The Rise to Fame of #8

by: Michael Steffes

I am sure I am not the only one to notice, and color me a bit surprised I guess, but Matt Hasselbeck has become one of the more marketable players in football. Many of you probably see it a lot more than I, because some stuff is local, but Matthew pops on to the tube fairly often.

First off, he has been featured in an NFL.com contest/promo campaign two years in a row.

Of course he, and his lovely mother, were part of the Cambell's Chunky Soup commercials.

The one I see most often these days is his Reebok commercial. Personally, I would never do a spot with Torry Holt and Ocho Cinco, but hey, at least he gets to show off his dance moves right.

Anyway, Mike Kahn over at Seahawks.com has written a really fascinating narrative about Matt's ascension into marketing madness. It is something off the beaten path and I thought it was worth sharing.

Of course if you want instead, there is a nice debate raging on several sites about whether Shaun Alexander can't find work because he is Christian or because he is over the hill. END Read More!

TV Guide

by: Michael Steffes

Hey everybody, I just wanted to give you all plenty of notice so that you can set your recording devices if you desire, there is some Seahawks programming this week.

Tomorrow, NFLN Total Access will be covering the Seahawks as part of their 32 teams in 32 days segment. Not sure if anybody will be in studio, but they will most certainly talk about how the team hasn't replaced Hutch, has no WR's because of Branch's Injury, and will struggle because Holmgren is a lame duck. So make sure you tune in for that. I would fully expect Marshall Faulk to pick the Hawks to lose 10 games as well.

Also, and something that I promise will be much more amusing, later on in the week, at several different times Thur, NFLN is showing an hour long version of the 2005 NFC Championship game. As you may remember that game was played at Qwest. I bet Nick Goings head is still ringing from Lofa's hit too. So tune in, or set your recorders to watch Steve Smith completely disappear, except for a punt return in which a obvious flag was picked up, probably because the refs felt sorry for Carolina. This is clearly the marquee game in Seattle Seahawks history. I Couldn't let you miss it. END Read More!

More new jerseys available

by: Mike Parker

The Seahawks Team Store now has Julius Jones and Owen Schmitt jerseys available, for those of you like Michael and myself who are hopelessly addicted to buying more new ones every year. Check them out here.

I think we can all count on seeing a ton of Owen Schmitt jerseys in the stands this year, despite the fact that he might not get much playing time if Weaver keeps up the form he displayed last year.

I also am predicting a record number of all Seahawk jerseys flying off the shelves this year. The buzz around town this year is already circulating heavier than I ever remember, and I think this revamped Seahawk team has a LOT of people dying to see what they're capable of. --END-- Read More!

Don't Expect an Engram Holdout

by: Michael Steffes

If you lend any credence to this interview, done Friday on KJR w/ Goz & Gas, it sounds as if Bobby will be in Kirkland next month. He was on the radio talking about an event he had over the weekend in Woodinville. He told the hosts he was in Pennsylvania. After asking what he was doing, Bobby replied he was recharging, getting ready for the season.

Groz and Gas pryed a bit and asked, but Bobby said he isn't talking about training camp, but he is feeling great and getting ready for the season. I think he has expressed his displeasure of being in the last year of his deal, and I think Ruskell has made it clear he has to earn his next contract. Hopefully, this leads to another pro bowl level season for B Easy. END Read More!

Good News From Kirkland

by: Michael Steffes

One of the weekly articles that I often link to on Saturday's or Sundays is PFW's "Whispers". The compile little nuggets from reporters and team insiders and release them in this article. Well... this week they have two very positive reports on the Seahawks. First....

• We hear the Seahawks are encouraged by the progress being made by former first-round DT Marcus Tubbs, who has been sidelined the last two years by season-ending knee surgeries. Word is Tubbs is expected to be fully ready to participate in training camp

I don't think many of us are expecting anything from big ole Marcus, but we all know what an asset he would be if he could be part of what is starting to look like an exceptional rotation at DT. There were a lot of positive reports before we found out he had his knee scoped...again, so lets hope these ones are for real. I am sure, even if he is healthy, the team will be cautious with him in camp. Nobody wants to see him get hurt without playing a down again.

The Second blurb is....

• Our Seahawks sources tell us the team couldn’t be happier these days with second-year OG Mansfield Wrotto, who was cited by coaches as the most improved player in the team’s offseason program. OTA observers said new O-line coach Mike Solari spent a lot of time working with Wrotto on his pulling technique and making blocks on linebackers.

Two things need to be said about this. Darrell who? And news like this makes me believe that this team has the makings of a young, athletic line perfectly suited to the zone blocking scheme that Mora has used to run all over defenses in the past. And this time around he will have a QB who can pass too. Ahhh the offense is on the upswing again. END Read More!

Seahawk Addicts Ticket Buying Guide

by: Michael Steffes

I decided to undertake this project at the request of a reader. Hopefully this will provided a guide to those either from out of town, or with out season tickets, to making sure they get inside the gates at Qwest.

Due to the success of the team it is now more difficult than it once was. However, I hope this guide makes it a little easier for all those concerned to find their way into the noise factory this season

TO BEGIN....


Season Tickets

All of you know by know that there is a waiting list to get season tickets. However, if you think eventually you may want season tickets, or even if you don't there are some benefits to being on the list. You get entered into drawings to get single game, playoff, and even season tickets. You also get a discount at the pro shop. It costs a $100 deposit per ticket. It is refunded whenever you pull your name off the list.

Many will attest, even if you are out of town, move, etc, it is worth holding your tickets. It is the absolute easiest way to make sure you go to the games you want, and it is very easy to get rid of the tickets you can't use. Consider putting yourself on the list if you have a $100 stashed somewhere.

Single Game (HOME) Tickets

Tickets to individual games go on sale for the Hawks on Mon, Aug 4th at 10 am. The tickets are only on sale over the phone or online. YOU CANNOT BUY TICKETS IN PERSON.

In recent years the single game ticket have sold out in approximately 10-15 minutes. During this time it is very hard to get through to Seattle Ticketmaster. However, there was tip shared by one of the Sullivan brothers. If you are out-of-town, simply call your LOCAL Ticketmaster and you can still by Hawks tix. If you are in town, you may want to find an out-of-town Ticketmaster. They can still help you and the line shouldn't be nearly as crowded.

If you don't get tickets on Aug 4th, there seems to be several remedies. I will cover each of these and their positives and negatives briefly.

FRIDAY NIGHT BEFORE GAMES

The Seahawks ticket office, and one reader mentioned that going to the box office at Qwest field on a Friday night can get you tickets. Often, they release extra tickets, and sometimes when there is a big demand, the team will put bleachers up in the endzone area upper deck to add more seats. Sometimes this is decided late so the team can release extra tickets. Call the ticket office during the week and see if they anticipate having more tickets released. Then check back on Friday before the game.


STUB HUB~~

Stub Hub is the premier online, second market retailer of tickets of all types. One thing you can always expect from SH is that you WILL be paying more than face value. That is just the way it is. However, here is what you can also expect. First, absolutely no hassle. They are very, very professional. Second, you will get to pick where you sit, much more so than other methods. Third, Stub Hub will have tickets for sale as soon as the games are announced. If you like to plan your trips early, and you aren't willing to take the chance of not having tickets first, use Stub Hub. Stub Hub is also a Seahawk Addicts affiliate. I will put their link back up so you can support the site if you choose to use this method.

EBAY

I didn't see much info on EBAY in my initial data gathering, however, I have used it with great success. The key to using EBAY is patience. You have to be a value hunter. Auctions come and go, and right now, season ticket holder haven't even received their tickets, so it is mostly brokers. However, once normal folk have tickets in hand, you can find good values, you just have to check it regularly and follow tickets you like, waiting for some to sell in your price range. Me, personally, I watch auctions and bid at the last minute. I have found that this helps me win more often. The other good thing about using Ebay, is that if you follow their guidelines you are fairly well protected from being scammed.

CRAIGSLIST

Hopefully everybody knows what Craigslist is, if not you consider moving out of the cave you live in. Craigslist is basically an updated online classified ads site, separated by city. In my experience, and I have sold a lot of tickets and other stuff via Craigslist, is that it is for people who don't want to hassle with the whole auction process. The benefits with Craigslist are that you can simply buy what is available at the set price. This also allows for more last minute deals. Some of the best/cheapest tickets I have ever gotten are the morning of an event off Craigslist. Sometimes when people's plans change they even post free tickets. Also, it is pretty hard to get ripped off if you are buying because you usually meet the person and inspect the tickets. This is part of the downside though. Often you have to find some time and place to meet, and usually this means paying only by cash. Occasionally you can pay someone through paypal and they will send them, but there isn't much protection if they rip you off.

