Wednesday Wanderings: Seven Win Steve No More, Percy Has No Mercy, and Sounders Finally Do Something Smart

By Marshall Cherrington

Wednesday Wanderings is a weekly column written by Editor-in-Chief and creator of the Sports Soup Network, Marshall Cherrington. He brings you all of his weekly thoughts pertaining to Seattle sports, and anything else for that matter.

The debut of Percy Harvin was almost as spectacular as the debut of this Wednesday Wanderings column just seven weeks ago. Now this column may not have the notoriety of a guy like Percy Harvin, but just you wait, it will in no time (no time meaning lots of time). However, there is a way that this column and Percy Harvin are exactly alike. People laugh at both of them. Percy for being so freaking good, and also this column, for being so freaking good. But actually, I think this column is freaking good when it comes to making you laugh. Anyways, enough with this nonsense.

We’re in the heart of the football season right now and that’s clear if you travel around Seattle. Fans are out in full Huskies and Seahawks gear and will always stop and say, “Go Dawgs” or “Go Hawks” if they see you wearing similar apparel. But it’s always like this around Seattle. In the summer, fans are wearing the same gear. You don’t see any Mariners blue. The passion of the football fans in Seattle never ceases to amaze me and that’s why fall is the best season in Seattle. Despite the Huskies getting stomped by the Bruins of UCLA, Husky fans still showed their pride on Saturday and Sunday. And you already know what happened with the Seahawks. They continued their winning ways, with a little more Harvin number 11 jerseys in the crowd than games in the past. Here are my thoughts on the week that was in Seattle sports.

So, what happened to last Friday being Steve Sarkisian’s signature victory on the road? Was he just not ready or were the players not ready? I think it was a little bit of both. Austin Seferian-Jenkins has to catch that ball early in the game to keep that drive going. More importantly, it’s probably a good idea that you don’t give UCLA the ball in scoring position in the first couple minutes of the game. So much for that. Despite the fumble, I think the team rebounded well in the first half and if it wasn’t for the horrid Pac-12 referees, Demore’ea Stringfellow would have had his first touchdown catch of his career right before halftime. I didn’t know that putting your hands on an opponent’s shoulder was considered hands to the face. Care to explain refs? Yeah, I didn’t think you could. I’m right with Sark on this one as he basically said what good is an apology now if it cost us six points in the game. This is probably one of the only things I will agree with Sark on though, because I definitely did not agree with his play calling at points in the game. Wildcat formation on third and two on a crucial drive in the game? Really Sark? Do you think the Bruins are expecting Bishop Sankey to turn into Tom Brady on one play? I mean really, if I was the Bruins’ defensive coordinator, I would have pretty much sent everyone I had on that play. Pretty obvious the Huskies were going to run it there. At least put the quarterback in there to make the defense think.

Overall, I think the Huskies would have won the game if Keith Price played the second half, but as was obvious he didn’t. If the Huskies want any chance at winning this weekend, Keith will have to be under center and will need to continue on his impressive season so far. I think Cyler Miles is a great quarterback, but it’s just not his time quite yet. It might not even be his time ever though, as I think redshirt freshman Troy Williams could beat him out this upcoming offseason. That doesn’t matter right now though. All that matters to this team right now is to go into Corvallis and upset the Beavers. Steve Sarkisian will be the happiest person in the nation if the Huskies secure a win on Saturday because they won’t be able to call him seven win Steve anymore. Why? Because there is no way the Huskies are going to lose the Apple Cup at home this year. No. Way. And that would be the Huskies’ eighth win. The Huskies have motivation from last year and are the far more talented team that will be playing on that crisp day after Thanksgiving. But they have to deal with the Beavers first and even though you might call me a homer, I think the Dawgs will be able to win this one. With Keith Price at the helm I think the Huskies win it 38-34. With Cyler Miles at the helm, I think it might be a little different story. But not that much different. 37-34 with Cyler at the helm. Huge contrast in predictions, right?

A sight soon to be seen again: a Husky holding the Apple Cup.

