The Front Row with JASON ELLIOTT August 11, 2010

Over the past week, I’ve learned a valuable lesson about timing.

Regardless whether it’s just answering a simple questions on the street or watching professional sports on the television — when a problem comes up, it’s best to address it right away.

WHILE RUNNING some errands on Friday afternoon, a bank manager asked me to mention an idea that the Idaho Vandals were going to win against the Boise State Broncos.

Apparently those words that came out of my mouth weren’t the right ones, because I’ve since been told not to return to the particular branch.

No worries, it’s not my normal bank anyway.

It wasn’t even 10 minutes later, a longtime family friend told me the same thing and that it could make for a good column.

Well, maybe.

That is if either school had played a down of football this season — which will finally happen within the next month.

Until then, I guess I will keep an open mind about who to pick in college football — no matter what I’m really thinking.

ALONG THOSE same lines, the Seattle Mariners fired manager Don Wakamatsu on Monday with 49 games remaining in the season, ending his two-year run in Seattle.

With the season just about over, why not let him finish out the season and figure out just what the team needs to do for next year?

Instead, Wakamatsu, along with two other coaches, were let go and the manager of the Triple-A team in Tacoma was promoted to finish out the season.

It’s going to be an interesting finish to the season in Seattle, regardless of who is calling the shots for them as manager.

A long way out of the playoff chase, most of the Mariners that will be finishing the season will most likely be playing for their jobs within the team.

Veterans who haven’t quite played up to expectations will have to start making some progress or they’ll likely be out of Seattle by the start of Spring Training. Those players with something to prove will be getting more playing time in the coming weeks as the team falls further and further out of the playoff race.

IT WAS a shame that Wakamatsu was fired to me, because just last season, he had the Mariners in the AL West race late in the season.

Maybe it was the coaching, or just the level of pitching has dropped — but to put the entire blame on a coach isn’t fair.

Former Mariner Brandon Morrow nearly no-hit the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday, yet while in Seattle, was stuck somewhere between a reliever and starter for his last two years. Morrow nearly no-hit the New York Yankees a couple years ago, proof he was capable of good things while bouncing around in the rotation.

Just another hiccup in the bad times in Seattle sports.

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for the Coeur d’Alene Press. He can be reached at 664-8176, Ext. 2020, or via e-mail at jelliott@cdapress.com.