Saturday, January 08, 2005
LOSE YOUR MINDS, WIN THE GAME
Everyone going to the Q today to see the Rams and Seahawks...just yell your freakin' lungs out. This is more than likely the only time you'll be able to see this bunch of guys (including the one we drew up a sign about) in a home playoff game unless the Seahawks make it to the conference finals and the Vikings somehow make it there too. So come on, 12th man, the Seahawks got you a home playoff game, now go and root this bunch of Seahawks on like you never have before.
MARINERS
This just in...the Mariners have not signed, nor are they on the verge of signing Derek Lowe to an insanely bloated contract.
SEAHAWKS
Anticipation is building up as I type this. I usually type these daily posts section by section, and I saved the Seahawks for last this time.
Twenty damn years, y'all. The Seahawks haven't won a playoff game in that long (see for yourself). That's brutal. But it's got a chance to end today. Chad Brown, Jerry Rice, and Mike Holmgren give surprised reactions (scripted or not) when they're reminded of the futility, whereas Tacoma native and childhood Seahawk fan Marcus Trufant knows what all this means, and he's got a chance to be on the team that ends the streak. The Tacoma guy, the Coug, the Seahawk...he is for us.
Here's more on the futility. The Seahawks have the third-longest streak without a playoff win in any of the four major professional sports behind the Expos/Nationals and the Milwaukee Brewers. Worse yet, Carolina and Jacksonville each have four playoff wins since entering the league in 1995. The Seahawks have three wins in their 29 years of existence. The Seahawks need to win today for themselves, for the fans, and for respect. It must be done. The one hilarious thing from this article: we learn that in Mike Holmgren's tenure in Seattle, 20 teams won a game in the playoffs, and the Seahawks aren't one of them...but neither are the Denver Broncos!! That's freakin' hilarious!! Mile low!! No NFL team with Jake Plummer at quarterback will get far. I can think of a certain team that hasn't done crap since John Elway left, and they wear navy blue and obnoxious orange...
So now the phrase is being referred to as "the nine words." Either way, Matt Hasselbeck has gained national notoriety as a result of the guarantee he made on national television in Green Bay a year ago, a guarantee that rang hollow when Alex Bannister ran 10 yards on an 8-yard hitch. He's got a chance to make a solid mark tomorrow as well. But this year, he's got playoff experience, as do a lot of the guys on this team that are holdovers from last year.
Since it's never rained in the three years of Seahawk games there, has there really been a full-on homefield advantage at the Q? One could say there definitely was last year, or at least that's how it turned out in the results. To think it's never rained there, though, is unbelievable. I went to two Raiders/Seahawks games back at Husky Stadium, and the heavens just opened up both times and dumped torrents of rain on everyone at Montlake. Yet the Seahawks won both of those games. I do find it funny that they flew in an atmospheric expert to find the optimal positions for the players' benches. Yet the full desired effect hasn't been achieved on account of the lack of rain, and I don't think many people were anticipating playoff games with snow.
Both of these teams are zoos, but I'd have to say the Rams win out on the zoo factor. A possible felon and the summoning of NFL security after a player-coach confrontation? Give me the running back that complains about not getting a rushing record and the wide receiver that's late for everything and abuses substances over the Rams' nuttiness.
Grant Wistrom. I wish he was healthy and able to play today, because it'd sure help. Instead, the Seahawks are left with so shred of a pass rush. It makes me almost hope that the Seahawks do go the route of Mitch Levy's suggestion and just put 11 defensive backs out there with no linemen.
Lastly, here's the P-I's blow-by-blow edge, and the matchup capsule.
BASKETBALL
The Marvin Williams Watch
The Tar Heels start ACC play today at home in the Dean Dome against Maryland bright and early at 9am on ESPN.
Huskies
The Huskies are at UCLA tonight at 7:30, no TV because of the Pac10's idiotic and archaic TV contract stipulations. Read about UCLA's much-traveled Brian Morrison here.
Bulldogs
Gonzaga will be at Saint Mary's tonight at 7pm on FSNNW.