The Seattle Times

Now moving on to the Seahawks. My score prediction for the game this past Sunday was off by one score for both teams and that’s pretty good by my standards. I usually whiff completely on predictions, as you all know. There was really no doubt the Seahawks were going to win on Sunday and if you had to miss one game to watch this year it probably would have been this one. But that would only be true if there wasn’t a man named Percy Harvin in this world. This ended up being the one game you didn’t want to miss because of this man. I know I looked for him every play to see if he was in the game and I’m sure a lot of you did as well. Seeing those navy blue tights and bright green shoes in the game was almost too good to be true at times. I was watching the game with my partner in crime Riley Brown and I remember telling him right before THE kickoff return that Percy Harvin would take it all the way to the house. I was a little off, but not too far off. What a return to introduce himself. It’s never a good idea to leave a gap up the middle that big for a guy like Percy Harvin. I was actually surprised he didn't take it back all the way, but the kicker made a great tackle. It’ll be fun to watch this guy when he’s implemented throughout the whole playbook.

Staying on the topic of Harvin, he was only in on 16 plays, but it felt like more than that. He changed the game in so many ways that didn’t show up on the stat sheet like drawing a pass interference penalty (even though it was called back because of a Russell Okung hold) and drawing the safety to cover him up the middle leaving a wide open right side of the field for Russell Wilson to throw a dime to Doug Baldwin. And you’re telling me that was only 16 plays? Please sign me up for a full workload of Percy Harvin, but dear God, please do not let him get injured again. He’s already put in too much work to get to the point where he is today.

The Seahawks are off this week, but are readily preparing for a Monday night showdown with the Saints in a little over one and a half weeks. That will definitely be one to watch. Jon Gruden’s love for the Seahawks was approaching Brent Musberger’s love with Katherine Webb territory before Percy Harvin was on the field for the Seahawks, and now that Percy is back, Gruden might just jump out of the booth. It’ll be a fun one to watch and I’ll give my prediction on that game in the next edition of Wednesday Wanderings.

 

Watch out Percy. He's got his eyes on you (along with Drake). 

Seahawks.com and BlackSportsOnline

The Sounders made a little noise this past week as they agreed to multi-year contract extensions with both Osvaldo Alonso and Brad Evans. I think these are two exceptional moves by the Sounders’ front office and if management is indeed shopping Eddie Johnson like reports say they are, I think these moves will look even better in the long run. There is such a thing in sports as being too good. That’s the problem the Sounders have right now in the attacking part of their lineup. Eddie Johnson, Obafemi Martins, Clint Dempsey and Lamar Neagle all want their goals, but only so many can be scored. If Eddie Johnson is let go, I think it almost makes the Sounders better. Dempsey will be able to work his magic, Obafemi will get all the passes he wants and needs, and goals will definitely be scored with Evans and Alonso threading passes to them up front. Plus, it gets rid of a guy who has been whining for money for quite some time now. Those are just my two cents though.

Writing the Wednesday Wanderings column never gets boring and it’s even easier to write when you destroy people in Madden earlier in the day. I put up a 50 spot on Jackson today and am now leading the series 6-4. I’m pretty sure that’s the overall record, but if it’s not, I know I’m leading it by at least two games. He just can’t get by my defense. Go back to the drawing board buddy! Anyways, thanks for reading another edition of Wednesday Wanderings. If you have any comments, criticism, hate or love, please just comment below. Everything is appreciated. And I truly mean that. Have a good week Seattle sports nation.

Takeaways: The Return of Percy Harvin

By Jackson Safon

The return of Percy Harvin this week was the most anticipated return since my return to the Redmond High School golf team post-injury, a few months ago. In all seriousness, it was probably the most hyped once since Derrick Rose returned to the NBA floor this season. He may have only played 16 snaps, but in a game only meant for getting his feet wet, Harvin might have gone in up to his waist. His one catch for 17 yards was spectacular and in a huge spot on third down, but the most exciting play of the day was his 58 yard kick return to set up the ‘Hawks with great field position on their drive at the end of the first half. Harvin showed all the 12’s what he can do, and with a bye week to remain 100% healthy, he should be able to handle close to a full workload next Monday night against the Saints on a national stage.

1. Boy is this offense good

With three starting offensive lineman returning this week in Okung, Unger, and Giacomini, the Seahawks offense was dynamic. Although Lynch didn't have a great day on the ground, the increased pass protection made the ‘Hawks passing game lethal, with Russell finishing with 230 yards and two touchdowns on only 13 completions. He also had an outstanding 12.8 yards per attempt and a career high 151.4 passer rating. Wilson was throwing darts out there, but his best throw of the day was the touchdown through the “honey-hole” as Tim Ryan called it, to Doug Baldwin to end the first half. A stellar game from the offense as a whole, but especially the passing game.

