Bleacher Report - Articles by Kevin Cacabelos

The Evolution of Washington Huskies' Quincy Pondexter

Kevin Cacabelos — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 12:47:15 -0500

The Washington Huskies looked solid last night despite former Husky Adrian Oliver torching them for a good 30 points. Quincy Pondexter had some interesting things to say about Oliver leaving the Husky program. Check out his quote here .

Speaking of Pondexter, he has impressed me throughout these first four games. He has picked up right where he left off after his stellar play in the NCAA tournament in March. I don't know how he's reached this level of play, but there is no doubt that he is a different player from last season.

In these last four games, he's put up point totals of 12, 25, 29 and 30. Last night, to go along with his 30 points, he had 15 rebounds. Looking at the stat line, I could have mistaken him for Jon Brockman circa 2009. I did not know Pondexter had the capability to grab 15 rebounds, but he has been able to do it. It looks like this team will be another classically dominant rebounding team, even with the loss of Brockman.

Obviously, the season is still young, and it is still too early to reach some conclusions about Pondexter and his play, but I do not foresee this guy declining. If there has been one way to characterize his play over the past three years at UW, it would easily be inconsistent. Ever since he arrived as a four-star recruit, UW fans have patiently waited for a breakout season. Pondexter did have glimpses of above-average scoring ability, but this season he has reached a new level.

Perhaps the most interesting development to come out of Pondexter's newfound scoring prowess has nothing to do with him. If Pondexter is putting up 20-point nights, what exactly happens to the production of Isaiah Thomas? Isaiah will still score at least 15 points and is just another threat for teams to zero in on. I do not think opposing teams or even Coach Romar know who this team's first option is. This makes the Huskies an extremely dangerous team that will be scoring points in the bunches.

I am looking forward to the Huskies' Dec. 12 game against Georgetown. We will see how Pondexter handles a well-capable defender and, by that time, we'll have more games to judge this Husky offense on.

Can the Washington Huskies Live Up to the Hype?

Kevin Cacabelos — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:46:14 -0500

Buzzer beaters, upsets, and Cinderella teams—it has finally arrived: The college basketball season is officially underway.

For the first time since 2006, the Huskies are entering this season ranked in the top 15 both in the AP and ESPN/USA Today polls.

The hype has started for these relatively young Huskies. Coming off a regular season Pac-10 title, the Huskies will be looking to repeat as Pac-10 champions, but more importantly will be looking to advance further into the NCAA Tournament.

A lot of experts think the Huskies have the potential to make it to the Sweet 16 this year. I’ll go out on a limb and say these guys are Elite Eight material. My early observations of this team remind me much of Lorenzo Romar’s earlier days as head coach.

This team is quick with a lot of depth. This offense is going to push the ball up and down the court, they are going to be playing high quality pressure defense, and they will not get tired. This is a team that seems capable of running off runs of 20 points.

There will always be at least three sure scoring options on the court with Quincy Pondexter, Isaiah Thomas, and Matthew Bryan-Amaning. Thomas emerged as the team’s No. 1 option last season, but during the tail end Pondexter became a scoring threat.

After the first three games, Pondexter finally seems entirely comfortable within the offense. He is better and more natural shooting from around the perimeter, but his biggest strength by far is his ability to sneak into the post and create for himself.

This may be a little radical, but the way he was getting his buckets in the first three games reminded me much of Brandon Roy. Recall that Roy was not exemplary at any one particular skill; he was just a solid player in all aspects who could dish and finish ruthlessly.

Pondexter has size, and unlike Roy, he is a threat on the boards. Jon Brockman’s absence will not have too much of an impact if Pondexter is able to keep on rebounding the way he has been.

If the Huskies finish in the top 10 by the end of the season, either Pondexter or Thomas will be a first team All-American. I’m putting my money on Pondexter. However, Pondexter and Thomas will not be able to do it alone.

This is where the presence of Bryan-Amaning becomes so critical. He played well in the non-conference last season, but the overall quality of his play faded as he faced more physical defenders in the Pac-10.

Will MBA be able to hold his own in the post in the conference this season? Even if MBA cannot step it up, the plethora of shooters and scorers on this team is scary.

Remember, the Huskies were able to get by just fine with the play of Mike Jensen. It is possible to win games without a dominant big man, but having one will make your team more competitive down the stretch.

It’s only been three games, but the Huskies are playing pretty well right now. There is still a lot for these young Huskies to learn, but the non-conference schedule will give the coaches and the players a chance to feel out the system.

This season has a lot to offer; it is just up to the players and the coaches to fully play and coach to their potential.

Washington Huskies Basketball Non-Conference Schedule Analysis

Kevin Cacabelos — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 18:00:00 -0400

Which top teams will the Huskies be taking on in their non-conference schedule?

The Huskies will be hosting the Athletes in Action Basketball Classic at Hec Ed to kick off the season. They have one official road game in their non-conference schedule against Texas Tech. The Dawgs will face off against powerhouse Georgetown on a neutral floor at the John Wooden Classic in December.

Here is a general breakdown on the different teams the Huskies have scheduled for their non-conference slate.

Note: All non-conference games will be televised except for the Belmont game.

Athletes in Action Basketball Classic

This is a great way to start the season. The Huskies face off against a solid set of opponents. Wright State and Belmont are by no means automatic wins, both teams tasted success last season and could give UW a run for their money. The set of three games caps off with a game against Portland St. and former Husky, Phil Nelson.

With three games in three days, this is good game conditioning for the Huskies. If the Huskies can use their home court to their advantage, they should start the season with a 3-0 record and a solid win against a potential tournament team in Portland State.

Wright State (November 13th)

Wright State finished last season on high mark finishing with a 20-13 record. They were close to securing a berth in the NCAA tournament, but lost in the Horizon league tournament semifinal game to Butler. Wright State is returning both of their top scorers from last season, seniors Todd Brown and Vaughn Duggins.

Brown and Duggins both guards, averaged around 12 points per game last season. This will be a first test against experience for the young guards of UW.

Belmont (November 14th)

Belmont also finished last season with a 20-13 record. They played a close game last season against Tennessee, with the Volunteers escaping with a two point victory. Belmont loses four of their top five scorers from last season. Senior G/F, Jon House who averaged 8.3 points per game will be leading the Belmont Bruins against the Huskies.

Portland State (November 15th)

After Ken Bone's departure to WSU, the Vikings have hired Tyler Geving as their head coach. Geving served as the associate head coach under Bone the past two seasons. Portland State returns two double digit scorers in Phil Nelson and Dominic Waters.

There are also two players with Seattle-area connections on the Portland State roster. Melvin Jones, a graduate of Cheif Sealth, is transferring from North Idaho Junior college and will be entering his junior year of eligibility.

Nigel Peter-Denman, a graduate of Ballard high school, has transferred from the University of Denver and will be entering his junior year of eligibility.
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San Jose State (November 20th)

The Huskies will face off against UW-transfer Adrian Oliver. Oliver was one of the team's top scorers last season, averaging 17.1 points per game. In his first three games last season, Oliver scored 80 points.

He dropped 37 points on Boise State and 31 points on San Fransisco. It will be fun to see who Romar throws out to defend his former player (Justin Holiday maybe?).

Montana (November 29th)

This team is loaded with players from Washington, six out of the fourteen players on the roster have some sort of connection to the state of Washington. Anthony Johnson, a graduate of Stadium high school and a transfer from Yakima Valley Community College is the Grizzlies' leading returning scorer, averaging about 17 points per game.

at Texas Tech (December 3rd)

This marks the Huskies first and only non-conference road game. This game comes conveniently at the middle point of the non-conference season with five games coming before it and five games being played after it.

This will be a stiff test, but Texas Tech is coming off a tough season, finishing with a 14-19 record. They dropped eight out their last ten games last season.

Cal State Northridge (December 6th)

Cal State Northridge made it all the way to the NCAA tournament last season. Even though they had to face Memphis in the first round, making the tournament is a great accomplishment for a relatively unknown program.

They return their leading scorer in guard, Deon Tresvant who averaged 13.3 points per game last season.

Georgetown (December 12th) John Wooden Classic (Anaheim)-

You can view an in-depth preview of the match up at Montlake Fast Break. This game in my opinion, is the Huskies biggest test in their non-conference schedule.

Without Jon Brockman, the Huskies are left vulnerable at the post position both on offense and defense. It will be interesting to see how Romar plans to defend Greg Monroe. Matthew Bryan-Amaning's performance will be critical in this game.

Portland (December 19th)

Hopefully this game will not turn out to be a repeat of last season's opening season loss. Portland finished with a respectable record of 19-13. The Pilots return four of their top five top scorers.

Luke Sikma (son of Jack Skima), will take on an expanded role this season as he enters his junior year.

Texas A&M (December 22nd)

The Aggies mark the Huskies' third and final major non-conference opponent. Six foot three guard, Donald Sloan is their returning leading scorer, he averaged around 12 points per game. The Aggies have their eyes on another NCAA tournament berth for 2010.

San Francisco (December 27th)

Definitely scheduled as a "tune-up" game, with the Huskies entering conference play after this game. USF struggled in the WCC last season, finishing with an 11-19 record. They return their top scorer, Dior Lowhorn, who averaged 20 points per game last season.

Seattle University (January 26th)

This game comes right in the midst of Pac-10 conference games for the Huskies. However, the Huskies will only be facing WSU that week, so this game essentially serves as that second game that the team would usually have.

Cameron Dollar makes his coaching debut against Romar in this game, it should be more competitive than last season's match between the two.

