getting sacked five times. Just can’t go with Denver.

Pittsburgh (-3) at Chicago – When Brian Urlacher doesn’t play, the Bears don’t win. That’s enough for me. Pittsburgh -3.

New York Giants (+3) at Dallas – The Giants cover and Cowboys don’t. Everyone goes gaga over Dallas’ new home and New York thanks everyone for the win and the comfy accommodations while they were in town. NYG +3.

Indianapolis (-3) at Miami – Taking the home dog Miami in a must win for them before they have to travel to San Diego. A 0-3 start would be an early season death knell. Miami +3.

This Week’s Man Crush: Franklin Gutierrez

mittensports@gmail.com (The Mitten) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 03:07:00 +0000

What’s better than a major league baseball player running into a wall while chasing a fly ball? An international sex symbol major league baseball player running into a wall while chasing a fly ball. This week, Mariners outfielder Franklin Gutierrez has achieved both. One could also say Gutierrez has achieved the Seattle baseball fan adoration trifecta:

Bobblehead night? Check (July 24).
Above average season at the plate? Check.
Sex symbol status unseen since Alex Rodriguez whored around town? Check.

While some fans have called Gutierrez “dreamy” – I’m more interested in the simple pleasures of his game. Head first slides, face planting into walls, smart base running, you know, hustle plays. Gutierrez has come through in those situations while swinging the lumber (he’s hit half of his 12 HRs while hitting .386 in the last month or so). However, going head first into an immovable object has put a damper on things and the M’s outfielder has been out of the lineup since it happened a couple days ago. But you can't keep a good looking man down.

There’s no doubt the M’s marketing department is wondering when GM Jack Zduriencik is going to re-sign Gutierrez to a long-term deal. Our dreamboat is on a one-year contract for less than half a million. I mean, come on Jack, I understand you’re in the middle of a pennant race, but we’ve got future bobblehead and singles nights promotions to think about.

Johjima demotion minimizes damage behind the plate

mittensports@gmail.com (The Mitten) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:44:00 +0000

For the record, I’ve never been accused of leading the Kenji Johjima fan club. In fact, I can’t think of another major league catcher who has created a more visceral negative reaction when he’s behind the plate. In a word, he’s terrible. So, it was with open arms that I accepted the news that M’s catcher Rob Johnson was “officially” going to be handling the club’s best hurlers.

If one were to look at the stats, Johjima has Johnson beat in just about every offensive and defensive category. Johjima hits for better average and power and he throws out more runners. Still, I’ve rarely seen a worse backstop than Johjima. Catching is a lot like umpiring. Aside from when he throws out a runner, you shouldn’t be constantly aware of his presence on every play. I’m not sure how they approach the position in Japan, but it’s a like watching a gymnastics routine with Johjima. He seems to be fooled on every pitch, like he doesn’t know what’s coming. Lunging to his left or his right. Leap frogging from his crouch on a pitch high in the strike zone. Framing a pitch? Forget about it. Does Johjima think he’s being flamboyant, showing off his athleticism maybe? This has to infuriate pitchers even more since they spend half their time on the mound shaking off Johjima’s signs.

The team will have some interesting decisions to make very soon about the long-term health of this position. Johnson can’t hit for average and Johjima will receive $8 million a year through 2011 thanks to former GM Bill Bavasi’s keen talent evaluation skills. It’s possible that in a couple weeks two thirds of the M’s top rotation guys will no longer be on the club. Does that mean Johjima will get the chance to once again justify his salary?

The M’s have carried a light-hitting catcher on its roster before and had team success. Dan Wilson wasn’t a threat with the bat, but was a solid game manager behind the plate. Unfortunately, the 2009 version of the Mariners doesn’t have the big bats in their lineup to pick up the slack like they did in the early ‘90s.

Profiles of Sounders Nation

mittensports@gmail.com (The Mitten) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 08:00:00 +0000

In the team’s first season of play, the Sounders FC has turned the Seattle sports scene on its ear. They’re selling out every game and on Saturday packed the Qwest Pitch with more than 65,000 fans for their friendly with Chelsea. Any doubt that this has become, or maybe always was, a soccer town must be washed away.

