Sports

Sue Bird Announces Her Retirement from the WNBA in Her Farewell Game

Published on September 10, 2022

After 21 years in the WNBA, Sue Bird has finally retired. The Seattle Storm’s season came to an end Tuesday when they lost 97–92 to the Las Vegas Aces in the Western Conference Finals. In her farewell game, Sue Bird told the Seattle crowd, “I hope I did everybody proud.”

With her retirement, she leaves the WNBA with the record for most assists in a single postseason. She contributed 46 assists and committed only six turnovers in six postseason games in 2022. In her last game on Tuesday, she scored eight points and sent out eight assists. On-court recognition for the 41-year-old guard was given by the Storm and the Aces, with cheers from the crowd.

Speaking to a reporter after the game, Bird said, “Obviously, I am quite grateful for my twenty years at this institution. That place holds so many wonderful memories for me, and I’m going to miss it terribly when I go. I’m not leaving, but I’m going to miss it. It’s been a privilege to suit up for this team and represent these supporters.”

Bird spent her entire professional basketball career with the Seattle club, where she helped lead the Storm to four WNBA championships. After the final game in 2021, the same supporters who chanted “One more year!” now greeted her with “Thank you, Sue!”

When questioned about what she would like to leave behind, Bird stated she wants the Storm to keep winning and playing at the high level they set during her tenure. She hoped the incoming point guard could continue the team’s winning ways and sustain its championship status for the sake of the fans.

At first, Bird followed her colleagues off the court, but then she changed her mind. After the game, she stayed on the floor to be embraced by the Aces’ entire squad and coaching staff. As Bird greeted the fans and made her way to the locker room, the spectators stayed on their feet.

“I genuinely did not wish to leave the court,” Bird said. “At first, I just followed since it seemed that was the direction everyone was heading. Still, I wanted to take a minute before leaving to express my gratitude and take it all in, as this is, after all, a positive development. When I think of what we’ve done, I feel a sense of pride. Yes, I’m disappointed, but I’m also glad that I got to share that moment with the fans and hear them chant in such an enthusiastic way. Even if it may not seem like it from the outside, there is a great deal of joy.”

Bird said it seemed “sort of surreal” to have played her last game in the WNBA. Her teammates, notably Breanna Stewart, still are getting used to the thought of life without Bird on the court. Stewart remarked, “As disappointing as it is that we won’t be able to compete for a title this year, I believe what’s more painful is that we won’t be sharing the court with Sue anymore.

We won’t be able to interact with her in any way before or during games, so she won’t even be present during practices. To have it become a reality so suddenly is really painful.” The entire team, however, wished the legendary Sue Bird all the best in her retirement.

Photo: “Seattle Storm victory rally, Westlake Plaza, Seattle, WA” by djwudi

Ex-Seattle Seahawks Linebacker Shaquem Griffin Has Decided to Retire from the NFL

Published on August 28, 2022

The NFL’s “real inspiration,” veteran Seattle Seahawks linebacker Shaquem Griffin, said he is retiring from the league on Wednesday 25^th August 2020.

Griffin is notably remembered as a player who lost his left hand just at age of four as a result of a congenital ailment and later rose through the ranks to become the first one-handed player in NFL history. He was an inspiration to many and a good example of fighting despite the odds life hands you.

Griffin announced this in a message posted to The Players’ Tribune. “It still seems a bit unbelievable, to be honest.

It’s almost unfathomable that, after everything I’ve gone through, after all the hard work and all the naysayers, I’m hanging it up and moving on from football”, Griffin said.

The Rise of Griffin

The league initially took notice of Griffin when he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.38 seconds at the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, which was the fastest time for any linebacker at the event.

The Seattle Seahawks took the University of Central Florida to commit in the fifth round a year after selecting his brother Shaquill in the third round. After three years and 46 games in the NFL, free agent Griffin was released by the Miami Dolphins.

He went through multiple futile tryouts before telling his agent he was not interested in playing in the NFL unless he could join his brother on the Jacksonville Jaguars.

“Quite a few individuals won’t like that strategy, I know. So many men are out there putting up long hours and making sacrifices in the hopes of landing some kind of break, and I’m holding them back. In other words, I completely understand. But there’s something you have to know about me,” says Griffin.

