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July 2009
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| January 2008While Seahawks coaches are enamoured of his possibilites on the field, wide receiver Ben Obomanu fits the role of inspirational speaker off the field, and gladly. The WR is back in Selma, Alabama, where he went to school, trying to motivate local students. Something, according to the Montgomery Advertiser, the three sport star has been doing since high school. "I tried to motivate kids back then," he told the Advertiser. "I'd rather see them in person instead of having them watch me on television." Obomanu was no slouch himself. Ben was cum laude at Auburn, posting a 3.6 grade point average...in finance. His mother, Brenda Obomanu, is a school counselor. ...At the Super Bowl media day, Patriot and Ex-Seahawks fullback Heath Evans told Frank Hughes at the TNT that the 12th man needs to take it easy on Shaun Alexander. Evans goes as far to say the Seahawks would be fools to cut Alexander. And that the booing needs to stop. While I agree Shaun was spectacular when Evans was with the Hawks, I'm not sure how much game tape of the injured duck-and-cover Alexander Evans has watched the last two seasons. But, Evans still urges fans to “Let him get healthy. He is the best there is when he has the ball in his hands.” ...Two times in eight months, Seahawks color analyst Warren Moon was involved in driving incidents where alcohol allegedly played a factor. Today's Jim Moore column at the PI has both sides, from Moon's lawyer accusing the DOL of giving an arresting officer the wrong information, to police saying Moon drove erratically, smelled of alcohol, and showed "signs of resistence" when handcuffed. According to the article, in one case Moon had two women in his car. One was so out of it, she threw up during the arrest. Moore brings up a good point when he suggests the Seahawks face a big issue after stressing a commitment to character, following problems with Koren Robinson and Jerramy Stevens. After leaving the team, both guys went off and were arrested for DUI again. The Seahawks will likely wait for the courts to decide before they act. Either way, it's a bumpy road ahead for the team and the former Husky and NFL Hall of Famer. ...With official word today that Ray Rhodes took the job with the Texans, Holmgren's team is looking more and more different. Holmgren will be back, sure. But as RealFootball365 points out, with almost an entirely new offensive coaching staff. Lost so far: Line coach Bill Laveroni, fired. Nolan Cromwell, wide receivers coach, to Texas A&M as offensive coordinator. Gary Reynolds, quality control, went along with. Jim Zorn (and who can blame the Seahawks legend for seeking job security) went to the Redskins as their new offensive coordinator. Now on defense, Ray Rhodes. With Keith Gilbertson moved to receivers coach and Mike Solari hired as the new o-line coach, there have been plenty of changes. Who knows what it means for Holmgren's final attempt as Seahawks head coach to hold the Lombardi Trophy. Maybe nothing. For a deeper look, the Seattle Times blog has compiled a list of all the coaching staff changes since 1999. ...The Seahawks will not be heading to London to play a regular season game next year, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. The newspaper, citing sources, says the Chargers got the nod and will play against the Saints in Great Britain. The game will reportedly be held on October 26th. It will be the NFL's second regular-season contest played outside North America. This past season, Miami played the Giants. ...ESPN is reporting that Jim Zorn has accepted Daniel Snyder's offer and is the Redskins new offensive coordinator. A Seattle icon and quarterback guru, the 54-year-old has been with the Seahawks since 2001. The Redskins are still looking for a new head coach. What is interesting here, is that Snyder is pilfering the team that knocked Washington out of the playoffs the last two years. Earlier, Snyder went after Jim Mora for the head coaching job of the Redskins. Hm. While it's too bad to see Zorn go, we'll wish him the best of luck (unless he's playing the Seahawks). ...As the wholesale desire for the Seahawks coaching staff continues, the Houston Chronicle is reporting that Ray Rhodes will be the new assistant defensive backs coach for the Texans. Kind of makes the 12th Man glad Holmgren made his decision in such a timely manner. If he had taken as long as Dan Snyder who knows how many other Seahawks coaches would be glancing at bluer skies. Rhodes, who has been with the Seahawks as a defensive coach/consultant since 2003, grew up in Mexia, about 200 miles from Houston. ...It's possible. Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre has pulled out of the Pro-Bowl. Favre was the starter. So either Matt Hasselbeck or Cowboys QB Tony Romo will start in his place. Of course, every Seahawks fan would love to see Matt start, but a case can be made for Romo, too. After all, he's free of Jessica Simpson's football kryptonite-like grip, so the old Romo should be back. You know, post-fumbled field goal snap against the Hawks and pre-Simpson. ...The Seahawks moved quickly and filled the opening for an offensive line coach, hiring Mike Solari. Solari spent the last 11 seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, the final two years as their offensive coordinator, and the previous nine as the O-line coach. According to the Hawks press release, during Solari's tenure (and more specifically since 2001), the Chiefs rush offense finished in the top ten, five out of seven years. I guess it doesn't hurt to have Priest Holmes and Larry Johnson during those seasons. Solari replaces Bill Lavaroni, who was let go on Tuesday. ...The Washington Post is reporting that Jim Zorn met with GM Tim Ruskell after interviewing for the Redskins offensive coordinator gig. There is speculation that the Seahawks want to keep Zorn, and could even promise the offensive coordinator job after Holmgren retires. A report at ESPN says the Redskins may wait until after the Super Bowl to name a head coach, to interview assistants from the Giants or Patriots. While it would seem to make sense for the Redskins new head