SB Nation Seattle - Features

Pete Carroll's Nike WinForever Workshops Provide Unique Opportunity For Coaches & Fans

2012-05-16T16:07:05Z

Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll is using his Nike WinForever Workshops to take coaches, fans and others behind the scenes, and equip them to maximize their own potential.

Anyone who has followed the Seattle Seahawks under the leadership of Pete Carroll has no doubt heard the phrase "WinForever" uttered at some point since he became head coach in January 2010.

They've heard about the New York Times Best Selling book by the same name, they've heard about the WinForever philosophy being used by Carroll and staff inside the Seahawks' meeting rooms and on the field, and they've heard about the free workshops that have been held in Dallas and Miami this offseason.

Now, on June 7th, the Nike WinForever Workshop heads to Seattle for the second year in a row, and according to Yogi Roth, who co-founded, and co-authored, WinForever with Carroll, it will be bigger and better than ever. "The workshop is close to filling up, but you don't have to be there to participate," Roth says. "We're gonna be streaming it online, doing a live chat, and taking questions from twitter. It is going to be highly interactive."

But what is WinForever?

It's more than just a fun way for Seahawks fans to go behind-the-scenes of their favorite team. Simply put, it's a guided process of self-discovery to maximize a competitor's potential.

"We think we've got the ability to teach people how to develop a philosophy. We have a way to help somebody maximize who they are at any given moment," Roth says.

Developing a personal philosophy after being fired by the New England Patriots is what served as a rebirth to Carroll's coaching career.

"Everybody has beliefs. I think the really important thing is to go through the process of nailing what your beliefs are. Documenting them, writing them down. Once you do that, you're forced to make a commitment," Carroll says.

"I had no idea, I was just wanting to get all my stuff down. That's when it started to come together a little bit. i started to kinda feel comfortable, I felt good about being to express so many things so clearly."

After this self-discovery, he embarked on a historic nine-year run at USC like college football had never seen before, Carroll led the Trojans to a 97-19 record (83.6%), 2 National Titles, 7 consecutive BCS bowl appearances and countless other NCAA records and unprecedented streaks.

Outsiders were amazed how Carroll and his players at USC could be live under the intense spotlight of the nation's second largest media market, yet perform so loosely and at such a high level, so consistently. How were they doing it?

To Carroll, the correlation between the philosophy he had developed and the success on the field was undeniable. So undeniable, that he decided to take it outside of the USC football program and see what it could do. First he took it to the streets of LA's inner-city with his A Better LA foundation, then realized training coaches just seemed like a natural fit.

On average, coaches spend 450 hours a year with kids. They're influencers. What better way to influence "the next generation of athletes" by "equipping the next generation of coaches"?

That's how WinForever and the workshops were born, an opportunity for coaches, business leaders and even fans, to peak behind the curtain and see the inner workings of Carroll-coached teams and discover how they can achieve similar success relative to themselves.

"Pete's always been that way, he has always wanted to share," Roth says. "It is how he runs his organization, but it's a way of thinking that's now inspiring leaders in sport and business."

It's not just Carroll doing in inspiring, either. The workshops also feature the foremost authority on sports psychology, Michael Gervais, acclaimed author and speaker Kevin Carroll (no relation to Pete), and others.

Nike saw what Carroll was doing, and had a similar desire to give back to coaches. So Nike and WinForever joined forces and it's paying big dividends.

Pro coaches like Jason Garrett of the Dallas Cowboys, and college coaches such as Stanford's David Shaw, TCU's Gary Patterson and the University of Miami's Al Golden have all been involved with the Nike WinForever Workshops, camps and events. Washington's Steve Sarkisian and USC's Lane Kiffin have also been mentored by Carroll under the WinForever philosophy.

Additionally, WinForever has a presence at Nike events for high school athletes such as the Nike Football Training Camps and the prestigious Elite 11 quarterback camps and the upcoming Nike 3on3 basketball tourney.

The event in Seattle will symbolically mark the start of a new era for WinForever. Not only will the material at the workshop be "fresh", but WinForever is also starting the Always Compete Speaker Series later this month, the first of which will feature Carroll with Olympian, and WWII POW survivor, Louis Zamperini. Then, on July 1st the WinForever website will launch a new e-learning curriculum.

"We're just getting started," Roth passionately exclaims.

Carroll is equally excited about the future, "I think we're just scratching the surface. I think we've just, just tapped into this connection of helping people improve."

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For more on Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks be sure to visit Field Gulls.