The Sarkisian Era Begins Optimistically in Washington

Kevin Cacabelos — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 11:00:00 -0400

Coach Sarkisian did not make excuses after last night's lost, he refused to take out any "moral victories" after the loss. This winning attitude did not necessarily translate into a win, but Husky fans saw a different team. The Washington Huskies are a bowl team. This did not look like a ninth place Pac-10 team.

This team played aggressive.

This team played with confidence.

This team played liked they were expecting to win.

Jake Locker looked more relaxed and confident in the pocket. For once, the Husky offense did not depend on Locker's legs. The Huskies had success in the running game and the receivers made a couple of great plays.

I was frankly surprised by the Huskies' offensive line performance. Chris Polk, Johri Fogerson, Devin Aguilar, and James Johnson all contributed to a balanced offense.

The Husky defense was a lot more aggressive and the talent on the defensive side of the ball was made evident by a lot of third down stops. Do not get me wrong, the defense did have its weak moments. There were times when LSU was running the ball down the Huskies' throat.

The Huskies' main weakness, their secondary, was also exploited on a couple of plays. However, this defense played well above my expectations. The defense kept the game within reach, and that is what matters.

Offensively, the Huskies' run game disappeared in the second half. Locker had a couple of nice plays to keep some of the offensive drives alive. However, the Huskies were not able to execute in the red zone throughout the game. Red zone execution is one thing to watch for in the Idaho game next week.

What happened to D'Andre Goodwin? Last year's best receiver only had two catches for 17 yards. I would have liked to see him more involved. What a performance from Locker, if the Huskies start winning some games, he will start getting some serious national recognition...can I say Heisman?

LSU simply executed better in the second half. Once this Tiger team gets rolling, they're hard to start. This game gives them a lot of momentum moving forward.

Bottom line, this team looks like a team on the rise. Coach Sarkisian has something special brewing in Montlake. Be ready, Husky fans...this year is different. I am excited.

Seattle Mariners: Playoffs, Trades, and My Math Teacher

Kevin Cacabelos — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 11:00:00 -0400

It was a glorious day in June when I made a bet with my math teacher that the Mariners would return to the playoffs for the first time since their unforgettable yet increasingly distant season in 2001.

As a math teacher, he appropriately played the odds, knowing that the Mariners' playoff chances were at the time only 10 percent.

Fast forward about a month, and his side of the wager is still looking safe.

The All-Star break has arrived and the M's, although in prime position to pounce the Angels and take our rightfully deserved seat in 1st place, are still looking at under 20 percent odds.

But for me, it is not about the odds.

And the game of baseball is not about number crunching or endless formulas. It is about taking money away from the man that tortured me with hours of pointless algebra homework. I don't really care if the Mariners make the playoffs or not. I just want my five dollars.

Just kidding...but really,

Let me lay down a scenario for you. Let us say it was sometime in April, and you and I were eating ice cream cones at the local Creamery, when all of a sudden you have the audacity to tell me that come Trading Deadline, time the Mariners would be buyers.

Well, let me tell you that there would be so much Pralines 'n Cream on your face that you would no longer feel bad for forcing me to order Pralines 'n Cream in the first place.

But here we are in mid-July, and the Mariners have a legitimate shot at making the playoffs, standing only four games back from the LAA Angels. It has been a painful eight seasons since we last experienced the post-season.

So it would be foolish to throw in the towel, right?

There are some who justifiably say no, as many fans and writers have cautioned against the Mariners investing too much in the "now" and losing out in the future. Who can blame them? The last time the Mariners went in that direction, this happened.

And who says the Mariners cannot be both buyers and sellers? There are some players the Mariners can afford to go after who will still help this team. Zduriencik, who has already displayed this strategy, as seen in the Langerhans and Hannahan deals.

Not much was given up, and yet the roster was strengthened. There are plenty of opportunities for little doses of improvement within the team that will help sustain its performance for the second half.

There are also some clearly expendable Mariners *cough* Miguel Batista *cough*, that other teams would be willing to trade for. After the Betancourt trade, I am truly convinced that this front office could somehow get some value in return for any below average player in the organization.

(The exception may be Carlos Silva and his fat contract, but I have a feeling that he is being held onto for the much needed moral support.)

So what will it take to help the Mariners orchestrate a run at the AL West title? The most glaring vulnerability is the shortstop position.

Ronny Cedeno may be an improvement over Betancourt, but he still is not viable enough to be an everyday player. He should definitely be considered more of a band-aid situation for any team legitimately considering themselves a contender.

Cedeno cannot hit the ball nearly well enough to be starting. I know it, the fans know it, Wakamatsu knows it, and Cedeno himself knows it (do not worry though, this is where Silva steps in with his new found role).

Ronny Cedeno would much better serve the Mariners right now as a utility player.

I would like to say the Mariners need another hitter, more specifically a patient hitter in the lineup. But right now by looking at the roster, I am content going forward with what we have, save the shortstop position.

So what's the solution? JJ Hardy.

USS Mariner goes into great detail on how this deal would help the Mariners. Simply put, the Mariners should trade Bedard and Washburn in exchange for the shortstop.

It seems a little unbelievable that the Mariners would still be able to compete without two of their best pitchers on a staff that deserves credit for getting them where they are today.

Read USS Mariner for the rationale. Brandon Morrow and Ryan-Rowland Smith are both waiting in the wings to replace Bedard and Washburn. I fully endorse this deal.

The Mariners also need some reinforcement in the bullpen. As the season goes on, the Mariners strong rotation will start to grow fatigued. I am not emotionally stable enough to endure a repeat of 2007, where the Mariners' entire pitching staff collapsed in the second half of the season.

Preferably, Zduriencik should have his eyes on some cheap left-handed pitchers, because currently, Garret Olson is our only left-handed option in the bullpen.

It would be downright silly not to mention the possibility of getting some help from Tacoma, as there are a couple of live arms that could have an impact right away. Jason Vargas and Cesar Jimenez are two guys that could fill in as a lefty arm in the bullpen.

As the trade deadline approaches, I have full faith in this front office. They have been nothing but terrific so far.

Even if there is a questionable move made, they have earned the benefit of the doubt, because right now it is awesome to even think we have a shot at making the playoffs.

Do not get too worked up at what this front office has in store for the next couple of weeks, as long as it is not stagnation, Zduriencik has proven to be creative and has been excellent at finding diamonds in the rough (see Russell Branyan and F-Gut).

Let's wish this team and front office the best of luck, as they enter a period that will decide if the Mariners truly are contenders.

Because let's face it—In this economy, I cannot afford to lose those five dollars. All it will take is a couple of key moves that will propel us to the front of the pack.

So what say you? Trade Washburn? Trade Bedard? Trade Both?

photo source

A Statistical Look at the Seattle Mariners' Season So Far

Kevin Cacabelos — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 01:17:00 -0400

With the Mariners only a couple games out of first place in the AL West, it is time to start looking deeper at some statistics to see whether the Mariners truly have a shot at making the playoffs.

The biggest apparent weakness of the Mariners has been their offense. The Mariners as a team are second to last in the American League in On-Base Percentage, Slugging Percentage, and OPS.

The division “rival”, Oakland Athletics currently have the worst offense in the American League holding last place in most team hitting categories. If it was not for Ichiro’s league leading .369 batting average, the Mariners might be last in the American League in batting average as well.

The team currently stands with a .257 batting average, ranking them 11th out of 14 among American League teams.

It is foolish to simply label the Mariners lineup as a lineup full of “bad” hitters. Some of the players are actually above-average hitters, but these same hitters have some bad habits.

The Mariners currently have the worst walk percentage in the American League. Collectively, Mariners hitters have not been as patient at the plate as they should be. A little more patience could help them improve their dismal On-Base Percentage.

More men on base equals more scoring opportunities, more scoring opportunities equals more runs, more runs equals more wins. If the Mariners could somehow improve their walk rate by changing their habits at the plate or even by making some roster moves, these things could help improve their run production.

The Mariners are second to last in the American League with a 46.8 percent overall swing rate. Top teams like the Yankees and Red Sox both have swing rates hovering around 41 percent. Also, as a team, the Mariners are swinging at pitches outside of the strike zone at a 29.8 percent clip, this is the worst rate in the American League.

Not only are the Mariners swinging away at a high rate, they are also swinging at a large amount of baseballs, outside of the zone. If the team as a whole just was a little more patient at the plate, the offense I believe would start to see better results.

How has the team been performing well, despite having one of the Major League’s worst offenses? Well there are two answers to that question: pitching and outfield defense. The Mariners currently have the best outfield UZR (an advanced stat that measures defense).

The outstanding outfield defense makes up a deadly combination with the Mariner pitchers having the sixth best fly ball percentage in the American League. Among Mariner starting pitchers, Jarrod Washburn has the second worst percentage at 39.9 percent.

As a team the Mariners currently have a 38.9 percent fly ball percentage. If the Mariners can deal Washburn for a decent bat that could help the offense, the team would benefit tremendously. Felix Hernandez, Erik Bedard, Brandon Morrow, Ryan Rowland-Smith, and Jason Vargas/Garrett Olson is a sufficient starting rotation going forward.

The pitcher with the worst flyball percentage from the rotation is Felix Hernandez whose rate stands at 32.1 percent. However, Felix has a 50.5 percent groundball rate, which is the highest on the team.

The team needs to find better infield defense, and that issue seems to have fixed itself in recent events. Yuniesky Betancourt who was statistically the worst shortstop defensively, has landed on the disabled list with Ronny Cedeno taking his spot.

Cedeno is way more patient at the plate than Yuni is and is a much better defender than Yuni is. With Cedeno now the everyday shortstop, the Mariners should start seeing positive results defensively and offensively.

The front office should look toward trading Washburn for a decent hitter who displays a fair amount of patience at the plate.

