Remember the Hate

Coming off a short week and a wave of controversy, the Seahawks are now going full gear in preparation for the St. Louis Rams.  Under Pete Carroll we've seen the team show the ability to respond to tough losses and while this isn't a loss, you wouldn't think that if you've read anything from mainstream or social media this week.  Why do I do that again?  For the most part it's just a bunch of senseless drivel driven by a mob mentality and a desire to get more hits, views, and readership and eventually make some serious cash.  But I digress..

Simply put, the 2012 version of the Rams can't be taken lightly.  I've always been a big fan of Jeff Fisher and I'm glad he's back on the sidelines.  However, I'm not too thrilled that he's a member of the Rams because that's only sure to make them a better franchise.  And I don't want that.  I never want that, no offense Rams fans I'm sure you're great people.  See, it was only a few short years ago that the Rams were the Seahawks most hated rival and the mere mention of Isaac Bruce or Torry Holt got my blood pumpin.  I remember going to the NFL Draft with my friends one year when Holt was a draft analyst.  I let him have it all afternoon, called him soft, told him Ken Hamlin was going to annihilate him, the works.  I look back at it now and it's funny to think how much I "hated" this dude.  Then again, I love "sports hate."  Sports hate is one of the rights of passage of being a fan and as long as you don't go all De Niro in the Fan, you should be good.  

I'll never forget October 10, 2004.  One of the worst days of my life in general and as a Seahawks fan.  Just thinkin about it now makes me think "how and why the hell did that happen?!"  The Seahawks were seriously looking at a 4-0 start and were hosting the rival Rams who were 3-1 at the time.  It was seriously one of the last times the NFC West had multiple competitive teams prior to the present.  Well, you know the story so I don't want to cut open some old wounds TOO deep..  but the Seahawks blew a 24-7 Halftime lead and ended up losing the game in overtime on a bomb from Marc Bulger to Shaun McDonald.  I was 17 at the time and don't remember too many more times in my life since then that I've been that pissed.  Watching the Seahawks slowly crumble and implode like they were the Kingdome was one of my worst sports memories ever, and still is.  Seeing Isaac Bruce stand over his helmet at midfield, taunting the 12th Man evoked some of the strongest feelings I've ever had watching sports.  I can look back at it now and just shake my head and smirk but during the heat of the moment the feelings weren't so fuzzy.

8 years and a myriad of changes have occurred since then.  The NFL is truly an ever changing league and these two teams are almost entirely different.  In fact, the only player from either team that will play in the game this Sunday is Seahawks Corner and local living legend Marcus Trufant.  No, seriously, that's it.  1 guy from 2 teams and it's only been 8 years.  So I'm not expecting any of the players to really have the same contempt for each other as the fans might.  However, I do think that if Pete Carroll can tap in to some of this energy while getting the team ready it could go a long way in avoiding the trap that this game presents.  The 'Hawks have won 13 of the last 14 meetings between these two, something I thought would never, ever happen back in 04.  The Rams are definitely tired of getting kicked around and Jeff Fisher's sure to have them ready to attack Seattle, the team coming off a short week and a ton of controversy.  He's been around the game a long time and I'd say the odds are good that he knows which buttons to press to ensure that his team comes out fired up for this one.  Meanwhile, the Seahawks offense has struggled to get on track early so far this season and outside of the 2nd half of the Cowboys game it hasn't been pretty for the most part.  Enter the defense.

I think it's going to be absolutely imperative that the defense try and match the same energy and intensity that they've brought each of the first three games early on in this one.  It'll be tough to bring that kind of intensity every week but that's what champions do, except for the Giants but kudos to them for getting it done, I guess.  That's also what elite defenses do.  They set the tone for the game and the offense just feeds off of that.  

If you'll remember the Monday Night Game last season the Hawks tried two halfback passes against the Rams and didn't execute either of them.  That's besides the point.  Pete Carroll could even be seen chuckling about it on the sidelines.  That's the exact opposite of the kind of mindset that will be needed on Sunday.  This team's going to have to come out pissed, focused, and with a Ralphie May sized chip on their shoulder in this tangle.  More importantly, that respect for the Rams as a divisional opponent also has to be there.  No divisional opponent can be taken lightly.  We need not look any further than Week 1 for evidence of that.  The Rams nearly stunned Detroit and DID stun Kory Lichtensteiger and the Redskins, showing Jeff Fisher's propensity for physical teams by roughing up RGIII in the process.  So while this team can eventually be broken by Seattle's physical nature, they most certainly will not back down.

So embrace the hate.  Watch some clips from that game in '04 no matter how much it hurts.  Remember that feeling you had when Ken Hamlin finally stepped up to Isaac Bruce as the cameras cut away from the newly named Qwest Field that October day.  Remember the feeling you had when Bobby Engram collided with the back judge who shouldn't have even been stadning there in the first place later that year.  Remember how bad it hurt when Bobby had a chance at redemption in the playoffs but couldn't quite haul it in (don't worry Bobby we'll always love you!) Remember that while the guys wearing the uniforms on the other sideline might be different, they are still wearing the same jersey.  Still those same blue and gold helmets that used to drive us insane whenever we'd see Marshall Faulk, Isaac Bruce, Marc Bulger, or Torry Holt playing to the referees and getting away with it.  Remember that you hate the St. Louis Rams and that like a lion tackling a gazelle it'll always be there because it's ingrained in your DNA.

Week 3 Unsung Heroes: Jon Ryan/Brandon Mebane

Here we are for yet another installment of Unsung Heroes!  I really look forward to doing these and I especially love giving the unsung 'Hawks their due.  This game wasn't pretty but the Seahawks, to their credit, were able to prevent this game from being a shootout and ultimately were the victors.  Gus Bradley and the other defensive coaches deserve a ton of credit for an absolutely amazing performance.  Probably the best defensive performance I've ever seen in my life as a Seahawks fan.

So it's important that Bradley get some love but two guys really stood out to me as a major reason why the Seahawks were able to win this one.  First, and I'm really glad to be able to say this because I love the dude, Jon Ryan played a whale of a game!  He punted 6 times for a whopping 309 yards, a 51.5 average.  His long, a 73 yarder, was an absolute bomb and amazing to watch. He also pinned the Packers inside their own 20 three times.  That's 6 inside the 20 on the year against a lone touchback.  Needless to say it's looking like another great campaign for the Canadian Crippler.  With the Seahawks offense failing to get anything going against the Pack D, Ryan came through huge in the clutch and helped the Seahawks in the field position department.  I firmly believe that if you replace Ryan with a league average punter, the Seahawks don't win this game.  People laughed when the 'Hawks signed Ryan to a 6 year, $9.1 million contract after the '09 season but it's proven to be a shrewd move.  The dude is reliable as hell and cooler than the other side of the pillow.  Did I mention he's got the best ginger locks in the entire NFL?  Ryan came through big time in this one and deserves a game ball, or whatever I can afford to give him.  For now, he'll just have to settle on an Efren Herrera rookie card.

