- Good Week — One week after a dismal performance against Arizona State, obvioiusly abetted by the flu, Jake Locker tosses five touchdown passes in a two-overtime win over Oregon State. Locker joins Chris Rowland (vs. California in 1973) as the only UW quarterbacks to execute a quintent and, with 49 TD passes for his career, seems assured of breaking Cody Pickett’s career record of 55.
- Bad Week — It might rate as ancient history by now, but the Mariners once again look like chumps for not selecting Tim Lincecum in the June draft a couple of years ago. The former Husky, a two-time Cy Young winner, won two games in the NLDS for San Francisco and all the Mariners have to show for their mental lapse is Brandon League, a celery stick next to the Giants’ filet mignon.
- Sunday, Oct. 17 — A week after acquiring RB Marshawn Lynch from Buffalo and trading WR Deion Branch back to New England, the Seahawks upset the Bears in Chicago 23-20 and look formidable in doing so. They might also rate middling mention in the middle of the NFL Power Rankings, but they certainly performed for head coach Pete Carroll.
- Saturday, Oct. 16— The Huskies win a two-overtime game against Oregon State as Jake Locker ties a school record with five touchdown passes, two in overtime to Jerome Kearse. It’s the most rollicking game UW has played since the 2002 Apple Cup, won by Washington in three OTs. And, FWIW, Washington could not have won a game like this in 2009.
- Friday, Oct. 15 — Mariners are apparently going to hire former Cleveland skipper Eric Wedge, described as the “anti-Wakamatsu” as their new manager. Nothing against Wedge, but the Mariners could hire Joe McCarthy, Connie Mack and Leo Durocher and they still couldn’t score any runs.
- Thursday, Oct. 14 — The Mariners complete their first five interviews of candidates seeking to replace the deposed Don Wakamatus: former Mets and Rangers manager Bobby Valentine; former Blue Jays manager John Gibbons; former Astros manager Cecil Cooper; former Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon; and former Indians manager Eric Wedge. There’s a reason all of them are former managers and also reasons why none of them were Lou Piniella.
- Wednesday, Oct. 13 — Bobby Valentine interviews for the Mariners’ managerial vacancy, becoming the fifth individual trying to replace the summer-ousted Don Wakamatsu. Our most vivid memory of Valentine: in the late 1980s, he suffered a groin injury while attempting to do the splits on a nightclub dance floor.
- Tuesday, Oct. 12 — Under the “You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone,” file, add pitcher Cliff Lee. He fanned 11 in a six hitter for his second victory of the ALDS and gave Texas a playoff series win for the first time in franchise history. Justin Smoak, whom the Mariners received for Lee, will have to come a near Hall of Famer to balance out the trade.
- Monday, Oct. 11 — The Seahawks trade former Super Bowl MVP Deion Branch back to the New England Patriots for a fourth-round draft pick, a move that almost became inevitable when the club signed Brandon Stokley. Mainly due to his injuries, Branch never made an impact in Seattle — and the Seahawks wasted a No. 1 draft pick to get him.