What Happened to Our Teams?
Duff McKagan, a Seattle-based musician is the former bassist for Guns N' Roses. His current projects include Loaded and Velvet Revolver. His column appears every Thursday on Reverb.
This may well be a crappy article, but I need to vent. I don’t, however, think that I am alone in my disappointment.
Let me start by stating that I do realize that sports teams don’t always win. I was born in the mid-’60s and I didn’t experience sports excitement in Seattle until Slick Watts appeared with the Sonics in 1975. But the overall drought we have had to endure since the Seahawks’ Superbowl appearance is starting to get depressing, and I for one am starting to wander.
OK, Weekly reader, I am sure a lot of you are groaning at this moment. "SPORTS?! Who gives a rat’s ass about stupid SPORTS! We have a recession on and there is an election on and the world’s resources are being burned up and there is global warming!" Well, my argument would be that now more than ever we NEED a winning team. At least the PROSPECT of a winning team. The Sonics are gone (I will get to that in a moment), the Mariners are in shambles, the Hawks are depleted and Holmgren is leaving, and the Huskies’ football program has shrunk to a mere shadow of the dominance and fear that they used to hold the reins of. Sports are one of the things we in Seattle have been able to turn to in recent years. Sports gave us something to help take our minds off world problems. “One in the win column” is like taking an aspirin; it takes the edge off the pain for at least a little while.
In Seattle we have always had the luxury of looking forward to an upcoming season with at least one winning team, even if another had been failing. “C’mon, Huskies!” (or “Hawks!”) was a common war cry when the Mariners were bad in late summer. The Huskies would always be contenders. When the Huskies got bad, we had the Hawks and the Mariners. The Sonics were a town draw and a subject of much pride until the signing of Jim McIlvane started to tear at the fabric of the unstoppable Peyton/Kemp tandem. The team never recovered its full dominance. Never again instilled fear. And then the move….
I’m sorry, that move was utter bullshit. If anyone reading thinks that Seattle didn’t need the Sonics because of ticket costs or new arena bond issues, they should maybe go ask Seattle-area hotels and restaurants what THEY think. And all the people working at the Key and Seattle Center itself. What about the cab drivers and limo companies? There are, I am sure, myriad other losses that haven’t been calculated . . . but this one is for sure: We don’t have an NBA team anymore. This town at one time was one of the most feared places to play in the NBA because Seattle was such a basketball city. It’s pathetic what happened to us, and embarrassing. We all got screwed. I was down at the Key a couple months back to see a concert, and my heart was broken seeing all the banners still up. I saw framed photos of Gus Williams and Fred Brown. Flashes came back to me of the time my dad took me to one of the games in the ’77 championship series. It finally hit me that my team was gone.
I am not a sportswriter and definitely not an expert on all things sports. I am, however, a fan, and I have some general thoughts on what has been happening:
1. The Mariners’ ownership is based in another country and can’t really be bothered with anything other than the bottom line. As long as we fill those seats and keep someone on the team that Japan will buy the TV rights to, the ownership is happy. I ran into Tony LaRussa at one of my gigs last spring and he was dismayed that the Mariners had passed him over a few months earlier.
“They passed you over?!” I exclaimed.
“Yeah, it’s too bad, I would have loved the gig.”
Tony LaRussa had just won a World Series with the Cardinals! We need some good management, and I hope they do the right thing this off-season. If not, I suggest we all boycott. Shit, Sweet Lou left because management wasn’t allowing him to do his thing as he saw fit.
2) Why have the Seahawks already picked a coach for next season? Why did they feel the need to get someone locked in so early? A friend of mine who played in the NFL says that Jim Mora is going to be great for the team. I truly hope he is right (and Mora is a rocker, which is kinda cool!). What if Bill Cowher suddenly wants to coach again, though? I just get confused by a lot of these “front office” decisions.
3) The Huskies. Well, it looks like Willingham will be out. None of the top high-school kids want to come here. We all know they will have to rebuild the whole program. They should find someone who has experience getting a program back on track. As it stands, the Huskies football squad looks like a junior college squad.
4) We have in Seattle probably the best sports radio station in the U.S. The staff is one of the most knowledgeable I have heard (I listen to a lot of sports radio around this country!). These guys should be given a week to try get all our sports programs back on track. What could we lose?
So I have started to root for other teams. I like the Brett Favre story, so I will pull for the Jets. They are winning and that is fun. The Red Sox have been my backup MLB team since the Bill Buckner era (hey, that dude was a solid player). College football? How about Toledo—my wife is from there, so why not? The NBA? I have soured on the NBA and refuse to watch. On second thought, Ray Allen is with the Celtics, and he gave his all for the Sonics.
