Monday Morning QB

Football

The Seahawks did not have a good start to the season yesterday, getting blownout by the Bills 34-10. After Shawn Alexander's spectacular meltdown last year, Seattle fans hoped that a new running game would be the final missing piece to a great team. Instead the tandem attack of Julius Jones and Maurice Morris as running backs were pretty unremarkable. But the real challenge was that the passing game floundered with Hasselbeck only completing 17/41. It was bad enough when 2 of our starting receivers were out with injuries, but last year's touchdown leader and key return man Nate Burleson went out with an injury. That means we will possibly go weeks into the season without a single veteran in the receiving corps (the other wideouts yesterday had only four measly receptions between the three of them). The Hawks continue to have the advantage of playing in the threatless NFC west, but an injured Hasselback leading a rookie group of receivers does not look to be a powerful offense. Let's hope that Burleson, Engram, and Branch have quick recoveries... otherwise this season could be the end of our playoff run.

The biggest surprise from yesterday was the Bears upsetting the Colts. The Bears defense finally showed up to play like their reputation should indicate. Rookie RB Matt Forte played excellent, and while Kyle Orton doesn't razzle-dazzle with his quarterbacking, he's competent enough to convert some third downs and keep the offense on the field. For as bad as the Bears played last year and in the preseason, it will be interesting to see if this spark of great football continues and the Bears can actually contend in the NFC north.

Baseball

One of the few highlights of the Mariners season was this weekend's series against the Yankees. Relief pitcher Brandon Morrow was sent down to AAA to get stretched out to become a starter, and his time there wasn't real inspiring. But at his first major league start on Friday night he pitched a one-hitter through 7 2/3rd innings beating the Yankees. The Mariners took two of three from the Yankees and that all but eliminated New York from the post-season. Not too shabby, but my dream of a Bostonless playoff season seems to have slipped away.

The Cubs have been on an awful slide this week losing 7 of their last 8. Its been a team effort with the offense falling asleep (save for Saturday night's 14 run pounding) and the bullpen giving up a lot of runs (the cracks in the relief pitching I noticed at midseason are starting to show more). Last night Kerry Wood gave up a 2-run lead in the ninth, the night before three relievers gave up 6 runs in two innings. The Cubs still have a four game lead in the NL central. I expect the offense will shake this off and could still produce the best team in baseball, but the unreliability of the bullpen will make any playoff opponent a legitimate threat to the Cubs.

Can you guess who I'm voting for?

Has anyone been watching the conventions? I did, a little. But not much, cause I already know who I'm voting for. I'll give you a couple clues and see if you can guess. Illinois loves him, and he really strikes a chord with the nation's younger voters because, lets face it, he's kind of cool.

Guesses?

That's right, I am proud to say that I'll be voting for Ghettoblaster Lincoln.