Tuesday, October 30, 2012

NBA Season Preview and Staff Picks

Even though this article isn't on Seattle Sports, it is on the one sport that Seattle misses the most, that being basketball. We can only hope we get a team back in the next five years and even though I won't have a favorite team in the NBA, besides the Knicks, I will still be watching all the action that this upcoming year has to bring. Happy NBA Tipoff Day!

Most people in Seattle would commonly agree that a NBA team is desperately wanted back in the city. While everyone in Seattle is left on the outside looking in without an NBA team, the rest of the NBA starts the 2012-2013 season today with the Boston Celtics tipping off against the Miami Heat. Here is an NBA season preview to get you ready for all the big rivalries and games.

LeBron James and the Heat tip-off against Paul Peirce and the Celtics tonight at 5 pm PT.
usatoday.com

Eastern Conference

Arguably the most competitive division in the Eastern Conference this year is the Atlantic Division. With a huge influx of talent into the division, opposing conferences will fear playing any team in the Atlantic, besides the Toronto Raptors of course. Andrew Bynum will lead the 76ers to a solid season, but they will still be working out the kinks and won’t contend for the division title. The three powerhouses as of now in the Atlantic are the Knicks, Celtics and the new look Brooklyn Nets. With a solid showing in the league last year, the Central Division looks to improve on this mark. With the much hyped return of Derek Rose, look for the Bulls to dominate all year, with the Pacers hot on their tails. The Cavaliers are still young, and Milwaukee and Detroit just don’t have the talent to matchup against other teams in the NBA, although Monta Ellis could surprise some people this year for Milwaukee. The Bulls will make a deep run in the Playoffs, as long as they stay healthy. The Southeast Division compares almost exactly to the Central Division. There are two strong teams, the defending NBA Champions Miami Heat and the Atlanta Hawks, but after that, the talent level drops off with Washington falling behind, and Orlando and Charlotte bringing up the rear. The Miami Heat have a very strong chance to repeat as NBA Champions this year, but look for the Bulls, Knicks, Nets and Pacers to give them a run for their money.

Andrew Bynum looks to lead the 76ers on a deep playoff run this year.
David Dow/Getty Images

Western Conference

There is one clear powerhouse in the Northwest Division. That consensus around the West is that there is a proven powerhouse in the Oklahoma City Thunder. They are young, fast, and skilled. They very well likely could be the NBA Champions this year if they get a little extra push from players other than Kevin Durant. The team looming in the shadows and waiting to pounce are the Minnesota Timberwolves. With Kevin Love leading the attack and Ricky Rubio and Derek Williams looming in the wings, look for the Wolves to surprise some fans this year. Speaking about surprises, the Nuggets could sneak up on some teams. With the offseason acquisition of Andre Iguodala, the Nuggets will definitely make the playoffs. Look for the Northwest to be a very exciting and strong division. The Pacific Division has had a total renewal of talent within the last two years. With the Clippers resurgence last year and the Lakers new additions of Dwight Howard and Steve Nash, look for the division to have a plethora of talent. Imagine an NBA Final with LeBron, Wade, Bosh, Kobe, Nash and Howard. Wouldn’t that be something? The Lakers will smash all opposition away in the regular season on their way to the playoffs as the Clippers will try to keep up with the amazing talent of the Lakers. What about the seasons for the Warriors, Kings and Suns? Well, maybe next year they’ll have a shot at contention, but they probably won’t even have a shot then either. In the most talented and interesting division in the Western Conference, the Southwest Division includes Linsanity, a uni-brow, very old men running down a court and the one and only seven-footer they call Dirk. This division will be competitive all year, but the edge still goes to the San Antonio Spurs as they look to make the last seasons for their core stars a memorable one. However, the insanity of Jeremy Lin could stop the Spurs and stun the rest of the Western Conference. The Lakers are the clear cut favorites this year, but the Thunder could very well likely take the wind out of the Lakers sails. If the Thunder doesn’t do it, look for the Nuggets, Spurs, Timberwolves and Clippers to shock the world and take down the mighty Lakers.

Anthony Davis looks to impress this year.
NBA.com

Staff Picks

Marshall

Atlantic: New York Knicks
Central: Chicago Bulls
Southeast: Miami Heat
Next Five Playoff Teams: Brooklyn Nets, Boston Celtics, Indiana Pacers, Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers
Eastern Conference Champions: Miami Heat
Northwest: Oklahoma City Thunder
Pacific: Los Angeles Lakers
Southwest: Houston Rockets
Next Five Playoff Teams: Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, San Antonio Spurs
Western Conference Champions: Los Angeles Lakers
NBA Finals Champions: Los Angeles Lakers
MVP: James Harden
Coach of the Year: Kevin McHale (Rockets)
Rookie of the Year: Anthony Davis

Jackson

Atlantic: Boston Celtics
Central: Chicago Bulls
Southeast: Miami Heat
Next Five Playoff Teams: Indiana Pacers, New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, Detroit Pistons
Eastern Conference Champions: Boston Celtics
Northwest: Oklahoma City Thunder
Pacific: Los Angeles Lakers
Southwest: San Antonio Spurs
Next Five Playoff Teams: Memphis Grizzlies, Los Angeles Clippers, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Houston Rockets
Western Conference Champions: Oklahoma City Thunder
NBA Finals Champions: Oklahoma City Thunder
MVP: Kevin Durant
Coach of the Year: Rick Adelman (Timberwolves)
Rookie of the Year: Anthony Davis

Thanks for reading and follow us on Twitter @seasportssoup! Like us on Facebook as well! Keep checking back for more updates in the coming days!