You can follow Scott on Twitter @ScottEnyeart

Jamal Crawford Summer Pro-Am League Preview: Rosters, Schedule And More

2012-05-14T13:00:05Z

The NBA is back in Seattle. For this summer, at least. The Jamal Crawford Summer Pro-Am league gathers some of the area's best professional basketball talent and showcases it for everyone to see in a fun, relaxed and exciting environment.

The Sonics are long gone, and this is by no means a replacement for an NBA team, but basketball junkies have a chance to see hometown NBA talent play in a semi-competitive environment. In the past few years, players like Nate Robinson and Terrence Williams have taken these games seriously, especially in the fourth quarter.

This is also a chance for local basketball fans to see some former high school and college standouts that play overseas or do not play professionally anymore - former UW stars Tre Simmons, Will Conroy and Mike Jensen will all be playing in the league this summer.

Games run every weekend on Saturdays and Sundays at Rainier Vista Boys and Girls Club in south Seattle. Tipoff times are at 1:30 p.m., 3:00 p.m., and 4:30 p.m.. Admission is $5 for all three games with those 17 years old and younger having free admission. Follow @JCrawfordProAm on Twitter for more information.

Below are tentative rosters for this summer per the league's Facebook page. Note that these rosters are often fluid and usually will change as is the nature of a laid back summer league. Next to every player's name I have included their respective basketball affiliations. I was not able to gather information on every single player, so if you can help me out please drop a comment in the thread below. (Former/current NBA players are bolded)

76ers

Garrison Carr -- Issaquah HS, American University
Brandon Kelley -- Auburn HS, Pierce College
Tre Simmons -- Garfield HS, Washington, Overseas
Anthony Washington -- Garfield HS, Washington, Overseas
Terrence Williams -- Rainier Beach HS, Louisville, New Jersey Nets, Houston Rockets, Sacramento Kings
Chris Sprinkler -- Curtis HS, Central Washington
Jacob Manning
Joran Horner
Jamar Berry -- Franklin Pierce HS, Central Washington
Dwayne Wright

Kings

Ryan Webb -- Mountlake Terrace HS, Seattle University
Colin Matteson -- Meadowdale HS, University of Alaska Fairbanks
Evan Matteson -- Meadowdale HS, Texas A&M International
Andre Thompson -- Central Kitsap HS
Isaiah Thomas -- Curtis HS, Washington, Sacramento Kings
Tyler Ray Amaya -- Mount Vernon HS, Western Washington, Overseas
Paul Hafford -- Lynden Christian HS, Portland St., Bellingham Slam
Hiram Fuller -- Fresno St., Atlanta Hawks, Utah Jazz
Seamus Boxley -- Mountlake Terrace HS, Portland St., NBDL, Overseas
Giovonne Woods -- Western Washington, Overseas
Brian Johnson -- Seattle U, Seattle Mountaineers

Trailblazers

Jamal Crawford -- Rainier Beach HS, Michigan, Chicago bulls, New York Knicks, Golden State Warriors, Atlanta Hawks, Portland Trailblazers
Marcellus Williams -- Renton HS, Colorado State University-Pueblo
Bruce Cooper -- Overseas, Seattle Mountaineers
Jim Rainwater -- Chief Sealth HS, Portland St.
Tony Wroten -- Garfield HS, Washington, NBA (draft prospect)
Shawn Henderson -- Renton HS, Idaho, Overseas
Jeremy Green
Sean Carter
Glen Hollins
Will Dorsey -- Rainier Beach HS
CJ Giles Beach -- Rainier Beach HS, Oregon St., Overseas

Bulls

Marcus Bradford --- Columbia College, Seattle Mountaineers
Mike Jensen -- Kentwood HS, Washington
Jamaal Miller -- Garfield HS, Green River CC, Seattle Mountaineers
Melvin Jones -- Chief Sealth HS, Portland St.
Hans Gasser -- Issaquah HS, Washington
Matt Nelson -- Skyline HS, Boise St.
Matt Dlouhy -- Montana, Overseas
Will Conroy -- Garfield HS, Washington, NBDL, Memphis Grizzlies, Los Angeles Clippers, Houston Rockets, Overseas
Alvin Snow -- Franklin HS, Eastern Washington, Overseas
Rashaad Powell -- Renton HS, Idaho, ABA, Overseas

Wizards

Nate Robinson -- Rainier Beach HS, Washington, New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, Oklahoma CIty Thunder, Golden State Warriors
Quinnan Braxton -- Garfield HS
Josh McMIllion
Jefe Burns
Jerry Petty -- Garfield HS, Nevada
Tyrone Shephard -- Fort Hays State
James Morgan -- Rainier Beach HS, San Francisco,
Chris Keller -- Snohomish County Explosion
Michael Niehl -- Seattle Mountaineers
JaJuan Winesberry -- Steilacoom HS, Washington
Ardess Ballard
Reggie Robinson

