For maybe 20 or 30 seconds Sunday, it was easy to forget that the only thing the 2008 Seahawks have in common with the four Seattle playoff teams that preceded them was the coach on the sideline and the logo on the helmet. Read more...

Almost 10 years after he lost out as a finalist for the Washington head-coaching job that went to Mister Golden-Hair Surprise, Gary Pinkel has vaulted to the top of the heap of potential candidates to succeed Tyrone Willingham. Read more...

I’m looking at the names of the first five out-of-town candidates the Mariners are planning to interview for the job of general manager, and I’m disappointed. Read more...

Three pro hockey players have combined on enough goals and assists to break the 2,000-point barrier: Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe and Guyle Fielder. Read more...

A few minutes before the first pitch was thrown in the Cubs’ division series opener against the Dodgers – when the hot topic inside Wrigleyville bars was would the owners comply with the city’s request to stop serving alcohol after the seventh inning of any postseason game that found the Cubs in position to clinch? –ESPN Radio commentator Rick Sutcliffe said something that induced a cringe from 2,000 miles away. Read more...

This Wednesday, the pro basketball team formerly known as the Seattle SuperSonics will take the floor for its exhibition season debut as the Oklahoma City Thunder. Read more...

Should Washington want to study a blueprint for the resurrection of its football program, the school could do worse than emulate the University of North Carolina. Read more...

The last time Chicago had two teams in a baseball postseason, in 1906, there were 45 states. Not yet admitted were John McCain’s Arizona, Barack Obama’s Hawaii and Sarah Palin’s Alaska. Read more...

For a few minutes late Sunday afternoon, I could’ve sworn I took a Twilight Zone turn into a Safeco Field clubhouse where the players were rejoicing over 101 victories, instead of trying to forget about 101 defeats. Read more...

What already was threatening to become a long and monotonous football season for the Huskies turned for the worse Saturday night. And it turned in the snap of a finger. Read more...

What are the Mariners to do with Ichiro Suzuki? He’s reached the end of his eighth season in the States – there’s a strong chance he’ll become the team’s first Hall of Famer to have spent his entire career in Seattle – yet he remains more a lightning rod than a fulcrum. Read more...

Column as I see ’em … Read more...

True confession: As the Seahawks were marching down the field on their first drive Sunday, I was too busy watching Billy McMullen and Michael Bumpus catch passes to notice that the offense was absent starting receivers Deion Branch, Bobby Engram and Nate Burleson. Read more...

The first time I saw a baseball game at Yankee Stadium, a fight broke out. Not exactly a stunning development, I know, except what made this particular fight memorable is that the fisticuffs were exchanged on the field, with no spillage of beer. Read more...

While doing some follow-up research Wednesday after the University of Washington announced interim athletic director Scott Woodward would henceforth be known as athletic director Scott Woodward, I learned he is a longtime friend of political pundit (and fellow LSU alum) James Carville. Read more...