What’s the buzz from the world of sports? Here are some items that will have people talking:
1
From Danny O’Neill, the Seahawks beat reporter for the Seattle Times:
Every team in the league got new duds, but no one else got an overhaul quite like Seattle’s — from the uniform’s design to the two-toned helmet to the renovated logo with a gray stripe behind the bird’s head.
Mock if you must. Compare them to the Nike football flagship that Oregon’s college program has become, or invoke the Arena League or comic-book superheroes for that matter. But no one is going to mistake the Seahawks’ new uniforms for anything out of grandma’s attic.
This is some next-generation stuff for the next generation of players. Unprompted, the Packers’ Jermichael Finley took to Twitter and declared Seattle’s uniforms the best in the league, and that was before safety Kam Chancellor went all “Project Runway” and modeled them.
2
Mariners’ general manager Jack Zduriencik, at a January news conference said: “This is going to be a challenging year at the big-league level for us. Let’s not kid ourselves.”
Some cynical fans immediately suggested that the ballclub adopt that phrase as its 2012 slogan: “Let’s not kid ourselves.”
Instead, the Mariners went with “Get after it,” a favorite exhortation of manager Eric Wedge.
With six last-place finishes in eight seasons, the Mariners always are rebuilding.
Round No. 1 in the Jesus Montero-Michael Pineda trade goes the the Mariners. Pineda will open the season on the disabled list for the New York Yankees. Tests show an inflammation in a shoulder tendon, but no structural damage.
Pineda has fanned 18 in 19 spring innings, but also walked 10 and had a 5.58 ERA. He came to camp 20 pounds overweight and has struggled with his velocity.
And while on the topic of former Mariners, how weak is the Pittsburgh Pirates’ starting rotation? So weak that constantly injured left-hander Erik Bedard will be their opening-day pitcher.
3
Who’s having the best off-season among NFL teams? Well, most pundits are putting the Broncos at the top of the list, having signed Peyton Manning to bring a passing punch to a strong team at most other spots.
Washington is ranked No. 2. They gave up a haul of draft picks to move into position to draft Robert Griffin III, who dazzled the Redskins at his pro day. The Redskins desperately need an electric offensive performer and charming personality to become the face of the franchise.
Buffalo is getting kudos for locking up their starting QB and top wide receiver, plus adding two pass-rushing studs in Mario Williams and Mark Anderson.
Seattle’s moves to sign Matt Flynn at QB and retain Marshawn Lynch get good marks, but what especially gets the Seahawks strokes is the signing of former Tennessee Titan Jason Jones, labeled a “terrific, versatile cog.’’