coach to have a say in who his o-coordinator would be, ESPN says Zorn is the top choice, no matter who is hired. At least the Seahawks had a chance to talk to Zorn before any decision was made. If the defensive minded Jim Mora took over after the end of next season, Zorn seems the logical choice to keep the current offense clicking. ...The Seattle Times has confirmed what has been speculated since word got out that Seahawks left tackle Walter Jones needed shoulder surgery: Big Walt will not be participating in the Pro Bowl in Hawaii next month. This was Walter's eighth Pro Bowl selection. Does anyone really watch the Pro Bowl? Getting the nod almost seems more important than playing. While Kerney is also out, Matt, Trufant, Peterson and Lofa are still heading to Hawaii. ...There are numerous reports out there saying Seahawks QB coach Jim Zorn is interviewing with Redskins owner Dan Snyder. Apparently, Snyder is interested in Zorn running the 'Skins offense. Jim Fassel appears set to be the new head coach. If Zorn leaves, he would be the 2nd assistant coach to move on to another coaching staff. Wide receivers coach Nolan Cromwell left to join Mike Sherman's staff at Texas A&M. (actually, it's the third. Gary Reynolds left too. He was an offensive assistant/quality control coach. I'm sure he was very important, but he wasn't in charge as a position coach.) ...Talk about timing. Assistant head/secondary coach of the Seahawks, Jim Mora, was fired from the Atlanta Falcons on New Years Day, 2007. Right before one of the worst recent events (see: Michael Vick) in NFL history -- after he said on KJR radio that he loves the NW. A defensive coach, the 46-year-old Mora then comes to Seattle when the general manager is all about the defense. And this week, not knowing what Holmgren would do, Mora took his name out of the hat for the Redskins job -- citing family and love of the region. If Mora takes over, should fans be worried about the transition on offense? Well, Ruskell took the Bucs to the Super Bowl with defense in mind. From Art Thiel in today's PI: "Ruskell wants Mora as head coach. Allen, a big fan in his youth of Huskies football, wants Mora, the local guy who played at the UW from 1981-83. Majority public sentiment wants Mora." I don't know if I agree, but what timing. And the offense is for the next coach to worry about. ...Just got word that KING 5 sports director Paul Silvi has landed an exclusive sit-down interview with coach Holmgren, about Mike's decision to stay in Seattle for one more year. You can catch Silvi's interview tonight, and how the decison came down to the wire, on KONG 6/16 at 10 p.m. and KING 5 at 11 p.m. Right now the interview is scheduled to hit near the top of the newscasts, but that can always change depending on what news breaks. ..."I want to give this one more shot," Holmgren said this afternoon, after announcing he would come back as the Seahawks coach for the 2008 season. He said he would finish his current contract and '08 would be his last season. A decision that wasn't made until today. "This will be my last year," he said. Coach also praised owner Paul Allen and added, "I owed this to (Allen) to do it correctly." He also praised the management team. ...Holmgren just announced in his press conference that the 2008 season would be his last year with the Seahawks. After that, the coach said he would take some time off. ...ESPN is reporting that Mike Holmgren will return as head coach of the Seahawks for the 2008 season. A press conference will be held by the Seahawks this afternoon. Holmgren spent time with his wife in Phoenix this weekend, hashing out the decision. Reports say he showed up in the team headquarters in Kirkland today and told his staff of his decision to return. Update: KING5.com will stream the press conference live at 2 p.m. ...It's hard to miss the current salvo aimed at Shaun Alexander. While I agree that a) No. 37 no longer has the ability to break a big one around the corners and b) the Seahawks run blocking was so inept Barry Sanders would have been forced to dance a samba to get five yards, I agree with Holmgren that Shaun still has the ability to be a productive back -- if he has the desire. Alexander told Softy Mahler on KJR radio on Monday that he didn't believe the Seahawks would ask him to restructure his contract. "They're too classy for that," he said. Here is that interview. In today's Ted Miller PI column: "(Shaun)'s too expensive. He's too old. He's become injury-prone. His running skills have eroded. He is a mediocre-to-poor receiver and blocker...Beyond that, Alexander isn't valuable in the locker room." And a scout told Clare Farnsworth, "(the Seahawks) have absolutely no running game, and their O-line is average to a little above average." Is Shaun that bad, is is the O-line that poor at blocking? Either way, let the Alan Feneca watch begin. ......at home. I wanted to blog that thought yesterday while watching the Packers run for nothing and lose against a fumbling Giants team that gave away the win as often yesterday as a Jay Feely missed field goal at Qwest Field. I said last week that I thought the weather at Lambeau took away the Seahawks defense most prized possession: speed. Ted Miller at the PI basically says the same thing today in his Sports Rant. Miller adds: "Favre vs. the Seahawks in the snow was perhaps his best playoff performance in an illustrious career. Favre vs. the Giants in zero degrees, however, showed his 38 years...The larger point here is Seahawks fans don't need to panic over the nature of the blowout defeat at Green Bay and imagine the roster needs to be blown up." I couldn't agree more, although I'd add the Giants had a better running game yesterday than the Seahawks did two weeks ago. ...As if they don't travel enough, the Seahawks are one of the teams the NFL is considering sending to Great Britain (according to an ESPN source). Man, oh man. Like the guys in blue don't have a hard enough time playing 10 a.m. East Coast games. Oh yeah, the Seahawks logged the most regular season frequent flier miles this season. The game may be played in October. I know it's great for the league, but as a NFL fan and season ticket holder I'm not a huge fan of these UK games. ...Seahawks assistant