Author: Seth Kolloen

Seattle’s first title shot since Super Bowl XL is tonight in Atlanta. Game 3, Storm vs. Dream. It’s a 5 p.m. start, you can watch it on ESPN2, or on the Interwebs on ESPN3. If you choose to count the WNBA as a major professional league, this is one of the very few times that a Seattle team has played in a game that could win them a title. The Mariners never have; the Seahawks only once. The Sonics did it three times–twice in 1978, losing both times to the Bullets, and once in ’79, when they won the city’s…

Storm win Game 2 [Storm.com] Was part of a loud, towel-waving crowd that watched a ugly but tense WNBA Finals Game 2 last night. Atlanta’s strategy of pressuring Sue Bird deep in the backcourt, and hammering Lauren Jackson down low, led to a choppy game full of turnovers and foul shots. The refs called 50 fouls in the game (and it’s not like they were whistle-happy, these were legit fouls) and we saw 60 foul shots. LJ took 17 of them, hitting 13 on her way to a game-high 26. Swin Cash had 19 points, including a clutch baseline three…

A very slow sports day–Mariners lost, big surprise–gives me a chance to relay this perhaps also unsurprising information: Kevin Durant’s incredible performance at the FIBA World Basketball Championships did not captivate Seattle hoops fans. I made a point last week of asking big Sonics fan friends of mine if they were watching Durant tear up the rest of the world. “Still too painful,” was one response. “Can’t get into USA Basketball,” was another. Nothing so odd about this, I suppose. I don’t remember many Mariner fans following Ichiro closely during the World Baseball Classic. Still, Durant is going to hold…

Locker or Dilfer? The Huskies needed a win Saturday, and got it by dialing back Jake Locker from game changer to game manager. Locker had just 5 rushing attempts against Syracuse, the fewest of any game in his Husky career–hell, probably of any game in his entire football life. Locker led the Huskies to seven scores doing his best Dilfer–or let’s be more generous–Kurt Warner impersonation: –Short passes leading to long yards-after-catch gains. (Kearse had 179 yards receiving, none on deep balls.) –Throwing balls away when he was pressured instead of forcing throws or scrambling. (Locker hasn’t thrown an INT…

Howard Lincoln goes all Nixon on us [Seattle Times]: Prepare for a terrifying glimpse inside the addled mind of Mariners president Howard Lincoln, who sounds like he’s progressing right along on his enemies list. Sayeth he: “If it seems to you like the local media is going out of its way to trash the Mariners, well, you’re right, they are!” The letter, obtained by the Times’ Geoff Baker, was sent after Baker interviewed Lincoln and Armstrong about the Josh Lueke trade but before Baker’s piece on the trade appeared. It would seem that Lincoln is no fan of Baker. Read…

Babineaux back in, Terrill now out [Seahawks.com] Whatever your job–writer, hairdresser, architect–sometimes you just have to say enough is enough and finish the job. Pete Carroll and John Schneider aren’t there yet, even though they’ve got a game in four days. Roster changes continue, and we may not have seen the last of them. Schneider insists that the team is better, but it’s hard to see this as anything other than a rebuilding year. Ugh. Mariners offensive excels (for them) [MLB] The M’s tallied seven runs and beat the A’s. It was the first time in 15 games they’d scored…

Recognize this? [Seahawks roster] Cut down day sometimes holds one or two surprises, but this? T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Jordan Babineaux, Steve Vallos, Mansfield Wrotto and Owen Schmitt, all of whom started at least one game last year, cut. According to Seahawks.com, the team has made 180 roster moves since Carroll’s hire. The Miracle in the Sun [Sue Bird’s shot] If you missed the most amazing pro sports playoff comeback since the M’s Game 4 comeback in ’95, at least check out Sue Bird’s incredible game-winning shot in the video above. The Storm were down 12 with 3:21 left after Diana Taurasi…

Storm one win from WNBA finals [WNBA.com] Tanisha Wright held Diana Taurasi to 2-15 shooting, the Mercury scored 20 points less than their season average, and Lauren Jackson put in 23 points in a 82-74 win. A very physical game–hardly the most beautiful you’ll ever see–but a fun night at KeyArena with 9,686 rowdy fans on hand. Storm lead best-of-three Western Conference Finals 1-0, game 2 Sunday @ Phoenix. Houshmandzadeh being shopped [NFL.com] Housh, or more accurately his $7M salary, is on the trading block. Deon Butler showed why in the final preseason game last night, a loss to Oakland,…

Sounders will defend their U.S. Open Cup title [SoundersFC] Steve Zakuani runs set up goals for Nate Jaqua and Fredy Montero, and Roger Levesque set up another for Jaqua as the Sounders beat Chivas USA 3-1 in the U.S. Open Cup semifinal at Starfire. The final is October 5 at Qwest Field vs. Columbus. Back to MLS action now. Next game Saturday @ New England. Matsui burns Vargas, Mariners [MLB.com wrap] Pitching to Hideki Matsui in the 7th with a base open ended up being a poor decision. Matsui slammed a go-ahead homer–his 5th this year against Mariner pitching–and the…

Mariners win, though Felix doesn’t [box] Torii Hunter’s tip of the cap to Felix Hernandez after striking out on a knee-buckling curve tells you all you need to know about the King’s latest masterpiece. Treat yourself to the highlights. Brandon League gets the “look-what-I-found” win, after giving up the game’s first run, then sitting through a three-run 8th-inning M’s rally. M’s 52-80. Next game tonight vs. LAA. Seahawks trade Josh Wilson, acquire zone-blocker [team release] We’re down to one local pro named Josh Wilson, after the Hawks traded the 55th overall pick of the ’07 draft to Baltimore for a…