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July 2009
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| September 2008Can Shaun Alexander catch a break? And I'm not talking about one in the foot or the wrist. Two teams could have used him and two teams have passed on him, for now. His hometown team, the Cincinnati Bengals, lost DeDe Dorsey for probably the rest of the season. Cincy chose troubled RB Cedric Benson. The Pittsburgh Steelers lost Willie Parker & Rashard Mendenhall. Yet, the Steelers could have added Shaun Alexander, but instead chose former Steeler running back Najeh Davenport. You gotta wonder if Shaun has some disease called "cantcatchonwithanotherteam". It's pretty close to another bacteria that plagued him last season, "fallingdownbeforeimtouched". ...Giving new meaning to fantasy football, Seattle has been awarded a Lingerie Football League franchise. Tryouts are this Friday at Greenlake, rain or shine. They suggest the female participants to "dress in cute athletic wear". For more on the league, click on this link. By the way, the competition should be fierce. There are only 12 spots up for grab. ...Right now the Giants are favored over the Seahawks by seven points by oddsmakers, the biggest favorite on the boards right now (San Diego is the closest favorite, up by six in Miami). WSEX, Bodog, BetCRIS and Betus all have the Seahawks seven to seven-in-a-half point underdogs to New York.
With Deion (knee) and Bobby (shoulder) coming back, the Seahawks go from not having enough wide receivers to having too many. Who should be let go to clear up room on the 53 man roster? Koren Robinson? Michael Bumpus? Courtney Taylor or Keary Colbert? The Seahawks gave up a pick to get Colbert from Denver. Michael Bumpus has returned punts and Koren Robinson still has a sore knee. Here's what Holmgren had to say:
Enough said. (But let's hope they both make it to the Giants game. I'm finding a Engram, Branch and Robinson line-up intriguing...with Carlson as the fourth option) Add in a revamped running game, and all of the sudden the Seahawks are looking good. Add in a Niners, Rams and Cards all losing this weekend, and the Seahawks are looking even better.
At Monday's Husky press conference Head Coach Tyrone Willingham announced Jake Locker will be out 6-8 weeks with a broken thumb. However, Locker has expressed interest in coming back sooner and playing a different position. Tyrone Willingham did not rule this out saying, "It is possible. I couldn't tell you where right now, but I've said and others have said, he is a tremendous athlete and has the ability to play five, six, seven positions." Tyrone went on to say, "This is a young man, who wants to win and he'll be willing to do whatever to help his team be successful and win."
Didn't you think you'd wake up and find some coach fired? After the calm and cool (and highest paid Ram) Mark Bulger came out and said he no longer would play for his head coach, it sure felt like a matter of time. This morning, the Rams fired head coach Scott Linehan. Defensive coordinator Jim Haslet will take over for the moment. Linehan was 11-25 in his tenure with St. Louis. A team that had lost 17 of the last 20 games.
In sports it is pretty obvious that character comes to light more in times of trouble than it does in times of success. I've recently wondered what the Seahawks would be like if they went 0-5. Who in the locker room, one that Ruskell has put together to showcase character, would eventually threaten to knock out Matt Hasselbeck or Mike Holmgren?
Rumor has it that a pitcher leaked this story to the press. A pitcher on a team that is 11 out of 14 teams in pitching. 209 hits on the season? Yeah, go ahead. Knock that out and see how fast the ship really sinks. Seattle Times writer Geoff Baker blogs about a rift in the M's clubhouse this season. Apparently, someone or a group of players wanted to take Ichiro out...and not in the "let's grab a bite to eat" kind of way. A clubhouse insider -- sorry, can't get more specific than that, but the source is golden and others have confirmed his account -- says animosity towards Ichiro by teammates was so heavy in the first few months of the season that he feared the Japanese leadoff man was going to be physically attacked in the clubhouse. The coaching staff intervened and called a team meeting to clear the air over allegations Ichiro was a "selfish'' player. A similar meeting was called in May 2007 at Tropicana Field because of internal grumbling by players about Ichiro. - Seattle Times 9/25/08 You can check out the whole blog here. Baker updates the article with a little more explanation near the bottom of the blog. It would be interesting to know who's mad at Area 51. So do you think Ichiro is the problem? Should the 34-year-old, soon to be 35, be more of a leader? Should Ichiro fit into the M's future plans? According the article, some of the people are mad that he's more focused on his stats instead of sitting while he's injured. Don't you want someone to play through the pain, especially if they can? ...You know it's a Seahawks bye-week when a story like this gets so much attention in the Northwest. But the Idaho cheerleaders are causing more of a fuss than the Vandals giving up 70 points in their season opener to Arizona, or losing to Western Michigan and Utah State by a total of 48 points. Now, the cheerleader who designed the squad's scandalous new uniforms has resigned in the wake of all the national attention. Uniforms, the cheerleader said, which were meant to "Promote physical fitness."
Shelly Robson, an adviser to the spirit squad, said some cheerleaders found the uniforms unflattering and uncomfortable. The Dean of Student affairs even said some fans complained. But he added, "To be fair, there were a number of fans who liked them."
