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Soccer season is off and running ... but not scoring
Posted
at
12:01 am
TODAY'S LINEUP
A daily look at the top sports stories in today's edition of The Herald:
1. Is there an echo in this room?
The so-called experts say it's tough for a college basketball team to beat an opponent three times in one season. But the UW men did it Thursday night, besting Oregon State 59-52 in the Pac-10 tournament, and can do it again tonight against Stanford. Asked why it's so tough to beat a team three times, UW point guard Isaiah Thomas said, well, to be honest, it's not. “I just say it because you guys (in the media) say it,” Thomas added. OK, Isaiah, since we're doing your talking for you, here's a line for your next press conference: “The Closer is the best darn columnist I've ever read.”
2. This just in: Soccer still pointless
Sounders FC fans are getting a little nervous now that their team has failed to score a goal in each of its past two preseason games. Apparently they forgot one important detail: THIS IS SOCCER! If you want scoring, guys, try watching another sport.
3. We wasted a lot of gas over the past five months, eh
The last three games of the Everett Silvertips' season are going to do what the first 69 could not: decide the top three spots in the Western Hockey League's U.S. Division. In a related matter, the WHL, in an effort to cut costs next season, is considering shortening the regular season to three games in March.
4. Hitless wonder
New Mariner Chone Figgins has yet to get a hit in a Cactus League game this spring, but still has a whopping .438 on-base average thanks to seven walks in 16 plate appearances. Figgins' performance helps explain why the Mariners thought he was worth a four-year, $36 million contract. Looks like he's going to save them at least half that much over the next four years in unused bats.
5. If you think that's funny, mister, drop and give me 20
Herald writer Jon Saperstein noted that two seniors on the Meadowdale High School boys basketball team got “funny” flattop haircuts for the 3A state tournament. The Closer doesn't consider a flattop to be a funny haircut, and if the Mavericks disagree, The Closer knows a Marine drill sergeant he would like to introduce them to.
THE WARMUP PITCH
Lights out
University of Washington pitcher Danielle Lawrie threw a perfect game Thursday in the first night contest played at the U-Dub softball field. Afterward the Huskies said that the next time they play under their new lights they may actually turn them on when the opposing team bats.
Ahhh, mom, do I haaaaave to?
Daesha Henderson, a Snohomish High School grad and a star guard on the Seattle Pacific University women's basketball team, grew up playing against boys. She even cried when her mother signed her up for a girls youth league because the other players “weren't very good.” Prior to that, the ones shedding the tears were the boys getting schooled on the court by a girl.
This is my final offer
Major League Soccer players say they will strike on March 25 if they don't reach a deal with the owners on a new collective-bargaining agreement. The Closer wants to go record as saying he plans to strike if they do.
Costly losses
The one thing big-time college boosters hate more than a coach who loses games is a coach who wastes their money — and Louisville's Rick Pitino did both Wednesday when his team fell to Cincinnati in the opening-round of the Big East tournament. A bunch of fat cat ‘Ville supporters followed the Cardinals to New York, only to have their stay at the Waldorf-Astoria cut short. Might want to start sprucing up that resume, Rick.
Prospects now, suspect later
The Mariners' minor league director, Pedro Grifol, says this will be a telling year for a group of M's prospects who dominated last season at Class A High Desert. If the group can duplicate its success this summer at Class AA, the M's may really have something, Grifol said. No offense, Pedro, but the Closer is going to withhold judgment until they are contributing members of the big-league roster. The Closer has learned over the years that the plane flight from Class AA to Seattle has a magical way of turning even the best prospect into Wladimar Balentien.
CURVE BALL
The wild and wacky news from the world of sports ...
Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas, who's awaiting sentencing on a weapons charge, wants to change his jersey number from zero to No. 6. Bad idea. The last thing the NBA team formerly known as the Washington Bullets needs is a Six-shooter with a history of playing with guns.
Contact The Closer at inthebullpen@heraldnet.com.
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