I think it’s awesome, even though I’m not a big consumer of the game. I’ve got enough time management problems watching baseball, golf, football and poker on TV. Adding soccer would spell divorce with Mrs. The Mitten. However, I try to keep up with what’s going on through the newspapers, sports radio and blogs.

I’ve been entertained by the fans and promoters of the game along with the opponents of soccer. Every sport has its different classes of fan and soccer isn’t any different. So, I’ve tried to identify the species of each fan base below. I’m sure I’m missing one or more, so let me know. If you’re a super sensitive MLS fan, I probably wouldn’t continue reading. But if you do read on, try to summon a sense of humor.

The Expert – Not only will he make you feel like an idiot because you know next to nothing about soccer, but he will most likely turn you off soccer forever. The Expert is a close cousin of the Baseball Snob (think George Will, or any devout saber metrics disciple). No doubt you’re pretty excited about what is going on here in Seattle with the Sounders, but The Expert will rattle off a list of strategic reasons why the Sounders suck and that European soccer is the only true game. After listening to The Expert you’ll feel like breaking something.

The Defender of Freedom – Natural enemy of the Expert, the Defender or Freedom hasn’t taken the Bush/Cheney bumper sticker off his Ford F-150 and there isn’t a snowball’s chance in Hell he’s going to let a bunch of cheese-eatin’, commie-lovin’, pinko Euro-trash surrender monkeys think that soccer is on the same level as the big four of football, baseball, basketball or hockey. He didn't spend a year of his life knee deep in mud in the 'Nam to let something like this happen on his watch. He will defend the honor of the big four sports while keeping a watchful eye on our borders to make sure none of these soccer players from Latin America take jobs away from hard working Americans. Sarah Palin in 2012!

The Editor – This person had never read a sports page or listened to sports radio, but has played recreational soccer for years. Now that there is a major league soccer team in town, they have reason to plug into the sports media world. He or she serves as ombudsman and de facto editor for sports radio, blogs and sports pages everywhere. The Editor hasn't quite grasped the understanding that journalists sometimes mistakes and it's nothing personal. God forbid you misidentify a player in a photo caption or mispronounce a player’s name on the radio. The Editor’s righteous indignation will pour down on you like red hot magma and you will be shamed for your lack of attention to detail. Be on your game and be very afraid.

The True Fan – This person wants you to know that not only do they play soccer in some recreational league, but they’ll tell you that they followed the Sounders in the ‘70s (probably a lie), was a season ticket holder the years leading up to the creation of the MLS club and continues to be a season ticket holder and member of numerous supporter clubs. You might have season tickets, but the True Fan will let you know just how much of a bandwagon jumper you are. He’ll probably question you about Sounders history and minutia, but try to change the subject and then run away as fast as possible.

The Supporter – If you’re going to run into anyone, The Supporter is the guy you want to meet. They are true ambassadors of the game. Parts Expert and True Fan, Supporters are smart enough to know that it’s important for the longevity of the sport that it is inclusive of all fans – new and old. They are a welcoming bunch and are usually the leaders of the higher profile support clubs. These folks get it and are embarrassed when the True Fan or Expert goes on another nasty diatribe.

The Newbie – A Seahawks season ticket holder, never one to shy away from a party, The Newbie is really enjoying himself this summer. There’s chanting, excessive drinking, long stretches with little action – which makes it perfect for multiple beer runs. He doesn’t know squat about soccer, but he’s making the effort. Scarves, singing, over consumption … what’s not to like? The Newbie is just happy to be here.

The Lost Sonics Fan – Some of the Newbies are former Sonics fans looking for something to fill the void now that the NBA is gone and never coming back. They’ve found the warming embrace of Sounders co-owner Drew Carey comforting in their time of regret and despair. It’s going to be OK Lost Sonics Fan – there, there. Shhhhh….

The Sportswriter – This poor guy or gal hasn’t had to cover soccer since they were just starting out in the newsgathering business reporting on prep soccer. They thought those days were behind them, but now they are horrified to learn that Sounders soccer can’t be ignored and at some point in time they have to write or talk about it on the radio. This is a terrifying prospect for these folks as they desperately download soccer knowledge like The Mitten used to cram before a media law exams in college.