According to Fox Sports, Giants WR Plaxico Burress has been suspended for two weeks for failing to show up for practice on Monday and not returning phone calls. Like Seattle, the Giants are in the middle of a bye-week so Burress only misses one game (but two weeks of salary). Imagining Plax darting among the Seahawks banged up secondary in NY was enough to give the 12th Man nightmares. A few weeks from getting a massive new $35-million contract, Burress so far has 18 catches for 259 yards and one TD. Last season, he had 70 receptions for 1,025 yards and 12 TDs. And...two weeks to think about it. No word yet on Plax's excuse.
The Cougars sent over an injury update on quarterback Kevin Lopina. He has a stress fracture in his L4 traverse process of his vertebrae. In other words, it's in his lower back. Kevin Lopina Update
PULLMAN, Wash. - Washington State University junior quarterback Kevin Lopina suffered a fracture of the L-4 transverse process of his vertebrae, according to WSU Assistant Athletic Director for Athletic Training Bill Drake. Lopina was injured during the second quarter of Saturday's 48-9 victory over Portland State at Martin Stadium and left the contest with a deep bruise in his throwing shoulder. Following a series of tests and re-evaluations Sunday, Monday and today, the back injury was discovered. Lopina is out indefinitely and will be reevaluated on a weekly basis.
In unrelated injury news, it was determined Tuesday morning that junior linebacker Jason Stripling will need surgery on his left shoulder and will miss the remainder of the season. Well, the Oakland Raiders owner vs. coach saga definitely took another turn for the bizarre when Raiders administrator John Herrera goes off on San Jose Mercury News' Tim Kawakami while reporters and cameras were still in room after a Kiffen news conference. At issue: reporter Kawakami's question that the Raiders leaked news to ESPN that was unflattering to the head coach. Blows weren't thrown, but an F-bomb or two were. The video is below. You can read Kawakami's response on his blog. The Seahawks injury bug to the receivers has apparently switched sides of the field. Middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu had successful surgery to fix a ligament in his right thumb today. Lofa will wear a cast in the meantime. But he won't miss any games. Cornerback Marcus Trufant still has a cast on his left hand. Like Lofa, he should play against the Giants after the bye week. Then there's defensive end Patrick Kerney. He recently joined the club with a "club" of his own. Kerney broke a bone in his wrist. He's wearing a hard cast now. You can expect Kerney to chase Giants QB Eli Manning a week from Sunday...lik the others, he won't miss any time. So all three have casts and they should keep them for at least the next four weeks. ...Seahawks head coach Mike Holmgren held his usual press conference on Monday. Here are some of the highlights.
I just noticed an article by a St. Louis Post-Dispatch where former Hawks kicker Josh Brown blames everyone for causing the fans to boo him. Hmmm...it wasn't the fact that he took a record amount of money for a kicker and went "across the street" to division rival St. Louis? It wasn't that he burned a few bridges on his way out of town? Here's a little snippet from that article: "If people think I'm a Judas, I don't know who I betrayed," said Brown, moderately amused by the biblical reference. "Because my family's awfully happy, and those are the people that I care about the most." I understand what he's trying to say, but when you deal with pro football and their fans, what do you expect them to do? Throwing flowers at him? It wasn't like Brown was here for 15 years and helped Seattle win a couple of Super Bowls with his leg. He only played five seasons here. Greg Johns at the P-I has more on Brown's day.
Let me explain before we get too far deep into that question. It arose today as I was reading an Associated Press article titled Most of the NFL's best teams know the secret to success. In the column, Dave Goldberg addresses a key element for franchises to be successful in the NFL these days: understanding the salary cap.
Below is a press release from the Cougars. Not bad for a 3rd string freshman. I wonder if he's going to be the starter from here on out. It might be a good idea to have a young guy, who'll be around for awhile, to get all those game-time reps.
PULLMAN, Wash. - Washington State University quarterback Marshall Lobbestael was named U.S. Bank Pacific-10 Conference Offensive Player of the Week, Commissioner Tom Hansen announced. Lobbestael, a redshirt freshman from Oak Harbor, Wash., had thrown only two passes all year before coming off the bench to lead Washington State to a 48-9 win against Portland State.
Entering the game after injuries to the Cougars first two quarterbacks, Lobbestael's first two pass attempts went for touchdowns covering 14 and 53 yards. He ended up completing 9 of 12 passes (.750) for 149 yards and the two touchdowns with no interceptions.
The Cougars scored on the first four possessions after he entered the game. Washington State's offense piled up a school-record-tying 36 first downs and 638 yards total offense (277 rushing, 361 passing). ...It's an easy call to make, the play of the Rams vs. Seahawks game: Matt's first quarter block that took out two defenders, clearing the way for a 29-yard Julius Jones touchdown. Now don't get me wrong -- Jones and his 140-yards rushing are enough to win player of the game. Really, when was the last time a Seahawks RB had two 100-plus yard games in a row? But the play of the game easily goes to Matt's block, and his determination to help this team find a win. So what did Jones think of No. 8's rolling tumble that took out Oshiomogho Atogwe and Fakir Brown? "He was telling me, 'come this way, come this way. I heard him and I followed. It was unbelievable; you never see a quarterback sell out like that ... to take out two guys. That sparked the whole offense today."Holmgren wasn't so moved by the block. The coach appreciated the effort, but reminded Matt that he is the most irreplaceable player in blue and green. That No. 8 is needed more than any other Seahawk if this team wants to win not just the battle, but the war. ...Still Hawks ball. Still running the ball. TJ Duckett ran the ball six times in a row before scoring from the one. Duckett is quickly becoming very dependable on short yardage. Hawks lead 34-13. Am I jinxing the Hawks by writing this? After two quarters of ball, there are no known injuries to the receivers. How about Julius Jones, too. He's got 16 carries for 96 yards and a touchdown. Not bad. It'll be interesting to see what the Hawks do in the 2nd half. Do they keep the foot on the Rams throat? Do they work on getting some reps with the new receivers? Or do they just run the ball?
