Was last night a turning point for M’s?

• Last night was, more than likely, one of the easy ones for the M’s. The 2-1 loss to the Astros , coming as it did with a two-out, top-of-the-ninth-inning, game-deciding hit (pictured), will be one of those games we look back on and decide was the key to their postseason hopes failing. If they fail. That’s the crucial element here. The future. To quote that famous philosopher, John Connor, there is no fate but what we make. Last night’s heartbreaking defeat could also be backbreaking. Or it could just be another pothole to overcome. Only time will give us that perspective.

• We’re all pretty sure what the first couple losses mean to Washington State’s football season. No perspective needed here. The season is toast. You won’t get an argument about that here. The 0-2 start puts a damper on any postseason talk among the Cougar faithful and, looking at the upcoming schedule, the silence seems appropriate. But there is the little matter of playing the next 10 games. You know, stranger things have happened. There is no reason to get hope up, sure, but there is also no reason to give it up completely either. Let a few more games play out. Why not? What do you have to lose?

• If there is one constant right now, it is the Seahawks. Their fate, it seems, is another deep playoff run. But, as the English say, there is many a slip twixt the cup and the lip. All those shirts you own with stains on the front bear testament to that. Do I think the Seahawks are the next best thing to a playoff lock? Sure. But I also understand football is a mean, tough, physical game, especially the professional variety. There is a lot that can happen before the season ends. For everyone’s sanity, let’s hope there are no major slips.

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• WSU: The Cougars were back at practice again yesterday and Jacob Thorpe was there. That led to this practice report . However, Tuesday is the day to listen to the Pac-12 coaches talk about their teams, which leads to Jacob’s Pac-12 notebook and conference rankings . … Jacob also has his morning post today with links. … One of those links was to this Bud Withers’ blog post on the Nevada game (pictured). I have to say I agree with Withers here. In fact, the week before, watching the Huskies struggle against Hawaii, I had felt the same way about the officials. Turns out it was the same crew. … The WSU volleyball team is off to a great start and the Cougars have a new star in the middle: Chelsey Bettinson. That’s all part of Jim Meehan’s college volleyball notebook . … As we said, the conference football coaches spoke yesterday, so there are Pac-12 notebooks all over the West Coast . And other items from ESPN.com’s Pac-12 blog . … If you have time today, read this piece on former Oregon tight end Brandon Williams, now with the Carolina Panthers. You will be glad you did.

• EWU: Vernon Adams has played some exceptional games in his time at Eastern Washington. But there have been none better than the game he played last Saturday at Washington. Don’t believe me? Then will you believe his coach, Beau Baldwin? Jim Allen has the story .

• Indians: This piece in SportspressNW on former Spokane Indian standout Levi McCormack opens the door on a past oftentimes we overlook.

• Seahawks: The Seahawks played last Thursday. Their opponent this week, the San Diego Chargers , played Monday night . That has to be advantage, right? … It’s a good day to catch up with features, so we offer a handful. There is this one on tackle Andrew McDonald , who has a new contract and a battle on his hands. Then there is this one on Kam Chancellor’s first game . And we can also mix-in a column on middle linebacker Bobby Wagner , who I have always felt is the most underrated guy on defense. And the new cornerback also has a story. … There isn’t a day without roster moves , or so it seems.

• Mariners: Just as Dustin Ackley begins to look as if he’s figured out how to hit major league pitching, he suffers another attack of bone spurs . He’ll be out a while. … Want to know the schedules for each of the teams involved in the wild-card race with the M’s? Here you go . … James Jones has been pretty successful running the bases .

• Sounders: Soccer’s history in the Pacific Northwest isn’t all huge crowds and green scarfs. There were a lot of years there when the sport was hidden in the background at all levels. … With Real Salt Lake coming to Seattle on Friday night, Lamar Neagle will be ready to contribute however needed.

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• Another day, another column. I think back to the 1930s, when science fiction writers were paid by the word. Being that I write a lot of words that many of you probably feel are fiction, even without the science, I wish my pay scale was like that. I might be able to retire. Wait. Until later …