Commentary: Seahawks bye week comes in time for everyone to support deserving Mariners



The best part after today? We now have 14 days to digest what Pete Carroll called a “Championship Drive” and a Seahawks dramatic win.

And the least we can do while we wait – is give the Mariners our full attention and support.

I get it: The M’s lost again today, and fell a game and a half out of the playoff race. It’s demoralizing. It’s frustrating that a team can be this close to their first playoff appearance in 13 years, and they’re seemingly squandering every big opportunity they have.

But it’s time to revisit that “Championship Spirit” we had back in February – and relived earlier today at CenturyLink Field.

Think back to March and April, when the playoffs were seemingly a pipe dream for the Mariners, and it was almost a joke to compare them to their counterparts across the street.

Well six months later, it’s closer to reality than any one of us would have ever dreamed of. And there are only seven games left. Seven games starting tomorrow night in Toronto. And while it might seem like a foreign concept to be interested in local baseball at the end of September, let alone a game played close to 3000 miles away, I encourage everyone to jump on board. Because it’s the least we can do after years of indifference and disappointment.

Remember – tomorrow night, the Royals will complete a game they’re losing by two runs in the tenth inning. So barring a miracle, they’re only a game ahead of the Mariners right now. Plus – take a look at everyone’s last ten games. 4-and-6, 4-and-6… 4-and-6… 5-and-5…. Who really wants it? Anyone? Bueller?

So give these guys a chance. We know it’s a football town right now.

But anyone who attended the Night Court at Safeco Field last Saturday knows what I’m talking about: This can be a baseball town too. We just have to remind everyone because it’s been so long.

And in the end, it’s simply a matter of getting in. Because if the M’s ever decide to score a few runs when Felix Hernandez pitches – and James Paxton for that matter – or any night for that matter – we know they can be a force in any playoff series.

I don’t care how the Mariners do it. I don’t care if Lloyd McClendon does naked jumping jacks in the clubhouse like he admitted to doing to end an eight-game losing streak.

But they’re in it right now. Just one week away.

So the least we can do is watch. Thanks to the Seahawks win today, there’s a championship vibe that continues to permeate this region. So while the Hawks take a 14-day rest, there’s no reason we can’t extend those good vibes the Mariners way too.