- Rams ball. Actually the Bumpus fumble happened at the beginning of the 2nd quarter. Leroy Hill makes 2 tackles on the first two plays. Steven Jackson isn't going anywhere. Josh Brown kicks a 43 yard FG. Man, the 12th man was giving him a hard time. There was even a "Josh Brown is a Punk" sign. Hawks lead, 17-3. We're back for another week. Please be patient, I'm working on the Mike Holmgren Show as I'm blogging the game. Feel free to add your comments, at will. Koren Robinson follows the Hawks trend of injured receivers. He's not even dressed for the game. Now on the important stuff, the game. - Rams kick off. It's weird to see Josh Brown in the Rams. Seahawks drive it down the field, but fail to score. Matt Hasselbeck had John Carlson in the end zone, but Tinoisamoa knocked the ball away. Olindo Mare kicks the 28 yard field goal. Hawks lead, 3-0 in the 1st quarter.
Koren Robinson will not make his 2nd Seahawks debut today. He is out with a sore knee.
I'm heading to the Qwest soon. Joel may do a game log, but if not leave any comments or thoughts about the game below. The Rams are awful this season, the worst team in the NFL. Statistically, the worst on offense and defense -- 32nd in points per game, 32nd in yards per game and 32nd in yards allowed. Still, questions remain: Can the Seahawks passing game find its rhythm? How will a battered secondary perform? This should be a game the Seahawks win, and win easily. After today's game, the Seahawks get a bye and then head to NY to take on the champs. ...
Seattle loses game 1 to LA tonight, but the Storm still put tickets for game 3 on sale tonight. You can check out the press release below for more on the Storm.
Tickets Available Online at storm.wnba.com SEATTLE, Friday, Sept. 19, 2008 - Single-game tickets for the Seattle Storm's second 2008 WNBA Western Conference Semi-Final home game at KeyArena on Tuesday, Sept 23 at 6 p.m. are available to purchase now. Starting at just $14, tickets can be bought online at storm.wnba.com, at KeyArena's East Box Office and at the Team Shop located on KeyArena's West Plaza. The 2008 WNBA Western Conference Semi-Finals is a best-of-three format, with Game 1 hosted by the lower-seeded team and Games 2 and 3 (if necessary) hosted by the higher-seeded team. The L.A. Sparks lead the Western Conference Semi-Finals series 1-0. The Storm is 8-10 in 18 all-time playoff games, including a 6-2 mark during the 2004 season as Seattle captured the WNBA Championship. Two members of that team remain in a Storm uniform (Sue Bird and Lauren Jackson), and 10 of the 12 players on the current Storm roster have postseason experience. Additionally, the 2008 Storm roster boasts five WNBA champions with nine WNBA championships between them (Bird `04, Cash `03 and `06, Griffith `05, Jackson `04, and Swoopes `97, `98, `99 and `00). For additional information on 2008 Storm playoff tickets, call 206-217-WNBA or log on to storm.wnba.com ...It's kind of hard to believe last season's Defensive Player of the Year only made the 2nd team defensive team this year. But that's the case. Lauren Jackson makes the WNBA's All-Defensive Second Team. It must be because she left for the Olympics and had the injury. The Storm's official press release is after the jump. ...It's Friday, which means it's time to Ask Mike. Have a question for the Coach? Didn't like the offensive schemes last week? Or maybe you'd like to see more of the running game. Leave a question for Mike Holmgren in the comments section below. Your question could be answered on The Mike Holmgren Show, directly following Sunday Night Football on KING/5. And please, don't forget your first name and the city where you live. Then flip on over to The Mike Holmgren Show with Paul Silvi, right after NBC's Sunday Night Football and see if coach answers your question. ...Who needs a WR, you ask? Still facing problems with his knee, Koren Robinson practiced little on Friday and will be listed as questionable for Sunday's game with the Rams. OG Sean Locklear did practice. No word yet of he will start at the Qwest. Walter Jones and Kelly Jennings were both limited. ...Time for Week 3's KING/5 Anchor Picks. Last week Lori was the only one to select the Niners to win, so she moves to 1-1. Jean and Dennis remain, like the Seahawks, at 0-2. This week, the Rams come to the Qwest. The Seahawks are currently a 9.5 point favorite, with an O/U of 43.5.
Mariners third baseman Adrian Beltre underwent successful surgery today. AB had work done on his left thumb and left shoulder. The M's official press release is after the jump. It gives the details of the surgery. ...A couple of our reporters just came back from the Seahawks practice. They tell me Koren Robinson hurt his knee, left practice for about a half hour, and returned without pads, a helmet, or jersey. Maybe it's just a little sore because this is his only his second practice since he left the Packers, but it's a weird pattern happening to the team's wideouts. I guess we'll find out Sunday if the receiving corps is truly cursed or if it's all been a coincidence that injuries have mainly afflicted one position. ...Josh Brown will return to the Qwest Sunday, except this time in a Rams uniform. You likely remember how one of the best kickers in Seahawks history decided to jump ship in the offseason, even though the Seahawks offered a deal that would have made Brown the highest paid kicker in the NFL (Brown took the deal with the Rams, mostly because of more guaranteed $). So, will the 12th Man boo or cheer Josh?
