What do poet David Wagoner, poet Shannon Borg, executive director of the Richard Hugo House Lyall Bush, and Seattlest co-editor and sports guy Seth Kolloen have in common? Besides the fact that they all live in Seattle, smartass? Yes, they've all been selected for the Stranger's Genius Awards shortlist of literary badasses.

The best local sportswriter you've probably never heard of writes online for Seattlest (www.seattlest.com). There, on a near-daily basis, Seth Kolloen—Seattle native, handsome lad, undeniable sports nut—expounds on the triumphs and follies of our local sports teams.

If you're here we're guessing that you've heard of him and to have heard of him is to love him as we've done in semi-private at Seattlest for almost two years, and now invite the world at large to do. Whether he's got the over-paid bats of the Mariners in his sights on a particular day, or the under-age athletes of a nearby high school he treats every sportsball player to equal portions of ridicule, contempt, irony and awe and if you've been here to see it you know it's been good times.

Few writers in town cover as much with as much passion as Kolloen, and in a perfect world one of our local dailies would snatch him up. Until then, we'll at least be able to read his addictive ravings online.

Oh, what the- Oh, come on. Is anyone else tired of the Stranger's damn predictability? Anytime there's a line of decency laying around on the ground there's the Stranger striding over it, being all, "What? It's an honor, dude." He writes for Seattlest guys, and his contract's locked up tighter than the Detroit Tigers' hold on the World Series so don't even try it.

Which reminds us- Seth's currently in New York, presumably refilling his blazing sarcasm reserves at the tank of crushing defeat, but we hope he's back in time to take his turn at the Genius Awards party.