So, What’s Next for Griffin?

The free agent, who is 27 years old, has said that he is ending his playing career but staying in the league. In fact, he has joined the NFL Legends Community, a league-run initiative where former players assist current and past players adjust to life after football.

Griffin described it as a place where athletes may get advice and assistance in anything they could be going through or attempting to accomplish, including help with community service projects.

“It’s go time for my backup plan. I am aware of the good I am doing for other people. I give talks on believing in oneself and following your passion wherever I go, from high schools and universities to football clubs and businesses around the country.

Many in the business world are eager to hear my insights, but I have much more to learn from them,” he said.

Many well-known names in football history paid tribute to Griffin. In a tweet, the Seattle Seahawks called Griffin: “A genuine motivation for his teammates” while his brother Shaquill proclaimed him a “true legend” online.

And the NFL said, “Shaquem Griffin proved at the 2018 NFL Combine that there are no limits to human potential. Definitely, someone to look up to. Best wishes for your retirement.”

Photo by “Seattle Seahawk signatures” by samantha.levang is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Why Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner is a Good Pick for the Seahawks

Published on April 21, 2022

The Seahawks recently traded Russel Wilson. They now have a top 10 draft pick and the question on fans’ minds is who could be the person to fill that No. 9 position. As we head for the April 28 draft, there are several prospects the Seahawks might consider in the first round but the person to watch out for is cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner.

So who exactly is Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner and why is he a perfect pick for the Seahawks? Well, Gardner is a Detroit native and a 3-star recruit in high school. Notably, Gardner never got scholarship offers from Michigan’s Big Ten schools and never played defensive back in high school. As a senior in high school, he weighed 160 pounds only.

After helping Cincinnati make its first berth in the College Football Playoffs as a junior, Gardner allowed only three receptions (on four targets) for 17 yards versus Alabama. According to Pro Football Focus, he was a first-team All-American in 2021 and never allowed more than 18 passing yards in any game. In 33 career games, he has nine interceptions and 17 pass breakups, with no touchdowns allowed in coverage.

He might be an excellent match for the Seattle Seahawks because a lot of people have compared Gardner to the Seattle Seahawks’ Richard Sherman because of his size, quickness, and confidence. If the Seahawks’ scouts feel the same, Gardner should be the easy choice at No. 9 for the team. Actually, it’s a great matchup.

Gardner embodies everything Pete Carroll looks for in a cornerback—size, length, speed, and, of course, confidence. In a recent tweet, Gardner stated “I’m the greatest draft pick in the league. God knows how modest and confident I am and how much effort I put in to even be able to make that remark, and that’s all that counts. Confidence and cockiness are required for the position I’m in,”

When Russell Wilson retires, Carroll has said that he intends to rebuild the defense to be even more dominating, and acquiring a cornerback with Sherman’s press coverage skillsets would be a wonderful place to start. Additionally, the Seahawks are in need of a new cornerback with the departure of D.J. Reed to the New York Jets in free agency.

No one disputes that Gardner can play as a starter right away as a rookie cornerback. If Gardner is still available at No. 9, the Seahawks should choose him. According to several draft experts, Houston too might choose Gardner in the top three.

However, there are a few reasons why the Seahawks would not want to sign him. When was a Seahawks obvious selection made under John Schneider-Pete Carroll? You could trade down and take a cornerback like Trent McDuffie or Andrew Booth with the first selection if the Seahawks are looking to acquire additional draft capital, which they are known to do. Even though Schneider and Carroll have participated in 12 drafts together, they have never selected a cornerback in the first round of the selection process. They picked Shaquill Griffin, a cornerback, in the third round in 2017. (90th overall). For now, we can only wait to see if the draft will happen.

Credit: “Loudest crowd roar at a sports stadium Seahawks” by Philip Robertson is marked with CC BY 2.0

Jewell Loyd Will Remain with the Seattle Storm

Published on February 3, 2022

According to a source familiar with the Seattle Storm, both Jewell Loyd and Breanna Stewart want to remain in Seattle. Noelle Quinn, the head coach of the Seattle Storm, noted that having Jewell back in the lineup “really enhances our ability to compete for a fifth title.” When combined with her attacking prowess, she proved last season why she’s one of the finest defenders in the league.