The Soccer Mom – If she doesn’t run you over in the parking lot with her mini-van, you’ll see her unload a platoon of soccer munchkins from the vehicle that would make a circus clown car act envious. Adidas sweat pants? Check. Oversized purse filled with juice boxes, Skittles and 20 pound bags of Kettle Corn? Check. Furrowed brow and commanding voice of a Marine drill sergeant? Check and check. If you see Soccer Mom, it’s best to just get out of her way. She’s taken on the seemingly impossible task of ferrying her daughter’s soccer team to and from Saturday’s match all on her own. Without a hair out of place and the agility of a gazelle, she will kill you without regret or hesitation if you get in the way of her mission.

The Soccer Dad – This baby boomer has three kids who refuse to play baseball, basketball or football and instead chose soccer as their sport. It has taken years for Soccer Dad to get over the fact that the sports of his youth hold no interest for his offspring’s generation. Many a night he’s sat alone in the dark with his box of old baseball cards – Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle, Sandy Koufax … sigh. He’s accepted this and is now a Sounders season ticket holder so he can spend some quality time with the kids. Soccer Dad should be admired. Most of the time he walks around with a confused look on his face – a stranger in a strange sports landscape. “First the Cold War ended and now this?” he asks. Ronald Reagan where have you gone?

Stern hopes Seattle gets an NBA team. Whatever.

mittensports@gmail.com (The Mitten) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:48:00 +0000

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rallied nearly 3 percent yesterday, there’s an outside chance that The Mitten gets a job offer today that doesn’t entail mopping the men’s room of a Shell station, and NBA commissioner David Stern told Seattle Times columnist Steve Kelley that he believes Seattle will be an NBA city once again. Things seem to be coming around. And if you believe all that, I have an NBA team to sell you.

"(Seattle) was a great city for the NBA," Stern told Kelley during an NBA summer league game in Las Vegas. "It supported us very well, and we had great teams and great memories. I don't consider it a success that we left Seattle, but a failure of types. And I hope someday, whether on my watch or a successor's watch, that we again have a team in Seattle."

Well, whoopdy-freakin’-doo.

I don’t need to tell people in this area that Stern is a disingenuous troll. Listening to him is worse than watching reruns of the final 1994 playoff game against Denver. I think Kelley is a fine journalist and it takes some stones to corner Stern at the Summer League and ask The Commish if he’s got anything to say to the fans in Seattle. But at this point, any talk of a return rings hollow. There are a number of things that need to happen along with the planets aligning in constellation “The Glove” (OK, I made that up) for the NBA to return to Seattle.

1. All of the casual NBA fans in Seattle must be deceased. The damage has been done and they don’t care anymore. If anything, they won’t go to a single game because you slighted their beloved city. If the NBA has done any market analysis in the last 50 years they’d have learned that Seattleites and those living in the Puget Sound area are unbelievable sensitive and defensive when it comes outside perceptions of their city. You take a cut at the Space Needle and the gloves come off. It’s endearing, but also a little pathetic. There’s sort of a small man’s disorder in play here. Whatever the case, an entire market demographic has been lost due to the months-long dump the NBA and Clay Bennett took on the good people of the region. In 30 to 40 years, there will be a new generation who didn’t go through this ordeal who may become fans. But for the casual fans here right now, they are gone and they are not coming back.

2. The die hard SuperSonics fan needs to pass on his passion for the game to the next generation. Just as there will be a new crop of would-be casual fans of the NBA in 30-40 years (assuming the NBA doesn’t economically imploded), there will need to be the next generation of die hard Sonics fans because it may take that long before a team is relocated to Seattle. These are the sons and daughters of the folks who rallied outside the courthouse or drove down to Olympia to lobby for their team’s home. There will need to be people who can teach others what it means to be a SuperSonics fan. Let’s hope the die hards haven’t been tainted forever.