Here's to hoping Josh Brown gets more boos this Sunday than the Seahawks kickers and punters. ...The Seahawks officially wrapped up their business to acquire WR Keary Colbert. Seattle sends Denver a 2009 conditional draft pick (believed to be a 5th rounder) for Colbert. To make room for Colbert, the Hawks cut DE Jason Babin. The official press release is after the jump. ...Former Seahawk running back Shaun Alexander worked out for the Lions on Tuesday. No word if he's been offered a contract. It would be nice to see Alexander "The Great" again and to prove he's got something left in the tank. ...The M's just announced their tentative schedule for the 2009 season. They'll open up the season on the road April 6th in Minnesota. The home opener is April 14th against the AL West champions Angels. What a great way to open the season at Safeco Field. It should be a hot ticket. The official press release is after the jump. It has all the big series schedules and the inter-league games. ...The Huskies just named their new athletic director. They're promoting the interim AD into the permanant AD, it's Scott Woodward. Watch KING5 news for more or go to KING5.com's front page as it streams live. We'll have a lot more later in the day. ...I just wanted to give a quick run-through of Koren's (re)introduction to the team. Over the phone interview, the first thing Koren did was apologize. He apologized to the fans, to Holmgren and his teammates. Koren also said he has been sober since 2006, when he was arrested for DUI. Tim Ruskell admitted he had to be convinced. After speaking to Matt Hasselbeck (who had seen Koren in the offseason) and talking to people in Green Bay, Ruskell sent Seahawks pro personnel director Will Lewis down to meet Robinson in North Carolina. Only after all that, did Ruskell decide to give Koren a second chance. The 12th Man has to hope this works out. As anyone with alchoholism in their family knows, there in now cure for this disease. But here's to hoping, here's to apologies, and here's to second chances. At 28, Robinson is now married, with two children and a third on the way. ...OK, maybe it's more of a scope than knife. Pitcher Erik Bedard will undergo season ending surgery on his shoulder. Doctors will perform exploratory arthroscopic surgery September 26th to find out what's wrong. So does it matter that Bedard's season has been a waste? It wasn't as if the M's were doing anything this season. Plus, his injury kind of helped give some of the young guys (Feierabend, Morrow, Rowland-Smith) a chance to start. So maybe his injury-riddled season will be the best thing for the M's long-term. If he gets his shoulder corrected and comes back next year looking like the Bedard of old, Seattle should have a good rotation of Felix, Bedard, Morrow, and Rowland-Smith. Anyways, the official release is after the jump. ...I just got word that Koren Robinson's agent has confirmed to our KING/5 Sports Director Tony White that the Seahawks have signed the wideout to a one-year contract. Clearly, it was a move that had to be made to give Matt any chance of having chemistry with a WR. Also confirmed by our sports dept, the Seahawks have traded for Bronco WR Keary Colbert. The deal is for a fith round pick, which could be upgraded to a fourth -- depending on performance. Colbert is in his fifth year, out of USC. ...According to Clare Farnsworth at the P-I, former Seahawk Koren Robinson is at the Hawks headquarters tonight. He's expected to sign a deal with Seattle tomorrow, pending a physical. You could tell head coach Mike Holmgren and quarterback Matt Hasselbeck really wanted K-Rob back today. Both talked about him and gave their support for bringing him back. But is going back and grabbing someone from the past, especially someone who had problems here in his last go-around, a wise decision? ...If you're a receiver on the Hawks, are you looking over your shoulder or waiting for the other shoe to drop...or any other cliche thinking you may be next? Logan Payne is in pain with a torn MCL. He's out for the season. I still think that hit by former Husky Dashon Goldson was a little cheap. Seattle just started talking about putting Seneca Wallace at receiver and before he played a down, he strained his calf in warmups. Kelly Jennings broke a rib on Sunday. He came back into the game and still played...and he should be able to go next week. Back to the wide receiver situation, head coach Mike Holmgren says he's open to anything including a trade. Let the Ocho Cinco trade rumors begin. Although I bet it'll be someone a little more under the radar. Could we see Koren Robinson back in a Hawks uniform? Oh, by the way, Deion Branch is day-to-day. ...What? You wanted good news out of Renton? Hold your breath, 12th Man: Logan Payne is out for the season after tearing his MCL. The WR was moved to IR today. Seneca Wallace is out three to four weeks, with a strained calf. On defense, Kelly Jennings broke a rib and won't practice much but may play. Given the way the secondary performed this Sunday, maybe Tim Russell needs to hunt on the waiver wire for some help in the defensive backfield. Oh yeah, I almost forgot. And Holmgren also says don't expect to see Deion Branch back this weekend. ...The Storm has sent over an official press release of their playoff schedule. Game 1 - Fri Sept. 19 Seattle at Los Angeles 7:30 PM NBATV Game 2 - Sun Sept. 21 Los Angeles at Seattle 2:00 PM ESPN2 Game 3 * Tue Sept. 23 Los Angeles at Seattle 6:00 PM ESPN2 The whole release is after the jump. ...I'll keep this brief. First, Holmgren said in his post game presser that WR Logan Payne has torn ligaments in his knee. Second, the officiating crew was horrible. Third, some positives: rookie TE John Carlson looked great. The