What a catch by Doug Baldwin to end the first half. Amazing throw by Russell Wilson.

The Seattle Times

2. Boy is this defense good

The defense had two sacks, forced four turnovers, and scored a touchdown as well. Everyone was flying around the field but the biggest props go to Kam Chancellor and K.J. Wright for their outstanding games. Twenty points may seem like too many to give up to a team like the Vikings, but one of the touchdowns allowed was late in the game against the Seahawks’ second stringers. Most importantly, the run defense was relatively stout again, holding Adrian Peterson to only 65 yards on 21 carries. The Vikings offense obviously isn't as good as the Seahawks next opponent in the Saints, but this was a great effort all around by the defensive unit.

3. Special teams isn't bad either

The Seahawks were stellar in every aspect of special teams once again. Steven Hauschka was perfect, including a 50 yard field goal, Percy Harvin sparked the kick return game with a 58-yard return and forced the Vikings to pooch kick it later in the game, and the punting unit didn't allow the league’s number one punt returner in Marcus Sherels to return the ball once. The Seahawks are dominating in all phases of the game, getting healthy, and now have a bye before their biggest game of the season in a Monday night battle against the Saints. It’s going to be a good one.

Percy Harvin looked electric on his one kickoff return.

KSTP.com

4. Seahawks are firmly in control of their destiny

With the 49ers losing to the Saints on Sunday, they are now tied with the Cardinals for second in the division. Plus, they are now a full three games behind the Seahawks in the loss column, with only five games remaining. In other words, as long as the ‘Hawks continue to play tough, they should have the division locked up. In terms of the number one seed, they are up one game on the Saints, and get them at home next week. Win that and they will be up two plus own the tie-breaker. A win next week should propel the ‘Hawks to the top seed in the NFC. The importance of the game cannot be overstated.

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Wednesday Wanderings: Re-Signing Golden Tate, Rumors Galore in Mariners Land, and Husky Basketball is on the Rise

By Marshall Cherrington

Wednesday Wanderings is a weekly column written by Editor-in-Chief and creator of the Sports Soup Network, Marshall Cherrington. He brings you all of his weekly thoughts pertaining to Seattle sports, and anything else for that matter.

You know when your favorite school signs a five-star recruit and everybody is just madly anticipating his first game? Yeah, that’s my feeling with Percy Harvin. He was the huge offseason acquisition that every fan of the Seahawks has wanted to see for months on end. Well this week, my friends, we finally get the privilege to watch this man play the beautiful game of football. I hope to see Percy lighting up the field and shooting through gaps no other player on the Seahawks can fit through, except for maybe Golden Tate. He’ll be on a limited snap count so that’s why I’ll be glued to my TV to catch every one of those plays.

It was a rumor filled week in Seattle sports as the Mariners have once again been linked to every outfield free agent bat out there. Some rumors I simply did not understand and others, I wish we would sign the guy already. The Sounders might be looking for a new head coach soon and I’ll give my thoughts on that. The Huskies’ men’s basketball season started off with a pop, but not in a good way as Jernard Jarreau tore his ACL just seconds into the opening game against Seattle U. However, the Huskies’ football team put a solid pounding on the Buffaloes as they head into a huge matchup with the UCLA Bruins this Friday night. My thoughts on the week that was in Seattle sports right here, right now.

When I woke up on Sunday morning and found that a staff writer of the Seattle Times had picked the Falcons to beat the Seahawks that day, it let a little doubt creep into my mind. Add in the fact that Softy was hammering all week how Seahawks fans should be worried about this game, and you have a Seahawks fan in a poor mental state. However, when the second quarter was over, there was no doubt in my mind who was winning that game. Golden Tate was looking too fast, Russell Wilson was looking too smart, and the Falcons were just looking too bad for the Seahawks not to win.