3. The CEO of the largest software company in the world needs to stop laying off workers. I’m not going to tell Steve Ballmer what he should or shouldn’t do – he’s got more money than God. But if he is going to buy a basketball team, he should wait until the economy improves, whenever and if ever that happens. Ballmer has bigger fish to fry closer to home. Google is making noise with a new operating system and is already pummeling Microsoft in search. The Zune player is an afterthought next to the iconic i-pod. And the brightest computer science and mathematics students don’t want to work for Microsoft. They’re going to Google or somewhere else. Can Ballmer own an NBA franchise and keep his foot on the neck of the competition in an industry that doesn’t sleep let alone blink? Maybe.

4. A new privately-owned arena must be built. If the city thinks it can keep The Key running and profitable while making sure it doesn’t become the largest eyesore in the state, then by all means let them. They think they can attract big crowds and generate revenue with graduations, Seattle U basketball and the occasional Barry Manilow concert. I’m curious to see if this plan works. But the bemoaning from the Queen Anne business community says it’s not. Those businesses are hurting now that the Sonics aren’t bringing in large crowds 40 times a year. Remodeling The Key seems to now be an acceptable solution for the NBA, even though it was the reason it left. To avoid a never-ending battle about whether or not the arena is suitable, someone with deep pockets will have to finance the construction of a new building. If done right and constructed in a prime location, I think it would be a cash cow for all involved. The state isn’t going to hand over the money, never will. All signs are pointing to a newer-new economy – one with fewer jobs, lower wages and less tax revenue for the government. Even if the arena tax plan was a low-impact solution, it’s still political kryptonite.

I hope I’m wrong about everything I outlined above. Given my track record, there’s a better than even chance that I am. But the NBA and Stern have dug quite a crater in this corner of the country. The TV numbers show that people around here are still tuning in to NBA games, but nobody will admit to watching one. I’m guessing most of these folks are transplants, keeping tabs on their hometown squad. As for me, a local yokel whose team was high jacked to Oklahoma City, I’ve had a hard time watching more than a few minutes here and there.

Oh, and a side note to the Portland Trail Blazers management who think we’ll all become fans of your team: Never gonna happen.

Time has come to deal Bedard, Washburn

mittensports@gmail.com (The Mitten) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 21:14:00 +0000

Since we’ve got some time during the mid-summer classic break, it’s fun to think about the Mariners making a second-half run at the AL West pennant. They could hold on to pitchers Erik Bedard and Jarrod Washburn and really make a go of it. However, it’s not so fun to think about what this team would look like next year and possibly years after if they don’t deal both of these guys before the trade deadline.

The M’s have Bedard and Washburn who are pitching lights out in contract years. It’s time to sell high. You know what you have in Bedard: an often injured pitcher who will give you five good innings a game when healthy, but will miss four to six weeks of the season every year. It’s better than a 50-50 chance that he walks after this year, anyway. Next season, Washburn will demand more than the $10.35 million he is getting paid in the final year of his current contract. Sorry, check that. His agent Scott Boras will demand more than the $10.35 million he’s getting paid this season. At age 34, I don’t see how Washburn fits into any long-term plan, especially at that price. And I’m not buying the talk that he’s the next Jamie Moyer.

The fact is this Mariner team is playing about as good as it will ever play and it’s still four games back of an Angels team that’s having a down year. While we’ve been treated to marked improvement from last season’s squad, there are still glaring holes. Assuming injured third baseman Adrian Beltre is gone after this season, the left side of the infield lacks a long-term solution. An argument could be made that second base lacks a long-term solution as well. The catching position is platooned by an overpaid catcher, who the entire pitching staff doesn’t trust (Johjima), and a light-hitting backstop in Rob Johnson who is terrific defensively, but his batting average hovers at .200. And yet again, the Mariners need to find a power-hitting solution in left field.

I doubt that it’s in his DNA, but let’s hope that Jack Zduriencik doesn’t pull a Bill Bavasi and throw big money and long term contracts at players who are having career years. Zduriencik has done a masterful job in his first year and shown a knack for unloading his team’s baggage and getting real value in return. 2009 was billed as a rebuilding year and next year will probably be similar.

Now is the time to stockpile farmhands and draft picks. Prior regimes left the Mariner farm system in shambles and saddled the big club with overpaid players signed to long-term contracts. This won’t be fixed in one season, not unless they want to roll the dice and go after big-money free agents. Unfortunately, we’ve already had a front row seat to see how that strategy plays out. Not well.

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.