For years, Mia Hamm was the face of women's soccer in the U.S.

Steve "Air" McNair was found shot to death Saturday in Nashville, Tenn., and the national media is looking back on his NFL career while the murder investigation continues.

RICHLAND -- Life often is ironic, but just last night my wife, Traci, and I teamed up to debate a friend of ours and extol the virtues of the game of soccer.

Last week, I chose to perform volunteer work for the National Park Service at Lake Roosevelt. One thing I sacrificed to make that happen was missing out on the Northwest Golf Media Association's summer meeting at The Golf Club at Redmond (Wash.) Ridge.

British Columbia continues to help raise the profile of University of Washington athletics.

If you saw the Outdoors page on the back of the sports section in Saturday's Herald, you likely were wowed by a couple of photos that outdoors editor Kevin McCullen chose for the user-generated "Your Adventures" feature.

Last September, the Seattle Mariners won two too many games — finishing at 61-101 — for them to "win" the draft rights to San Diego State flamethrower Stephen Strasburg.

The WNBA regular season opens Sunday for the New York Liberty, and Kennewick's Leilani Mitchell no longer is a rookie.

That one-line email this morning from my pal, Coke Roth, said it all.

How much longer will it be before Ken Griffey Jr., heads into retirement?

It's getting warm this Memorial Day morning, so I know Hell has not frozen over yet.

I was pleasantly surprised last night when I switched from hockey on Charter channel 36 to channel 37 and discovered that the Seattle Mariners game actually was on the screen of my NEC.

This season, the Seattle Mariners remain frustrating, but at least they are watchable.

Student/athletes at Columbia Basin College and Walla Walla CC, take note.

Last week, the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics announced that Barbara Hedges — who retired from the University of Washington in 2004 amid several controversies — will be inducted into the NACDA Hall of Fame.

There's a buzz in the Palouse right now with school letting out and the baseball team still in the hunt for the Pac-10 title and a postseason berth.

I should have run this through our Northwest League beat writer, Jack Millikin, for confirmation, but I believe last year that left-handed ace Christian Friedrich was just the second first-round pick of the Colorado Rockies to swing through the Tri-Cities.

Saturday night is the "Turn Back the Clock Night" promotion for the Seattle Mariners, and Fox Sports Northwest has scheduled a bit of nostalgia in support of that game.

SEATTLE — Last week, Herald sports editor Jeff Morrow and I attended the media day for the Pacific-10 Conference men's golf championships, which is being staged this week at Seattle Golf Club.

Last month, KFLD 870 shuttered The Locker Room.

Last week, I wondered why Kamiakin grad Kendyl Pele, a co-captain at the University of Washington, is the only Tri-City product — male or female — playing Pacific-10 Conference soccer.

My Schwinn Moab was hanging upside down in my garage — until this morning.

Something has been bothering me for a while.

Well, the "good ship Mariner" is sailing in Seattle and around the Pacific Northwest at this stage of the season, so fans want to see the club as much as possible.

A lot was written over the past 12 months about the chemistry, or lack of it, within the Seattle Mariners.

The Seattle Mariners have the day off, so tonight FSN Northwest plans to unveil three new episodes of its In My Own Words series, and these 30-minute segments are targeted at Wazzu football fans.

On May 1, Walla Walla is scheduled to see its second public championship golf course.

It's April, and he's played well of late so his back must be OK, so here's a guy to watch for the Masters this week — Seattle native Fred Couples.

I'm not sure how many working folks will be able to watch this live, but Fox Sports Northwest today will carry the introductory news conference for Ken Bone as Washington State's new men's basketball coach.

Each morning, I get electronic updates from Ski Bluewood in Dayton and Ski White Pass west of Yakima.

Last weekend, Herald sports editor Jeff Morrow published his annual golf calendar as well as the "Where to play in the Mid-Columbia" component. That graphic lists the courses, golf professionals, green fees and phone numbers for each track.

ASHFORD — If St. Paddy's Day was any indication, it will be a while before there's much hiking in Mount Rainier National Park.

These aren't the best of times for most of us.

The only simulation game I enjoy is Strat-O-Matic baseball.

It often happens that if you write about one company, then the next day you hear from another company that offers a similar product.

This afternoon, I got a call from a reader telling me that KFLD 870 AM informed listeners at noon today that its local sports talk program — The Locker Room — has been discontinued.

RICHLAND — At a time when many businesses are laying off employees, cutting benefits and trimming expenses, one company in Richland is boasting about its fitness program.

I sometimes can gauge the magnitude of a sports story if my wife, Traci, weighs in with an opinion.

The University of Washington baseball team — led by three Tri-City grads -- opens the season Friday at Fresno State, the defending NCAA defending champion.

RICHLAND -- Recently, I wanted some embroidery work done, so I followed the lead of one of my favorite Washington State University alums -- Kennewick teaching legend Hank Sauer.

Sometimes, the most interesting items in the newspaper are in the fine print. In the trade, that small type which often prompts complaints from readers is called agate.

Recently, photojournalist Rod Mar did what has become commonplace in the newspaper industry.

Peter Callaghan, news columnist at the News Tribune of Tacoma, wrote for Monday's edition how the Depression affected state politics in 1932.

On Wednesday, Washington State University Tri-Cities will play host to a lunchtime lecture featuring Paul Finkelman.

RICHLAND -- My thanks to Hanford senior Josh Bland for being anything but bland Friday night on this fourth quarter blind scoop shot in the Falcons victory over rival Richland.

We all know there are MANY things more important on his plate, but I’m not the only one hoping that before President Obama leaves office -- perhaps in 2017 -- he’ll persuade the presidents of the BCS conferences into creating the stage for a true national championship for major college football.

Some in the Mid-Columbia remember the Tri-City Posse. Fewer may remember the Western Baseball League team's first manager was Tom Trebelhorn.

RICHLAND -- This morning, my postal carrier dropped the latest copy of ESPN The Magazine into my locking mailbox.

Earlier this month, I took third in a friendly competition of college bowl predictions. I used ESPN.com's Pat Forde as my mentor.

EUGENE -- Last week, I scratched off an item on my sports "bucket list" -- attending a men's college basketball game at Mac Court.