Marshall

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Huskies Earn Second Victory Against a Top-Ten Opponent This Year

Coming into this game, Washington had lost three straight and had not looked good doing it. With the defense beaten up and the offense not coming close to its peak form of last year, UW fans were desperately hoping for a turnaround this week against undefeated Oregon State. In the first half, the fans got exactly what they had hoped for with dominant defense and solid offense.

Holding OSU to 110 yards in the first half, and two interceptions, the UW defense shut out the Beavers in the first. This stellar defense combined with Bishop Sankey’s powerful running, gave the Huskies a 10-0 lead heading into halftime. Sankey had over 60 yards and a touchdown in the first half and looked very strong running the ball, yet the offense couldn’t capitalize off of two turnovers. Part of the reason for this, was very questionable play calling by coach Sarkisian. Quarterback Keith Price barely threw the ball more than five yards downfield, and the passing game couldn’t get going.

Bishop Sankey pounded the ball in lieu to a 20-17 victory over the Beavers.
ESPN.com

One of the key sequences was when Washington had the ball and had what seemed to be a fumble recovery in the end zone for a touchdown, but it was reversed and it was 4th and goal on the one. They responded to the tough call, and ended up scoring a Bishop Sankey touchdown after choosing to go for it on 4th down. While Washington dominated the first half, the third quarter changed the game and momentum completely.

Oregon State jumped out to a quick start in the third quarter and on their first drive, went 83 yards in two plays, capped off by a 53 yard touchdown reception by Brandin Cooks on a bubble screen. This touchdown play was the one play in the game where Sean Parker was not on the field. The Washington offense could not respond, and punted back to the Beavers. This resulted in OSU moving down the field once again and tying the game up with a field goal. The Beavers and Huskies held even 10-10 heading into the fourth quarter.

Sean Mannion was mostly inefficient on the night, but did execute the bubble screen TD pass to Cooks.
AP Photos

The fourth quarter started off with some major excitement, when it seemed that Washington had an interception returned for a touchdown, but it was once again called back because of an unnecessary personal foul call that happened 25 yards away from the play. However, the Dawgs still retained the ball, but had to quickly punt it away, losing all momentum gained from the interception.

But once again, the Dawgs gained all the momentum back when the Huskies intercepted Oregon State quarterback, Sean Mannion, for the fourth time in the game. The Dawgs then drove down the field and aided by some key Keith Price passes, capped off the drive with a Bishop Sankey touchdown run. The poor play by Mannion, led to Oregon State switching quarterbacks to backup Cody Vaz, who had played well earlier in the season, when having to replace Mannion due to injury. He moved the offense down the field completing five of six passes including a 29 yard touchdown pass to tight end Connor Hamlett that tied the game at 17 with just five minutes to go.

The Huskies calmly got the ball back and methodically moved the offense down the field into Oregon State territory. This drive was highlighted by an incredible catch by Kasen Williams and a personal foul penalty that moved Washington into the red zone. A few plays later, with another interesting play call that lead to a fourth down, the Huskies kicked a field goal to give them a three point lead with 1:20 left in the game.

Quarterback Keith Price #17 of the Washington Huskies passes against the Oregon State Beavers on October 27, 2012 at CenturyLink Field in Seattle, Washington. The Huskies defeated the Beavers 20-17.
Keith Price was very efficient on the night. He wasn't stellar, but wasn't bad either.
Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images North America

When OSU got the ball back, they started fast, completing back to back passes for first downs, but then their drive stalled. Cody Vaz threw back to back incompletions, to bring up third down, where he was then sacked for a loss of four yards. To compound the problem, the Beavers made a bone-head mistake, and got a delay of game penalty, to make it 4th and 19. With an incomplete pass down the middle and one Husky kneel down later, the Huskies had captured a 20-17 victory against a top-ten team.
           
The story of the game was red zone production, as coming in Washington had been terrible in red zone offense, while Oregon State was very efficient. UW scored two red zone touchdowns, while OSU didn’t score any, and threw a first half interception while in the red zone. Red zone efficiency was a big key to the game tonight, and Washington won that battle, as well as the turnover battle, which made up for the fact that they were outgained 427-293 by OSU. If the Huskies want any chance at winning all of their remaining four games, they must win the turnover battle and keep up the good red zone efficiency. This was a great bounce-back win for the Dawgs, and should help them get back on track. The Dawgs face a motivated Cal team on the road at 6 pm on Friday on ESPN2. We’ll see if the Dawgs can convert their success at home on the road and pull off a solid victory at Memorial Stadium.

Thanks for reading and follow us on Twitter @seasportssoup! Like us on Facebook as well! Keep checking back for updates!

