Friday, March 25, 2005
RUNOVER
Welcome to Friday. Are you ready for the weekend yet? I think right now Stimpson J. Cat would say, "I don't think you're happy enough!!"
For the random...I've gone off about this next topic to just about everyone I know, and now I'm passing on the savings to you, the Sports and B's reader. There's a State Farm Insurance commercial out there where it shows a couple who had gone to State Farm to sort out an occurrence where the husband/boyfriend was sending his wife/girlfriend off to work. He was standing in the driveway, about to back away from the window when his significant other backed over his foot and managed to run over it twice (there's a nice dramatization of this). Then the pitch comes, they had to find out whether it was a health claim and/or a car claim, etc. What do I come away with from the commercial? The husband/boyfriend carries the trump card in EVERY possible argument after that. How can he not? "Honey, you were out way too late with your buddies last night!" "Well, at least I don't run over your foot with the car!" "Honey, you never put the cap on the toothpaste/leave the toilet seat down, and it's really making me mad!" "At least I never ran over your foot with the car!" Seriously, is it possible for the woman to win ANY argument after that?
To the post!
MARINERS
The third pitch that Felix Hernandez blew past Vlad Guerrero is still getting some talk. The problem for Felix is that he's 18 and he hasn't been stretched too far in his outings. Thus, he should get ready for some fine Tacoman hospitality.
Bret Boone likes the veteranlike poise of one Jeremy Reed. Since no one cares about that, Bucky Jacobsen was cleared to take some swings off a tee today.
The lefty hopefuls in the pen apparently aren't doing too well to the point where Damian Moss is even part of the conversation. Moss does have some history with Hargrove from Baltimore. In the same article, Felix Hernandez apparently said that he expects to be sent to Tacoma.
SEAHAWKS
Joe Jurevicius is apparently close to a contract with the Seahawks. We shall hope he stays healthy and catches the damn ball. The team also claimed Joe Tafoya (defensive end) off waivers from the Falcons. Courtney Brown, who had been in Kirkland for a visit, will probably be a Bronco.
[Add ~11:52a -- Jurevicius is officially in. Thanks to Morgan for the heads-up.]
Tim Ruskell is looking for character guys, which is echoed through the moves the Seahawks have made this offseason. He also put an emphasis on players doing the offseason conditioning program, though obviously a couple of players won't show up (Shaun Alexander, unsigned) and the team has a bunch of guys coming off surgery who aren't ready to start doing conditioning yet.
BASKETBALL
The Miah Davis Update
Miah Davis was did not play in last night's 107-103 loss to Fayetteville due to an ankle sprain he suffered in the previous game. Thanks to Jeremy for the heads-up on the ankle sprain and the fact that a Roanoke paper does indeed exist, and that I should look at it more often.
Roanoke hosts Huntsville tomorrow night and Columbus on Wednesday.
The Marvin Williams Watch
The Tar Heels will face East 5th-seeded Villanova tonight (6:57p, CBS)
Huskies
Well, that was unbelievably quick, wasn't it? I watched much of the first half, saw Nate Robinson get that cheap foul for number three, and then the Huskies just went in the tank and never recovered. Then I had dinner, came back for the last few minutes of the second half, and it wasn't even close. I'm not going to say that Robinson and Simmons suffered Turiaf-like fates, but it's almost up to that level. The Huskies always had higher expectations of themselves than even the fans, and now they are left to lament what they feel should have been. It looks like it's goodbye for Nate Robinson and probably another for Brandon Roy, though some people don't think so.
Sonics
For my thoughts on last night's game, scroll down a post or click here if this post is the only one on the page.
The Sonics had Ray Allen back in the starting lineup last night, but Rashard Lewis came out of the game in the first quarter due to a flareup of his knee tendinitis.
Who would fill the scoring void of Rashard, and could this team win without his services for three quarters? The answer to that two-part question is Damien Wilkins, and yes. Just like a couple of recent games, I merely thought Damien Wilkins would come off the bench and maybe spell some of the other guys for a couple minutes here or there. He'd maybe play 5 or 6 minutes, maybe shoot 1-for-3 and grab three rebounds. Even after Rashard went down, I thought maybe Ron Murray or Vitaly Potapenko would step in and pick up the slack. Admittedly, Potapenko picking up the slack would have been weird, especially if he and Jerome James were on the floor simultaneously. James did very well last night, but this is Damien's paragraph. He made a basket here and there, and blocked a shot here and there, and Coach McMillan must have really liked Wilkins' scoring or his defense, or both. Either way, it earned him more than the usual minutes. McMillan rode the hot hand and it didn't disappoint.
