Should Mariners brace for sophomore slumps from Julio Rodriguez and George Kirby?
Conventional wisdom would have you believe the Mariners' star rookies will improve, but there are many examples of first-year phenoms who faltered in Year 2.
Columnist
Matt Calkins
Matt Calkins joined The Seattle Times in August 2015 as a sports columnist after three years at the San Diego Union Tribune. Never afraid to take a stand or go off the beaten path, Matt enjoys writing about the human condition every bit as much as walk-offs or buzzer-beaters. His mom reads the comments so take it easy on him.
Real winner of NCAA women’s regional was fans showing up and showing out | Matt Calkins
Nearly 45,000 fans attended the four days of women's basketball at Climate Pledge Arena, further showing that the Emerald City could support a future Final...
Washington women seem ready to jump to next level during this WNIT run | Matt Calkins
Four of the last five winners of the WNIT have turned into players at the NCAA tournament the next year. The Washington women seem poised...
UConn women not Elite this season as historic Final Four streak comes to an end in Seattle | Matt Calkins
The Huskies and their fans simply aren't accustomed to these circumstances, but history took place at Climate Pledge Arena as their Final Four streak ended.
Why Drew Timme may be the best player in Gonzaga men’s basketball history | Matt Calkins
If we're talking about his NCAA tourney impact and the entirety of his career, is Drew Timme the top men's Gonzaga player to come through...
Conference of also-rans? Pac-12’s woes continue with men’s NCAA tourney exits | Matt Calkins
One Pac-12 team, UCLA, remains in the men's NCAA basketball tournament — and the Bruins are headed to the Big Ten in 2024.
UW women are using WNIT to bolster the program for return to Big Dance | Matt Calkins
The Husky women aren't looking down on the WNIT, and they're using it to make the program better. It could be the first step in...
Free agency helps Seahawks, but NFL draft and health matter more | Matt Calkins
The difference between the Seahawks being mighty or mediocre in 2023 will be whether they hit in the NFL draft and if their key returners stay...
It’s hard to see how Mike Hopkins is going to change things for UW men | Matt Calkins
The Washington men's basketball program has been in decline, and it's hard to see a way out of it with the program ranked 60th in...
Four things to know about the Washington State women before the Madness ensues | Matt Calkins
The Washington State women have grown into Pac-12 champs under coach Kamie Ethridge, who inherited a program that hadn't been to the NCAA tournament in...