Jackson Safon

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

What the Future Has in Store for the Young Huskies

I just turned the TV off at halftime and went to a friend’s house at halftime. That's how abysmal it was watching the Huskies compete, or should I say "try to", against the Arizona Wildcats. I came into this game thinking that it would be a turning point in the Dawgs' season after two tough losses, but boy was I wrong. After the losses against Oregon and USC, the Huskies needed a win to start the second half of their season out on the right note. We all know what happened and even though this loss was bad, some people overreacted to this loss way too much, like me. The thoughts that came into my mind were absurd and once I came back down to earth, I realized that the Dawgs do still have a bright future, despite this huge loss.

Steve Sarkisian has often been seen making this face in the 2012-2013 season so far.
AP Photos

Fans are fans and the reason why sports are so fun and entertaining to be around is because of all the true believers who think their team is number 1. Games and their results cause a great deal of commotion within the world of sports and there is a perfect example of this after the Huskies loss. Some Huskies fans started to call for Steve Sarkisians job following the loss, as well as the starting job of Keith Price, and I truly think that is absurd. Here are five reasons, just for that one guy on Twitter that Sark will not be and should not be fired:
 
1. There is too big of a financial commitment towards him at the current time. Sark is a multi-million dollar per year coach and with a firing, the athletic department would be left with some serious need for money, especially after the stadium renovation. A new high-caliber coach would cost just as much or maybe even more as Sark and if you add up the money for the new coach and the guaranteed money for Sark, it just doesn't work out financially.

2. Recruiting would take a serious hit. Sark has many ties within California as he has recruited that area for now over 7 or 8 years. He knows most of the powerhouse high schools coaches and to be honest, our team is basically made up of California kids right now. If we fire Sark, we lose most of these kids in recruiting and then end up with who knows what. Sark is too crucial for the Dawgs in recruiting.

3. Sark is actually, believe it or not, a great football coach. Sure he can improve, but everyone can improve in their daily jobs. Sark has developed many quarterbacks over his tenures of coaching and this experience only attracts high school quarterbacks to the University of Washington. Every player listens when he speaks and even though he might not be the best at getting his teams prepared on game day, he has made the hires around him that will help out this problem in the future (yes Tosh I'm talking about you). Sark’s experience around college football is too valuable for the Huskies to lose.

4. Another coaching change just provides more instability and excuses, and sends the team into chaos. The Huskies just had an overhaul of coaches. They can't have another coaching change, especially with the head coaching job, or the players won't know what to expect when they come into the office day in and day out. I just experienced a coaching change and it was pretty tough for me. This was on a high school level. Imagine what it would be like on a college level! It would truly be detrimental to all the current players. The program needs continuous stability for a substantial amount of time.  

5. Sark has shown VERY promising glimpses. Even though four years seems like a ton of time, in the whole scheme of things, it really isn't. Sure Sark has had time to develop the program and get the kinds of players he wants, but his first full recruiting class is just becoming seniors next year. He has earned big wins over Stanford, Nebraska and USC in his tenure and this shows some big promise to me. You can’t dwell on these wins, but nonetheless, they show the program is heading in the right direction. Sark has learned more and more each year he has been with the Dawgs and I think that the comparison to Jim Harbaugh is a fair one. In both situations, both coaches have learned from their mistakes in the previous years and have acted on these mistakes, such as Sark making the moves to create a better defense. In my opinion it will all come to fruition for Sark next year. You can say it as many times as you want, but the fact is, the Huskies are still young. That's not an excuse, it's the truth. With Keith Price's senior leadership next year, he should give everybody no doubt on who should be the coach in the future.
 
Keith Price can only hope that his senior season doesn't have the same start to it as his junior season did. He looks to pull it all together for the final five games of his junior season.
DEAN RUTZ / THE SEATTLE TIMES
 
Sure, right after the Arizona loss I thought that it was all because of the terrible coaching and play calling of Sark, but as I took a step back from it all and truthfully looked at the situation, I saw that the loss was not 100% of Sark’s fault. He is still adjusting without his advisor and OC Doug Nussmeier and I think this is the main reason why UW's offense hasn't been as explosive as last year. Nussmeier really helped with the plan of attack in games and I just don’t see the same wise plan in this year’s offense. Add in the injuries to the offensive line and an injured Jesse Callier and you have an offense struggling for points. This has been the case all season, but don’t look for it to continue into next year.

The one big thing that Sark can currently do, and needs to do, is to win at least four more games this season. With the exception of Oregon State, every one of the teams remaining on the schedule is very beatable. Sark just needs to get his players ready on game day. If Sark doesn't win at least 4 of the next five games, I can see some of your guys' calls for a new coach justifiable, but until then Sark should feel no pressure of his job being taken away.
 
The Dawgs look to have a bright ending to their 2012-2013 season.
Joe Nicholson-US PRESSWIRE

I really think the Dawgs have a bright future and have thought for the past couple of years or so that 2013 could be a huge year in Seattle sports. The Seahawks should make a deep playoff run, the Sounders should make a deeper playoff run, the Mariners could be in contention with a few offseason signings and last but not least, the Dawgs could be looking at a Rose Bowl, at most, but definitely a solid bowl game in Keith Price's senior year. The Dawgs are young. Just wait until the Dawgs become more mature and wise next year because when they do, you'll be kicking yourself for ever questioning the ability of Steve Sarkisian and the rest of his coaching staff.

Thanks for reading and follow us on Twitter @seasportssoup! Like us on Facebook as well! Keep checking back for more updates!

