Your Seattle Sports Roundup

There's so much that has happened in the Seattle Sports scene in the past few days, I'd be writing like a bunch of different posts that would be just way to time-consuming. So for your own enjoyment, here are the biggest things to happen in or around the Emerald City lately.

1. UW ousts WSU from the Pac-12 Tournament - Still probably won't make the NCAA Tournament themselves. Save for Gonzaga, this college basketball season has been a whole lot of blah. Cue the Huskies fans saying they deserve to be in the field of 68...

2. Sounders are first MLS team to beat a Mexican team in CONCACAF quarterfinals - Seattle could also become the first MLS team to win the CONCACAF Champions Cup if they keep doing what they're doing. Now if this could just translate to success in the MLS postseason.

3. Seahawks sign Percy Harvin, suddenly become the free agent darlings of the league - Because you know it always works when you get a bunch of free agents. Ask the Philadelphia Eagles how that worked out for them when they claimed they had the "Dream Team."

The Sonics have also opened up a season ticket waiting list, even though it isn't even official if the Kings are moving here. But if you really have a hankering for some Sonics stuff, get some gear here.

Macklemore Thrift Shop Parody "Pet Shop"

If you've been hiding under a rock then you probably don't know who Seattle native Macklemore is. Well he has a song called "Thrift Shop" that has taken the Billboard Charts by storm the last few weeks.

(Buy Thrift Shop by Macklemore single here)

Today I heard a great parody called "Pet Shop". It has dogs in it. So it's pretty awesome. Check it out.

Don't Expect the NHL in Seattle Anytime Soon

Remember that league that plays hockey? With the talk of the new downtown arena in Seattle, there was the possibility that  Seattle could also get an NHL team. Much like how the Kings look destined to be relocated, the Emerald City could also swallow up some wayward hockey franchise. It doesn't look like it's going to happen, however, and you can blame the Canadians.

SEATTLE – Snagging the troubled Phoenix Coyotes hockey franchise for Seattle won’t be the empty-net goal some have suggested.

A deal to keep the Coyotes in Glendale, Ariz., fell apart last week when prospective buyer Greg Jamison failed to secure financing in time to meet a Jan. 31 deadline. Jamison has vowed to continue pursuit of the franchise, but is expected to meet considerable opposition from a newly elected Glendale mayor and town council that has already spoken out against the favorable conditions attached to the previous deal.

Seattle would definitely be a top candidate for a relocation of the Coyotes, but as things currently stand, Quebec City appears a more viable destination, given the speedy time frame involved. For one thing, Quebec already served as home to a National Hockey League franchise with the Nordiques from 1979-80 through the 1994-95 season and has broken ground on a $400 million arena.

Let me spell this out to you, Quebec City, which already has a strong NHL base, has already started building a stadium. Sorry Seattle, you're a bit behind in the time table. But lets be honest, did we really want a team that would stop play every four years because of a strike?

How to deal with grief (for Seahawks fans)

The Seahawks lost a heart breaker, and since Americans treat their football teams like a child, many Seattle fans were in a state of shock and sadness after the Falcons knocked them out of the playoffs. Here's a few tips to get past the grief...

1. Stop Drinking - It was fine when you were drinking during the game, or even after it. It's Monday now, however, and I would imagine the boss would be quite angry if he saw you drinking out of your limited edition Shaun Alexander flask. Your name isn't Marshawn Lynch, you can't get away with making poor drinking decisions.

2. Find a way to sell that $200 worth of Seahawks gear you bought this week - Word on the street was that all the Seahawks gear shops were sold out in Seattle. That would seem like "Hey! Seattle has the best fans in the world" but what it really means is "Hey! There were a bunch of bandwagon fans that hopped on at the last second!" so... in order to escape credit card debt, you might want to consider pawned that Lime Green Footsie.

3. Move on to watching the NHL - Wait, this is a joke. The NHL isn't a real thing anymore.

4. Remember you have a young quarterback, awesome defense and Marshawn Lynch - In other words, you will be okay next year.

