Seth Kolloen

This weekend's Athletes in Action Classic at Hec Edmundson Pavilion would be worth checking out even if the #14-ranked Huskies weren't playing.

All four teams competing won 20 games last year. Washington, Portland State and Belmont all made postseason tournaments. Each team will play each other team in a round-robin format, with two games each night on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The three non-Husky teams in Tweet-sized bits:

Wright State's Todd Brown

Wright St. Raiders (Dayton, OH): Slow-tempo WSU return four starters from team that took Horizon League winners Butler down to the wire in league championship game. 6'5" G Todd Brown shot 40% from three. Play Huskies Friday.

Belmont Bruins (Nashville, TN): Fast-tempo team missed NCAA tourney last season for first time in five years. Now they graduate four starters and look to be rebuilding. Young team with 11 frosh or sophomores. Play Huskies Saturday.

Portland St. Vikings (Portland, OR): New coach is Tyler Geving after Ken Bone left for Wazzu. Also gone: top scorer Jeremiah Dominguez. JC transfer Melvin Jones (a Sealth grad) and UW transfer Phil Nelson must pick up the scoring slack. Play Huskies Sunday.

Each of these games should be a good one. Washington/Belmont on Saturday will likely be a blow-out, but could be the most fun game to watch since both teams play at such a fast pace. Wouldn't be surprised to see the Dawgs drop 100 in that game.

I'm most looking forward to Friday night, which should have the two most competitive games. Tickets are $20/27, though you could probably talk a scalper down below that.

Here's the full schedule.

Friday 11/13:
Belmont vs. Portland State, 4:30pm
Washington vs. Wright State, 7pm (TV: FSN)

Saturday, 11/14:
Portland State vs. Wright State, 4:30pm
Washington vs. Belmont, 7pm

Sunday, 11/15:
Belmont vs. Wright State, 4:30pm
Washington vs. Portland St., 7pm (TV: FSN)

Bobby Galer (UW Special Collections)

What with it being Veterans' Day and all (thanks, Dad and Grandpa!) I thought I'd search about for a local sports star who was also a veteran. I'd never heard of Robert "Bobby" Galer until this morning, though I should have: He's a member of the Washington Sports Hall of Fame.

Galer, known as "Goose" in his player days, was a forward on the Washington basketball team from 1933-1935. He was the top offensive threat for a fast-paced team (by that day's standards) which sportswriters dubbed "The Greyhounds." 

In Galer's junior year, the 1934 Dawgs won the Pacific Coast Conference Championship. Galer made All-America as a senior 1935, he's one of only 16 Huskies to do so.

But his more valuable distinction is this: Galer won the Congressional Medal of Honor, this nation's highest military award, for his service as a pilot in World War II.

Galer is one of eight University of Washington alums to have won the Medal of Honor; a on-campus memorial to them was dedicated this morning.

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Here is the citation for the award Galer received in 1943 from President Roosevelt:

 

For conspicuous heroism and courage above and beyond the call of duty as leader of a marine fighter squadron in aerial combat with enemy Japanese forces in the Solomon Islands area. Leading his squadron repeatedly in daring and aggressive raids against Japanese aerial forces, vastly superior in numbers, Maj. Galer availed himself of every favorable attack opportunity, individually shooting down 11 enemy bomber and fighter aircraft over a period of 29 days. Though suffering the extreme physical strain attendant upon protracted fighter operations at an altitude above 25,000 feet, the squadron under his zealous and inspiring leadership shot down a total of 27 Japanese planes. His superb airmanship, his outstanding skill and personal valor reflect great credit upon Maj. Galer's gallant fighting spirit and upon the U.S. Naval Service.

Bobby Galer flew in both WWII and the Korean War. In World War II he was shot down three times, once having to swim for 90 minutes to reach shore. In Korea, he was shot down again and barely survived after his foot caught in a cockpit strap and he couldn't parachute out until he was 150 feet off the ground.

Galer retired from the Marines in 1959, working in real estate and engineering. He died in 2005; here's an excellent obituary in the Seattle Times. 

When last I heard of Will Conroy, he was trying to win a job with the Houston Rockets. Unfortunately, Conroy was the Rockets' final cut. The ever-steady former UW walk-on told a reporter: "At least I’ll get some rest. I haven’t slept the last three days. It’s frustrating, but it’s a done deal, so turn the page."