Thank you SBNation and you're welcome world.  This dance alone could have been reason enough for Brandon Mebane to be one of my unsung heroes of the week.  Amazingly, his performance on the field was actually better than this belly roll dance!  I'm actually not 100% sure about that but the man was a beast on Monday Night!  It's fitting that he'd end up on this list sooner rather than later when you consider that Mebane has been one of the Seahawks unsung heroes for years now.  Chris Clemons was just named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for his 4 sack performance and Bruce Irvin has gotten rave reviews for his improved play (2 sacks) in this game but Mebane deserves just as much credit.  

Seahawks fans have been begging for years to get some pressure up the middle consistently and it finally showed up in the form of #92.  His ability to collapse the pocket is what ultimately set up Clemons and Irvin in the position to succeed.  Yeah, those guys played out of their skulls, but Mebane held down the fort and did not allow Rodgers to simply slide up in the pocket to avoid the edge rush.  Sure 1 of the sacks came after Rodgers tripped and all Mebane had to do was fall on his ex-teammate from college, but if you look beyond the 2 sacks you'll see that Mebane played a dominating game.  That marks 2 of those for him in my book.  He looked incredible against Arizona, solid against the Cowboys, and incredible once again against the Packers.  

Could this be the year where Brandon Mebane becomes the truly dominant defensive tackle that many 'Hawks fans have hoped for him to be?  We shall see.  For now he is a Lamar King rookie card richer for his outstanding play.  Jon Ryan and Brandon Mebane, we salute you as the Unsung Heroes in a HUGE win that none of us will ever forget, no matter how much the media and fans of NFL teams around the league make us try!

Say Goodnight to the Bad Guy!

"You need people like me. You need people like me so you can point your fuckin' fingers and say, "That's the bad guy." - Tony Montana AKA Scarface

Tony Montana would definitely be a Seattle Seahawk.  Pardon Tony's French here but this is still one of my all-time favorite quotes from one of my all-time favorite movies, and in a bizarre twist, it somehow applies to the Seattle Seahawks after last night. 

By now you all know what happened so I'll spare you the details.  Do I think it was a catch?  My heart tells me no, no it wasn't.  Do I feel apologetic about winning a game that way?  Again, no.  Wait, how bout HELL NO!  This notion that we as fans are supposed to bow down to the Packers is a tired one.  Do you think anybody would give a damn if it were the 'Hawks who had been on the other end of this?  Did ANYBODY give a damn in 98 when this happened?

How about in 2003 against Baltimore where a critical 10 second run off that would have sealed a win for the Seahawks was not applied.  And don't even get me started about Super Bowl XL.  These are just a few examples in a long, disheartening list of Seattle screwjobs.  And what's the prevailing thought and feeling around the NFL?  "Stop whining", "get over it", "deal with it", "bad calls are a part of the game", or my favorite "good teams find ways to overcome bad calls."  Now, suddenly, when the media darling Green Bay Packers are on the other side of the coin everyone with an opinion is voicing their outrage.  You also have the issue of the replacement referees but they were out there blowing calls against the Seahawks all night as well.  Tons of holding calls in the 2nd half that went uncalled and especially the egregious "pass interference" call against Kam Chancellor that helped the Packers score their only touchdown of the game.  Nobody seems to be making mention of that? 

Which brings me back to the ole cliche "good teams find ways to overcome bad calls."  Isn't it incredibly ironic that in a game where the Seahawks finally overcame horrid officiating to steal victory from the jaws of defeat the win is discredited by most because of spotty officiating against their opponent?  Unbeliveable.  You couldn't script this stuff!  In an even more comical twist, there appears to be a lot of backlash aimed directly at the Seahawks after this.  I fully expect to see the team get booed on the road far worse than they already would have in the remaining games this season.  The Seahawks, in one fell swoop, may see their image around the league transform from that of mysterious enigma that conjured up feelings of general disinterest to that of a team that many hold disdain for..  and I love it!

I hope to God that this team is fully prepared to embrace the image of the bad guy, like Tony Montana, and run with it.  One man who I know I will never have to question when it comes to embracing this attitude and demeanor is Brandon Browner.  Browner is, in my opinion, one of the nastiest cornerbacks to ever play the game.  He is such a unique player out there and I love his mean streak.  I know some have their problems with his knack for penalties of the personal foul variety and his pure mastery of the german suplex (Jerome Simpson) and the spinebuster (Greg Jennings) but I love the physicality with which he plays with and I don't think he needs to tone it down.  You wouldn't want to take that area of his game away from him if and risk him losing that edge.  I've watched this clip over and over again and still haven't gotten tired of it.  This is one of the reasons why I love you, Brandon Browner.

That's just embarrassing!  Owned..  Lost in all the media/fan/twitter hoopla over the game's final play was the outstanding play of the Seahawks defense.  12's, we asked for ages for a top defense and we now finally have one.  Just a downright scary group of nasty, intimidating, hard nosed, and most importantly TALENTED young men.  What's scary is that most of them are still improving as I type.  Bruce Irvin looked outstanding during the 1st half and really showed the world that he was worth a 1st round pick.  Chris Clemons had a legendary night that could have been even more productive if not for blatant holds that went uncalled during the 2nd half.  Clem was unstoppable and wasted no time in wiping the arrogant, smug smirk off of Aaron Rodgers' face.  Brandon Mebane was a terror as well and looks to be putting together an excellent campaign.  Again, if not for an awful call against Kam Chancellor on a 3rd and 2 that directly led to the Packers lone touchdown, we might be talking about how the Seahawks defense managed to keep two stellar offenses to single digits on the scoreboard in back to back weeks.  History had different plans.

Aside from a beautifully thrown touchdown pass from Russell Wilson to Golden Tate to open the scoring, the offense had a rough at the office.  If I'm to be honest, the offensive gameplan and the play calling left a lot to be desired and seemed fairly predictable.  Marshawn still ran well, especially when you consider the fact that the Packers were cueing in on the run all night after it became apparent that the Seahawks were as well.  However, I don't expect much to change with the philosophy or schematics on offense.  Pete Carroll, while I'm sure would love improvement, seems content with "winning dirty."  It might not make for exciting television, yet, but there are reasons to believe that there will be considerable improvement.  Besides, that's what the defense is there for!  Remember that this was only Game 3 of the Russell Wilson era and yet the team still sits at 2-1 and keeping pace with the upstart Arizona Cardinals.  I'll take it.  It's absolutely imperative now that the Seahawks erase this game from their memory and shift the focus to next Sunday's opponent, the St. Louis Rams.  The Rams have shown marked improvement under Jeff Fisher and you can never overlook a divisional road game.  The same intensity that went in to the Packers game MUST be carried over to the Rams contest or else we can expect a rude awakening by way of defeat.