5. Don't get pissy about the refs - That's really stereotypical of Seahawks fans, so please avoid stereotypes.

6. Remember you have a family that loves you - Even though you haven't seen them on Sundays since August...

7. Get ready for the Mariners' spring training to start - And all those free agents they got in the offseason will be making headlines in no time... oh wait... they got Jason Bay? Crap.

Sounders women draw big

Mix the Sounders brand, most of the US Nationals Women's team and the Pacific Northwest's rapid soccer fan base and you'll get 4,000 people to show up. In yet another example of why Seattle is a soccer mecca, the Sounders Women team got a big crowd in their first EXHIBITION of the season.

Energized fans on this invitingly warm night had to squeeze into whatever space they could find to watch Seattle's USWNT stars — goalkeeper Hope Solo, forwards Alex Morgan and Sydney Leroux, and defender Stephanie Cox — whether it was along a crowded fence or on a grassy hill beside the packed bleachers.

Coach Michelle French called the atmosphere "absolutely incredible."

"I had heard how many people were going to come, but it's like one of those things where you invite people to a party — you never who's going to actually show up," French said. "I think every seat was filled. It exceeded my expectations. The chanting, the way they created an environment just like the men's game was awesome."

The attendance wasn't announced, but was estimated at about 4,000. To put that in perspective, the top-tier Women's Professional Soccer league averaged about 3,500 last season — and this was an exhibition.

Watch out Mariners, your season average attendance might get beaten by the Sounders Women.

How excited are you about the Seattle Seahawks now?

I'm not saying their season is over (It was when they made T-Jack their quarterback), but if you're a Seattle Seahawks fan, you might want to get ready for UW basketball season. Today's 24-0 defeat at the hands of the Pittsburgh Steelers is the second straight week that the Seahawks have looked bad on offense.

They can't run the ball.

T-Jack passed for 159 passing yards. Oh boy.

And no touchdowns.

While the expectations weren't exactly high heading into the season, Seattle just doesn't have anything going. How long before fans start calling for Charlie Whitehurst to start at quarterback?

The Northwest is awesome

For anyone who has never visited Seattle or the Northwest you have no idea how much you are missing.

The area is just amazing.

The Emerald City - A Scenic Short Film
by Joel Edwards

Emerald City - A Scenic Short Film from KMP VIDEO Chicago on Vimeo.

Seattle tops list of most miserable sports cities

Congratulations Seattle! The city is finally number one!

Bummer thing is this isn't a list you want to be number one on.

Seattle has been named the most miserable sports city in America.

Here's what the list was based on.

Where have U.S. sports fans suffered the most misery? Not futility, but the heartbreak that comes from building fans' hopes up only to let them down in the end. Sticking to sports towns with at least 75 cumulative seasons in the NFL, NBA, NHL and Major League Baseball, we rank each by playoff failures (the deeper you lose in the playoffs, the more misery points) and championship droughts.

And here's why Seattle is number one:

Teams: Seahawks, Mariners, Sonics
Championship round record: 1-3
Semifinal round record: 4-7
Total Seasons/championships: 111/1
Last title: 1979

This year's 7-9 Seahawks snagged a bogus home playoff game thanks to a faulty seeding system that rewarded them for winning a weak division, but they promptly lost in Chicago the following week. Meantime, Kevin Durant and the Sonics are in Oklahoma City, and the Mariners, losers of 101 games last year, are still trying to reach a World Series after three trips to the ALCS. We're not counting the one-year run of baseball's Pilots in 1969.

Can you say ouch?

OUCH.

Here's the rest of the top 10.

2. Atlanta
3. Phoenix
4. Buffalo
5. San Diego
6. Houston
7. Kansas City
8. Cleveland
9. Denver
10. Cincinnati

Tyler Hilton Seattle

Last night Linds and I headed into Seattle for the Tyler Hilton, Spill Canvas, New Politics and AM Taxi concert.

Well the main act that we were going to see is Tyler Hilton. You might not recognize him, but he was Elvis on Walk the Line. He also played on One Tree Hill.

The show was awesome. He is amazing live and we even got to meet him afterward. He was very nice and signed the CD Linds had. We also snapped this photo.


Here's the acoustic version of "Sunset Boulevard" off his new EP.

