"ichiro! wonders who will play right field tomorrow," by Seattlest Flickr contributor edgardiazrocks We knew that the Boys of SoDo had lost their mojo this summer. But we didn't realize how bad things really were at Safeco, especially concerning everyone's favorite nihonjin. Sure, we had heard the rumblings: Only wants to play certain positions. Stays in a different hotel on road trips. Demands separate planes. Pretends not to speak English. (It all reminds us of......

Safeco_1999 by Seattlest Flickr Photographer sonoazure. To us, a stadium. To Microsoft, a conference room. Rainier Valley Post warns: beware the Microsofties on I-90 today! The Microsoft annual meeting will be 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at Safeco Field today, and I-90 is sure to be a clusterfuck.Flu season is just around the corner and the B-Town Blog has a comprehensive list of south Sound sites for flu shots.Lights & Sirens reports on the oldest homicide suspect......

COME ON AND SAFARI WITH ME: Seattlest's first concert of note was the Beach Boys at the Brevard County Fair in Central Florida. We walked into a trash can, and somehow that's the part of the night we most remember. John Stamos was there playing the bongos. Otherwise, we couldn't really tell you much about the show. That was 20 years ago. So, we have to kind of Salute the Boys (sans Brian Wilson) for......

IN A WU TANG WAY: Not being of the hip-hop persuasion ourselves, Seattlest asked our resident hip-hop guru Katelyn how relevant it may be to people that Gza of Wu Tang Clan fame is playing at Neumo's tonight. She basically said it was relevant "in a Wu Tang way." We don't know what that means, but if you do, then Neumo's is your place to be. 8 p.m. doors // Neumo's // $20 YOUR BRAIN......

Many have sought to find the reason for the demise of our beloved boys of SoDo. Was it the demolition of the Kingdome? Letting A-Rod, The Unit, or Junior leave for peanuts? Well, one intrepid writer pins the Mariners fall on the "Rally Fries." Actually, we think it was letting Carlos Guillen go, after he literally gave a lung to this team. But, it could be the fried potato sticks.......

The Mariners cut Jose Vidro today, attempting to shed the $8.5 million in payroll as they "look toward 2009". As Dave Andriesen of the P-I puts it: "Vidro, 33, batted .234 in 85 games this season. He made $8.5 million this season, of which his last team, the Washington (N)ationals, paid $2.5 million. He has a vesting option for 2009 that activates at 600 plate appearances, which he will not reach, triggering a $500,000 buyout."......

As the MLB trade deadline passed this afternoon, Seattlest was warmed by the cozy, reassuring feeling we get this time of year when the Mariners steadfastly refuse to buckle under pressure (logic?) and break up our boys of summer via trade. Doing nothing trade-wise has become a summertime tradition here dating back to the "Stand Pat" era of Pat Gillick right on through to today. (Sorry, Arthur Rhodes for a case of Vanilla Ice CDs......

Gorgeous Mariners photo courtesy of Seattlest Flickr contributor Kyle Johnson When you think about it, a Major League ballgame must be a nightmare for folks who are super allergic to peanuts. Peanut allergies can be some of the most severe, where simply coming into contact with the shells can trigger a fatal reaction. Even if you choose not to get a bag, the shells and remnants are everywhere at a ballgame. And, considering the Mariners'......

The cost of fielding a perennially bad team may finally start hitting the Mariners in the bank account next season. The P-I is reporting that the M's will move to KIRO-AM next year in a $5.5 million per year deal for three seasons. This season, at KOMO-AM, the M's are earning $10 million in radio revenue. The huge reduction in radio revenue can be attributed to lower ratings, due to the team's poor performance as......

Our Mariners begin the second half of the 2008 season hoping to avoid the history books. No team in history has lost 100 games in a season while fielding a team with a payroll over $100 million. (For that kind of cash, we could buy TWO hoops teams.) The highlight of the season thus far (as Seattlest David reminds us) is that no one has been run-over by a train outside the stadium. And when......

HAVE SOME FAITH: George Michael wrote songs that informed the sexuality of millions of young girls around the world—songs that went on to become gay anthems, long before he came out. The 25Live Tour promises to be the hottest, funnest, gayest, screamy-est concert Key Arena has seen all year. Wave to this Seattlest who will be sitting in the second row. 8 p.m. // Key Arena, Seattle Center // $49.40-$250 A BIG NIGHT OUT: Columbia......

The way Bonnie Hunt tells it, the movie Dave started as a short film with her in the role of a White House tour guide. Then Kevin Kline dropped by the set, started riffing, and the whole project changed. That's how we feel about Seattlest Alumnest Seth, who took a story about our pre-pubescent missed chance with Janine Turner, and spun it into a very funny piece on the Safeco Field singles scene. it was......

Safeco Field is a family park. Lesbian kissing, "Yankees Suck" shirts, and winning streaks are all frowned upon. Two smooching ladies found out the hard way last week when security asked them to stop kissing after someone complained. The increasingly demoralized Mariners fanbase isn’t exactly killing itself to buy into the Death Spiral that is the seventh straight year without a post-season appearance. Maybe singling out gay fans doesn't seem to be the greatest......