Now as I bring up Golden Tate, I think it will be really interesting to see what the Seahawks management does with him this offseason. He will be an unrestricted free agent and is free to go anywhere he pleases. Probably not back to Top Pot Donuts, but who knows. I think some teams out there will be willing to give Tate a big pay day and if the Seahawks do indeed win the Super Bowl this year, it will make it easier for Tate to taunt his way out of Seattle. He would have already won a ring in his career and would probably just be looking for some money now. That being said, I think the Seahawks will give Tate a deal to think about. If the Seahawks do not win the Super Bowl, I could definitely see Tate coming back and trying to capture that Super Bowl ring for the team that was confident enough to spend an NFL draft pick on him. I’m thinking maybe $7-million a year for Golden this offseason. Maybe a little more. He hasn’t been the most consistent wide receiver, but when he’s on and focused, boy is he good. Probably the biggest thing to watch this offseason for the Seahawks in my opinion.

Could Golden Tate be waving bye to Seattle at the end of the season?

Getty Images

The Seahawks welcome another lowly foe to town in the Minnesota Vikings this Sunday and even though the Buccaneers game was way closer than all of us would have liked, I don’t think the Vikings will be sneaking up on the Seahawks anytime soon. If the Seahawks contain Adrian Peterson in this one, it won’t even be a game. However, if the Seahawks let Peterson run loose, it still won’t even be a game. There is no way in the world the Vikings will beat the Seahawks on Sunday, even if the beast is released from inside Adrian Peterson’s chest. 38-13 Seahawks. 10-1. In control of the entire NFC. The road to the Super Bowl comes through Seattle, baby.

The other football team in Seattle didn't have too tough of a time with their foe either this past weekend as they strolled past the sleeping Buffalo that is Colorado. Keith Price was probably the most mobile I had ever seen him in Saturday and I think that could be something to watch as bowl season approaches quickly. If he can keep up the quickness and smarts with his legs, that adds a whole new element to this team. But let’s be real. Price is no Russell Wilson and the biggest damage he would most likely do is run for a few more first downs throughout the game, rather than a measly three or four yard rush that we are all used to seeing. Who knows, it could mean the difference between a win and a loss.

However, Price may be finding himself looking at the sky this upcoming Friday as the Huskies take on the UCLA Bruins in an exciting matchup. The Bruins are already back up to number 13 in the nation after it seemed like just last week that they were ranked in the twenties. This inconsistency in the rankings basically tells the story of what the team has looked like on the field this year. At times, the Bruins have looked like a top ten team in America, but at other times, it’s hard to see why they are even ranked. Brett Hundley is one of the best quarterbacks in the Pac-12 and he can kill you through the air, on a good day, but can destroy you on the ground every day. He has great pocket presence and I've seen him get out of some holes that Mariota can’t even see out of. The key will be to force Hundley to throw the ball. Sure, he’ll probably end up throwing for over 250 yards if you force him to do this, but it’s better he beat you through the air than on the ground because he is way more inconsistent through the air. It’ll be a battle of the two solid defenses in this one. I’ll have to go with Washington, 31-27, just squeaking by UCLA in the end. This prediction will probably go wrong, since it’s me who’s calling it, but hey, I predicted the Champions Classic perfectly last night (Jabari Parker is a baller by the way).

The Huskies need to make UCLA QB Brett Hundley throw the football this Friday.

Getty Images

Continuing on the topic of college basketball, I think the Huskies are severely underrated this year. Even though Jernard Jarreau tore his ACL, I think the front court play will be fine with the emergence of Mike Anderson. Shawn Kemp Jr., Gilles Dierickx, and Perris Blackwell should be able to hold it down until Desmond Simmons recovers from his knee surgery. But speaking of Mike Anderson, I think he was the most impressive guy out there on Sunday night. He showed the ability to defend, handle the ball, rebound, and score exceptionally well. It’s too bad the Huskies only have the guard for two years because they could really use him for about another two go rounds. Darin Johnson was also a guy who impressed me and if he finds his stroke just a little more, I think he’ll become a deadly shooter as the season progresses. This is a team to watch out for in the Pac-12. I guarantee you they will not finish eighth in the Pac-12, like the media has projected them to.

If you like rumors, the Mariners are your favorite team. I like rumors, and the Mariners are my favorite baseball team. It’s awesome scrolling through my Twitter timeline and seeing all the national baseball reporters with the hashtag “Mariners” in their Tweets. And for a good reason too. The Mariners suck and need all the help they can get. But a few days ago when I was scrolling through my timeline, I stopped and was puzzled by a Tweet. The Mariners wanted to add Carlos Beltran to the fold. Really? Carlos Beltran? A 36-year old outfielder who probably wants to play for a contender this late in his career? That can’t be. But indeed, it was true. I’m really not surprised by anything anymore when it comes to the Mariners. I’m really interested to see what moves the team does make this offseason though. The team does have a lot of money to spend and I can’t help but get giddy when I see that specific hashtag linked with a big player. Who knows, the Mariners could be contenders next year. No, I know. They won’t be.