Epic Video: Oyster Urban Adventure Race

Coming to a city near you! The Oyster Urban Adventure Race.

This is the "Ultimate Urban Adventure Race" which combines pure athleticism with thought-provoking strategy and creative tasks.

The race requires athletes and their teams to utilize a variety of disciplines to circumnavigate a number of cities including Seattle and Portland.

Your team will run-bike-paddle-climb- and perform other crazy athletic stuff to race around the city, answering clues and completing tasks. This amped, one-day version of the Amazing Race will have you doing things and in places you never experienced before!

Here, just take a look:



(This is from Just Northwest)

Seattle Bike Expo 2010

This weekend was the Seattle Bike Expo. I headed out there with my dad and saw a lot of vendors, some awesome bikes and some great shows.

They even had a classic bike exhibit featuring tons of bicycles.

Like the "Lemon Peeler":


The highlight of the expo was by far the World Champion artistic cyclists from Germany. They were Corrina Hein, Stefan Musu and Lukas Matla.

Here's a picture of Corrina performing a stunt:

And since I realize that pictures don't do their performance justice, here's a video from the event that I found over on BikingBis.

Prepare to pick your jaw up from the floor. I'm just warning you.



(This is from Just Northwest)

Sounders FC gameday

The Seattle Sounders FC take on the Portland Timbers tonight for the Community Shield.

Here's a preview from the Sounders FC site:

I-5 Colonnade Mountain Bike Park

The Northern Rangers headed out to the I-5 Colonnade Mountain Bike Park in Seattle, Washington. Here's a short preview of the area:



(This is from Just Northwest)

Radical Reels Tour

If you're into outdoor videos then you've heard of the Banff Mountain Film Festival.

I just found out today that the Radical Reels Tour will be coming to Washington in March.

Faster, Steeper, Higher, Deeper. Radical Reels complements the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour & focuses on dynamic, high-adrenalin films featuring sports such as skiing, climbing, kayaking, BASE jumping & mountain biking.

Here are the dates, times and info about local showings:

Thursday, March 11 at 7 pm
Mountaineers Program Center - 7700 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle
Tickets: $10 Mountaineers members, $15 general. Available at The Mountaineers or by calling 206-521-6001.

Friday, March 12 at 7:30 pm
Capitol Theater, 206 E. 5th Ave., Downtown Olympia
Tickets: $12 general, $2 off for Mountaineers members. Available through the Alpine Experience and Olympic Outfitters, or at the door.

I also found the trailer online. Pretty sweet.



(This is from Just Northwest)

Kasey Kahne store closing

For those of you who don't know, I follow NASCAR for the simple reason of one driver, Kasey Kahne.

Brandon also follows him, but for different reasons. (He thinks Kasey is dreamy)

I on the other hand follow him because he is a local guy. He's from Enumclaw, Washington. I grew up in the neighbor town of Buckley.

Therefore, you have to root for the local guy.

Well, I saw in the Enumclaw-Bonney Lake Courier Herald that the Kasey Kahne store in Enumclaw will be closing.

And Kahne will be there tomorrow to thank the fans for the years of support. Now he's not retiring or anything like that, instead I have a serious feeling he'll be parting ways with the number 9 next season.

From the article:

Due to transitions with the race team, the store is closing at its current location. Decisions about the future will not be made until the 2011 race season. The store will close at 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 27. The online store will remain in business.

Now I've thought this for a few seasons. All of the turmoil and changes on Kahne's team over the years with new owners and now switching from Dodge to Ford. Kahne's current contract runs out at the end of this season, and I personally see Stewart-Haas Racing adding a third car next season and inviting Kahne to be the driver.

I guess only time will tell where Kahne ends up.

Year Two: We made it longer than Ryan Leaf in the NFL

This week marks the two year anniversary of Just South of North.

That's right ladies and gentlemen! We've made it TWO YEARS!!!

And the Las Vegas Betting Commission has us at 30:1 odds to make it through the year. We sure showed them!

Wonder what they'll have for us to make to year three?

Last year we showed you some major events that happened during our first year, 2008. So, again thanks to Wikipedia (aka the way Brandon made it through college) here are some of the big sporting events from 2009.