Ultimately, no matter how hard anyone tries, they will NOT make me feel sorry for the Seahawks walking away from last night's showdown with a win.  Being a fan of the Seahawks has hardened me over the years when it comes to my outlook on life.  Nobody is ever going to feel bad for you in this life, especially in the NFL, so I refuse to feel bad for any other team.  I lost 80 dollars and a set of keys last night to go along with my voice and my sanity after I climbed up on the bar at Carlow East (shirtless) to celebrate the epic Hail Mary play that may define this season.  Think anybody feels bad for me?  Highly doubtful my friends, highly doubtful.  Just rest easy knowing the fact that the 12th Man was in full voice and incredible as usual and the Seattle Seahawks are 2-1 and one failed game winning drive in Arizona away from sitting at 3-0.  Say goodnight to the bad guy!  The last time you gonna see a bad guy like this again, let me tell you.  Take it away Tony!

Demand Greatness

A long work weekend for yours truly meant a lack of updates but I'm back at it!  On my way out the door to head to Carlow East, the only Seahawks bar in NYC and the best bar in the world, at that.  Again, it's on 85th street and Lexington Avenue for any NYCeahawks that want to have a great time while watching the 'Hawks hopefully take care of business. 

This game has the feel of one of the biggest regular season games in Seahawks history.  The 'Hawks perform notoriously well on Monday Night's having won 5 Monday nighters in a row, 3 of them while preserving a shutout.  Odds are, that won't happen tonight.  Tonight is definitely the biggest test they'll have faced on Monday Night as well as one of the biggest tests they'll face this entire season.  The momentum heading in to this game has been building at a fever pitch and it's important that the team capitlalize on that.  I was at the Monday Night game in Philadelphia in 2005 and that still registers as one of the best sports moments and one of the best moments in my life, period.  Pure sportsgasm.  If tonight is anything like that snowy night in Pennsylvania tonight will truly be a great night.

I'm expecting the Packers to test the 'Hawks through the air early and often.  Lots of deep routes and double moves should be anticipated as the Packers might want to catch the 'Hawks being a little overhyped to start the game.  There are gonna be several "oh shit" moments tonight, both good and bad.  I'm expecting at least five or six times where I'll mutter to myself and everyone around me "no f'n way!" after Aaron Rodgers keeps a play alive and makes one of his own.  That's to be expected, this is a great team we're playing.

What I'm also expecting is the crowd to be absolutely insane.  My mind can't even pathom what tonight might sound like at CenturyLink, let alone on television.  Those of you lucky enough to go to the game have to leave every ounce of your soul in the chairs you sit in.  If you leave this game with a voice intact you didn't show up, period.  On the field I'm expecting Russell Wilson to have his coming out party and Marshawn to go off as well.  I thought about this yesterday, the Seahawks have a ton of players that you'd label as "primetime players."  Players with the "swag" and the talent to step up and produce at a high level during the biggest of games.  Russell Wilson, Marshawn Lynch, Red Bryant, Richard Sherman, and KJ Wright among others all strike me as guys that can match the intensity of the game with their level of play.

All in all, I just hope these guys demand greatness.  Go out there and get it!  Go out and reach for a higher level of greatness that Seattle sports fans haven't seen in far, far too long.  Everybody will be watching tonight.  This is the perfect opportunity to ditch the sorry "Same Old Seahawks!" label and replace it with an entirely new one.  One that just screams "Amongst the elite!"  I know that everyone in that building (the VMAC) believes that they can reach that level tonight and I especially know that Pete Carroll and John Schneider believe that, and more important expect that.  I'm extremely hyped up for this game and am eeriely calm about it as well.  Whatever happens happens, but I fully expect the Seattle Seahawks to make a major statement in front of 67,000 raging fans and the rest of us watching with our nerves shot to shit.  I just know that today, it feels damn good to be a Seahawks fan!  I left a little somethin somethin to "lead us in to battle."  And by the way, can we please get a chant where half of the stadium yells "We all we got" and the other side answers resoundingly with "We all we need!"  Make it happen 12's!

GO SEAHAWKS!!!  WE ALL WE GOT, WE ALL WE NEED!

It Ain't Easy Bein' Sweezy

Watch out kid!  The Big Sweezy will NOT hesitate to keep yo ass in check!

When the Seahawks drafted NC State Defensive Tackle J.R. Sweezy with an eye towards moving him to Guard, not many envisioned much for the rookie during his debut campaign, myself included.  That's if he even made the team, which was far from a lock.  Some suggested, and rightfully so, a year on the practice squad spent developing his craft and learning the nuances of the game from the opposite perspective.  After all, it would have been a tall order to expect Sweezy to provide anything more than an extra body in case all things went to hell and the Seahawks were ravaged by injuries along the OLine.  Funny how things have a way of never working out the way you expect them to.

Fast forward to to the present and what we've seen from J.R. Sweezy is nothing short of amazing.  He took the opportunity to get legitimate playing time from mini-camp and hasn't looked back at all, barring a rough first game in Arizona.  Against the Cards Sweezy was often overmatched.  He wasn't the only one, and the Cards sent all kinds of blitzes up the middle all day, but in the end Sweezy had a less than satisfying day at the office.  With Moffitt on the mend, it looked like Sweezy had blown his chance to play meaningful minutes this season.  Pete Carroll and the offensive coaches then decided that Moffitt and Sweezy would rotate during the Dallas game, a very unique situation to say the least.  The end result was a solid if not unspectacular performance from the right guard position.

Moffitt's play was specifically encouraging as he continues to battle his way back to top form from injury and he figures to get the bulk of the playing time moving forward, but let's not forget what we've got in Sweezy.  To go from defensive tackle to offensive guard in 1 off-season, and to open the season as the starter (even if by default due to injury) is one of the most impressive things I've seen a rookie accomplish in a long time following this team.  What's funny about Sweezy is that he probably hasn't even begun to scratch the surface of his talents.  Who knows what this guy can become in a few short years with more experience under his belt?  I want to go on record as saying that I think Sweezy will be a Pro Bowler by his fourth season in the league, and it'll go down on Tom Cable's resume as his most impressive accomplishment to date.  Just a wild guess of course, but I think it shows you how much I love this guy's potential.

What I like about him is that he gets to the second level and just punishes defenders.  He plays a little over aggressive at times, you'll see him whiff once in a while, but the dude's got a mean streak the size of Alaska!  Hence him punching a 65 year old bus driver in the face several times while at NC State after being followed off a bus by the bus driver, who had earlier asked Sweezy to leave for being "loud and obnoxious."  It ain't easy bein' Sweezy!  I swear, Tom Cable is a wizard or something.  He was able to help Sweezy make the adjustments he needed to week to week in order to go out and play a solid game and help the team against the Cowboys.  I counted a few times where the Seahawks were able to have success running right, behind Moffitt/Sweezy (MoSweezy?) and Giacomini.  When coupled together, Sweezy and Giacomini have the makings of one of the nastiest pairings on an OLine in the NFL.  These two guys enjoy taking the will to keep going out of the opposition with their bare hands and you know Tom Cable loves that as well.