head coach and secondary coach, Jim Mora, has pulled his name out of consideration for head coach of the Redskins. According to John Clayton at ESPN, Mora phoned Washington owner Dan Snyder today and said he wanted to stay in Seattle. Mora interviewed for the job on Wednesday and spent the night in Snyder's guesthouse. Mora reportedly told Synder he did not want to relocate his family so soon after leaving Atlanta. Mora's agent, Bob Lamonte, told the Washington Post, "But at the end of the day family counts most and Jim has three children under the age of 12 and he idea of moving his family across the country for the third time in three years was just untenable." What does this mean for the Seahawks? I'd caution any speculation. Holmgren will make his mind up soon, regardless what Mora does. And having Holmgren and Mora both as coaches only makes the organization stronger. ...The Seahawks have sent out a press release to say six players underwent surgery: Shaun Alexander, Baraka Atkins, Will Herring, Josh Scobey, Pork Chop Womack, and Ray Willis. Plus, four more will have surgery soon, too. They are: Chris Spencer, Patrick Kerney, Walter Jones, and Deion Branch. It sounds like some are just clean up type of things. Some are fixing stuff a little more serious. Below is the press release with the specifics of the surgeries. ...The Philadelphia Inquirer & Daily News is reporting that NFL sources have confirmed that Seahawks DE Patrick Kerney will undergo surgery on his knee and will miss the Pro Bowl in Hawaii. No word yet from the Seahawks. The Eagles DE Trent Cole will take Kerney's place on the roster. I'll update information on Kerney's condition as it comes available. ...I know, bear with another hypothetical. But it's all the rage come the team's off-season. Can the Seahawks road back to the Super Bowl be fixed with a little tinkering, or has the window passed the team by? It's hard for me to believe that Ruskell and crew don't know exactly what they want to make this team better. Almost all the pieces are in place in defense (minus Trufant and a big honker in the middle of the line), fix the offensive line, get a tight end, a running back...okay -- so the offense needs a bit of work. Well, can it be? Nick Daschel over at the Clark County Columbia thinks the window has shut, because of the offensive woes. "It may take a couple years of smart drafting and free agent pickups before Seattle's offensive line regains its stride," he says. Even with Branch ailing and Hackett seeing dollar signs, the coaching staff believes the team is okay in wideout position, with Taylor and Obomanu. So what could be done to fix the team? John McGrath at the TNT put out a top ten list today. Number one? Take the hit and let Shaun go. No. 2? Take an offensive player with the first pick in the draft. The rest of the list is here. ...It's a topic that brings different reactions from the 12th Man -- as shown in Citizen Rain a few days back. Should the team restructure a contract that Alexander achieved after his great 2005 season? Would No. 37 accept a new role with the team? Or should the Seahawks simply part ways with the former NFL MVP? In his year-end press conference yesterday, Holmgren said he believes Shaun can still be a productive back. Alexander may even be great again, say, if he's paired with a young, still-got-something-to-prove RB...and the Seahawks learn how to run block. ...Mike Holmgren just finished his season's-end press conference. First off, Holmgren said that Deion Branch will have surgery on his torn ACL soon, by Dr. Andrews in Birmingham. Holmgren thought that the injury could have a nine-month recovery period, maybe longer for a player who is dependent on speed and cutting. He compared this injury to the same one Bobby Engram had. Also, Shaun Alexander will get his wrist repaired, and Walter Jones will likely have his shoulder repaired. Holmgren admitted he has yet to see the final reports from the year-end physicals. Holmgren also said Jim Mora would fly out tomorrow to interview with the Redskins. He called Mora an excellent coach with great enthusiasm. Mike also met with Nolan Cromwell this morning, shook his hand and wished him good luck with Mike Sherman and the Texas A&M offensive coordinator job. ...Just a heads up that coach Mike Holmgren's final-season press conference will be held this afternoon at three p.m. You can listen to the conference streamed live from Kirkland at Seahawks.com. If you don't get the chance to listen to it, I'll post the highlights later in the day. ...Reports confirm Joel's earlier blog, and now Deion Branch's agent has told numerous sources that the Seahawks WR will seek a second opinion on his injured knee. Branch's agent, Jason Chayut, tells ESPN that they will know more by the end of the week. Injured much of the season, the wide receiver is currently under a $39 million, six-year contract with the Seahawks. He caught 49 passes and four TDs. If the injury is the ACL, Branch could easily miss six months. ...ESPN is reporting that Seahawks Assistant Head Coach and Secondary Coach Jim Mora will interview with the Washington Redskins on Wednesday. I doubt if he'll go. It sounds like assistant coach Gregg Williams has been groomed to replace Joe Gibbs. Williams, a defensive coordinator for the 'Skins, was a head coach in Buffalo. It didn't have much success there, but he's been schooled in the Joe Gibbs-style of coaching. So to recap, I doubt Mora would leave for the Washington gig (the 'Skins job, not the Huskies gig). ...KING 5 sports anchor Paul Silvi just got off the phone with ESPN NFL expert John Clayton. He says Branch has a torn ACL. He'll probably get a second opinion. If it's a torn ACL, that means he's out for 6 months. Branch will miss mini-camps in the spring. And who knows if he'll be ready for training camp. It's a tough injury in a tough sport. Plus, Clayton talks about DJ Hackett's future in Seattle, Jim Mora's interview with the Redskins, and more. Catch Clayton's whole interview on Northwest Sports Tonight 9:30, 11:30 on NWCN or 10:30 on KONG. ...The Seahawks cleaned out their lockers yesterday, and now the question of who comes back looms over a team that flirted with real success all season. Holmgren's return isn't the