Pacific Northwest sports have been in a murky mood as of late. The early 2000’s led to some stellar memories; the 116 win season of the Mariners in 2001 led by then-rookie Ichiro Suzuki, the Seahawks’ 2005 Super Bowl run with Shaun Alexander and Matt Hasselbeck leading the charge, and the Blazers and Sonics getting the first two picks in the 2007 NBA draft, a situation that can only be described as a “what if” scenario for Trail Blazer fans.
Now, the Sonics have traveled to less-green pastures of Oklahoma City with Kevin Durant, the second overall pick that Portland passed on, becoming a perennial Most Valuable Player candidate and an overwhelming dominating scoring presence. The Trail Blazers have seen a young core of players suffer devastating injuries and bad luck. The Seattle Mariners have seen subpar seasons from Ichiro recently, a retirement from Ken Griffey, Jr. and their division rivals becoming yearly contenders with the Texas Rangers and the Los Angeles Angels, who acquired Albert Pujols, the greatest hitter of this generation, (though he’s performing far below these standards this year). The Seattle Seahawks most recently have seen an infusion of youth in their division rivals, most notably the St. Louis Rams and the San Francisco 49ers, making their outlook seem as bleak and gray as the cloudy skies of Pacific Northwest weather.
The truth is, though the present seems disappointing, unsure and questionable, the future is gleaming with talent across the realms of professional sports.
Since Greg Oden’s introduction to Brandon Roy’s conclusion (for now) in the National Basketball Association, the projected dynasty team of the Trail Blazers hasn’t quite panned out. Led by this duo, featuring LaMarcus Aldridge as a third wheel and a slew of younger players surrounding them, the team was predicted to win NBA championships for years to come. After Oden’s catastrophic knee injuries, the team took a minor hit. After Roy’s career-ending knee injury, the entire city was deflated. The acquisitions of Raymond Felton, Gerald Wallace and Jamal Crawford helped soften the blow, yet did nothing to heal the wounds left by Roy’s absence.
In the beginning of 2012, the team blew expectations out of the water. After a 7-2 record, including victories over the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers and the Oklahoma City Thunder, the team was oozing with confidence. Portland was on the rise and the rest of the NBA was terrified of the team the Blazers were able to construct. The team took a nosedive the final 59 games of the shortened season, winning back to back games only twice the rest of the way and ending on a seven game losing streak. Marcus Camby was traded, Nate McMillain was fired, Greg Oden was waived, and the team was sporting a starting lineup including Johnny Flynn, Luke Babbitt, Nicolas Batum, Joel Przybilla and Wesley Matthews, hardly anything resembling the potential juggernaut that only existed on paper from the previous seasons. The Blazers secured two lottery picks for what is likened as the deepest draft since LeBron James’ 2003 draft. With the Brooklyn Nets’ top three protected pick, drafting a scoring threat like Bradley Beal out of Florida is very likely. With the Blazers own pick, a center is a top priority with North Carolina’s Tyler Zeller or Illinois’ Meyers Leonard, if still available, being likely candidates. The team still has an exciting young core, and if the Steve Nash or Deron Williams rumors are true, the team could have another exciting near future. As we’ve learned before, however, teams on paper are far different than those that actually reach the hardwood.
Following the 2001 season that saw an MVP season from Ichiro, sluggers Edgar Martinez, Bret Boone and Mike Cameron flourishing, and a dominant pitching staff led by Freddy Garcia, Jamie Moyer and Joel Piniero, the Seattle Mariners set the American League record for wins and reached the League Championship Series. Since then, the M’s have failed to reach the postseason and have six last place finishes in their division. Albert Pujols has become a mainstay with the Angels organization, signing a 10 year deal in the offseason. The Rangers have a seemingly impossible to contain offense, led by Josh Hamilton and a pitching staff including Japanese ace Yu Darvish. The A’s, with only GM Billy Beane the constant amongst the team, have been playing with a microscopic payroll, yet still find success in prospects and rookies. The Mariners, though it seems far from true, have a solid team. Felix Hernandez is a Cy Young candidate year in and year out. Young players like Dustin Ackley and Jesus Montero have produced as of late, giving the anemic offense glimpses of hope. If Chone Figgins and Justin Smoak can live up to their hype, and a rebound from Ichiro is in the books, a breakout campaign later in the year is not out of the question. Danny Hultzen, out of the University of Virginia, was drafted by the Mariners as the number two overall pick last season. With his brief stint in the minor leagues proving to be successful, he should see time in the majors, solidifying a solid, young and inexperienced starting rotation with potential to dominate even the powerful Texas Rangers lineup for years to come.
The Seattle Seahawks are set for a breakout season with new acquisition Matt Flynn, a solid defense, and a team that has been stockpiling draft picks since its 2005 Super Bowl appearance. The division, save for the San Francisco 49ers, are all in the same position. The St. Louis Rams have Sam Bradford under the helm with a somewhat productive Steven Jackson in the backfield, surrounded by a very young team that will be able to compete with more experience. The Arizona Cardinals have the best receiver in the league in Larry Fitzgerald, but Kevin Kolb was not the answer for the team’s quarterback woes. The Seahawks have a chance to compete in the near future in a division that, for the most part, is in the rebuilding process.
The Northwest has only three professional teams, five if soccer is included. With an incredibly loyal fan base that respects and appreciates competition, the future looks bright while the present seems dim. There have been periods of time like this, where all we have to grasp onto as fans is genuine hope and a positive outlook. We need some tangible success, a season like the breakout 2001 Mariners to give a feeling of importance. We need another Super Bowl run, giving a sense relevance to our “Twelfth Man” worthy cheers and hollers. We need another Trail Blazer team we can stand behind and not worry about injuries, attitudes or managerial mistakes. The Pacific Northwest is home to some of the best fans across the nation. The teams surrounding us are well on their way to joining our ranks as some of the best competitive teams out there.
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