World Cup Starts June 15 in Seattle

Seattle will have six games at Lumen 

Field beginning June 15 of the World Cup. 

It will be exciting having the best soccer 

in the World.

Belgium will play Egypt the first game on June 15. 

The second game will be on the 

19th the home team USA vs Australia.

This should be real exciting. On the 24th

Qatar will play team to be named. 

Egypt will play Iran on the 26th. That

should be an interesting match up to

say the least. On July 1 will be a match 

of 32. That is Canada day so that could

be interesting. The final game in Seattle 

will be on July with a match.of 17.

Here we will let you know how the 

local matches go at least. I know

that not all Americans are into this 

however being the best players in

the world will be exciting. 

If you are going to any matches 

have a good time. 

Russell Wilson Announces Retirement

Former Seattle Seahawks quarterback 

Russell Wilson announced that he 

was going to retire from football 

and go to work for CBS Sports.

I thought he would go into the booth

like a few other former Super Bowl

quarterbacks did. Instead he followed 

Terry Bradshaw and will do the pre 

and progame shows for CBS. 

I generally don't watch the pregame 

show and on occasion the post game

show if the Seattle Seahawks are on 

TV.  It will take me time to see him 

though I may go on his debut if I 

remember. I expect that he should 

do a good job and many Seahawks 

fans will do so if they still like him.

Russell Wilson was drafted by the

Seahawks in 2012 in the third round.

He was one of those amazing stories.

The Seahawks had signed Matt Flynn

to a three year free agency contract.

Russell Wilson played his college 

ball ending with Wisconsin however

many Seahawks fans had never heard

of him.

Wilson won the job coming out of

training. He ended up being the

starting quarterback for the Seahawks 

for a decade. He start game one as a 

rookie and started every game for

eight seasons. His last two seasons

he started 15 games being out with

an injury.  

Russell Wilson became the second 

quarterback in Seahawks history. 

In his second and third seasons 

in 2013 and 14 to go to the Super

Bowl. The Seahawks dominated 

the Denver Broncos winning 43-18.

In the second game they lost to

the New England Patriots 28-24.

This was a game the Seahawks 

could have or should have won.

Many fans thought the Seahawks 

should have given the ball to

Marshawn Lynch at the goal line

instead Wilson threw a pass that 

was intercepted with 20 seconds 

left in the game. 

Now we will see if Russell Wilson

goes into the football Hall of fame.

If he doesn't most likely because of 

the throw. The Seahawks got their

revenge sort of by dominating the

Patriots in this last Super Bowl.

The Seahawks first quarterback 

to take them to the Super Bowl 

losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers 

in a controversy was Matt Hasselback.

 It was no doubt the worst officiated 

game in Super Bowl history. Matt

came to Seattle after being the backup

at Green Bay. 

Sam Darnold this last quarterback 

taking the Seahawks to a winning 

Super Bowl after signing with 

Seahawks during last off season.

When he came out he was one

of the top quarterbacks drafted 

much like his predessor Geno Smith 

by the New York Jets. Smith is now

returning to the Jets after a year 

where he and former Seahawks 

coach Pete Carroll went to Las

Vegas to play for the Raiders and

had a terrible season. Pete was 

fired and Geno got his walking

papers. Now we will see if Geno 

can do something or this will be

his Swan song.

Even after leaving the Jets Darnold 

was known for not winning the big

one including being in Minnesota 

where they went to the playoffs but

couldn't get the job done. This lead

him into free agency. Instead of 

resigning Geno the Seahawks decided 

to take the chance on Sam.

Something that Russell and Darnold 

do have in common it was the Seahawks 

dominating defense that won the 

Super Bowls. Right now Wilson would

be the best quarterback in Seahawks 

history however Darnold's book hasn't 

finished. If he is able to be the Seahawks 

quarterback to win at least a  second

time he probably will likely take that spot

even if he doesn't play a decade. Go Hawks. 

Seattle Mariners Low A Affiliate

This year the Mariners moved their 

Low A Affiliate to Island Empire

called the 66ers.

