The University of Washington ended any further speculation about Tyrone Willingham's future as head coach when they announced this afternoon that he will resign at the end of the season.

Willingham is 11-32 in four seasons at UW and the Huskies are 0-7 for only the second in school history. The Dawgs are currently on a nine-game losing streak that stretches back to last season.

Willingham joins another of the city's football coaches in lame duck status: Seahawks head coach Mike Holmgren.

The start of the NBA season is approaching as are the November elections. For Seattle Sonics fans, it's an opportunity to remember who ushered out a 41-year-old civic institution and then vote accordingly.

I've considered myself a democrat for as long as I was able to vote. And I surely do not advocate voting because of a single issue. But when Sonics fans look over their ballots on Nov. 4, the actions, or lack of action, by state democrats and incumbent state legislators last session should be taken into account.

There are only two things to cure a Basketball Jones in Seattle this winter. I could stand out in the cold, in front of a boarded up KeyArena, wearing a Gary Payton throwback jersey and wax nostalgically about the 1996 playoff run to nobody in particular. Or I could adopt another city's team to follow throughout the season.

Option No. 2 has a lower risk of hypothermia and loitering charges, so I think I'll go with that one. The following is a list of the most attractive NBA teams and why they might be a good fit for me and maybe other Seattle pro basketball fans.

There will be a football game on Sunday between the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers. However, few people will be paying attention. They will instead be busy reviewing and dissecting the facial expressions of Seattle head coach Mike Holmgren each time the TV cameras cut away for a reaction shot of the coach.

Viewers will try to determine whether or not he looks like he wants to quit immediately following the game. Or maybe he'll look content to stay and not bolt for a Niners job that's pretty much been offered to him by Bay Area media outlets. With former Niners head coach Mike Nolan now out of the picture, the speculation games begin on who will backfill the position. And Holmgren is always the first one listed because of his close ties to the area and storied history with Niners greats Bill Walsh and Joe Montana.

The Seattle Mariners did on Wednesday what they've had a long history of doing. They hired an old white guy as general manager to join the group of other old white guys in the M's front office.

Not only does the hire of Jack Zduriencik lack imagination, it smacks of picking the flavor of the month. Zduriencik, 57, who was vice president and special assistant to the general manager for player personnel for the Milwaukee Brewers has been credited with building a team that made the playoffs this year. Yippie.

The Mariners should hire Kim Ng as its next general manager. They should do this for no other reason than it is the opposite of what they think they should do.

That's right. Nobody. No love to nobody. Why you ask? Why can't The Mitten find a Seattle Man Crush this week? Let's recap.

The window of opportunity slammed shut on the Seattle Seahawks yesterday. If you were one of the many unfortunates to watch the 44-6 outcome to Giants unfold, it probably felt like your fingers were caught in the window sill when it happened.

Every team has a window of opportunity in which to win a championship. It's a string of seasons where you have the personnel and a little luck to make it happen. The Seahawks' window was still slightly ajar because they play in the NFC West and anything can happen when you get into the playoffs. Just ask Tony Romo.

In their last two games against the Seattle Seahawks, the New York Giants were flagged for 14 false start penalties. The fan-induced deafness helped rattle the Giants into two memorable road losses in Seattle.

In 2005, the Giants committed 11 false start penalties thanks to crowd noise at Qwest Field. Jay Feely missing five field goals didn't help either. In 2006, New York fell behind 42-3 by the end of the third quarter.

For those Giants players who experienced the road losses in 2005 and 2006, they'd like their own fans to reciprocate.

If they're not already there, the Huskies are headed for moral victory territory. This is the place where winning isn't everything. Or anything, really. You do what you can on the field and look for those shiny nuggets of hope.

The worst case scenarios have unfolded. An 0-4 start. Last week's crimpling loss to Stanford. A coach who has a lame duck sign stuck to his back. And most painful, an injury to quarterback Jake Locker that will keep him off the field for at least six weeks.

The Chicago White Sox will square off against the Minnesota Twins today in a one-game playoff. I'm hoping for a White Sox win because having this Chicago club in the playoffs is good for baseball. The entertainment factor for baseball fans, or at least this fan, triples if the White Sox advance. Here are a few reasons why:

If it weren't an NCAA violation, Washington Head Coach Tyrone Willingham should send Jake Locker a fruit basket. Or a gift card. At the very least, send the injured quarterback a hand written note.

But not a get well note - a thank you note. Willingham should thank Locker for saving the coach's job. Just about anyone who cared predicted that a Husky loss against Stanford and an 0-4 start would mean the end of the line for Willingham. If Locker doesn't break his right thumb during the game and the Huskies still lose to Stanford on Saturday - the coach is out of a job on Sunday.

First year Washington Redskins head coach Jim Zorn managed his team to a rare win on the road in Dallas yesterday, a 26-24 victory over a legitimate Super Bowl contending Cowboy team. In four games, the former Seattle Seahawks quarterback and quarterback coach has Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell playing like an elite NFC signal caller. He was 20-31 for 231 yards and two touchdowns yesterday. Campbell is carrying a 102.2 passer rating and has yet to throw an interception this season.

Washington's game against Stanford tonight is a must win. A have-to win. It's not hyperbole to suggest that a loss to Stanford would essentially end the Huskies' season.

According to a source who is considered a fan insider, a mob of enthusiasts had to be physically restrained from "going after" a Mariner team that has lost 101 games thus far. If the Mariners lose their remaining games, they'll be tied for the worst record in franchise history.

"I just can't believe the number of guys who really dislike this team," said one fan insider. "It got to the point early on when I thought they were going to get together and go after them."