running game looked much improved, blocking and running. I like Julius Jones' style. Matt still looks rusty. And lastly, before the sky-is-falling feeling kicks into the 12th Man's gut, the Giants went 0-2 last season and we all know how NY's season went (heck, didn't the Saints go 0-5 and make the playoffs?). Okay, I'm off to watch interviews and then the film of the game. See what I missed at the Qwest. ...Still Hawks ball. A few plays later, TJ Duckett in his new #42 jersey runs it in from the one. Game tied, 27-27 in the 4th quarter. - Niners ball. Brandon Mebane sacks O'Sullivan and gives us a funky verson of Rocky Bernard's Sugar Bear Shake. Too bad Lofa interupted it. San Fran punts and Bumpus returns 30 yards...he nearly broke it. - Hawks ball. Carlson makes another catch, gets rocked and holds on. He looks like the real deal. Heck, with all these injuries to the WR's, Carlson could end up an All-Pro by the end of the season. McMullen also grabs a pass for 14 yards. Seattle has to settle for 32 yd FG by Mare. Hawks lead, 30-27 with 7:45 to go in the game. - 49ers ball. Talk about a weird series. Seattle sacks O'Sullivan 3 times. The D is called for 3 penalties. San Fran ends up with a field goal. Game tied, 30-30 with about 2:30 to go. - Hawks ball. It's the 2:00 warning. If I'm Hasselbeck, I'm throwing it to Carlson every other play. Seahawks can't do much and have to punt with about a minute to go. 49ers ball. O'Sullivan has to be the most slippery QB in the league. Seahawks could have sacked him again. Instead he dumps it to Gore and he runs it 17 yards. Another Gore catch and the Niners are ready to kick a 41-yard FG. I think the announcers just said Nedney had made 50 straight field goals. HE MISSES! This game is going to OT. 49ers get the ball 1st in OT. San Fran marches down the field and back of a 33 yard catch by Bruce. Man that guy kills Seattle, whether it's with the Rams or now with the 49ers. Nedney hits a 40 yard FG. Game over. San Francisco wins, 33-30. What a tough loss for Seattle. The 3rd quarter was their downfall again. They were driving and looking to go up 2 TD's when that freak play turned into a TD INT by Willis. Then that was followed by another INT and a score followed shortly. Seattle found themselves down a touchdown instead of up 2 TD's in a matter of minutes.
A couple of notes before the 2nd half starts. Tony White, KING5 executive producer, gave me a couple of injury reports. Kelly Jennings has a rib injury, but continues to play. Seneca Wallace has a calf injury and is likely done for the day. So is Logan Payne...he hurt his knee on the cheap shot by Goldson. - Hawks KO...Niners ball. Seattle forces, in essence, a 3 and out. Although, Brandon Mebane missed a sack. The Hawks put some pressure on O'Sullivan...good defensive stand. Lee punts. Bumpus returns 12 yards. - Hawks ball. They're driving and Jones makes a nice run on the screen pass. Mike Wahle throws him a block that sets him free for 17 yards. A few plays later, Jones runs the ball and Pork Chop Womack was called for holding. The replay shows Pork Chop was robbed. The very next play, Hasselbeck intends to throw it McMullen, it bounces off him and into the hands of 49er LB Patrick Willis. He takes it 86 yards for the touchdown. Game tied 20-20 in the 3rd Qtr. - Hawks ball. On 3rd down, SF's Ray McDonald deflects the ball at the line. Walt Harris picks off the pass. SF's ball. - 49ers ball. Back-to-back catches by Bryant Johnson, SF has the ball on the 9 yard line. Gore looks stuffed, then bounces it to the outside...touchdown. SF leads, 27-20 in the 3rd Qtr. WOW! Momentum has definitely changed. 2 INT's resulting in 2 TD's...this is a bad quarter for the Hawks. - Hawks ball. Seattle is methodically moving it down the field. A little bit here and a little it there. Hasselbeck tries to hook up with Courtney Taylor for 6, but can't. Hasselbeck looked a little frustrated. Owen Schmitt catches a 6 yard pass and gets hit. But it's a first down and Schmitt's 1st NFL reception. End of the third quarter, it's 27-20 49ers.
Here's the start of the 2nd qtr...still Hawks ball. Billy McMullen catches his 1st pass as a Hawk, unfortunately, it's not enough for a first down. Ryan punts it into the end zone...touchback. - 49ers ball. They get into the Hawks territory in a hurry. 25 yard pass to Bryant Johnson, a 27 catch by Isaac Bruce, and a 14 yard catch by Johnson...San Fran in red zone. Pass interference on Josh Wilson (he grabbed Bruce's jersey) puts the ball on the 3. Hawks D stops Gore twice. O'Sullivan tries to throw on 3rd down...he runs out of time and sacked by Rocky Bernand. Nedney hits 28 yard FG. 14-6 Hawks in 2nd qtr. - Hawks ball. Billy McMullen makes a nice catch and run, but he's stripped by Nate Clements...Niners ball. - SF has a lot pressure put on by Seattle D. Howard Green eventually sacks him. San Fran has to punt. Bumpus returns. - Hawks ball. Not much happened. They ran a few times and Olindo Mare hits a 51 yard FG, 17-6 Hawks lead in the 2nd Qtr. - San Fran ball. Trufant or someone got beat badly. Isaac Bruce caught a ball and ran for 63 yards total. 2:00 warning. Deon Grant intercepts the ball in the end zone on a spectacular catch, but Jennings is called for pass interference. Niners ball at the 3. Johnson beats Jennings for 3 yard TD. Hawks still lead 17-13 in the 2nd. - Hawks ball. Nedney kicks off and the ball goes out of bounds...giving Seattle good field position. Jones runs for a few yards and has to go off with a minor injury. Next play Leonard Weaver rambles for 12 yards, but rolls up behind Courtney Taylor's legs...hopefully not another injury to the wideouts. Carlson with another big catch...17 yards. Seattle has to settle for a 38 yard FG. Hawks lead, 20-13 at halftime.