SCALPERS

I don't have much to say about scaplers, except they get a bad stigma. They are not all bad. It is much like Craigslist, you pay cash, and you can see the tickets ahead of time. At Qwest they often hang out down by Safeco Field on the South Side, and over by FX McRorys on the North. One tip that came from the readers is too wait until kickoff, then the prices drop big time. Often the scalpers want to go in, or just get home and watch etc. Anyway, if you don't mind missing the first 5 minutes of the game, you can get some deals. Be weary though, I DO NOT know the law fully on scalping, and I suggest you research if there are any laws about buying scalped tickets. The last thing you want is to hand your money over and get pinched.

WHERE DO YOU SIT?

The consensus seems to be that there really isn't a bad seat at Qwest. Some are better than others, some are more expensive than others. It really depends on what you want. If you are a rowdy drunken maniac, the endzones are great places to stand and scream. The most civil of all places is probably the club section, although, I a can personally attest that people stand up and scream their butts off there too. The bonus with Club seats is that they have Sunday Ticket and better food and top shelf booze inside.

As for view, the standard answer is that the closer to the 50 you are the more of the game you will actually see. If you are at one extreme or the other, you will see half the game up close and the other half on the screens. But that is the beauty of Qwest, there are TWO beautiful, huge HD screens. One on each side. If you can't see something up close with your own eyes, you can see it on the screens in replays. Personally, I like to sit above the field, because I feel you can watch the players moving around like a chess match. It is something you don't get watching the game on TV.

Also, if you bring your children, PLEASE get them earplugs. Seriously, it is that loud.

WHAT GAMES TO ATTEND?

The game you are attempting to go to is going to effect the ease in getting tickets. Somebody mentioned that the Jets game will be a good one. This is true. In the past, the game on Christmas Weekend is always a good one, because people are out of town. More tickets are available from people, and less people try an buy this game. That works for Thanksgiving sometimes too, but not this year, because the team is in Dallas.

Obviously the toughest/most expensive games are often the prime time games. In the past, due to logistics, I have always unloaded my Monday Night tickets, and I am amazed at how much people get for tickets to those games. This year, the toughest game will undoubtedly be the Patriots. It is a Sunday nighter against last years superteam. Good luck. Opening day is another hard ticket. In fact, other than the Jets, I think all the games this year will be pretty popular. If you put some effort in though, I am sure you can get in to whatever games you want.

AWAY TICKETS~~

Just a reminder, most of these principals apply for away games. The one thing I don't have much knowledge about though is scalpers and scalping laws around the country. That said, i suggest you get tickets before leaving anyway, you will want an address for them to be sent to. Even if you use Craigslist, make sure you arrange the deal before you leave. It is just smart business. Most teams have already sold out their tickets to season ticket holders. The road games that most likely have tickets available at face value are Miami, San Fran, and St. Louis.

Hope this helps a few of you. Thanks for the idea Ben in AZ. Here at Seahawk Addicts we aim to please, and anything we can do to make life easier on the most diehard fans on the planet, well it is my pleasure. Read More!

Bad Idea

by: Michael Steffes

Sorry it has been slow since this morning folks. Off topic, but I spent all day meeting with some very interesting people. I am helping my school put together a graduate program in urban sustainability. I am helping with the market research component. Many of you my think this is a little "hippie dippie"(RIP George), some of you may think it is an important issue. All I know, is the people who play important roles bringing the concept of sustainability into the LA community are very passionate. I learned a lot.

Now for something I did not learn a lot from, but felt compelled to comment on. In this article on FOX Sports, Adam Schien has listed nine deals that need to happen. #9 is that Shaun Alexander needs to sign with the Detroit Lions.

My guess... Schein originally planned on 10 deals, got stuck at 8, and picked Shaun to the Lions to fill space. What an awful fit! Detroit is trying to re-make their football team as a tough physical power football team. Not really Shaun's forte, right?

Now Matt Millen may have the GM ability of a lava rock, but even he knows that the tough working class folk of Detroit, who have been more than patient with this regime, won't put up with Shaun running soft. The only way this deal happens, is if Millen is trying to get fired, something I have suspected for a couple years. And this seems even more credible after the recent news about his first two draft picks. In fact look for Millen in the sidebar to your left. END Read More!

Jordan Kent is Really Fast

by: Michael Steffes

You know this right. Well, when they say that Jordan Kent is a track star, they mean it. Here is an article from Eugene Register-Guard. Chris Hansen (not that one!), the reporter, obviously had a chance to sit and talk with Jordan yesterday, but their conversation wasn't all about football.

The Olympic Track and Field trials are going on this weekend, on what used to be Kent's home track. He thinks he could have been there, running for a chance to go to the Olympics. He can run a 10.4 in the 100 yard, and 20.8 in the 200. That is borderline Olympic speed, but that is kick returners speed for sure.

Instead of running the track, Jordan is holding a multi-sport camp for the Eugene youth. He should know something about multi-sporting. He lettered in track, basketball, and football.

Anyway, I thought I would open this up. What do you think is JK's ceiling for this year? For the future? Who do you think we will end up comparing him too in the end? END Read More!

Kacyvenski Hopes Career Can Continue

by: Michael Steffes

While Isiah Kacyvenski hasn't been a Seahawk for a little while, this story deserves mention here. Kacyvenski was a key cog in the Seahawks special teams for several years, including the Super Bowl run in 2005. Now, he is just hoping he can get back in the league.

This article comes from his charity golf tournament. He is raising money for the children's home at which his mother lived when young. But back to football....

Kaz was unceremoniously released during the 2006 season. There was a numbers crunch after Shaun hurt his foot. The Hawks needed another running back on the roster. In order to get Marquis Weeks, who Holmgren subsequently refused to use, they had to release Kacyvenski. It was suspected that he was told the Hawks would re-sign him the next week. Instead the Rams made him an offer, promising time on defense as well as special teams. Mike Holmgren was not pleased.

Last year in camp with the Raiders, Kaz did serious damage to his knee. He is hoping he will be ready to play again around week 4 this season. That will be more than a year since the injury. Kaz meant a lot to the young linebackers that are all grown up in Seattle right now. At times both Lofa and Leroy have talked about his influence. There are some great quotes in the article about Isiah's presence in a locker room. If there was one player to bring back for a second tour in Big Show's final year, this would be my choice. Especially since we could easily find a role for him on special teams. END Read More!

Bird Watching?

by: Michael Steffes

Well, looky here. Apparently Taima will no longer be the only game in town. If you aren't sure who Taima is, well, it is the Augur Hawk who leads the team out of the tunnel before home games. Taima has a profile right here.

The big news of the day is that the Ravens are training some baby ravens, with the help of a man in Georgia, to fly around as real live mascots. How did they get this idea? Well they witnessed it first hand last year when the Seahawks took it to the Ravens late in the year. Unfortunately the press release doesn't say anything about Taima, who clearly is a very talented bird waiting for its due.

Thanks to the two readers who sent me this info while I was out.

Photo copied from http://www.seahawks.com/12Zone/12Zone.aspx?id=38160 END Read More!

More Hawks Back Home, Making a Difference

by: Michael Steffes

What a happy Friday! One week closer to football, and rather than arrest stories, all I can muster up is feel good stories about grateful Seahawks doing the right things in their home towns.

This article, again courtesy of the lovely JRUSS, chronicles Sean Locklear back home is North Carolina. Although, not hosting, he spoke at a camp run by his former High School coach recently, showing a positive example for the youth to look up to (probably at as well).

I guess one of the reasons Lock signed a less than market deal with the Seahawks, is that he has come to enjoy winning more often than losing. As the article points out, his final year in High School, the team went 2-8. I don't seem to remember NCST ever being a football powerhouse either. END Read More!

Duckett Making Use of his Free Time Too

by: Michael Steffes

Darryl Tapp isn't the only Seahawk at home putting his free time to good use, TJ Duckett is doing the same. This week in Kalamazoo, Duckett oversaw a youth football camp he puts on each year. He seems to be a bit of a local hero around those parts, one camper even took up the shot-put because he read that TJ was a shot-putter as well. Greg Jennings, of the Green Bay Packers, last seen towering over Kelly Jennings in the snow, also helped out.

In case this turns into a should he stay or should he go argument with TJ, he makes it clear that he feels he fits in great in Seattle. Clearly he is not discouraged by The Big Show's comments, nor is he discouraged by the what he saw in mini camp...

"It's going to be a great fit," Duckett said. "It's going to be a chance to make a lot of plays. I think we're going to win a lot of games, too."

END Read More!

Behind the Scenes: Darryl Tapp

by: Michael Steffes

Here is a great article that was sent to me from a wonderful reader, Thanks J. The Virginian Pilot has done a really nice piece on Darryl Tapp. Of course, Tapp is is home in VA right now awaiting training camp. He was also very popular while playing his college ball at Va Tech. It is a local boy done good story, but it really gives great insight into what Darryl is all about. Give it a read.

