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 banked in a three. Energetic Swin Cash responded with an old-fashioned three-point play, starting a 12-0 run to end the game.
Huskies lose winnable game [GoHuskies.com]
Throughout the Huskies’ road game at BYU, I was convinced they were going to win. They seemed to be the better, more talented team. But they didn’t. A combination of bad luck and bad decision making conspired against them. And instead of looking like a Heisman candidate, Jake Locker was matched–arguably outplayed–by a platoon of first-year starters. There was a “here we go again” feeling to the loss.
Felix stays in Cy Young conversation [ESPN]
Was able to catch another amazing player on Sunday afternoon at Safeco. Felix Hernandez dominated the Indians, dropping his ERA to 2.30 and lifting his record to 11-10. My favorite thing to watch from my vantage point behind first base was the knee-buckling of righties when Felix threw a curveball. He had Shin-Soo Choo diving out of the way of one that ended up being a strike. The M’s lost two of the other three games they played this weekend.
What they’re saying…
“We’re bigger. We’re faster. We’re clearly a more talented football team.” — Seahawks GM John Schneider [Seahawks.com]
“We are not going to dwell on this football game. We are going to learn from it, learn from out mistakes and move forward and go on to the next one.” — Coach Sark [Seattle Times]
“Its official I comitted to the university of Washington yeEeeeeaaaaah let’s go huskies!” — Rainier Beach SG Hikeem Stewart [Twitter]
“Things are gettin alil shaky wit the Seahawks!!! What’ll happen next?” — Aaron Curry [Twitter]
In other news…
The Sounders lost 3-1 to New England, allowing three goals in the final 20 minutes of the game.
Hikeem Stewart, as you see above, committed to UW. Now Garfield’s Tony Wroten, the real prize of the Class of ’11, says he’ll commit within the month.
The football team lost a QB recruit, as Arizona’s Brett Hundley picked UCLA.
Crazy goings-on in the M’s minor league system. AAA Tacoma clinched their second consecutive division title, their best-of-five first round playoff series begins Wednesday night in Sacramento, with Game 3 Friday at Safeco Field. At AA West Tennessee, Leury Bonilla played all nine positions and pitched a scoreless 9th. (Additionally, the team announced they’ll be known as the “Jackson Generals” next season.) Then, the NWL Everett Aquasox won game 1 of their playoff series in extra innings after allowing a game-tying 9th-inning homer to Vancouver.
Julius Jones stays with the Seahawks, but only because he agreed to a pay cut.
The Huskies aren’t planning any real personnel or scheme changes for next week other than this: They’ll have two kick returners back deep instead of just one.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh signed a 1-year deal to play in Baltimore.
Seahawks o-line coach Alex Gibbs, who retired citing exhaustion, gets replaced by Pat Ruel, who coached under Carroll at USC.
Omar Vizquel tied Ken Griffey Jr. for 48th on the all-time hits list with 2,781.
A long, interesting story about former Seahawk Greg Gaines and his addiction to prescription painkillers. Gaines, an undersized linebacker, played during the Hawks mid-80s glory years. Here’s what Steve Largent says about him: “Pound for pound, there was nobody tougher than Greg Gaines in my football career, and that’s high school, college and the pros. I just never met a guy that was that crazy, really, just that tough and that mean. He’d be playing and he’d have broken bones, pulled muscles and everything else, and you had to drag him off the field.” After a car accident that nearly paralyzed him, and an overdose that nearly killed him, Gaines spent six months in rehab and is apparently clean and sober now.
Today’s action
Coach Sark show, 4:30-5:30 p.m. (KJR)
Mariners @ Oakland, Vargas vs. Anderson, 7:10 p.m. (FSN)