Will Conroy

The next page in Conroy's career reads right-to-left, as he's signed with the DongGuan New Century Leopards of the Chinese Basketball Association.

The article announcing Conroy's signing on the DongGuan website says this about him (according to Google Translate): "Conroy is a speed type of shooting guard, has a very strong penetration capabilities."

"Strong penetration capabilities." Who's going to argue with that?

Conroy led the NBA's Development League in scoring last year, having turned down more lucrative overseas offers for a chance at an NBA callup. He likely passed up yet more offers this year in his attempt to make Houston's roster. Hopefully he's getting a nice payday in China.

Elsewhere in Asia, former Rainier Beach star C.J. Giles is having a controversial stint in the Philippines. Giles has signed on with the country's national development team, the country hopes to get him naturalized in time to help the country qualify for the 2012 Olympics.

C.J. Giles

Said Giles: "I like these guys...In the NBA, I will just be an ordinary guy sitting on the bench.”

Giles, who was kicked off the team at both Kansas and Oregon State, got in an on-court fight in early October, which ended with the game being suspended.

He left histeam last month to attend to his three-year-old son's medical issues back here in America. Then there was some controversy about whether games against the development team, which is basically Giles and a bunch of college kids, should count in the PBA standings.

Apparently Giles is now back in Manila, looking "reenergized and back to his old self," according to a teammate, and the controversy has been ironed out. The Philippines will compete in an Olympic qualifying tournament in 2011, Giles could be their ticket to the one spot in the 2012 Olympics reserved for an Asian team.

Ken Griffey, Jr., 13-time All-Star, slugger of 630 home runs, former guest star on the Harry and the Hendersons TV show, will return for his 13th season as a Mariner, the Seattle Times' Larry Stone is reporting.

Griffey's return to Seattle last season caused much rejoicing: my own reaction was to cancel evening plans and enjoy celebratory drinks with a longtime friend and Mariners rooter. The Mariners sold 23,000 tickets in two days.

The joy will be more muted this time--I'm not canceling any plans, and I doubt the Mariners will see much of a spike in ticket sales.

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But I still have a smile on my face. If a different regime had brought Griffey back, I might worry that they planned to use him in a role greater than he could handle at this stage in his career.

But I trust Jack Zduriencik and Don Wakamatsu to utilize Griffey appropriately--giving him the odd start as a sometime DH, rolling the dice with him as a pinch hitter when they need a home run (à la Matt Stairs of the Phillies), and letting him play the role of leader, elder statesman, and Ichiro-tickler he filled so well last season.

The Mariners' 2010 season begins on April 5, 144 days from now, in Oakland.

Griffey's Return Would Spike Program Sales

We'll likely know this week if Ken Griffey, Jr., and the Mariners will strike a deal to bring Junior back for his 22nd MLB season, 12th as a Mariner.

Last year, Griffey demanded a multimillion-dollar salary and attendance-based performance incentives to return to Seattle. This year, as if in tune with the rest of us poor saps in this disaster of an economy, Griffey has readjusted his expectations.

In negotiations that will take place over the next few days, Griffey's agent has telegraphed his "bargaining" strategy.

"Whether Junior comes back or not, he certainly has no demands as far as dollars or playing time," Brian Goldberg told the Times' Larry Stone.

In other words, Griffey will show up at M's HQ bearing a "Will work for food" sign.

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Not that he needs the money. Griffey's earned nearly $150 million in his baseball career, and that doesn't count endorsement dollars. He apparently just wants to keep playing for the love of the game.

But do the Mariners want him? For all his clubhouse leadership, and for as much as I personally loved seeing him play, Griffey was one of the worst DHs in the American League.

Far better options exist on the free agent market: Carlos Delgado, Jim Thome, Vladimir Guererro, and Hideki Matsui, all of whom far outperformed Griffey at bat last season.

Or the Mariners may choose to bring back Russell Branyan as their designated hitter and hand first base to young Mike Carp.

Griffey could serve as a pinch-hitter, but most managers like versatility and speed off their bench; Griffey doesn't have either.