Because there has been no official statement on Stewart, the source spoke on the condition of anonymity on Monday night. Stewart has agreed to a one-year contract with the Storm at a maximum salary of $228,094. The WNBA’s shooting guard Sue Bird stated on media platforms that she will return for another season, so she could have another season with her.

Signings began on Tuesday, which was the 1st day on which athletes could formally join clubs. Before Stewart’s injury later in the preseason and her absence from the overtime playoff defeat to Phoenix, the Storm had won the prestigious 2018 and 2020 titles with the same set of players. A modest repair and strengthening of Stewart’s left ankle were performed surgically in October, after suffering an Achilles injury while playing abroad which put her out of the 2019 WNBA season.

Stewart’s deal was initially reported by Yahoo! Sports. Free-agent agreements can’t be completed until Tuesday, according to anonymous sources who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

All-Star Sylvia Fowles officially re-signed with the Minnesota Lynx for her 15th and final WNBA season, making her the most decorated player in league history. Fowles, 36, is entering her 9th season with the Lynx after winning the WNBA Defender of the Year title in 2021 for the 4th time in her career.

“I opted to prolong my career for a variety of reasons”, Fowles said in a statement to the Minnesota Lynx. Our fans were a major factor in my decision to return. It was important for me to give my family and friends a chance to witness me play in my last season. There is no place I’d rather end my playing career than in Minnesota”.

A multi-year deal was negotiated by Connecticut to keep MVP Jonquel Jones. The Connecticut Sun’s head coach and general manager, Curt Miller, expressed his joy at JJ’s choice to come home and finish her career in Connecticut. “Without a question, she’s one of the most talented and dynamic players in the world. We know she’s hungry to become better, and we’re excited to build on her MVP season’s momentum. JJ is a selfless star who is determined to assist Connecticut wins a championship. For the sun, it’s a fantastic day.”

Free agents Tianna Hawkins, as well as Elizabeth Williams, were signed by the Washington Wizards, while Shatori Walker-Kimbrough and Myisha Hines-Allen were re-signed. Re-signing Tiffany Hayes and bringing in Nia Coffey were two of Atlanta’s offseason moves. This season, we will set the mark for the franchise to go ahead since Tiffany is such an important part of the Dream’s history, according to current Atlanta GM Dan Padover.

One of the top two-way players in the WNBA, she has always played with a competitive spirit that has represented Atlanta well on the court.” The Dream family is overjoyed to welcome her back to the team. Liz Cambage, Tina Charles, and Candice Dupree are three more unrestricted agents who have yet to sign.

Photo Credit: “Seattle Storm Victory Rally, Westlake Plaza, Seattle, WA” by djwudi

Seattle Sounders Break the MLS Unbeaten Record and Still Going Strong

Published on July 9, 2021

In the entire MLS history, no team had ever begun the season with an unbeaten record of 13 consecutive games.

That was until last Wednesday on July 7^th, 2021 when Seattle Sounders shattered the record when they trampling Houston Dynamo FC by 2 goals to nil at Lumen Field in their midweek Western Conference match.

The victory meant that Seattle Sounders moved their record to 8 wins, 0 losses, and 5 draws, which is a new unbeaten runs record at the start of an MLS campaign.

Seattle Sounders Top Form on Wednesday

From the start of the game, Seattle Sounders showed no signs of letting go of their winning streak on Wednesday. The night’s goals were scored by Seattle’s Kelyn Rowe and Raul Ruidiaz. Rowe struck Houston Dynamo’s net to earn Seattle their first goal of the match in the 62^nd minute.

It just happened to be his first MLS goal since 2018. It was a perfectly executed goal after Alex Roldan sent an accurate cross that that met Rowe at the right point and the right time to place an easy score.

The second and last goal of the night came from Ruidiaz in the second half of stoppage time. Just like Rowe, Ruidiaz simply sent home a well-executed cross from Brad Smith to confirm Seattle’s 13-match unbeaten record.

So far, Seattle has beaten Houston in the last 8 matches, which is also another record of the longest winning streak against a single opponent. The 13-match unbeaten record means that Seattle has broken the tie held with LA Galaxy for their 1996 and 2010 streak marks as well as Kansas City (2000) and Real Salt Lake (2014) streak marks.

