How's 'bout a "Random Thoughts" posting?

-- Now that the Lou Piniella Era is officially over for the Mariners, a lot of people are reminiscing. My favorite moment? Easy. Its the Jay Buhner "Hero, Goat, Hero" game, aka Game 3 of the 1995 ALCS against the Indians.

A clearly worn out Randy Johnson started the game, and just wasn't the same after pitching hs ass off in the tiebreaker vs. the Angels, the Game 3 "tide-turner" vs. the Yankees, and his "won't his arm fall off" relief appearance in Game 5. He managed to make it through, I believe, somewhere into the 8th. Buhner was the goat, despite having put the Mariners ahead early with a homer (the hero) a costly, and atypical, error had allowed the Indians to get back into it.

So, when Johnson left the game, the Indians were celebrating as though victory was surely their's, even though the score was tied. Who can blame them, frankly. Well, in 10th inning, Buhner hit a redemption shot (the hero again) to put the Mariners back out front, and Charlton saved it in the bottom of the inning.

The win put the Mariners up 2-1 in the ALCS, which represented the high-water mark for the franchise's first 24 years, essentially. They've never been closer to the World Series, actually. In the 2000 ALCS vs. the Yankees, they won game 1 and lost the next three. In 2001, they dropped the first 2.

-- Is October the most underrated month of the year? Most people around here are feeling too gloomy about the end of another glorious Seattle Summer, and the inevitable deluge coming in the Rainiest Month of the Year, November. Granted, this year it's particularly nice, but I can remember plenty of great October days in the past.

-- After reading the Sports Guy's latest column, I want to reaffirm one simple rule about Vegas. Don't head down there with money burning a hole in your pocket and feeling a desrie to start betting just to bet. That is the attitude that Vegas will chew up and spit out. Unless you have a couple thousand to blow, have a plan, think about what you're doing, show restraint, and don't believe you'll hit a jackpot. Sure, it happens, just often enough to have everyone believe it can happen to them. Everyone has a story about some guy they know, or guy that some guy they know knows, who turned his last $20 into $2000. Fine. But if you expect to survive, you have to understand that it just isn't going to happen to you. If you think that's negative thinking that will keep you from winning, fine, go ahead and lose all your money.

And if you DO hit the jackpot, walk out of that casino with every dime (save for the tips to cocktail waitresses and perhaps the dealer). Avoid the tempation to act like a big shot and blow some of your winnings right there in that hotel, with a fancy dinner or whatnot. You're not fooling anyone. You're still Joe Punchclock, and the casino owners absolutely WANT you to turn around and spend your money right there. They have designed these places to make you feel special to get back as much of your winnings as possible. That is the REAL scam in Vegas. Don't be a sucker!

-- The pole is to the stripper/strip club as the folding metal chair is to the wrestler/wrestling match... and vice-versa

-- Want more damning evidence against the 'Hawks for their Monday Night loss and fall to NFL "loser-dom" at 1-4. They failed to take advantage of "lightning in a bottle."

Let me explain. To me, "lightning in a bottle" in NFL terms is scoring Special Teams and Defensive TD's. It's that simple. They are generally improbable plays that turn games around. Many teams have used these big plays to succeed, but it is worth noting that no team has EVER suceeded in the long haul by "relying" on special teams and defensive scores. I am thinking of last year's New England Patriots (who, I am fond of pointing out, scored three offensive TD's in last years three playoff games to win the Super Bowl, and one of them was a Drew Bledsoe pass against Pittsburgh), the UW Huskies from the previous couple years, and that 'Hawks team from '98 that set an NFL record for INT, fumble, and kick return TD's.

So, when you score an impropable punt return TD like Bobby Engram did Monday night, and fail to take advantage of it and win the game, you have squandered a special gift from the football gods, and it is no damn wonder you are 1-4!