As James noted earlier, finding a patient hitter who will add some firepower to the lineup is not that hard, and the help can even come from Tacoma. Either way, Washburn is an expendable piece who can also be traded for prospects.

Even if the Mariners do not end up improving their lineup or their infield defense, they still have a shot at winning the AL West; the Texas Rangers appear to be losing some steam as their streaky offense has hurt them as of late, the Angels have been hit with a plethora of critical injuries, and games with the Athletics have become easy wins on the schedule.

Unlike their division counterparts, the Mariners have a solid starting rotation and an outfield defense that they can count on. If the Mariners can rely on these two strengths coupled with modest improvements to their plate discipline and infield defense, they might find themselves playing more than 162 games this season.

Scouting Sarkisian's Class of 2010: QB Nick Montana

Kevin Cacabelos — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 17:30:00 -0400

SeaTown Sports will be profiling Sarkisian's Class of 2010 commitments. We will provide you with a general look at each recruit and what they will bring to the Husky football program. The first player we will be taking a look at is Nick Montana.

Following in your father's footsteps is not an uncommon trend in football. Several sons have made into the NFL and some have even achieved more than their fathers.

Some examples include Hall of Fame Quarterback Bob Griese's son, Brian Griese. The Hasselbecks also have a rich history of football lineage, Matt and Tim are both a product of their TE father, Don Hasselbeck.

And of course, who can forget the Mannings? Archie, Peyton, and Eli Manning are all household names. It would not be a stretch to say that Nick Montana can achieve more than his legendary father.

Nick Montana currently attends Oak Christian High School in California. Several well-known last names attend Oak Christian.

A quick glance at the school website reveals that Trevor Gretzky, the son of "The Great One", is on the varsity baseball team and also plays quarterback for the football team.

Nick Montana is 6-1 and weighs in at 185 pounds. He is a four-star recruit and is the ranked No. 13 among QBs from the Class of 2010.

His biggest weakness is his size, which can improve over time. He does not seem to have extraordinary physical abilities, but he is solid across the board in his fundamentals.

This was a big grab for Sarkisian and his staff as Nick Montana was also considering prestigious programs like his father's alma mater, Notre Dame, and national powerhouses in Ohio State and LSU.

Sarkisian's experience in grooming Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart, and Mark Sanchez is what drew Montana to UW.

Sarkisian will now have to find Montana adequate protection. The one disturbing trend that has been the cause of UW's offensive struggles is their lack of protection up front.

Without talent down in the trenches, Montana will have a hard time emulating his father.

Why Ibanez is Legit and the Life of a Teenage Sports Blogger

Kevin Cacabelos — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:30:00 -0400

Update 6/19-Article links fixed.

So last week there was a huge fiasco made over Raul Ibanez's attack on a blog that allegedly accused him of using Performance-Enhancing Drugs. After reading the post, I did not even get the feeling that Ibanez was being accused in any away of taking PEDs. I had a hard time understanding why he was so upset. I will admit that the headline was provocative, but even then, Ibanez overreacted.

Am I mad about his overreaction? No way. In fact I was actually glad he was so vigorous in his response to the steroid allegations made that attempted to tarnish his reputation not only as a baseball player but a person as well. It completely makes me sick to see players like Mark McGwire in front of Congress say absolutely nothing. Players that don't refute accusations or simply say, "no comment" are doing nothing but hurting their case.

Why would you not be aggressive and take a honorable stand in trying to defend yourself when you know you are right? You have nothing to lose. So in a sense, Ibanez did not overreact. Instead, he did what was necessary to squash an erroneous accusation made at his expense. Let's just hope he was for real.

After reading the various reactions to the controversy I have reflected on my own experience in blogging. To tell the truth, I used to think I could write without consequences. Seriously, what could people do to me? I'm not a paid journalist, I'm a 17-year-old kid that is addicted to sports. However, as the site grew, we started to receive a lot more information.

After thorough examinations of emails, text messages, and phone calls, taking careful consideration into credibility of the source, we released information for your consumption. Then this happened, not long after receiving what seemed to be a breaking news; a juicy nugget that would draw readers in and cause a major stir.

The source was, to our knowledge, reliable, resulting in large-scale excitement and a premature releasing of the "news." But as it turned out, it did not happen. We were wrong. We felt like idiots. The worst part was knowing we let down our readers and first-time visitors by creating illegitimate hope and excitement. The record amount of traffic did not make up for the significant loss of credibility that ensued.

At the time I was not perfect, and even now, I'm still learning the ins and outs of blogging and sports journalism in general. In the end, its all boils down to credibility. Credibility is what separates the best of blogs with the most readers from the rest of the pack. The best blogs with the most readers have lots of credibility.

From now on it is our pledge to label rumors as rumors, facts as facts, and opinions as opinions. These cannot be intertwined or we risk losing the same readers we have worked so hard to gain.

Thanks for sticking with us. Much love from the Seatown.

UW Basketball: Recruiting the Class of 2011

Kevin Cacabelos — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 12:30:00 -0400

After taking a look at UW's potential recruits for the Class of 2010, we will now take a look at potential recruits for the Class of 2011.

Here is what the Husky roster will look like after the end of the 2010-11 season (Assuming the Huskies end up with Josh Smith ).

Seniors:

Darnell Gant F

Scott Suggs F

Elston Turner G/F

Isaiah Thomas G

Juniors:

Clarence Trent F

CJ Wilcox G

Abdul Gaddy G

Sophomores:

Desmond Simmons F

Josh Smith F

In two seasons, Matthew Bryan-Amaning, Justin Holiday, Charles Garcia, and Venoy Overton will all be moving on.

There is also a chance Isaiah Thomas chooses to leave for the NBA at the end of junior year, or he might have already left at the end of his sophomore year.

There is also a strong possibility that Abdul Gaddy chooses to enter his name into the NBA draft after his sophomore year.

This means there are four scholarships open for sure, with two potential slots open as well. That leaves 4-6 scholarship spots to be filled by potential recruits. Whatever the end number is, it is evident that this class is important in shaping the Husky program for the future.

Here are the players that Romar is taking a look at to fill his roster with:

Tony Wroten may be one of the best players to ever play basketball in Seattle.

Veteran observers of basketball talent in the Seattle area have claimed he is the best they have ever seen of any talent at his age.

Right now, Wroten is only a sophomore in high school and he already had two offers from both Washington and Louisville. If the Huskies can land him, he would by far be the most-heralded recruit Romar has ever had.

Signing Wroten would set the tone for Romar's recruiting and potentially give him momentum in signing other highly-sought players.

photo source

Angelo Chol is an up and coming Center from San Diego, California.

He is a little under-sized height wise at 6'8", but he is only a sophomore and probably is still growing.

He is the fifth ranked center in the Class of 2011. Although his post skills are not fully developed, he has the ability to hold position in the post, and its just a matter of time when he begins to dominate the painted area like Josh Smith.

He has a nice jump hook and can also hit the occasional 15 foot jump shot. He currently has two offers on the table from UW and Arizona St. He also has interest in Florida and UCLA.

photo source

We profiled shooting guard Gary Bell back in March, and he was the second player the Huskies offered a scholarship to after Wroten.

I cannot but help to think about Adrian Oliver when looking at Bell. His best asset is his scoring ability, he averaged 19 PPG this past season.

He currently measures in at 6' and 170 lbs. He has a chance to lead his team to a championship after falling short by losing in a 4A semi-final game.

If Isaiah Thomas decides to leave early, Bell's recruitment becomes that much more important. He will be a guy to keep an eye on if you live near the Seattle area.

What's your take on the potential Class of 2011 for the Huskies?

High School Basketball: An Early Look at Teams and Players to Watch

Kevin Cacabelos — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 12:30:00 -0400

High School basketball is by far the most popular high school sport in the Seattle area. By churning out top talent yearly, fans, parents and players are all guaranteed to see some great basketball being played around the area. Here is an early look at some of the top teams and players in the state for next year.

3A (Last year's record, Last year's state place)

Franklin Quakers (28-1, 1st place)
The biggest hit the defending 3A state champs take is losing their best player since Aaron Brooks, Louisville-bound Peyton Siva. The Quakers also will lose Chris Holmes who will be going to Eastern Washington and Freddy Wilson who is going to Seattle U.

However, it looks like Vonchae Richardson will be granted a fifth year of eligibility and will suit up for the Quakers next season, he was key to their run at State this past year. Anrio Adams and Vionte Reid are both great complements in a strong Franklin back court. They look to be undersized again, but their talent and depth will help them compete at the top of Metro and State.

Bellevue Wolverines (26-3, 3rd place)

Bellevue ended the season on a disappointing note after failing to make it to the championship game after losing against the eventual runner-up, Columbia River. If there was one team that could have given Franklin a run for there money, it would have been Bellevue. Bellevue will lose three critical players to graduation; Alex Schrempf (UCLA), Colton Christian and Taylor Olson (Pepperdine). But not all is lost, Aaron Bright, their best player, will be returning as a senior.

Bright is our No. 4 four player in the state, he is super talented and will probably end up at a high-tier college program. Ian Gordon and Nick Sikma (son of Jack Sikma) will have to step up big time if Bellevue is to compete next season. If Bright wasn't on this team I'd say it would be a rebuilding year, but Bright is that good.

Seattle Prep Panthers (22-9, 4th place)
The Panthers surprised critics, finishing fourth at state last year. It is obvious they have a sustainable system in place that will bring the program lots of success in the future. The Panthers lose seven seniors who logged the majority of minutes for them, and will depend on the talents of senior Julian Mason and the up and coming Mitch Brewe. Expect them to finish near the top of Metro again next season.

