Cougs Come Through Thrash Huskies 87-80

Unlike last week's heartbreaking loss against Arizona, The Washington State Cougars were able to finish the job and beat their arch-rivals, the 18th rank Washington Huskies 87 to 80. Klay Thompson lead the Cougs with 25 points, Reggie Moore added 18 more for the Cougs in what so far has been 2nd year coach Ken Bone's biggest career victory.

Democrats Reorganize At State Level

Dwight Pelz (above-6th from left) was chosen to serve his third term as head of the Washington State Democrats. The State Central Committee met in Olympia as it traditionally does to start out an odd year. Pelz was challenged by Natalie McClendon of Bellingham. Dwight's victory was a landslide, but an election for 8th Congressional District E-Board position was tied and had to be decided by a coin toss.

Not to be outdone, during "good of the order" State Committeeman Azziem (The Dream)Underwood (having just turned 50) entertained the crowd with a song about personal health.

The meeting was held at Oympia's Red Lion.

Turtles Happy Together cartoonized

I first heard this song on "American Bandstand" and loved it ever since. The beauty is in it's simplicity.

Players Will Honor Dave Niehaus

Mariner players will wear this patch on their uniform to honor the late Dave Niehaus. One of the greatest sports broadcasters of all time.
It may not be a stretch to say that every great play in Mariner history has been captured by Niehaus. Although he was not a player, he is to the Mariners what Babe Ruth is to the Yankees.

Braves Pitcher Wins Hutch Award

For the second year in a row I attended the Fred Hutchinson Award luncheon. The award (also known as The Hutch Award) is named for the Seattle native whose Major League managing career was cut short by cancer. Fred's brother, the late Bill Hutchinson, was a renowned cancer surgeon. The legacy of the brothers is the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

This year's winner was Atlanta Braves pitching great Tim Hudson (top picture). The featured speaker was Hall of Fame Second Baseman and Baseball TV analyst Joe Morgan (lower picture).

Rick Riccz and Mike Gastineau were MCs. Also in attendance were former Mariner pitcher Jamie Moyer and the Auburn team that went to the Little League World Series last season.

Jim Baum Will Chair 5th District Democrats

Maple Valley Farmer and building inspector Jim Baum can add another title to his resume, the chair of the 5th District Democrats. The 5th is a sprawling legislative district covering the cities of Sammamish, Issaquah, Renton, Maple Valley, Fall City, Preston, North Bend and points in between. Baum became something of a celebrity last year for organizing the Seattle version of Jon Stewart's "Rally To Restore Sanity".
While Baum's selection to the Chair at the January 19th re-org meeting was by acclamation, there were some vigorous challenges to some of the other elected positions. Baum and the other elected officials will serve 2 year terms.

Olbermann Exits MSNBC

Keith Olbermann, the erudite, but emotional commentator on MSNBC has left the cable network. Beginning in the wake of the 9/11 attacks when it was uncommon for a television figure to question the Bush administration, Olbermann delivered poignant attacks on the Republican Party. His "Worst Person In The World" segment became something of a "badge of honor" for Right Wing figures. What separated Olbermann from Right-Wing partisans on Fox News and the like is that Democrats were not safe from his rhetorical attacks. Olbermann aired scathing attacks on Hilary Clinton during her campaign against Obama and more recently, the President himself. In style, Olbermann seemed to borrow from classic newsmen Edward R. Murrow and Walter Cronkite with a little of the fictional "Howard Beel" thrown in. He was originally a sports journalist.

Burl Barer Recalls Braiker Radio

Courtesy Runway

Burl Barer writes about a Satellite radio venture that he was involved with here on his blog
The post was not without controversy as Braiker Radio founder Ivan Braiker offered a passion rebuttal.

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center - Stan Barer

I just had to post this. A great speech by Cousin Stan.

Clock Strikes Midnight On Seahawk Cinderella Run

The Seattle Seahawks incredible play off run ended today with a devastating defeat to the Chicago Bears. The final score was 35-24 but it took three fourth quarter touchdown passes by Seahawk quarterback Matt Hasselbeck to make the score look respectable. Ironically, it was the closest defeat that the 'Hawks had all season, according to the final score. In reality though, Seattle was never in it and in fact was at one point down 28-0. Seahawks John Carlson and Marcus Trufant suffered serious injuries in the contest and will spend a night in a Chicago hospital.

The Beatles - Any Time at All (2009 Stereo Remaster)

Back then, you could could pretty much tell the titleof a Beatles song by the first line.