Carlos Beltran? Really Jack Zduriencik?

MLBlogs.com

To wrap it up, I’ll briefly touch on the Sounders. Sigi Schmid should be hosed by now. If you can’t win with that much talent on a roster, that’s ridiculous. Find a coach who has proven that he can win with talent, and hire him to be the next coach of the Sounders. Come on Hanauer. You convinced Dempsey to enter his own nightmare with the Sounders, didn’t you? Now find a coach to get Dempsey out of that nightmare.

That about does it for this week’s edition for Wednesday Wanderings. If you’re looking for a quick update on the Madden series between Jackson and me, it’s right here for you. I smacked Jackson around with the Colts and Bengals and now have a 4-3 series lead on him. I fully expect to extend the lead even further the next time we play. My running backs are averaging over 200 yards a game. Can’t stop that ground game! Thanks for reading and do check out some podcasts on the left hand side of our page. Some of them are good. Kind of.

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Takeaways: Seahawks Earn a Decisive Victory over the Falcons

By Jackson Safon

Redemption. The Falcons cut the Seahawks season short in the divisional round of the playoffs last season but the ‘Hawks got their revenge yesterday. Neither team was at full strength, but Seattle got the elusive win against Matt Ryan in the Georgia Dome. Make no mistake about it, even in a down year for the Falcons they are still a very tough beat when they play at home. This was absolutely a big game and the Seahawks we all expected from the beginning of the season finally showed up. A decisive win on the road could be what this team needs to jump-start themselves forward.

Golden Tate had a huge game for the Seahawks on Sunday.

rotoexperts.com

1. The offense soars

Finally the Seahawks offense showed up. All the Seahawks fans expected the offense that averaged over 30 a game in the second half of the year last season to be the offense this year, but this just hasn't been the case. Yesterday however, it seemed the offense flipped a switch. The pass protection was there, allowing only one sack, and there never seemed to be much pressure on Wilson. The ‘Hawks ran the ball for over 200 yards as a team, and the passing game wasn't far behind as Wilson threw the ball all over the field for 287 yards, averaging over 11 yards per attempt. It was a fantastic display of offense that should only improve with Percy Harvin likely coming back next week (HOLY CRAP I CAN’T WAIT).

2. The defense stays strong

After allowing back to back 200 yard rushing performances, the Seahawks defense buckled down yesterday and only allowed 226 yards TOTAL. The Falcons have not been very successful running the ball this year and thankfully, the Seahawks continued that trend, holding them to only 64 yards. Even in a slightly down year, Matt Ryan is near perfect at home, but the Hawks held him to 172 yards and a 63% completion percentage. The defense as a whole was swarming and totaled two (should have been three) sacks and one forced fumble. A well played game all around.

3. Special teams continues excellence

Steven Hauschka went 4/4 on field goals, including one from 53 yards to continue his great start to the season, with his only miss being a block. Jon Ryan and the punt unit have been the best in the league at allowing opponents returns, and the kickoff coverage was excellent as well. Golden Tate averaged 18.3 yards on his three punt returns which provided the ‘Hawks with great field position. It was a dominant effort in all three phases yesterday.

4. The Golden Rules

Golden Tate had himself a day, with 6 catches for 106 yards and a spectacular touchdown catch. He had a fine day in the punt return game as well, but the highlight of the day came on his touchdown catch with one second left in the first half. Russell Wilson through a dime to the left corner of the end-zone and Tate went up with one hand to grab the ball and dragged both feet in the process. It was a ridiculous catch to cap off a beautiful drive at the end of the first half, something the Seahawks failed miserably to do in the divisional playoff game against the Falcons last year. Tate played some outstanding football yesterday and the ‘Hawks should continue to keep him involved even when Harvin returns.

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

Wednesday Wanderings: Denny, the Smiling Flat-Coated Retriever

By Marshall Cherrington

Wednesday Wanderings is a weekly column written by Editor-in Chief and creator of the Sports Soup Network, Marshall Cherrington. He brings you all of his weekly thoughts pertaining to Seattle sports, and anything else for that matter.