Since the Mariners have Thursday 

off to look at another minor league

team. They do have a rookie league 

team in Arizona and the Dominican 

Summer League.  The DSL as we 

call it are made of young players 

who the Mariners signed as international 

players. This is where Julio Rodriguez 

started his career.  

The 66ers have a few top prospects 

of the Mariners. So far they aren't 

doing well as a team with record

of 22-31. These prospects are outside

the Mariners top ten and were drafted

last year.

Kirby Dickerson was the Mariners 

fifth round pick last year and number

12 top prospect is playing center

field and has 5  home runs.  He is 

hitting  .283 with 19 rbis.  Cesar 

Quintas is a first baseman. He

was originally signed as an international 

player is in his third year in low A

however has improved batting .299

and is tied for the team lead with 7

homers and hss 36 rbis. He likely 

move up possibly to Everett in the

second half.

Another international player not in

the top 30 prospects is second 

baseman Ricardo Cova is in his 

third year at low A ball. He is 

hitting .291 with 5 home runs,

22 rbis and 18 stolen bases.

Aiden Taurek plays left field

batting .272 with 4 home runs

and 36 rbis. He was drafted 

last year by the Mariners in

the 13th round and the 29th

top pick.

In pitching another lefty picked

last year not named Anderson 

was drafted in the 4th round.

He doesn't have a record but 

has an era of 1.56 in nine starts.

He leads the 66ers with 51 strike 

outs. Also has only 8 walks.

He is the Mariners #15 prospect.

In July we will look at how the

66ers have done again plus a 

few other players.

The Mariners are taking on the

Tigers in Detroit Friday night.

So far no transactions setup

for this coming ten game 

road trip. 

Mariners Win Streak Ends

Wednesday afternoon the Mariners 

win streak ended at eight. 

Final Mets 7 Mariners 1

I guess if you are going to lose

you might as well lose big.

George Kirby had his worst game

of the season going four innings

and giving up four earned runs

in the 4th inning. Post game he 

said the Mets finding the holes.

The Mets actually had nine hits

off Kirby.  Eduardo Bazardo pitched

the 5th giving up a run.  Jose Ferrer 

pitched the 6th giving no runs.

Both these guys seem to be able to

pitch almost everyday.

Cooper Criswell who pitched last

night going two innings pitched 

the 7th without a run. Alex Hoppe 

gave up a run in the 8th. The 

Mariners have Thursday off then 

face the Tigers in Detroit.

Bo Bichette was the one with the

most hits for the Mets going four

for four with three rbis.

The Mariners only run was another

leadoff home run by JP Crawford 

The Mariners have Thursday off

before three game series against 

the Tigers.  The Tigers have struggled 

this year however they just swept 

the Tampa Bay Rays. We will see if

that is a good thing. 

Now the Mariners will be going with

the six man rotation. This is a good 

thing since they are going on a ten 

game road trip.  Bryan Woo will start 

against the Tigers on Friday. Bryce Miller 

and Luis Castillo next but not sure which

order.  Emerson Hancock on Monday 

against the Orioles. This will be a four

game series then next weekend three

against the Nationals in the national 

capital. 

News came out that Cal Raleigh will

start his rehabbing  on June 7 with

Everett and finish up with the Tacoma

Rainiers.  He possibly be activated when

the Mariners get home. 

No news yet when Brendan Donovan 

will start his rehab assignment. He is

on the treadmill at this time. When he 

does return I hope that the Mariners 

will still have JP in the leadoff spot 

as long as he continues doing well.

Cal should be down in the order too.

Both players may dh when they are

activated. Cal being a switch hitter

the Mariners should be able use him

against righties and lefties.  Donovan

though a left handed bat he does hit

lefties well. This may cut down some

time for Canzone at dh though he 

could play the outfield depending 

how Luke Raley is doing.  

It will be important for the Mariners 

to beat the Tigers on Friday for the

beginning of the series and  the road

trip.  Hope for a winning road trip.

