THE FRONT ROW with JASON ELLIOTT: Shaking things up, or at least trying to

It’s difficult to imagine any all-star game going off without a hitch.

The NFL got to the point where it has shelved the game totally for skills challenges and other events that have made the event a little more entertaining.

As for the NBA game, there’s really no explaining that exhibition game other than it’s a good showcase of what offense is in this age of the game.

That being said, both North Idaho College and the folks at IdahoSports.com, for its 21st annual Idaho All-Star Games, they tried.

WHEN THIS year’s game tips off today at NIC's Christianson Gymnasium, girls at 1 p.m., followed by the boys at 3:30, the rosters will look a little different than in years past.

This year, instead of the traditional Region (North Idaho, eastern Idaho) vs. Metro (Boise area), coaches drafted players from a list of nominees of the top seniors in the state.

The initial list had Boise’s Avery Howell and Teagan Colvin of Coeur d’Alene High on the same team, and Sophia Zufelt of Lake City playing against Timberwolf teammates KaLiah Frazey and Avery Waddington.

Both Howell and Colvin are unable to play today, Colvin due to injury, and Zufelt has since joined her teammates on the same roster.

Nine other players selected for the girls game were also unable to play. For the boys game, 11 players were unable to attend, according to tournament organizers.

In the boys game, Lapwai’s Kase Wynott and Ahlius Yearout were slated to be on opposing sides, but will join forces one last time.

Coeur d’Alene’s Gunner Larson and Logan Orchard, also originally to be on opposing teams, will share the court with Lakeside’s Liam Hendrickx and Owyhee’s Liam Campbell, a USC signee.

If nothing else, the games should provide some good entertainment between some of the college basketball championship games this afternoon.

ONE WEEK into the free agency period, and it makes you wonder what direction some NFL teams are heading.

Most importantly in these parts, the Seattle Seahawks.

Sure, I get it. Pete Carroll’s gone, so whatever his blueprint was to make a run at the playoffs has long since been retired.

And letting guys like Jordyn Brooks, Bobby Wagner and Drew Lock get away in free agency isn’t much of a surprise. Cutting both Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs before the league year began didn’t surprise me either to be honest.

Adams’ best season came when Seattle used him more as a linebacker and not as much in pass defense. Granted, he’d been hurt the past couple of years, but it was just best to move on.

There’s a slight hope that Diggs comes back, albeit at a reduced rate.

Seattle did re-sign Leonard Williams and traded for Washington quarterback Sam Howell earlier this week, so the Seahawks have got something in mind.

No, I really don’t think the Seahawks are going into a full rebuild like the year between Jim Mora Jr. and Carroll, with over 100 transactions made to get the roster set.

But it’s apparent that a change needed to be made.

Newer might be better in a lot of ways.

If nothing else, someone’s trying at least.

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for The Press. He can be reached by telephone at 208-664-8176, Ext. 2020 or via email at jelliott@cdapress.com. Follow him on ‘X’, formerly Twitter @JECdAPress.