The Mariners and the Seahawks: For some reason, professional football seems to have taken the place of professional baseball in defining part of who a city is.

Growing up in New York City, it was the Brooklyn Dodgers (when they were still playing at the old Ebbets Field in Brooklyn), or the New York Yankees, who defined the essence of being from New York.

Kids lived or died on the daily batting averages of their heroes. Mickey Mantle was one of my childhood heroes.

In the Movie A Bronx Tale, written by Chazz Palminteri, who also plays the lead mobster character, Sonny is talking to the y...