As I sit here thinking about taking Ultra up on his challenge from a week or so ago, and possibly writing a retroactive letter to Santa Claus about all of our local sports needs for the next year, I realize that I can sum my predictions for the year up in one great big word…….

Now, let’s take it from the top, and you will see what I mean:

Basketball:  I don’t care how much he and his lackies deny it, “Cash Us” Clay Bennett very clearly came into town and demolished what little bit of good there was to the Seattle Supersonics, just as a means of making Seattlites reach a point where they barely give a flying flip about the team and the fact that he has the moving vans almost packed and ready to take off to OKC as soon as the NBA’s board of governors gives him permission to do so.

The Sonics can barely win their way out of a paper bag any more after trading Ray Allen to the suddenly resurgent Boston Celtics, and letting Rashard Lewis get away to the Orlando Magic.  About the only good thing about this team is Kevin Durant, and he should be the league’s Rookie of the Year for the way he is trying to carry the team on his back.  Can you say “deliberate tanking” everyone?

The Federal Court hasn't even started to hear motions on the city of Seattle’s litigation against Bennett and the Sonics ownership for trying to bail out on the last two years of their lease for the Key Arena, and the other two class action suits that have been filed against them for ticket fraud (he DID, after all, make some promises to season ticket holders that he didn’t really have much of an intention of fulfilling), and already Mr. Bennett has convinced the City of OKC that they need to raise $100MM to upgrade the nearly brand new Ford Center against the POSSIBILITY that the team might be relocating there, for which the city will be holding a referendum vote on an additional city sales tax to support the renovation.  (Note to OKC:  If you approve it, he isn’t going to spend any of the team’s money for that renovation; and will be back in less than five years asking for $500MM more (again none of the team’s money to be added) for a totally brand new arena.

Pfooey, Clay.  The people of OKC really want the Hornets back anyway.  Hopefully, while you are tied up in court, Mr. Shinn will bring them back, since the league is not happy with their attendance in NOLA since their return, and you won’t have any place in OK to put the OKC whatever their names will be.  There are people here who want to buy the team back to keep it here.  Get off the dime and sell to them.

Baseball:  Carlos Silva??  Carlos Silva???  OK, so we got a pitcher from the Twins.  Note to Silly Billy Bavasi—–WRONG PITCHER, DUDE!!!!  You were supposed to be dealing for Carlos’ best friend, Johan, remember?  What’s up with that?  (Note to Carlos:  Please go and have a talk with your best friend and convince him to tell the Twinkies management that he would like to be reunited with you.)  The only thing good about this offseason is that the Angels didn’t get a whole heck of a lot better.  Yes, they got Torii Hunter and Jon Garland, but Vlad is getting a little brittle lately, and sending Orlando Cabrera off to Chicago isn’t going to do a whole lot for Vlad’s protection in the line up.  (Torii isn’t exactly getting any younger or faster or better with the bat, you know; and Jon Garland is a solid middle of the rotation pitcher  more or less).

I’m here to predict that, barring a miracle like the one that happened in NYC in 1969, I will have quit watching local baseball games on TV by the middle of July, and probably won’t have attended one in person after opening day.

Football:  *sigh*  Methinks Mike Holmgren retireth after the Hawks get knocked out of the playoffs (hopefully in the second round, not the first), and we have son of “Playoffs? Playoffs?  Don’t even talk about the playoffs!” as the new head coach (at least until Ty Willingham gets the axe at the UW, and Mora the Younger goes off to  take over that gig).  He’s done a great job with the defensive secondary this year, but is he ready to be a head coach again?  I dunno, but something deep within me says that the Hawks window of opportunity is about to slam shut with a resounding ####, and they go back to being the Hawks of old for a few years (translation:  not so hot).

 Now that I have totally depressed myself about the state of professional sports in Seattle, I think I will go off and watch a T’Birds game.  At least they are playoff bound, and stand a pretty good chance of winning the American Division of the WHL again this year.

Now whyever would I want a break from baseball, you may ask? After all, there are still 122 games left to be played before the regular season is over and playoffs begin. I'm sorry, if you have to ask that question you haven't been paying much attention to how awful the Mariners are for the third year in a row. (Oh well, at least my second favorite team is doing well and my third favorite team is trying hard to do better).

The Seattle Seahawks announced today that Head Coach Mike Holmgren has been signed to a two year contract extension, through the 2008 season.  Terms of the contract have not been released, but it is thought that the last year of his current contract was reworked as a part of the new deal.

However, it is also generally believed that the contract also contains an "out clause" if Holmgren is offered a GM position by any NFL team during its run. 

This will give the team a sense of some stability for the next few years, allowing them to see if they can bypass the Super Bowl jinx and do at least as well, if not better, this year than they did last. On the subject of jinxes, MVP Shaun Alexander has openly stated that he is not worried in the least about the Madden jinx, and QB Matt Hasselbeck has not commented on the Chunky Soup jinx (does he even know it exists? maybe he thinks that Roethlisberger, who signed first, will be the recipient of that one). Perhaps the third jinx is the charm and they will all cancel each other out (not superstitious at all, the author sits with fingers and toes crossed).

Holmgren is well known for his occasionally volatile temper (hey, Mike, would you like an offseason temp assignment? I know a certain baseball team that could use some of that motivation......) but says that he is trying to mellow out a bit as he approaches the end of his fifth decade. He also states that he is in good health, and is still well motivated to coach this team at this time.

The first mini-camp is nearly on the books, and it is just a matter of weeks until training camp opens.  Here is to a productive season for all involved.