Stuff going on

We had company staying with us on the night that I usually write my column last week and I completely forgot to sit at the computer to rattle off a story.

By the time I was reminded the next day, I didn’t have the time to come up with something. Here we are a week later and I’ll be honest there isn’t a lot of exciting things to talk about.

Okay, I could talk about the great World Cup soccer tournament that finished up on Sunday morning but I would be making stuff up. I’m not a soccer fan and I’m sure everyone knows that.

I did think about what the fans from the two teams would yell and scream and holler. Do you think fans from Croatia yell out CRO – A –TIA the way Americans would yell out USA, USA!?

Do the French still yell Viva La France?

I had another commitment Sunday morning so I was unable to sit in front of the tube and cheer for some folks that I have no idea what team colors they were wearing.

It must have been a decent game since it ended in a 4-2 victory for the French. Both teams scored more than most teams did. I heard it was a great tournament and I watched about as much of it as I watched Wimbledon Tennis or will watch the Tour de France.

I really only enjoy watching the sports that I grew up playing and at my advanced age that will continue.

It is Major League Baseball’s All-Star break hosted by the Washington Nationals this week. Bryce Harper of the Nationals won the Home Run Derby competition. The crowd really supported their favorite son.

Harper had on a red, white and blue headband, arm sleeve and stars and stripes bat. It was a real patriotic look. I would really like to see the stars and stripes bat used but I’m sure the Major League brass would frown on it unless it was used on the Fourth of July only, maybe Labor Day as well.

The Mariners were doing really well a couple of weeks ago but stumbled into the break by finishing 2-7. Felix Hernandez and James Paxton are both on the 10 day injured reserve list. These two guys are the one and two pitchers.

The bats have sort of fizzled when they were needed. The Mariners did send four players to the American League All-Star team.

They are: Designated Hitter Nelson Cruz; Outfielder Mitch Haniger and closer Edwin Diaz. Shortstop Jean Segura was the final AL player added to the team on a fan vote. Thank the Seattle Mariners organization and its fans for this addition.

Segura is having a great season at the plate and is playing a solid shortstop so he really should have been on the team in the first place but getting the votes from the fans as the last guy in was a special moment unto its own.

The Mariners are in a situation where they will need to add a consistent starting pitcher somehow. Paxton has pitched well but in years past he has been hurt. King Felix isn’t the steady pitcher that can win a game if you get him three runs.

This season he has had problems getting out of the first inning without giving up 2-4 runs. When the bats have been hot it hasn’t been as much of a problem but when they are silent it makes for a long game.

The Seattle nine is watching the Astros pull away and the Oakland A’s only three games back. They’ve made up a lot of ground and are playing solid baseball.

The Mariners will need to rally coming out of the break and the A’s need to go into a slump. Just saying!

The NBA Summer League has been playing their tournament and watching some of the young players and former Gonzaga Bulldogs has filled up some viewing time for me lately.

The basketball is pretty good since these guys are trying to find a spot on the regular season team and they need to make an impression or else sign on with a team from Europe, Israel or Japan or anywhere else that a pro league plays.

That’s some of the stuff that I’ve been aware of; it’s something anyway.