O'Dea Irish (22-9, 5th place)
The Irish finished out strong last season by placing fifth at state last year. They lose impact players in both Jordan Suther and Sean Jones, but they have a solid core in place for next season. Devante Williams was their leading scorer averaging 12 ppg last year and will return for his junior season. Dustin Watts, Jalen Ward and Zach Fogerson are all players to watch. I have a feeling this team will be competing for a state title next season if they're able to make it out of league play unscathed.

Rainier Beach Vikings (18-10, N/A)
The Vikings had one of the most disappointing seasons in recent history by not placing at State. Injuries plagued the team as the season winded down and the post season started up. They also seemed worn out from all the national tournaments they were competing in.

If Bethea can get his players healthy and focused, this team will be a threat to win it all. The Vikings lose Dotson (LSU), Stern (Idaho), Najee Ali and Pickett (Eastern Washington) all to graduation. However, they return one of the state's top players in Jaamon Echols. Lonnie Pearson is also a player to watch out for, he has deadly stroke and can have a break out season next year. A.J. Fuller and Hakeem Stewart are also impact players to watch next season. This team isn't as loaded as last year's team, but if healthy, this team can compete with anyone in the state.

4A

Federal Way Eagles (27-2, 1st place)
The Eagles lose three strong players in Michael Hale III, Jeffery Forbes and Andre Barrington, but return their top scorer and best player, Cole Dickerson. Dickerson is ranked No. 6 in our player rankings and will be a key component in helping the Eagles return to State again next season. The team looked solid in the Quaker Summer Slam, expect them to win SPSL.

Garfield Bulldogs (20-4, 2nd place)
All eyes are on Tony Wroten. With all the controversy away, Wroten will look forward to leading his team to a state championship next season. The Bulldogs don't have too much turnover as they lose both graduating seniors Christian Blanks and De'Andre Taylor, but other than that, they should be good. Glen Brooks is the second most important player on this team to Wroten, however his impact will be minimized with the presence of Wroten.

Salim Gloyd and Pierre Wright are two young and up and coming talents within the program, it will be interesting to see what kind of strides they make next season. Expect Wroten's scoring average to reach the 20 point mark. This team has become dependent on his scoring and he's become dependent on his teammates letting him go to work. Wroten has the talent to single handedly carry his team to a state championship, no matter how much himself, his teammates, or his coaches might deny the fact.

Kentwood Conquerers (19-7, N/A)
Kentwood narrowly missed State again this past season, despite having one of the top recruits in the nation in Josh Smith. I have a good feeling of the general makeup of the squad. They meshed really well during their summer league games and were a lot more focused then the other teams I have been watching. They return their top three scorers and their whole starting five. With experience, a top recruit, and a mission, Kentwood will make some serious noise next season and could be the team to beat next season in 4A.

Nick Montana and Jesse Scroggins: Montana Leads Prospective UW QBs

Kevin Cacabelos — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 13:00:00 -0400

Now that Jake Heaps has committed to BYU, which QB prospects are Sarkisian and his staff recruiting? There are two four-star recruit QBs that currently list the Huskies as one of their schools of interest, Nick Montana and Jesse Scroggins.

Nick Montana is the son of NFL legend Joe Montana, and hails from Oak Christian HS in California. He is 6'1" and weighs in at 185 lbs. Montana is ranked at No. 13 among QBs from the Class of 2010.

He has seven offers on the table besides UW, top flight programs including Ohio State, LSU, and Notre Dame have all offered. Notre Dame stands as the biggest threat, as it is his father's alma mater. It looks like Montana will probably make his decision by the end of the month.

In the meantime, Jesse Scroggins is the second target that Sarkisian is trying to lure. Scroggins is another California prospect, he is ranked No. 7 among QBs from the Class of 2010. He is 6'2" and weighs 191 lbs. He currently has seven offers on the table.

Besides UW, some schools that he is considering are Nebraska, Arizona State, and Tennessee. He plans on cutting his list down to five by late-July to mid-August, and then making a commitment by late August.

Bob Condotta from the Seattle Times has noted that Montana will most likely be the better bet as Scroggins' stock is rising too fast, and is currently slipping out of the fingers of the UW coaching staff.

Photo source: Scout.com

Steve Sarkisian's Big Impact: Huskies Class of 2010

Kevin Cacabelos — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 12:00:00 -0400

Although Steve Sarkisian has yet to coach a game for the Huskies, he has already provided immense energy in one vital aspect of a successful college football program—recruiting.

Sarkisian has been active on the recruiting front since day one. The Huskies currently have the tenth best recruiting class in the country for the class of 2010.

Despite losing out on Jake Heaps, the Huskies have three four-star recruits and five three-star recruits verbally committed. Two-thirds of Sarkisian's recruits are local products.

it seems as the Huskies have already regained a significant amount of ground at home that was lost while under Willingham. We will go more in-depth on the actual recruits later, I just wanted to get across one crucial point.

Sarkisian has already started to help the program change for the better. The fact that he is able to convince decent players to come to UW, even with the fact that the team was winless last season, is impressive.

Now, whether this success will translate directly into wins has yet to determined. However it is a positive step forward, and I am excited to see what else Coach Sark can get done before the actual football season starts.

Go DAWGS!

Quaker Summer Slam Day 1: Brett Kingma Scouting Report

Kevin Cacabelos — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 12:30:00 -0400

I headed over to Franklin yesterday and watched the first round games of the "Quaker Summer Slam."

This is the first chance to see what all the high school basketball teams in the area will look like for next school year. It's always interesting to see how teams look after they lose their seniors and new guys take their spots.

I watched a total of five games. I did not watch them in their entireties as there were games going on at different courts simultaneously.

The first game I watched was between Seattle Prep and Jackson. Seattle Prep is coming off a fourth place finish and Jackson contains one of the state's top player in Brett Kingma.

Word on the street is that he has already been offered a scholarship by Gonzaga. We featured Kingma as our No. 9 player in the state earlier. Kingma did not disappoint.

The first thing I noticed about him is his soft touch, also known as shooter's touch. On fast breaks and runners in the lane, he always got the ball in the basket because of his soft touch, most of his close range shots weren't swishes and rolled off the iron every once in awhile.

Kingma started the game really cold, going 0-for-4. But once he made one three-pointer, he caught fire.

He has incredible confidence in his shot even after missing a handful. He got hot so quick and just started sinking three-pointers from various spots on the court.

He's a little shorter than your typical high school star, but he is able to get high off the floor to get his shot off. Perhaps his most impressive move was his consistent pull-up, step back jumper in transition.

Besides his handful of three-pointers, Kingma had the nicest pull-up jumper I've seen at the high school level. However, he was his team's only option offensively. Prep played their typical strong defense and came away with a 68-62 victory.

The second highly-touted recruit I saw was Josh Smith. This would be my second time seeing Josh play. Like Kingma, he did not disappoint.

I witnessed the first half, and here was his line: 11 points, 9 rebounds. I wonder what his finally tally looked like by the end of the game.

Kentwood's success next season will depend on whether they will be able to feed Smith the ball enough to make him dominate offensively.

If the guards aren't able to feed him, Smith will have to work harder to get open. The man is so powerful. Every time he dunked it I was afraid the hoop was going to rip off the wall.

Perhaps the best play came after Smith missed a close range shot and a Bainbridge player grabbed the rebound. Smith then ripped the ball away from the Bainbridge player, turned around and threw down for a vicious slam.

I hope the Huskies can land this guy. Man.

Garfield-Eastside Catholic

This game was a 40-point blowout. Tony Wroten was not anywhere to be found. The Bulldogs didn't really need him or anyone else to crush the Eastside Catholic Crusaders.

It looked like a Varsity-JV match; it was ugly. Every player on Garfield had at least 5 inches on each Eastside player (I might be exaggerating).

The Franklin-Sammamish game was a joke, it was more amusing to see McDonald's All-American Peyton Siva dribble and shoot the ball during time-outs.

Franklin has some great talent and will probably compete with Beach for the Metro title again next season.

It looks like Vonchae Richardson will play five years in high school as he was suited up and playing for the Quakers.

Federal Way vs. Blanchet

I don't have a final score on this game, but Federal Way was blowing out Blanchet by 20 points when I left the game. Blanchet lost a couple of Senior leaders and just looked outmatched against the reigning 4A state champions.

Cole Dickerson played well and it just seems like the FW Eagles have a sustainable system in place that will give them success in the long-term.

Ken Griffey Jr.'s Impact: For Better or For Worse

Kevin Cacabelos — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 15:30:00 -0400

When the Seattle Mariners signed Ken Griffey Jr., I was hoping for at least a 20 HR, 85 RBI season. I felt if the Mariners used him as their everyday DH, he could produce moderate power, something the Mariners have not had since Edgar Martinez left.

However, about one-third into the season, it doesn't look like Griffey will reach my moderate expectations. It seems like he has declined a lot from his 2007 campaign with the Reds, hen he hit 30 home runs and drove in 78 runs. According to updated ZIPS projections, he is only projected to hit 17 home runs and drive in 55 runs this season.

For being an injury-free season, this would be an all-time low for Griffey. Whether it be because of switching from the NL to the AL, or playing at a pitcher-friendly ballpark, or probably and most likely aging, Griffey's decline has been made apparent. Statistically, his On-Base percentage, slugging percentage, and wOBA have all declined.

The only significant statistic that he has gained improvement in, is his walk rate which is at a high 14.7 percent. Although he can still hit for power, he is not a threat to opposing teams and no longer strikes fear into opposing pitchers. Pitchers have not been afraid to challenge the aging veteran. Seventy percent of the pitches Griffey has been seeing have been fastballs. This is a significant jump from 2005-08, where he was only seeing fast balls 60 percent of the time.

