You know the best fans sit in the cheapest seats. I sit in cheap seats, and I'm one of the best fans. Now you'll hear about it. From Seattle sports to The East Coast Bias. Say word.
Last night the Lakers got bounced from the playoffs. I hate LA. I hate Kobe. I hate Ron Artest. I think Andrew Bynum is a punk. I love seeing this face.
What makes this so bittersweet is WHO actually thumped the Lakers.
Yeah, that part hurts. And while I do take a small amount of joy in the class exhibited by Oklahoma City after the victory (seriously you jabroni's, act like you've been there before...oh, wait...you haven't), I never want to see people hurt, and I certainly never want to see the Thunder succeed.
So - here's something I never thought I would say...
Nobody is exactly a world beater, right? You have one guy who has barely sniffed the field, one guy who is literally and figuratively dead average, and a third guy who hasn't done a thing at the NFL level - but torched two different BCS Conferences over a four year college career.
In case you didn't realize it, and if you didn't, then stop reading immediately, I'm talking about the three headed monster that will compete for The Seahawks' starting QB Job; Matt Flynn, Tarvaris Jackson and rookie Russell Wilson.
This is relevant right now because Head Coach Pete Carroll made national headlines yesterday be declaring that based on what he has seen so far from Wilson, he's going to compete for a starting job. For outsiders and fans who just don't understand sports, they see this as ridiculous a decision. After all, Seattle made waves this off season by signing the biggest QB Free Agent not named Peyton Manning. Matt Flynn (and his lady friend) signed with Seattle for $19.5 million over three years. Again, outsiders will see this as a simple declaration - he signed a free agent contract, he's the starter.
Clearly, you've never met ol' Pete.
The man loves himself some competition. To prove it, he never once declared Matt Flynn the starter. Instead, in the interview he gave after Flynn signed, he went out of his way to say, "We are really excited to bring Matt in here to compete with Tarvaris." But wait, there's more.
At the NFL Draft last month, Carroll once again went against conventional wisdom (and no, I'm not talking about this.) In the 3rd round, he selected Wisconsin (by way of NC State) Quarterback Russell Wilson. On paper, Wilson is an absolute stud. In four years (three at NC State and one at Wisconsin), Wilson threw for almost 12,000 yards and 109 TD's compared to only 30 INT's. He also rushed for almost 1,500 yards.
Oh, and he won. A lot. His senior season he lead Wisconsin to an 11-3 record and a Rose Bowl berth. He also had the second most prolific passing season in Big 10 history, behind some guy named Brees.
So in theory, he should have been a first or second round pick. But, because the NFL does everything by numbers, Wilson slipped. He wasn't a QB with prototypical size. He wasn't 6'4" or 230 pounds. He's 5'10" (in heels, maybe) and 200 lbs.
Well, Pete Carroll has always thumbed his nose at convention. I mean, come on, he won a division title with a losing record. He clearly marches to his own beat. So he took Wilson in the third round last month, much to the surprise of, well, everybody. Especially Hugh Breedlove Millen, who had some choice words about Russell on KJR AM with Dave "Softy" Mahler.
Fast forward to the middle of May, and all of the sudden Pete Carroll has declared that Wilson will not only probably do "something" in the NFL, he may very well be a starter. Here's the rub - this is a phenomenal call. Why? Think about any place you've ever worked. You have an established team, and all of the sudden management goes out and brings someone in from the outside, pays them big money and says "it's your show/team/department." Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't - but most times it will at least create some level of resentment. What has this person done to prove that they are the best person for the job? Succeeded elsewhere? Succeeded at a different level? But have they done it HERE, with us?
Matt Flynn had an incredible performance last year when he filled in for Aaron Rodger.
But he has exactly two more starts in the NFL than Russell Wilson, and 32 less than Tarvaris Jackson (those starts have produced mixed results, obviously).
My point is - make them compete. Show your whole team that the BEST player at each position will play, not the highest paid guy. They will love you for it, and they will play hard for you. If they don't, you cut them (hello, TJ Houshmandzadeh)
Odds are Flynn is your starter, and Wilson and Jackson battle to be the backup, and all of this will be forgotten. In the interim, however, three guys are going to fight it out for one of the most coveted jobs in all of sports, the starting quarterback position.