The Euro Cup starts this weekend-- it's just like the World Cup except there is more overt racism, and the fans have free health care. All of the games will be shown at the George and Dragon, Café Presse, and in your living room via the ESPN family of networks. The Kangaroo and Kiwi will open at 11am to show the late morning game live, and then they will show a replay of the early......

There are quite a few things going on for the gays today, this week, and for the next month or so. First of all, there ain't gonna be any Pride on Broadway this year. For the first time since the year of this Seattlest's birth, there will be no Pride on Broadway. After the big gay mess of last year's debacle, the powers that be have opted to just keep it downtown. We dragged......

NOT THE YANKEES: The Mariners, bless their hearts for trying, will take on the Red Sox tonight at Safeco Field. We weren't impressed with the one game we already saw this year, but we're willing to cheer on the home team tonight as they take on that East Coast team that's not the Yankees. 7:10 p.m. // Safeco Field // $7-73 BIG, BIG VOICE: British singer/songwriter Adele will be gracing the stage at the Triple......

"SAFECO Field" by andy lachance Eeriness abounds everywhere in this photo. Got something scarier than our spectacular Mariners? Drop it in our pool.......

Our friend was at Seattle University's Law School Graduation over the weekend and sat next to Larry Flynt. Afterwards, he sent us a photo and asked if this warranted a Seattlest post--well readers, does it?......

Thanks to a Steve Inskeep aside this morning, Seattlest was reminded that "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" turned 100 in 2008. If our short-term memory serves, Mr. NPR said the song was first sung a century ago today. The Mariners open a series against your favorite team to hate tonight, in their soon-to-be-history stadium, so no seventh-inning Safeco Liberty Mutual stretch for local fans. But, hey, have a beer and sing it......

Sports fans around the city are saying goodbye to Shaun Alexander. The former NFL MVP was released by the Seahawks following eight seasons. Now, we may be saying good-bye to Safeco Field. Liberty Mutual’s purchase of Safeco might mean a new name for the city’s baseball stadium. San Francisco’s baseball stadium opened up a few months after Safeco, and was originally named Pac Bell for the phone company Pacific Bell, a few years late......

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Excuse our giant smile, but it's Opening Day!!! The Mariners, behind possible savior Erik Bedard, will get underway this afternoon against Texas. Although the Angels are still the smart pick to win the West, their recent pitching injuries and the M's new rotation have some (including ESPN and the New York Times) picking the Mariners to be spraying champagne on each other come late September. As for predictions by the local writers, Steve Kelley......

Industrial Brooklyn? No! In fact, this old building sits between Safeco Field and Qwest Field on Occidental Street. On game days, it's fronted by dozens of vendors and throngs of fans. Future Seattle Mural by SlightlyNorth from the Seattlest Flickr Pool.......

Along with the million other words being written on this topic, we at Seattlest thought it was a good time to share some of our thinking on the Roads and Transit bill we're going to have the chance to vote on this November. The crux is this: Voters in the greater Puget Sound region are being asked to approve almost $11 billion for a 50-mile expansion of light rail and $7 billion on highways around......

The Mariners announced yesterday that Manager John McLaren and General Manager Bill Bavasi will both be back next year. McLaren took over in mid-season, the team was 40-41 under his guidance. 2008 will be Bavasi's fourth year as Mariners GM. Out in blogland, they've been calling for McLaren's head since the M's went on a 15 of 17 losing jag, one of the biggest collapses by a contending team in baseball history. The main complaint:......

Seriously, a 14-minute commute by bus to downtown Seattle? That’s lucky, you must live in Seattle city limits, you are probably thinking. Well, we would like to inform you that thanks to Seattle’s improved underground roadway and the Eastgate Park & Ride, (which is a place we hold dear to our hearts) you can get from Bellevue to downtown Seattle in 14 minutes or less. We did it this morning and even had enough time......

While you're enjoying an unseasonably sunny summer afternoon, we will be at Safeco Field, showing our undying support for the 2007 Seattle Mariners, authors of one of the greatest collapses in baseball history. We're not fairweather fans, not us. We gallantly display our pride for the local nine, those proud lads who...um...ok, fine, we lucked into a free ticket and didn't have other plans. Anyway, misery loves company, so we've fired up the Seattlest History-O-Matic......

Swear to God we’ve never seen a mascot more pissed off. It was Saturday night and Seattlest had decided to check out the Mariners play the White Sox at Safeco Field. Eventually, the time came where Seattle could no longer resist the temptation of dropping $11 bucks on a bag of peanuts and a MGD, so we got up from our seats and headed down to the nearest food stand. Low and behold, Seattle......

Friday night, waiting to be let in to the center field beer garden because there was a private party going on-- a group of lawyers or something who'd rented the space until game time. We stood patiently at the barricades, listening to the big 'ol tongue-in-ass Griffey ceremony. We couldn't see anything from our vantage except Junior's bright red hat in the distance. Couldn't see the TV to see what was going on because we......

With the nice weather this morning, we were inspired to continue our profiles of summer beers. None of these are overwhelming in the taste category, but a summer beer does not have to be. Alaskan IPA and Alaskan Summer Ale - Alaskan makes some quality brews (God bless their Smoked Porter), and we have really come to enjoy these 2 light drinking beers. Their Summer Ale is a light German style Kolsch beer that is......