IN MY PERSONAL CATALOG of socially embarrassing moments, I count a lunch I attended in June with the new general manager of the Hotel 1000. As we exchanged getting-to-know-you pleasantries, the other people at the table began to exchange meaning-laden glances. Finally one said, “There’s something he’s not telling you.” Turns out Denny Fitzpatrick had been a star quarterback for the University of Washington. “Uh, really?” I asked, figuring to cover my shame for not recognizing his name because our college years hadn’t overlapped. But no, I was there in 1974, the year he was voted most inspirational player by his teammates. Now he’s brought that spirit to the two-year-old hotel that Expedia customers already rank number three in the world.

Just as impressive, Fitzpatrick still holds the Husky record for most yards rushing by a quarterback in a single game: 249, in the Apple Cup no less. His other team record, most yards rushing in a season for a quarterback (697), was crushed last year by freshman Jake Locker, the kid from Ferndale who carried the ball 987 yards in his first college season. As Roger Brooks writes this month, the Huskies are counting on Locker to rouse them from their dismal losing streak and carry them to a bowl game.

As benchmarks go, few rise to the level set by Ric Weiland. A computer geek who joined up with his high school pals Bill Gates and Paul Allen, Weiland shared in the rise of Microsoft from its earliest days. But two years ago, he took his own life—and left $65 million to the Pride Foundation, the largest donation ever to a gay organization. Through intimate conversations with Weiland’s closest friends and rare access to his journals, writer Kevin Phinney recounts the life and death of the brilliant programmer.

As we add it all up for you this issue, Steve Wiecking nominates the 15 most politically provocative events of the fall cultural season, we lay down a game plan for the 2010 Winter Olympics in British Columbia (just in time for you to score tickets), and lastly, we pop corks with wine expert Condé Cox, who tallied the top 100 wines in Washington and Oregon.

Wish I’d had a glass of one of them at that June lunch.