Go M's. 

A Look At the New Pac-12 Football

The new version of the Pac-12 

will start this coming fall in

football. The Washington State 

Cougars and Oregon State are the 

only leftovers if you say it that way.

ESPN who will have many of the

games on TV brought out who they

will do well and not so well. Some

games be on ESPN plus and some

on the CW. My opinion those on

local TV wherever you are at show

be shown without having to pay 

extra but probably won't happen.

Boise State who moved in from 

the Mountain West is expected 

to win the Pac 12  this year.

Washington State is expected 

to place fourth. The Cougars 

have a new head coach in Kirby

Moore and will go with a quarterback 

that hasn't proved at this level

plus a lot of turnover of players.

Oregon State didn't have a good 

season last year and has a new

coach do they are picked to finish 

sixth.

Boise State does have respect 

nationally however what turns

out how the conference does

will show respect or not.

It will be good to see how these

teams will do. Stay tuned here 

to see what happens. Go Cougs.

Bombs Away

Tuesday night the Seattle Mariners 

won their eight game in a row.

They continue hitting home runs.

Final Mariners 8  New York 3

The Mariners didn't have first

baseman Josh Naylor who 

had to leave Monday night with

back spasms. He is day to day.

Tomorrow's game is a day game. 

We see if he will return or not.

The Mariners have Thursday 

off as they travel to Detroit to

play a three game series against

the Tigers Friday thru Sunday.

Patrick Wisdom start at first 

in Naylor's spot. He hit a two 

run homer in the bottom of the

second.  Leadoff hitter and right 

fielder Carson Benge hit a two

run homer as well to tie.  Later

in the sixth he hit a solo shot.

At that point the Mariners had

a comfortable lead. This

was the first time Benge had

more than one  homer in a

game in his career.

Both these home runs were off

Mariner's starter Logan Gilbert

who left right after that.Eduardo

Bazardo came in to get the 

final two outs  of the sixth on

a double play. He pitched the

seventh as well where he got 

out again on a double play.

Cooper Criswell pitched the

last two innings.  He gave up 

no hits while walking one and

striking out three.  This was

his 23 game of the season for

the Mariners where he has gone 

28.1 innings. He has an era 

of 2.86.

The Mariners took the lead in

the bottom of the 3rd when

Randy Arozarena scored when

an error happened when Luke 

Raley  hit a ball in short right

field.  Patrick Wisdom scored

in the 4th on a sacrifice fly 

by Julio Rodriguez in the 4th inning.

The game broke open in the 

bottom of the 5th when catcher 

Jhonny Pereda hit a three run

home run.  This was his second 

home run this season as well as

for his major league career.

Julio Rodriguez hit a home run

in the 6th inning to end the scoring.

Julio was hot in May with 10 of

his now 13 home runs. Tuesday 

night's home run is now his 125

of his career. 

Wednesday afternoon the Mariners 

will see if they can their 9th game

in a row as well as sweeping three

series in a row.  George Kirby will 

start. Go M's. 

Seahawks Sign Edge Rusher To Extension

Derrick Hall is coming on his final season 

on his rookie contract.  As a rookie Hall

didn't play a lot but since has been a

valuable member of the Seahawks 

defense. 

On the depth chart Hall is listed number

two on the strong outside linebscker 

spot more known as edge rusher.

The Seahawks defense is such that he

could be moving to different spots on

the field. These days it is important to

have defense strong as well as fast.

Some teams like the LA Rams are as 8

playing three tight ends at times.

One of the tight ends may go out

for a pass while the other two are

blocking. On short yardage all three

could be blocking so Hall can be 

valuable to get through the line to 

either sack or make the quarterback 

rush his throw. The Seahawks will

show different formations to keep

the opponent off guard.

Hall signed a three year extension 

that will go through 2029.  The 

contract is for $42 million with 

incentives up to $46.9 million. 

Also $21million is guaranteed.

A contract like that he will play a 

lot especially if he is meeting 

expectations.  Go Hawks!