It looks like Justin is at the game, so I'll try to keep up with the Seahawks game log. Right now, I'm also working on the Mike Holmgren Show which follows Sunday Night Football on NBC...so bear with me. - Seneca Wallace hobbled off the field before the game with an apparent calf injury. Man, the Hawks receiving corp is snake bitten. Seattle goes 3 and out. They also had a false start penalty by Logan Payne. - Hawks D looks a little like bend don't break on the first series for the Niners. San Fran punts it back to Seattle. - First play of the second offensive series for Seattle, Payne grabs a 14 yard catch. SF's Deshawn Goldson cuts him at the knees and Payne is down. Kind of a cheap shot. Hawks had to punt. Jon Ryan's punt blocked by Manny Lawson. Will Heller just let him through. But Jordan Babineaux, aka Big Play Babs, picks up the ball and runs for a first down. Watch out, John Carlson could be Matt Hasselbeck's go to receiver with all the injuries. He caught a 17 yard pass. Next play, Hasselbeck fakes the pass and hands off to Julius Jones on the draw. 27 yards later, Jones scores his 1st TD as a Hawk. Seahawks lead, 7-0 in the 1st Qtr. - Niners ball...starts with 2 false starts on RT Jennings. Julian Peterson sacks JT O'Sullivan for a 13 yard loss. But he's called for taunting. JPete just pointed to his own jersey. Weird...it's a 15-yard penalty first down. Gore fumbles on the next play. Craig Terrill eventually grabs the ball and scores from 12 yards out. Terrill then gives his guitar celebration. Hawks lead, 14-0 in the 1st qtr. - San Fran ball. They're marching behind Gore. He broke a 23 yard run. Hawks D holds and forces a 26 yard FG. Hawks lead, 14-3 in the 1st Qtr. - Hawks ball. Jones runs it a couple of times. I guess Holmgren is set on running the ball more. Carlson with a 16 yard catch. He keeps looking like a nice option for Hasselbeck. End of the 1st quarter, Hawks lead, 14-3.
The Mariners just sent over a press release. They say that Adrian Beltre will undergo surgery to fix his thumb and shoulder. Talk about a tough dude. I can't imagine a thumb injury so severe he needs surgery, but he's willing to take all those vibrations from swinging the bat. Anyways, the official release is after the jump. ...I'm leaving for the Qwest soon and have yet to see an inactives list for either team. If one comes along, I'll post it below. Otherwise, I won't blog from the game. However, leave any thoughts/concerns/praise you have about the 49ers v. Seahawks in the comments section. It'll be an interesting game. The Seahawks defense needs to leave everything on the field today. We all know the 12th Man certainly will. ...From the Seahawks:
I just received a voice mail message from the team a Storm spokesperson. The Sonics/Storm store is not, I repeat, is not closing its doors. The store is actually called the Team Shop at KeyArena. Here's their website. Here's the story. On an earlier blog, we linked a P-I story about the store possibly going out of business. That's not true. Whatever Sonics gear is left, it'll be marked 90% off until it's all gone. Currently, Storm gear will be the stuff primarily sold at the shop. For what it's worth, the store is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11am until 6pm. Plus, they open their doors a couple hours before every Storm game. So if you want Sonics gear, you'll get a good bargain...at least while supplies last. If you want Storm gear, it'll continue to be open as long as the Storm remain in Seattle. By the way, Storm playoff t-shirts should arrive soon. The playoffs should begin either Thursday or Friday. Game one for the Storm will be on the road. Game two will be at KeyArena either Saturday or Sunday. ...Have a beef with the play calling? Want to know some of Mike Holmgren's quarterback inspiring secrets? Or just want to know why the defense didn't blitz more often? Then don't forget to Ask Mike. Simply leave your questions for Coach Holmgren in the comment section below. Your question could be answered on The Mike Holmgren Show, directly following Sunday Night Football on KING/5. Don't forget your first name and the city where you live. Then watch The Mike Holmgren Show with Paul Silvi, right after NBC's Sunday Night Football and see if Mike answers your question. ...Time for part two of the KING/5 Anchor Picks. No one picked the Seahawks to lose last week, so Jean, Dennis and Lori are all 0-1. Next up? The O'Sullivan led San Francisco 49ers come to Qwest Field for the return of Rocky Bernard and his QB squishing ways. Oh yeah, did I mention it was the home opener? Vegas certainly knows it: While the odds aren't what they were (opened -8), the Seahawks are still big favorites -- up by seven with a O/U of 38. This weeks' picks:
The Storm have signed point guard Kimberly Beck for the rest of the season. That sounds a lot better than what it truly means. The Storm only have 2 games left in the season. The official release is after the jump. ...Forbes.com released a new list ranking what each NFL is worth. The Seahawks are ranked 19th out of 32 teams. Forbes believes the Hawks are worth $1 billion. Owner Paul Allen bought the team for $197 million in 1997. Not a bad return. His team worth five times as much as when he bought it eleven years ago. By the way, Dallas is the top ranked team. The Cowboys clock in at $1.6 billion. The Minnesota Vikings are in last place at $839 million. ...The P-I is reporting that the Sonics store in front of KeyArena is closing its doors at 6pm tonight. You can find Sonics merchandise for 90% off. If you want any Sonics memoribilia at a cheap price, you better hurry, there's only 30 minutes left. ...In case you hadn't heard, the Cougars and Baylor game is moving from Saturday morning to Friday at 5:30pm. Blame Hurricane Ike for the change. It's suppose to hit this weekend. So Baylor and the Cougs changed the game time. I guess it's better than playing at 9:30am on Saturday. What Cougar in their right mind would be up so early. The official release is after the jump. Just a heads up, on the release they use central time for game time. By the way, it sounds like they're gonna try to get it on TV...but that's up in the air at this time.