Upcoming...
Tonight vs. New York (7:30p, ESPN)
Sunday vs. Washington (5p, FSNNW)
Tuesday at Memphis (5p, FSNNW)
Wednesday at San Antonio (5:30p, FSNNW)
HOCKEY
Manitoba beat Saint John's 6-4. The Moose answered the Saint John's three-goal explosion in the second period by returning the favor in the third period. Danny Groulx scored on the power play and Justin Morrison scored for the Moose in the first period to erase and early Leaf lead. Kent Huskins scored early in the second period for Manitoba before the Leafs scored two quick goals to tie it and got the go-ahead goal with 15 ticks left in the period. Then the Moose came out firing in the third period, outshooting the Leafs 15-7. Danny Groulx tied it up and Kevin Bieksa got the winner. Ryan Kesler iced the game into the empty net. Shots were 32-25 for Manitoba. Wade Flaherty stopped 14 of the first 18 shots, and Alex Auld stopped all seven shots he faced.
The Seattle Thunderbirds are ready for the WHL playoffs, and not just on the ice. They're not just doing playoff beards, they're getting crazy haircuts. As for the series, the T-Birds are up against a Tri-City team with NHL prospect Carey Price in net. In a related story, the Americans are trying to pull up stakes and move across the border to Chilliwack, BC. I'll take a wild guess and say that they'd probably draw better crowds up there.
Upcoming...
Tonight: Everett at Portland (Game 1), Vancouver at Kelowna (Game 1)
Tomorrow: Tri-City at Seattle (Game 1), Vancouver at Kelowna (Game 2), Saint John's at Manitoba
Sunday: Everett at Portland (Game 2)
Monday: Tri-City at Seattle (Game 2)
Tuesday: Portland at Everett (Game 3), Kelowna at Vancouver (Game 3)
Wednesday: Seattle at Tri-City (Game 3), Portland at Everett (Game 4), Kelowna at Vancouver (Game 4), Manitoba at Hamilton
---
Have a great Friday and a great weekend.
For the random...I've gone off about this next topic to just about everyone I know, and now I'm passing on the savings to you, the Sports and B's reader. There's a State Farm Insurance commercial out there where it shows a couple who had gone to State Farm to sort out an occurrence where the husband/boyfriend was sending his wife/girlfriend off to work. He was standing in the driveway, about to back away from the window when his significant other backed over his foot and managed to run over it twice (there's a nice dramatization of this). Then the pitch comes, they had to find out whether it was a health claim and/or a car claim, etc. What do I come away with from the commercial? The husband/boyfriend carries the trump card in EVERY possible argument after that. How can he not? "Honey, you were out way too late with your buddies last night!" "Well, at least I don't run over your foot with the car!" "Honey, you never put the cap on the toothpaste/leave the toilet seat down, and it's really making me mad!" "At least I never ran over your foot with the car!" Seriously, is it possible for the woman to win ANY argument after that?
To the post!
MARINERS
The third pitch that Felix Hernandez blew past Vlad Guerrero is still getting some talk. The problem for Felix is that he's 18 and he hasn't been stretched too far in his outings. Thus, he should get ready for some fine Tacoman hospitality.
Bret Boone likes the veteranlike poise of one Jeremy Reed. Since no one cares about that, Bucky Jacobsen was cleared to take some swings off a tee today.
The lefty hopefuls in the pen apparently aren't doing too well to the point where Damian Moss is even part of the conversation. Moss does have some history with Hargrove from Baltimore. In the same article, Felix Hernandez apparently said that he expects to be sent to Tacoma.
SEAHAWKS
Joe Jurevicius is apparently close to a contract with the Seahawks. We shall hope he stays healthy and catches the damn ball. The team also claimed Joe Tafoya (defensive end) off waivers from the Falcons. Courtney Brown, who had been in Kirkland for a visit, will probably be a Bronco.
[Add ~11:52a -- Jurevicius is officially in. Thanks to Morgan for the heads-up.]