Hey, wait a minute! I just read that Gary Payton is trying to get an investment group together to try get the Sonics back here by 2011. I am already starting to get my hopes up. Now if we could get Edgar Martinez and Jamie Moyer involved with the Mariners, Sonny Sixkiller and Don James involved with the Huskies, and . . . well, I think the Hawks are still screwed. That’s all right. C’mon, Sonics
31 comment(s)
Kris says:
Here's hoping you get the Sonics back. My condolences, though, to all of you who are becoming intimately aware of what Atlanta sports are like (bad and worse); just don't become the pitiful excuses for fans that we tend to be. Keep the faith. :)
FWIW, I agree with you Duff...sometimes even the smallest wins make a difference; they offer something like hope.
Posted On: Thursday, Oct. 16 2008 @ 5:18AM
Janean says:
You're welcome to be a Cubbie fan! Oh, wait...
Seattle will come back around and I am guessing it will be within the next 100 years (or 101).
Happy Thursday!
Posted On: Thursday, Oct. 16 2008 @ 6:56AM
Mary says:
Duff- great blog!! Sports is definitely worth discussing- I remember watching a documentary on how baseball helped the nation recover post-9/11- so it is very relevant and important in our culture.
I am a Floridian, but was raised on Yankee baseball by two very fanatical fans in my dad and uncle (so I am very pleased with the Tampa Bay-Boston series- haha, even though I do like Francona and Ortiz)...
In Florida we have an array of sports teams and are facing difficult issues with them as well (the Magic for example is a good debate here in Orlando). So I do hope Seattle sorts out the problems and provides the loyal fans with something to cheer for!
I personally jump all over the map with sports teams- Yankees (always supporting Derek Jeter), Giants, Spurs (I can't pull against Tim Duncan), FSU (everyone knows in Florida we are pretty much broken down by UF, Florida and Miami fans), huge fan of tennis (Nadal especially), Tiger Woods, etc.
But sports are definitely a way for people to take a break from the problems they are facing (like the economy or the election) and relax and enjoy something (even if it is only for 3 hours or so).
Interesting blog- I would also like to hear some of your views on other entertaining topics like film or books.
Take care Duff ;-)
Posted On: Thursday, Oct. 16 2008 @ 7:45AM
Lori says:
Sports definitely distract me from daily grind of life. I too will remain a loyal Brett Favre fan this season! Always had a soft spot in my heart for Holmgren and hate to see him go. All I can say is "stay the course" and "serenity now."
Tennis...I ADORE tennis (intense/intellectual)and when Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal loses it just affects my day! Now if I went to Dubai, I have to check out that world famous tennis court. Yes, I love all things associated with Tennis and for the record Duff...I never played Fart Tennis. My coworker is quite eager since I read him your column weekly. Not with me - I fight him every day since I'm a girl.
Final note - good luck getting Jamie Moyer out of Philly. How about getting ARod back?
Posted On: Thursday, Oct. 16 2008 @ 12:08PM
Mary says:
Lori- The Wimbledon final this year was so intense- I was nail biting the entire time until Nadal finally won. Besides Michael Phelps 8 gold in Beijing, I found that tennis final the 2nd best sports moment thus far in 2008 :-)
Posted On: Thursday, Oct. 16 2008 @ 12:22PM
Mel says:
"SPORTS?! Who gives a rat’s ass about stupid SPORTS!"
Yesterday I was discusing with my dad, because he was talking about sports and watching a football match (which Argentina did not win, against Chile), and that was exactly what I was saying to him: "I don't care about Sports. I pay a minimum of atention to it when I want to fight and argue with someone about it. After that, I DON'T GIVE A F*** ABOUT SPORTS.
Sincerely, Mel.
Posted On: Thursday, Oct. 16 2008 @ 1:04PM
Lori says:
Tennis is becoming more and more popular. And I do love that! (if ANYONE wants to watch the best match possibly ever played, it was the men's finals Wimbledon 2008).
Unfortunately it is a sport (a one man sport), and this thread is about getting behind a team. It is a major part of many of us that we do want it to remain stable. Maybe greed is selfishness are beginning to be main ingredients in the variety of topics. Do people stop and think about how their decisions will affect others anymore?
Posted On: Thursday, Oct. 16 2008 @ 3:42PM
Lori says:
Oh and I also must disagree about one thing. Duff, this is not a "crappy article."
Posted On: Thursday, Oct. 16 2008 @ 3:44PM
Gelay says:
Hi Duff. I didnt know you also wrote. Good article.
Posted On: Thursday, Oct. 16 2008 @ 8:09PM
Jiff BEan says:
Yeah dude, hit it again man, I would.