I have said this before, but watching and listening to Darryl Tapp this offseason has been a testament to the high character approach. How many 2nd year ends who had 4 sacks in one game would have handled the team drafting a player at his position this way? Not many I suspect. Rather than moaning, or complaining, Tapp has used this to motivate himself. He understands that with Jackson, and a better Darryl Tapp, the Hawks d-line will be eating QBs for breakfast and saving room for lunch. I love it. Go Darryl! Re-introduce yourself to Mr. Marc Bulger. END Read More!

Weaver Time

by: Michael Steffes

If you can manage to pull yourselves from the NBA Draft for a moment (just kidding...kinda). Leonard Weaver was on KJR with Dick Fain today. Thought you might like to take a listen. Here is the link.

Weaver talks all things Hawks, including his appreciation of the enigma that is Logan Payne. Weaver says he has been impressed with TJ Duckett. He also thinks Morris and Jones each have unique skills. Good stuff. END Read More!

Seahawks Insider Goes Dark

by: Michael Steffes

It was announced this morning by Frank Hughes that the Seahawk Insider Blog at the News Tribune will be dark until training camp starts a month from now. The reasoning is that the layoffs at the parent company of the paper have forced a do more with less attitude, which in part means leaving the blog dark during this time.

I feel for those involved in the newspaper business. It has suffered while the News industry as a whole has gone through massive changes. People are now losing their jobs, and that is always unfortunate. However, I believe this to be the wrong move and felt compelled to comment on it. If anything, the paper should be embracing the online, instant circulation mediums that they have. The changes in the industry seem to be leading the news away from the hard copy paper and into the online. People no longer want their news a day late. They want it as it happens, and a blog like Seahawks Insider is the only way a paper can compete in the new 24/7 news cycle.

Anyway, these are just my thoughts. I welcome any dedicated readers of the TNT who may find there way here. I also send my best wishes all TNT employees affected. As Bob Dylan once sang... "The times they are a changin'" END Read More!

Seahawks Season Outlook

by: Michael Steffes

Since I am sure there won't be a glutton of Seahawks news today folks, I wanted to throw a little love towards one of long time readers (and late night comment moderator) Rob S from the UK. I have done this in the past, so many of you may already know, but Rob handles a lot of the Seahawks info for a site called Football Diner. It is a great site for football fans to fool around on.

This time around Rob has done a season outlook piece about the Hawks. It isn't in the category of breaking news, but as always Rob as a solid point of view worthy of reading. Here is his article. The more people that read it, the more the site promotes Rob. So check it out if you have a chance. Read More!

Prisco Gives Three Hawks Honors

by: Michael Steffes

Sort of. I guess if the Hawks care what Pete Prisco thinks then they were honored. Anyway, Pete Prisco of CBSSPORTS.com recently released his top 50 players. Three Seahawks made the list, and one just missed(Patrick Kerney). Surprisingly though, Prisco showed an anti QB bias, after giving 1 and 2 to QBs. Hasselbeck was left off, as was Tony Romo. Drew Brees was the only NFC signal caller to get mentioned.

The Hawks that made it were....

16. Walter Jones... Still the highest ranked tackle in the NFL

40. Lofa Tatupu... right behind Ernie Sims (ok, whatever)

47. Marcus Trufant... starting to get his due.

As for the biggest mistakes made by Prisco, in my opinion....

6. Mario Williams... Your kidding right, he has had 1 good season

39. Ernie Sims... Product of being the only person on the Det defense with a heartbeat.

48. Wes Welker... Can you say.. Opposite Randy Moss?

50. Devon Hester... Until he does something other than return kicks he doesn't make a list of the top 50 players.

END. Read More!

Coutu Signs

by: Michael Steffes

Along with Tyler Schmitt, the Seahawks also finalized a deal with Brandon Coutu today. Coutu is the kicker out of Georgia taken with the other 7th round pick. Currently the Hawks have both their 7th rounders (Coutu & Forsett), and their 6th rounder, Schmitt, signed. They released three players late last week, which would indicate another rook should be inked soon.

Here is an article from the Examiner, which states this info. END Read More!

Hawks Offensive Units Continue to Rank Low

by: Michael Steffes

Sporting News keeps on churning out their positional group rankings, and the Hawks continue to rank low on the offensive side of the ball. This time the wide receivers are ranked 13th out of 16th.

Lets be real for a second. All of the Hawks big questions are on the offensive side of the ball. Because of that it is hard to disagree with the preseason rankings of a publication like the Sporting News. Take what they say...

There are a lot of questions to answer: Will Deion Branch (knee) be ready in Week 1? Will a contract squabble remove Bobby Engram from the equation? Will Nate Burleson be more consistent? Will any of the young guys step up?

You really can't argue with any of these questions. Same as with the TE's and the RB's. All are unproven commodities. As Seahawk fans, we have seen a pattern that the national media doesn't. Tim Ruskell makes more good decisions for than bad ones. Last year he hit a homerun with the safeties, but missed with Marcus Pollard, who wasn't his first choice anyway. So I think that as fans, we tend to believe that the solutions are going to work out well until proven otherwise, because most of the time they do. As for the national media, well they don't often give the South Canadian Seahawks the benefit of the doubt. END Read More!

Oh, Snap! Tyler Schmitt agrees to terms

by: Mike Parker

Looks like Tyler Schmitt officially agreed to a four-year contract with the Seahawks this morning, according to Jose at the Times.

An announcement from the team is expected later today; tomorrow at the latest.

To me, this kills any doubt or negative speculation about Tyler not wow'ing anyone at minicamp. It's interesting to me that our later-round picks are getting signed first. I figured LoJack and Carlson would've been the first two to sign, but these surprises are nonetheless pleasant ones.

And hopefully you all will forgive me for making jokes as bad as the one I made in the headline for this post. --END-- Read More!

Special Teams in Dire Straits

by: Michael Steffes

Profootballweekly's most recent blurb paints a doom and gloom picture of the Seahawks special teams. Currently this is one of the major concerns of the team heading into camp, along with the wide receivers. However, I am not so worried, it will come together. PFW says...

It’s bad enough that neither free-agent addition Olindo Mare nor seventh-round rookie Brandon Coutu has come close to making anybody forget departed PK Josh Brown, replacements must be found for the coverage unit’s top two performers (free-agent defectors Niko Koutuvides and Kevin Bentley), the new long-snapper is expected to be unproven sixth-round rookie Tyler Schmitt and a scramble is under way among a flurry of candidates to take over a huge portion of Nate Burleson’s return duties, as his role as a receiver has been greatly accelerated. Making matters worse is the untimely torn pectoral suffered by P Ryan Plackemeier while lifting weights that our sources tell us is likely to shut him down through training camp.

This is a bit over dramatic if you ask me. To say that Mare or Coutu are leaving a lot to be desired goes back to my argument for TJ Duckett. So far all they have done was kick field goals on an empty field. Wait until they get to the preseason and we will see if they can kick. To continue reading click...

As for Nate, well it isn't like he left the team. If they have problems finding his replacement, they can always hand the job back to him. They put Bobby back out there last year when Nate was struggling with certain aspects.

As for the gunners, the team expects Laury and Herring to step into those roles. They played well enough last year, and the team is likely to keep Mallard which will provide some veteran experience on special teams. I am not too worried about this aspect. All it takes is a guy who can run, tackle, and tries hard. Our team is full of try hard guys.

And finally, the team hopes Plack will be back by week 1, but if he isn't it won't be the end of the world. We can hem and haw about the snapping last year, but the truth is that Fudge was statistically one of the worst punters. His production was near replacement value, meaning a free agent could be brought in and do just as well. He is very good at pinning the team inside the 20, which would be missed, but overall his punting can be replicated easily.

One final thing that is mentioned is that Matt is the backup holder behind Fudge. I would be very surprised if that continues. They have the whole camp to get somebody ready. My guess is that it would be Seneca. He should be the holder anyway. A dual threat, run or pass, assuming Holmgren makes good on his words to try some fakes. Read More!

SA's Needs Info From You

by: Michael Steffes

Wow, we really are in the dead zone of NFL News, Huh. No bother to me, I spent all afternoon on the links. Vacation + Sun = good times for me! So, here is my newest project...

After an email from a reader, I was clued in to the fact that I am a very lucky individual; I have season tickets. Many of you don't, and now that there is a several year waiting list, getting tickets to the game can be a challenge. I have talked to some people that I know in the ticket business and have some other ideas to get info too. What I am planning, at the request of said reader who suggested this, is a comprehensive guide for buying tickets. Specifically single game tickets.

