Hasselbeck Will Start Sunday: Well THAT wasn’t very much fun. Pete Carroll ends the Seahawks’ quarterback controversy after 16 hours, announcing that Matt Hasselbeck remains the starter. He did say that he’d bring in backup Whitehurst if Hass struggled. But that’s what Carrol did Sunday, so that’s not really news.
Sorry Ladies, Locker’s Off the Market: Dreamy #10 got engaged over the weekend to his longtime girlfriend, former Husky softball player Lauren Greer. Just like Locker to stick with his first read. Here’s the happy couple at January’s Sports Star of the Year banquet.
Well, Ichiro’s Always Liked the Ball Low: Following in the time-honored tradition of aging athletes, Ichiro has taken up golfing. And, in another time-honored tradition, he’s got a barrage of self-deprecating quotes*. “I hit my golf ball all over the course, so I have to go look for the ball. It might be harder than my usual training.” No way, Ichiro. You’re probably a scratch golfer after four rounds.
*#1 in this category is Hank Aaron, who said: “It took me seventeen years to get 3,000 hits. I did it in one afternoon on the golf course.”
What they’re saying…
“We’re going with Matt. He gives us our best chance to finish off right.” — Pete Carroll
“It’s time some of the reverence shown towards Hasselbeck is redirected to those people that really constitute a team: the fans.” — John Morgan, Field Gulls
“I’ve been a member of the Mariners the past 10 seasons. After all this time I wonder why we still lose this many games.” — Ichiro
“The team has great character and there are not a lot of guys with egos who allow that to get in the way. Every good player has some type of an ego. But you cant let it get in the way of your team. I think our guys, for the most part, do that. — Lorenzo Romar, on his Huskies
“Looking for some christmas parties to crash been to one lookin for more. Come on invite me to your party.” — Walter Jones, via Twitter, apparently lonely in retirement
In other news…
The Sounders will host the first game of the MLS season for the third straight year. The Green Ravers are 2-0 in such openers, with wins over New York and Philadelphia. This year they’ll get L.A. Galaxy, on March 15.
Former Mariner Bill Hall signed with the Astros.
The Seahawks are 6 point underdogs to Tampa Bay.
The Hawks put Roy Lewis on IR and signed Arkansas State rookie Marcus Brown off the practice squad.
The Husky women hoopsters beat Western Michigan 59-40 last night. Kristi Kingma had 25 points for the Dawgs.
Check out Drakkar Sweet, Badhasa Margarsa, and the other members of SeaTown Sports High School Hoops All-Name Team.
Two high school hoops tourneys going on this week: The South Sound Invitational at St. Martin’s University in Lacey, today and Wednesday, and the Showare Classic, Wednesday at the Showare Center in Kent.
Tweet talk…
“People Watchin at the mall. People are so weird lol… I LOVE the holidays everybody b out smiling n havin fun that’s how it needs 2 be” — Isaiah Thomas
“I’m the type of guy that opens the door for ladies” — Abdul Gaddy
“My 2 yr old daughter put her feet together and informed us that she is a mermaid tonight. Good stuff” — Craig Terrill
Today in SPNW…
Doug Farrar on the versatile Michael Robinson.
Todd Dybas on M.I.A. Husky WR James Johnson
Stanley Holmes previews the type of team the Portland Timbers are building
Today’s action…
Beef O’Brady’s Bowl: Louisville vs. Southern Mississippi, 5 p.m. (ESPN)
Yo! If you have a tip or a comment, email me at sethkolloen@sportspressnw.wpengine.com or message me on Twitter, @SethKolloen. Cool? Thanks!