Jiff
www.privacy.de.tc
Posted On: Thursday, Oct. 16 2008 @ 8:32PM
busdrivermike says:
Kudos. I could not agree with you more. I am so sick of the Mariners marketing their players like the do their Nintendo characters. I love Safeco, but hardly ever show up because I feel like they think I am a sucker for buying into their bovine scatology. As for the Seahawks, they should be committed to one thing: winning. The NFL is a violent, gladiator battle, and no one plays hard for a guy with a suitcase in his hand.
I hope you write more about sports in this town. That was a great article.
Posted On: Thursday, Oct. 16 2008 @ 9:17PM
FreeBrain says:
You are right! Very nice article and great ideas , Duff! ... I am from Puerto Rico and an OLD GnR fan!
Sports are needed! They help get cities together! They help morale! I am from Puerto Rico and an the OLD GnR was my favorite band!
Posted On: Thursday, Oct. 16 2008 @ 11:22PM
FreeBrain says:
You are right! Very nice article and great ideas , Duff! ...
Sports are needed! They help get cities together! They help morale! I am from Puerto Rico and an the OLD GnR was my favorite band!
Posted On: Thursday, Oct. 16 2008 @ 11:22PM
Myla S. says:
Duff,
I don't care WHAT you write about... I love your writing! I revel in the fact that you are highly intelligent and how apparent that now is, no longer "overshadowed" by a reputation (deserved or not!) Actually... you are a HUGE hero of mine for your inner strength to get sober after the huge fame you've had, and to continue to make FANTASTIC music in the aftermath of that life.
I know you may never read this but...
Seriously... your music ROCKS, you are one of the best rock musicians EVER, and I love all your solo work, G'N'R, Velvet, Loaded, etc. Makes my day and I listen daily.
thank you so much...
Myla S.
Posted On: Friday, Oct. 17 2008 @ 7:09AM
Ed Whitson says:
Go OKC Potatoes!!!
Posted On: Friday, Oct. 17 2008 @ 7:11AM
duff says:
Yea, that OKC thing makes me just cringe! Potatoes...good one.
Posted On: Friday, Oct. 17 2008 @ 9:52AM
Andrea B says:
I couldn't have said it better myself!! I for one stopped watching the Sonics when they let Nate McMillan's contract lapse. The sale just added to my distaste and eventual “girlcott” I even stopped drinking Starbucks for a while. I too was at a concert (Foo Fighters) and looked up at the banners with a disheartening sigh.
The Huskies have been so bad, I let go of my season tickets. I don’t mean to be a fair weather fan, but there is only so much this woman’s heart can take! I won’t pledge alliance to any other teams, but I have, sad to say, turned the TV off and left a Hawks game or two before the end, so far this year.
Mora should be a good change for the Hawks as long as we can get and STAY healthy.
Either way, Go Hawks! Go Dawgs! RIP Supes…
Regardless, Seattle is still the best place in the world to live.
Posted On: Friday, Oct. 17 2008 @ 10:11AM
Fan says:
Duff, I am a Phillies fan, and am quite happy with Jamie Moyer being with us for now :p
Posted On: Monday, Oct. 20 2008 @ 7:08AM
jp from the uk says:
being from the uk i have no idea wat ur talking about in terms of names etc, but understand the sentiment, . going back to last weeks blog u asked for ideas for topics, u specifically mentioned humour, now im gueesing u must of been witness 2 the odd practical joke over the years, i fink this wud make great reading, also have u ever seen a practical joke that had gone 2 far an bordered on nasty or sheer unthoughtfulness for the consequences,? a friend of mine once overheard another friend arguing with his missus about a girl named lisa who had apparently hit on him, now my friend knew for a fact that there was nothing in this, and proceeded 2 send texts as "lisa" the result was a seperation,.there was a happy ending though as my friend came clean although his story was not at first believed, she accepted it was true when he handed her the sim card he had used 2 send the texts, but it came so close 2 having a very messy ending and also saw my friend recieve a broken nose lol but he didnt mean harm he just never thought of the consequences and all is now forgiven. so how far is 2 far an wat is fair game
Posted On: Monday, Oct. 20 2008 @ 7:56AM
hawk says:
Disregard people who say things like, "Who gives a rat’s ass about stupid SPORTS!" as they are the most in need of sports so they can rally against and tell everyone how they are 'above' sports, intellectually.
They are a relative of another sad breed, which is the people who cannot wait to tell you (again) how they don't even own a TV (primarily so they can tell you just that).
Anyhow, I once worked at a music venue and always loved the pleasant surprise at how many, many artists loved sports. You are definitely not alone.