Mavs

Ike Ohanson -- Arkansas Tech, Bellingham Slam
Donald Watts -- Lake Washingon HS, Washington, ABA
Carlos Singer -- Ingraham HS, Hardin-Simmons
Brent Williams -- Curtis HS, Stanford, Overseas
Antonio Sims -- Cleveland HS, Overseas
Justin Dentmon -- Washington, Overseas, NBDL, San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors
Brandon Brown -- Wilson HS, Montana Western, Overseas
Shaquille McKissic -- Kentridge HS, North Idaho
Elvin Mims -- Southern Miss, Overseas
Terrell Smith -- Federal Way HS, Pacific
Anrio Adams -- Rainier Beach HS, Kansas
Brandon Adams --- Diablo Valley College, Hawaii

Grizzlies

Tucker Haymond -- Garfield HS
Anthony Gallagher -- Rogers HS, Evergreen St., Overseas
Micha Downs-- Juanita HS, Gonzaga, Overseas
Jaire Winesberry -- Steilacoom HS, Tacoma CC, Tacoma Tide
Terry Thompson -- Central Wash., Overseas
Jamaal Williams -- Washington
Mike Ward -- South Puget Sound CC, Evergreen St.
Marcus Whittaker -- Olympia Reign
Brian Johnson
Maurice Tooliver -- Evergreen St.
Brandon Roy -- Garfield HS, Washington, Portland Trailblazers

Stray thoughts on the rosters:

Before researching the background of these players, I had no idea that there were so many local professional basketball teams in the area. Several players have played for the Bellingham Slam or Olympia Reign in the International Basketball League. A handful of players have found their way onto the Seattle Mountaineers, a team in the ABA.
Check out that 76ers squad, not only do they have the best scorer in the league (Terrence Williams) but they have Garrison Carr and Tre Simmons who can light it up from the outside.
.The Grizzlies should be fun to watch, former Husky Jamaal Williams has not played organized basketball in awhile, but if he can retain his low post scoring, watch out, him Brandon Roy and Micha Downs make up a solid trio.
Will Dorsey and Tucker Haymond are both still in high school, but who is to say that this experience won't benefit them moving forward?
The Trailblazers are stacked with talent, Jamal Crawford and Tony Wroten make up the league's best backcourt.
MIke Jensen and Hans Gasser on the same team with Will Conroy? Any fan of the early Romar teams will flock to watch their games
The talent in the league is evenly distributed, each team has at least one player with NBA experience.
Highlights of last year's Pro-Am are below:

Jamal Crawford presents HOMETEAM (pro-am highlights) (via futurehoops)

Is the Youth Movement Finally Paying Dividends?

2012-05-13T19:16:03Z

The Seattle Mariners rebuilding mode finally seems like it is paying off some dividends after a decade of no clear direction. Now one-fifth the way through the season, lets see how some of the key pieces are paying off.

Baseball is a grand sport because you can take a bevy of statistics and then overload yourself and read too much into them. Take people talking about sample sizes. Josh Hamilton just hit his 9^th (!!!) homer of the week bringing him to 18 for the season (!!!). It is only a shade over 20% of the way through the season, so for easy math, we can read too much into it and think that will bring Hamilton to the total of 90 home runs for the year. Preposterous? Yes. Albert Pujols only has one home run this season (!!!), so does it mean that he will only hit five for the year? Also preposterous.

But statistics do glean some useful information, especially about the Mariners, because luckily if anything these 2012 Seattle Mariners have been bastions of stability - whether that stability has been on the good end of the Mendoza line or the bad end differs per player. But the fact of the matter is that in April you can't read too much into stats. With various players, like Albert Pujols, you assume you can't read too much into it in May either. But the Seattle Mariners baseball season is 34 games in as of this word being typed right now, a shade over 20% of the season through, and we can definitely analyze what we have right now.