Marshall

Friday, October 12, 2012

Big Game Preview: USC Trojans vs. Washington Huskies

When I think of the USC Trojans, I think of the most talented team overall in the country. A team filled with future NFL players, the Trojans have some real superstars. With only one loss this season, many fans would consider this to be a great accomplishment for their team, but too much of the Trojan fan base, and many other fans around the country, the Trojans have had a disappointing season thus far. The Trojans were expected to knock the SEC of the pedestal this year and win a national championship (I certainly thought they would), but with an early loss to Stanford, those hopes look grim at best. However, if the Trojans win out and accomplish this in a big way, I could see them still contending for a national championship. BUT first, these Trojans have to get by the stingy and scrappy Washington Huskies. Here's my positional preview on the big game between the Trojans and Dawgs.

Offense
QB- Trojans- Matt Barkley is a surefire, top-ten, first round NFL draft pick this year. Probably even top five. He has all the tools you want in a QB and just gets the job done. Keith Price is a solid QB as well, but nobody matches up to the level of Matt Barkley in the conference, maybe even the nation (besides you, of course, Geno Smith). The Dawgs D will have a tough time, to say the least, with Barkley. Key Player: All-Around superstar Matt Barkley

Matt Barkley looks to lead the Trojans past the Huskies on Saturday.
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images


RB- Huskies- This may come as a surprise to some people. You may ask how Silas Redd and Curtis McNeal aren't more skilled than little old Bishop Sankey, but in my opinion, Sankey is the back of the future for the Dawgs. He has had three straight 100-yard rushing games and even though one of those games was against Portland State, Sankey has proved his worth to the Husky offense with other great performances against Oregon and Stanford. With Keith Price struggling, Sankey is a precious commodity. Key Player: Little, but tough, Bishop Sankey

WR- Trojans- I mean what more can be said about Robert Woods and Marqise Lee. I've stated in previous posts that the Huskies won't face many teams with a better receiver than Kasen Williams, but the Trojans have two of those guys in Woods and Lee. Both, like Barkley, are surefire, first round NFL talent and when both are eligble (Woods after this year, Lee in two years) you can be sure they will have huge impacts on their NFL teams. There is only one Desmond Trufant on the Huskies, but two superstars on the Trojans. Trufant can only cover one. Good luck, Dez. Key Player: Trackstar Marqise Lee

Marqise Lee makes a leeping catch against ASU. You could see this happen again Saturday.
Norm Hall/Getty Images North America

TE- Huskies- ASJ got dinged up last week against the Ducks and that's the only reason why the Dawgs hold a slight advantage over the Trojans in this position battle, rather than a large advantage. The Trojans have two formidable tight ends in Xavier Grimble and Randall Telfer, but they don't match the size and skill of ASJ. If he is healthy, look for ASJ to be a key factor in this game. He could mean the difference between a win and a loss. Key Player: Bully on the playground, Austin Seferian-Jenkins

Austin Seferian-Jenkins' play will be key to a Huskies victory.

OL- Trojans- With Khaled Holmes back and feeling 100%, the Trojans line will be led by an All-Conference caliber player in Holmes. Both lines, the Dawgs and the Trojans, have senior leaders at center, but more of the skill being on the Trojans side. The Huskies line has been getting better and better as more chemistry and experience have improved the entire line's skill. However, I still think that the consistency and skill of the Trojan line out matches the young UW line. Key Player: DJ Khaled Holmes

Overall Offense- Trojans- The Huskies offense has been disspointing this year, to say the least. Not to say that the Trojans offense has been all that people thought it would be, but they still have one of the best attacks in the country, even if they only mustered up 14 points against Stanford. They will look to shred the Dawgs defense with Barkley, Woods and Lee and find their way back on the path to the national championship. Key Player: Trackstar Marqise Lee

Defense
DL-Trojans- The Trojans have got some big boys up front. Lead by the sudden emergence of Morgan Breslin, the Trojans defensive line has been solid all year. I think they may get a little over hyped and it will show in the fact that the Dawgs offensive line will finally be able to protect Keith Price. The Dawgs have Josh Shirley and Danny Shelton, but that doesn't match the skill of the entire Trojan line. Key Player: Big man with the speed, Morgan Breslin

LB- Huskies- This year, Travis Feeney has been a huge surprise for the Dawgs, along with Thomas Tutogi. Both of these strong, quick young guys have been all over the field recently, after not even being considered as players who would have a big role in games this season. One of the reasons why the Dawgs were able to stuff up the run against Stanford was because of this linebacking crew. USC's backers aren't as skilled as our Dawgs' core. Key Player: The tarantula, Travis Feeney

DB- Huskies- With the surge of the stellar play of Desmond Trufant, not many secondaries will be as skilled as the Huskies. The trio of Trufant, Shaq Thompson, and Sean Parker have lots of skill between themselves and will attempt to contain Robert Woods and Marqise Lee Saturday. I think this will be a very tall task, but in the end, in my opinion, the secondary will be able to contain these superstar receivers. It could all depend on the play of Matt Barkley, but who knows, maybe Shaq will make a great INT just like last week and effect the game tremendously. Shaq will need to be on his game Saturday for the Dawgs to have a chance. Key Player: The five star, Shaq Thompson