It’s not often that I’ll talk about many other things on here than sports, but I think today is an exception. Now by writing this piece, I’m not asking for any attention or sympathy or anything like that, I’m just writing it to let the world know about a special dog. On Friday, my family dog of eight years named Denny will have to be put down due to a deadly kind of cancer. Cancer sucks and everyone knows that. I have never had the evil thing directly affect my life before, but now that it has, I sympathize with all of you out there who have had cancer affect your life in one way or another.

Denny is a dog who is never sad or down. You can just look at him and either your heart melts, or your day is given an instant boost because of the smile on his face. Now, you may find that kind of weird to read since dogs don’t really smile. But Denny definitely smiles unlike any other animal I have seen. He curls his lips to reveal his white, shiny teeth and when he does, you just have to do the same. He makes everyone smile in a different way, whether that be howling at the churning blender or nosing at a random toy around the house. Denny just brings joy to my life. Nothing but joy. Sure, it might have been maddening when he barked his head off at a passing car, but you know those are just his natural instincts. It also felt comforting to some effect. I always knew I was safe with Denny on the prowl.

Every morning at about 6 a.m. or so I would always here a little tapping on the knob of my door. Well guess who it was, desperately waiting for his favorite meal of the day, breakfast. I’ve never seen a dog slobber so much after a stop at the water bowl. As he stopped to drink, we stopped to pick up the old rag and wipe up the floor after his adventure. I’ll always remember coming downstairs and unexpectedly stepping in water all over the laundry room. And I hate when my socks get wet. One of the worst feelings in the world. But I loved it at the same time because I always knew I would find Denny right behind me wagging his tale in a mocking kind of way.

The house will be painfully quiet with Denny not around anymore, but I’m confident that his spirit will live on forever. That’s one thing that’s helping this transition easier for me. He will never be forgotten. For as long as I’ve lived, I’ve always had a dog by my side. Having no partner in crime will definitely be a tough thing for me to deal with, but I know he’ll always be watching over me. He always was watching you. If you left a door open in the house, he was bound to find his way through it. Usually, as I am doing right now, I would be typing on my computer and I’d feel this little nudge on my leg. Sure enough it was Denny looking for an extra little pat on the head or rub of the ears. I love Denny’s floppy ears. The fur on them is so soft and it got to the point where Denny was annoyed with me rubbing them so much. I always made sure to find time in my day to give Denny love. It was probably at the top of my priority list to do so every day. I’ll find new ways to show him love every day, don’t you guys worry about it.

I guess this relates to spots in some ways too. Denny is an athlete. He’s addicted to the yellow glow of the tennis ball and would do anything you would command him to do, as long as you had a ball in your hand. I will never forget the look in his eyes when I spent those countless hours outside throwing the ball to him. He just looked like he was having the time of his life out there as he would chew and chew and chew on the ball, and seamed to never tire.

I’ll never forget the earthquakes Denny caused as he crumbled to the ground each time he sat down. The best thing about it? He made it look good. I don’t know how, but he did. I’ll never forget those perky ears. I’ll never forget those wrestling matches on the ground. I’ll never forget the chewed up toilet paper. I’ll never forget the unique smell of that breath. I’ll never forget those slobbery kisses on people’s faces. I’ll never forget his spirit. And most of all, I’ll never forget the love that Denny lived his life with. Denny has shaped who I am today and will continue to do so in many ways. I love the black fury ball of happiness and always will. Have fun in doggy heaven my boy. I know you’ll be smiling.

A few pictures of Denny and I. Courtesy to Matt Campbell for the pictures.

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Apologies for the lack of sports content in this issue, but if you must have your share of Seattle sports news, check out the Seattle Times sports page, which can be found right here.

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

Washington Huskies Men's Basketball Season Preview

By Kevin Calderhead

Last year, Washington Men’s Basketball, having lost two key players to the NBA draft, posted a disappointing 18-16 record (9-9 Pac-12). The loss of Terrence Ross and Tony Wroten left a big hole that evidently was not filled effectively. As the Dawgs begin to practice, we must put last fall and winter behind and look to what is to come in this brand new season.

                

As in any college sport, seniors will graduate (hopefully). Three starters from last year will not return this season: point guard Abdul Gaddy, guard Scott Suggs, and center Aziz N’Diaye. Coach Lorenzo Romar seems to know how he is going to compensate for the loss of these players.