only question. There's an article in the Seattle Times today about the possible free agents on the team. Marcus Trufant, Josh Brown, Sean Locklear, DJ Hackett and Leonard Weaver. Which player should get the franchise tag? I'd think this year's Pro Bowler, Trufant. And what should be done in free agent acquisitions? The tight end, sure. If Locklear leaves, right tackle? A running back? If so, will Alexander take a salary cut? While the Seahawks seem pretty secure at the wideout position, there are plenty of other roster spots which could be improved. But which is the most important? ...Deion Branch went down with a left knee injury on the seventh play of the game. He did not return to the game. Mike Holmgren says, "I'ts a pretty good injury." No further information on his status. Until today Branch had not played since December 26th (right calf strain). ...Stinker in the Snow? Greatness eludes Hasselbeck? Seahawks Defense Porous as Wisconsin Cheese? What headline would you pick for tomorrow's newspapers? It was a good year for the Seahawks. But the questions over which team would show, week in and week out, was answered today as the Seahawks away-game playoff losing streak continues. The team lost 42-20. Whew. A defense built on speed was stuck in first gear all game. Except for the two freak turnovers and quick scores, Seattle's offense managed...nada. The lack of a running game really hurt the team today. The biggest question now: will Holmgren return? ...Four minutes left and the Seahawks punt again. The stinking continues. Seahawks go for it on fourth and ten, and Matt misses again. Eight minutes left. Packers take the ball. Fourth quarter. Snow is really falling, as are the Seahawks hopes of winning this game. After a huge Grant run off the left side, and a roughing the passer against Hill, the Packers score again. GB is making the Seahawks defense look bad. Seahawks 20, Packers 42. Seahawks stall in the redzone, after Pollard drops a sure touchdown pass. Josh Brown puts points on the board with a field goal. Now can the defense stop the Packers? Seahawks 20, Packers 35. Ouch. Jackson gets a TD pass from Favre. The game is starting to get out of reach for the good guys. Seahawks 17, Packers 35. Keep reading for the entire log. ...It isn't just a lyric from Billy Joel, it can also be used to disrupt an opposing offense. ...It's snowing steadily, but lightly. No wind to speak of at this point. Temp about 29 degrees. The team is looking relaxed going through their warm-ups. Looking pretty sharp in the white uniforms, too. Plenty of Packer pride, but there is a good contigent of Seahawk fans in the stands. ...Craig Nall, Shaun Bodiford, Will Blackmon, Desmond Bishop, Orrin Thompson, Ryan Krause, Conrad Bolston and Daniel Muir. ...1 hour before game time. The snow flurries continue, but nothing is sticking. The inactive list is out. D.J. Hackett is not on the list, but will not start the game. Deion Branch and Nate Burleson are the starting receivers. ...It is two-and-a-half hours before gametime here at Lambeau Field. We have finished our live shots for the early news, and have begun setting up for The Mike Holmgren Show which airs tonight at 9pm. There was a chance of snow flurries, and they are here. It's a swirling wind, and the snow is blowing in all directions. ...I saw this story on the air tonight and thought it was worth a mention on the blog. Did you know the grandson of legendary Packers coach Vince Lombardi lives in Seattle? Oh yeah -- he's also rooting for the Seahawks. You can watch the story here. ...
Did you hear the one about the NBA game that has to be replayed because the official scorer screwed up? That's right. The NBA just ruled the Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks have to replay the final 51.9 secondsof their game from last month because the scorer incorrectly ruled that Shaquille O'Neal had fouled out. That makes me wonder as we head into tomorrow's playoff game with the Packers, which historic, controversial calls should be reversed from the Seahawks' past that would allow them an extra shot at glory? ...Just like last weekend, the Mike Holmgren Show airs on Saturday this week, at 9 p.m. on KING 5. If you have a question for coach Holmgren, ask it before or during the Packers game in the comments section below. Make sure to include your first name and the city where you live. Then watch The Mike Holmgren Show and see if the coach answers your question. ...After missing a couple days of practice, Seahawk fans can rest easy tonight as Patrick Kerney was back at practice on Thursday. The NFL leader in sacks was resting a sore knee, but now appears ready to roll for Saturday's game against the Packers. Coach Holmgren said he expects Kerney to play on Saturday. Hawks receiver DJ hackett was the only player missing practice Thursday, resting a sore ankle. Holmgren says it's more precautionary than anything. Make sure you watch King-5 News at 5:00 and 6:30 as Paul Silvi brings us the latest Seahawk news from Green Bay. Then on Northwest Sports Tonight at 9:30 on NWCN and 10:30 on KONG TV, Paul Silvi continues his reports from Packer land and former Seahawks quarterback Brock Huard joins us on the show for a final pre-game playoff report. ...I commented on this yesterday, but as we glance at the national expert picks for the Seahawks v. Packers game it's worth rementioning. ESPN's Chris Berman told me at Seahawks HQ yesterday that he's picking the Hawks to win and go all the way. Football guru Peter King at SI, however, is picking Green Bay to win a close one, 23-20. King writes "I'd be more tempted to pick Seattle if I knew what to expect from its offense." Last night on HBO's Inside the NFL, Bob Costas and Dan Marino selected the Packers. Chris Carter and (don't be shocked) Chris Collinsworth like the Seahawks. Right now the rest of the ESPN experts are all Packers. USA Today is 7-1, Green Bay. CBS Sportsline is tied 3-3, but they pick against the spread -- and I still feel like the 8-point gimme to the Packers by oddsmakers is insanely high. ...Mike Holmgren says Deion Branch is "expected" to play in Green Bay Saturday. But if you ask Branch, he says he will play. I watched Deion in practice today and he looked sharp on his routes, both