For starters, the one thing that has been one of the most pleasant surprises is the emergence of Kyle Seager as a dependable option in the infield. Seager is currently hitting a .296/.315/.500 which places him second in the team in OPS at .815 (at first is John Jaso who also only has 48 plate appearances). If Seager were to keep on hitting the way he is hitting all year he would finish with almost 20 home runs and 100 RBIs. The last Mariner to hit 100 RBIs in a season was Raul Ibanez all the way in 2008. Last year the New York Yankees had three separate players hit over 100 RBIs in the season. Is it fair to say that Seager can still hit this number? The RBIs are a possibility, as long as the Mariners in front of him still continue to get on base. As far as 20 home runs go, that is why it isn't a good idea just to multiply stats by five and assume you have 2012 season's total there. Kyle Seager's highest home run total through the minor leagues was in 2010 when he hit 14. Last year, through the various levels he hit a total of 10. Right now, Seager is clubbing the ball with a raw power about .050 points above his lifetime ISO. Seager's lifetime ISO is .152, average for the league. In 2012, his ISO is .204 (right behind Miguel Cabrera), quite above average for the league.

Then take Jesus Montero - one of the key cogs in this whole youth movement experience. Montero is hitting a .267/.281/.440 line and his statistics through his minor league career would suggest that everything there should rise a bit. Montero has a walk rate of 2.5% this year, compared to 10.1% in his major league with the Yankees last year. Montero's BABIP this year is sitting at .292 against his career (including the minors) of .326. A big part of this decline is that only 18.1% of Montero's balls in play are line drives, opposed to 47.9% that are ground balls. Montero just can't leg out those infield singles. He is sitting at five home runs right now, and it would be fair to expect (perhaps not this year, but in future years) for Montero to club thirty dingers. His isolated power average of .172 is below his career average of .203.

As for players who should seemingly be doing better, Dustin Ackley is the prime candidate for a lot of bad luck - and hence another reason why statistics can help predict but shouldn't be increasingly relied on to continue. Ackley has a very middling .248/.315/.361 line, with two home runs, ten RBIs, and 17 runs scored. Ackley's BABIP is down this year at .290 compared to last year at .339. He is hitting more ground balls than he did last year, but his line drive rate - although down - is largely consistent with last year. This either means that: 1) Ackley is seeing the ball well and the balls just aren't dropping; or 2) pitchers have figured out Ackley and he needs to adjust. The inclination to lean towards option one holds more weight because it is not only a more positive view, but also Ackley demonstrated throughout college and through every portion of the minor leagues that he is more than a competent hitter.

Of course, what would be a look at the youth movement without looking at Justin Smoak - who by all accounts is having a very disappointing season so far, hitting a measly .195/.246/.280. A lot of anaylsts were quick to place the struggles of Smoak last year on the death of his father, the thumb injury, youth, etc. For his sophomore Mariners season, Smoak is doing everything he did last year but worse. Smoak is hitting just as many fly balls as he did last year, and is actually cut down on his ground ball rate quite a bit while increasing his line drive rate to nearly 20%. This fact just really seems to speak that Smoak is the victim of balls not carrying as far as they should or not dropping as quick as they should. Either way, it would lead that Smoak's average should increase a little bit, but whether or not that little bit places him at hitting .225 or .250 remains to be seen. For Smoak, he will have to figure it out as the team is clear on its intent to make him the first baseman of the immediate future.

Seahawks Rookie Mini-Camp Gives the Staff a Chance To Evaluate Draft Class

2012-05-11T16:16:36Z

The Seahawks host 10 drafted rookies, another 10 signed rookie free agents, plus some 30+ players on tryouts to the VMAC this weekend for the team's Rookie Mini-Camp.

The Seahawks are known to shock in the NFL draft and they did not disappoint with their completely unforeseen selection of Bruce Irvin. While the Seahawks first rounds are wildly unpredictable, they have made a habit out of finding talented contributors in the later rounds and with undrafted free agents. With the Seahawks rookies starting mini camp Friday, who are some of the Seahawks newcomers that can contribute this season?

Bruce Irvin ought to be an immediate contributor. Being selected number 15 overall leads to the expectation that he will be a difference-maker from day one. He has immense pressure to perform, and if he does not deliver in his rookie season then many Seahawks fans will be reminded of the former first round disappointment, Aaron Curry. I think it's safe to say, that if Irvin does not have a double-digit sack season, many fans will regard him as a failure.

Bobby Wagner might not have similar pressure to perform like Irvin, but the second round linebacker from Utah State is expected to compete for the starting middle linebacker job. Wagner has superb speed and can do something that Seahawks linebackers have not been able to do in the past: cover receivers. With his quickness, he has shown the ability to remove opposing tight ends from the passing game and he can hold his own in zone coverage.

Third round pick and former Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson will be an unlikely candidate to receive playing time as a rookie. While he does have intriguing physical skills, Wilson will have an immense learning curve in the NFL and with the Seahawks already having an experienced Tarvaris Jackson and a young, unproven talent in Matt Flynn, Wilson most likely will do nothing more than hold a clipboard this season- barring serious injury to the other Seahawks QB's. Will they cut Tarvaris Jackson or third-string QB Josh Portis to keep Wilson around?