Shaq Thompson will look to be a force on defense to slow down Marqise Lee and Robert Woods.
Photo by Saskia Capell

Overall Defense- Huskies- I truly think that the Dawgs have the advantage on the defensive side of the ball. While the Dawgs have a solid pass rush which may not be as skilled as the Trojans, the Dawgs have a better linebacking core and group of defensive backs than the Trojans and that is where the Dawgs will have the edge. However, if the Dawgs want any chance at a win, the secondary will have to be on their game. Key Player: The five star, Shaq Thompson

I really have gone back and forth with this pick. I've constantly said to myself a couple of things: The Trojans just had a bye week, but the Dawgs beat Stanford and the Trojans didn't! Hey maybe the Dawgs will pull it off! I mean the Dawgs do play amazing at home and are almost unbeatable, but the Trojans have one of the best offenses in the country... In the end, my prediction is that the Dawgs will come through with a victory. Keith Price will find his groove and with a balanced rushing attack of Bishop Sankey, look for this offense to be clicking on all cylinders come Saturday. The defense will be motivated by the huge crowd and will support the offense in drastic ways. Dawgs win it, 30-24.

Thanks for reading and follow us on Twitter @seasportssoup! Like us on Facebook as well! Keep checking back for more updates.

Marshall






Thursday, October 11, 2012

SG Darin Johnson's Decision Time Coming Up

Darin Johnson is a crucial recruit for the Dawgs. The 6-4, 200 lb. shooting guard out of Sacramento, California (Sheldon HS/Calif.) is announcing his college choice this Sunday, October 14. He is ranked as a four star by many recruiting websites and looks to be key to the 2013 class of Lorenzo Romar's that everyone has dreamt of.

The Huskies look to strengthen their 2013 recruiting class with SG Darin Johnson.
Rivals.com


Many believe the final two teams who are in it for Johnson are the Oregon Ducks and the Washington Huskies. However, he has also taken official visits to San Diego State and Texas A&M. Johnson visited Seattle along with Nigel Williams-Goss and Aaron Gordon, which I think was a good move by Romar and his staff. He stated that he had an awesome time that weekend as the team went paintballing and attended dinner several nights in a row at high end resteraunts. As most recruits do, Johnson stated that the main reason for his interest in the Huskies was because of Lorenzo Romar. Everyone knows that he is a great guy and makes men out of kids. The players that come to UW usually state that the main reason they made the decision that they did, was because of the family type atmosphere and because of the head man, Lorenzo Romar. With many people slating Isaac Hamilton to fall to the San Diego State Aztecs, securing a committment from Johnson is huge. A class of Nigel Williams-Goss, Aaron Gordon and Johnson would be outstanding. Of course, there's always a chance that Hamilton does commit to UW and make the class a once in a lifetime class, but the Dawgs aren't banking on that right now. They could find some JUCO transfers or under the radar players, like Andrew Andrews was, to round out the class if they don't get Hamilton or Johnson.

My prediction for this recruiting battle is that the Dawgs will win out over the Ducks. Johnson has said in the past that the Huskies were the leaders for his services and the Ducks only joined in with the Huskies after he took his official visit to Eugene. Johnson fits the prototypical UW guard perfectly. He plays defense exceptionally well and has all the ability to score and shoot the ball. Look for Romar to get a key recruit this upcoming Sunday and bolster his 2013 recruiting class.

Thanks for reading and follow us on Twitter @seasportssoup! Like us on Facebook as well! Keep checking back for updates!

Marshall

How Big is it? The Seattle Sounders and Portland Timbers Rivalry

“We’re watching the soccer game at my house tonight! Come swing by if you want to!” Let’s be honest; how many times have you heard this from your peers, besides your friends that either play soccer for a team, or somebody who enjoys soccer as a fan, like me? For understandable reasons, soccer, or futbol as the rest of the world calls it, doesn’t quite have the appeal of sports such as baseball, nor dare I say, football. The kind in which players score touchdowns instead of goals. And yes, yes, yes, I know that some people might think soccer doesn’t have the drama of football, or that it doesn’t look like it, but there is a lot more to it than meets the eye – and in Seattle, people seem to notice this. The sport seems to appeal more in places other than the US, but there is still some appeal inside the US. Other than places like Los Angeles or New York, the Pacific Northwest seems to have a kind of appreciation that can hardly be matched by any other place in the country. We have this one team called the Seattle Sounders to thank for all of this.

