Huskies Lose in Fiesta Bowl

The Washington Huskies football team played like most of the Pac-12 teams did in the bowl games and did the same by losing to Pen State 35-28. The Nittany Lions took a 14-0 lead early in the first quarter. The Huskies reminded me so much of the game the Seahawks played a couple weeks ago against the Los Angeles.  Like the Seahawks it was a shock to see the Huskies defense play so poorly. At the same time you had to give credit to Pen State quarterback Trace McSorley who had an outstanding game. He not only passed excellently he ran the ball pretty well as well. Where the Lions did so well was on third downs. They completed thirteen out of seventeen third downs. Not only were they able to get more first downs in the process they had large gains many of the times as well. The defensive line was unable to get to McSorley and he was able get the ball to the receivers with Huskies defenders all around them. I don’t remember ever seeing him quarterback before however I was very impressed like many others as well. The announcers on television said this was the best game they had seen him play.

I wasn’t disappointed that the Huskies lost I was disappointed how they played especially on the defensive side of the ball. The Huskies offense actually played a good game though the Lions did stop the Huskies running game to some extent. The Huskies were able to score fourteen points in the second quarter after not scoring any in the first quarter however the defense also gave up fourteen points as well so the lead was 28-14 at half time. On the bright side the Huskies scored fourteen in the second half while limiting the Lions to seven. The Huskies had a chance to score at the end of the game but came up short.

Playing Pen State showed the Huskies and the rest of the Pac-12 where they need to improve to play against the big boys of the other conferences like the Big Ten.

What surprised me was that the Huskies defense came out so flat after having a month off to prepare for the game. The Huskies have done well in bowl games whether winning or losing but this game was different for some reason. I am sure next year Coach Peterson will have them more prepared for whatever bowl game they participate in.

Now Sunday we see how the Seattle Seahawks do against the Arizona Cardinals. Regardless of the outcome they may not make the playoffs. The Seahawks have to win this game to have any chance for the playoffs and at the same time Carolina Panthers have to beat the Atlanta Falcons. If the Seahawks win and the Falcons win as well the Seahawks are out of the playoffs. Both teams winning they both will have identical records but the Falcons did beat the Seahawks so they would go to the playoffs. The Seahawks need to see if the running game can come alive after being absent most of the season. Quarterback Russell Wilson has done the bulk of the running which is not a good thing. Regardless what happens I see changes on the line especially the right side and at the running back position. I am sure the Seahawks will have other changes as well and most likely that will be on the defensive side. It will be interesting to see what happens. Go Hawks!

End of Football Season in NW?

The Washington State Cougars began the last weekend of this current football season here in the state of Washington. The Cougars lost the first game of the three teams on Thursday night 42-17. The biggest surprise was that Luke Falk wasn’t going to play in his last game with the Cougars because of an injury. The Cougars pretty well kept it under rap that he wasn’t going to play. I am sure it disappointed most if not all the Cougar faithful. On the positive side if there is one anyway the Cougars at least were looking toward the future of next season. I guess you could say there was an audition for the spot.

I am not sure whether the Cougars would have won the game anyway with Falk in as quarterback. The next time we see Falk will be in a NFL game. Whose uniform and when that will be is anyone’s guess. The thought is that he will likely be a late first round pick at the earliest. This means he likely will start his career on the bench unless an injury happens to the starting quarterback. At the end of the first round means that the team drafting him already has a quarterback in place unless a bad team decides to move up in the draft. It would be nice to see him in a Seahawk uniform but that likely won’t happen because the Seahawks have other needs more pressing and he would not be taken early to back up Russell Wilson. The Seahawks the earliest spot they would draft a quarterback be in the third round if then and Falk won’t be around unless his injury is serious enough that teams decide to pass on him to lower rounds.

The Cougars offense was OK at times in the game however the defense couldn’t stop Michigan State most of the game. The Spartans offense was able to run and pass the ball frequently. The reason this happened is anyone’s guess because the Cougars defense improved over the season unlike past years. It is possible the loss to the Huskies in the Apple Cup had the Cougars defense lose confidence as well.

Speaking of the Washington Huskies they take on Pen State on Saturday afternoon down in Arizona. I find it hard to know how this game will go. I think that either team can win the game so it could be close or one of the teams could blow the other out too. All I know is that I am looking forward to the game. If nothing else it should be exciting. It will be important that the Huskies are able to run the ball with authority. I don’t know anything about Pen State so I can’t say how good they are at stopping the run or not. One thing I do know they won’t have a chance if the Huskies are able to run. Also I know that the Huskies have a really good defense and they are usually prepared to play in bowl games. Chris Peterson is like Don James he is able to get his team ready for a game that will be played in a month and that is why I am looking forward to it as well.