I'm not a Seattle native, so I cannot empathize (though, as a Detroit Lions fan may know your pain a little too well), but here's to a speedy recovery.
Posted On: Monday, Oct. 20 2008 @ 2:09PM
Felyne says:
I'm sorry babe but you lost me at "sports". And I don't own a TV (just so I can I tell you that I don't). Hey Hawk, wanna be friends?
Posted On: Monday, Oct. 20 2008 @ 10:20PM
gary says:
maybe you'll get the NY Islanders.They would fit in perfectly in Seattle.They have a whacked out owner who once wanted to put a sumo wrestler in goal.
Posted On: Tuesday, Oct. 21 2008 @ 5:53AM
gary says:
maybe you'll get the NY Islanders.They would fit in perfectly in Seattle.They have a whacked out owner who once wanted to put a sumo wrestler in goal.
Posted On: Tuesday, Oct. 21 2008 @ 5:53AM
Julie says:
Hi Duff!
You're more than welcome to cheer for my hockey team, the Montreal Canadiens, if you like hockey at all! We are celebrating our 100th anniversary this year and we got a team that rocks! We're keeping our fingers crossed for our 25th Stanley Cup, which would be the icing on the cake!
Cheers,
Julie
Posted On: Tuesday, Oct. 21 2008 @ 8:44PM
Andrew Hatch says:
I live in Manchester City centre and was pleased with the behaviour of the Celtic fans last night; a breath of fresh air following the wanton destruction the Rangers fans brought with them on UEFA cup final day.
Posted On: Wednesday, Oct. 22 2008 @ 9:13AM
Chris says:
thanks for voicing the things that so many fans have been feeling. hiroshi yamauchi has NEVER been so a mariners game in his life, that's kinda sad that the owner can't bothered to go see his own team play once. he just cares about putting money in his pocket and having a japanese player who'll sell tv rights in japan. he doesn't give a shit about the fans, or building a team that will stay competitive. i sure hope that gary gets an ownership group together, one that can get things done, and brings a team back here. seattle is a great basketball town, and eventually that will overcome david stern's incompetence. keep up the good work
Posted On: Wednesday, Oct. 22 2008 @ 11:24AM
HoundofUlster says:
Sounders, Duff! Sounders. Just wait for Seattle Sounders FC. I'm serious. It's gonna be fun.
Posted On: Wednesday, Oct. 22 2008 @ 11:37AM
ryan says:
hey - that ONE game against the rams, a few weeks ago,..that was sweet!
i like the idea of having kjr fix our sports teams - they are the heart and soul of the pent up anger that's going to fuel one hell of a ride once things get back on track. there's no excuse for what happened to the sonics - and the blatant lack of caring and effort by our fine politicians is a primo example of political impotence.
Duff - you raising the 12th Man flag at all this year at Quest?
I'd also like to nominate Montreal as Seattle's official "Sister City" - we should root them on early and often.
Posted On: Thursday, Oct. 23 2008 @ 12:05PM
ryan says:
hey - that ONE game against the rams, a few weeks ago,..that was sweet!
i like the idea of having kjr fix our sports teams - they are the heart and soul of the pent up anger that's going to fuel one hell of a ride once things get back on track. there's no excuse for what happened to the sonics - and the blatant lack of caring and effort by our fine politicians is a primo example of political impotence.
Duff - you raising the 12th Man flag at all this year at Quest?
I'd also like to nominate Montreal as Seattle's official "Sister City" - we should root them on early and often.
Posted On: Thursday, Oct. 23 2008 @ 12:05PM
Joe says:
Duff,
THANK YOU! Bloody brilliant article. We need more sports fans like you in this town. As a dangerously fanatical supporter myself, I can appreciate both your knowledge and passion for our teams. Sometimes I wonder if our city collectively even cares. You give people like me faith. I'd like to link my page about saving Seattle sports to your article if you don't mind. http://miseryinseattle.blogspot.com/
Really enjoyed the chat session on espn.com as well. You have a knack for this stuff. Keep it up!!!
Thanks! Joe
Posted On: Monday, Oct. 27 2008 @ 11:19AM
Matt says:
Duff. Being a resident of Vancouver, I have always loved taking the 3 hour drive south to Seattle. The city has such a great vibe! Seattle sports fans always seem to support their teams, win or lose, and that's awesome! How about this for an idea...
Seattle needs an NHL hockey team. It's long overdue. There has always been great support for junior hockeys Thunderbirds, why not pro hockey? If they can (barely) sustain a hockey team in Phoenix, it should thrive in the Northwest. I can already see a great I-5 rivalry with Vancouver. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Posted On: Monday, Nov. 3 2008 @ 11:21AM