Here is how you all can help. Fill up the comments with either really positive experiences you have had getting tickets, or really negative experiences you have had. I am looking for where you sat, how you got the tickets and where or who from, and what happened to make it so great or horrible. If you have sat in numerous locations over the years, tell me where is your favorite spot and why. All of this is going to be included in a helpful manual for out-of-town Hawk fans, or those simply on the list trying to make it to as many games as possible. Thanks a million folks! and look for this to show itself by the end of the week. Read More!

VMAC Almost Ready

by: Michael Steffes

Just thought, for those interested, I would point this out. There is some cool info about the new practice facility from Seahawks.com.

First, here is an aerial slide show that is kind of interesting to flip through.

Second, right here, you can find a video of Tony Ventrella taking you through various areas in the facility, including the locker room, weight room, kitchen, indoor field, and even Tim Ruskell's office.

Remember, the Hawks are planing on moving into the Renton facility after training camp and during the preseason. At one point they considered holding the Saturday practices during camp at the Renton facility. If more info on that becomes available, I will make sure to let you know. END Read More!

The Slippery Slope

by: Michael Steffes

I have been meaning to post about this for a little while, and the article I linked too earlier reminded me. There is most defintely two sides to every story, and right now, courtesy of the Jets, we get to take a look at the after effects of caving in to player demands.

Last year at this time the Jets were dealing with the Pete Kendall situation. For those who need a refresher, Kendall had restructured his deal the year before, had a good season, and wanted the team to bump him up a million bucks. This was something he believed was told would happen verbally, but was not part of his restructured contract. To continue...

Kendall, after skipping the voluntary portions of offseason work, reported for mandatory mini camp. He talked long and loud about his displeasures, and by training camp he was letting his play do the talking. He pulled several stunts, including in a preseason game snapping two ball intentionally over the Qbs head, that made it clear the Jets had to trade him. Granted... the Jets didn't play their hand well either, putting him in the rookie dorm during training camp.

Now this year, Chris Baker thinks the team promised him more money. He is talking long and loud to everyone who will listen. As Lombardi pointed out in the Holmgren article, he is parking in the team presidents spot. What will happen if he isn't appeased by the time training camp rolls around. Who knows?

My point is that this is what is referred to as the slippery slope, and this is why Tim Ruskell won't just hand Bobby Engram more money. There is clearly a connection to the Kendall situation and the Baker situation. Baker saw clear as day that poor behavior helped Kendall get his way. Now he wants more money or a trade, so he is using the same playbook. To think things are as simple as giving a player more money because he deserves it is an oversimplification. This is also the reason that I am adamant that Bobby should have handled his situation differently. My guess is that Ruskell told him he wasn't getting a new deal before he went public, but now that he has, caving to his demands sets an awful precedent.

The last thing we need is to come to find that skipping voluntary workouts and demanding new deals becomes an epidemic in Seattle. Look at the Giants. A little success and everyone wants to cash in. That could be the Seahawks next year, especially testing the new staff. As everyone says, Football is a business first, and this is the time of year those issues get focused on. Read More!

The Big Show

by: Michael Steffes

Mike Lombardi over at SI.com has written a great article about Mike Holmgren. He looks at the advantages and disadvantages of this supposed "lame duck" year.

Here is a quote listed under the "very good"...

The fact Holmgren is not coming back will allow him to throw conventional wisdom and play calling to the wind, which should give him a distinct advantage over opposing defenses. Every third down call in Seattle will now be made with the understanding that going for it on fourth down is a distinct possibility.

I love this in theory, but call me skeptical. I will believe it when I see it. I am just not sure being really aggressive is in Mike's genes. He is old school, and part of the reason him personally, and the Hawks as a whole, have been successful is that they never give games away. Even when he hands it to the back and sends him crashing into a stacked line three times in a row, with the intention of running clock and punting, he is doing it because it forces the other team to beat us. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. It drives fans nuts, especially since our team is talented enough to put the game on ice. In the end though, the Hawks usually are in the games until the end. Last year, the team was a few short yardage situations away from a possible home field scenario. There is no reason to change the philosophy dramatically now. END Read More!

Can't Simulate Qwest Crowd Noise

by: Michael Steffes

Following up on something that Chris posted last week, I have the newest set of Whatifsports simulations in, thanks to JR. We already saw that that Whatif predicted the Hawks to win the west, but now they have simulated the playoffs.

They have the Giants coming west to play in their own personal house of horrors, Qwest field. Only one problem. Whatif's simulation has them emerging victorious on the back of 14 fourth quarter points. I am starting to believe these little simulations are possibly having a hard time accounting for things like cross country trips, extreme crowd noise, and the fact that the NFC East tends to wilt in the Qwest field noise machine.

Look at the boxscore. No false start penalties for the Giants....Bogus. The Giants have 232!!!! yards rushing, for an average of 7.7 per carry. Sorry guys, not in Seattle they wouldn't, not even if Howard Green and Craig Terrill were starting inside. No Eli interceptions... last time he was here they came early and often, and that was before we had Kerney, Tapp, and Lojack chasing him.

One thing they definitely did find a way to program in, East Coast Bias. END Read More!

Lynch expected to plead guilty

by: Mike Parker

Our favorite Assclown recipient, Marshawn Lynch, is reportedly expected to issue a guilty plea in court next week from the hit-and-run incident involving his SUV that took place earlier this month.

It's still unclear as to what Lynch is actually being charged with, but he's being formally charged here at Seahawk Addicts with first-degree Assclownery. This is of course punishable by endless amounts of public lambasting and ridicule on this blog.

It'll be interesting to see how the league handles this, and it'll also be rather hilarious to see Buffalo feverishly throw some low-grade backup RB into the Seahawks' meat grinder of a defense. Ever seen "The Mangler?" I think it'll end up being a lot like that if Lynch ends up suspended for Week 1. KERNEY SMASH!!! --END-- Read More!

Forsett Compared to Frank Gore

by: Michael Steffes

Wow, now here is something I haven't heard up until now. In their weekend article of insider news and notes, PFW has compared Justin Forsett to Frank Gore, or at least their source did. Interesting comparisson.

We hear Seahawks seventh-round RB Justin Forsett, the first Seatttle rookie to sign on the dotted line, has reminded more than a few onlookers of similarly undersized Niners featured back Frank Gore with his impressive burst and quickness.

Forsett is an inch shorter, 40 lbs lighter, and comes with about 4 less rounds of draft pedigree. That said, Forsett is probably much quicker in short spaces than Gore, especially since the multiple knee surgeries Gore endured. Besides for making the team, the question with Forsett is whether he will ever be able to take the pounding of carrying a full load in the NFL. In that regards he may be better compared to Warrick Dunn.

Also mentioned in this article is that Pat Murray can out lift everyone on the team, or so said Rob Sims several weeks ago, when we first heard about him having gained 10 lbs of strength. PFW notes that he is up to 320 lbs. END Read More!

Seahawks Tight Ends

by: Michael Steffes

In our weekly look at The Sporting News' positional rankings, the Seahawks again rate near the back of the pack at an offensive position. This time tight ends. The Hawks are 13th of 16 according to TSN. Here is what they say....

The team needs rookie John Carlson to emerge as a receiving option. He showed good quickness and sure hands in offseason workouts. Will Heller and newcomer Jeb Putzier are better blockers than receivers.

Meh. Putzier a better blocker than receiver? Not sure that is a well researched comment, at least based on everything I have heard previously. Also, I would personally take our tight ends over some of these teams ahead of them, such as the Rams or the Bucs, for obvious reasons. But hey, TSN thinks Vernon Davis is a stud, so take their opinions with a grain of salt. END Read More!

Nate Getting Noticed

by: Michael Steffes

With the Seahawk wide receiver situation in flux, there is some good ole' fashion offseason optimism popping up too. PFW has a little blurb about one receiver who is seizing his chance and making his presence felt. That man is Nasty Nate Burleson.

From the start of the Seahawks’ postdraft minicamp, our sources in Seattle tell us Burleson probably has been the team’s most consistent offensive performer up to now. “He is running consistently sharp routes, getting open and making catches,” one team insider said of Burleson, who previously has had a tendency to disappear when the team needed him most. “He also seems to have a much better understanding of the team’s passing game.

This is good news to hear. However, if I recall right they were saying the same things last year. That said, I do expect Nate to be better this year, and I disagree about him disappearing when the team needed him most. In my opinion, that was when he shined. The winning TD in the Cincy game or the critical first down catch on the sideline over Shaun Springs in the Wild Card game, both were examples of big catches in big spots. That doesn't even bring up his uncanny knack for a 90 yard punt return when the team needs them worst.

Anyway, hopefully after this year, and in to the future we will look at the move to sign Nate in a totally different light. He certainly has the talent to be a great player in this league, just put it all together this year Nate! END Read More!

Hawks release three players

by: Mike Parker

The Seahawks just released three players - center Nick Jones, guard Dustin Dickinson and receiver Chas Gessner.

