I know how upset some of you get when you perceive me trying to influence a vote. So, I won't try to do that here. All I will say is that Mariners blogger Dave Cameron, moderator of the USS Mariner website, is up for a $10,000 blogging scholarship while attending the University of North Carolina Greensboro. Knowing how these guys operate, with very little cash flow for the hours they put into their work, this would obviously be quite a coup for Cameron if he can pull it off and win.

I will say this about U.S.S. Mariner: there few sites in the U.S., privately run by fans, that get as much attention as he and Derek Zumsteg to as bloggers. Attention from fans, the mainstream media, and every so often, Mariners players and coaches themselves. Sometimes, the attention is "What the #%&*$ are those guys talking about?'' I've had that reaction to a handful of their pieces this year as well. But the fact that I read their stuff daily should be an indication to some of you that they do a good job of provoking thought. And that's what blogging is all about. It's not about trying to convert as many good folk as possible. It's about stirring the pot, being open to new ideas and adding to the public discourse. I'd say their website does this rather well.

For a team as bad as the Mariners are right now, they sure are well-served in their blogosphere compared to many other places. They are fortunate to have so many voices talking about them. In a lot of places, a 101-loss team would be met by indifference. Not here in Seattle. Yes, that's a good thing.

You don't always have to agree with Cameron. But you do have to admit, he gets people to pay attention to him. So, click on to this link right here, scroll down the list of candidates and judge their blogs for yourselves. If you feel they are generating the same impact as Cameron does, then by all means vote for them.

But if you feel that Cameron is the best of the bunch, then by all means lend him your support. I'd have a hard time believing that any of the other bloggers generates the same impact on a national stage. But check them all out first and be the judge. I do believe U.S.S. Mariner provides a valuable service to the Seattle and national baseball communities, even if we don't always agree on everything.