Lofa Tatupu’s knee injury is just a bruise, sources tell Clare Farnsworth. We’ll get the official word from Mike Holmgren this afternoon. It will be an unproductive morning for many area football fans. STOP TORTURING US, SEAHAWKS!…

Frank Hughes breaks down the Hawks roster again in light of yesterday’s cuts. Will Herring’s exile to the PUP list “virtually guarantees” a spot for David Hawthorne, writes Hughes. …

Blazers Edge has a great roundup of the various tributes to Kevin Duckworth. Also, here’s the obituary from The Oregonian’s Joe Freeman, and from Brian Hamilton of the Chicago Tribune (Duckworth was from Chicago suburb and starred at Eastern Illinois U.). …

The Mariners gave Griffey and the White Sox some major help, dropping the Twins to two GB for the first time since July 27 with a 3-2 win. Rowland-Smith threw seven innings and allowed just two runs, and Roy Corcoran got a two-inning save. Jeff Clement had 2 RBI, Jose Lopez had the go-ahead RBI in the sixth on a double, his 33rd of the year. …

Gardenhire on Rowland-Smith: “He’s effectively in and out of the zone. His ball’s surprising. He’s got some zip. He’s learned to throw breaking balls. We saw him a few years ago, when we Rule 5′d him, and you know what? He’s come a long way as a pitcher. He kind of shut us down.” (This from the Times’ Larry Stone.)

Jim Riggleman decided to rest Putz for yesterday’s ninth inning, and Putz was pissed about it, reports John Hickey.

Brandon Morrow will get his first start against the Yankees, reports John Hickey. The M’s have a three-game series at Safeco vs. the Yanks–not this weekend, but next.

The P-I’s Jason Churchill canvasses scouts for opinions about Matt Tuiasosopo’s future. Here’s the most thoughtful reply: “He’s going to have to get to the major leagues with his bat…because he’s not going to help you in other ways. If he doesn’t prove to be a legitimate power threat with acceptable contact rates, he’s a minor leaguer. But there’s plenty left both in terms of time and room for him to keep getting better. I am impressed by what I’ve seen, and while I’d need to see more and more to believe he can hit long-term, I wouldn’t bet against him. He’s really come a long way.” One scout said Tuiasosopo’s lack of playing experience, a result of living in a cold-weather state, hurt his development.

Details of the Oregon Ducks’ TV partnership with Comcast SportsNet Northwest.

Molly Yanity of the P-I has the full story on Chancellor Young’s odyssey from highly-touted Duke WR recruit, to Husky transfer, to bellhop, and back to the Huskies.

The Oregonian ran their football preview today. The Seattle Times ran their Huskies preview, they had an esteemed panel of Husky experts rank the program’s top 10 quarterbacks.

The accidental drowning of DB Todd Doxey has brought the secondary closer together, writes John Hunt. The team will wear a commemorative helmet decal to honor Doxey this season.

More from Paul Wulff on how Andy Roof being expelled will affect the Cougs: “It’s going to be an impact, on a team that’s already very thin, in a lot of areas.” Wulff says he’ll work to find Roof a D-II school. This from Vince Grippi.

More bad news for the Cougs, also from Vince Grippi: Starting RT Dan Rowlands has left the team, deciding that chronic shoulder problems have made it too risky for him to play. Rowlands had 21 career starts, including all 12 last year.

Here’s a Big Sky conference football preview. That’s the league EWU and Portland State play in.

Terrence Ross, the top 5A basketball player in Oregon last year, transferred to a prep school in Maryland.

Gary Washburn caught up with Nick Collison, who was shooting jumpers at Furtado Center, just as if nothing had changed. Said Collison: “I’m torn because I love the city personally but I also can’t dwell on it. I can just look forward and be excited about the season.”