cutting and exploding very well. Look for number 83 to be a huge contributing factor on Saturday. ...The Seahawks want you to demonstrate your 12th Man in support of the divisional game against the Packers on Saturday. On Thursday, there will be a Seahawks Rally at the Symetra Financial Center Plaza in Bellevue, from noon-1 p.m. The plaza is on the corner of NE 8th Street and 108th Ave NE. Blue Thunder and the Sea Gals will be on hand, and fans can pick up free buttons and posters. On Friday, Governor Gregoire will proclaim the day to be "Blue Friday" for the State of Washington. Fans are encouraged to show their support for the team by wearing Seahawks blue to work or school. And Joe's Sports & Outdoor wil offer shopping sprees to the best-dressed Seahawks fans. The winner will receive a $112 Joe's Sports & Outdoor gift card. Joe's Sports & Outdoor will select one winner per store. Fans can pick-up a free "12" buttons and team posters. Blue Thunder and Sea Gals will be at the Bellevue store. For more information, visit JoesSports.com. ...It probably the most interesting Wednesday Holmgren press conferences I'd been to, with talk of Green Bay, Holmgren's past, Favre and Hasselbeck. Mike started the conference by saying he was pleased with the health of the Seahawks. Branch is expected to be okay, but Holmgren wants to see how the WR works out today and tomorrow. Holmgren also said the Seahawks were clearly the underdog, "By a lot." But he likes his team's chances, adding that being this big an underdog reminds him of last year's playoff game in Chicago. ...The Associated Press announced its 2007 NFL All-Pro team. LT Walter Jones, DE Patrick Kerney, and MLB Lofa Tatupu made the first team. If there were a 3rd team, and there isn't, OLB Julian Peterson and CB Marcus Trufant would have been on the 3rd team All-Pro list. ...A special playoff time-slot for The Mike Holmgren Show - Saturday, 9 p.m. Paul Silvi and crew are headed to Green Bay this week for coverage of the Seahawks/Packers game, starting with reports from Paul on Thursday and Friday evening on KING5 News. Then the rest of the Holmgren crew will join Paul for the big game. Just as you've seen all season, the show is Seattle's most in-depth talk with the coach about the game. It's the place to hear from key players, too. We'll tape the show with Mike and his players right after the Seahawks and Packers finish up at Lambeau Field. Watch the Seahawks, comment here, and catch the late NFL game -- but switch back to KING5 for the final word from Mike Holmgren. And make sure to catch it at its special time, 9 p.m, Saturday. ...Kerney did not practice today in Kirkland, taking the day off to rest a knee. Deion Branch did not practice either. Also not participating; Koutouvides, Jones, Rocky Bernard and Mike Green. All are expected to play on Saturday against Green Bay. ...Packers G Jason Spitz returned to practice today. Spitz hurt his quadriceps in the finale against Detroit and did not practice last week. The Packers' offensive line is slightly banged up: G Junius Coston isn't available after injuring his calf against Detroit, and backup Daryn Colledge is likely to start at left guard against the Seahawks. Colledge challenged for the starting job in practice earlier this season. The stat of the day comes from ESPN: For the last four seasons, the Packers are 7-9 at Lambeau Field when kickoff temperatures are below 40 degrees. ...Remember those great NFL video's from the 1980's? Did you ever know the Seahawks made one in 1985? Hey, isn't that Mike Tice with Paul Moyer? And Pat Cashman as a director? I don't know if one can call this clip an oldie but a goodie. Check it out inside this post.... ...There's been a lot of talk about Matt Hasselbeck's thigh contusion, from Holmgren's surprise yesterday that Matt had revealed the information (Matthew told reporters that his thigh pad broke during the spinning hit in the Redskins game), to local newspapers (the PI has an article about his health today), to some of your comments wondering about No. 8's condition. "He’s going to be fine," Holmgren said, when asked of the bruise. The coach has always been vague when it comes to reporting severity of injuries, has been since Green Bay. There's no way to really know how bad the bruise is. But second to the military, the NFL has some of the best doctors around. This season, Matt has had the following injuries: oblique, bruised ribs, hip, sprained right wrist, and now a charley horse. The docs and trainers have gotten Matt ready to play every week. A bigger concern is Deion Branch. For the WR not to take the field during the playoffs means the guy is hurt. We'll see how much this week. Whether or not his reappearance hurts the wide-out rotation is different matter. The Seahawks offense is a better team when Branch takes the field. It just means another good player, as Holmgren pointed out last week, has to watch from the sidelines. ...Okay, I know my higher-ups are all wonky that the NFL put the clamp down with some funky rules on using league video. Rules that are almost as screwy as the NFL network's battle with the cable companies. Either way, there are a couple of videos on NFL.com worth checking out. First, coach Holmgren speaks from the network's 'Seahawks cam" about Seattle's NFC Divisional game against the Packers. The clip runs for seven minutes, with some banter with the network guys (Jim Mora, Sr. included). If you're in a hurry (and need a laugh), there is a shorter one-minute clip of Hasselbeck and Holmgren. Should garner a chuckle or two. ...There are plenty of reasons Lambeau Field during the playoffs was feared by many in the NFL. As someone who has covered games there on a regular basis, I can tell you, those days are over and have been for a while. ...While Colts safety Bob Sanders won the AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Seahawks Patrick Kerney tied for second place with Titans DT Albert Haynesworth. If there was such a thing, wouldn't Patrick be the top off-season acquisition of the year? Or would you take Randy Moss? I can't take credit for the idea, I heard ESPN talking about it when previewing the Seahawks' playoffs last Friday. Outside of Moss, Kerney was probably the top off-season