Going back in time thanks to a golden voice
A GRIP ON SPORTS
Are there certain things that take you back to childhood? Certain odors or tastes or sights that transport you from this day to one years and years ago? I was able to experience that feeling last night and, yes, it was fun. Read on.
• I played in a fund-raising golf tournament for my high school yesterday – no, our team didn't win anything, not even a raffle prize afterward – at the course where I took my golf lessons as a child. But even hitting a golf ball into the Arroyo Seco, where it was promptly picked up by a guy walking through the dry, cemented creek bed, just like it was 1973 all over again, didn't transport me back in time. Nor did driving around the Rose Bowl. It was what I heard on the radio. The voice of god, as my best friend Kent called it. Vin Scully (pictured) was describing a Dodgers-Giants game. Suddenly, I was seven again and sitting in my closet-sized bedroom in the house up on Grandview, pajamas on and the radio tuned to KFI. Heck, I could almost taste the hot chocolate mom would make on cold nights. (OK, that's not necessarily true; my mom was more likely to be watching Hollywood Squares than be worried if I was comfortable in my little back room, but I guy can fantasize, can't he?) Scully might be older than Methuselah, but he still can bring it. The same catch phrases are there ("He's like the little girl with the curl ..."), still not just thrown in to fill air time, but used to illustrate a point ("... when he's good, he's really good"). The same attention to detail is there ("Kemp waved Puig off but that didn't do any good; Puig's eyes were focused on the ball"). And the same willingness to quietly criticize someone who doesn't play the game correctly ("That's usually the centerfielder's ball"). All the while his soft-spoken tones waft through the speakers, describing the same game he's been describing since the Dodgers were in Brooklyn. I attended my 40th high school reunion last weekend and, when we were high school, Scully had already been calling games for 20 years. The dean of baseball announcers recently announced he'll be back next season, extending a streak of which even Cal Ripken Jr. is jealous. Yes, I know it can't go on forever. The scorebook fills up for everybody. But it sure is nice to get one more opportunity to turn on the radio and be transported back to 1966.
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• WSU: The Cougar players this weekend will be transported back to Salt Lake City. The last time a few of them were there, they didn't create good memories. Jacob Thorpe covers that in this story in today's paper. He also has a look at the Utes and blog posts from yesterday, including video of Mike Leach's press conference as well as quotes from a trio of players and game notes from the WSU sports information department. Today, Jacob has a morning post with links. ... Utah's quarterback, Travis Wilson (pictured), showed once again against Michigan how tough he is. ... The Utes are planning for success. ... ESPN.com's Pac-12 blog has some questions and answers for each of the conference's North schools. ... The conference is off to a strong start this season.
• Preps: It's girls' soccer season in Washington and Jim Allen kicks it off with this feature on the state's best female player. He also has a preview of the season ahead. ... Coeur d'Alene has another week atop the regional rankings.
• Seahawks: It seems awful early, but the Hawks have a bye coming up this week. Which means everyone is off and running for the week of freedom. Except Pete Carroll. He stuck around to meet with the media yesterday, calling the defensive effort on Sunday even better than the Super Bowl. That guy. He always sees the glass as overflowing. ... Carroll also thinks his team is getting wiser and that the bye is coming at a time when it is needed, especially by Kam Chancellor (pictured). ... We have the snap counts and the grades from last Sunday.
• Mariners: Did you know the Mariners' success this season has helped their TV ratings? Well, it has. But I wonder how the collapse of the pitching staff this last week has hurt them? I guess everyone slows down to look at the car wreck, so this crash shouldn't be much different. ... Chris Young is skipping a start. ... By the way, even James Paxton couldn't stop the bleeding as the M's lost to the Blue Jays 14-4. The postseason doesn't look all that close right now.
• Sounders: Tied atop the MLS standings, the Sounders are in Frisco, Texas, for a matchup with Dallas tomorrow. ... Though there is a month left in the regular season, this is the last week Seattle will have two matches in a week. ... Portland is making a determined push to make the playoffs. ... Clint Dempsey and Obafemi Martins wanted to play against New York even though Seattle was down 3-0 when they entered. ... The newest Sounder should be around by the weekend.
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• It doesn't take all that long to miss the Inland Northwest. Though visiting with guys you shared a lot of crud with 40 years ago was fun – really fun – it also isn't home anymore. I'm headed that way today. Can't wait. Until later ...