According to Brian Schmetzer, Seattle Sounder’s coach, in the days leading to the game, the team had done its best to focus less on the unbeaten streak and more on simply winning the match.

However, while speaking on a post-game video, the coach, acknowledged the sheer magnitude and significance of the milestone record. He called it an impressive record and couldn’t hold back the fact that the entire team was proud of their accomplishment.

The coach further stated that his goal was for the team to perform well by playing up to their best potential because after all, they have been winning more games than those they lost in previous seasons.

“At some point,” coach Schmetzer admitted, “The streak is going to end but we are glad that it didn’t happen tonight in front of a loud crowd.” It was indeed a great evening for Seattle Sounders fans too.

Going Strong Despite Injuries and Absences

The most remarkable thing about Seattle’s winning streak is their resilience. The team has managed to keep the winning streak going despite the many injuries and absences they have suffered along the way.

For instance, some of the team’s regular players including Nicolas Lodeiro, Cristian Roldan, Will Bruin, Stefan Frei, Shane O’Neill, Nouhou, and Jordy Delem were missing from last Wednesday’s squad.

Seattle’s performance will still be tested in the coming matches especially since Lodeiro and Frei are still nursing long-term injuries and Cristian Roldan is away with the US national team in preparation for the Concacaf Gold Cup. However, Seattle is still in top form and confident of maintaining the winning streak in the next 5 to 10 matches.

Seattle’s Soccer Scoop

Published on September 4, 2018

Seattle Sounders Soccer Team Logo

Seattle’s sports fans are some of the most dedicated and intense sports fanatics for good reason—Seattle’s teams are amazing. Before the NFL takes over the major news and media platforms with all the latest Seahawks news, let’s not forget to give credit to the city of Seattle’s much-deserved soccer teams.

The Seattle Sounders FC, Seattle’s Major League Soccer (MLS) team, are back on the turf to redeem themselves after their 2017 season MLS Cup runner-up title and maintain their 2017 Western Conference Title. With head coach, Brian Schmetzer, the Sounders began their 2018 season with a strong force of 5 wins, 2 losses in preseason friendlies in January and February. The team’s tenacious efforts didn’t quite show through once regular season matches began. Losing their first 3 matches in March, drawing their 4th and finally a win on their 5th in April, marked a rocky start to the regular season. The team began picking up wins at the end of July and have continued their winning streak including their most recent match on August 26th against the Portland Timbers in Portland, Oregon. The Sounder’s long-time forward player, Clint Dempsey, announced a few days after their Portland match of his retirement from Major League Soccer after this season– including retirement from his 5 years playing for the Seattle Sounders and his 16 years playing for the USMNT. The Sounder’s season regular season continues to the end of October with the Heritage Cup against the San Joe Earthquakes.

Stay up to date on the Seattle Sounders FC stats at: https://www.soundersfc.com/

Seattle Reign FC, Seattle’s National Women’s Soccer League team (the top division of women’s soccer in America) and 3-time FIFA Women’s World Cup Champions, has been absolutely crushing their 2018 regular season. Kicking the season off in March with 2 wins against their friendlies, and their 2018 regular season home opener with a win of 2-1, really set the bar for the rest of Reign FC’s matches. Impressively enough, Seattle’s NWSL team has brought 8 wins, 4 losses, and 8 draws to the table under the coaching of Vlatko Andonovski during their 2018 season. Their regular season ends with a math against the Portland Thorns FC on September 7th in Portland. Seattle Reign FC midfielder/forward, Megan Rapinoe, has played for the USWNT since 2006. In the recent USWNT matches during the Tournament of Nations, the qualifying tournament for the 2019 Women’s World Cup, Rapinoe scored the goal keeping our USWNT undefeated in the tournament. Rapinoe was rewarded NWSL Player of the week twice this 2018 season. 2018 Reign FC players to highlight include first year Reign midfielder, Allie Long, who assisted Rapinoe’s goal in the USWNT game. Reign FC has 7 players who play for the US Women’s National Team as well.

For Seattle Reign FC updates and stats visit: https://www.reignfc.com/

Is Colin Kaepernick Coming To Seattle?