Big Play-Off Match-Up This Sunday

Illness Forces Maureen McCarry Resignation

I was saddened to learn last week that Maureen McCarry resigned from the Issaquah City Council. McCarry has been suffering from ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease).
I had gotten to know McCarry during my time chairing the 5th District Democrats Endorsement Committee. In 2009, we unanamously recommended her enorsement.
McCarry would often come to 5th district meetings to talk about new environment standards and such for Issaquah that the council had passed. She would frequently join us at the Issaquah Brewpub, as she was extremely personable.
The Issaquah City Council reportedly has taken steps to seek an appointment for the open position.

Touching Words From Jon Stewart

Once you get past the silliness, he seems to strike the right chord on last week-end's tragedy.

Political Blogger Joins Different Platform

The Blather Watch blog reports that longtime political commentator David "Goldy" Goldstein is planning to leave ha.org, the blog that he founded,to join the staff at the Seattle area alternative newspaper, The Stranger. Click her for the story.

Marshawn Lynch Touchdown Run Against NO Saints 2011 Playoffs

The Seattle Seahawks have stunned the sports world with a 41-36 victory over the defending Superbowl champion New Orleans Saints. The Seahawks barely qualified for the play-offs with a 7-9 record. No other team in the history of the NFL gone to the post season with a losing record in a non strike year.
I lucky enough to be at the game, played before a full house of wild screaming fans, the highlight was a 64 yard touchdown run (above) by Marshawn Lynch in which he broke 6 tackles. It took place as the teams lead seemed to be slipping.
John Carlson caught two touchdown passes and Mike Williams rake in a td pass to start the 3rd quarter. Matt Hasselbeck threw for 272 yards. The Seahawks will not find out who their next opponent will be until Sunday evening.

Local Auto Icon Dies

During the time that I lived in Walla Walla, I never met William "Biff" Brotherton. Although I didn't know him, it was impossible not to know of him. His father Tex Brotherton had the Dodge dealership in town. They were all over the radio with the slogan "it's as easy as A B C, A Brotherton Car is A Better Car". They knew how to saturate the advertising market. When Biff joined with his dad, he did the radio commercials. He was the new generation.

Biff Brotherton bought the Chevrolet and Cadillac dealership in town and became, I believe the first to move out of the downtown. He called it Sunshine Chevrolet Cadillac. They built a posh sprawling lot out in the Eastgate. After I got my driver's license, I remember car shopping there many times.

About a decade later, he would sell that and move here to the Seattle area.

When I was working in downtown Seattle, his Cadillac dealership was about a block away, I had thought about walking in to talk about Walla Walla and the like. It never happened. Eventually the dealership was relocated in Renton, where they once again used the family name.

The Seattle Times has reported that Biff Brotherton died last Sunday of cancer.

"THE NIGHT BEFORE" - The Beatles (1965)

The Beatles are now on I-Tunes.

Seahawks Are In The Play-offs

After going nearly a calendar month without a victory, the Seahawks won when it counted, defeating the St Louis Rams 16-6. The win got the Seahawks to 7 and 9 enough to when the worst division in league history, the NFC West. Charlie Whitehurst, starting in place of the injured Matt Hasselbeck, completed his first five passes thrown in the game. One of them was a touchdown to Mike Williams. Will Herring got a critical 4th quarter interception stopping the Rams last threat.

The Seahawks host the defending NFL Champion New Orleans Saints this Saturday at 1:30 at Qwest Field.

A Year In Review: Barers Of Maple Vally Look At 2010

I'm sure that you have seen many of these, my plan once again is to look at the past year, in this case 2010 as posted in this blog.

January Seahawks finished the 2009 season with a close loss to the Tennessee Titans, it would be their fourth loss in a row and lead to the removal of their coach Jim Mora.

Barers Of Maple Valley received more hits than it ever received on a single day when announcing that KJR Traffic Reporter Tracy Taylor was leaving radio to report traffic on KING 5 TV.

Original Sonics radio announcer Bob Blackburn passed away.
The Seattle Seahawks hired USC Coach Pete Carroll, who had little success previously in the NFL but had lead the Trojans back to greatness.

A major earthquake hit the impoverished country of Haiti, killing an estimated 230,000 if it's inhabitants and leading to a series of fundraisers and humanitarian efforts.

Felix Hernandez signed a new contract with the Mariners as optimism grew for the 2010 season.

Also a new wine bar opened up in Maple Valley. DaVine is still pouring in the Lake Wilderness shopping area.

February I cannot believe that it has been almost a year since we saw Billy Joel and Elton John in concert together at the Key Arena.

The New Orleans Saints it's their first Super Bowl title while playing in it's first Super Bowl. Representing the recovery from 2005's Hurricane Katrina, the team was able to win the hearts of America.

We took a trip to the Palm Springs area and enjoyed a little break from winter.

