Take a breath; it isn’t as bad as feared
A GRIP ON SPORTS
In the world of the NFL, seldom are our worst fears realized. Monday was an example of that. Read on.
• The Seattle Seahawks are healthier than expected. Cornerback Byron Maxwell (pictured) doesn't have a high ankle sprain. It's a strained calf. He'll be out a while but not the six weeks or so that was feared Sunday. Left tackle Russell Okung doesn't have a torn labrum as was reported by a Seattle television station yesterday. It's a shoulder sprain and he'll play with it. Bobby Wagner, well, the middle linebacker is suffering from turf toe and his participation is going to be up in the air for a while. Other than Wagner, the injury news Monday was about as good as it could be for the Hawks. But such things are to be expected. The NFL season is a grind. Injuries happen. And they happen all that more often, usually, for defending Super Bowl champions. It's due to the length of last season, the short – and crowded – offseason and the usual wear-and-tear professional football causes players. It's also part of the reason why it is so hard to repeat. The regular season matters, especially to a team like Seattle that usually has such a home-field advantage. Win more than anyone else in the regular season and the playoff games are here. It is easier to win here. But winning this season is going to be harder than last year. It just will be. And the injuries that are piling up won't help.
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• WSU: Though Washington State has a bye this week, the Pac-12 football action rolls on. Jacob Thorpe catches you up with his morning post, but, as usual, we aren't stopping there, gosh darn it. ... Athlon looks back at the first half of the season and toward the second, with some WSU items as part of both. ... Here's another look back at the spanking Stanford delivered last Friday. And, to think, some misguided folks actually thought WSU was going to win. ... Jacob also has another blog post from yesterday concerning a basketball player who committed to the Cougars.
• Gonzaga: In case you are interested, there is a column in the Eugene Register-Guard today about former GU women's coach Kelly Graves.
• Chiefs: Spokane made a trade with Tri-City yesterday for a forward. Remember when those two franchises rarely even talked, let alone traded draft picks and players?
• Preps: Freeman lost to undefeated Colville last week and fell from the top spot of the NWPrepNow power rankings. Though the Indians didn't ascend to the top spot. ... Man, we're already beginning state playoffs in Idaho soccer.
• Seahawks: Pete Carroll talked about all the injuries in his media appearances yesterday, as well as other things. ... Though no one had exceptional grades following the Dallas loss, backup center Steve Schilling, filling in for injured Pro Bowler Max Unger, did grade out well. ... The Hawks have other things to take care of besides injuries if they want to dig out of the third-place hole they find themselves in right now. ... Not all the injury news is bad. There is a cornerback returning.
• Mariners: The offseason news is beginning on a positive note for Seattle.
• Sounders: With two matches left, both with the L.A. Galaxy, all the Sounders need to win the Supporters' Shield and the top seed throughout the playoffs – meaning the MLS title will run through CenturyLink – is two points. Two draws are fine. A win and a draw would work too. A win and a defeat as well. The Sounders just need to split with L.A. ... Though DeAndre Yedlin and Clint Dempsey are playing for the USMNT tonight, they are expected to be available for the first of the two matches this weekend. ... The Sounders still want new turf for next season.
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• That's it for today. Short if not sweet. Until later ...