Kudos to Cable for thinking outside of the box when looking for his next project with the 'Hawks.  The knock on Sweezy as a DT coming out of college was that he wasn't "loose in the hips" (God I love that phrase) and that he lacked explosion when shedding blocks.  However, he was praised for his athleticism and work ethic.  Cable saw these qualities and quickly realized that if Sweezy were willing to work that he'd be able to convert to the offensive side of the ball and be an effective player in the future in his zone blocking scheme.  J.R.'s proven Cable right, so far, and it appears that the Seahawks struck gold in the 7th Round this year with Greg Scruggs also making the team and not looking out of place.  I could gush about the organization's sustained ability to find perfect scheme fits throughout the later rounds of seemingly every draft they've had (Chancellor, Thurmond III when healthy, Wright, Sherman, McCoy, and Sweezy just to name a few) but I think we're all on the same page when it comes to the Seahawks love, so I'll spare you for now.

What will be interesting as the season progresses is the amount of playing time Sweezy will see.  With Moffitt nearing 100% and James Carpenter also nearing return from his catastrophic injury last season, it would seem that the Seahawks are stacked at guard for the foreseeable future.  The competition between Moffitt/Sweezy for the right guard position should be an interesting battle not only for the remainder of this season, but for future seasons as well.  I could see the 'Hawks also giving Sweezy a shot at tackle down the road.  He's got the short area quickness and mean streak that you look for in such a player.  As well, Sweezy has the frame to continue to grow and add muscle.  I can't tell you how many times I've seen him in the huddle or walking back to the huddle after a play and thought to myself "The Big Sweezy just doesn't look like an OLineman!"  He's one of the quicker, more athletic guards I've seen for the 'Hawks in a while which is quite impressive.  Moral of the story?  Don't doubt Tom Cable..  EVER!

Regardless of what the future holds for J.R. Sweezy and the 'Hawks it's almost certain to be a surprise because the first year man has been full of them so far this season.  Here's to a clean bill of health and his continued progression.

Week 2 Unsung Heroes: Alan Branch/Frank Omiyale

This is a little something I've always wanted to do.  I have a soft spot for the often overlooked and underrated.  Just been in my DNA my entire life.  It explains why I'm a Seattle Seahawks fan from NYC in the first place.  So with that in mind and heart, I want to take a look back from week to week at the unsung heroes of the previous game, win or lose.  I'll be getting NFL Game Rewind next week, so I'll be able to further analyze things like this instead of just relying on my notes from watching the games.  Lucky for me I'm starting this after a game against the Cowboys in which there were a ton of unsung heroes to choose from.  While KJ Wright and Kam Chancellor got all the attention (and rightfully so) on defense and Marshawn Lynch, Golden Tate, and Russell Wilson carry the torch for the offense, it was the play of two players along both lines that made me really take notice.

We'll start with the defense because they really stole the show.  The defensive line was spectacular in their ability to shut down DeMarco Murray and make the Cowboys one-dimensional from the early goings.  The play of the linebackers, LeRoy Hill and KJ Wright especially, was mostly based off the fact that the Seahawks defensive line was handling their business up front and keeping blockers from reaching the 2nd level.  If the Seahawks can keep this up over the entire season, this WILL be an elite defense.  KJ Wright is showing his ability to potentially be a star in this league.  He can disengage from blockers with the best of them, so it would appear that he'd succeed regardless of blockers trying to impede him consistently.  However if guys like LeRoy Hill and especially rookie Bobby Wagner can stay relatively untouched for most of the day, they are going to wreak havoc on a lot of offensive gameplans.  That starts up front of course and the Seahawks defensive line showed us that they are a top unit in the league.  Anchoring the line this week, in my opinion, was DT Alan Branch.  Branch has, in my mind, turned in to one of the great underrated acquisitions made by this regime.  There is a noteable difference when he's not in the game and this season he's even starting to collapse the pocket a little bit, which goes along with what he was saying in Training Camp about rushing the passer more.

I counted at least 4 or 5 plays where Branch drove his man in to the backfield, collapsing the pocket, and causing DeMarco Murray or Tony Romo to improvise.  His ability to swallow up blockers should pay huge dividends for the Seahawks as the season progresses.  Guys like Chris Clemons and Bruce Irvin will be very thankful and productive if Branch can continue to play the way he has been so far this season, and especially against the Cowboys.  When the 'Hawks have Bryant, Mebane, and Branch in there they are nearly impossible to run against.  The 3 have great chemistry playing together and you can really see that they pride themselves on not letting the opposition gain an inch on them.  A lot of expectations have been placed on Jason Jones to be a disruptive force up the middle, however through two weeks I've got Branch right up there with Mebane as the Seahawks best defensive tackle.  Mebane had a monster game against the Cardinals, so I think he stands alone at the top for now, but Alan Branch is quietly putting together a season that will make people notice around the league.  Branch, as well as Jones, is a free agent after this season so the Seahawks will likely have to decide on which one they'd prefer to keep.  I can't see them signing both and investing that much money in to the defensive line with Chris Clemons and Brandon Mebane already on the payroll.  It'll be interesting to see which guy earns the big, long-term contract and which one will be a 'Hawk after this season.

Now for the offensive side of the ball.  The offense was able to put this game away with relative ease after breaking down the souls of the Dallas Cowboys.  The run game was able to get going and this opened up numerous bootlegs and play action passes for Russell Wilson.  What we saw on Sunday is what the Seahawks are hoping to do many more times in the future, namely on Monday Night against the Packers.  I think that ex-Packer RT Breno Giacomini was the Seahawks best offensive lineman against Dallas.  He was near dominant at times and played a great game overall.  The Seahawks busted off some huge runs to the right side and a lot of it was due to Giacomini sealing the edge.  He also did a great job of sliding down and picking up MoSweezy's(TM) assignment when they were asked to pull.  Really, a great game from the Big Russian.  However that doesn't get him the Unsung Player of the Week on Offense.  No, that distinction goes to, and I can't believe I'm typing this, Frank Omiyale.  Omiyale replaced Russell Okung and looked like an actual upgrade, as crazy as that is.  Now, we don't know for sure if Okung played hurt during Week 1, but that's what my gut is telling me.  We'll see if he bounces back this week but it's going to be tough trying to bounce back against one of the best teams in football.  Especially one that possesses one of the quickest players in the NFL, Clay Matthews.  We'll cross that bridge when we get there!