Sonics
Yes, Shaq is off to avenge Miami's loss from Monday. You know, the loss after which Shaq complained about Danny Fortson flopping to get calls. You'd think if he was the Big Aristotle, he'd be able to find a way to neutralize Danny Fortson. I don't want to speak too soon, though, because Shaq just might find a way to have the whole Sonic frontcourt get abused by him tomorrow. The P-I got this article in on Saturday because they don't go to print tomorrow.
Upcoming...
Tomorrow vs. Miami
Tuesday vs. LA Clippers
Wednesday at LA Clippers
Friday vs. Golden State
HOCKEY
Seattle shut out Kelowna 3-0. If you need any more evidence that it's the year of the shutout in the WHL, look no further than Bryan Bridges getting his 8th shutout of the season to break former T-Bird Cody Rudkowsky's 1997-98 franchise record. On January 7th. The Thunderbirds knocked off the BC Division-leading Rockets thanks to the play of Bridges as well as goals in the second period by Matt Hansen and Derek Couture, and a third-period goal from Nate Thompson. Seattle outshot Kelowna 28-27. Bridges stopped all 27 in the Seattle net. In what wouldn't be the only weird delay of the night, the second period was cut short and the time was tacked onto the third period after a section of plexiglass had to be reinstalled.
Everett shut out Spokane 2-0. The only goals in this one were scored on the power play by Shaun Heshka, in the first and final periods. In more evidence that this is the WHL year of the shutout, Everett goalie Mike Wall notched his 7th shutout of the year with this game, extending his own franchise record (the 'Tips haven't existed for long). Everett outshot Spokane 18-17. Wall stopped all 17 in the Silvertips' net. The weird delay (23 minutes) in this game was caused by a transformer that blew up outside the Everett Events Center.
Saskatoon beat Portland 5-2. The Winter Hawks got Braydon Coburn back from his stint with the gold medal Canadian team from the World Juniors, but it would take much more than that to fell the East Division-leading Blades. Saskatoon drew first blood near the 12-minute mark of the first period, and the PA announcer wasn't even done announcing the first goal before the Blades tallied another one. The Winter Hawks couldn't answer with a goal until Cody McLeod scored with 2:03 left in the second period. Unfortunately for Portland at that point, the score was only 5-1 after the goal. Coburn was minus-4 in his return to the Winter Hawks. This was Dustin Butler's 23rd straight start in the Portland net, and he stopped 30 for Portland, who outshot Saskatoon 35-32.
Prince George beat Vancouver 4-3. This game was the Giants' fifth in six nights, and it showed. However, they almost completed a spirited comeback and nearly got a point in the standings out of this game, but it was not to be. The Cougars scored twice in each of the first two periods to jump out to a 4-0 lead, with the Giants feeling the effects of their brutal stretch. But then Triston Grant scored shorthanded late in the second period to cut the deficit to 4-1. The teams came out of the dressing room for the third period and Garet Hunt didn't wait long (67 seconds) before scoring to bring the Giants within two. Vancouver got a powerplay but this time Adam Courchaine put one across to bring the Giants to within one at 4-3; most importantly the Giants had nearly 12 minutes in the game to try and net the equalizer. However, Vancouver could not pull this one out of the hat. Vancouver outshot the Cougars 39-31. Adam Jennings stopped 27 for the Giants.
Puget Sound beat River City 9-1. It was just another day at the office for Mike Truex, who netted a hat trick to ratchet up his season goal total to 26 (the Tomahawks have played 29 games). Truex scored the tying goal early in the second period, and Jan Loboda broke off shorthanded and scored what held up to be the winner, about three minutes after Truex tied the game at 1-1. Then it got crazy, as the Tomahawks ended up scoring three more goals in that second period, and four more in the final frame. Chase Ambuter and Ryan Osterheldt scored twice to account for seven of Puget Sound's nine goals. The remaining unmentioned goal was by young Kyle Stoumbaugh, who had not scored in about a month, and maybe more. Iggy Slepokourev stopped 30 of 31 in the net for the Tomahawks.
Tonight: Tri-City at Seattle, Kamloops at Everett, Portland at Prince Albert, Vancouver at Kelowna, Edmonton at Manitoba, Puget Sound at River City
Tomorrow: Edmonton at Manitoba
---
Have a wonderful Saturday, everyone. I hope there'll be something happy to talk about at the end of the day, but I'm prepared either way. Even a Seahawk loss today wouldn't blindside me like the first-seeded Sonics losing in the first round to the Nuggets. Nothing prepared me for that, but if I lived through that, I can live with either fate today for the Seahawks.