acquisition. Kerney lead the NFC in sacks and came in second overall. Here's a meaningless stat: the Seahawks are 9-0 this season (including the playoffs) when Kerney registers a sack. ...Mike Holmgren just wrapped up the longest Monday press conference of the year. The Seahawks Coach spent a lot of time talking about his memories in Green Bay and his former quarterback Brett Favre. On the Seahawks side of things, Holmgren says that while some Hawk players were dinged up from the Redskins game, everybody, including Deion Branch, is expected to play. Holmgren says Branch will practice lightly this week and will hopefully play against the Packers. So far this season, thanks to injuries, the big four, Branch, DJ Hackett, Nate Burleson and Bobby Engram have only played together in two and a half games. The Seahawks were off today. They begin preparations for the Packers tomorrow. ...The third-seeded Seahawks, winners of seven of their last nine, make their sixth trip to Green Bay in the last five seasons, as they take on the second-seeded Packers on Saturday, January 12th. Kickoff is at 1:30 p.m. pst and will be televised on FOX. Kenny Albert will do play-by-play, Daryl Johnston commentary, and Tony Siragusa will be on the sidelines. The winner advances to the NFC Championship Game on Sunday, January 20th. Seattle is 7-9 all-time in the postseason and holds a 6-2 home record, 1-6 road record and an 0-1 Super Bowl record. Seattle looks to win its first playoff road game in 24 years. Seattle last won on the road, 27-20, at Miami in the 1983 AFC Divisional Playoff Game. ...Why would I say that? Well, maybe because the Seahawks have been in the playoffs for five years in a row (GB is going for the first time in three years). Or because the Hawks have won four straight NFC West titles. And they have played in GB a lot -- thanks to NFL schedulers who love sending Holmgren back to Wisconsin. As the Seattle Times pointed out today, Holmgren's Seahawks have played there three times in the regular season, once in a playoff game, and twice in exhibition games (in the last four seasons). I say let the Packers have all the press. They deserve it. With St. Favre's Arthurian leadership, his un-aging arm and huge receivers (according to STATS LLC, they led the NFL in yards after the catch), and the fact GB was 12-3-1 ATS (against the spread). Maybe not the fact that the Packers had the 29th strength of schedule (the Seahawks had the softest, but the 12th Man would point out the Hawks also endured injuries that would have crippled other teams). GB can have the attention, simply because the NFL is frothing at the mouth to ride the St. Favre-vs.-Patriots train all the way to the Super Bowl. 8-point favorites? GB may need to quadruple-team Kerney to win ATS this time. Let them have the press. These Seahawks don't need it. ...The NFC Divisional playoff game will be held on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. pst at Lambeau Field. The opening line has Green Bay favored by eight points, with an O/U of 40. Ouch. Oddsmakers must not like the Seahawks defense. As far as the week, Holmgren will hold his normal Monday press conference tomorrow afternoon (you can check it out at Seahawks.com). The team will then practice Tues., Wed. and Thurs. and fly out to Green Bay on Friday. Personally, I think the 1:30 start time helps the Seahawks. Travelling east with a 10:30 start would've been difficult. Also on the Seahawks side, Matt has played in GB before (and in the playoffs), Holmgren is practically at home (he has that street named after him), and the Seahawks leaders are more seasoned (sans Favre). Eight point spread? Man, I'm not sure if I agree with the oddsmakers. ...As Matt Hasselbeck sat down at the postgame press conference after the Hawks' victory, he wanted to get something off his chest. “I’m just saying it right now: We want the ball and we’re going to score,” he said with a laugh. “OK, I said it.” Of course, most Hawks fans know he's referring to his comments during the 2004 Packers playoff game when he said, “We want the ball and we’re going to score!” He got the ball, threw an interception and Green Bay scored. So did he regret saying it? "I regret the interception," he said to more laughter. "That I regret." As for Holmgren, it will be an emotional experience heading back to Green Bay. "We had a wonderful time there, and we have fond memories, and now we have to go back and play them. We're very excited about the opportunity. We know the challenges, better than most." ...What a win. I may not be able to talk for a few days from screaming so much. Leroy Hill had a monster game. And who can say enough about Marcus Trufant? I was kind of worried for a bit there, but Tru had a great, great run back. This was the kind of game the Seahawks were missing this year. A signature game. A win to remember. Green Bay? Bring 'em on. ...For those of you who watched the game at home, did it seem that NBC announcer Chris Collinsworth was rooting for the Redskins? Yeah, yeah, we're used to it. The east coast national media thinks Seattle is a Canadian province. But no worries, we're on to Green Bay! ...I'm your guest game logger. Please leave your rants and raves in the comments section as the game goes. Pre-game: Former Mariner Jamie Moyer raises the 12th Man flag. I didn't see that coming. Moyer is a fan favorite and he does a lot in the community, so I guess it's a good choice. 