The modified telecast will air live nationally on Fox College Sports and locally on FSN Southwest. Due to a conflict with the Mariners-Angels game at 7pm, FSN Northwest will deliver the game on delay at 11:00p.m. So unless you subscribe to FSN Southwest or Fox College Sports, you better go hit a sports bar to watch the game. Or you'll have to watch the tape delay at 11pm. ...The Seahawks keep one and lose another. Receiver Jordan Kent signs with the Hawks practice squad. Running back Justin Forsett is picked up by the Indianapolis Colts. Both were cut yesterday to allow Rocky Bernard and Jordan Babineaux to be activated. The Seahawks official press release is after the jump. It explains all the recent moves, including losing Rob Sims to the IR. ...In their efforts to upgrade the receivers, backup quarterback Seneca Wallace ran primarily with the receivers at practice today. It's probably a necessary move, despite adding WR Sammie Parker and Billy McMullen. Seneca knows the offense/routes to run. Plus, Matt Hasselbeck needs someone he can trust out there. It's a good thing that they've signed two vets at WR, but they'll need time to get comfortable with Matt just like the young guys (Courtney & Logan). I wonder if head coach Mike Holmgren is making the move because of his confidence in Charlie Frye as the backup or if it's a move out of desparation/need? If Seneca stays at wideout, for the foreseeable future, I wonder how productive he'll be? ...This question is out there today, so I'll ask it: Should the Seahawks go out and sign Koren Robinson? You likely all know the WR's background with the team, Holmgren, issues with alcoholism, etc. But who would you rather have lining up? Koren? Or Parker and McCullen? If you listened to Holmgren answer the question during today's presser, it sure sounded like he needs a player who knows the system. Heck, maybe Ruskell should trade with the Broncos and get Darrell Jackson. Someone, anyone, who can help Matt out. ...A day after adding Billy McCullen, ESPN is reporting that the Seahawks have added another WR, this time former Oregon Duck Samie Parker. Parker worked out this week with the six other receivers Joel mentioned. Parker played for KC and Carolina. He came into the league in 2004. Sims will likely move to IR to open a spot on the roster. For his career, the 27-year-old Parker has 110 catches for 1,529 yards. ...The bad news keeps coming for the Seahawks. No official word yet, but rumor has it right guard Rob Sims tore his pectoral muscle and is out for the season. If so, Pork Chop would step in (can Womack make it through a season, injury free?). Mansfield Wrotto is next in line and Ray Willis is also in the mix. Word may come down today if Sims ends up on IR or not. Still, Sims' injury is certainly rough news for the Seahawks passing game -- which was already in serious trouble. ...The Cougars just sent out a press release saying Apple Cup tickets will go on sale this Saturday at 10 am. It's out in Pullman. It should be a fun ticket, even if both teams are struggling. Check out the official press release after the jump. It sounds like, if you're going to buy tickets through the school, you better buy 'em this weekend. Or you'll have to pay an additional "donation" for the same said tickets. ...Just three years ago, Huskies head coach Tyrone Willingham's program looked on the upswing. He had just signed two of the state's prized recruits from, at the time, the most dominant program in the state. Bellevue's J.R. Hasty and E.J. Savannah both signed with Willingham hoping to bring the Huskies back to prominance. Now, Hasty & Savannah are a footnote in Willingham's troubled program. Hasty was released and is playing for Central Washington. And just today, Willingham gave Savannah his release after the linebacker asked to transfer. The oft-injured linebacker can go anywhere as long as it's not in the PAC-10. E.J. will have a season of eligibility left. So who's to blame for Hasty & Savannah's failures at the UW, the players or Willingham and his coaches? Or were they just not PAC-10 material? Just more questions for the people on Montlake right after President Mark Emmert kind of gave Willingham his support. Is that the same as getting the dreaded public "vote of confidence"? ...The Seahawks apparently have signed Billy McMullen to play wide receiver. Huh? McMullen hasn't played since 2006 with the Vikings. The Hawks had worked out 6 receivers today. But settled on McMullen to replace the injured Nate Burleson on the roster. I guess his knowledge of the West Coast offense was helpful. ...It sounds like Mike Holmgren isn't playing around. The Hawks released punter Ryan Plackemeier, receiver Jordan Kent, & Justin Forsett. Seattle also signed punter Jon Ryan and put receiver Nate Burleson on the I.R. You gotta wonder why they dropped Kent and Forsett. They have to make room for Rocky Bernard and Jordan Babineaux (they were serving a 1-game suspension). Maybe Kent and Forsett will be signed to the practice squad. At any rate, the Hawks official press release is after the jump. ...The Seahawks are about to announce the singing of a new punter, which likely signals the end of Ryan Plackemeier's days with the team. According to the PI, the Seahawks will ink former Packer Jon Ryan, who