No huge surprises here, but it's interesting to see the coaching staff already taking steps to weed out the weak - over a month before the start of training camp.

I have a sneaking suspicion that making this squad is going to be no picnic this year. The competition for each position is as stiff as I've ever seen it, and that comes as a huge relief after the loss of some key backups in free agency this year. (Niko, Bentley, etc.) Read More!

Is Dr. Z Just Plain Senile?

by: Michael Steffes

If you haven't seen this yet, the infamous Dr. Z, from SI has made half of his Superbowl prediction. It is pretty darn early, buy hey, strike while the iron is hot

He has picked, the Vikings. Yup, the Vikings. The funny part, is that his logic is seriously flawed.

Let's get down to basics. Run the ball. Stop the run. Best in the league at both last year. I can't help it -- I'm hooked on the fundamentals. Their middle triangle of tackles Kevin and Pat Williams, backed up by E.J. Henderson, is classic, and now there's a serious element added to that mix.

How does that make any sense? If it is all about running the ball and stoping the run then Minnesota should have at least made the playoffs last year, right? They were the best at both. The Giants were the 4th best rushing team and the 8th best rush defense team. The Patriots were 13th and 10th respectively. The truth is that this is a passing league. More to the point it is a quarterback league. Brady, Manning X 2, Hasselbeck, Romo, and Rivers have all been to the playoffs at least two years in a row. Most of these quarterbacks scuffled in their first playoff attempts. Brady is the exception. Some of them are still trying to get it right (Romo). But anyway you slice it, they are all better than Tavaris Jackson. Let the man at least lead his team to the playoffs once before you put these expectations on him.

You may notice in the article, he discusses the Giants and Boys, but no Seahawks. And when you think of it this way, it begs the question... Is this guy crazy? END Read More!

Tyler Schmitt Agrees to Terms

by: Michael Steffes

Word around Kirkland is that Tyler Schmitt has agreed to terms and the Hawks should be finalizing the deal soon. It is expected to be a four year gig.

My guess is it will be announced around 1 today. The team seems to enjoy releasing news on Friday afternoons. No word on whose head is on the chopping block, but that could be what is causing the delay. They have to reach the unfortunate player first to make room, and with some of the players spread out around the country right now, that can be delicate.

Two down, 4 to go.

Anyway, in case I am busy when it actually hits the ticker, now you know it is imminent. Thanks to Jose Romero for the heads up. END Read More!

Media To Blame?

by: Michael Steffes

On my way home from my morning activities, I took a little break from NFL Radio (because ther-e is zip going on right now) and ventured over to ESPN radio. The host was Colin Cowheard. More often than not I think this guy is a total moron. However, he is from the Northwest, grew up in Seattle, and got his radio start in Portland I believe. He was talking today about Seattle, and their struggles in pro sports. He blames the media.

His overriding point was that West coast media is much softer than East coast media. They are far less harsh, and often defend those in the organization. Also, that the West coast tends to be nicer, and far more willing to promote people just because they have been there a long time, ex used Jim Lambright and John Mclaren. His assertion is that it is the media's job to hold the teams accountable. In markets like NY, Boston, and Philly, the teams are shredded if they aren't doing a good job and it motivates them to solve their problems. In markets like Sea, Sf, and San Diego the media pats the teams on the back and says try harder guys, thus assuring they they will never get it right and or win championships. Cowheard says if you take Bill Walsh out of the equation, those three cities would have an alarming rate of futility. For discussion topics...

So here is my question.... Is the Seattle media doing it job? I tend to agree that the local media is a lot softer than their East coast counterparts, but does it effect the success of the teams? Also, do we care? Would we rather read scathing articles and hear bitter chatter about the team to no end? It seems incongruent to the way NWesterners see and feel about things.

The Seahawks are obviously the exception, success wise, but there is defintely a massive love fest going on. As a fan blog that is great, right... But what about KJR and the beat reporters. Should they be pushing the team a little harder? Until 2005, the Hawks were a mess. Wasting first round picks, one after another. Not surprisingly, it took new blood, hired from the outside, as Cowherd would prefer, to come in and be cold and ruthless before any success was really had. Food for thought this morning. Read More!

Darryl Tapp Interview

by: Michael Steffes

D-Tapp is back home in Virgina and eating good at Mom and Dads house, but he still had time to do an interview with Softy on KJR.

Besides for good eats, Tapp has a new endorsement he is pimping. He also talks about last season, and what is ahead for the Hawks. I have said this before, but if one person on this team could feel like the team is giving up on him early it is Darryl. However, he isn't showing any signs that has any grudge. I guess we should expect that, considering he is a Seahawk and Tim Ruskell draftee. Especially since the organization went to him and explained the pick. That helps.

I am starting to think that we may be presently surprised with his development this year. If Jennings is poised for a breakout year, than Tapp could be too. He has shown the signs and he is saying the right things. END Read More!

Shaun to Retire?

by: Michael Steffes

Here is a little article I saw yesterday. Also, thanks to Dan who just emailed me about it. I found it to be a bit redundant to things already discussed, but beggars can't be choosers in these dog days of the NFL offseason.

Clark Judge talks about the growing sentiment that Shaun Alexander is not going to end up on another team. He includes the idea that money and desire to play have a lot to do with it. It is a decent article, but like I said, it is much of what has been talked about on this website for the last several months.

Also, in a side note, even after releasing Ced Benson, the Bears are not looking at running backs. END Read More!

Seahawk Rookies Head to Canton

by: Michael Steffes

If you haven't heard about this yet, than it is defintely worth mentioning. At the request of Michael Irvin, when he was inducted last year, the NFL is sending all of the rookie classes to Canton, Ohio to spend a day at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Today, the Hawks rookie class will be spending the day in Canton.

The plan is that rookies will get to learn about those who have come before them and sacrificed so that they can make millions for playing a game they love. By learning about the heritage of the game, it is hoped that they respect it more and better appreciate the gift they have been given. Only time will tell if this truly has an effect.

I will be honest. I have never been to the Pro Football HOF. Truth be told, I haven't spent much time in Ohio. I have been to Cooperstown, NY several times though, and if it is anything like that I really need to go. I have two possibilities. First, they put the Hawks in the HOF game and make a trip out of it. Second, when Tez finally gets in, and it is a shame he isn't yet, I would consider going. He is my fav all time great Hawk. John Clayton says he will eventually get in, but as for now he has not even made the finalist list. Maybe this year Tez.... END Read More!

Another mildly favorable NFC West Preview...

by: Chris Sullivan

The folks over at Scout.com/WhatIfSports.com released their NFC West Preview today and it is, not surprisingly, a little bit off. While they favor the Hawks in the division (with another 9-7 record), there was some truly peculiar insight given as to our strengths and weaknesses.

Their 'award winning' simulator sees our offense slipping significantly to 26th in the league, while our defense jumps up dramatically to 2nd best. I think more than anything, this is due to the fact that they can't adequately factor in a) new coaches, b) Matt's ability to create stars and c) rookie impact... add to it the extra incentive to give the Walrus another Super Bowl win, and I think we come out far ahead of the projections.

The biggest point that the author is making in the story is basically that J. Jones can't cut the mustard and our running game, while improved, is still bad. I think with Wahle, Rob Sims' move to the right and Mike friggin' Solari and I think we have the potential for a line that could make most backs look like studs. I also think that Morris is going to do everything he can to step up and get a starting spot in 2009 for another team, even if that might be unlikely.

What are your thoughts? Are the 49ers an 8-8 team? Is St Louis really the worst in the division again? Read More!

Seahawk foes running not to end zone, but from police

by: Mike Parker

Cardinals RB JJ Arrington was arrested at 1:30 a.m. this morning after a fight broke out in a North Carolina nightclub. He was later charged with disorderly conduct and held later in jail for 24 hours for contempt of court. Story here.

Now, I know Arrington isn't quite the Cards' marquee guy or anything, but I still have to wonder what the hell's going on with some of the teams on the Seahawks' schedule this year - namely the running backs. What drives people like Marshawn Lynch, a guy with everything ahead of him in his career, to allegedly bar-hop all night and nail somebody in traffic at 3 a.m. and then vanish off the face of the earth when the cops suddenly want to know why his car is missing a headlight and half the front bumper?!

Not that any of this makes him look guilty or anything. Naaah.

And now Arrington, a relatively unknown name outside of Phoenix, gets into a five-person brawl at a nightclub somewhere in North Carolina and apparently pisses off the judge enough to get his ass locked up for a day.

Lynch's situation has of course lent itself to Seattle fans anxiously discussing the possibility of walking out of Buffalo with an easy Week 1 victory. Arrington being punished doesn't affect the Cardinals' lineup nearly as much, but it still happened.