Published on May 24, 2017

Colin Kaepernick Seattle

There have been rumors swirling for a while now in the sports world that ex-49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick could potentially coming to Seattle. It was reported this morning that the free agent came to Seattle to meet with the team. Currently, the Seahawks are the only team that has showed any interest in Kaepernick since the 49ers relieved him of his contract this year.

It was reported that besides Kaepernick, the Seahawks are looking at former Denver Broncos, Cleveland Browns and St. Louis Rams backup QB Austin Davis as potential backup quarterbacks for the team.

None of the other teams in the league are pursuing Kaepernick. His abysmal season last year combined with his outspoke nature put him in the media spotlight and not in a good way. His political statements during games put him at odds with the league, his teammates and the media. He was lambasted in the media and that bad press has continued to follow him. Outside of the Seahawks, he has no real opportunities.

The Seahawks are in need of a consistent backup quarterback this upcoming season. The fate of their current backup is up in the air. During the offseason, the Seahawks backup Trevone Boykin has been facing potential legal trouble. Texas authorities filed a motion to potentially revoke Boykin’s probation following his involvement in a crash last month in Dallas plus a December 2015 bar fight in San Antonio. Russell Wilson also had to sit games out due to injuries so the Seahawks are in need of a reliable backup quarterback.

Kaepernick has been training hard since he was let go from the 49ers. His trainer, Josh Hidalgo, says that Kaepernick is training with him like he is preparing for the upcoming season. It seems that Kaepernick is working to get in shape and ready for any team willing to take him.

Mayweather vs Pacquiao The Rematch

Published on May 5, 2015

Mayweather Pacquiao Rematch Fight

It was a record amount of money and that was about it. All hype. The fight itself was played out as expected. Floyd Mayweather went around in circles and played defense mostly. He landed more punches and had a higher percent of them landed. The boxing match ended up going the distance 12 rounds with Mayweather winning by unanimous decision. Mayweather got his guaranteed $100 million after the fight and Pacquiao left with ONLY $80 million. I knew exactly how this fight was going to go down. It was classic Mayweather. The same thing he has been doing for years. Of course a little piece of you wants the little guy to win but in reality the fight was over before it started and Pacquiao was another victim.

Of course it’s setup for a rematch and there have already been talks about it in the media. Pacquiao is claiming a shoulder injury before the fight. Mayweather mentioned that he would be open to a rematch. It would be dramatically less revenue but still a pretty good payday for both parties. Will the rematch actually happen… nobody knows for sure at this point. It took nearly 6 years for this fight to happen! Mayweather is one fight away from being 50-0 so ending a career at an even 50 wins is something to consider.

One thing is true over the history of sports there has been some great sporting agents/managers who represents these athletes. Many of which we probably haven’t ever heard of. People like Bob Arum (Pacquiao promoter), Todd DuBoef (Top Rank promoter), or even Perry Rogers who represented Shaq and movies. Even after retirement, Shaq continues to make a lot of money being a celebrity and product sponsor. Perry Rogers represents a lot of the sport figures actually. Another for boxing is Oscar De La Hoya from Golden Boy Promotions. In recent news Todd DuBoef of Top Rank, co-promoter of the Mayweather vs Pacquiao fight, said he will be going after the 10,000 or so viewers of the PPV fight who may have viewed it illegally online. I guess the tens/hundreds of millions of dollars isn’t enough for him.

I predict a rematch coming very soon. Personally, I think I will stay home and watch it this time. Both fighters are well past their primes. They both are nearly 40 and that is pretty old in the boxing World.

