Seattle Played Baseball and Soccer Over the Weekend, but Not College Football
Seattle offered Mariners baseball games on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, and a Sounders soccer match on Sunday night, all fan-less downtown events at T-Mobile Park and CenturyLink Stadium, of course.
But there were no signs of University of Washington football because of the pandemic. Not one siren. No cascading roars. No traffic jams, cars or boats, to bog down the city, though you've got to love the optimism of Husky defensive tackle Josiah Bronson, who was absent only in body.
Husky Stadium eerily sat empty and quiet over the weekend, save for a couple of curious or nostalgic fans who gathered outside to bemoan or simply acknowledge the absence of the college game.
Nearly half of the 130 FBS teams, which includes the Pac-12 and the Huskies, is shut down basically until further notice.
Michigan was supposed to be in Seattle, providing another intersectional game for the ages, but the Wolverines, who play in the biggest stadium (107,000) in all of college football, remain disbanded, as well.
While the Big Ten, that other idle Power 5 conference, hints at meeting and possibly restoring power to its football season in October or November, the Pac-12 has announced enhanced testing protocols for its athletes but little else.
Contrary to the miffed or impatient fan sounding off on social media, this is not an easy situation to wade through. Arizona shut down its workouts before the weekend because of a COVID spike. So did Tennessee in the SEC.
Still, the hope is that something suddenly happens in the weeks ahead to suggest a football restart before Husky players and fans grow way too restless, such as formal practices, or any kind of progress at all.
New UW head coach Jimmy Lake tantalized everyone during the shutdown announcement that he hoped to have his players practicing in November, with fans socially distanced in the stadium catching a glimpse.
Husky games could resume in January, just about the same time, pandemic-permitting, that much of college football is finishing up.
Meantime, another Saturday is approaching that was supposed to offer the Washington-Sacramento State game at Husky stadium.
It would have been a blowout, more so since the UW pilfered quarterback Kevin Thomson away from Sac State, but it would have been something to fill an afternoon.
All any self-respecting Husky football player and diehard fan can do now is wait.
A college football solution should be on the way soon for Seattle, especially since pro baseball and soccer games continue to take place.
Shouldn't it?
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