Along with Wagner, Robert Turbin is another Utah State product that is expected to see playing time in 2012. Turbin is projected to compliment Marshawn Lynch's powerful, physical running style and he should be a valuable addition to the Seahawks backfield.

A Seahawks selection that intrigues me is defensive tackle Jaye Howard from Florida. Maybe I'm biased to the fact that he is a defensive player from a SEC school, but Howard's physical intangibles illustrate his potential. He has the kind of size that would get Pete Carroll "jacked up" and he has quickness to provide versatility. I'm guessing the Seahawks would like to plug Howard in to relieve Red Bryant from time to time. He can play on the interior and he can also play just outside the tackle in the five-technique (where Red Bryant plays). Howard could turn out to be key addition to the Seahawks defensive line.

With their fifth-round pick the Hawks selected an athletic freak in outside linebacker Korey Toomer from Idaho. Toomer posted a 42-inch vertical jump at his pro day and blazed through a forty-yard dash in 4.53 seconds. He can help supplement the pass rush and he seems to be someone that can make a difference for the Hawks this season. His sheer athleticism alone should land him on some special teams. If he proves that he can be a smart player, Toomer should see time on defense this year.

With the Seahawks possessing one of the best secondaries in the NFL, it will be more than difficult for any rookie to see playing time at defensive back. In the fifth-round, the Hawks selected cornerback Jeremy Lane from Northwestern State. He is 5'11" so he fits the mold of Seattle's taller cornerbacks. Brandon Browner, Richard Sherman, Marcus Trufant and Walter Thurmond provide depth at cornerback and Lane might simply be a special teams addition.

Earl Thomas and Richard Sherman are both Seahawks defensive backs with long dreadlocks. In an effort to continue the hairstyle tradition, the Hawks selected physical safety Winston Guy from Kentucky. Guy is a prototype Pete Carroll safety. Although he does not have the monster frame of Kam Chancellor, he is still a 6'1", 218-pound physical presence at safety. Guy was selected in the sixth round and will mostly contribute as a special teams player this season, but he might develop into a reliable backup for Chancellor.

In the seventh round, the Seahawks selected two defensive ends with J.R. Sweezy (6'5", 298) from North Carolina State and Greg Scruggs (6'3", 285) from Louisville. Interestingly enough, Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Line Coach Tom Cable is actually going to convert Sweezy to offensive guard. Sweezy is just slightly undersized for a guard, but he has fantastic movement and quickness for an offensive linemen. Cable is hoping that Sweezy can adjust to playing on the other side of the line.

As far as potential goes, Greg Scruggs might have more potential than any other seventh round pick. He is a monstrous defensive end at 285 pounds and he can rush the passer. He has length and he is rangy. He could mature into a productive member of the defense. Even though he was a seventh round selection and there are flaws in his game, his physicality and intangibles make Scruggs a rookie to keep an eye on.

Last season, the Seahawks found gold in undrafted free agency by snagging receiver Doug Baldwin from Stanford. Baldwin ended up leading the Seahawks in receptions and yards. It's rare for an undrafted free agent to have such a standout rookie year, but there are a few Seahawks UFA's who have a chance.

Of the ten UFA's the Seahawks signed, I think two of them have a legitimate chance to contribute. The first of which, guard Rishaw Johnson, is a former Ole Miss player who had to leave Ole Miss for Cal (PA) because of off-the-field issues. He was thought to be mid-to-late round draft pick by many experts, but character issues caused him to go undrafted. The Seahawks have proven that they don't mind gambling on a player with baggage and maybe Johnson can pull it together to contribute for the Seahawks.

Wide receiver Levasier Tuinei (6'5", 213) from Oregon is a UFA that I think has endless potential. He utilizes his height by catching the ball at the highest point and he has top-end speed (4.53 forty-yard dash) to force mismatches and put pressure on the defense. While at Oregon, Tuinei exploded onto the scene as a senior while showing a knack for making the clutch catch and the big play. He can play in the slot or outside and he could present matchup challenges to any defense because of his rare combination of size and speed. The Seahawks did sign hometown Husky product Jermaine Kearse, but ultimately I think he lacks the size, speed, and consistency to be a NFL receiver.

Brian Bosworth Rates The Seattle Mariners

2012-05-11T14:00:55Z

The Seattle Mariners have put the first month of the 2012 season in the books. Who better to grade their performance than Seattle's own in-your-face fan favorite, Brian Bosworth?