The third game on the weekend will take place on Sunday between the Arizona Cardinals and the Seahawks in Seattle. The Seahawks will need to win the game and the Atlanta Falcons lose to the Carolina Panthers. Both games will be playing at the same time so we won’t know until later in the day.

I have mixed feelings about this game. It would be nice if the Seahawks could make the playoffs however how far will they go if they do make it in. With poor rushing game things don’t look very promising. I know that many Seahawk fans would like to see them in the playoffs however reality is that they likely won’t go far so my thought would be that the season ends on Sunday and they get ready for next season to go toward another good run for the playoffs. The earlier they can start making off-season decisions on who will stay and those who go the better. The Seahawks will have to decide whether to bring in a running back and changes to the offensive line. They will likely make changes on the defensive side as well however it likely because of injuries. The goal is to make and win the Super Bowl but I don’t think this will happen unless Russell Wilson is able to make some magic. I can see that happening in maybe one or two playoff games but all the way to the Super Bowl asking a bit much don’t you think.

This weekend could be the end of the football season in Washington State so then look at college basketball in the Huskies, Cougars and Gonzaga before the Mariners have spring training in six weeks. Still look forward to see whether the Mariners will pick up any more help in the starting rotation. Regardless what happens it will be an interesting spring and summer heading into next season for the Seahawks. Right now though let’s root the Huskies and the Seahawks onto victory. Go teams!

Seahawks Defense Makes Good Offense

First of all I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. The Seattle Seahawks had another troubled offensive game on Sunday afternoon in Dallas against the Cowboys however the defense helped them out in a big way on the way to a 21-12 victory.

The Seahawks caused three turnovers that helped the Seahawks score all three touchdowns. Two of the touchdowns showed were scored by the offense. The first one was in the first half on a touchdown by Jimmy Graham. The Cowboys also had a pass interference that helped the Seahawks score on that possession.

The Cowboys scored three of their four field goals in the first half putting them ahead 9-6. Ezekiel Elliott had a good first half running for around one hundred yards but the Seahawks pretty well stopped him in the second half so the Cowboys had little offense. The Cowboys kicker though pulled a Blair Walsh where he missed two field goals in the second half including one with a minute left in the game. The Cowboys had a first down but figured to have any chance in winning the game they needed to kick the field goal to make the score 21-15 however Bailey’s kick missed to the right to secure the win for the Seahawks. All Russell Wilson had to do was kneel on last two downs.

The break open of the game was the touchdown interception by Justin Coleman in the third quarter. What made it real exciting was Coleman jumping in the Salvation Army’s kettle after the touchdown. He was charged for a penalty for unsportsmanship however I certainly thought it was worth for all of us to see.

The offense was terrible once again in this game. I am sure it was in part by the Cowboys defense however Wilson wasn’t rushed as often as he was in the game against the Rams. Again Wilson ran the ball well again but his passing wasn’t good throughout the game except the touchdown to Jimmy Graham and two throws one to Tyler Lockett and the other to Doug Baldwin that scored the last touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Although it was a victory that the Seahawks needed and the defense did a good job especially without Cliff Avril, Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor.  The Seahawks will need the Atlanta Falcons lose again next week like they did Sunday against New Orleans along with a victory for them over the Cardinals. If the Falcons win they will make the playoffs regardless if the Seahawks win however the Hawks do have win to have any chance. The Cowboys who had the same record as the Seahawks going into the game losing put them out of the playoffs.  The two games next week of the Seahawks and Falcons will determine the last playoff spot. The other spots are already assured.

The Seahawks offensive line did give Wilson a good chance to pass the ball however he only threw for fifty yards in the game. The running game wasn’t much better. In the whole game the Seahawks had 2.5 yards per play whether running or passing the ball. Regardless how the offense goes next week whether improved or not the Seahawks will need to look at changes to the offense. Primarily to the running back position but to the line as well; the right side of the line seems to be where the Seahawks need to improve. Speaking of the line I am sure everyone is wondering whether line coach Tom Cable will return next season or not. At this point not sure whether it is the players or the coaching or both. It might be a good idea to make a change regardless at offensive line coach. The Seahawks could make changes at the other offensive coaching spots as well. The receiving chore seems to be in good shape though this game was probably the worst played this season but I put that more on Wilson than the receivers. The thing though the Seahawks would not be any position to make the playoffs if it were not for Wilson since he has been the offense for most of the season. If the Seahawks do make the playoffs by some chance I still see that there will be changes to the roster during the off-season. Age has made it hard on the defense while the offense has been terrible all season as indicated already. We hope these changes will occur. I am sure Carroll and Schneider will do something about it. I know they probably won’t be going anywhere. Go Hawks.

