The Front Row with JASON ELLIOTT May 19, 2010

Waiting for something to go right

Maybe you can't always get what you want.

Starting in late March, all I wanted was some nice weather on a day off to go golfing. Finally on Sunday, I finally made it to Shoshone Golf Course in Big Creek to enjoy an early morning round.

THE WEATHER was just about perfect, as were a couple of my tee shots.

As the round kept going, I began to fade, finding new ways to raise my score, even though the object of golf is to finish with as low of a score as possible.

That didn't happen.

Somewhere between the third and sixth hole, my score had ballooned about 10 strokes higher than I wanted it to. I finished up the round, knowing work had to be done to improve on a sub-par round.

ONCE THE major league baseball season started, I was under the impression the Seattle Mariners and the Boston Red Sox could start on fire and eventually work their way toward a possible playoff preview in September at Safeco Field.

Yeah, wrong again.

Both teams have played like a shell of what they were supposed to be coming out of the start of the season. Boston has struggled, but with injuries keeping Jacoby Ellsbury and former Mariner Mike Cameron out of the lineup and David Ortiz struggling, these aren't the same Sox as in previous seasons.

As far as the Mariners go, I'm not sure how to describe it.

They haven't hit, the bullpen can't hold a lead and outside of a couple good starts from Felix Hernandez and Doug Fister, the starting pitching hasn't been as good as advertised this season.

Then again, Cliff Lee just started pitching two weeks ago, but the last time I checked, Lee wasn't the reason they couldn't score runs either. Keep in mind, the team's best power hitter could be somewhere dealing with his emotional problems.

LOCALLY, YOU may not hear a more interesting story than the one that could unfold later this week at Ramsey Park.

Just under a month ago, Kellogg High had been told that its softball program was about to be cut due to a failed levy.

Now, the Wildcats will be playing in their first state softball tournament, opening against Teton at 5 p.m. on Thursday. Should they make a run, hopefully they can find a way to keep the program going.

And like most fans, get what they need.

Something to go right.

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for the Coeur d'Alene Press. He can be reached via telephone at 664-0239 or via e-mail at jelliott@cdapress.com.