Back to Omiyale.  Good ole' "Route 68" probably played the game of his life and he wasn't going up against some slouch.  He was going up against All-Pro DeMarcus Ware.  Ware played the game with a hamstring injury but he played with that same injury a week prior and ended up with 2 sacks against the defending champion Giants.  So this is actually a major accomplishment for Omiyale and one that might keep his job a little bit safer for now.  Omiyale has experience working under Tom Cable in Atlanta and this game against Dallas shows why Cable might have wanted in Seattle.  He reminded me a lot of Paul McQuistan when McQuistan was pressed in to action at Left Tackle last season, a recurring theme here it seems.  Solid, yet unspectacular but for the most part you don't even realize that Okung isn't in the game, which isn't meant to be a knock on Russell more as a compliment to McQuistan and Omiyale and to Tom Cable for preparing these guys in the off-season to play as many positions as possible.  Franky Boy was able to stonewall Ware for much of the day and he also showed some push in the rushing game.  While the Seahawks had most of their success running behind Giacomini and the right side they were still able to move the ball consistently while running left as well. If Omiyale shows that he is a capable replacement for Russell Okung it would be one of the more shocking developments of the season.  Throughout camps and the pre-season The Big Hurt had a rough go of things and it was looking like he'd follow Deuce Lutui and Alex Barron out the door.  Shockingly, he's still on the squad and was just one of many unsung heroes for the 'Hawks in Week 2.

Next up on the agenda, taking a look at rookie offensive lineman J.R. Sweezy and his uncommon road to the NFL and a quasi-starting spot with the Seahawks.  Not to mention, his vastly untapped potential.


  

Mojo Risin'

I got dibs on the first Seahawks bar in Tanzania, called it!

Gotta keep on risin.  At least that's what the Lizard King, Jim Morrison said.  And I'll take my chances and take Jim for his word.  Not only was the man one of the greatest creators in the history of music, with more talent in his pinky finger than most of mainstream music as a collective today, but the man was a visionary and a genius.  A living legend and an icon.  He was also pretty bad ass.  Just like the 2012 Seattle Seahawks and their head coach Pete Carroll.

After the road bump in Arizona it would have been easy for this team to get down on themselves.  After all, they had just been beaten at their own game and were physically beaten down as well.  That just had to sting the ego a little bit, you know it did.  It stung my ego a whole lot and I'm just a fan, I can imagine the players felt it far worse than any of us did.  However, as we've come accustomed to under Pete Carroll, the team bounced back with a resounding win against the Cowboys and all that momentum that appeared to disappear like Jimmy Hoffa after the loss in Glendale magically reappeared again like Michael Saunders' talent.

That's why Pete Carroll preaches keeping an even keel and approaching each game individually and preparing for it equally as thoroughly.  There are going to be road bumps during this season, that's almost certain, the schedule is that ruthless.  What's going to be important is the players demeanor and ability to fight through pain, struggles, and fatigue.  Luckily, that's what this team has been built to do.  They've been trained to dish out the pain in all 3 areas of the game.  They've been built to "win a street fight", which means that even when you don't have your A game, you can still find a way to scratch out a win.  And they've been built to tire the opposition and wear them out to ultimately seal a victory, just like they did against Dallas.

What a difference a week makes when you think that just a short week ago a large portion of Seahawks fans were ready to jump off their local bridge (sorry, my Washington State bridge knowledge isn't where it should be, I know) without so much as leaving a note behind for their families.  Things were that depressing.  It would have been easy for Russell Wilson to implode, for J.R. Sweezy to contemplate switching back to defensive tackle, for Gus Bradley and Darrell Bevell to hand in their resignations, for Frank Omiyale to pay off DeMarcus Ware so that he'd only get 3 sacks instead of however many he wanted, and for the receivers to take a knee after every catch they made, but they didn't.  No, instead they did the exact opposite.  The team played with the sense of fearlessness which is becoming a trademark of this team under the JS/PC watch.  Resiliency?  Check!  They played with a commitment to themselves, each other, and the fans that was clearly visible for all to see.  They played Seattle Seahawks football.

Time Now to Rise to the Top

The Seahawks are at a very interesting crossroads heading into Week 3.  They're facing the Packers, at home, on Monday Night in a game which the Packers will surely be the favorites.  This ignores the fact that the Seahawks have the best Monday Night Football Winning Percentage in the NFL and it also ignores the fact that the Seahawks have won five in a row on Monday Night.  Pretty much just like the Cowboys game this past Sunday, nobody's really expecting much from the Seahawks here.  I say, good!  We all know that the 'Hawks have performed far better as the underdog rather than the favorite in the past.  However, life as the perpetual underdog might not exist for too much longer if things go as expected.  So you should probably enjoy this underdog thing while it lasts.

Before the opener I was ranting and raving to anybody who would listen about the 'Hawks taking the next step and it starting in Arizona.  I was near positive in the weeks leading up to the game that the Seahawks would finally become a team that you can expect to win the "gimme" games with authority and that they'd be a perennial contender.  I clearly jumped the gun and Arizona wasn't nearly as mediocre as we thought.   Will they take that step now?  Or will this be a frustrating season filled with inconsistency and silver linings and coulda, shoulda, woulda's and hope for next season?  We saw that with the 2010 San Francisco 49ers.  Projected by everyone to win the NFC West, only to get thumped by the Seahawks in Week 1 and ultimately miss the playoffs.  Not that I would compare any team to one coached by Mike Singletary.  Even John Schneider has consistently maintained that this is a "4 year plan."  None of us will truly know what he means by that.  However, I'm gettin that feeling back guys.  I'm gettin that feelin that if the Seahawks win this game on Monday night their sails will set higher than ever before and they'll be a force to be reckoned with for a LONG time.

"We made it a physical day for them, and they weren't prepared. We lasted longer than them, and I feel like we were in better shape. So that's the kind of mentality we've got to keep playing with, and if we do, it's going to be hard for us to get beat.'' - Earl Thomas

I think this quote from Earl Thomas is what gives me the most faith in the Seahawks keeping their momentum from last week.  You see the trust and the cohesion.  You see the unity.  It was evident after the Cardinals loss.  There was a ton of blame to go around but no one stopped for a second and pointed any fingers.  Instead they got on with it.  These guys are starting to see that if they execute the coaching staff's gameplan to as close to perfect as possible that they will dominate teams.  They can snatch the will to keep fighting from the opposition's souls like a demon in a horror movie.  The Seahawks can be the boogeyman of the NFL and I love it!  These guys want to be Morrison, they want to be Hendrix.  They want to be living legends and what's better is they are willing to fight and work hard to get there.  Besides, who wants to take the easy road anyway?  This is Seattle Seahawks football damnit!  Nothin's easy!  Earn everything!