Merry Mariner Christmas

This off-season the Seattle Mariners have received several new players to add onto the roster for the upcoming 2018 however we hope that they can add on a couple starting pitchers.

So far we are still waiting but we never know they could be in the stockings today or we might have to wait for a few days. They could be late being delivered in shipping as well.

At least the Mariners picked up first baseman Ryon Healy from the Oakland A’s and second baseman turned center fielder Dee Gordon from the Miami Marlins. They also signed relief pitcher Juan Nicasio to a two year contract. He is expecting to be a key to the Mariners setup man in the bullpen along with Nick Vincent and David Phelps. Nicasio and Vincent will likely pitch an inning while Phelps may go two innings. Nicasio will be able to close when Edwin Diaz will be unable to do so.

The Mariners have picked up a couple other hard throwers in Nick Rumbelow from the Yankees and Shawn Armstrong from the Indians. They will be competing with other relief pitchers like Danny Altavilla for remaining two spots in the bullpen. The Mariners are planning to go with eight relievers to start the season. They have left specialist Marc Rzepczynski and James Pazos returning. Pazos might be competing for that last spot as well if the Mariners aren’t sure to go with two or one left in the bullpen. The Mariners have two lefties that could consider being the long reliever if they don’t start in the rotation in Ariel Maranda and Marco Gonzales. According to general manager Jerry Dipoto the Mariners might go to a six man rotation later in the season so the long reliever could move into that spot. Of course this will depend on the performance of the five pitchers already expected to start and how much they will be used.

I expect that James Paxton and Mike Leake will both go long into the games. Pitching seven innings or at least one hundred pitches; this may go for Felix Hernandez as well. Whoever wins the fourth and fifth starter positions may go only five innings or six at the maximum. This will depend to whether the Mariners do pick up another starter as well.

Everything seems to fit far as the everyday lineup with Mike Zunino at catcher, Ryon Healy at first base, Robinson Cano at second, Kyle Seager at third and Jean Segura at shortstop. I see Zunino as a question mark whether he hits like he did early in the season or he is able to hit like he did in June and July. The outfield should be Ben Gamel in left, Dee Gordon in center and Mitch Haniger in right field. Guillermo Heredia may platoon with Gamel in left along with occasion in center and right. This will depend on his shoulder surgery he had at the end of the season.

I wish everyone in Mariner Land a Merry Christmas! Go M’s.

Looking Ahead On The Seahawks

 After being beat by a large margin last Sunday the Seahawks now face the Cowboys in Dallas this coming Sunday and then the Arizona Cardinals the following Sunday in Seattle. The Seahawks need to win both games to have any chance to make the playoffs.

Running back Ezekiel Elliott who has been suspended for the last six games will return this coming Sunday against the Hawks. He would like to run for over two hundred yards and it sounds like the Cowboys are going to give him every opportunity do so.

On a personal note my nephew Danny graduated from high school in St. Louis Missouri with Elliott. So I route for the Cowboys when he is playing anyway except against the Seahawks. This game should be pride for the Seahawks defense especially with the loss of several key players. K.J. Wright who missed the games against the Rams because of a concussion is expected to return this week and Bobby Wagner who did played however was still hurt is expected to play as well.

Speaking of concussions the Seahawks were fined one hundred thousand dollars because of the protocols that the Seahawks broke because Russell Wilson in November went back into the game before getting clearance to do so.  In my opinion Wilson should have been fined part of that amount at least.  We all know from last year when he had several injuries Wilson doesn’t like leaving a game. I wouldn’t be surprised if he went back in regardless of what the doctors or coaches said. On the other hand the Seahawks are responsible for their player’s actions. So I am sure everyone learned their lessons or at least we hope so anyway.

Whether the Seahawks win the remaining two games the question going around town is will they make massive changes going into next season? This is especially on the defensive side. There is talk that Earl Thomas may look to be traded because he will likely want more money than the Seahawks can afford under the salary cap. With the other changes to the defense he may want to leave anyway. There is thought that both Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor may be gone. Chancellor along with Cliff Avril both could retire because of neck injuries. Avril might be a more sure thing though Chancellor might have to as well. Another thought by local media Michael Bennett might be shown the door as well. With those changes at least might be the reason that Thomas would want to leave. He may not want to be part of rebuilding process.

On the offensive side of the ball the changes could happen with the running back position since little yardage has happened during this season. The Seahawks have had to pass more often than they want to and Russell Wilson has played in a fashion that without him the Seahawks likely would have lost at least three more games and would be looking at a losing season. Eddie Lacy and Thomas Rawls who were expected to be the top two running backs look like they will be shown the door.  

We all know to that the offensive line might have changes next season as well. Not sure they will bring anyone new in but could have some shifting of positions. Duane Brown will likely stay at left tackle however the left guard along with right tackle and right guard might change. They might keep the same players but move them. I am sure discussions on the line will happen after the season.

