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A 20-day sports snapshot
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It's been 20 days since I last posted here, before dashing off on a vacation, and much as changed. The Sonics are still gone as are Richie Sexson, Arthur Rhodes, Jose Vidro, Chris Gray and Marcus Tubbs. Unfortunately, Erik Bedard and Miguel Batista are still around.
The Mariners won seven games during that span, which tells me a whole lot of more folks won't be around after October. Tampa Bay is still in first place. Ken Griffey, Jr. is not much closer to home now in Chicago and Manny is being Manny in L.A. but wants to play for the Yankees. What's going on there? Football starts in fewer than three weeks but critical players Jake Locker and Bobby Engram are hurting for the Huskies and Seahawks, respectively.
A Spaniard, Carlos Sastre, won the Tour de France. An Irishman, Padraig Harrington, won the PGA Championship - thus capturing back-to-back Majors - and likely the Players of the Year honors. But did anyone see it? The Olympics, with the spectacular Opening Ceremonies and the greatest swimming race in history pushed his head-to-head duel with Sergio Garcia to the back papers.
It's just a snapshot in time, 20 days, but much can happen. And much did. After not reading a newspapers for more than two weeks, I haven't caught up completely but that hardly stops me from offering some ill-informed opinions. Random thoughts are better than orderly ones. So here's what's on my mind:
* With Griffey moving to the White Sox, could the door be open for him to play for the Mariners next season? The Reds were not going to pick up his $14 million option next season and the White Sox are not likely as well. He'll be a free agent and the Mariners have a DH opening for 2009.
* I had an AP assignment to cover the Seahawks practice Sunday. It's too early to say how this team will come together but I go back to a post last spring when I covered the mini-camp. I said then that this defense is going to be awfully good. There's a lot of talent and depth. That view hasn't changed. Friday against Minnesota, the Hawks' defense forced five fumbles and had an interception. They had four sacks. They held the Vikings to just four rushing first downs and 268 yards. The Vikings gained just 52 yards on the ground. Head Coach Mike Holmgren said Sunday, “I have high expectations for our defensive football team. The bar has been set pretty high. So I'm pretty picky with them. They know it. So when a player or group doesn't perform to that absolute level he's capable of performing, then I'm going to talk about it with him.''
* One of the places I passed through during the vacation was Barcelona, Spain. There's a lot of joy there, more than the typical abundance, over the successes of their athletes. Sastre had just won the Tour de France, Rafael Nadal beat Roger Federer in an epic Wimbledon match, the country's national soccer team won the Euro Cup then Sammy Sanchez won the first Olympic gold medal in cycling on the first day of the Olympics. Quite a year so far. There can be joy in sports, we just can't achieve it in Seattle.
* It seems the only time I read books now is during long plane rides. If I could suggest some summer reading one would be a sports book, "Around the World in 80 Rounds,'' by local writer David Wood. With his own money and initiative, he toured the globe to play far-flung courses from Kathmandu to Santiago. It's quite funny. Another intriguing book I finished was "The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder'' by former prominent prosecutor Vince Bugliosi. What an indictment he lays out. Quite a contrast but both good reads.
* Is this a shock? Richie Sexson is hitting .292 for the Yankees? How does that happen?
* Ichiro has had a hit in just about every game since I've been gone. He has raised his average 15 percentage points during that time and is now very much in the race for the batting title. No one has set a high standard this season, as Ichiro is within 10 points of first place. He's hitting .396 in August. If he keeps that up he can move into the lead within a couple weeks. Finally, he's surging. Wouldn't it be something to have him battle on the final week for the title with Alex Rodriguez? He's also now well above the 200-hit pace for a record eighth straight season.
* The Olympics have been great entertainment and thank goodness the Canadian station in Vancouver is available to us. We can watch events as they happen and be in bed before NBC shows it hours later on tape delay. NBC still doesn't get it. People want to watch events live, as they happen. By delaying it, that only drives them to other sources such as Canada or Internet streaming.
* Events will be coming up hard and fast this month. The Boeing Classic golf tournament begins Aug. 22. UW opens the season with Oregon on Aug. 30. And the Seahawks play exhibitions this Saturday (Bears), Aug. 29 (Raiders) before starting the season Sept. 7 at Buffalo. They begin the home season Sept . 14 with San Francisco. Let's get started.