This walk rate is also high because of a career low swing rate. Griffey simply cannot hit certain pitches anymore. Pitchers are throwing less junk at Griffey, yet he cannot convert on fast balls as he once did back when he was in his prime.

There is no reason to be angry over Griffey's current struggles though. Zduriencik and Wakamatsu have used him well. Griffey has not played in the outfield frequently (thank goodness).

Noting his lack of defensive ability, Wakamatsu has used him as the Mariner's DH. It's not to say he can't play the field when needed, but the Mariners outfield is one of the best in the major leagues defensively when Ichiro, F-Gut, and Chavez/Balantein are out there. It would also be a crime not to mention his off the field effect on this team.

As a veteran member of the clubhouse, he has led by example and has never complained about his role on the team. He hasn't complained about his current performance and continually shows up to play every day. It seems every time that people want to harshly criticize Griffey, the man ends up hitting a home run or being crucial to starting a rally.

It's happened on numerous occasions this season and it's starting to become a pattern. Overall, Griffey has not been what we wanted, but there is no reason to fuss over his performance. Wakamatsu has done a great job in using Griffey at times that he can only help the team and not hurt it. Imagine if Griffey was the Mariners starting left fielder and he played every day?

I do not think that would help the team out that way. We can complain and be sad over the fact that Griffey is not what he once was, but it is better to look at the situation as a whole and realize the reality of it all. Did people really expect the man to hit 30 home runs and lead us to the playoffs? I didn't. And I'm glad I didn't hold such high expectations for the aging legend.

UW Basketball: 2010 Recruiting Update

Kevin Cacabelos — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 13:00:00 -0400

Before I start this, I want to give credit to a great Gonzaga blog, The Slipper Still Fits. I am kind of taking their format from their recruiting post and applying it to Husky basketball. So before you read this, maybe go over there and give them some props for what they've done. Here is what the Husky roster will look like after the end of next season in 2010:

Seniors:
Matthew Bryan-Amaning F
Justin Holiday F
Charles Garcia F
Venoy Overton G

Juniors:
Darnell Gant F
Scott Suggs F
Elston Turner G/F
Isaiah Thomas G

Sophomores:
Clarence Trent F
CJ Wilcox G
Abdul Gaddy G

The Huskies have already signed Desmond Simmons as their first recruit of the class of 2010. That leaves the Huskies with 12 scholarship players on their roster, leaving one scholarship left.

Here are the players Romar is taking a look at to fill in that last scholarship spot on his roster:

Josh Smith is not even a senior in high school yet, but SeaTown Sports has had ample coverage on the 6-foot-9, 270 pound center from Kentwood High School. He already has over a dozen offers on the table from all prestigious college programs. However, do not be surprised if Romar and his staff are able to lure this highly-coveted recruit.

Like Jon Brockman, Smith is the type of guy that would not mind staying at home. From the people we have talked to, UCLA and UW seem to be at the top of his list at this point. Smith is currently ranked as the second best center prospect in the nation, and is our number one player in the state of Washington at this time. Smith is a very rare prospect, and might be a one-in-done guy.

From a scouting perspective, his physical presence makes Spencer Hawes look like a stick. He looks like more of a dominant player on the boards. He look more talented offensively than Kevin Love was coming out of high school.

source

If Josh Smith does not end up coming to UW, the Huskies have a Plan B. His name is Alex Kirk.

Although not as big as Smith, Kirk measures at a tall 6-foot-11, which would make him the tallest player at UW. Kirk currently is a four-star recruit and is the 10th ranked center in the class of 2010. He is labeled as a great hustle player with good hands and good passing ability as well.

He lacks a go-to offensive move and doesn't seem to be super explosive. However, his height gives him a high ceiling, and he is bound to improve with one more year of playing high school basketball. Along with UW, USC, Cal, and Arizona St. all have some interest in Kirk. Texas Tech and Vanderbilt also have offers on the table to Kirk.

source

Romar has another offer on the table to a big man, his name is Terrence Jones.

Jones is a 6-foot-9, 210-pound forward from Portland, Ore. He is a four-star recruit and is ranked No. 11 at his position. Besides UW, Oregon, Oregon St, Georgetown, and California have all offered scholarships to Jones. Jones is a lefty with a "nifty" post game and an improving outside shot. He has great size for his position and looks like a more skilled Matthew Bryan-Amaning.

source

Like Josh Smith, John Gage is a local product, and, like the three prospects mentioned above, Gage is a power forward/center prospect. Gage is a tall 6-foot-10 and weighs 210 pounds. He plays for the well known "Friends of Hoop" AAU program, playing alongside the likes of Tanner Riley, Andre Winston Jr. and Joe Harris.

Gage is a three-star recruit and is a little under the radar. He is getting offers from local schools. Besides UW, he has offers from Portland, Portland St. and Seattle U. Recently some sources have Gage getting offers from Stanford and California as well, also claiming that he's deciding between those two schools and UW.

photo source

The last big target comes in the form of Anthony Brown, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard from Ocean View HS in California.

He has a high ceiling, with an "above average" feel for the game. Brown currently has four offers on the table from: Arizona, Arizona St., Stanford, and USC. The Huskies have yet to offer him a scholarship, most likely because of their desire to land Josh Smith instead.

It will be interesting to see which way Romar will go if he doesn't land Smith. Will he go after another talented center prospect like Alex Kirk? Or will he pursue a four guard lineup and find an athletic wing like Anthony Brown? Time will only tell.

source

Who do you want most to play for the Huskies? Josh Smith, Alex Kirk, Terrence Jones, John Gage or Anthony Brown?

Ichiro Suzuki May Lead Mariners to Playoff Contention in 2009

Kevin Cacabelos — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 13:00:00 -0400

Ichiro is heating up right now and he could very well put the Mariners back into contention if he keeps it up.

Yesterday against the Angels, Ichiro went 4-for-5 with a home run, two doubles and a single.

He currently is riding a 24-game hit streak and is getting everyone excited for a possible chase at Joe Dimaggio's 56-game hit streak. I decided to take a more in-depth look at Ichiro's success this season. Please refer to the glossary at the bottom of this post for any questions regarding the stats I refer to.

Stats as of May 31, 2009. Courtesy of FanGraphs.

Ichiro currently has an on-base percentage of .376, which is up from last year's .361. This is despite his walk percentage, which is 4.6 percent, way below his career percentage of 6.4 percent. This means Ichiro is hitting the ball well this season. The only time Ichiro's walk percentage was below five percent was in 2001, when he had 242 hits.

Some people have criticized Ichiro for swinging at too many pitches. They do so with this evidence: Ichiro's O-swing percentage is at 32.2 percent, the highest it has ever been in his career.

However, Ichiro is just swinging at a lot more pitches and making contact at an unprecedented rate in his career. His O-contact percentage and Z-contact percentage are both at career highs. For his O-contact percentage, he is at 88.8 percent. For his Z-contact percentage, he is at 95.7 percent.

Collectively, he is at a career high when considering his contact percentage overall, which is at 93.2 percent. Ichiro is also hitting for more power than he did last year, as his slugging percentage has jumped from a career low .386 to .449 this season.

He already has four home runs this season ,which will easily top out last season's total of six home runs (hopefully he'll end up hitting in the home run derby, which would be a sight to watch).

With all this considered, Ichiro is having an above-average year by his standards. He is seeing the ball better and making contact at an unprecedented rate in his career. Despite walking a lot less, he is still getting on base efficiently. Lastly, despite missing the first eight games of the season, it is a strong possibility Ichiro will reach his usual 200 hits this season.

Now would be the time for Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik to sell Ichiro and try to restock the farm system. Any team serious about contending will benefit enormously from Ichiro's bat and glove.

Quick Glossary

O-swing percentage—Percentage of pitches a batter swings at outside the strike zone

Z-swing percentage—Percentage of pitches a batter swings at inside the strike zone

Swing percentage—Total percentage of pitches a batter swings at

O-contact—Percentage of times a batter makes contact with the ball when swinging at pitches thrown outside the strike zone

Z-Contact percentage—Percentage of times a batter makes contact with the ball when swinging at pitches thrown inside the strike zone

Contact percentage—Total percentage of contact made when swinging at all pitches

Tony Wroten Update, May 23

Kevin Cacabelos — Sat, 23 May 2009 13:00:00 -0400

On a recent appearance on Q13 Sports, Tony Wroten revealed his current situation regarding college. He stated that right now he has no preference and will start looking at colleges at the end of his junior year.

Wroten is currently the consensus No. 1 shooting guard in the class of 2011. He is also considered by many to be the top prospect overall from the class of 2011.

He currently has two offers on the table, one from Washington and one from Louisville. He also has high interest in attending Tennessee. Tony's dad, Tony Wroten Sr. is a former UW football standout. Along with his dad attending UW, Tony is familiar with the numerous Garfield alumni that have played under Lorenzo Romar.

This includes the likes of Brandon Roy, Tre Simmons, and Will Conroy. Along with that, from what I've heard, Nate Robinson is cousins with Tony Wroten Jr. It does seem however that every good basketball player from Seattle is somehow related to Nate Robinson, but that's another story.

This, of course, could work against the Huskies as Wroten might prefer to make a name for himself at another college program.

Instinct has told me that he will probably want to go to a big east-coast college, where he'll get maximum exposure. Programs like Memphis, North Carolina, and Syracuse are all enticing opportunities for him to get NBA scouts' attention as he is a likely one and done player.

However, Washington does offer some positives for Wroten. UW's offensive and defensive systems offer a lot for a highlight-reel player like Wroten.