The wide receiver position seems pretty well intact however tight end could change. Jimmy Graham will be a free agent so who knows whether the Seahawks will want to pay him ten million dollars or more next season especially if the team is in rebuild status. The second tight end Luke Willson is on a one year contract and so he will be a free agent once again. The Seahawks may decide to go another direction with the position as well. So we may see a different team besides Russell Wilson at quarterback. Time will tell and the off-season will be interesting no matter how these last two games go whether they win or lose. Go Hawks!

Seahawks Destroyed in Biggest Game of the Year

The Seattle Seahawks Sunday after lost their biggest game of the year up to date against the Los Angeles Rams 42-7. The game started out with a fumble by the Seahawks however the defense was able to stop the Rams then and the next time the Rams by giving up two field goals but after that the defense and offense went nowhere but downhill.

An example where the Seahawks failed terribly on defense the Rams had third down and 33 yards to go for a first down. The Rams ran the ball thinking that they would likely have to punt the ball instead it turned into a touchdown. I am not sure if I have ever seen a play like that before but that was the kind of day the Seahawks had. They didn’t look like a team that was competing for the division lead and a spot in the playoffs instead they looked like the worst team in the league.

Bobbie Wagner started the game despite having a very bad hamstring. After the game Earl Thomas said that he thought that Wagner shouldn’t have played in the game. It is hard to know whether he participating in the game made that big of a difference though he had trouble on the field. Other players asked him to leave as well so he would be available to play against the Cowboys next week.

The offense was so poor as well that they were lucky in my mind to score the one lone touchdown in the game. Russell Wilson had to run for his life the whole game. In one instance he threw the ball away from the line of scrimmage that went out of bounds. It was considered a fumble since he threw it backwards.

The game could have been worse since the Rams scored thirty-four of the forty-two points in the first half. It was such a bad game that fans booed rightfully when the team went off the field at half time. They did applaud the players when they made a good play however that didn’t happen often. I don’t remember a game played by the Seahawks in a long time. Obviously it was the fault of the coaches well as the players. The Rams were ready to play while the Seahawks were not. It isn’t easy when a lot of your top defensive players are out for the game or season. The Seahawks will need to win the remaining two games against the Cowboys and the Cardinals to make the playoffs. It hasn’t helped at all that the offense hasn’t been able to run the ball all season and this game the passing game wasn’t any better.

Whether the Seahawks win either of the two remaining games or not I hope to see a team that will compete and not have both sides of the ball play poorly. The Seahawks will have to depend on other teams like Atlanta to lose for them to find themselves in the playoffs. Of course it will be difficult in the playoffs since they will likely have to play on the road. In any case we hope that they play well and foremost the injured players get well for next season. We now will continue to root for them. Go Hawks!!

Seahawks and Rams Biggest Game of the Season

The Seahawks with a record of 8-5 after losing to the Jaguars last Sunday afternoon in Jacksonville now take on the Los Angeles Rams in Seattle. The Rams have a one game lead over the Seahawks and it is a must game for the Seahawks if they plan to make the playoffs.

If the Seahawks lose on Sunday to the Rams it will be an uphill battle for them to make the playoffs. In fact winning the game puts them in good position to win their division because they would have beaten the Rams twice but still no guarantee as they have to go play the Cowboys in Dallas before ending the season at home against the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals are struggling so that game the Seahawks should win but you never know. The Cowboys have been struggling without Ezekiel Elliott being on a six game suspension but is expected back against the Seahawks. The Seahawks have struggled on the road as well losing to the Tennessee Titans early in the season well as the Jaguars.

Another thing the Seahawks defense have most likely lost middle linebacker Bobby Wagner who listed questionable for the game and   outside linebacker K.J. Wright who didn’t practice this week as doubtful. Seahawks made moves that make it seem that way as well;   Wagner and Wright maybe the best linebacker combo in the NFL right now.

The Seahawks are lucky that no one got suspended for a game after what happened in Jacksonville. If any suspensions had taken place it would put additional burden on the defense. The defensive line will have to do a better job rushing the quarterback than they did against the Jaguars or it might be a long afternoon.

The Seahawks offense needs to come alive early in the game instead of waiting until the fourth quarter. Mike Davis is expected to start at running back once again. It is hard to know whether Thomas Rawls or Eddie Lacy will see any action at all. It has been a disappointment for both of them all season. Unless they can do better after recovering from injuries there is a good chance both won’t be asked back. This is especially true of Lacy who has a high salary. J.D. McKissic should see action again as the third down running back. He is often set out as an extra receiver as well. C.J. Prosise who was expected to be the third down running back is still listed on injured reserve. The Seahawks should invite him back next year because of his potential as being the best running back in the group however he will need to perform or be set packing as well.