Let’s begin with point guard position. Abdul Gaddy was supposed to be the greatest point guard UW had ever seen. Gaddy was ranked the second best point guard in the country during high school. The only guy in front of him on that list was John Wall. Yeah, he was that good. Unfortunately, after a knee injury, Gaddy was never the same. He played well, but not great. His replacement, Nigel Williams-Goss, has the potential to be the Gaddy that never was.

Where do I start with this guy? He was the 19^th ranked recruit on ESPN, and his high school team, Findlay Prep, went 124-8 during his four years there. Williams-Goss played in both the McDonald’s All-American game and the Jordan Brand Classic. Even though he’s only a freshman this year, Romar says he is emerging as a leader. Let’s not forget about the other point guard on the Huskies’ roster. 6’2” sophomore Andrew Andrews showed last year that he can play a little basketball too.

Nigel Williams-Goss looks to fill the void left by Abdul Gaddy.

Getty Images

So that solves that problem. Moving on to filling N’Diaye’s spot.

Romar looks to use 7’ center Gilles Dierickx (Will we ever have a big man whose last name we can spell?) and 6-9 forward Perris Blackwell. Both are transfers that redshirted last season, due to NCAA regulations. Dierickx didn’t post great numbers at his previous school, Florida International, only 2.6 points per game and 2.2 rebounds per game in 14.9 minutes. However, having a player of his height helps immensely on defense, and if he can perform offensively as well he could be a key part of this Husky basketball team.

His counterpart from University of San Francisco, Perris Blackwell, is the offensive threat that the Dawgs need down low. Coach Romar wants his guards to feed Blackwell the ball, and with the Husky’s high-post offense he could be very successful. He posted 12.7 points and 6.1 rebounds in the 2011-12 season at USF.

Returning from last year are Shawn Kemp Jr., Jernard Jerreau and Desmond Simmons. Kemp showed signs of greatness in his 18 point and 6 rebound performance against Arizona State last year. Jerreau has yet to have a breakout game, but as a sophomore, can only improve from here on out. Desmond Simmons works the hardest out of any guy on the team, always fighting for rebounds and playing great defense. I think everyone overlooks Simmons, and I’m really not doing him justice. He’ll be one of the key players on this Husky team, like last year.

What the Huskies lost in Suggs was a great scorer and most importantly, the team leader. For this spot this year, all eyes go to senior guard C.J. Wilcox. Wilcox is the best scorer on this team, and not only will he need to be consistent in his performance, but he must emerge as a team leader. He was 2^nd team All-Pac-12 last year, had an honorable mention in 2012 and made the Pac-10 All-Freshman team in 2011. All last season, Wilcox was plagued by a stress fracture in his foot. After the season ended, he had surgery to repair it in May.

C.J. Wilcox is the most integral piece of this basketball team. He has the most experience of any of the other players on the roster. And he absolutely has to be the leading scorer if the Huskies want to win a substantial amount of games this season. Hopefully the surgery fixed the nagging foot injury, and he can perform as he is fully capable of.

CJ Wilcox looks to lead this Huskies team to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in three years.

The Husky Haul

Now the real question: Can the University of Washington make the NCAA tournament this year?

That all depends. The 2013-14 Huskies are a very young team. And if the pre-season media prediction, in which the Dawgs were picked to finish eighth in the Pac-12, is correct, then the answer is absolutely not. However, there are so many new faces that we haven’t seen play yet that there is no real way to tell. If the young players can prove that they can perform, then there is a chance that they can make the NCAA tournament. But honestly, it’s too early to say at this point.

I don’t think the Huskies will finish as low as eighth in the Pac-12, but I also don’t think that they will be in contention for first place in the Pac-12. Arizona and UCLA are too good of teams. So I’ll put the Dawgs at fifth place. But who knows, maybe the Huskies will exceed everyone’s expectations and be serious contenders in the Pac-12. Here are my final predictions for this year’s team:

Starting Lineup:

PG: Nigel Williams-Goss

G: C.J. Wilcox

F: Perris Blackwell

F: Desmond Simmons

G: Andrew Andrews

Leading Scorer

Is there really any question? If it’s anyone other than C.J. Wilcox, it’s likely that this season just didn’t pan out well for the Dawgs. I’m predicting he averages about 18 points per game, up from 16.8 last year.