Romar gives his players a lot of freedom on the offensive end, and allows his guards to apply constant full-court defensive pressure. I'm sure the coaching staff are going to sell these points hard when they are talking to Wroten.

It is way too early to speculate, but considering his connections to the program combined with UW's recent success, it would not be out of line to say that UW has an edge at this point.

Attending My First Pro Soccer Game Ever: Sounders FC

Kevin Cacabelos — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 12:30:00 -0400

A couple days ago, I remarked on how I looked forward to the chance of getting to go to a Sounders game.

Well, a couple days later, I got my chance!

One of my friends that had season tickets invited me to come along.

I jumped on the opportunity and went to the game with an open mind. Walking to the stadium kind of gave me flashbacks to my first Seahawks game...

The Sounders game day environment, like the Seahawks game day environment, is way different from going to a Mariners, Husky football, or Husky basketball game.

I never knew people could get so hyped up over a soccer game. My friend remarked that the game day environment was just as crazy before the Sounders joined the MLS.

But, he said the fan base and the fan environment are on a whole different level now.

Unfortunately, I didn't have any Sounders gear, but my friend lent me one of his trendy Sounders' scarves.

It seems like these scarves are the equivalent of a baseball cap at a Mariners game.

EVERYONE had one.

We made it in time for the Golden Scarf ceremony (I still don't get what that is), but people seemed excited, so I just clapped and smiled acting like I knew what the heck was going on.

I enjoyed the PA announcer.

He wasn't like Tom Hutyler (M's PA announcer), but a guy with a British accent.

I almost felt like I was at a Quidditch Match (whatever that feels like).

Anyway, the pre game player introductions were pretty epic, and the crowd was just so into the game before it even started.

Eventually the game started, and I stood along with everyone else to watch the game for 45 minutes.

I didn't think I was going to be able to stand for that long, but it really wasn't a big deal at all.

This was WAY better than watching it on TV. The seat I was in was one of the best seats in the house.*

I'm not going to try to preach any ground-breaking analysis—I was asking my friend a question like every 10 seconds about the different strategy and the way the game was going.

Thankfully my friend didn't get sick of me.

Frankly, I was really surprised at how involved the crowd could get despite there not being so many goals scored.

But, the anticipation that collectively builds among everyone watching is a cool thing. Every missed shot or goal was wrenching and collective, "Damn its, shoot, crap."

I loved it.

For once, the fans at a sporting event were actually WATCHING the game.

Soccer is not a passive sport to watch, unless you watch it on TV. Unlike baseball, football, or basketball, there are ZERO breaks in between the action.

I think you'd be crazy to leave to go to the bathroom.

I wasn't in a million years going to leave my seat and lose the possibility of seeing the Sounders score a goal.

Speaking of goals, it is probably one of the best feelings when your team scores a goal.

The Sounders scored two this game, and it felt good!

Overall, it's amazing what a change of heart a person can have. That's why you always have to be open up to things no matter how much your preconceived notions may motivate you.

P.S. My favorite player?

James Riley!

*Tickets are cheap! You could get decent seats for $30...that's a good good deal in my opinion.

Why Is There No Shot Clock in High School Basketball?

Kevin Cacabelos — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 13:00:00 -0400

After watching several high school basketball games this past winter, it is a wonder to me on why there is no shot clock for boys' games.

On the girls' side, a 35-second shot clock is implemented, but on the boys' side the shot clock is non-existent.

There really is no reason of why not to have the shot clock.

Pricing and implementation would be minimal, with most high-school gyms already having a shot-clock because of the girls game. Boys' games would emulate all other levels of the game, including college and in the NBA.

Also, with a shot clock, teams wouldn't be able to stall near the end of the games. Fans will be attracted because of the faster pace that results from having a shot clock.

At the same time, defense is rewarded more often when a team on offense is unable to get a shot up in 35 seconds. The shot clock also opens up new strategy and game situations for coaches and players alike.

The people that are against implementing a shot clock only dislike it for one reason: change. My bet is that sooner or later those who make the rules (WIAA) will realize that the benefits of having a shot clock in boys' basketball far outweigh the negatives (basically nothing), and change the rule.

There really is no draw-back to having a shot clock. Me and other basketball fans are still clueless on the matter. Please, WIAA, do something!

My New Discernment for the Seattle Sounders FC

Kevin Cacabelos — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 12:00:00 -0400

Three months later and I still hear people mention, "the post". I am here to tell everyone I regret what I wrote, and I apologize if I offended anyone. Frankly, my eyes have been opened after the first couple games, and I am actually enjoying watching the Sounders.

I'm not super educated on soccer, and I don't understand advanced strategy but watching it is way more exciting than I first presumed.

It's fun to watch the players move the ball around so fluidly. The game is also surprisingly physical. The players do complain and whine a lot, but is that really all that different from any other sport?

Okay, I admit it. I am a giant hypocrite. The other day, someone in my family was trying to start a conversation with me, and I said, "Wait, I want to watch this free kick". That is when I realized that the words I said in January were pointless and dumb. It takes some getting used to, but soccer is a nice change of pace as opposed to watching "the big three" (basketball, baseball, football).

It doesn’t hurt when the Sounders are a winning team either. I had no idea of how good this team was going to be going in. Any expansion team in any sport has a rough first season, usually. The Sounders have asserted themselves as the top team in the MLS.

I'd like to eventually go to a match, but each match has been sold-out, if I'm not mistaken. I'm waiting on one of my many soccer friends to take me to a game...hopefully.

I can understand if you can't forgive me for those words back January. But I am going to admit that I will not be committing myself to learn the technical aspects of the game of soccer, and generally I am also not necessarily crazy for the Sounders or anything.

But I do regret what I said back then.

The only appropriate way to end this article is to say this: The Sounders are relevant.

Seattle Mariners News and Notes

Kevin Cacabelos — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 12:30:00 -0400

After a couple of losses, some weaknesses have manifested themselves up in Seattle. These weaknesses, though, were expected at the beginning of the season and were hidden when the Mariners were on that nice little win streak.

First, certain players stink, such as, oh, Carlos Silva and Yuni Betancourt.

Silva can't even throw strikes anymore, which is weird, considering his best assest is his control. Yuni's defense couldn't get any worse. Some things are not going to go away, including the Mariners' weak middle-infield defense. I don't know the solution to the fat problem we call Carlos Silva, but after Ronny Cedeno's performance on Sunday, I would advocate having him replace Yuni on a daily basis. We'll see.

I would mention Griffey as a weakness, but I think Wakamatsu is using him well. He's putting him out in the outfield to satisfy is Griffey's desire to play the field, but at the same time Wak is willing to sit him against left-handers. Griffey's .233 avg right now is the lowest in his career. I'd also like to see the Mariners get a better pinch-runner than Wladimir Balentein or Ken Griffey Jr.

Kenny and Wladdy aren't pinch-runners, they're just faster than the players they're replacing. Why not get one speedy guy on the bench to use for that purpose exclusively? It's important to note that the M's offense has been performing above average. Most notably Endy Chavez, who won't be able to keep hitting .385.

But right now, the positives far outweigh the negatives of this ball club, one reason they are atop the AL West.

Although the team is bunting like crazy, the overall small-ball approach has helped the Mariners tremendously. The outfield defense is amazing. With Franklin, Ichiro, and Endy, that is a three-headed monster that will kill anything that flies.

The starting pitching (minus Silva) has finally lived up to its potential. Even with Felix pitching mediocre ball, Bedard has proven to be one of the best pitchers in the Majors. As long as everyone stays healthy, this team will be playing meaningful games in September, which is crazy considering we only won 61 games last year.

Six Reasons Moving the Apple Cup is Wrong

Kevin Cacabelos — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 12:30:00 -0400

The Collegiate and Campus Feel to the Game is Lost

The one unique thing about college sports is that special feeling of playing in your home stadium or the home stadium of an opponent.

In both cases, the respective home teams' fans have a unique experience that can only be replicated in a college stadium. Move this game to Qwest Field and that special feeling of comradery among students and alumni is gone.

Higher Ticket Prices

We calculated that to make the $4 million guarantee each year initially reported—$2 million to each school—would require an average ticket price of $65 for every seat in the house.

Although this may be good for the respective schools amidst the economic crisis, at the same time it pretty much screws over the fans on both sides, who are also living amidst an economic crisis.

WSU Fans Get Screwed Over

I hate to admit it, but this presents an unfair problem to WSU fans, most notably those who live in Pullman or in eastern Washington. Everyone knows there is some danger to trying to cross the pass by car during the winter time and during thanksgiving break. The conditions are treacherous.

The only other means of transportation is airplane, and if you can't get a cheap ticket, is it really worth the hassle? Geographically, UW holds the advantage in every respect. Although the ticket distribution will be even, their will undoubtedly be more Husky fans at the game.

Local Pullman Businesses Get Screwed Over

Once every other year, besides graduation, the city of Pullman gets a little economic boom. This boom is caused by the influx of people coming to Pullman for the Apple Cup. This boom is gone forever.

Nope it won't be back next year or the year after that. Local restaurants and hotels suffer another blow in these tough economic times.

Once Both Teams Start Winning, They'll Realize How Stupid This Is

The main reason for this move is money. The main reason both football programs don't have money is because they are losing. So what happens when both teams start winning? The chief motivation and reasoning behind this change will be nullified. Just a thought.

The Game Gets "Corporatized"

From an esthetics standpoint, this decision blows. A move to Qwest Field would sterilize and corporatize the event. Each year, the game would look the same. There would be no future “Snow Bowls.”

And worst of all there would be no tailgating. That’s right, you’re not allowed to at Qwest Field. But there are a number of restaurants around the area that would be happy to serve you $7 beers and $15 hamburgers.