1st Quarter: Washington starts 3 and out. Good start for defense. Plus, Shaun Alexander looked good on his first run. Ryan Plackemeier gets a good punt nailed down by the special teams. So far, so good despite no score. Shaun Alexander is stripped at the end of his 14 yard run. But it's obvious that he's down before the ball comes out. I can't believe the refs allowed the return, forcing Seattle to challenge it. Next play, Leonard Weaver touchdown run. I love the run-by-committee. It's working today. Seahawks lead, 7-0. keep reading for the rest of Joel's game log ...The latest from your Holmgren Show crew here in the locker room at Qwest Field - No Deion today as his strained right calf continues to hamper him. Engram will start in his place at WR. Here is the just released inactives list for today's game... Seahawks: Deion Branch, Logan Payne, Kevin Hobbs, Ben Joppru, Jason Babin, Mansfield Wrotto, Ray Willis. Redskins: Jason Campbell, Omar, Stoutmire, Brian Kozlowski, Ryan Boschetti, Kevin Sampson, James Thrash, Alex Buzbee ...I'm heading to Qwest Field now for the big Wild Card game. So much of this playoff match-up is dependent on how well the Seahawks defense plays. My Inner Fan worries the weather is going to ground the passing game. I haven't seen the inactives list yet, but I have to take off before I can post it. Leave your gameday rants/raves and praise in the comment section below. And, as always, GO HAWKS! ...Sound Transit's Seahawks Special is set to roll tomorrow. The special trains will serve Tacoma, Puyallup, Sumner, Auburn, Kent, Tukwila, Everett and Edmonds, arriving and departing right next door to Qwest Field at King Street Station. Sound Transit will utilize a three-train lineup between Tacoma and Seattle to spread the ridership and ease any over-crowding. Two trains will provide service between Everett, Edmonds and Seattle. The first train leaving Tacoma Dome Station will stop only at Puyallup and then proceed as an express to King Street Station. The second train will originate from Sumner and make all stops en route to Seattle. The third train will depart from Tacoma Dome Station and make all regular stops. Following the game, the three Seattle-Tacoma trains will make all regular stops. The Seattle-Tacoma trains will depart approximately 10, 20 and 40 minutes after the game end, even if the game goes into overtime. The first train will depart as soon as it reaches capacity. The two Seattle-Everett trains will depart Seattle 15 and 30 minutes after the end of the game. ...Today Governor Gregoire placed a bet with Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley, picking the Seahawks to win over the Redskins. Gregoire wagered a box of apples and O'Malley wagered Phillips crab cakes. "With their fourth consecutive National Football Conference (NFC) West title, the Seahawks will dominate the team from the other Washington tomorrow," said Gregoire. "First Mike and I look forward to being part of the 12th man at Qwest Field with thousands of other Seahawks fans as our team marches to compete in another Super Bowl. And, I look forward to sharing Governor O'Malley's generous gift with the Lewis County United Way for distribution to flood victims in the Boistfort and Curtis communities." ...I just received an e-mail about a Washington Post article. Columnist Thomas Boswell bashes the Seahawks record. Boswell writes that Seattle faced a patsy schedule including the 49ers and Rams. He goes on to proclaim the Hawks padded their stats with those 4 games. What Boswell forgets to bring up is the Hawks knocked San Fran and St. Louis' starting quarterbacks out of the game. Isn't the Washington Post suppose to have a reputation for being a bastion of reporting? Anyways, check out the article and post your thoughts. ...An oldie but a goodie, to get the 12th Man pumped up for Saturday. As you know by know, oddsmakers are favoring the Seahawks to win this Saturday by three points. Three points for Seattle at rocking Qwest Field means oddsmakers believe the Redskins have more than a decent shot. So which team is the national media choosing to win the Wild Card game? ESPN is 5-3, Seahawks. USA Today is also 5-3, Seahawks. Dr. Z over at SI.com (who always seems to pick the 'Hawks to lose) is -- surprise, surprise -- picking the Redskins, 31-27. Last night on HBO's Inside the NFL, Bob Costas and Marino like the Seahawks, Chris Carter likes the Redskins (no pick for Collingsworth). CBS Sportsline's experts (they pick against the spread) are 5-1, Redskins. ...
As you can see on 2 blogs down, Redskins fullback Mike Sellers claims the Seahawks pipe in crowd noise. (Here's the Washington Times article) On Thursday, a reporter brought up the article/quote to 'Hawks head coach Mike Holmgren. Coach Holmgren denied the claim right away, saying that anyway that knows us (the Hawks) and have been here for game, knows they don't pump in any noise. Holmgren called the 12th Man's loud nature a learned activity. The coach also thought the 12th Man might be offended that the 'Skins feel the crowd needs artificial help. He even says who knows how the crowd may react on Saturday after hearing such a claim. Holmgren believes that there's no doubt that the 12th Man helps his team. Is there such a thing as bulletin board material for the fans? ...Heads up: the Mike Holmgren show will air on Saturday night this week, immediately following the Jacksonville v. Pittsburgh game here on KING 5. If you have question for coach Holmgren ask it -- before or during the Wild Card playoff game vs. the Redskins -- in the comments section below. As always, include your first name and the city where you live. Then watch The Mike Holmgren Show, after the AFC Wild Card game, and see if Coach Holmgren answers your question. ...Thanks to Nate for this column from the Washington Times, which includes yet another accusation that Qwest Field pipes in crowd noise. Didn't the NFL send officials to Qwest Field in 2005 over this same matter and decide it was bogus? Really. Like the 12th Man needs more fuel. Writes Ryan O'Halloran, "Presented with that fact yesterday about the Seahawks' home stadium, the Washington Redskins responded with a collective, "So what?"" The article also quotes Redksins FB Fullback Mike Sellers saying the Seahawks pipe in crowd noise. "That place has to be miked up because the last time we played there, it was ridiculous -- we couldn't hear ourselves talk," Sellers said. "For a stadium that small, it can't be that loud." ...How much does momentum count in a playoff game like the Seahawks face this Saturday? While the Redskins are rolling into Qwest Field, winners of four straight and running on high emotion after the loss of No. 21, which team has the most momentum? Redskins' WR Randel El think's the 'Skins do. "It's hard to just show up, you know what I mean?'' Randle El said. "I wouldn't want to play us right now,'' echoed defensive end Phillip Daniels. The entire AP momentum article is here. I'm not so sure. Carrying the load of losing a fellow player can be a hard burden to sustain for so many weeks. The