The many, the proud, the Sounders fans.
Seattle Sounders FC


Now, the Sounders might not be a team that superstars from Europe go for instead of… I don’t know, let’s say the LA Galaxy. Yes, David Beckham, we’re looking at you. But as the Sounders prove, time and time again, that isn’t necessarily the recipe for success. The Sounders’ manager, Sigi Schmid, is a man that understands this and knows that he has a lot of talent in his players’ hands. The upshot of such a combination is a team that is well respected for who they are, instead of having a big-time name on the team, and are always stepping out on to the field to win. They have been quite successful in an irrefutable way, in other words, they are giving the fans plenty of reasons to justify why they really, really like their team. Speaking of which, Seattle’s football team bears the name “Sounders” for a reason. Yep, it’s the fans. Strangely, “the loudest fans in the league” applies to the Sounders fans, in the same way that it applies to the Seahawks fans. The passion the fans have for soccer is absolutely insane, and for somebody that grew up with European football, it’s nothing short of mind-blowing. Is it as intense as the European fan boys and hooligans? No way, but oh boy is it impressive.
Of course, since European football has been mentioned, there is one thing that has to be covered and that’s European rivalries, arguably the best known being Barcelona-Real Madrid. The Spanish call this game “El Clasico”, which translates to, um… The Classic. Fair enough, right? But when a matchup is given such a name, you can’t help but think if it deserves the name. This one surely does, because of both teams’ status. Both are top dogs in La Liga, which is Spain’s MLS. Both are also heavy hitters in the Champions League –which is the #1 league in Europe. Both are stacked with god-like players, all of which can easily pull off a Nike commercial. And of course, both have fans around the world. You’re likely to actually be sitting to somebody next to you, who can easily pick a side. That’s how big it is. Over the last weekend, the two giants faced each other at the Camp Nou, in Barcelona, in a game which ended 2-2 and had everything for a dramatic rivalry. Although it might not be as big, we have ourselves a rivalry in here as well. And its name is Seattle Sounders vs. the Portland Timbers.

The team before a home match against the Vancover Whitecaps on August 17, 2012.
 Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images North America


The rivalry pre-dates the current teams in both cities, back to the North American Soccer League days, and has since grown into one of the largest and most bitter rivalries in American soccer. Many consider this rivalry to be one of the true derbies in the MLS, and is much like a British rivalry. Bitter, passionate, dirty, long-storied, full of taunting. Sounds much like one anyway. The Portland Timbers are supported by the Timbers Army while the Seattle Sounders by the Emerald City Supporters. The spirited groups have always showed a deep amount of resentment toward each other throughout the years and it really does feel like one of those rivalries from the UK. The stats show that out of all the games played, the Sounders seem to come out on top, as it was the case last Sunday night at CenturyLink Field. The people’s reaction to this game, as it always is in the Pacific Northwest, was huge - a record crowd of more than 66,000 attended the game. With all the fan flags held up high, and with the company of seriously loud and spirited chanting, Seattle blanked Portland 3-0. So much for Portland's Cascadia Cup dreams. To say the least, it was a comprehensive victory, with Seattle on the driver’s seat for the full 90 minutes. As Brad Evans, a Sounders midfielder explains: "You always remember certain games and get emotional with certain games. Anytime you walk out and you feel the chills, you know it's going to be a special game and you play off those emotions because that pushes you through walls and that's something I thought our guys played off the crowd tonight and we won." It shows that they played off the crowd, because like the game itself, the crowd was bonkers.

Amazing tifo before the big rivalry match at CenturyLink Field.
Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images North America

So, with all the craziness revolving around soccer, and as far as people’s reactions to the sport goes, this might be the right place for soccer to become a bigger thing in the US. In fact, the future of soccer in the Pacific Northwest is so bright, it might be brighter than the Sounders’ light blue kit… which I personally can’t help but think of one of those hi-vis police jackets.

Feature Article written by Yaman Harut.

Thanks for reading and follow us on Twitter @seasportssoup! Keep checking back for updates!


Saturday, October 6, 2012

Big Game Preview: Washington Huskies vs. Oregon Ducks

The past eight years have been terrible for me. Whenever the O shows up on the schedule every year, I get fired up and am optimistic that this year could be the year the Huskies beat the Ducks. But time after time, the Ducks have just dominated the Dawgs, beating them by more than 17 each of the past eight victories. These are all well known facts about the Huskies and Ducks intense rivalry, but what may be unknown to some of you, are the position by position breakdowns of each team. Here is a look at which team has an edge at each position:

Offense 
QB- Huskies- Keith Price has all the potential in the world. He just needs some time to pass the ball. Overall he has more experience and has better overall skills than the freshman Mariota. Key Player: KP17

RB- Ducks- This is what these stupid Ducks are known for. Their ground game. At times it seems unstoppable and that's a fair assessment of the RB corps. DAT and Kenjon Barner are some speedy college kids. Key Player: Kenjon Barner

WR- Huskies- Again, as I have stated in the past, Kasen is most likely better than any of the opposing teams WR's. He is by far better than anybody that the Ducks have. The closest skill to Kasen on the Ducks at the WR position is possibly, maybe, could be, Josh Huff. He's always injured though. Key Player: Kasen Williams

Kasen Williams could have a huge impact on this game, but only if KP17 is on his game.
AP Photo/Ted S. Warren

TE- Huskies- ASJ is a first round NFL talent, and everybody knows that. The last time I checked, there wasn't anything close to first round talent at the TE position for the Ducks. After all, how many players do they even have in the NFL? Key Player: Austin Seferian-Jenkins

OL- Ducks- The Huskies have been four lineman down for most of the season. That is a huge reason why our offense has been mediocre at best. The Ducks have a perfect offensive line to fit their scheme and that is why they win this position battle. Key Player: Nick Cody

Overall Offense- Ducks- Their just too quick and speedy. However, if the big three show up (KP17, ASJ and Kasen), look for the Huskies offense to be firing on all cylinders. Key Player: The X-factor, De'Anthony Thomas

DAT could run for over 150 yards, but first he has to get by Justin Wilcox's defense.
Nike

