Commentary: Hopefully a week of unnecessary worry is over



We start with what I like to call, “The Week of Unnecessary Worry.” And fortunately, it ended today, with a glimmer of hope.

The past few days we’ve seen everything, from fans prematurely jumping off the Mariners bandwagon, to others concerned about the immediate futures of Russell Wilson and Pete Carroll in Seattle.

I only ask the Nervous Nellies to take a deep breath – and look “big picture.”

We’ll start with the Mariners, and in full disclosure, I planned on saying the same thing even if they lost earlier today. Even though I believe fans are completely justified for their impatience, there was also an overreaction based on an incredibly small sample size! I’m not defending their less-than-stellar start. But none of it gave a legitimate reason to jump ship this early – and it’s amazing how many people did.

Maybe they want back on the bandwagon after today’s win. But there was never a reason to get off.

The goal, as always, is a Division Title – and right now, the Mariners are ONE game out of first place; yet, by the reaction of some as recent as this afternoon before their comeback win, you’d think they’d been mathematically eliminated from contention in mid-April!

You know I’ve never been a Mariners apologist. But with only 7.5% of their season complete, that’s like jumping off the Seahawks bandwagon if they lost their season opener! Tell me that they’re different organizations, and after what we saw today, I don’t need to tell you that the potential and firepower of this Mariners team is still head-and-shoulders better than the ones that disappointed us in the past.

Meanwhile, although I’m excited to watch Bryant Gumbel’s interview with Russell Wilson this Tuesday, HBO’s promotion of it has people unnecessarily worried about everything from him playing baseball, to an overwhelming fear that he won’t sign a contract extension with the Hawks this offseason.

It shouldn’t bear repeating, but I’ll do it anyway: Extension or not, Russell Wilson is still a Seahawk under contract next season, odds are still good that he’ll be here past this season, he’s NOT playing baseball right now, and really, so what if he does?

It’s an unnecessary stress at this point to worry about anything aside from Wilson doing his job this Fall, and hopefully leading the Hawks to a third straight Super Bowl. Does anyone really think that Mr. Focus himself could be distracted by anything – let alone a lack of an extension – once the season begins? We all want him to stay in Seattle, but for us to continue to worry about it right now, to me at least, seems pointless.

Which I can also say for the needless uproar and speculation after a report that Pete Carroll sold his home in Hunt’s Point only a year after buying it.

Why would he do that? I don’t know, and I don’t care. I just know, at this point, he’s still under contract to coach the Hawks for the next two years, and we have no clear indication to the contrary.

So thus ends the “Week of Unnecessary Worry.” Hopefully this week brings less stress.

Then again, maybe the jittery tension is characteristic around here.

And if that’s the case – I blame, not surprisingly, the coffee.