No Tailgating?!?!?! One of the most important aspects to college football is lost in this process.

photo source: [nwsportscene]

What your thoughts on the proposed/done deal move of the Apple Cup to Qwest Field?

Bedard and King Felix: Projecting the 2009 Seattle Mariners Rotation

Kevin Cacabelos — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 12:30:00 -0400

I’m still shocked at Bradon Morrow’s declaration to become a full-time closer for the rest of his career. Although I think this is a horrible mind-set, I can’t hold it against him forever.

Looks like some Mariners fans will just have to move on and accept his decision. The current rotation sits like this: Felix Hernandez, Erik Bedard, Jarrod Washburn, Carlos Silva, and Ryan Rowland-Smith who is replacing Morrow.

I’m going to focus on the projected performances of both Felix Hernandez and Erik Bedard in this post. Let me start this off and just say, if Felix Hernandez and Erik Bedard are able to stay healthy and pitch to their potential, they form the best one-two punch in the Major Leagues.

However it’s unlikely that both of them will reach their peak and it’s also unlikely that they’ll both be able to stay healthy.

Having two aces in your rotation is rare, and if they could somehow stay healthy, this strength could help propel the Mariners to a possible playoff berth. Yes. I said playoffs.

Felix Hernandez's currently projected ERA stands at 3.75. This is an increase from last year's 3.45, but a significant improvement from 2007's 3.92 ERA. His currently projected FIP stands at 3.61, this is a positive sign. It would mark the lowest FIP of Felix as a starter in his short career.

Felix’s main strength is his fastball. He’s tried to throw a lot of other junk the past few seasons, when his fastball would have been sufficient. He is one of the hardest throwers in the Majors, and hitters fear him.

King Felix needs to capitalize on hitters’ fears and make them pay. We all know Felix has the physical tools to dominate opposing lineups; we now wait for him to mentally dominate as well.

Once he is able to do both, his transformation into an ace will be complete soon. He’s the face and the future of the Seattle Mariners, I think this year will be a banner year for Felix.

Erik Bedard's currently projected ERA stands at 3.51. This is better than last year's 3.91, but not even close to his 2007 ERA of 3.16. His currently projected FIP stands at 3.53.

Again this would mark a huge improvement from last year, but nowhere near his 2007 FIP 3.19. We can't accept the best Erik Bedard, but there's a strong chance he'll be better this season than he was in 2008.

We can cross our fingers for Bedard and hope for a repeat of his campaign with the Orioles in 2007. But we know for a fact that Bedard is not a 100% healthy entering this season. Does he have any trade value?

It really depends on how he performs in the first two months of the season. His early performance will also influence the Zduriencik’s overall decision to try to resign him or not. Bedard is nasty.

It’s hard to find nasty left-handers these days. He is great at mixing his pitches around and confusing hitters. In the few starts he did have last year, Bedard looked dominant.

Washington Huskies: NCAA Tournament Outlook

Kevin Cacabelos — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 21:19:27 -0400

The Huskies find themselves back in the NCAA tournament after a successful regular season, capped by winning the Pac-10 conference regular season title. Out of all the teams entering the tournament from the Pac-10, the Huskies have boasted the most wins against tournament teams.

The Huskies have beat:

No. 15 seed Morgan St.
No. 13 seed Cleveland St.
No. 13 seed Portland St.
No. 12 seed Arizona
No. 8 seed Oklahoma St.
No. 6 seed UCLA
Two wins over No. 10 seed USC
Two wins over No. 6 seed Arizona St.

Lorenzo Romar is ready for his third go around with another talented team. With a tough bracket, the Huskies will be tested from their first round game right off the bat. The Mississippi St. Bulldogs create some matchup problems for the Huskies.

Most notably, Jarvis Varnado, a 6'9" forward with some maniac shot-blocking ability. He’s the best shot-blocker in the nation. Inevitably, Jon Brockman will be shut down offensively.

Against USC shot-blocker, Taj Gibson, Brockman was ineffective offensively, scoring only 10 points in two games.

However, Brockman contributed in a different way, grabbing a combined 27 rebounds in those two games. Brockman won’t have a huge game for the Huskies, but his rebounding prowess will still play a major factor in the Huskies’ success.

The Bulldogs have also strived on their guard play. It will be a dual between Thomas/Dentmon and the experienced Barry Stewart.

Dentmon has been cold as of late, but after watching him all season, you know he can get hot at any moment. He’s hit clutch shot after clutch shot for the Huskies. Without a doubt, he’s become the consummate go-to player for the Huskies during crunch time.

Isaiah Thomas has also shown the desire to have the ball in his hands during crunch time. He’s no ordinary freshmen, and it is unlikely he’ll freeze up on the big stage of the NCAA tournament.

Thomas loves being in the spotlight, I predict a strong tournament performance from I.T.

If the Huskies are to advance, they’ll most likely face off against No. 5 seed Purdue.

The Boilermakers are a scary team for the Huskies to play in the second round. Purdue has strong post defense and is a better 3-point shooting team than the Huskies.

Again, Jon Brockman will have trouble against the duo of Robbie Hummel and JaJuan Johnson. Against MSU and Purdue, the play of Quincy Pondexter will be critical. He has come up big for the Huskies when Dentmon, Thomas, and Brockman have had off-games.

If Pondexter can play at a high-consistent level, then the Huskies will likely find themselves in a Sweet 16 rematch against the other Huskies, the University of Connecticut.

Washington Huskies Impending Pac-10 Champions

Kevin Cacabelos — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 01:35:40 -0500

With the conference season finally wrapping up, I think that the Huskies' strengths and weaknesses can be identified. Unlike past seasons, this seasons' guard play has been tremendous.

The arrival of Isaiah Thomas and the emergence of Justin Dentmon has made this team into an elite contender in the country. Now that Dentmon does not have point guard duties, he has reverted into a role that he has always bee more comfortable in, the two-guard position.

For Thomas, he has naturally fit into Lorenzo Romar's system and seems to be able to finish or get to the free throw line at will.

Along with the guard play, the whole team has been playing some "Trademark Husky Basketball." Do you remember the style of game played by Nate Robinson, Brandon Roy, Bobby Jones, and Will Conroy?

These guys played an up-tempo style of game that encouraged on-ball pressure defense and a high-octane offense. This team has reverted back into this style and has been reaping the benefits of it.

The weaknesses are few, but the Huskies do have some. In the Huskies' four conference losses, every post-game analysis points at two factors as to why the Huskies lost. One of them is sharing the basketball.

Though the play of Thomas and Dentmon has been stellar, at times, they have not shared the ball and as a result turn the ball over or have taken a bad shot. In the rare times that the Huskies' offense has stalled, it has been because of the failure to find an open teammate.

Secondly, the Huskies defense—which has surprisingly been an upside this year—has sometimes fallen into a lull. The defense is especially a weakness when either Jon Brockman or Matthew Bryan-Amaning are in foul trouble.

Teams with strong offensive-minded forwards will be able to take advantage of Brockman and Amaning. What separates UW from UCLA is the Bruins' 40 minutes of hard-nosed defense. Right now the Huskies are at 35 minutes.

If the Huskies can keep on playing the way they are, making it to the Sweet 16 is a possibility. No other team in the country can rebound the ball like the Huskies and it's hard to find a team that can defend the Huskies straight up without having either Brockman, Thomas, Dentmon, or Pondexter lighting them up.

It's finally nice to have a a good team playing in Seattle.

Maybe this is God's way of saying sorry for the Sonics?

Scouting Report: Terrence Williams

Kevin Cacabelos — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 14:00:00 -0500

I watched a good amount of the Louisville game yesterday, specifically to watch former Rainier Beach standout, Terrence Williams. Recently, Williams has found himself on the national stage with Louisville being one of the top teams in the country, with Williams playing at the highest level he has of his career. I didn't watch the entire game, seeing as it turned into a blowout, but I did note these observations about Williams:

Offense
+Handles the ball real well for a player of his height.
+Quick and good at changing speeds.
+Comfortable on the perimeter, played the wing most offensive possessions.
+A jack of all trades, able to pass, dribble, and score with efficiency.
+Some careless turnovers, decision-making needs improvement.

Defense
+His on-ball defense is shaky, it's average at best, I saw him fall for a couple of shot-fakes.
+Great athleticism, seen in his ability to disrupt passing lanes and start fast breaks.

Some comparisons that popped into my head while watching him play: Rodney Stuckey, Brandon Roy, Rudy Gay.....

Have you seen Terrence Williams play yet this season?

Mike Sweeney: Will He Make the Opening Day Roster?

Kevin Cacabelos — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 12:00:00 -0500

I received a text message from a friend that read:

Last season I pulled hard for R.A. Dickey to make the squad. This season it's Mike Sweeney. I really like that guy.

Dickey was a pleasant surprise last season, he was actually pretty decent. He didn't warrant a resigning, but he was arguably better than Carlos Silva and Miguel Batista. Like Dickey, Sweeney is entering the upcoming season as an MLB journeyman.

His pure awesomeness that his All-Star years garnered (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2005) is gone, but he still maintains a positive attitude and seems like a throwback to past Mariners teams. He's not clubhouse poison, he actually might be the exact opposite.

He is as loyal as it gets, he was with the royals for 17 seasons before he left them after last season. He is a devout Catholic and is a spokesman for many Catholic organizations. On top of that, the Royals named an organizational award after him, the "Mike Sweeney Award" which is given annually to the player that best represents the Royals on and off the field.