March My Alma Matter Walla Walla High School finished fourth in the state boys basketball tournament and a new comprehensive health coverage bill is passed by Congress.

April We participated for the second year in a row in the "Passport To Woodinville" wine tasting festival. The Seattle Seahawks pick Left Tackle Russell Okung from Oklahoma State in the NFL Draft. Cousin Burl Barer was featured in the radio conversation blog Blather Watch.
He may have been the best player to put on a Seattle Seahawks jersey and the greatest Left Tackle of all time. Walter Jones officially retired from professional football.

May By popular demand, 88 year old Betty White hosted SNL. Mariners are sputtering and Ken Griffey, Jr is caught sleeping in the clubhouse during a game. 8th District Congressman Dave Reichert is caught on tape explaining his pro-environment votes are to take only an attempt to weaken his opposition, eventually loses the endorsement of the Seattle Times. She played Mary Anne on Gilligan's Island, Dawn Welles was interviewed on "Outlaw Radio".

June I posted pictures of my Memorial Day Weekend trip to Walla Walla including my old house at 104 Leonard.

Ken Griffey, Jr, arguably the greatest Seattle Mariner to put on the uniform, retired.

Former T-Mobile executive Dean Willard kicks off his campaign for 5th District House of Representatives in the Washington State Legislature.

I attend the Washington State Democratic Convention.

Greatest Men's College Basketball Coach John Wooden died at 99.

July We took a trip to Seaside, Oregon with with stops at Astoria and Cannon Beach, we climbed the Astoria Column.

We flew to Las Vegas as Deb was attending the UPS Store international Convention. We stayed at the Caesar's Palace and I won one hundred dollars playing Blackjack in the swimming pool.

A shooting at Lake Sammamish park threatened to cancel the 5th District Democratic Pic Nic, but Marcie Maxwell, who does not live in the 5th, but we wish she did, stepped up and volunteered her backyard, the picnic was a rolling success.

Cliff Lee, a blue free agent acquisition for the Mariners, was traded to the Texas Rangers, he would lead them to the World Series in the fall.

After winning tickets, I took my nephew Ethan to the practice round of the US Senior Open at Sahalee.

August We watched Bernhard Langer beat Seattle's Freddie Couples in the final round of the US Senior Open.

Mariner manager Don Wakamatsu, who was the toast of the town a season ago, was fired as the team was hopelessly in last place.

Dean Willard was beaten by David Spring and Glenn Anderson in the primary, a race that caused deep division in the district.

We took a Seaplane ride to the San Juan Islands to honor family friend Andy Epstein for his 80th birthday.

We watched Herbie Hancock perform at Zoo Tunes.

Representative Reuven Carlyle hosted Puget Sound area Jewish Democrats at this Queen Anne home.

September Rockaroke at Snoqualmie Casino, entire bar sings happy birthday to Deb's Grandma Lillian, who is celebrating her 91st birthday.

Seahawk season begins with a come from behind win over San Francisco 49ers. Fans start becoming believers in Pete Carroll.

Seattle Storm become the first Seattle professional sports team to win a second championship.

My father's blog is published in hard copy.

Our Dog, Rusty, takes first prize in the "Savvy Senior" competition at a dog festival at the University Village.

October Cousin Stan apears on the front page of the Seattle Times with interim University Of Washington president Phyllis Wise.

Seahawks trade Wide Receiver Deion Branch to New England

Dad and I journey to Walla Walla, where there is a big controversy over a mural hanging over a toy store on Main Street.

Sylvester Cann, who was Dean Willard campaign manager, gets national attention by having Barack Obama autograph is I-pad. It is thought to be the first time in history that a president has sign the devise.

San Francisco Giants win their first World Series since moving to the Bay Area from New York in 1958. Tim Lincecum, who the Mariners skipped in the draft was the ace for the Giants. The Texas Rangers ace was Cliff Lee, acquired at mid season from the M's.

November Heartbreak as Cousin Jan Curran passes away after a decade long battle with Lung Cancer. Jan was an inspiration behind this blog.

The heart and soul of the Seattle Mariners, Dave Niehaus dies suddenly and unexpectedly of a heart attack. The entire area mourns.

My Father-in-law and I watch the New York Giants beat the Seattle Seahawks from a suite in Qwest Field.

We watch Maple Valley native Brandi Carlile perform with the Seattle Symphony.

Deb, Rusty and I make it home by the skin of our teeth after a huge snow storm hits the area. A normally 45 minute drive takes hours, but we are happy to have made it home.

December Legendary Sports broadcasters Ron Santo and Don Mededith pass on

Stormy weather continues to hit the area.

We visit the Winter Wonderland house in Woodinville.

Seattle Seahawks lose three times in a row but remain in contention for the play-offs.

Happy New Year!