Five to one, baby 

One in five 

No one here gets out alive, now 

You get yours, baby 

I'll get mine 

Gonna make it, baby 

If we try 

The old get old 

And the young get stronger 

May take a week 

And it may take longer 

They got the guns 

But we got the numbers 

Gonna win, yeah 

We're takin' over 

Come on! 

Yeah! 

Thank you Mr. Mojo Risin', for writing a song in 1968 ("Five to One", in case you didn't know) about the state of the 2012 Seattle Seahawks.  You made today a whole lot easier for me.  Five to One surely refers to the odds your bookie would likely give you on the Packers for this game and how the young, strong Seahawks will make sure that no one gets out of CenturyLink Field alive.  I think the 12th man is the "baby" that Morrison keeps referring to, which is nice.  Then I think that Morrison takes a poke at me asking whether or not this will be the week that the Seahawks rise to the top, it may take a week or it may take longer, thanks for the insight Jim.  They've got the guns (Championship?) but we got the numbers (67,000 thousand screaming fans!)  Wait, what's that Jim?!  "Gonna win, yeah..  We're takin' over.. Come on!"  Yeah!  I'm down with that!  There ya have it folks.  Fuhgeddaboudit, Jim Morrison pickin the 'Hawks to win from beyond the grave.  It's that Mojo Risin'.

'Hawks Sign DB Danny Gorrer After Maxwell Injury

Danny Gorrer's mother told him he could do anything..  He decided to fly

 

 

So I go to bed and the Seahawks make a move.  Serves me right.  Guess that means no more sleeping for me, ever.  The move comes after Pete Carroll reported that Byron Maxwell suffered a "first-degree hamstring kind of thing" against the Cowboys.  Maxwell has been solid on special teams this season so it stings to lose him so early, but the 'Hawks are loaded with special teams talent so I fully expect the rest of the unit to cover for Maxwell.

 

As for Gorrer, he's been a journeyman thus far in his career spending time with the Saints (twice), Rams, and most recently the Baltimore Ravens.  Prior to that he started 24 of 42 career games at Texas A&M posting solid yet unspectacular numbers during his two seasons starting.  His measurables do "pop off the paper" though, which probably had a big hand in the Saints giving him a shot as a UDFA.  6'0 185 with a 4.40 forty time will probably land you a spot to show what you've got somewhere.

 

Apparently, he can play a lick too.  Baltimore Ravens fans were none to pleased that Gorrer was sent packing prior to the season. 

 

Why Cut Danny Gorrer

 

I'll have to check him out last season once I get NFL Game Rewind (times is hard!)  However, it would appear that with Maxwell on the shelf for an undisclosed period of time and site-favorite Jeremy Lane still learning the nuances of the position at the NFL level that Gorrer will get a shot to prove the much maligned Ravens fans correct, at least until Walter Thurmond III comes off the PUP.  We'll see how Gorrer looks in the new Nike duds this Monday.  Of course, with the way the team signs and cuts guys in record timing, who knows.

Masters of the Halftime Adjustment

Pete Carroll taunting Russell Wilson

So by now it's no secret to anyone paying attention to the Seahawks that Pete Carroll and his coaching staff are good at making the necessary adjustments at the half.  Like, really good.  The staff's remarkable ability to out think the opposition has only been surpassed by the remarkable ability for the fans to be able to realistically count on these adjustments happening.  A complete 180 from previous regimes in Seattle who never appeared able to make the necessary adjustments during games.  Consider this.  Since the start of 2011 (I decided not to count 2010 since that team was pretty lousy, got blown out a bunch of times and thus wouldn't be a good indictment of Pete Carroll's abilities as a head coach) , the Seahawks have allowed 10.25 points in the 1st half as opposed to 9.25 points in the 2nd half.  Where you really notice the difference is on offense.  The Seahawks offense since 2011 has averaged an abysmal 7.5 points in the 1st half of games while improving to 12.6 points during the 2nd half.  The five point differential is actually quite a substantial improvement.  Even more staggering is the fact that the Seahawks have scored more points in the 2nd half in 14 of these 18 games.

Obviously, this means that the coaching staff is tuned in to the flow of the game and understands whatever weaknesses they need to try and exploit and what they themselves need to shore up.  Having a coaching staff that can successfully make adjustments on the fly, during the heat of the moment is a huge advantage and a great quality to have.  Having said that, I'm pretty sure Pete Carroll isn't as satisfied as he could be in this department.  In fact, I think he probably expects more improvement in this area as the season progresses.  The Seahawks identity on offense goes hand in hand with Pete's ability to make minor changes that go a long way.  While Pete might tinker with things here or there, the Seahawks gameplan is going to stay the same for the most part.

I look at it this way.  During the first half the 'Hawks are looking to get settled in to their flow.  I don't think they'll ever really be an explosive first half team offensively.  And that's okay.  They're going to run lots of 'run heavy' formations and while they don't necessarily get the results (Marshawn Lynch had 2.2 ypc in the first half Sunday, for example) they're going to stick to it.  As the game wears on and defenders get tired of trying to take down Marshawn and now Turbin, the Seahawks can either continue to punish the opposition with the run as we saw against the Cowboys and then this also gives them the added option to work in play-action, bootlegs and this will also give them more 1-on-1 opportunities outside with Rice, Tate, and Edwards.  If you watched the Lions/49ers game on Sunday night you'll notice that the 49ers are attempting to master this strategy as well and I think it's fairly safe to say that they're a little bit ahead of the Seahawks offense at this point in time, although yesterday's performance was promising.  That's going to be a hell of a matchup in a few weeks!

When you look at the performance of the defense half to half you start to realize exactly how consistent this unit has been since the start of last season.  Shockingly, they can also stand to improve on their production.  If Russell Wilson can duplicate his performance against Dallas throughout his entire rookie season the Seahawks defense will finally take that next step towards becoming a truly elite defense.  The more first downs the offense piles up, the more time on the sidelines for the Seahawks big bodies.  We all saw how amazing these guys can be last season, and that was when they were on the field all day because of the offense' ineptitude.  Can you imagine these guys fresh during the 4th quarter?  Yes, you can.  You saw it yesterday and I'm sure it looked just as good to you as it did me.  Even in garbage team the Cowboys couldn't pile on stats for the sake of padding stats.  The 'Hawks were still playing like a pack of ravenous wolves trying to kill Liam Neeson in the middle of the Alaskan tundra.

Next up, Green Bay.  Easily one of the best teams, talent wise, in the NFL to go along with their excellent coaching staff and well respected front office.  This probably ranks up there with the season finale of 2010 as the biggest game during Pete Carroll's tenure with the Seahawks, so far.  The Packers offense is exceptional and cary bury opponent's early.  While the Seahawks should remain confident in their ability to fight tough until eventually breaking through, it's absolutely imperative that they keep this thing close early on.  Look for the defense to be especially keyed in on the deep ball.  I expect to see Earl Thomas making a lot of plays early on in this one.  As well, I'm expecting a bunch of press coverage this week to disrupt the Packers slants and timing patterns (like the back shoulder throw Rodgers has perfected) which are largely based on precise timing.  I must admit, I worry about Trufant in this game.  I love Tru and think he's been solid so far despite allowing a few completions on third downs, but he will definitely have his work cut out for him next Monday.  If the Seahawks can make the Packers uncomfortable early on, it'll go a long way towards a potential victory.