Leading Rebounder

This is a tougher one. This one really depends on who Coach Romar plays and who he doesn’t. I’m going to say Perris Blackwell, with 7 or 8 rebounds per game, followed by Shawn Kemp Jr. with about 6.

Leading Assister

Nigel Williams-Goss. He’s going to get most of the playing time at point guard, so hopefully around 6 assists per game.

Breakout Player

I think Shawn Kemp Jr. is going to have a big year. Watch for him to throw down some big jams this year. Hopefully his dad has taught him a thing or two about bangin’ out.

Sixth Man

Andrew Andrews. He’ll be a great guard off the bench if Williams-Goss needs a break, or the Huskies run three guards. On that note, I don’t think we’ll see much of four guards on the court like we did with Wilcox, Ross, Wroten and Suggs.

Well those are my predictions. I’ll revisit these predictions at the end of the season to see if I’m completely right, or way off the mark.

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Takeaways: Seahawks Secure Dramatic Comeback Win Over the Buccaneers

By Jackson Safon

The Seahawks were down 21-0 late in the first half, but they fought back and outscored the Buccaneers 17-3 in the second half to send the game into overtime where they won it on a Steven Hauschka field goal. What a game. Anyone who watched the game could tell you that it was a tale of two halves, but it was so much more than that. The first half was jarring. Hard to fathom what had happened. But then the Seahawks magically transformed into the team we had come to expect and played a great second half. Really an odd game, but it turned out to be a dramatic one, and a strong win for the Hawks.

Sir Clutch saved the day again for the Seahawks as he kicked a game winning field goal in overtime.

Seahawks.com

1. The running game returns
Marshawn Lynch led the charge with 125 yards on 21 carries and Russell Wilson and Robert Turbin chipped in as well to all combine for 198 yards and 5.7 yards per carry. There were bigger holes and more importantly, a better commitment to the run by offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell. Even though Lynch still couldn’t get carries towards the goal line (I promise I will hit on the Russell Wilson interception at the goal line), he still amassed a good amount of yards and led the running game to a rejuvenated effort after some serious struggles last week. It was good to see the success in the running game from an offensive line standpoint and play-calling standpoint.

2. WHERE IS THE RUN DEFENSE?!
I am personally putting out an APB for the Seahawks run defense. The Hawks’ defense got gashed for over 200 yards for the second straight games. This time it was to rookie Mike James (WHO THE HECK IS MIKE JAMES?!) and the Buccaneers. This is unacceptable. Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright both played horrible games at the linebacker positions, and the rest of the front seven didn’t play much better. Dan Quinn needs to put more of a focus on run defense in practice or this will eventually lead to a loss. I’m sorry but the Seahawks will lose to the 49ers if they can get run on like this. Needs to be the top priority in practice this week.

3. The offensive line played better
Almost 200 yards rushing and no sacks allowed. A much better performance by the Hawks’ offensive line. Granted, the Buccaneers defensive front is not nearly as good as the Rams’ is, but credit still should go to the Hawks line for this one. Russell Wilson still didn’t have as much time as I would like, but it was much better. There were some injuries to the line and some shuffling around, but all in all they played better as a unit which is really good to see.

Russell Wilson was scrambling for his life behind the makeshift offensive line.
John Hollis

4. Jermaine Kearse successfully filled the role of Rice
Kearse finished with only two catches for 43 yards, but he did get in the end zone. Yet for a player like Jermaine Kearse it may not be the stats that matter. With good route running and decent blocking, he did a good job of showing that he can successfully fill the role of the injured Sidney Rice. He played some good football and this is a very good sign for the Seahawks going forward.

5. The ugly Russell Wilson interception at the goal line
Early in the fourth quarter, after a very good drive by the Seahawks, Russell Wilson threw an interception on first and goal from the three yard line. Doug Baldwin ran a great route and had his defender beat by at least two steps. He was essentially wide open. Yet Wilson decided to jump pass instead of planting his foot and the throw was well behind Baldwin. But before it could even get there, Buccaneers defensive back Keith Tandy intercepted the ball. Immediately, the cry on Twitter was about the play-calling and why the ‘Hawks didn’t run it with Lynch instead. I agree with this. They should’ve run it. But the cry of anger should’ve been directed towards Wilson who made a horrific throw. It could’ve been an easy touchdown but was instead an easy interception. Yes the play call was bad, but the throw was worse.

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