Seahawks Powering Up For Super Bowl XLIX

Published on January 29, 2015

Seattle Seahawks Returning To Super Bowl

The big game is this weekend and I hope you’re as excited as I am. Our Seattle Seahawks will be playing the New England Patriots in Arizona. The build up as been happening all week and will continuing up until the kickoff time at 3:30 pm. The season was a rough start for the Seahawks I will be the first to admit. They struggle with several games and a little piece of me deep down started to question if we were going to make it even to the playoffs. We even had a very challenging game against the Raiders who are considered by many to be the worst team in the entire NFL. We seemed to make improvements after we let go of Percy Harvin to the Jets. The Hawks started to play really well and won just about every game from there. The energy of the team players was high and our injuries were low. Russell was starting to find his grove in both the handoffs and passing routes. The Beast (Lynch) must of started to pound the Skittles because his game dramatically increased as well. He was running through teams and compiling the yards. This brings us to the championship game against the Packers. Many left at halftime in disappointment as the Green Bay Packers continued their assault on the Hawks. Then just when you thought the Hawks maybe getting to far behind they pull of an amazing fake field goal. This set the tone and movement to push the Hawks to winning the game in overtime. With a lot of luck and skill we made it to the Super Bowl again and the Seahawks fans in every bar exploded with excitement. The imaginable comeback game just happened right in front of every ones eyes. I was amazed and so was everyone else. Tears were running down the cheeks of fans as they high fived their neighbor sitting next to them. Talking with fans, it had to be the highlight game of the season. It was another great year for Pete Carroll. He consecutively pushed the Hawks for a repeat season. There is only one thing which could top off this season… and that would winning the Super Bowl on Sunday again.

So how do you get your teenager into sports? First, they often start young and are naturally talented. When they are on the field at school are they obviously a head of the game? Young students that are super talented tend to excel at a very young age. They continue exceling through middle school and often HS and college as well. Talented students often really enjoy sports. They play after school and even in groups in facilities like at the House of Sports complex or even a local sports complex. Their facility is one of the largest in the country for students and adults who want to enhance their skillsets. They are a family facility and one of the owners is Donald Scherer. Cities often have community centers (funded by that particular local city) students can visit to train as well. If you live in the city, the fees are often waived. We have one by our house and they charge just a few dollars per visit. Some sports complexes have pools and gym equipment. These are often included with just the one visit fee and others charge depending on what gym services you use. At the end of the day if your student is highly talented and it’s clearly obvious, the family should certainly push forward with the training. You’ll want to find the sport he/she is the best at and really focus on it long-term. There is a point where you should see him/her excel on some kind of sport and that is the time to scale it up. When it comes to football and maybe even joining the Seahawks – these guys have been playing football their whole lives. Most go through college and get picked up by the leagues then and others come straight out of the High School. Depending on their talent and position, they could be on the Seahawks or another major NFL league in no time.

The Seahawks big game is this Sunday February, 1st 2015 at 3:30 PST. It will be broadcasted on the local channel.

UPDATE: Unfortunately, our Seattle Seahawks lost the big game. They were behind most of the game and came back big in the end only to lose by inches.

Steve Ballmer & Chris Hansen Playing Games With Seattle

Published on June 3, 2014

Seattle Sonics

We’ve heard about Chris Hansen and his goal of getting an NBA team in Seattle. One member of his investor group is Steve Ballmer who is the X-CEO of Microsoft. The plan has simple we come to the people and get their support and with a little help from them we could build a stadium and get a new NBA team. They were adamant that 200 million would be needed in bonds to make this work from the government. It just wouldn’t work out without public support they claimed. I actually supported their motives with a guaranteed payback of the funds they barrow. I believe if it didn’t cost us to much and was going to get paid back in the timely manner it would help the city increase revenue ect. Chris Hanson and his investors seem genuine in their pleas and efforts.

With the recent news of Steve Ballmer buying the Clippers my view has changed. With this new purchase, Steve Ballmer is out of the Chris Hansen investment group now. I’m also very skeptical of the groups motive considering Mr. Steve Ballmer’s wealth and actions. Here is why. First the group obviously has money and doesn’t need the support of the community through taxes or bonds. Chris Hansen played us on this. I believed he was genuine about it but obviously he was just looking to get the best deal out of Seattle unfortunately.

Steven Ballmer paid 2 billion in CASH for the Clippers. First, clearly no public funding was really needed it turns out. Let’s put that in perspective and I think it was said best by Danny Westneat at the Seattle Times, “For the amount Ballmer just paid for the Clippers, he could have built a new Sodo basketball arena all by himself, plus built the Safeco Field baseball stadium, plus built the CenturyLink football stadium and still had more than $600 million left over for buying a team.”

We just got played folks and that is why I no longer support Chris Hansen or his group of investors. I’m out.

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