Will we see yet another example of Pete Carroll and his gang of teachers getting the better of the opposition's old ball coaches?  I think so, but I don't think the results will be as pronounced this week as opposed to last.  The Seahawks ability to diagnose a game has proven to be a real, tangible thing and I'm sure the rest of the league is taking notice.  However, the Packers also have a great coaching staff and a ton of talent, so they might cancel each other out.  Regardless, somebody should call that crazed nut Bobby Fischer and let him know that there's going to be an excellent chess match in the Pacific Northwest next Monday.  Hopefully it'll be Pete Carroll uttering checkmate.

Balance Restored to the Universe: Seahawks Win 27-7

James Dator from SBNation hooks it up with the Baptism of the Week!  There's lots of talk from everyone from Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee, who ate the hit, to Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones about whether the hit was clean or not.  Jones even seems to think that his mere suggestion of Tate getting a fine means it's a foregone conclusion that he will be fined, but I sure hope not.  Whether or not the hit is clean or dirty to me is besides the point.  Was it malicious?  Was it outside the integrity of the game?  Was it cheap and dirty?  I think if you look at it objectively the conclusion would be no, it wasn't.  Lee even said himself that he got hit in the chest and had the wind knocked out of him.  End of story.

Now on to the real story!  The Seahawks absolutely ambushed the Dallas Cowboys for the better part of 60 minutes.  A very talented Cowboys team at that.  The Seahawks dominated all three areas of the game, offense, defense, and the special teams play was especially special.  You couldn't have asked for a better result or dreamed a better scenario, unless you enjoy nitpicking.  Make no mistake about it, this was a banner win for Pete Carroll, John Schneider and Co. and you could feel that energy as the game progressed.  Great stuff!

Big props go out to Special Teams Coordinator Brian Schneider.  The special teams unit set the tone for the day and also directly staked the Seahawks to their early 10-0 lead.  Chris Maragos forced a Felix Jones fumble on the opening kickoff that was recovered by the Seahawks deep in Cowboys territory.  The Seahawks would ultimate kick a field goal.  Then, Malcolm Smith blocked a punt right into the waiting hands of Jeron Johnson, who trotted in to the end zone for six.  That's the 3rd season in a row under Pete Carroll that the Seahawks have had a blocked punt return for touchdown.  Such a stark contrast to the previous regimes.  Hauschka connected on his only field goal attempt of the day and Jon Ryan was his usual stellar self.  While the return game was not as explosive as in the Arizona game, they were still solid and didn't hurt the team.  All in all, a great performance from the special teams.  Keep it up!

Last week, we wondered aloud whether the running game would steal the show.  It might not have stolen it, but it was a damn big part of it.  Marshawn Lynch, while only running for 2.2 yards per carry in the first half, had a monster second half and topped 100 yards for the day.  The Seahawks stayed committed to the run all throughout and it paid off in a big way.  They absolutely dominated the Time of Possession battle 34:39 to 25:21 and the disparity was even more exaggerated after halftime.  DeMarco Murray on the other hand was bottled up by the stingy Seahawks Run D.  Murray was limited to 44 yards on 12 carries for a 3.7 YPC.  The Cowboys were stuck trying to play catch up and were almost forced in to passing the ball to try and cut the deficit but the Seahawks still showed that they could better match up with the scat backs who typically destroyed them in years past.  The final stat line says all you need to know about the contrast in ground games.  16/49/3.1 vs. 41/182/4.4 respectively.  Those are the attempts/yards/ypc for both, first for the Cowboys then the Seahawks.  Utter domination!

We also called for the 12th man to step up in a big way and amazingly you guys somehow managed to set the bar even higher.  Earl Thomas said he got goosebumps from the 12th man.  That's pretty awesome right there.  It just goes to show exactly how important a great relationship between a team and it's fans can be on gameday.  But of course, we already knew that.  There's nothing quite like watching a game played at the Stadium formerly known as Qwest, whether live or on TV.  That's why I absolutely can't wait to be in attendance for the Jets/Seahawks game on November, 11!

Standouts for me were the entire coaching staff for implementing a great gameplan against a team that had 10 days to prepare.  As well, Marshawn was his usual bad ass self, KJ Wright and Kam Chancellor had excellent performances and were all over the field delivering huge hits and making plays against the run and in coverage, Golden Tate was tremendous catching the ball and making plays in space as well as blocking in the running game, Russell Wilson looked like he was playing his 50th game in this system and not his 2nd, and a special shoutout goes to Frank Omiyale.  The man dubiously known by the nickname 'Route 68' by Bears fans for his turnstile type play while with Chicago did a fine job handling DeMarcus Ware.  I never would have thought that possible but it happened.  To be fair to DeMarcus and his family who are surely reading this at home, Ware was playing with a hamstring injury.  However, he played through the same injury last week against the defending champion Giants and registered 2 sacks, so I'd say that Frank did quite alright.

Overall, I loved the energy and the confidence that the team played with.  That's more like it!  We noted that every great fighter picks himself up, well the Seahawks did exactly that and then some.  The result of this street fight was like watching Rocky beat up on Tommy Gunn in an alley, minus the minimal fight back from Gunn for theatrical effect.  You could literally see the Cowboys spirit break during the 4th quarter.  You don't see that too often in the NFL, but it happened today.  Big W and some great momentum as the team prepares for a massive test in the Green Bay Packers next Monday night.  Boy it's gonna be a long week!  And just because I love this guy so much and think he's hilarious, I leave you with physical proof of the Cowboys spirits being reduced to rubble.  You heard the man!  Get the kids out the room!!

GO HAWKS!

A Call for the 12th Man

“We prepare for everybody equally. We check out the film, because at the end of the day the quarterback can only do so much. The play calls are out there. The route concepts are out there, and they’ll be the same regardless of who’s under center.” - Richard "Ringworm" Sherman

When Richard Sherman uttered these words, he had no idea that just a few short weeks later he'd end up with one of the greatest Opening Week Interceptions (Possibly one of the greatest in general?  Who knows.) ever! 