And then there's one of our favorite offseason assclowns, Cedric Benson. Even though the Bears aren't on the schedule this year, it's fair to say that Chicago has been something of a rival to Seattle over the past couple of years. You could see the "holy-crap-we-might-actually-lose-this-one" fear in Brian Urlacher's eyes during the playoff game at Soldier Field two seasons ago that was decided in overtime on a field goal. But that's another story. The point is, Cedric Benson is now spending his offseason collecting unemployment, because the Bears decided to cut him loose after he was charged with boating AND driving under the influence in the same month. (Not at the same time, don't worry.)

In all this, I've come to the conclusion that Seattle's running back foes - past, present and future - are all being driven to acts of pure stupidity when they think about going up against the Seahawk defense. Visions of Patrick Kerney and Lawrence Jackson coming after them with the fury of a rabid wolverine high on PCP are simply too much for them to bear, so they end up crashing into things in the dead of night or randomly punching somebody in a bar for no particular reason. They're all behaving like Tony Montana at the end of "Scarface" - cornered, frothing-mad angry and mildly insane. Minus all the guns and drugs. Well, okay, guns.

And then there's Javon Walker, who deserves an honorable mention here, even though he's not a back. And it's only appropriate now that he's a member of the Oakland Raiders.
The circumstances of his recent mugging in Vegas have curiously not been released yet. I know, I know, police investigation, no details available yet, but still. Makes me wonder.

So now that Week 1 is a potential steal, I'm now waiting for Stephen Jackson to be found passed out on the streets of St. Louis with his dreadlocks stuck in the door of an Escalade, and Frank Gore to be charged in a mysterious incident involving a life-size effigy of Alex Smith with the word "DIE!!" smeared across it in blood.

Besides a 3-game win streak to start the season, think of the fun headlines we'd see after that.... Read More!

Seahawks Ink First Draft Pick

by: Michael Steffes

The Seahawks have agreed to terms with 7th round running back Justin Forsett. Expect the Hawks to get all of their picks signed between now and training camp. However, everytime they sign someone, someone will have to be released. This time it is Donovan Alexander, who either didn't impress or is the victim of a very deep and talented Seahawks secondary.

Woo Hoo! Good for Justin. He received a 4 year deal. Now all he has to do is make the team. END Read More!

The Marshawn Lynch Conundrum

by: Michael Steffes

Here is something you might find interesting, posted over at profootballweekly.com. It is an article that advocates NOT suspending Marshawn Lynch for his "morally reprehensible" actions because of the Bills current financial situation. The article, written by Matt Sohn, admits that Lynch could be staring down the barrel of a two game suspension. However, Sohn feels that suspending Lynch for the first two weeks, vs Sea and vs Jac, would be counter productive to the Bills and the NFL because it would severely endanger the Bills playoff hopes.

For my thoughts...

Here is what I say.... and let me preface this by saying I don't care if Lynch plays or not vs Seattle, although I will admit the Hawks have a better chance of winning if he doesn't. SO FREAKING WHAT. This guy has had every opportunity to do the right thing in this incident and he has made poor decision after poor decision.

He allegedly hit someone while driving home from the nightlife area of town. He should be thanking his lucky stars she wasn't seriously injured. The cops have had to subpoena half of the organization and he still won't give a statement. He should be suspended, and the Bills should thank Roger Goodell if it is only two games. As for their playoff hopes and financial burdens.... well.... here is a novel idea, tell Lynch to speak up or they will suspend him. They can just as easily force his cooperation as the police, if not more so. Instead they have chosen to have their executives testify before a grand jury. Dumb. Any penalty the Bills franchise, and Marshawn Lynch pay are of their own making. If it jeopardizes their standing in Western NY then they should have thought about how handling this poorly affects business.

It is about time somebody involved in this case does the right thing, and waiting for Roger Goodell to handle it for you is the wrong approach. If Lynch is unavailable week one for the Bills, well, I consider that the cost of doing business... With Turds! Read More!

We Feel For You Joe

by: Michael Steffes

I found this article and I thought I would share it with all of you. Joe Jurevicius appears to be entering his final season. It hasn't been a big story, but since January, Jurevivius has had THREE knee surgeries. The first was a scope, the second two to clean up the staph infection that developed. There is talk this will be his final year.

Like the Robert Horry of the NFL (not quite but you get the gist), Jurevicius is one of those players who just seems to continually find himself on Superbowl teams. He went with the Giants, the Bucs, and finally the Seahawks. He then took less money than the Seahawks had offered to go home to Cleveland. At the time he remarked that he wanted to help Cleveland to the Superbowl. Many scoffed and laughed, this was the Browns he was talking about. Well, now they just might have a shot and despite his recent setbacks, Jurevicious wants to help. He would be one of the few Browns with Super Bowl experience.

Joe played a key a role in the 2005 season for the Seahawks. Nobody can ever tell me this guy is not a gamer. He has that "it" factor that just seems to elevate the play of the parts around him. I can't fault him for going home. I hope he and the Browns have a great run this year. Heck, I don't care if they make the Superbowl for the AFC. Mostly though, I hope Joe is able to get back and help the team out. Especially if this really is the end for him. END Read More!

D-Jax finds happy home in Denver?

by: Mike Parker

Originally posted at Dr. Gonzo's Seahawks Blog


After a disappointing season in San Francisco and subsequently being cut by the team, Darrell Jackson looks like he's found a good fit with the Denver Broncos.

According to a Denver Post story referenced by Clare Farnsworth of the PI, Jackson was apparently staying after practice on a few occasions, and seemed very content to be doing so.

Maybe he'll emerge as Jay Cutler's new No.2 guy behind Brandon Marshall, and I assume that's the goal Shanahan has in mind. But who knows, really? Cutler is almost as inconsistent as Drew Brees (last year, anyway) and that exact issue ended up being the problem in San Francisco with Jackson catching passes from Alex Smith, the man who epitomizes the term "draft bust."

Now I'm hoping the Seahawks' slew of untested blood feels as comfortable here as Jackson apparently does in Denver, because Hasselbeck's trust is all but paramount in receivers getting the ball. But so far, so good. Read More!

Suggestions For GM Committee

by: Michael Steffes

I figured with a little dead time and Tim Ruskell joining this new committee to make suggestions on some of the NFL events, I would add my two cents about some of these events. Today... The Pro Bowl.

First off, the problems that exist with the Pro Bowl, in my opinion, are the fact that nobody really cares about it, it is more a vacation than a game, and that it is massively anti-climatic the weekend after the Superbowl. Here are my suggestions. To continue...

• First, I like the idea of playing it the week before the Superbowl. It fills the dead the week and takes our attention away from the overkill that is the current two week, nonstop media hype. You play it at the Superbowl site, where many players are anyway, the Sunday before the Superbowl. The downside is that the Superbowl players are eliminated. Considering a large portion of the Superbowl players often bow out anyway, I don't see this as much of a problem.
  

• The one thing I love about the NBA all star game is the rookies/sophomores game. They need to add something that incorporates the young players more, who are often overlooked unless they come from a major media market. What if they made it a rookies/sophs team vs the best of NFL. For one, it may increase competition, as young guys would likely step of their game with something to prove.
  

• Eliminate the stupid rule changes, like no blitzes, etc. Either it is football or it is not.
  

• Limit the number of players than any one team can send. Having 11 Cowboys was absurd. In fact, have every team send at least one player, like baseball. That way every team's fans have a tiny reason at least follow the Pro Bowl.
  

• Fix the selection. Voting is poor. Fans are biased. Coaches don't get to watch enough of certain teams, and the media members football knowledge can be in question. Put together a committee and select the players like the 64 college basketball teams every year. That way, when Pro Bowls are used as a HOF criteria, they have even more meaning.
  

These are just some thoughts of the top of my head. I am aware there are pitfalls to some of them. Now it is your turn. What would you suggest the GM committee do to fix this sorry exhibition? Read More!

Summing Up June, Looking Towards July

by: Michael Steffes

Former Seahawk beat writer Mike Sando, now writing for ESPN, has done a nice write up on the Hawks again for the four letter network.

He takes a look at what we have learned from this past mini camp, and what questions and competitions are lurking for training camp in July. He mentions the new coaches, including giving favorable reviews of both Solari and Bill Lazor. He mentions how the injuries on the line, and the lack of pads being on still leave questions about the o-line. The meat of the article is his take on the uncertain situations at both WR and RB. He sums it up by talking about the quantity of quality DB's this team has.

Give it a read. Not bad for a Tuesday in mid June. END Read More!

Carlson highlight reel

by: Mike Parker

This may have been posted at some other point, but keep in mind I'm still the new guy around here. (And I didn't see it anywhre in the archive.)

But honestly, this little gem is so damn good, I think it would merit a second post anyway.

After watching it, I can see why Charlie Weis said "John Carlson is the most pro-ready tight end I've ever seen."

Read More!