Hey there, chumps. Brian Boswoth here*. Y'all know me. The most extreme, in-your-face, smash-mouthin'est football player that Seattle has ever seen. The man who brought the NFL into the 1990s ... and beyond. The man who was single-handedly responsible for causing Oakley stock to rise 10,000 percent in my rookie season.

Anyway enough about me (heh, as if you could ever hear enough about me). I've been asked to chime in on the first month that your local baseball team has put in the books and rate their performances on the most extreme and in-your-face scale possible: THE BOZ-O-METER.

So let's dive on in and tackle (heh) the team you all know and love, the ... Seattle Mariners? That can't be right, can it? Oh well. I'll be rating everything on a scale of 1 to 10 "Boz"es. The higher the amount of Boz, the more extreme the performance. LET'S DO THIS.

Justin Smoak

This guy was supposed to be a lot better than this. Yeah, sure, he's jacked three dingers, but he's only got one double and 10 RBIs! Dude should be jackin' more dingers. Still, he's got a pretty bad-ass last name, because smoke is bad-ass.

I GIVE HIM A 4.5 ON THE BOZ-O-METER

Ichiro Suzuki

Dude's a beast. A little beast, sure, but how can you hate on Ichiro? Short answer: you can't. He's not nearly as in-your-face as I'd like him to be. Also, he should work on his chest and arms if he really wants to intimidate. I dig the way he holds the bat like a sword before he swings, too. That's pretty extreme. Pretty friggin' 90s.

I GIVE HIM A 7.3 ON THE BOZ-O-METER

Chone Figgins

This dude has like the least extreme name ever. Bro, if you're gonna extreme up the name "Shawn," you gotta spell it with an "X" at the very least. Like, "XEAN FIGGINZ" or something. This dude isn't very good at hitting, though. From what I hear.

I GIVE HIM LIKE A 2.7 ON THE BOZ-O-METER

Miguel Olivo

This dude makes Bengie Molina look like Peter Bourjos. And I don't know who either of those people are! Dude pulled his groin, which is pretty much the least Boz-like injury I can imagine. Plus, he has the second-least hits on the team and is tied for the least RBI. Since those are the main stats I understand, I can pretty easily say this guy stinks on ice.

I GIVE HIM A 1.0 ON THE BOZ-O-METER

Brendan Ryan

Okay so THIS dude has the least hits on the team AND the least RBI. And he's batting .157?! That's not just under the Mendoza line, that's under the Mendoza limbo competition. (Ice burn.) BUT Ryan gets points for not pulling his groin.

I GIVE HIM A 2.5 ON THE BOZ-O-METER

Kevin Millwood

Whoa, this dude is still in baseball?! I can't tell if that's super extreme or super un-extreme.

I'LL SPLIT THE DIFFERENCE AND GIVE HIM 5.0 ON THE BOZ-O-METER

Blake Beavan

Dude is named after one of the most 90s shows ever, "Beavan and Butt-Head." So extreme!

I GIVE HIM A 6.5 ON THE BOZ-O-METER

Brandon League

Dude leads the team in tattoos. Extreme as hell.

I GIVE HIM AN 8.8 ON THE BOZ-O-METER

Felix Hernandez

Dude is a hoss and a beast and a monster all at one. A hossbeaster. King Felix remains as lights-out as ever and the most elite of elite pitchers. Not a single complaint can be had.

I GIVE HIM A 9.2 ON THE BOZ-O-METER

Kyle Seager

This guy leads the team in RBIs, doubles, dingers AND batting average. He's clearly the best player on the team through the first month or so. I'd like to see him tackle some more people and maybe show up to more games in helicopters, but this guy is a Boz after my own heart.

I GIVE HIM AN UNBEATABLE 10.0 ON THE BOZ-O-METER

* This is clearly not Brian Bosworth. I think we've been had, everyone. -- Ed.

For all news and information regarding the Seattle Mariners, please visit Lookout Landing. Unless you're some kind of chump or something.

Frozen Grounds: Hockey Goalies Really Are Crazy

2012-05-10T15:00:45Z

Goaltending in the NHL is both a premier position and the worst place to play ever.

Love them or ignore them, but goalies really are crazy. They're not as crazy as they used to be, for some reason, but they're still a bit nutty. I mean, who really thinks throwing themselves in front of 90+ mph slap shots on a regular basis is actually a good idea, right?

In the NHL, much of the lore, the history, and the mythology of the sport revolve around goaltending and goaltenders. They're universally looked at as crazy and extremely superstitious. And big games have been won or lost by how they've played.

So everyone knows what a goalie does. They stop pucks from getting past them into their net. What's so interesting about them, right? What more is there to say?