Mariner watchers are weighing in on the issue:

MLB.com's Jim Street: "(Griffey) was an absolute joy to be around the entire '09 season and it rubbed off on everyone. That reason alone seems to make it worthwhile bringing him back for at least one more season."

The Times' Larry Stone: "I believe Griffey still has something to offer. He can tickle Ichiro, bring laughter to the clubhouse, hit an occasional bomb and take one more crack at October. Sounds great to me."

USS Mariner's Derek Zumsteg: "The 2010 Mariners need to improve their offense, and they need better hitting from their designated hitters. Griffey doesn’t offer that. And as much as Seattle loves him, well, we love Edgar too, but we wouldn’t bring him back to DH next year."

My take is this: Do it for Ichiro. Griffey's presence took the pressure of being the team's superstar off Ichiro's shoulders, and gave Ichiro a friend in a clubhouse that had turned against him. The hit king responded with his best season since '04.

If Griffey doesn't mind coming back as the 25th man on the roster, and getting only a few at bats a week on the rare occasions that American League teams need a pinch-hitter, the M's won't really lose anything from a strictly statistical perspective. And they certainly gain if Ichiro hits .350 again.

Didn't start out so well--the Seahawks began yesterday's game down 17 points after a fumble, interception, and failed fourth down conversion gave the Lions' three chances in Seahawks' territory.

Then Matt Hasselbeck brought the Hawks back, delivering one of the finest performances ever by a Seahawks quarterback.

Hasselbeck completed 39 passes, breaking his own franchise record. He had a string of 15 completions in a row. He threw balls that led receivers into space. He dumped balls at their feet when they weren't open. It was a masterful, intelligent Sunday of work, made all the more impressive because Hasselbeck is playing with a broken rib.

Said coach Jim Mora of Hasselbeck: "He showed his true leadership to me. He showed everything that he is. I don't know if I have any more respect for any player that I've ever coached than I have for Matt Hasselbeck."

Video!

 

 

After Detroit got their 17-0 lead, Hasselbeck lead the Hawks to scores on six of their next seven drives. The defense helped out with five interceptions of Lions rookie QB Matt Stafford.

And the Seahawks got a win, moving to 3-5 on the year. If--and this is a hypothetical--the Hawks can win at Arizona next week, they'll be just one game back in the division.

Enjoys soft favorites

Monster volleyball game tonight at Hec Ed, as the 19-2 Huskies take on 15-6 Stanford in what's traditionally been the best-attended and most exciting game on the UW home schedule.

Added intensity this year, as the Huskies lead the Cardinal in the Pac-10 standings by just one game.

Stanford beat the Huskies in Palo Alto on October 10, it was UW's first loss of the year.

The Cardinals top player is 6'5" outside hitter Alix Klineman. A two-time All-American raised in Manhattan Beach, CA, Klineman says one of her favorite songs is "Rainbows” by Jack Johnson and G. Love.

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Tickets for tonight's game are $9 if you are fancy and want to sit all close, but you can get general admission tickets for $6. ($4 for kids and seniors).

"Rainbows"

Well i woke up this morning, rainbow filled the sky
Yes I woke up this morning, rainbow filled the sky
That was God tellin' me, Everything's gonna be alright

Well so long, good friends, When will we meet again?
I said so long good friends, When will we meet again?
Well i don't know, i don't know, But I guess I'll see you then...

Well I'm gonna pack my old guitar, Move on down the road,
I'm gonna pack my old guitar, and move on down the road (where you gonna go?)
Where I'll go, I don't know, But I guess I's gots to go

When I woke up this morning, a rainbow filled the sky
When I woke up this morning, a rainbow filled the sky,
Well that was God tellin me, Everything...Everything is gonna be alright....

The Huskies' exhibition win over Central Washington wasn't televised, so all I'd heard was rumors of some amazing Clarence Trent dunk. Turns out UW's video crew captured it. Here it is. Yowza.

Trent, a freshman who started his high school career at Gig Harbor and finished at Nevada basketball farm Findlay Prep, may not even see much playing time for the Huskies this year. Lorenzo Romar has compiled a wealth of talent.

 

 

H/T: Percy Allen's indispensable Husky Men's Basketball Blog.