Tim Ruskell Named to GM Committee

by: Michael Steffes

The NFL announced today the formation of what is being called The General Mangers Advisory Committee. Retried Giants GM-turned NFL consultant Ernie Accorsi, as well as NFL VP of Football Operations Ray Anderson, are chairing this committee. Seahawks GM Tim Ruskell is one of the committee members.

This committee has been formed to provide suggestions on policy regarding such events as the Pro Bowl, the Combine, the Draft, and even the preseason.

If you are interested in reading the NFL's press release....

06/16/2008

ERNIE ACCORSI JOINS NFL AS CONSULTANT; TO CO-CHAIR NEW GENERAL MANAGERS ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Former New York Giants General Manager ERNIE ACCORSI has been hired as a consultant to the NFL office and will co-chair a new General Managers Advisory Committee, NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations RAY ANDERSON announced today.

In his new role, Accorsi will focus on assisting the NFL in monitoring compliance with rules and policies and achieving better and more consistent communication with senior club football personnel.

Accorsi retired from the Giants after the 2006 season following a 35-year career in the NFL, the last 14 with the Giants, including nine as general manager. He also served as general manager of the Cleveland Browns (1985-92) and Baltimore Colts (1982-83).

The General Managers Advisory Committee will provide advice and other feedback to the NFL Football Operations department headed by Anderson. Areas of focus for the committee will include:

* Protecting and supporting the integrity of the game
* Expanded use of technology
* Player development and scouting opportunities
* Development of innovative ideas to improve the Pro Bowl, Scouting Combine, NFL
Draft, and preseason

“With our emphasis on innovation, collaboration, and accountability of all personnel in protecting the integrity of the game, the General Managers Advisory Committee gives our clubs a new mechanism for consistent communication with the league office and will result in better information for our office,” Anderson said.

The General Managers Advisory Committee will be co-chaired by Anderson and Accorsi.

Other members of the committee are JERRY ANGELO (Chicago Bears), KEVIN COLBERT (Pittsburgh Steelers), ROD GRAVES (Arizona Cardinals), JAMES HARRIS (Jacksonville Jaguars), TOM HECKERT (Philadelphia Eagles), MARTY HURNEY (Carolina Panthers), MICKEY LOOMIS (New Orleans Saints), CARL PETERSON (Kansas City Chiefs), JERRY REESE (New York Giants), TIM RUSKELL (Seattle Seahawks), RICK SMITH (Houston Texans), and MIKE TANNENBAUM (New York Jets). Read More!

Rocky Bernard Matter Settled, For Now

by: Michael Steffes

Rocky Bernard was back in court today for an inccident he had in April. Essentially the charge has been differed. If Rocky avoids any future arrests in a two year period, then this current charge will be dismissed. He must also complete domestic violence treatment and is not permitted to possess any firearms.

Here is the story from Danny O'Neil and the Seattle Times.

I was very critical of Rocky upon learning of this arrest, and I stand by that sentiment. Considering the judge continued the order of protection for this two year period, my opinion of the incident hasn't changed. That said, I think this is a fair and amicable settlement. If Rocky keeps his nose clean, I am glad only his reputation will be tarnished, and he will not have a criminal record. If he doesn't keep his nose clean, well then he has no one to blame but himself. END Read More!

Taylor Poised to Make Impact

by: Michael Steffes

Hello loyal readers. I am home and back in business, although throughly exhausted. I think I walked 30 miles or so, and have the sunburn to prove it. Excellent work by Chris and Mike though, thanks again.

One of the things I found that was posted over the weekend, was PFW's news and nuggets in their "whispers" article. There are two things Seahawk related. The first is that Rocky Bernard is back to full strength, which is good news heading into training camp. Knock one more of the medical report. The second is this...

Our Seahawks sources tell us young WRs Jordan Kent and Courtney Taylor are settling in at split end and flanker, respectively, rather than rotating to different WR roles. We’re told Taylor actually looks bigger without his uniform on and has coaches genuinely enthused about his potential as Bobby Engram’s heir apparent.

Courtney Taylor is high on a lot of peoples lists of the young WR expected to emerge this year. The part I like is that he looks bigger without his pads on. Clearly, Tim Ruskell has made a move towards bigger receivers, at least when drafting. This was something they did in Atlanta too. Not sure if Jim Mora likes this, or it is an organizational philosophy, but my assumption is that going forward they envision Deion being the small guy. If you want more, here is an interview that Softy did recently with Courtney Taylor. END Read More!

Making a case for Bobby

by: Mike Parker

I've been giving a lot of thought to the Bobby Engram situation as of late, and interestingly enough, a guy named Aaron Fentress at the Oregonian makes a few good points on the very same subject with this story.

In yet another off season where multi-millionaire cry babies like Chad Johnson and Cedric Benson grab headlines, someone like Engram truly deserves to be rewarded for showing the character, work ethic and unselfish production teams covet.

I definitely think there's some merit to what the guy is saying, but I also think Bobby should show up to training camp. Being a writer, I understand the frustration that comes with the feeling of not being paid enough for your talents, and it's never any fun to feel like you're getting the shaft.

But by the same token, Bobby already makes almost $2 million a year. How many more Hummers can you really buy?

It's an interesting dichotomy, and I hope there's an agreement reached sometime in the next six weeks. For now, we'll just have to wait and see. Read More!

Your turn -- 2004 and 2006 Drafts

by: Chris Sullivan

By request, here are the top 10 for the year before and after (I figured 2007 is still too early to really call). 2004 looks like a fantastic top 10 to me, especially when you think about how frequently players are totally Boom or Bust. Here are the lists, feel free to give a boom/bust analysis of your own.

2006 -

1. Mario Williams - Houston
2. Reggie Bush - New Orleans
3. Vince Young - Tennessee Titans
4. D'Brickashaw Ferguson - NY Jets
5. A.J. Hawk - Green Bay
6. Vernon Davis - SF
7. Michael Huff - Oakland
8. Donte Whitner - Buffalo
9. Ernie Sims - Detroit
10. Matt Leinart - Arizona

2004 -

1. Eli Manning - San Diego
2. Robert Gallery - Oakland
3. Larry Fitzgerald - Arizona
4. Philip Rivers - NY Giants
5. Sean Taylor - Washington
6. Kellen Winslow - Cleveland
7. Roy Williams - Detroit
8. DeAngelo Hall - Atlanta
9. Reggie Williams - Jacksonville
10. Dunta Robinson - Houston Read More!

2005 Draft... worst top 10 ever?

by: Chris Sullivan

Lets take a look:

1. Alex Smith - SF - Seems to be quite a dud, eh?
2. Ronnie Brown - Miami - Obviously good, but injury prone
3. Braylon Edwards - Cleveland - Finally had a year worthy of his draft pick in 2007, but very slow start to his career
4. Cedric Benson - Chicago - B-U-I, D-U-I, C-U-T
5. Cadillac Williams - TB - Like Ronnie Brown, good, but even more injury prone
6. Pacman Jones - Tennessee - No commentary necessary
7. Troy Williamson - Minn - Already on his second team, nothing close to a 7 pick
8. Antrel Rolle - AZ - Was drafted as a cornerback, is being moved to safety this year because he couldn't keep up
9. Carlos Rogers - Washington - Not too shabby, really, but probably hasn't lived up to a top-10 pick
10. Mike Williams - Detroit - 4 years, 3 teams, 2 touchdowns

Ouch. Compare this to the next ten picks, where we have multiple probowlers and a few just-misses: Demarcus Ware, Shawn Merriman, Jammal Brown, Erasmus James, Marcus Spears... and of course, Lofa Tatupu late in the second. Has there ever been a better linebacker class? Read More!

Previewing the NFC West

by: Mike Parker

Some experts at ESPN.com recently took a look at the NFC West, and let's just say it was more than a little encouraging to hear what they had to say.

They analyze the potential trainwrecks that make up the rest of the division at first, and for once I actually agree with an analyst's assessment. (Wow, hello alliteration.) The 'hawks bit comes at the very end. It's worth hearing them shoot down our division rivals first anyway.

Among the best things said - and what I've been saying as well - was that Matt is now the best QB in the NFC now that Favre retired. They also even poked at the increasingly-evident possibility that this could indeed be a Super Bowl team in the making. What also put a smile on my face was when they mentioned the offense is now "over the top."

Enjoy, everyone. And happy Father's Day to all the dads out there. Read More!

Seahawks Headlines of yester-year

by: Chris Sullivan

Hey all, slow day in Seahawkdom, so I figured we could take a look back, with a humorous tint, via Fark.com headlines featuring the Seahawks over the last few years.

October 19, 2004: Jerry Rice traded to Seattle Seahawks. Special ramps installed in locker room. [Link dead]

January 30, 2006: Seahawk's Matt Hasselbeck in car accident in Detroit. Prediction: It will be the hardest hit he gets all week. [Alright, a Hawks fan!]