Defense
DL- Ducks- This defensive line is scary. Probably the best in the PAC-12, with the exception of Star Lotulei at Utah, and it will be on full display four four quarters. Look for them to put up Seahawk-esque numbers in the sack department. The Dawgs' line is solid, but can't match the firepower of these big boys. Key Player: Dion Jordan

LB- Ducks- The Huskies LB core has been playing fantastically the past couple of games. With the emergence of Thomas Tutogi, the Dawgs look like they have a solid core for years to come. However, this core can't beat the skill and experience of the Ducks. Seniors Kiko Alonso and Michael Clay (seems like he has been around forever) lead the talented crew in to battle. Key Player: Kiko Alonso

DB- Huskies- Even with the emergence of sophomore Ifor Ekpre-Olomu, the Ducks' secondary doesn't have the skill and experience that the Huskies have. The loss of John Boyett was a huge loss for the Ducks, let me repeat HUGE. He was a senior leader and likely would have made the defense one of the best in the nation. The Huskies have a future NFL-er in Desmond Trufant, as well as Shaq Thompson, and Justin Wilcox will use these two stars in as many ways as possible. Key Player: Desmond Trufant

Overall Defense- Push- Both of these now stellar defenses have proved themselves this year, the Huskies more-so. The Ducks definitely have the edge up front and in the linebacking crew, but the Huskies aren't far behind in skill in both of these positions. However, I think what makes this a push is the improved Huskies secondary under Keith Hayward and Justin Wilcox.

I'm always tempted to pick the Huskies over the Ducks and this can account to my passionate hate of Oregon. However, just like in sports, you can't let your head and attitude get the best of you. The Ducks are still the superior team in this match-up. You just can't deny the facts. Although I think the Huskies will win next year at home against the Ducks, the Dawgs will face a tough team in Autzen Stadium this year. My pick is the Ducks winning 41-24. I just don't see the upset, but hey, these kinds of upsets have hapenned before. Just not that often.

Thanks for reading and follow us on Twitter @seasportssoup! Keep checking back for more updates.

Marshall



Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Praise the Lord, the Mariners are Finally Moving in the Fences

Today is a momentous day in the season of the Seattle Mariners. One of the few exciting pieces of news that has come out of this season, has got to be the news that the Mariners will be moving in the fences next year.

It was very thrilling and exciting when the Mariners were two games within .500 this year, but I was so out of my mind that I didn't foresee their downfall back to the regular 10-15 games under .500. Silly me, maybe I'll eventually learn. Anyways, this breaking news could possibly mean a record over .500 next year and is not only enticing for the current hitters, but is also enticing to all those to-be free agent hitters. I really think this decision by the Mariners front office could be the best one they have made in years. I really hope the team doesn't prove me wrong again and eventually kill my optimism, but they just might, who knows. There's three main reasons why I think this is an amazing decision. It will boost the production of our current offense, Safeco will look more favorable to free agent hitters and we already have the pitching in our system to be able to sustain the new dimensions of the fences.

B.J. Upton is a name the Mariners could possibly look at to improve their offense as he will be a free agent this upcoming offseason

Everyone knows the story of the Seattle Mariners. Amazing pitching and defense, but always that same putrid offense. The new official dimensions that Safeco will be in 2013 are as follows:

• The distance down the left-field foul line remains the same at 331 feet. • Instead of jutting out quickly to 341 feet, the left-field wall will jut out to 337 feet. • The hand-operated scoreboard will be moved, and as a result, the height of the outfield wall will be 8 feet from foul pole to foul pole. • From the left-field corner to the left-field power alley, the wall will be moved in 4 feet. • The distance at the left-field power alley will decrease from 390 feet to 378 feet. • From left center to straightaway center, the distance the wall will be moved in will vary from 4 feet to a maximum of 17 feet. At straightaway center field, the distance will decrease from 405 feet to 401 feet. • From straightaway center to the right-center power alley, the wall will move in 4 feet. The distance at the power alley will decrease from 385 feet to 381 feet. • From the right-field power alley to the right-field line, the dimensions remain the same.
Source: http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20121002&content_id=39364000&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb

These new dimensions won't make Safeco a hitter's paradise, but it doesn't keep it as a pitcher's paradise either. The new dimensions really even the playing field, literally, with the rest of the stadiums in MLB. However, these new dimensions will have a huge impact on the Mariners offense. The hitters will be more comfortable and confident at the plate. This will be evident in the improved numbers they put up across the board as these numbers will be attributed directly towards the new dimensions. The new fences will do worlds of good for the Mariners sputtering offense, and could even put them into contention, of some sort ;).

Jesus Montero, a player I believe will benefit from the new dimensions of Safeco Field
Christian Petersen/Getty Images

This upcoming offseason will be huge, to say the least, for the Mariners. Their pitching doesn't need much improvement (could use a veteran starter or two), but it's the complete opposite for the offense. Jack Z will need to improve his bats big-time this offseason, he has already stated that this is his number 1 priority, and moving in the fences only increases the potential to land some big-boppers. Players always come into Safeco calling it "death valley" or "pitcher's heaven" because of the huge dimensions and the cold weather. Now, they will come in with positive mindsets towards the fences and will consider signing with the Mariners whenever the next time it is that they are free agents. This would have never happened with the old dimensions. I believe to be true that the one huge reason that Prince Fielder didn't sign with the Mariners was because of the huge dimensions (could have been the weather to, like mentioned before). Now these big-time free agents will at least consider us when choosing their teams and mulling over their offers. However, the owner could step in between these free agents and the Mariners, but that is a whole other story.