Garrison Carr, the sweet-shooting Issaquah grad who engineered perhaps the greatest upset in state hoops history, will get a longshot chance at playing professionally in the U.S. He was a seventh-round pick in yesterday's NBA D (for "Development")-League draft.

As a senior at Issaquah, Carr helmed his Eagles to a win over a high school team with two future NBA lottery picks, Spencer Hawes and Martell Webster.

You'd think that would be enough to get Carr a scholarship from a West Coast school, but it wasn't. Carr went to American University in Washington D.C., where they underestimated his talents by barely playing him his first two seasons. His junior and senior years, Carr led American to the school's first two NCAA tourney berths. He became the Patriot League's all-time three-point shooter, and had #15-seed American tied with #2-seed Tennessee in the second half of an NCAA tourney game.

Carr has been underestimated his whole career, a theme his high school coach Jeff Patrick struck time and again when I interviewed him for a piece on Carr in the P-I, which remains one of my favorite things I've written. Talking about how San Diego St. coach Steve Fisher passed on Carr, Patrick said: "I think it was a psychological thing. We'd meet and he'd look over at Garrison, 5-9, wearing glasses. He just couldn't pull the trigger."

The D-League Albuquerque Thunderbirds, who are affiliated with the NBA's Dallas and New Orleans franchises, did pull the trigger. Carr will get to show off his shot with hopes of making Albuquerque's roster. Opening day for Albuquerque is November 27.

Other players with local ties who were picked:

Ira Brown, a forward for Gonzaga, was a fourth-round pick of the Austin Toros.

Rashaad Powell, a Renton High grad, was a seventh-round pick of the Dakota Wizards. 

Other local ballers who were eligible for the D-League draft included Lodrick Stewart, Ryan Diggs, Nick Moore and Giovanne Woods. None of them were picked.

Peyton Siva

Franklin grad Peyton Siva didn't take long to make an impression at his new school, Louisville. Last night, in the Cardinals' exhibition win over Bellarmine, Siva displayed the otherworldly hops we Metro League fans enjoyed these last four years, claiming two of ESPN's top ten plays. Watch here.

The first, #6, comes when the 6'-0" Siva flies above the rim to block a shot attempt. He also claims #2 with a putback reverse dunk.

"Those were two of the more spectacular plays I've seen," said coach Rick Pitino. "Not too many six-foot guys do that," he said, adding (to laughter), "I did it a few times...."

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Another stellar member of Washington's hoops Class of '09 made his debut last night: Former Bellarmine Prep guard Abdul Gaddy came off the bench in  Washington's exhibition win over Central Washington.

Gaddy's debut was not as explosive. On the bright side, he displayed his playmaking skills by contributing six assists in just 24 minutes. But he also committed 4 fouls, turned the ball over three times, and missed all three of his shots.

Gaddy told the Times' Percy Allen afterward that he had a little trouble adjusting to the speed of the college game.

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Mychal Ladd

And though he's not a freshman, Rainier Beach grad Mychal Ladd deserves special notice for his exhibition performance last night: Ladd scored 17 points in the first six minutes of Fresno State's exhibition win over Fresno Pacific.

The game's play-by-play shows a virtual Ladd takeover, he had four three-pointers in a 3:21 span.

Ladd, who was MVP of the 3A state tournament when Beach won it his senior year, appears to have secured a starting spot for the scary athletic Bulldogs.

Another top Washington recruit, Avery Bradley of Bellarmine Prep (though he played his senior season at a basketball farm in Nevada), is getting some serious hype before even playing a game. Gary Parrish of CBSSportsline named Bradley the #2 wing in the country. (Not among freshman, among everyone).

Wrote Parrish: "Bradley isn't going to have the statistics to justify this ranking, but I don't care. What I like is that he'll be an important part of a Final Four-caliber team--a lockdown defender and need-a-basket scorer who understands his role and knows how to blend with upperclassmen. Simply put, he's the perfect newcomer for this experienced Texas team. I won't be surprised if he's the reason the Longhorns win a national title."

Aaron Dotson of Rainier Beach (though he started his career at Garfield) is once again dealing with injury issues as he tries to carve out playing time at LSU (under head coach Trent Johnson, another Franklin grad). Dotson was held out of practice this week with a knee injury that's starting to affect his back.

Hooray to all the 206 (and 253)ers!