January 31, 2006: As if to prove that no one likes the Seattle Seahawks, the "best quotes" from media day are ALL Steelers [Link Dead]

February 6, 2006: Judge orders a "Go Seahawks" cheer prior to sentencing. Rusty the Baliff unimpressed

March 22, 2006: Sniper holds downtown Pittsburgh hostage. Seahawks fans whine about cops letting him get away with it [Jerks... okay, no more Super Bowl stuff]

September 11, 2006: Patriots ship Deion Branch to the Seahawks for a pound of Starbuck's house blend

September 7, 2007: Seahawks get bashed on backside Bush blitz [actually somewhat interesting story]

December 1, 2007: Seahawks RB Shaun Alexander will be sitting down again on Sunday versus Philly. In other words, he will start.

January 9, 2008: Seahawks kicker to wear heated pants during Saturday's game in Green Bay to keep his vagina warm [hahaha]

Sorry guys, I know its not the most original stuff, but I got a kick out of a few of them.

Happy Father's Day everybody (especially my Dad, and my brothaaas - Tim, Tom and Jim)!



Read More!

What does a Marcus Trufant hit feel like?

by: Chris Sullivan

Well, if he's going full speed, its going to hurt. 1600 lbs of force, according to this old article that may have slipped through some people's fingers before. Its about the physics of a good hit, and features Trufant quite a bit. This got me thinking, who has the most potential to knock some teeth out?

Using some loose calculations, I put some numbers together. It should be noted that the 20 or 10 yard splits would probably be better for the defensive linemen, but I wanted to keep things consistent. Here's a little table for your perusal, and again, its all back-of-the-napkin, but gives us a good idea:

Player	40 Yard Dash	Weight	Force
Lofa Tatupu	4.63	226	1,737 lbs
Leroy Hill	4.62	229	1,764 lbs
Darryl Tapp	4.75	265	1,985 lbs
Lawrence Jackson	4.82	270	1,993 lbs
Marcus Tubbs	5.01	318	2,259 lbs
Brandon Mebane	5.10	295	2,058 lbs
Red Bryant	4.95	324	2,329 lbs
Kelly Jennings	4.41	180	1,453 lbs
Marcus Trufant Julian Peterson	4.38 4.57	199 240	1,617 lbs 1870 lbs

Thats my BOY right there, Red Bryant has the most crush-potential! Of course, we know in a game the interior linemen aren't actually going to get up to speed, but don't go trying to steal their cars when they're 120 feet away. Looks like Tapp might be the best one to avoid coming off the line.

UPDATED: Thanks to Hawkfan[#####] I was able to throw J Peterson's numbers up -- Hawkfan found an 8 year old news story with his 40 time... awesome work! Read More!

World Champions

by: Chris Sullivan

At least in Africa! An oldie but a goodie from The Onion, thought you guys would enjoy it (or want another excuse to vent about the robbery). Read More!

Ranking Running Backs

by: Michael Steffes

I am jumping in a car and heading for Torrey Pines folks, but before I do I thought I would pass along this. In a now regular segment digesting The Sporting News' positional rankings, I present to you...Running Backs.

Unfortunately the TSN does not think very highly of Tim Ruskell's running back makeover. They have the Seahawks ranked 14th of 16. Ouch! Here is what they say.

They made a lot of changes, but it's hard to say they'll be better. Julius Jones hits the hole hard but averaged 3.6 yards for Dallas in '07. T.J. Duckett has good size.

Not a ringing endorsement for sure. However I will argue back that running back may be the least predictable position on offense. Ryan Grant? Came from nowhere last year. Adrian Peterson... people new he was going to be good, but not THAT good. The entire Giants backfield last year was a mix and match scenario, and they turned out OK. I am trying not to get too high or too low about the Seahawks running game until I see it in action. Running the ball is a mentality, not the product of having one player who looks good gettin' off the bus. END Read More!

Special Teams - Do they matter?

by: Chris Sullivan

The other day, Michael posed the question -- what are your Hawk concerns going forward for 2008? For me, the biggest question mark is our Special Teams. Last year, as we all know, our long snapper situation made both Fudge and Assclown Brown look bad, but other than that they were... alright. I decided to do a little investigation into how good or bad they actually were, how we've ranked in the league over the last 5 years, and see if I can use some of that information to project how we might look next year.

To do this, I've utilized the incredible website, one of my favorites, Football Outsiders. They analyze the NFL game by game, processing every single play and assigning value to each result on all sides of the ball. They come up with a DVOA number -- Defensive-adjusted Value Over Average. The caliber of team you're playing comes into play, the situation -- is it 3rd and 19 or 3rd and 1 -- a 2 yard run has much more value in the second situation than the first! and so on. It's a great system, a little complex, but it seems to come up with pretty good numbers...

I spent about an hour crunching all the numbers, trying to show how important the Special Teams are only to find... they're not all that important. Correlations between the seeded playoff teams and special teams DVOA range from 0.04 (virtually no correlation) to 0.80 - very high correlation. What this means is, essentially, its a crap shoot.

I wanted to know how important Special Teams really is -- it sure feels important. In reality though, of the top 5 Special Teams DVOA ranked teams, only one (San Diego) made the playoffs. Of the top 10, only 3 made it. Compare this to the top 5 Defense (Tennessee, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, Tampa Bay, San Diego) and Offense (New England, Indie, Jacksonville, Dallas and Green Bay); every single team in the top 5 made the playoffs. Read More!

Summing Up Mini Camps

by: Michael Steffes

Scott Johnson of the Everett Herarld has written an article for this morning summing up the latest round of mini camps. It is nothing special, but considering it may be one of the last Seahawks related articles we get for a while, please read and enjoy.

Johnson talks about the awful weather last week, and some of the competitions to watch during camp in July. It would also appear he talked with TJ Duckett, who he quotes several times in the article. The team is incorporating a whole lot of new pieces this year; so far so good. END Read More!

PFW Likes Hawks Chances

by: Michael Steffes

There are bunch of things I could cover from this magazine that are worth talking about, but I have a Lindy's to get through too. So here is an overall feel of what PFW thinks about the Hawks....

POWER RANKING: 5... Only behind Dallas (2) from the NFC.

"Mike Holmgren is hoping his retierment party takes place in Tampa"

PROJECTED RECORD: 12-4

"While a storybook Super Bowl swan song for Mike Holmgren might be asking a bit too much, a fifth straight divison title and a sixth straight playoff berth for the Seahawks look like very strong possibilities"

PROJECTED NFC WEST STANDINGS

Sea 12-4
Az 10-6
StL 6-10
SF 3-13

FYI, the magizine does not have specific rounds drawn out, but picks Dallas, NO, GB, and SEA as division winners, with AZ and NY as the Wild Cards. Judging by the projected records, they have the Hawks and Dallas both with 12-4 records, receiving the playoff bye. I think I might be to nervous to eat on turkey day. They pick Dallas to lose to NE in the Superbowl. That seems to be a pretty popular pick, which almost ensures it won't happen. Good news for Hawk fans. END. Read More!

Four Seahawks Make PFW Top 50

by: Michael Steffes

One of my favorite annual readings is the ProFootballWeekly NFL Preview. With a little free time on hands I finally go down to cracking the cover this morning. One of the annual articles is the PFW top 50 players. This year, four Seahawks litter the list.

The list is created by surveying a mix of coaches, executives, and scouts. To see your listed Hawks...

Big Walt checks in at 19. Surprisingly this is up from last year where he was ranked only 27th. It wasn't too long ago he would have been top 5, but age catches up with all of us. That said, Walt will be on this list for a few more years. Especially considering he is still rated by PFW as the top tackle in football, "by a healthy margin."

Matt is next at 31. This is his first apperance on this list. He is the lowest ranked QB in the top 50. He falls behind Brady (1), Manning (2), Palmer (7), Rothlisberger (15), Brees (17), and Romo (18).

Surprisingly right behind Matt at 35 is... Marcus Trufant. Also his first apperance on the list. Marcus is just ahead of Terrance Newman, but 2 spots behind media darling Asante "watch me underperfom now that I got paid" Samuel.

Kind of in a shocker, it is Lofa who is last among Hawks at 45. Only two other middle linebacker made the list, Urlacher at 23 and DeMeco Ryans at 49. Lofa was not on last years list either.

Droping off of PFW's list from the Hawks are Julian Peterson who last year was ranked 28th, and of course Shaun Alexander who was 44th in 07. Also note, Steve Hutchinson does not appear either; he was 32nd last year.

As for team accolades, well only the Cowboys do better with 5 players. Not to surprising. The Hawks have 4 along with Indy and SD, who are much more widely recognized as talent laden teams. More from this mag to follow. Read More!