The Seahawks again hope that the offensive line has improved enough to help the running game as well. Quarterback Russell Wilson continues to lead the team in rushing and making miracles happen. Another reason the Seahawks have to start off quickly because they can’t count on Wilson making things happen once again. Last week he almost made a move for the Seahawks to come back and win however his third interception    of the game ended the rally. For this game he might have to make another fourth quarter comeback though I am sure most fans hope it doesn’t come to that. So Hawks we are hoping for a solid game from the defense though won’t be easy and the offense. Go  team!

Mariners Pick UP Three Pitchers

The Seattle Mariners pickup three pitchers during the winter meetings and two of the pitchers will either start in Tacoma or be in the backend of the bullpen.  Right now the Mariners are expected to have thirteen pitchers  to fill the 25 man roster so that means two bench players and backup catcher.

 

The first of the three pitchers acquired was reliever Shawn Armstrong traded for international pool money with the Cleveland Indians and then left handed starter Anthony Misiewicz from Tampa Bay also for pool money. Misiewicz likely start the season in Tacoma and later on Wednesday signed free agent reliever Juan Nicasio to a two year contract. Nicasio will be in the mix with Nick Vincent and David Phelps as late inning setup men. Nicasio can be used as a closer when Edwin Diaz is not available. This leaves Armstrong to compete for remaining two right handed relievers in the bullpen. Of course this may depend whether Ariel Miranda or Marco Gonzales is in the bullpen as the long reliever or not. In this case there would only be a spot for one right handed reliever. It will be quite the battle for that last right handed reliever spot for sure.

On Thursday morning the Mariners selected left handed hitting first baseman Mike Ford from the New York Yankees in the rule 5 draft. Ford has to make the Mariner the opening day roster according to the rules of the rule 5 or be asked to return to the Yankees and be on the roster all season long. Ford has been listed now as the Mariners twenty-second prospect so the likelihood of him making the opening roster is slim however not impossible. With the acquisition of Ryon Healy to play first base the Mariners won’t likely keep two first basemen. The Mariners will have only room for three bench players going with thirteen pitchers. Guillermo Heredia is expected to be the fourth outfielder who will platoon with Ben Gamel and backup both Dee Gordon and Mitch Haniger. The other spot will be the utility player who will play all the infield spots including first base and the backup catcher.

It looks like right now the Mariners are not going to go after another starting pitcher which in my mind is a mistake however Dipoto might not be playing his whole cards though he says that he is done. The reason I think it is a mistake that will cover if James Paxton, Felix Hernandez or Mike Leake get hurt for extended period of time. None of the other candidates who will fit the fourth and fifth spots come close except possibly Erasmo Ramirez.

The importance of the starting rotation is that all the starters can get through six innings at least. Anyway I guess we will see won’t we. Go M’s.

Baseball Winter Meetings

This week the Seattle Mariners along with all the other major league teams are in Florida for the winter meetings.

The Mariners have much of their staff including general manager Jerry Dipoto and manager Scott Servais. They each had press conferences over the state of the Mariners including the signing of Dee Gordon. Dipoto mentioned the off-season training of Felix Hernandez stating he is involved in flexibility for his shoulder and that he has pride to be the King that we all know. Servais talked some about Cano and his off-season training because of his lower body along with that he likes the everyday lineup pretty well.

The Mariners so far during the winter meetings have signed several minor league players who will probably play in Tacoma and have the depth in case of injuries. Dipoto is leaning toward going after starting pitching however would like to add an arm to the bullpen as well.

We all know that Ohtani signed with the Angels however he looks like he may need to have surgery. The thought could be Tommy Joh so it is a wonder if the Mariners bit the bullet by not signing him. Of course only time will tell. It is a wonder how much the teams knew about his health. I am sure they had doctors checking him over. It depends though on his agent how much information was given out.

It will be interesting to see if the Mariners will make a trade or a significant signing this week or this is just where they are building up into getting the right guy. It would be nice for us to hear a significant signing or trade regarding a pitcher to ease us going into Christmas. I hope we don’t have to wait until next year. So here we go M’s.

Seahawks Make Comeback However Fall Short

The Seattle Seahawks had another exciting game on Sunday against the Jaguars in Jacksonville, Florida however this time they lost 30-24.

The Jaguars had a 27-10 lead in the fourth quarter when the Seahawks scored two touchdowns including a throw from Russell Wilson to a wide open Tyler Lockett late in the game to make the final score 30-24. The Seahawks had another opportunity that could have put them ahead by one point after they stopped the Jaguars on three downs but Wilson threw an interception to give them the victory.