But I know which one I'd much rather experience.
MARINERS
This just in...the Mariners have not signed, nor are they on the verge of signing Derek Lowe to an insanely bloated contract.
SEAHAWKS
Anticipation is building up as I type this. I usually type these daily posts section by section, and I saved the Seahawks for last this time.
Twenty damn years, y'all. The Seahawks haven't won a playoff game in that long (see for yourself). That's brutal. But it's got a chance to end today. Chad Brown, Jerry Rice, and Mike Holmgren give surprised reactions (scripted or not) when they're reminded of the futility, whereas Tacoma native and childhood Seahawk fan Marcus Trufant knows what all this means, and he's got a chance to be on the team that ends the streak. The Tacoma guy, the Coug, the Seahawk...he is for us.
Here's more on the futility. The Seahawks have the third-longest streak without a playoff win in any of the four major professional sports behind the Expos/Nationals and the Milwaukee Brewers. Worse yet, Carolina and Jacksonville each have four playoff wins since entering the league in 1995. The Seahawks have three wins in their 29 years of existence. The Seahawks need to win today for themselves, for the fans, and for respect. It must be done. The one hilarious thing from this article: we learn that in Mike Holmgren's tenure in Seattle, 20 teams won a game in the playoffs, and the Seahawks aren't one of them...but neither are the Denver Broncos!! That's freakin' hilarious!! Mile low!! No NFL team with Jake Plummer at quarterback will get far. I can think of a certain team that hasn't done crap since John Elway left, and they wear navy blue and obnoxious orange...
So now the phrase is being referred to as "the nine words." Either way, Matt Hasselbeck has gained national notoriety as a result of the guarantee he made on national television in Green Bay a year ago, a guarantee that rang hollow when Alex Bannister ran 10 yards on an 8-yard hitch. He's got a chance to make a solid mark tomorrow as well. But this year, he's got playoff experience, as do a lot of the guys on this team that are holdovers from last year.
Since it's never rained in the three years of Seahawk games there, has there really been a full-on homefield advantage at the Q? One could say there definitely was last year, or at least that's how it turned out in the results. To think it's never rained there, though, is unbelievable. I went to two Raiders/Seahawks games back at Husky Stadium, and the heavens just opened up both times and dumped torrents of rain on everyone at Montlake. Yet the Seahawks won both of those games. I do find it funny that they flew in an atmospheric expert to find the optimal positions for the players' benches. Yet the full desired effect hasn't been achieved on account of the lack of rain, and I don't think many people were anticipating playoff games with snow.
Both of these teams are zoos, but I'd have to say the Rams win out on the zoo factor. A possible felon and the summoning of NFL security after a player-coach confrontation? Give me the running back that complains about not getting a rushing record and the wide receiver that's late for everything and abuses substances over the Rams' nuttiness.
Grant Wistrom. I wish he was healthy and able to play today, because it'd sure help. Instead, the Seahawks are left with so shred of a pass rush. It makes me almost hope that the Seahawks do go the route of Mitch Levy's suggestion and just put 11 defensive backs out there with no linemen.
Lastly, here's the P-I's blow-by-blow edge, and the matchup capsule.
BASKETBALL
The Marvin Williams Watch
The Tar Heels start ACC play today at home in the Dean Dome against Maryland bright and early at 9am on ESPN.
Huskies
The Huskies are at UCLA tonight at 7:30, no TV because of the Pac10's idiotic and archaic TV contract stipulations. Read about UCLA's much-traveled Brian Morrison here.
Bulldogs
Gonzaga will be at Saint Mary's tonight at 7pm on FSNNW.
Sonics
Yes, Shaq is off to avenge Miami's loss from Monday. You know, the loss after which Shaq complained about Danny Fortson flopping to get calls. You'd think if he was the Big Aristotle, he'd be able to find a way to neutralize Danny Fortson. I don't want to speak too soon, though, because Shaq just might find a way to have the whole Sonic frontcourt get abused by him tomorrow. The P-I got this article in on Saturday because they don't go to print tomorrow.
