Well Known Walla Walla Merchant Dies

Scotty Cummins,  a Walla  Walla star athlete whose Sporting goods store became a local institution in that town, has passed away at 98.  Cummins grew up in Touchet, a nearby farming community where he starred in baseball and football.  He continued on to Whitman College, where he also played on Coach Borleske's great baseball and football teams. 
After serving in World War II, he started Scotty Cummins Athletic Supply in which he ran until his retirement. The store still bears his name. He was a driving force in driving force in the building of Walla Walla's Borleske Stadium, which was named of his legendary college coach.  Walla Walla's Jim Buchan wrote this column about Cummins, click here

East Coast Sports Columnist Calls Out Carroll

National  sports columnists Norman Chad has angered Seattle Seahawks fans with a surprisingly bitter column on the Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll and the style of play of the team eminating from his leadership.  Beginning the column with praise for quarterback Russell Wilson, the column goes off on a misguided rant of everything related to the team.  The genesis of the column seems to have been a gesture made by Carroll in his early days as an assisted coach, something that could easily have been done by an immature upstart caught in the heat of the moment.

"It was a Jets-at-Dolphins contest on Dec. 20, 1992. After a Tony Martin touchdown catch with 2 minutes 30 seconds to go in the fourth quarter, Dolphins place kicker Pete Stoyanovich missed an extra point that would’ve tied the game, and the TV cameras caught Carroll — then defensive coordinator of the Jets — gleefully putting his hands around his neck in a choke sign"

The article pokes the 'Hawks for drug suspensions, something that the team should address, but then goes down the low road by saying that the "12th Man"  provides drugs for the team.  An unfair swipe at the fans.  He also criticises Carrolls boundless energy, which fans here find a refreshing divergence from 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh's perpetual glare.
His shot at Richard Sherman, the Seahawks cornerback was nastier still.  Sherman is one of sport's great stories with a degree from Stanford,  Chad writes that "he is the only Stanford graduate to ever earn a degree in trash talking"  The column says that Carroll does not deserve Russell Wilson, when it was in fact Coach Carroll that played Wilson when no one else thought it was

Saints Come Marching Into Seattle This Saturday

The Seahawks found out this weekend that their first playoff game will take place against the New Orleans Saints.   The Saints have been one of the most successful NFL teams of the last 5 years, winning the 2010 Super Bowl.  Although the 'Hawks throttled the Saints earlier this season, when it comes to playoff, you can throw previous records out.  The match up will take place this Saturday (January 11th) at 1:35 at Century Link Field.

Rock Music Giant Phil Everly Dies

Rock And Roll Heaven added Phil Everly to it's growing roster last week.  Phil was half of the Everly Brothers who scored hits in the 1960s and were called by Rolling Stone magazine, "the most important  vocal duo in rock",  really saying something from a genre that has seen Simon And Garfunkle and Seals And Crofts.  The duo which was one of many American acts seemingly swept aside by the British invasion of the mid-1960s, was an influence on the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the previously mentioned Simon And Garfunkle.  Their songs included such standards as "Bye Bye Love" and "All I Have To Do Is Dream". 

Boeing Machinists Narrowly Accepts Contract Offer

Boeing Machinists voted to accept a contract offer to allow building the 777X in Washington.  It was perhaps the most polarizing vote in company history.  Many feel the contract ratification was necessary to keep aerospace production jobs in the area and sustain our economy.  Others think that workers gave away hard earned gains to save their own jobs.  

Adam Kline Leaving State Senate

Adam Kline, who has represented the 37th District in the Washington State Senate for 17 years, has announced his upcoming retirement according to the Seattle Times.  The South Seattle Democrat has been an outspoken advocate in the senate and has famously taken on anti tax initiative promoter Tim Eyman and fellow Democrats Gary Locke and Christine Gregoire, both ex governors.  He has also been a supporter of tougher drunk driving laws.  He may be known more recently for a blow up with popular afternoon talk show co-host Don O'Neill.  After being called to talk about an impending bill, O'Neill tried to get into a shouting match with the senator, who simply hung up.  The phone conversation was played frequently during the broadcast,  trying to demonstrate how out of touch government was or something.

Have A Great Year!