Northwest Sports: In the Morning

As you know, I'm sure, Marsha Pechman's decision in the Seattle v. Bennett case comes down today. I did an email interview about it with a blogger in BC. SonicsCentral isn't planning a rally, but say they will be at City Hall if anyone wants to join them.

Woo-hoo Sounders! They beat MLS side Chivas USA 2-0 (for the second straight year) and advance to the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals (for the second straight year). Both goals were due to (as I predicted, ahem, ahem) the speed of Sebastian Le Toux, who forced a corner that led to a Taylor Graham goal in the 43rd minute, and outsprinted the Chivas defense on a counterattack and scored the clincher himself in the 80th. (Note--if this didn't clinch the Sounders FC job for current coach Brian Schmetzer, I don't know what would.)

The Sounders play another MLS team in the quarters, the Kansas City Wizards. The game is next Tuesday, at 7pm, this time at Qwest Field. Tickets: $17 at Ticketmaster (on sale at 10am), $20 at the gate.

Woo hoo Mariners! They come back from a 6-2 deficit to beat the Jays 7-6. Richie Sexson tied the game in the eighth with his first homer since May 25, Brandon Morrow struck out the side in the ninth to lower his ERA to 0.74 (start him, you nimrods!), and Willie Bloomquist won it with a walk-off single.

Woo hoo Seattle P-I! Photos of all 80 Miss Universe contestants in swimsuits.

Woo hoo Blazers! They signed Rudy Fernandez. Said Kevin "God" Pritchard: "He’s an unselfish kid, he’s talented, he wants to win. In sitting down and talking to him multiple times, we felt like he was a perfect fit. We knew for a fact that he had many other offers in Europe at much bigger dollars, more years, more fanfare and all that, but the thing that makes us excited is that he’s a competitor, and when he steps on the floor he has that special ability to make everybody a little better. We were amazed at how well he was passing the ball. and he throws lobs. Our management group was kind of salivating – he’s going to have really good targets in Greg (Oden), LaMarcus (Aldridge) and Travis Outlaw..." I'm salivating, too.

Cesar Jimenez, just up from Tacoma, threw 1.2 innings of scoreless relief. He's here to atone for a crummy performance in an '06 callup, and after missing all of '07 with an injury, writes Tom Wyrwich. Jimenez has a high-80s fastball that he kept down and a really nice change.

The M's still need a starter for Sunday, writes Jesse Baumgartner of MLB.com.

Buster Olney writes that Riggsie ball includes a few small alterations in the M's pre-game routine and infield positioning.

Jason Churchill of Prospect Insider writes the Braves are interested in Ibanez, four teams have interest in Washburn, and that the M's will try to create a bidding war over Bedard and could, in the words of one assistant GM, "get 75 cents on the dollar" for him.

Yamauchi out? Scott Miller of CBSSportsline.com has heard this rumor: "Hiroshi Yamauchi, retired head of the game company Nintendo, is looking to get out of the baseball business and is intent on selling his controlling share of the Mariners. [M's minority owner Chris] Larson, it is said, wants to become the controlling owner." Pat Gillick would take over Chuck Armstrong's role, and pick the new GM.

Two locals were swimming for an Olympic berth in the 100 meter breaststroke, and Megan (Quann) Jendrick beat Tara Kirk by one one-hundreth of a second. Said Kirk's coach: "I was sure Tara had hit the wall first, that's how close a race it was. That's a race we'll all want to see again, and I'm sure it's a race Tara will replay over and over again in her head." I'll bet...man, how do you deal with losing an Olympic berth by that small a margin? Painful.

The fact that four Huskies are in the U.S. women's 1500 meter olympic trial shows how good Husky track has gotten, writes Art Thiel. This includes incoming freshman Christine Babcock, who was the L.A. Times female track athlete of the year last year.

Speaking of Husky glory, did you know that both the coach and best player from the Dawgs' only Final Four team, in 1953, are still alive? I sure didn't. But coach Tippy Dye and player Bob Houbregs met (quite possibly for the last time, as Dye is 93 and lives in California) at the UW's Founders Club recently. Dan Raley was there and has this report.

In Sonics news: Earl Watson broke his thumb and is out until the end of training camp, writes Percy Allen. Also the Supes didn't offer Mickael Gelabale a contract. Gelebale's two-year career as a Sonic is over, and maybe his NBA career, says Allen.

Eric Williams of TNT has the Sonics' summer league roster. Russell Westbrook, D.J. White and Jeff Green will play, Kevin Durant will not. The league runs from July 7-11, and you can watch the games live at orlandomagic.com. Here's the info.

The Storm, who desperately need some perimeter shooting, have signed former UW and Meadowdale High standout Kristen O'Neill. O'Neill was once the roommate of my current roommate's sister, which I believe makes us roommates-in-law. (I actually said that once to her at a party. Fell flat.) If the injury Sheryl Swoopes suffered in practice just after O'Neill signed is serious, she suddenly jumps into the rotation.

Cal's new FB uniforms have bear claws. [HT: EDSBS] Also from EDSBS, the Arizona football team will be training with troops at an Army base. "Maj. Gen. John Custer called the UA and U.S. Army 'two great teams'" Yeah, two great teams that can't win. (Sorry, sorry.)

One Notre Dame fan speculates about Jake Locker: "He's very involved with the community and helps cancer patients, which seems like a perfect smoke screen for a defrosted Nazi supersoldier ready to entrance the minds and hearts of America with his goodness, only to turn that cache of adoration into a potential new fascist superpower, like in that Lois and Clark episode. Jake Locker: All-American guy with a heart of pure, unadulterated evil, and we don't even have Dean Cain to protect us."

Nate Robinson's hosting a basketball camp on Mercer Island from July 29-Aug 1. He hosted one last year near NYC, which I of course had some fun with. God knows we all love Nate Robinson, but unless you are as strong as an ox and have a 42-inch vertical, emulating his game is probably a bad idea.