In the third quarter the Seahawks lost two linebackers Bobby Wagner to a hamstring and he isn’t expected to play again the Rams next Sunday afternoon in Seattle and K.J. Wright to a concussion. The Seahawks are expecting Wright to play though. With three pro bowlers out it will be interesting game that the Seahawks need to win. The winner between the Rams and the Seahawks should win the division. The Rams lost to the Philadelphia Eagles to give the Seahawks any chance to win the division. The Seahawks now have a record of 8-5 and can go 11-5 if they win all three of their remaining games. The Seahawks lose to the Rams they still might make the playoffs as a wildcard however it will make it real difficult for them to make it to the Super Bowl.

The Seahawks running game continued to be trouble though Mike Davis a few good runs along with Russell Wilson but this team has become primarily a passing team. This has made what continues to the play of Wilson being extraordinary because he has to pass the run on many occasions. Again the Seahawks struggled in the first half though they were still in the game. They were down 3-0 at half-time though kicker Walsh continued to have trouble kicking field goals missing one before half time. According to Coach Carroll he is still on the team for another week anyway.

At this point Mike Davis is the primary running back for the Seahawks. They were hoping that rookie Chris Carson would be back soon however he had a setback because he turned his ankle. I am familiar with that since I did the same thing almost two weeks ago and I am still trying to recover. It looks right now that Carson could be out until the playoffs if then.

The ending of the game in the last minute or so the Seahawks were involved in a couple fights that led to ejections first of defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson and then defensive end Quinton Jefferson who ended up getting into arguments with Jaguar fans. Both Richardson and Jefferson could be suspended along with being fined for the game against the Rams. Also Michael Bennett who looked like starting the first altercation however didn’t get tossed out of the game could be fined and suspended as well. We may find out the news sometime this week which could make next week’s harder to win. With Cliff Avril already out losing three defensive linemen could make it difficult to win. If they are not suspended they will likely face high fines though. Anyway the news coming out this week on the Seahawks should be interesting to say the least.

The Seattle Mariners brass is at the winter games and more about that will be forthcoming. We hope that the Mariners can come up with a pitcher or two this week. We wish them the best well as the Seahawks so go teams!!

 

Hawks Sunday

Good morning everyone here we are again for another week of Seahawk football. Last Sunday night’s game against the Eagles was the best game the Seahawks have played all season in my mind anyway. Although they didn’t get a touchdown they did drive the ball down the field in their first possession and kicked a field goal. From that time on they led the whole game. The running game still needs improvement and Mike Davis who has had the most success at the running back position since Chris Carson has been out is expected to start once again. Really hard to know whether the lack of a running game has to do with the offensive line or the running back or both it is hard to say. I would guess it is both.

This afternoon the Seahawks play in Jacksonville, Florida against the Jaguars. I have to admit that I don’t know much about them since they play in the American Football Conference and I don’t see many of those games unless the Seahawks aren’t playing. Even then I usually watch the NFC games. I don’t recall the Jaguars playing much on prime time either.

I am sure most Seahawks fans are like me don’t have much of an idea about the Jaguars. I have heard that they have one of the best defenses in the league and it will be difficult for the Seahawks to play a good game. Although I would like to see the Hawks get off to a good start like last week this defense they are going against we might be back to a game we have been quite familiar all see and that is Russell Wilson coming to the rescue in the fourth quarter. Although I would like to see a game that starts out good this scenario would be fine because that means the Hawks will win. I understand the Jaguars are favored by a little bit which is understandable because of their defense and the Hawks are playing on the road. I do hear that the Jaguars don’t have much of an offense so this could be a very low scoring game and if the Hawks win most likely be by a field goal. I don’t always give out a predicted score before the game however this time I will go with Seahawks winning 13-10 to stay with the idea of winning by a field goal. This is another important game to win to stay up with the Los Angeles Rams who the Seahawks play next Sunday afternoon in Seattle. Go Hawks!

Mariners Win One Lose One

The Seattle Mariners on Thursday November 7 made a shocking trade with the Miami Marlins picking up second basemen Dee Gordon for some high draft picks plus a million dollars for international players allotment. This was to help the Mariners to continue going after Japan pitcher and hitter Ohtani. At this point the Mariners have the highest amount of money being a bit over $3 million however on Friday the Mariners got the bad news where they lost out on Ohtani who decided go to the Los Angeles Angels.  I am sure had more to do with the city than the team. So now the Mariners have lost the guy they wanted to get however they did get an all-star player.