Upcoming...
Tomorrow vs. Miami
Tuesday vs. LA Clippers
Wednesday at LA Clippers
Friday vs. Golden State
HOCKEY
Seattle shut out Kelowna 3-0. If you need any more evidence that it's the year of the shutout in the WHL, look no further than Bryan Bridges getting his 8th shutout of the season to break former T-Bird Cody Rudkowsky's 1997-98 franchise record. On January 7th. The Thunderbirds knocked off the BC Division-leading Rockets thanks to the play of Bridges as well as goals in the second period by Matt Hansen and Derek Couture, and a third-period goal from Nate Thompson. Seattle outshot Kelowna 28-27. Bridges stopped all 27 in the Seattle net. In what wouldn't be the only weird delay of the night, the second period was cut short and the time was tacked onto the third period after a section of plexiglass had to be reinstalled.
Everett shut out Spokane 2-0. The only goals in this one were scored on the power play by Shaun Heshka, in the first and final periods. In more evidence that this is the WHL year of the shutout, Everett goalie Mike Wall notched his 7th shutout of the year with this game, extending his own franchise record (the 'Tips haven't existed for long). Everett outshot Spokane 18-17. Wall stopped all 17 in the Silvertips' net. The weird delay (23 minutes) in this game was caused by a transformer that blew up outside the Everett Events Center.
Saskatoon beat Portland 5-2. The Winter Hawks got Braydon Coburn back from his stint with the gold medal Canadian team from the World Juniors, but it would take much more than that to fell the East Division-leading Blades. Saskatoon drew first blood near the 12-minute mark of the first period, and the PA announcer wasn't even done announcing the first goal before the Blades tallied another one. The Winter Hawks couldn't answer with a goal until Cody McLeod scored with 2:03 left in the second period. Unfortunately for Portland at that point, the score was only 5-1 after the goal. Coburn was minus-4 in his return to the Winter Hawks. This was Dustin Butler's 23rd straight start in the Portland net, and he stopped 30 for Portland, who outshot Saskatoon 35-32.
Prince George beat Vancouver 4-3. This game was the Giants' fifth in six nights, and it showed. However, they almost completed a spirited comeback and nearly got a point in the standings out of this game, but it was not to be. The Cougars scored twice in each of the first two periods to jump out to a 4-0 lead, with the Giants feeling the effects of their brutal stretch. But then Triston Grant scored shorthanded late in the second period to cut the deficit to 4-1. The teams came out of the dressing room for the third period and Garet Hunt didn't wait long (67 seconds) before scoring to bring the Giants within two. Vancouver got a powerplay but this time Adam Courchaine put one across to bring the Giants to within one at 4-3; most importantly the Giants had nearly 12 minutes in the game to try and net the equalizer. However, Vancouver could not pull this one out of the hat. Vancouver outshot the Cougars 39-31. Adam Jennings stopped 27 for the Giants.
Puget Sound beat River City 9-1. It was just another day at the office for Mike Truex, who netted a hat trick to ratchet up his season goal total to 26 (the Tomahawks have played 29 games). Truex scored the tying goal early in the second period, and Jan Loboda broke off shorthanded and scored what held up to be the winner, about three minutes after Truex tied the game at 1-1. Then it got crazy, as the Tomahawks ended up scoring three more goals in that second period, and four more in the final frame. Chase Ambuter and Ryan Osterheldt scored twice to account for seven of Puget Sound's nine goals. The remaining unmentioned goal was by young Kyle Stoumbaugh, who had not scored in about a month, and maybe more. Iggy Slepokourev stopped 30 of 31 in the net for the Tomahawks.
Tonight: Tri-City at Seattle, Kamloops at Everett, Portland at Prince Albert, Vancouver at Kelowna, Edmonton at Manitoba, Puget Sound at River City
Tomorrow: Edmonton at Manitoba
---
Have a wonderful Saturday, everyone. I hope there'll be something happy to talk about at the end of the day, but I'm prepared either way. Even a Seahawk loss today wouldn't blindside me like the first-seeded Sonics losing in the first round to the Nuggets. Nothing prepared me for that, but if I lived through that, I can live with either fate today for the Seahawks.
But I know which one I'd much rather experience.