Plenty, and most of it revolves around terminology, statistics, and rules.

There are three styles of goaltending. One is called the butterfly style. This is where the goalie drops down to the ice, and uses his leg pads to stop the majority of low shots. This was most recently popularized by Patrick Roy, but this style of play has been around since the 1950s because of Glenn Hall.

There's also a stand-up style of goaltending. And it is pretty much what it says it is. Goalies tend to use their feet and their sticks to stop the majority of low shots instead of dropping down to their knees. This is considered the traditional form of goaltending, and it's not very popular right now.

Most goalies these days use a combination of the two, which is referred to as a hybrid style. There's no real way to quantify the averages between how many shots are stopped on their knees or on their feet. This varies considerably from goalie to goalie.

On top of that, you have puck-handling goalies and non-puck-handling goalies. Some goaltenders will pass the puck whenever they can to their teammates, and very much prefer to do that. While others will just place the puck with their stick somewhere convenient for teammates to come and recover.

Martin Brodeur is considered one of the best puck-handling goalies to have ever played the game, and some general managers have complained that he has given the New Jersey Devils an unfair advantage. So a few years ago, the NHL put a rule in place to limit where goalies can handle the puck. This is called the trapezoid, which is located behind the net. They're also able to play the puck in the paint in front of their own net.

Which leads us to terminology, and this is where it gets, well, humorous. The paint in front of the net is called the crease, and the opening between the goalie's legs is called the 5-hole. The other four sweet spots are either side of a goalie's hips and above their shoulders. (Technically, there are eight holes that a shooter can see to get the puck past the goalie, but I'm trying to keep this simple.) The ideal shot to get past a goalie is about six to 10 inches off the ice above their skate, but also up over a shoulder and just under the crossbar of the net.

So announcers will often say things like "he just couldn't get it up (the puck), even though he was outside of the crease and had the goalie beat." Seriously, I can't make this stuff up. Depending on who the announcers are for NHL games, it can really turn into a total giggle fest.

There are two major statistics for goaltending, and one correlates rather nicely with pitching statistics. There's the goals against average, which is commonly abbreviated as GAA, and the save percentage, which is abbreviated typically as SV%. GAA is the equivalent to ERA (earned run average), but time on ice in minutes played is also figured into the equation instead of innings played.

SV% is a bit more complicated. It's a percentage of how many shots on goal that a goalie stops. (A shot on goal is a shot that has potential to get past a goalie. Hitting the posts or the crossbar on the net do not count as shots on goal.) It's the total number of saves divided by the total number of shots on goal. So a save percentage in hockey is different from that of relief pitchers who specialize in closing games.

If stats are your thing, and you think you might want to learn more about NHL goaltending stats, here's probably more than you'd ever want to know about the topic. (Please keep in mind that English is not the first language for everyone who writes for this site.) Check out, What Should We Expect from NHL Goaltenders?

In many ways, a goalie is a lot like a baseball catcher in regards to responsibilities and equipment. Part of a catcher's responsibilities is to stop wild pitches from getting past him, and that's what goalies do. The biggest difference, really, is that a catcher's equipment is lighter and less bulky. Other than the whole ice/dirt and stick thing, of course.

Speaking of hockey and baseball, here's a little humor combining both sports to top things off.

FC Dallas vs. Seattle Sounders: Time To Strike While The Iron's Hot

2012-05-09T20:19:31Z

FC Dallas have been one of the league's premier teams for a few seasons now, but a slow start and mounting injury troubles will have coach Schellas Hyndman searching for answers.

It was a little less than a year ago that FC Dallas came to Seattle and beat a struggling Seattle Sounders team 1-0 thanks to a Brek Shea goal, a stifling defensive performance and a whole heap of poor finishing on the part of their opponents. At that point the Sounders had taken 17 points from 13 games, a rate of 1.30 points-per-match that's only slightly better than the current FC Dallas rate of 1.20. Seattle was still reeling from the season-ending injury to Steve Zakuani one month prior and struggling mightily to score goals. Instead of the pre-season Supporters Shield darkhorse, the Sounders instead looked like a team that would need to battle it out in order to make the playoffs. FC Dallas hadn't set the world on fire to that point in their own right, but in recent weeks the team had begun to gel and looked well prepared to usurp Seattle's role as next-in-line to the LA Galaxy's throne.