With Robinson Cano playing second base and Segura at shortstop where Gordon played previously the Mariners have decided to play him in centerfield. Having the speed he has since he lead the major leagues in stolen bases this last season with sixty I am sure he can make the move successfully. I figure if former Mariner Chris Taylor can play a good centerfield for the Dodgers without any prior experience so can Gordon. He is in the middle of his prime career to being twenty-nine years old. If he has trouble adjusting to centerfield the Mariners could always move him to left or right field as well. With his flexibility the Mariners can always play him at either second or shortstop in case of injury. The thought that Robinson Cano might be moved to first base Gordon transfer back to second would be easy. Of course I don’t see that happening for a year or two at the most. Also this most likely wouldn’t happen until Nelson Cruz is no longer on the team. At that point the Mariners could move recent acquired first baseman Ryon Healy to first base however this speculation is down the road anyway.  If that does happen I would see Healy playing some first base still anyway having Cano being designated hitter at times as well to keep him refreshed.

Now we come to Ohtani. It is a disappointed that the Mariners were not able to get him especially to a division rival in the Angels. All we know about Ohtani is what we have heard from Dipoto and the other teams that have pushed to come after him. Whether he turns out to be a superstar as a pitcher and hitter only time will tell. His contract as well may allow the Mariners to pick him up down the road if things don’t work out in his favor with the Angels.

One thing I do know is that I am sure that Dipoto isn’t finished yet and he could come up with another surprise like in Gordon. This time I am sure it would be for a pitcher. I am sure he is in the works to get a starting pitcher however a relief pitcher would be nice as well. The Mariners still have the $3 million plus to go after an international player as well. The Mariners have to spend that money before the deadline in June to sign a player so I am sure they have a backup plan to do so.  

We do hope that we can get a nice present for Christmas with an outstanding pitcher. It wouldn’t surprise me if it happens soon since Dipoto seems to strike when the fire is hot. Go M’s.

Huskies Men’s Basketball Beats Kansas

Wednesday night Nov.6 the University of Washington Huskies basketball team was going into their biggest game of the 2017-2018 season under the new coach Mike Hopkins. They played number two ranked Kansas on the road beating them 74-65. I tuned into the game at half-time. I was on my couch thinking oh yes the Huskies are playing the Jayhawks and I wasn’t sure where in the game they would be at. I was surprised the Huskies were leading 36-34 at halftime. I thought wow they are ahead however good teams like the Jayhawks will rebound and win this game. I only had seen a few minutes of one of the Huskies previous games. I knew they were playing better because they have a 6-2 record during non-league games however they had a five hundred record last year before the Pac-12 season started and it turned out to be terrible where in the end long time coach Romar was fired after the season. Also high recruited players decided to go elsewhere. The Huskies had a terrible defensive team last season. The offense was great however they couldn’t stop anyone either.

This year Hopkins has brought in the defense he knew while playing and being an assistant coach at Syracuse. So far the Huskies team has embraced the zone defense that Hopkins knows so well. Going into this game Kansas was undefeated with a record of 7-0. They have been scoring an average of over 90 points a game however the Huskies only allowed 65 points. This game was so astounding to me that watching the Jayhawks I wanted to know how in the world did they average over 90 points a game.  Instead the Huskies made them look like an average team at best. Whatever the way the rest of the season goes for the Huskies one thing I do know it looks like the defense will be outstanding unless other teams figure the zone out. The Huskies don’t look like they will have the same offense as a year ago but they don’t need it I believe so. This group of guys are showing that defense wins games and they continue playing this way they might make the NCAA tournament this year. Mike Hopkins looks like a great fit at Washington and I look forward to seeing more of Husky basketball. Go Huskies!!

Best Win of the Season

The Seattle Seahawks beat the Philadelphia Eagles Sunday night at CenturyLink Field 24-10. This probably was the best game the Seahawks have played all season and could lead them further into the playoffs and we hope the Super Bowl.

The Seahawks scored a field goal in their first possession of the game to take the early lead 3-0. Later on in the first half Jimmy Graham scored his ninth touchdown of the season to make it 10-0 before the Eagles were able to make a field goal to end the first half 10-3.

In the second half it looked like the Eagles were going to score a touchdown to tie the game however quarterback Carson Wentz fumbled the ball on about the one yard line that went through the end zone for a touch back. It certainly made a difference in the game however the way the Seahawks were playing I still believed that they would have won the game though having a little luck on your side helps as well.

Running back Mike Davis came back to play for the Seahawks. His rushing yards were not impressive other than one nineteen yard run however he did make two catches in the first half that helped the touchdown to Jimmy Graham.

The Seahawks again had to rely primarily on the throwing arm of Russell Wilson along with his running ability to escape the Eagles defense. Russell Wilson made a lateral that was questionable however the Eagles didn’t ask to be shown to see if could turn over the decision that leads to a touchdown to Tyler Lockett. Later on Doug Baldwin made the final touchdown to make the final score 24-10.

