So anytime your team doesn't make the postseason is a disappointing thing. For Seattle Mariners' fans, especially disappointing considering the M's downward spiral from being in contention to becoming Anaheim's doormat is jut a matter of two weeks in late August.
On the other hand...thank God we aren't Mets fans.
There are a lot of promising things that the Mariners have going for them as they head into 2008. Begin with the re-signing of Ichiro. The M's locked up their all-world star for the next five years. They have developed a very solid infield with the likes of Yuiesky Betancourt at shortstop, Adrian Beltre at third and Kenji Jojhima behind the dish. The only deficiency is at first base...and it's Richie Sexson's bat that needs work, not his defense.
The bullpen was among the best in the league and the Mariners had the best closer in the majors this season in J.J. Putz. Felix Hernandez rebounded from his May injury to be solid as the ace. they just need a couple of more solid starting pitchers. Make a trade (please send Jeff Weaver away) for someone and move one of the young talents into the rotation like Brandon Morrow or Ryan Feierebend.
Next should should be an exciting one for us Mariners' fans. The team figured out Oakland this year. Now if they can figure out the Angels next year.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Sidelines Column: Cory Arashiro
Click Here To View This Week's ColumnMy Forest Grove News-Times "Sidelines" column is about Cory Arashiro, a member our Pacific women's soccer team from Hawaii. Arashiro scored the game-winning goal in Pacific's 1-0 overtime victory over George Fox on Saturday to give the Boxers' four victories, one more than the team had last year.
The goal, however, was just as big for Arashiro as it was for Head Coach Joy Boswell and the rest of her Boxers' teammates. Read on for this great story.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Tribute To An Oregon Treasure
Those who know me know that I hold a special affinity for the Oregon Institute of Technology. Growing up in Klamath Falls, I was fed a steady diet of Hustlin' Owl sports over the years.
That affinity is why I was sad to read of the passing of Martha Ann Dow. The longtime OIT president died Saturday after a year-long battle with breast cancer at age 68.
My interactions with Dr. Dow were few, but as I understand her she was far from an ivory tower university president. She was a roll-up-the-sleeves worker willing to do anything that would benefit OIT and its students. She is the reason why Tech has beefed up its medical technology offerings. There is a reason why the state named the Oregon Center for Health Professions at OIT (a program sure to compete with my beloved Pacific) is named for her.
One memory, however, sticks out to this day. I had the unique opportunity in 2001 to fill in for Mr. Hustlin' Owl himself, Bobby Thompson, as play-by-play voice for OIT basketball for games at Warner Pacific and Northwest Christian.
I am sitting inside Warner Pacific's gym about a half hour before the game, hastily preparing for the broadcast. Who should come across the court but Dr. Dow along with a couple of fellow administrators, including academic dean Doug Yates (a former Scoutmaster of mine). They had been in Portland all day for Oregon University System meetings and thought a great way to spend the evening would be in Warner's cracker box of a gym and watch the Owls (who lost that night to an up-and-coming Knights' team).
I was impressed. Rather than spend the evening dining with her fellow presidents and taking in the opportunity to spend Friday night in Portland, Dr. Dow was sitting down, bag of popcorn in hand, to watch her school's men's basketball program. I have never known a university president to come and attend a non-playoff road game before or since. It was a true demonstation of Dr. Dow's love and dedication for the school she ran.
Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski called Martha Ann Dow "a true Oregon treasure." I couldn't agree more, and anyone affiliated with OIT feels the loss. Oregon Tech, and Klamath Falls, are better places bacause of her.
That affinity is why I was sad to read of the passing of Martha Ann Dow. The longtime OIT president died Saturday after a year-long battle with breast cancer at age 68.
My interactions with Dr. Dow were few, but as I understand her she was far from an ivory tower university president. She was a roll-up-the-sleeves worker willing to do anything that would benefit OIT and its students. She is the reason why Tech has beefed up its medical technology offerings. There is a reason why the state named the Oregon Center for Health Professions at OIT (a program sure to compete with my beloved Pacific) is named for her.
One memory, however, sticks out to this day. I had the unique opportunity in 2001 to fill in for Mr. Hustlin' Owl himself, Bobby Thompson, as play-by-play voice for OIT basketball for games at Warner Pacific and Northwest Christian.
I am sitting inside Warner Pacific's gym about a half hour before the game, hastily preparing for the broadcast. Who should come across the court but Dr. Dow along with a couple of fellow administrators, including academic dean Doug Yates (a former Scoutmaster of mine). They had been in Portland all day for Oregon University System meetings and thought a great way to spend the evening would be in Warner's cracker box of a gym and watch the Owls (who lost that night to an up-and-coming Knights' team).
I was impressed. Rather than spend the evening dining with her fellow presidents and taking in the opportunity to spend Friday night in Portland, Dr. Dow was sitting down, bag of popcorn in hand, to watch her school's men's basketball program. I have never known a university president to come and attend a non-playoff road game before or since. It was a true demonstation of Dr. Dow's love and dedication for the school she ran.
Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski called Martha Ann Dow "a true Oregon treasure." I couldn't agree more, and anyone affiliated with OIT feels the loss. Oregon Tech, and Klamath Falls, are better places bacause of her.
Oh Doctor!
There is nothing more exciting as playoff baseball, especially the intensity and excitement of a game where everything is on the line. One team plays on and the other makes their tee times.
Monday provided perhaps the most intense of baseball atmospheres with the one game NL Wild Card playoff between Colorado and San Diego. Padres play-by-play voice Ted Leitner kept making reference to going through a 162 season and still not having being able to decide the playoff picture. The excitement was there.
The two teams played what should be an instant classic. San Diego appeared to have control with Adrian Gonzales' grand slam in the third inning, but the miracle Rockies came right back and tied things at 6-6. The two teams persevered until the 13th inning. The Padres, again, looked to have it won on Scott Hairston's two-run homer and brought in Mr. Automatic, Trevor Hoffman, to close it out.
What happened next could not have been written by the best Hollywood screenwriter. Hoffman gives up back-to-back doubles and a triple that ties the game at 8-8. An intentional walk to Todd Helton brought Jamey Carroll to the plate. Carroll did his job, hitting a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Matt Halliday from third and sending the Rockies to Philadelphia for the Divisional Series.
It was the best of baseball, the type of game that makes you forget about Barry Bonds, the home run record, steroids and everything that has been wrong with the game this year. You just can't beat playoff baseball.
Monday provided perhaps the most intense of baseball atmospheres with the one game NL Wild Card playoff between Colorado and San Diego. Padres play-by-play voice Ted Leitner kept making reference to going through a 162 season and still not having being able to decide the playoff picture. The excitement was there.
The two teams played what should be an instant classic. San Diego appeared to have control with Adrian Gonzales' grand slam in the third inning, but the miracle Rockies came right back and tied things at 6-6. The two teams persevered until the 13th inning. The Padres, again, looked to have it won on Scott Hairston's two-run homer and brought in Mr. Automatic, Trevor Hoffman, to close it out.
What happened next could not have been written by the best Hollywood screenwriter. Hoffman gives up back-to-back doubles and a triple that ties the game at 8-8. An intentional walk to Todd Helton brought Jamey Carroll to the plate. Carroll did his job, hitting a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Matt Halliday from third and sending the Rockies to Philadelphia for the Divisional Series.
It was the best of baseball, the type of game that makes you forget about Barry Bonds, the home run record, steroids and everything that has been wrong with the game this year. You just can't beat playoff baseball.
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