First of all, I apologize for not writing for a while - on April 19th I celebrated the birth of my son Adam, so I've been a bit preoccupied. Rest assured that I have already taken the following measures to ensure that he is a 5 Star Recruit for football, basketball and baseball in 2030:
1. Alternated tying his right and left hands behind his back so he can go to the hole with either one and switch hit.
2. Strict protein diet to make sure he's gaining appropriate weight.
3. He's been throwing to some local high school kids after their spring practices - we really appreciate them coming and running routes for us.
4. 1000 jumpers right handed, 1000 jumpers left handed
5. Wall sits. Lots and lots of wall sits.
6. BP twice a day
7. Throwing simulated games to the JV Team.
I must be the greatest Dad ever. Sort of like Marv Marinovich.
It's interesting, Adam was born on April 19th - the same day that Felix Hernandez threw eight brilliant innings and struck out 12 Cleveland Indians and LOST 2-1. It was a microcosm of Felix's entire career in Seattle. He's filthy, but they can't score the runs to give him the support he needs.
Six days and six sleepless (but amazing) nights later, Adam and I settled in once again to watch King Felix take the bump, and once again he was dazzling - seven innings, one run and overall dominant. Low and behold, the M's scored nine runs and the game was never in doubt. Completely the opposite of what we're used to, and look how it turned out!
Next time out, the Tampa Bay Rays stood opposite Felix, and once again, Felix was Felix. Eight innings (see a pattern?) one run (seriously, pattern?) and nine strikeouts. How many runs could his offense muster? One in nine innings, which meant extra baseball. Jose Montero (who by the way is getting his own post soon) jumped yard to give the M's a 2-1 lead, only to be pissed away by Brandon League in the bottom of the inning.
So, what to think as a Mariner fan? First of all, for the first time in years, we have appointment based viewing. That means that there are players that you specifically set aside time to watch play. For years we had Griffey, Edgar, Randy and even Ichiro for most of a decade. But recently, who have you wanted to watch play? Richie Sexson? Jose Vidro? Wilson Valdez?
Felix has been here since 2005, but in the past three years he has truly become the dominant pitcher we all thought he would. He has evolved from a pure thrower to a pitcher. He knows he doesn't have to throw 98 mph fastballs to get people out, he needs to locate and move his pitches around and change speeds. He does it better than every single pitcher in Major League Baseball with the exception of MAYBE Justin Verlander and Clayton Kershaw.
In 2010, the Mariners got really lucky - before the season went in the tank, they were still riding the momentum of an unlikely 87 win season in 2009, and Felix signed a long term contract extension through 2014. This meant that Felix would be under club control and there would be no worry of him leaving via free agency during that time. The plan was that the team would get better and Felix would soon be starting Game 1 of a playoff series.
Yeah, that didn't happen. At all.
So here we are, in 2012, with Felix less than two years from Free Agency. In 2014 he will be 28 years old, and without a doubt the hottest free agent pitching prospect maybe ever. If you're Felix, what would you do? Be loyal to the team that gave you your start and sign a below market deal, even if that team has, in your 10 professional seasons, sniffed the post season precisely zero times? Has been rebuilding for nearly two decades? Has turned a fan base of 3.5 million annually into less than half of that?
OR....
Would you be interested in hearing what a team in a major media market with 27 world titles and a nasty reputation for spending whatever it takes to build a winner? Or what about a team with a freakishly loyal fan base that has won two titles in 10 years after an 86 year drought?
Or even worse - what about a west coast team in the nations second largest media market which also happens to have a MASSIVE Latino population and an owner who has also proven he cares so much about winning that he will spend huge amounts of money to be competitive, bottom line be damned?
In case you're wondering, I'm talking Yankees, Red Sox, Angels, hell, even the Rangers. Do you think Nolan Ryan would appeal to Felix? You know, one of the greatest power pitchers of all time who just happens to own the best team in baseball right now?
Could you imagine Felix in pinstripes? Or in Beantown? Frankly, that's not nearly as devastating as seeing him in an Angels uniform, just down I-5 becoming a mega star in LA while the Mariners are back to pre-Safeco field attendance numbers.
I realize that a lot can happen between now and 2014. But my God, look what we've gone through as a sports town in the last 15 years. Randy, Jr. and ARod all leaving town, the Mariners becoming a perennial laughing stock, the Superbowl in 2005, the Sonics disaster...we don't deserve to see our latest megastar leave town as well.
I am begging BEGGING the Mariners - put a winner on the field. Reward Felix for what he's done, what he will do, and what he's going to do. Otherwise, well - the next time we see something this special just might be in about 2035 when my son makes his major league debut.