It would have been nice to have a better running attack however we can’t be choosers so other than that it was a well-played game by both the offense and defense. The Eagles have been averaging over thirty points a game so giving up ten by the Seahawks was a very good achievement. The Eagles could have scored seventeen that would have made it really interesting but still showed how well the defense played in this game.

The Seahawks go next Sunday on the road to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jaguars are going to be tough since the Seahawks will be playing on the road and they have one of the top defenses in the NFL though their offense is questionable.

In other local sports it was announced that the Washington Huskies will be playing Penn State in the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona while the Washington State Cougars take on Michigan State in the Holiday Bowl in San Diego. Both games should be interesting and we root for both the Huskies and Cougars too win.

In other local news the Seattle Mariners are now finalist to acquire Japanese pitcher and hitter Ohtani. The Mariners will be meeting with Ohtani and his representatives this week at the Winter Meeting. Many in major league baseball feel the Mariners are the favorites to sign Ohtani. We should know the answer within the next two weeks. If so the Mariners could have a great Christmas present for all of us to enjoy. We wish the best for the Mariners in getting Ohtani. He certainly will look good in the Mariners lineup and starting rotation. Go teams!

Seahawks Sunday

Here we are again to root on our lovely though frustrating at times team the Seattle Seahawks. They play on Sunday night football tonight against the Philadelphia Eagles at Century link Field.

The Eagles are favored in this game having the best record in the NFL at 10-1. This is one of the rate times since Pete Carroll has been the coach of the Seahawks that they are not favored in this game at home. The Seahawks are 7-4 going into this game behind the Los Angeles by one who has a record of 8-3. The Rams will be taking on the Cardinals in Arizona and we will all know the outcome of the game before the Seahawks play this evening.

It is real important that the Seahawks win this game to keep not only contention for their spot in the NFC west division but for the playoffs as well. The history has shown that the Seahawks don’t do well when they have to go on the road in the playoffs and if they want to play in the Super Bowl.

The other day I heard Brock and Salk on 710 ESPN speaking about Russell Wilson being one of the favorites to win the MVP of the league. I am sorry at this point I would not consider him a MVP candidate. He has made up about 84 percent of the Seahawks and done a bang up job in the fourth quarter of the games they have won but unless the Seahawks win out and go to the Super Bowl there is no way I would consider Wilson for MVP.  Outside of the dramatic fashion winning in the fourth quarter the Seahawks offense has been horrible in the first half most of the games. In fact it has been a while since they scored in their first possession of the game. Just because he has thrown his magic wand and came up favorable in the seven games they have won doesn’t qualify him for MVP in mind anyway. The Seahawks have been a better second half of the season team since Wilson has come aboard so anything is possible and if they come out on top in the playoffs than I would say yes Wilson for MVP however right now I can’t say that at all. Did I just repeat myself oh well if I did.

The Seahawks will need the running game to come out in the beginning of this game and hopefully can score early. We all know that the running game has been awful so far this season except when Wilson scrambles. The combination of the offensive line and the running backs has made it that way. Now that he has been here a few weeks we hope that left tackle Duane Brown can help out the running game and that one of the running backs like Eddie Lacy can step forward. Speaking of running backs what has happened with Thomas Rawls. Is it the injuries that have kept him from realizing what he did two years ago for the Seahawks? It  sounds like the Seahawks will need to go out and get some other running backs during the off-season. Mike Davis who was on the practice squad and looked like he did a good job a couple weeks ago or so will be activated once again; we hope that he might be the answer for the Seahawks.

It looks like Chris Carson the seventh round pick of the Seahawks this last year who was playing the best ball from the running back position before getting hurt might be back in the next week or two. It would be nice to see if he recovers enough to do a good job for the remaining of the season.

In other local sports let’s congratulate the Seattle Sounders going back to the MLS championship and seeing if they can win two straight years. They take on Toronto who they beat last year and the best to the Sounders and to their faithful fans.

In baseball this week the Mariners didn’t tender contracts to either Drew Smyly or Shae Simmons. Both of them are now considered free agents. Smyly was hurt during last spring training and had to have surgery. He wasn’t expected back to play until the second half of the upcoming season at the earliest so not a surprise there. Simmons on the other hand was hurt most of the year however did pitch a little in September however the Mariners I am sure feel that he might not be ready to go either or at least no plans to be part of the bullpen. The Mariners have thirty-five players on their forty man roster right now so leaves room for free agents and trades. This coming week the winter meetings happen in Los Angeles. The Mariners are putting in all the stops to go after Japanese pitcher and player Ohtani. If you are a Mariner fan I am sure you know the Mariners interest in getting this young player. We do hope that he does decide come to Seattle. What the odds is right now it is hard to say. What other moves the Mariners make before spring training will depend on whether they are successful in signing Ohtani or not. Let’s go M’s on this one.