Sonics Fans, We’ve Got an Inside Man: It may be important, it may not, but the fact is that New Orleans Hornets president Hugh Weber grew up a Sonics fan. Weber is a Tacoma kid –Bellarmine Prep Class of ’84– and ran track at University of Puget Sound, where he was 1989 NAIA District I steeplechase champion. Could he leap the obstacles between getting the Hornets from New Orleans to Seattle?
Sounders to announce Keller extension (probably) this morning: Sounders GM Adrian Hanauer and Kasey Keller are meeting with the media this morning. Considering that the Sounders haven’t signed another goalie for next season, it’s probably to announce a contract extension for Keller.
Schrempf adds to his IMDB page: Former UW star and Sonic Detlef Schrempf is guest starring on NBC’s “Parks and Recreation” again. During the last season of the show, Schrempf appeared, as himself, as a guest on a TV telethon. (Parks and Recreation is set in Indiana; Schrempf played five seasons with Pacers, where he rocked a sweet flat-top.)
What they’re saying…
“Leon Washington deserves to be pushed for (Comeback Player of the Year). He’s balling off a broken leg. I came back from being lazy.” — Mike Williams, via Twitter
“We’re not as good as we thought we would be, but it’s happened like that every year. We start out slow and we gradually mature and get better throughout the year.” — Isaiah Thomas
“We’re going to leave their passports home, that’s for sure.” — Steve Sarkisian on rules for taking a college football team to a bowl game near the Mexican border.
In other news…
CONCACAF has snubbed us. Seattle was not among the 11 cities chosen to host games in 2011 Gold Cup. Which sucks. But, to be fair, when they had the Gold Cup here in 2009, did you go? I sure didn’t.
Some sweet highlights from last night: Check out this ridiculous J.R. Smith dunk and this MMA parkour-style off-the-cage kick. Suffering through the 15-second ads before each clip is worth it, trust me.
Seahawks offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates says he likes to throw on fourth-and-one because it’s an opportunity for “one-on-one football.”
Check out Charlie Whitehurst looking like “The Most Interesting Man in the World” at the Seahawks’ Christmas party last night.
With the 49ers loss, the Seahawks playoff picture got a little clearer. They’re in for sure if they beat the Rams and at least one of the Falcons or Bucs. They could still get in at 7-9, but would need help from other teams.
This would’ve been more timely yesterday, but it’s still awesome: a remembrance of the time Bob Feller and Satchel Paige pitched against each other in Seattle. Guess who got a hit off who?
Your vote could help Jon Brockman win Tweeter of the Year! Brockman is currently 11th in the voting.
Sports trailers…
University of San Francisco just wanted to sit back, prevent the drive, wait for you to miss a three-pointer, and let 6-10 senior Moustapha Diarra clean up the boards. They beat Colorado. They beat Montana. But would their plan work against C.J. Wilcox and the three-bombing Dawgs?
Adrian Oliver ditched the University of Washington, never to return. Now he’s back, and he wants revenge. The the NCAA’s third-leading scorer at 25.4 ppg, now a San Jose St. Trojan, Oliver is looking to flash his skills against Seattle U. In a fast-paced, Cameron Dollar-style game, can Oliver score 40?
No one gave the Seahawks a chance. Facing 11-2 Atlanta, which has a better quarterback, a better running back, and a tight end who’s deadly in the red zone. But with their backs against the wall, needing wins to avoid elimination, do the Seahawks want it more?
Today in SPNW…
Art Thiel goes off on the Big 10’s “Leaders” and “Legends” division names.
Art also riffs on the main sports events of the weekend, with a guest appearance by Bill Russell.
Doug Farrar on why watching the Falcons is like watching a football clinic.
The weekend’s action…
Friday
NCAA FCS Semifinal: Villanova @ Eastern Washington, 5 p.m. (ESPN2)
Saturday
Hoops: Baylor vs. Gonzaga (in Dallas), 1 p.m. (ESPN2)
Hoops: U of San Francisco @ Washington, 7 p.m. (FSN)
Hoops: San Jose St. @ Seattle U, 7:10 p.m. (710-AM)
Sunday
NFL: Kansas City @ St. Louis, 10 a.m. (CBS)
NFL: Atlanta @ Seattle, 1:05 p.m. (FOX)
NFL: Green Bay @ New England, 5:15 p.m. (NBC)
Hoops: Wazzu @ Santa Clara, 7:00 p.m. (850-AM)
Yo! If you have a tip or a comment, email me at sethkolloen@sportspressnw.wpengine.com or message me on Twitter, @SethKolloen. Cool? Thanks!