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THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: The Russ saga, from the female point of view

| March 8, 2021 1:20 AM

Generally speaking…

I’d rather not have a woman shrieking at me, convinced that she is correct about everything in the universe.

Call it a male trait, if you must.

Even more difficult, no question, is a woman shrieking at me about sports, certain that she is right about something in the world of wins and losses.

However…

A young lady did plenty of shrieking on the radio (and follow-up podcast) last week, and once I’d gotten the volume down close to the sound of a human voice, it became obvious she DID know what she was talking about.

The female in question was Stacy Rost, who co-hosts a midday sports talk show on Seattle’s ESPN 710.

As her partner Jake Heaps remained totally silent, Rost went on and on at the highest possible pitch, and at one point, she paused just briefly to explain…

“I think it’s my allergies. I might have too many antihistamines in my system.”

SHE MAY be right about that, because her voice probably set dogs to howling all over the Northwest.

Zebras, even.

For the rest of the show, Rost’s monologue — if you could call it that — actually took on a different and very specific title.

“Stacy’s Rant.”

OK, I’ve made pretty clear that this wouldn’t ordinarily be my favorite listening option, right?

Right.

Except…

Stacy Rost was absolutely, spot-on correct — loud, but correct.

The subject, as it is every day in this part of the country, was Russell Wilson.

Well, not just Russ, but his now-questionable relationship with Seahawks management.

By this time, we all know that Wilson pulled a shocker by teeing up his teammates on “The Dan Patrick Show,” which is only heard by a trillion fans from here to Mongolia.

Wilson’s agent, Mark Rodgers, threw gasoline on the campfire by saying that his client wasn’t necessarily asking out of Seattle, but…

If the Seahawks DID want to shop him, Russ only would consider deals with New Orleans, Las Vegas, Dallas or Chicago.

Cue chaos among the Seahawks faithful.

OH, AND by the way, everyone can grasp quite clearly that any criticism of personnel and/or offensive strategy from Seattle’s all-pro quarterback must also be a shot at both Pete Carroll and GM John Schneider — neither of whom of has uttered a word in response to Wilson’s blasphemy.

What’s happened since Wilson’s outburst was utterly predictable…

Fans have taken sides.

Has Russ overstepped his bounds after nearly a decade as the last grown-up Boy Scout?

Or is he right that Carroll and Schneider should have been doing more to keep him from being sacked nearly 400 times in nine seasons?

Now this is where Stacy Rost enters the picture.

And before you accuse me of being just a tiny bit sexist, it was Rost herself who insisted that her opinion was formed by being a woman in her particular role.

In such a position, Rost claimed, she is often plagued by self-doubt.

“I’ve been covering the Seahawks since 2015,” she said, “and I don’t think Pete Carroll or John Schneider even know my name.

“That’s what it’s like, being a woman in sports.”

From that female view of things, however, Rost claimed she had a unique perspective.

WHAT SHE was wondering, therefore, was pretty simple.

Why couldn’t all the doggone MEN in this soap opera — Wilson, Carroll and Schneider — borrow a little of her self-doubt?

Why on Earth, Rost demanded, can’t these three MEN not sit down together and talk out the whole situation?

Why can’t they air opinions to each other, and maybe solve their issues for the good of the Seattle Seahawks?

Why can’t Wilson start with some self-examination?

(A little self-doubt, even.)

And then…

Why can’t Carroll and Schneider — perhaps first reminding their QB that he is a team employee earning an absolute fortune — examine whatever beef Russ has to offer?

That done, presumably they will have learned if they can get their collective act together, and hopefully win some football games.

Amen.

Stacy Rost, you have nailed this thing.

Absolutely drilled it between the eyes.

In the future, though…

Can we hear it all with slightly less volume?

Maybe cut down on the antihistamines?

Email: scameron@cdapress.com

Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. “Moments, Memories and Madness,” his reminiscences from several decades as a sports journalist, runs each Sunday.

Steve also writes Zags Tracker, a commentary on Gonzaga basketball which normally is published each Tuesday. This coming week, however, it will run on Thursday because the Zags are competing in the WCC tournament.