But before I show those, I must say, that 2010 is going to be the biggest year yet for JustSON. In 2009 we had 1,875 post of awesomeness. But 2010 has already shown the start of more posts, better content, funnier stuff, great videos and the outdoor exclusive spinoff of JustSON, Just Northwest. Here's to another great year!

Major sporting events from JustSON Year Two:

• The Spokane Shock win the final AF2 championship before the league shuts down.
  
  
• Seattle introduced the world to the Seattle Sounders FC. And the Northern Rangers were there shooting another awesome video.
  
  
• New York City opens two new ballparks, The New Yankee Stadium for the New York YankeesCiti Field for the New York Mets.
  
  
• The Detroit Lions defeat the Washington Redskins to end a 19-game losing streak dating back to December, 2007.
  
  
• NCAA Men's Tournament — North Carolina defeats Michigan State 89-72 at Ford Field in Detroit. It is North Carolina's fifth national title.
  
  
• 97th Grey Cup game at McMahon Stadium in Calgary – Montreal Alouettes defeat Saskatchewan Roughriders 28-27.
  
  
• Alberto Contador wins the Tour de France.
  
  
• Jimmie Johnson became the first driver ever to win four consecutive Cup Series titles in NASCAR.
  
  
• 2009 World Men's Handball Championship – France defeats Croatia 24-19 in the final
  
  
• Pittsburgh Penguins win the Stanley Cup.
  
  
• Brandon ate a lot of hot dogs. But not enough to beat Joey Chestnut. Chestnut ate an amazing 68 hot dogs in just 10 minutes at the annual Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest.

Seattle bus rules for bikers

If you bike commute to your bus in King County, then you better pay attention.

Beginning February 6, King County Metro Transit will allow bicyclists to load and unload bicycles at any regular bus stop in downtown Seattle’s Ride Free Area at any time of the day.

This will be a one year trial period. Before this, riders were only allowed to load bicycles at certain times of the day. Mainly they weren't allowed to load them during rush hour commutes.

The Cascade Bicycle Club gave these tips for riders to help ensure the success of the program:

• Always alert the bus driver prior to loading or unloading a bike;
• Make sure the driver acknowledges you before stepping in front of a bus;
• Be aware of traffic around you when loading and unloading your bike; and
• Use caution in stepping up and down from high curbs.

With the huge increase of bikers that ride to a certain location, then catch the bus the rest of the way into work, I think this is a great program. We'll see in a year how effective it was.

(This is from Just Northwest)

From our Flickr Group: Seattle at Sunrise

Here's a photo for all you west-side fans of Just South of North. Here Seattle at Sunrise from our flickr group thanks to the photography talent of AsherBlue.

Outdoor Photo of the Week: Seattle winter

Views of the Puget Sound on a cold, crisp, clear winter morning in Seattle, Washington. Photo by Lindsey Barnett/Issaquah, WA.

Click on the photo to make it larger.

Think you've got a great outdoor photo? Want to see it hosted on Just South of North? Send your submissions to justsouthofnorth@gmail.com.

Please include your name, a short caption about the photo (date, location, and what makes it special) and your location.

Check back each Sunday for a new Outdoor Photo of the Week.

Calgary sets epic low temperature

BRRRR amd Seattle though they had it cold at 16 degrees. Canadians are tough..

Calgary has beaten a weather record set more than 100 years ago.

At about 7:00 Monday morning, Calgary dipped to minus 32.4 degrees beating the old record by .2 degrees.

And at least twelve low temperature records have been broken, with the coldest being Sundre coming in at minus 41.6C.

That's prompting calls from the Catholic and public schools to warn parents about letting kids stand outside to wait for the bus. The frigid temperatures also cancelled bus service in the Chinook Edge School District.

The lowest windchill was in Camrose, where the wind makes it feel like minus 50C.

The record low temperature for Calgary is minus 32.2 set in 1893.

Seriously Seattle, don't you feel a little lame now complaining about 16 degrees? Nobody cares... you guys are a bunch of wimps. Go drive your Jetta in a car wash now.