That loss was among the most frustrating of last season; it was at that time seen as a real test of Seattle's mettle, the Sounders looking to build momentum on the back of a dramatic last-second win over Sporting Kansas City four days prior. Initially, it appeared as though they'd failed that test. But in retrospect, the evidence of what was to come the rest of the way was evident; the Sounders dominated large portions of that game. Seattle managed 19 shots and over 65% of the possession, dominated the midfield and attempted nearly twice as many passes as FC Dallas with a far higher rate of completion. Only the final product was missing, but Seattle filled in the missing ingredient soon after and went on a tremendous almost immediately.

Point being, FC Dallas is having a great deal of trouble at the moment, but unless you believe their injury struggles will persist at the same level and that Schellas Hyndman is incapable of making adjustments there's no reason to think that they won't be able to turn things around. There simply haven't been enough games played to be able to make a definitive statement about FC Dallas' actual talent level or capacity to make a run at the MLS Cup. But what we do know is that, to this point, they've struggled mightily so far this season and there's little reason to expect things to turn around this evening. Through the combination of injuries and suspensions, Dallas will be missing David Ferreira, Ricardo Villar, Andrew Wiedeman, Carlos Rodriguez, Bobby Warsaw, Ugo Ihemulu, Daniel Hernandez and Blas Perez. Brek Shea will likely play, but he's been battling turf toe for several weeks and will likely be at a level below his usual best.

This is an opponent that's far, far below full strength and it's arguable that the FC Dallas team that takes the field tonight will be even more relatively weak than the LA Galaxy team the Sounders dominated a week ago. Crucially, they've also been weakened in every area of the pitch, making it much harder to weather the storm through tactical changes alone. Through sheer good fortune, what at one point looked as though it would be a very difficult game in the midst of a punishing schedule now looks eminently winnable. Even the weather appears to be cooperating; the forecast at gametime calls for clear skies, low humidity and a pleasant 77 degrees, a far cry from the sweltering heat that's been Seattle undoing at times in the past. And though FC Dallas do have a winning record at home, they've been far from dominant and whatever advantage is there is almost certainly offset by the players they'll be missing.

On the face of things, this looks like three points for the taking. The Sounders are playing on short rest (though Dallas will be playing on even shorter rest) and the trip to Dallas is a notoriously grueling one, but with several key players rested on Saturday the impact is likely to be less severe than might be expected. Reputation and full-strength ability aside, the level of talent the home side put on the pitch this evening will likely be similar to what Seattle saw from Philadelphia on Saturday, and the Sounders should be beating teams of that level with relative ease. The "relative" is especially important in this case, as MLS' reputation for upsets and parity is well deserved, but Seattle failing to earn a result against such a hamstrung team would be a pretty major disappointment.

The Husky-Cougar Radio Rivalry

2012-05-09T19:36:40Z

Cougar Football is set to hit mainstream radio on Washington's westside.

Imagine: Two radio stations, one so full of Husky Honks you can hardly drive to work in the morning without hearing the "Say Who!" chant upwards of five times. The other, Flying the Flag (figuratively speaking) for Mike Leach's WSU Cougars, with more pirate talk than you can shake a peg leg at.

Although it may not make the average college football fan buzz with excitement, ESPN 710's decision to pick up Washington State football games could have long-lasting repercussions for Seattle's sports media.

The move is timed perfectly to coincide with resurgences not only in Cougar football, but with the cross-state rivalry between WSU and the University of Washington, the Apple Cup.

Over the past couple years the station has done more and more to reach out to Westside WSU fans, beginning with hiring Jim Moore to co-host the Kevin Calabro Show. As a longtime columnist, the "Go 2 Guy" made his name by ribbing the Huskies, and supporting the Cougars through thick and thin. Mostly thin.

I was fortunate enough to intern on the Kevin Calabro Show last summer, and saw firsthand that Moore's passion is no act; a day didn't go by when I didn't receive a hearty "Go Cougs" at the beginning and end of my shift.

The association between 710 and WSU grew only stronger, as last year the station began to broadcast a weekly interview with then-coach Paul Wulff. Then, just this past week 710 announced it would broadcast WSU football games, with Jessamyn McIntyre as the sideline reporter. McIntyre was the producer of the Kevin Calabro Show, and a very gracious boss as well.

Everyone knows where KJR stands. Softy and the rest of the Husky Honks have that station locked down for the purple and gold. Now, if 710 wants it, they have the opportunity to build a rivalry that will benefit both stations.

There could be trash talk, events, the possibilities are endless. Both stations can play into the rivalry aspect and young Huskies or Cougars will grow up listening to one station for pleasure, and the other for masochistic pain.

The past two Apple Cups have been the most interesting in years, and all indications are that the malaise of past Apple Cups are long gone. Seattle radio would do well to play into the rivalry, and by taking sides, the two stations have already started.