Credit to Brian Floyd from SB Nation for the clip right there.  What an amazing play!  I was watching the Bills/Jets game earlier that day and both Darrell Revis AND Kyle Wilson made spectacular interceptions.  Revis' was especially exceptional.  As I watched the Revis pick I even thought to myself "is that the greatest opening day interception I've ever seen?"  I thought so, until a few hours later Richard Sherman somehow managed to channel his inner Chris Carter and keep both feet in bounds while having the body control and soft hands to simultaneously haul in the grab.  And you've gotta love Jason Jones, Clinton McDonald and Leroy Hill's reactions on the sidelines.  Jones looks like he's ready to run through a brick wall, McDonald looks like he's ready to run right behind him but on the opposite side of the wall as to be sure to knock it down, and Leroy is kindly ushering Larry Fitzgerald away from the play so that he doesn't have to trouble the replacement referee with his two cents that'll send his brain in to overload.  Absolutely love this play, and I know that you do to.  Watching this over and over let's me remember why I love being a Seahawks fan so much and how amazing it's going to be to watch Richard Sherman continue to develop.  He's not even at maximum potential yet, how scary is that for opposing teams who care enough to care about the Seahawks defensive weapons?

I know things seem rough right now.  Believe me, I know.  I've been rantin' and ravin' to anyone who will listen here in NYC about how extraordinary the 'Hawks are going to be this season.  I thought for sure they'd beat Arizona.  I would've put money on it.  But it didn't happen.  However, I still feel that this is pound for pound one of the best teams in the NFC.  Numerous teams have lost their season opener and gone on to win the Super Bowl, the precedent exists.  Even more teams have lost their season opener and gone on to make the playoffs.  Now the 'Hawks move on to face Dallas in what looks to be a pivotal game for early NFC supremacy.  I think this is where the Seahawks will rise to the occassion.  They will answer the ten count and continue the fight.

Let's go back to the quote by Ringworm Sherm.  What got me so excited and optimistic about this season was exactly what the confident 2nd year corner stated.  The team's approach towards every single game would be the same.  It would be with an attitude of "if we bring our A game it doesn't matter what the opposition brings."  I saw a little self doubt this past Sunday.  I saw a momentary straying from the team's identity.  They've got to get back to what they were doing in the pre-season.  Imposing their will on the opposition and leaving it all out there on the field.  No more indecision and no more hesitation, just reaction.  I even feel that if the Seahawks do win on Sunday it's equally imperative that they keep their wits about them and not ride the high of victory.  With the schedule that has been handed to us, this is going to be a long, tough season.  And that's a good thing.  So it will be important that everyone involved literally follows one of the oldest cliches in the book.  One game at a time.  The players and coaches can't allow themselves to get wrapped up in the press and what everybody is saying.  They must stay focused on the prize at hand.  Eye on the prize boys.  I know every Seahawks fan out there secretly wants it this way, having a tough schedule and all.  We want to prove to the world that we are a force to be reckoned with and that this team is just that damn tough, physical, hard working, and more importantly GOOD.

I feel especially proud to know that those of you who will be in attendance on Sunday will give every ounce of what you've got in you to will this team to victory if it comes down to that.  You just have to know that there are literally thousands of 12's around the country wishing and hoping that in some alternate universe we could all be there on Sunday.  Work and family obligations be damned haha.  So that's why you've gotta bring it on every single snap Tony Romo takes.  Every special teams snap the Cowboys take has to be just as loud and raucous, no joke.  Every Cowboys 3rd down has to be absolutely as crucial to you as it should be to the Sea Gals, Blitz, the coaches and especially the players down on the field.   You can rest your vocal chords later, this is serious business.  There is a reputation at stake, pride on the line.  And most importantly, a game to be won.  We all we got we all we need!

Go Hawks!

Read more here: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/08/18/2260013/seahawks-backfield-to-face-challenge.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/08/18/2260013/seahawks-backfieldto-face-challenge.html#storylink=cpy

The Floyd NOT Mayweather Story

They say you can tell a lot about a man by looking at how he deals with adversity.  If there's one man who can atest to this theory, it's former Seahawks Offensive Lineman Floyd Wedderburn.  Unlike the more popular professional athlete who shares the same first name (and the same amount of letters, ten, in their last name) Floyd Wedderburn's story has been that of hard work and perseverance.  His storied four year career with the Seattle Seahawks is a testament to that work ethic and resiliency.

There's a saying in Wedderburn's native country Jamaica.  "You don't block off the island."  Oh how true this would be.  Floyd grew up in Kingston, Jamaica before his family uprooted to Quebec.  Then, in 1988, the Wedderburns packed their bags and headed to the city of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia.  How people still have the balls to call that city by that nickname with a straight face is beyond absurd to me, but whatever. 

Upper Darby High School Football Coach Jack Shingle recalls the first time he laid eyes on the massive Jamaican.  "I just expected to find some great big fat kid."  Well Mr. Shingle, you were wrong!  The "great big fat kid" was a natural in both football and basketball.  Some say that Wedderburn secretly dreamed of being the next Patrick Ewing.  However, that wasn't meant to be.  He was meant to be the first Floyd Wedderburn!  Wedderburn spoke barely any English upon arrival to the United States.  What he spoke was the language of ass-whoopin!  And he spoke it quite fluently.  Wedderburn was said to have a little bit of Michael Oher goin on as well, extremely soft spoken and quiet, trying not to hurt anybody too bad out there on the field.  But when the switch turned on, watch out!

Wedderburn would then go on to play for Joe Paterno at Penn State University where he was originally a defensive tackle.  At 6'5 330 pounds Wedderburn was a behemoth of a man but never quite figured out how to put it together.  Maybe he didn't enjoy playing for Jerry Sandusky, after all, Wedderburn is a man of great values.  Despite a legitimate chance at an NFL career, Wedderburn always wanted to teach children, and even spent a spring working with kids at a local kindergarten while at Happy Valley.  What a guy!  It's as if he knew something wasn't right at Penn State and he wanted to do something to change it..  Our hero then switched over to the offensive side of the ball where he finally blossomed as an Offensive Guard.  A road-grading mauler, Wedderburn impressed NFL teams with his size and strength and decent heart.

The Pacific Northwest Feels the Burn, Floyd Wedder Style

As fate would have it, our hero was then selected in the 1999 NFL Draft by the Seahawks in the 5th Round (Pick 140 Overall).  He would go on to play three seasons for the 'Hawks, often times looking lost and overmatched.  They say it was due mostly in part to the fact that Floyd just never wanted to kill a man with his bare hands out there on the field.  Carrying this enormous burden around took it's toll on Wedderburn, as his weight began to spiral out of control.  He would retire in 2002 after playing three seasons with the team.  To the casual fan he will be forever known as a "waste of a draft pick" and a key cog in one of the worst draft classes in franchise history.  To friends, coaches, teammates, and Upper Darby kindergarteners he will be known as a "gentle giant."  And to us, he will forever be..  a Seattle Seahawk!  Floyd Wedderburn is retired and now resides in Upper Darby, Pa.  It is unknown whether or not he pursued his dream of teaching children the lessons of life.  I sure hope he is!  Go get em Floyd!