Let's make this clear. I don't want Sweeney on the team because he's a "good guy", I only want him on the team if he's going to be a valuable contributor to the Mariners. I'll leave that up to the stat heads to decide. But I definitely won't doubt his character or passion if he does make the team. I'm really pulling for him and hoping he has a strong Spring Training.

Got an opinion on Sweeney?

photo source: [seattletimes]

DeMarcus Cousins/UW Update: Feb. 22

Kevin Cacabelos — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 10:00:00 -0500

Cousins has been named to the 2009 Jordan Brand All-American game which features the 20 best High School seniors in the country. Abdul Gaddy from Bellarmine Prep will also be participating in this game.

More information on players and the games can be found here. He has also been named to the famous McDonald's All-American game, a game in which Abdul Gaddy will be participating in as well.

More information can be found here.

Cousins' current High School team, Le Flore, is currently ranked 13th in the country with a 26-2 record. In the same USA Today poll, they have Franklin at No. 19. Lorenzo Romar is currently recruiting Cousins aggressively. Romar has already flew down to Alabama to see Cousins play.

If Wolfinger transfers and one player is willing to give up their scholarship, Cousins could be very much in the picture for next year. Some insiders even believe that UW may be the front-runner citing his relationship with Isaiah Thomas and the excitement that UW's fast-pace game could bring to him.

Hopefully he'll make his decision soon, at least before the All-American games. He has yet to visit the UW campus or even see a game of UW in person. Rumor has it that he'll be able to see a home game before the post season starts.

Top 25 High School Basketball Players in Washington 2/16

Kevin Cacabelos — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 14:00:00 -0500

As a precursor to conference, district, and state championships, I thought it was a good idea to update our high school basketball player power rankings.

This time around we've taken a look at your comments on our previous rankings, also we've consulted with several current high school players and coaches, and we've seen more games ourselves. Without further adieu here is round 2 of our player power rankings:

These are who we believe to be the top 25 players in the state regardless of class or position

1. Josh Smith (Jr.) Kentwood-PF/C--Has been dominating all competition. 15 points and 10 rebounds for him is an "off-game". He is currently averaging 26.7ppg. He has scored over 30 points on seven separate occasions this year. Kentwood is ranked second in 4A classification. Will he be able to lead them to a state championship?

2. Tony Wroten (So.) Garfield-PG--Still the best player in the Class of 2011, but his game still needs a lot of improvement. He will need to be able to trust his teammates a lot more if Garfield has a shot at the state championship. Great players are able to make their teammates a lot better, Wroten has not shown that yet. He is currently averaging 17.6ppg.

3. Peyton Siva (Sr.) Franklin-PG--Contains one of the sweetest shots in the State. Good mechanics and follow-through make him a 3-point and a pull-up threat. He is a nightmare to defend because he is the quickest player in the state and has an array of dribble moves to lose his defender. Right now, Franklin is the favorite to win the 3A state championship.

4. Abdul Gaddy (Sr.) Bellarmine Prep-PG--He is the best passer in the state of Washington, and perhaps in the country. If he had the supporting cast he'd probably be close to averaging 10 assists a game.

His team, Bellarmine Prep has dropped out of the 4A rankings, but is a dark horse in the State tournament if they make it in. UW fans already have a vision of a scary back court that combines the passing skills of Gaddy and the scoring prowess of Isaiah Thomas.

5. Aaron Dotson (Sr.) Rainier Beach-SG/SF--Out for the season. He will have knee surgery in Louisiana, and then start his rehab to begin his college career at LSU. His injury has hurt the Rainier Beach Vikings tremendously as they have taken a hit in the rankings dropping out of the top 5. Has one of the best mid-range jumpers in the state. Incredibly clutch and is very bouncy, he can rebound well.

6. Steven Bjornstad (Sr.) Columbia River-F--Has signed his LOI to attend and play at the University of Nevada next year. He has a lot of upside attached to him, he can rebound and score in the post efficiently.

He can seal off defenders with relative ease to get points in the post. Unlike the stereo-typical big man he can run the floor really well, sort of like Spencer Hawes. His best skill though is his shot-blocking ability, opposing teams have had to adjust their game plans accordingly.

7. Marcus Tibbs (Sr.) Decatur-PG--College plans are currently unknown, he currently has Eastern Washington, Portland, and Portland State on his radar. He can penetrate well and finish around the basketball consistently. He also passes well. He is a great cross-court and full-court passer for Decatur.

Without him, Decatur would not be a contender for the 4A state championship. His exceptional point guard skills will serve him well at the college level.

8. Cole Dickerson (Jr.) Federal Way-PG--A solid athlete. The most valuable player on Federal Way, he has been key for their success this season. He is great down-low and is efficient at grabbing rebounds and scoring in the paint. He also has a nice consistent jump shot that is always a concern for opposing teams.

9. Aaron Bright (Jr.) Bellevue-PG--A solid player for only being a junior. He needs to keep on finding ways to distribute the basketball. Currently is leading Bellevue in scoring at 15.7ppg. He is by far the most confident and aggressive player out of the three stars at Bellevue. His play at the point guard position will be critical for Bellevue to make a deep state run.

10. Sterling Carter (Sr.) Franklin-SG--Out for the season. Committed to the University of Pacific.

11. Jaamon Echols (Jr.) Rainier Beach-PG--This kid is for real. He is very bouncy and is one of the most athletic players on Rainier Beach. That's saying a lot. He is great at penetrating and dishing. And although he can't finish consistently yet, he can draw fouls and score points that way.

12. Alex Schrempf (Sr.) Bellevue-F--An impact player when he is aggressive. His only weakness is not being aggressive enough. He doesn't have a huge body, but he can rebound well. He is an above-average finisher. It'll be interesting to see how he plays in the upcoming playoffs. Bellevue really thrives off Schrempf's sucess.

13. D'Vonne Pickett (Sr.) Rainier Beach-PG--He may not have the pure skills of his Rainier Bech counterpart, Jaamon Echols. However he is now Rainier Beach's go-to player. When the game is close, the ball belongs in Pickett's hands. He can break down opposing defenses and find his open teammates with skill. His play will be critical for the Vikings as they try to recover from late season losses and avenge themselves in the playoffs.

14. Michael Hale III (Sr.) Federal Way-PG--Lightning Quick. Second quickest guard I've seen next to Peyton Siva. He has meshed really well wth Cole Dickerson and Jeff Forbes, Federal Way enters the postseason as favorites to win the 4A state tournament.

15. Anthony Brown (Sr.) Shadle Park-SG--Committed to WSU.

16. Christian Behrens (So.) Tahoma-F--Averaging 20.5ppg, his team is struggling to win.

17. Corey Stern (Sr.) Rainier Beach-F--Averaging 10.8ppg. He is great at rebounding and blocking shots, I wish his coaches would utilize him more this way than trying to set post plays for him.

18. Jeff Budinich (Sr.) Kentlake-F--Leading his team with 15.8ppg. Committed to Montana St.

19. Colton Christian (Sr.) Bellevue-F--Averaging 13.5ppg for Bellevue. Still inconsistent, has trouble against taller and more athletic defenders.

20. David Wink (Sr.) Sammamish -C--Committed to Northern Illinois. Averaging 10.5ppg.

21. Brett Kingma (So.) Jackson-SG--Only played 7 games after injuring his arm. Averaged 20.1ppg in those seven games. He has one of the best shots in the state. If he's open and has his feet set he'll make the shot.

22. Jeffery Forbes (Sr.) Federal Way -G--Averaging 11.2ppg. Committed to Eastern Washington.

23. Brandon Durham (Sr.) Central Kitsap-F--Good fundamentals in the post. He doesn't force the issue a lot, and can be patient on the offensive end.

24. Patrick Simon (Sr.) Ephrata-F--Committed to WSU. Out for the season with an injury.

25. Ben Eisenhardt (Sr.) Bainbridge-F--Long, lanky, and skilled. Committed to Seattle U. Will not force the issue if the opportunity to score is not there. Needs to be a little more aggressive though on the offensive end.

Next 10 in: Ryan Gilkey-Woodinville, Eric Hutchinson-Mark Morris, Taylor Hoffer- North Kitsap, Chris Holmes- Franklin, Tanner Riley- Mount Si, Jarell Banks-Mount Rainier, Jordan Kidd-Chief Sealth, Jerron Smith-Decatur, Steven Reinhart- Bishop Blanchet, Gary Bell-Kentrdige

Who's missing? Someone too low? Someone too high? Let us know...

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The Kid Returns, and a Hint of My Childhood as well....

Kevin Cacabelos — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 10:00:00 -0500

No matter which way you view the impending signing of Ken Griffey Jr, it's hard to deny the common feeling excitement that is resonating throughout the fan base right now.

When the news came out—I was surprised. It was actually happening. After what was months of rumors, Griffey is actually returning to the Mariners.

The man that saved baseball in Seattle is now going to return back to the house he built. The colossal significance of this event fits into a picture-perfect career for Griffey.

It seems like things have come full circle for Mr. Griffey. What a great ending this provides for a player that will be the Mariner's first hall of famer.

He's a legend, not just in Seattle, but in the game of baseball.

His name remains untarnished and he remains one of the best people to have around as a teammate. Try hard not to think about how different his playing abilities will be, because it's a guarantee that he'll help this team out in some form.

I remember crying as a little boy when I saw on the ESPN crawler that he was traded to the Reds. I felt like something was stolen from me.

I just did not understand. Why would you trade the best player in baseball?

It seems like Griffey's career followed the path of a tragedy—his rise as a Mariner, his climax in the 1997 season, and then his downfall at Cincinnati. I still can't help but feel like a little kid again.

I'm actually excited to go to a Mariners game. I'm sure others are feeling the exact same way right now.