There is one crucial reason why I believe that this is the best decision the current Mariners front office has made in their tenure. That is because they are playing their cards to the strength of the team: pitching. The Mariners have had consistently solid pitching for the better part of the last 12 years, mostly due to the fact of the talent, but also due to the fact of Safeco Field's fences. With three young studs coming up in the minor league system, and certainly more to come, the Mariners have a plethora of exceptional pitching options. As I stated before, and have many times over my life, Jack Z needs to acquire the exceptional hitters, to go along with his exceptional pitchers. He needs to do his research and not make Bavasi like moves, i.e. Richie Sexson and Adrian Beltre, but needs to make moves to acquire hitters that are young, have potential, and will fit into these amazing new dimensions of Safeco Field. If he does this, the future looks very bright and promising for these young Mariners.

Thanks for reading and follow us on Twitter @seasportssoup! Keep checking back for updates!

Marshall



Review of the Shocker- Seattle Seahawks vs. Green Bay Packers

Well that will get everybody's attention.

On one of the best Mondays of my life entire life, the Seahawks shocked the Green Bay Packers. Even though this is a week late and the Rams lost has dampened my hopes, the vibe of this win is still reverberating around me. I mean we beat the Super Bowl champs, one year removed. That's a big step for a team that just went 7-9 in the previous season.However, the win did not come without its controversy, of course this happens to a Seattle sports team, and in case you missed any of the game, here is our recap and views of what went down at CenturyLink field:

1ST HALF
·         Sacks, huge in this game
·         Coming out game for Irvin, Clemons was on point as well
·         Refs missed constant holding calls on Clemons
·         Good pass protection the entire game, Clay got no sacks, protected Russell
·         Run setup the deep pass to golden Tate, well ran route, been waiting on that forever
·         Rodgers was cocky to begin the game with, guns after first play, pushing camera man at end of the game, made win that much sweeter
·         Great first half, still need to make adjustments for second half that Carroll didn't do, needed to anticipate Green Bay changes
2ND HALF
·         Hawks weren’t ready for run, that’s how it all got started for the Packers
·         Driver dropped a touchdown in the end zone, should have been a better throw and catch
·         ON GB TOUCHDOWN DRIVE, KAM CHANCELLOR CALLED FOR PI ON 3RD AND 2 WHEN IT WAS CLEARLY NOT PI, PACKERS SHOULD HAVE HAD TO PUNT
·         Roughing the passer penalty with 8 minutes left in 4th or PI call on ball intended for Rice had no impact on final outcome of game
·         Golden Tate swatted a ball in the endzone intended for Sidney Rice, definitely was catchable
·         Overall terrible play calling throughout this drive, and really whole game
·         Great stand for the hawks, kept the Packers pinned against their own endzone, almost got ball when Packers fumbled
·         FINAL DRIVE
o   Great catch by Sidney Rice on Russell Wilson rocket throw
o   Tate dropped pass that could have set the Seahawks up pretty, might have not had time to spike it though
o   FINAL PLAY
§  Good roll out and buying time for receivers by Russ Wilson
§  Blatant push by Tate, but ref can’t call that kind of penalty on final play of the game
§  Green Bay defender Jennings should have just swatted the ball down, would be no controversy at all then
§  In the end, Tate got at least one hand in there and tie of possession goes to the receiver, could have gone either way and the refs saw it that way as they didn’t confirm it with each other before deciding the outcome
·         Really thought this is why home field advantage played huge part in game as play was eventually called touchdown
o   Sort of forced into the call by fans
§  Both sides would have gone into mayhem if play was reversed, refs could have been killed
·         Overall, refs made terrible calls for both sides, both effected the game equally: Kam Chancellor PI call and Golden Tate touchdown call
o   Teams have to play through that in the end
·         What goes around comes around, Super Bowl ’05, ref even admits he robbed us of the game and gave it to the Steelers
·         Russell Wilson lost 3 games last year just like this one, on Hail Mary attempt or referee mistake
·         Overall great game to watch if you’re a Seahawks fan and not enough can be said about the strength of our defense
·         Offense needs work, but huge statement game, can’t wait for exciting rest of the NFL season

Golden Tate is pulled from the end zone scrum by wide receiver Sidney Rice after scoring the winning touchdown.

Even though the Rams loss was tough for me this week, I still have high hopes for the Hawks. I can't be disappointed in them after they have already beat two top-tier teams this year. That's a big accomplishment for the 'Hawks and even though they have lots to work on, the season looks promising. By the way, I still believe that Russell Wilson should be the starter. He has already proved his skill in two big wins this year and even though the team has lost two games they really should have one, Russell is still learning the ins and outs of the offense. Once he figures it out, there will be no looking back. I expect to make the playoffs this year and that will only happen if Russell keeps developing throughout the season, which I believe he will.

Thanks for reading and follow us on Twitter @seasportssoup. Keep checking back for updates!

Marshall