Seahawks are rested. They are healthy. Sure, QB Collins (NFC's offensive player of the month for December) is a major X-Factor, as is the fuel that feeds the Redskins. But eventually, the tank runs dry. And it's a darn long flight to Seattle. If this game was in the other Washington, I'd be more worried. But this 'Hawks defense is much better than the '05 team the Redskins played. And you have to think the players are ticked off after giving up so many points to Atlanta's Redman. Momentum? The Seahawks are at home, healthy, and the 12th Man is just -- *ahem -- warming up his/her vocal chords. ...Matt Hasselbeck showed up to practice Tuesday sporting a 70's style mustache. Yes, the dark, short, and totally out of place 'stache. Almost Adam Morrison-esque! But after just one day of trying to keep a straight face while attempting to run an offense during practice, Hasselbeck decided the mustache wasn't for him. On Wednesday the quarterback told the media (with a clean shaven face) that it wasn't as much of a hit at home as it was in the lockerroom. While his teammates joked around about it, his two-year-old son tried to rip it off, thinking it was a fake. Matt says his wife and kids were not fans so he and his son shaved it off together. Guess the Hasselbeck household prefers consistency with Dad at home, just as much as 'Hawk fans desire it on the field! ...It was a crowded day in the Seahawks press conference room. First off, the team is healthy which is great news heading into the wildcard game. Branch is the only Seahawks who may not make it onto the practice field today. Holmgren said Matt (wrist) is fine. He also joked about No. 8's current moustache, making a reference to some private eye TV show from the way back machine (Mike said the moustache is, however, keeping guys relaxed in the practice room). As far as preparing for the Redskins QB Todd Collins, Holmgren said they'd prepare for Gibbs system (which he said still looks a lot like an old Joe Gibbs team -- run, play action, and throwing down the field). When asked, Holmgren said he didn't see much difference from this team and the 'Skins the Seahawks faced in '05. About the defense, Mike credited the Redskins to adapting their play of style based on their opponent. On Sean Taylor, Holmgren tipped his hat to the way the organization handled the difficult event so well. As you may expect, there were plenty of questions about Holmgren's future with the team. Holmgren said he'll follow the same procedure when the season is over -- take off somewhere with his wife and discuss the matter, let the season settle and ponder next year. Holmgren said he still has the 'fire' for coaching although the losses are much harder to take. However, Mike added he'd likely still have that fire when he's sitting in a nursing home years from now, watching a game and screaming at the refs on the TV. A couple last notes: Holmgren was encouraged with the running game the last few weeks (He also praised Shaun for taking the snap differential so well). As far as the Seahawks playoff experience, Mike didn't really think the team's exp. would give the Seahawks any advantage. But he also asked the 12th Man to 'gear up.' I can hear the roar already. ...USA Today's staff thinks so. They posed the question, 'Who is the best play caller in the NFL,' to USA Today's NFL staff. Each submitted their own list, and after the results were tallied, Holmgren was voted the numero uno play-caller in the NFL. The staff then asked for comments from Troy Aikman (Fox), Cris Collinsworth (NBC), Ron Jaworski (ESPN) and Phil Simms (CBS). Said Simms: "Matt Hasselbeck can look at more receivers on one pass play than anybody I've seen in the NFL. And that is a direct reflection of Mike Holmgren and his system." The story can be found here. Tom Moore of the Colts was second. Mike Shanahan of the Broncos came in third. ...
Just got back from Seahawks practice. The team is revved up and ready to roll for the playoffs, and they are hoping 'Hawk fans will be ready as well. The Seahawks invite the 12th Man to unite and demonstrate their spirit this week to support the team in preparation for their wildcard game on Saturday. On Wednesday, the 12th Man flag will be raised atop the Space Needle to salute Seahawks fans, and the team, during the playoffs. World-renowned mountain climber and Port Townsend resident Jim Whittaker will raise the flag. ...The third-seeded Seahawks, winners of six of their last eight, makes its fifth consecutive postseason appearance hosting the sixth-seeded Washington Redskins on Saturday, January 5. Kickoff is slated for 1:30 p.m. (PT) and the game will be televised on NBC (channel 5 in Seattle). Tom Hammond will call play-by-play and Cris Collinsworth will do commentary. Seattle is 6-9 all-time in the postseason and holds a 5-2 home record, 1-6 road record and an 0-1 Super Bowl record. This will be the second postseason meeting between the two clubs. The two met in the 2005 NFC Divisional Playoff Game on January 14, 2006, won by Seattle, 20-10. Seattle then went on to defeat the Carolina Panthers enroute to its first Super Bowl appearance. In the regular season, Washington holds a 9-4 series lead and has won four consecutive games dating back to the 2001 season. ...In case you don't have, or haven't seen, the NFL network's take on the Seahawks v. Redskins wildcard matchup, follow this link. Terrell Davis and Steve Mariucci break down the game in a quick 2:17 discussion. It's worth a watch, even if the discussion is all Redskins. ... |
“The frozen tundra "it ain't"...not this Saturday. Don't expect to see polar bears or walrus prowling outside Lambeau Field, nor Packer fans arriving by dog sled. Skies will be cloudy, and there's a chance of a little light snow. Temperatures should top out in the low 30's, right about the time of kickoff. By the end of the game, expect temperatures in the mid 20's; cool, but certainly nothing our Seahawks can't deal with. Let's hope for frozen expressions of dismay on the face of Packer fans as they exit the stadium!" - Jeff
K5 anchor Dennis Bounds wins the '07 Anchor Picks, beating Jean Enersen (4) and Lori Matsukawa (2) with five predictions. Congratulations to Mr. Bounds, who has bragging rights until the '08 season.