Tim Ruskell is looking for character guys, which is echoed through the moves the Seahawks have made this offseason. He also put an emphasis on players doing the offseason conditioning program, though obviously a couple of players won't show up (Shaun Alexander, unsigned) and the team has a bunch of guys coming off surgery who aren't ready to start doing conditioning yet.
BASKETBALL
The Miah Davis Update
Miah Davis was did not play in last night's 107-103 loss to Fayetteville due to an ankle sprain he suffered in the previous game. Thanks to Jeremy for the heads-up on the ankle sprain and the fact that a Roanoke paper does indeed exist, and that I should look at it more often.
Roanoke hosts Huntsville tomorrow night and Columbus on Wednesday.
The Marvin Williams Watch
The Tar Heels will face East 5th-seeded Villanova tonight (6:57p, CBS)
Huskies
Well, that was unbelievably quick, wasn't it? I watched much of the first half, saw Nate Robinson get that cheap foul for number three, and then the Huskies just went in the tank and never recovered. Then I had dinner, came back for the last few minutes of the second half, and it wasn't even close. I'm not going to say that Robinson and Simmons suffered Turiaf-like fates, but it's almost up to that level. The Huskies always had higher expectations of themselves than even the fans, and now they are left to lament what they feel should have been. It looks like it's goodbye for Nate Robinson and probably another for Brandon Roy, though some people don't think so.
Sonics
For my thoughts on last night's game, scroll down a post or click here if this post is the only one on the page.
The Sonics had Ray Allen back in the starting lineup last night, but Rashard Lewis came out of the game in the first quarter due to a flareup of his knee tendinitis.
Who would fill the scoring void of Rashard, and could this team win without his services for three quarters? The answer to that two-part question is Damien Wilkins, and yes. Just like a couple of recent games, I merely thought Damien Wilkins would come off the bench and maybe spell some of the other guys for a couple minutes here or there. He'd maybe play 5 or 6 minutes, maybe shoot 1-for-3 and grab three rebounds. Even after Rashard went down, I thought maybe Ron Murray or Vitaly Potapenko would step in and pick up the slack. Admittedly, Potapenko picking up the slack would have been weird, especially if he and Jerome James were on the floor simultaneously. James did very well last night, but this is Damien's paragraph. He made a basket here and there, and blocked a shot here and there, and Coach McMillan must have really liked Wilkins' scoring or his defense, or both. Either way, it earned him more than the usual minutes. McMillan rode the hot hand and it didn't disappoint.
Upcoming...
Tonight vs. New York (7:30p, ESPN)
Sunday vs. Washington (5p, FSNNW)
Tuesday at Memphis (5p, FSNNW)
Wednesday at San Antonio (5:30p, FSNNW)
HOCKEY
Manitoba beat Saint John's 6-4. The Moose answered the Saint John's three-goal explosion in the second period by returning the favor in the third period. Danny Groulx scored on the power play and Justin Morrison scored for the Moose in the first period to erase and early Leaf lead. Kent Huskins scored early in the second period for Manitoba before the Leafs scored two quick goals to tie it and got the go-ahead goal with 15 ticks left in the period. Then the Moose came out firing in the third period, outshooting the Leafs 15-7. Danny Groulx tied it up and Kevin Bieksa got the winner. Ryan Kesler iced the game into the empty net. Shots were 32-25 for Manitoba. Wade Flaherty stopped 14 of the first 18 shots, and Alex Auld stopped all seven shots he faced.
The Seattle Thunderbirds are ready for the WHL playoffs, and not just on the ice. They're not just doing playoff beards, they're getting crazy haircuts. As for the series, the T-Birds are up against a Tri-City team with NHL prospect Carey Price in net. In a related story, the Americans are trying to pull up stakes and move across the border to Chilliwack, BC. I'll take a wild guess and say that they'd probably draw better crowds up there.
Upcoming...
Tonight: Everett at Portland (Game 1), Vancouver at Kelowna (Game 1)
Tomorrow: Tri-City at Seattle (Game 1), Vancouver at Kelowna (Game 2), Saint John's at Manitoba
Sunday: Everett at Portland (Game 2)
Monday: Tri-City at Seattle (Game 2)
Tuesday: Portland at Everett (Game 3), Kelowna at Vancouver (Game 3)
Wednesday: Seattle at Tri-City (Game 3), Portland at Everett (Game 4), Kelowna at Vancouver (Game 4), Manitoba at Hamilton
---
Have a great Friday and a great weekend.
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