was released from Green Bay last week. After playing in the CFL, Ryan averaged 44.5 yards during his two years with the Packers. Plackemeier tore a pectoral muscle and missed most of training camp. In Buffalo he shanked a few, leaving the Seahawks with tough field position. He averaged 40.9 yards in 11 punts. ...With Nate Burleson done for the season, who should the Seahawks find to replace him? Joe Horn asked Atlanta for his release so he could hook up with a contender. He's a 4-time Pro-Bowler. Roydell Williams was tied for the lead in receptions last season for the Tennessee Titans. He's available as a free agent pickup. Plus, former Cowboys receiver Terry Glenn is sitting at home waiting for a call from an NFL team. Seattle could also work out a trade with another team. The problem is the top two guys want more money. Cardinals wideout Anquan Boldin would look great in a Hawks uni, but he's injury prone and I doubt Arizona would trade him within the NFC West. Then there's Chad (don't call me Johnson) Ocho Cinco. During the whole off-season, Ocho Cinco was trying to tell anyone that would listen that he wants out of Cincy. Again, he wants to fatten up his wallet too. I think either Ocho Cinco or Boldin would cost the Hawks a high pick. But wouldn't it be fun to see Ocho Cinco on a Mike Holmgren team? ...I just got off the phone with Chris Egan, he's at Hawks HQ, he says Nate Burleson is out for the season with a torn ACL. The Seahawks current #1 receiver tore it yesterday during the loss to Buffalo. To me, it looked eerily like Deion Branch's ACL injury during last season's playoff game with the Packers. It sounds like the Hawks may consider looking at free agents now. Wow, what a tough break. They're top 4 receivers from 2007 are either gone or injured. (Top 4 receivers for yards: Bobby Engram, Nate Burleson, Deion Branch, and DJ Hackett) Burleson should have season-ending knee surgery soon. ...The coordinator of football officiating for the Pac-10 Conference, Dave Cutaia, told the PI that the refs made the correct call against Jake Locklear on Saturday at the end of the BYU v. UW game. The unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against the QB for excessive celebration (tossing the ball and hugging teamates) moved the Huskies extra point attempt back 15 yards. The kick was blocked and the Dawgs lost, 28-27. "The rule seems pretty cut and dried," Cutaia told the PI, citing Rule 9, Section 2, Article 2c. "I can't say the official is incorrect if he's following the rule. Let's say the rule just said you can't celebrate or taunt -- that would be a different story. But the rule is pretty clear that you can't throw the ball high into the air....unfortunately that's what it says in the rule book. I don't know what else to say."However, the real issue seems to be whether the rule should be there at all... ...This was a good test for the Seahawks. A road game, early in the season. This team needs to learn how to win on the road, and this morning the Seahawks problems overwhelmed the team.
Can that third quarter just be deleted from the NFL films footage? One thing to remember: the Giants started off awful last season, too.
One saving grace for those losing hope for the season: Holmgren's offense always takes three or four games to get things going. And this year they revamped the rushing offense. Last season, the defense stepped up early -- literally taking opposing QB's (Garcia, Alex Smith) out of games. Right now, the defensive rush needs to step it up.
The second quarter starts off much like the first, with a three and out from the Bills. Then the Seahawks get the ball and stall. After a nice 16 yard pass to Weaver, Sims gets hit on a holding call and the Seahawks find themselves at 2nd and 20. The rain is affecting the kicking game as well, as Plackemeier shanks yet another punt.
First quarter: All about the defense so far. Three possessions, a three and out for both sides. Nine plays, six yard so far. Other news of note: Patrick Kerney continues where he left off, getting his first sack. And the Seahawks No.1 WR, Nate Burleson, is returning punts.
I saw this on the Seattle Times and it's certainly worth passing along: ESPN's Chris Mortensen is reporting that Matt has a bulging disk in his back and had to receive an injection. There is also a report that Matt had a spasm in his back. After all the careful tiptoeing around Matt's back over the preseason, this is definitely something to keep an eye on. ...It's time for our first "Ask Mike" of the 2008 season. Leave your questions for Coach Holmgren in the comment section below. Your question could be answered tonight on The Mike Holmgren Show, right after Sunday Night Football. Don't forget your first name and the city where you live. Then watch The Mike Holmgren Show with Paul Silvi, on KING/5 right after NBC's Sunday Night Football to see if Holmgren answers your question. ...It's 30 minutes before gametime. The rain was supposed to hold off but as the local weathercaster said, "Mother Nature has stepped on the accelerator." It's raining sporadically with temperatures in the 60's. Here's the inactive list for today's game. Seahawks Bills After a red eye flight from Seattle, the "Mike Holmgren Show" crew has arrived in Buffalo. Upon entering the team hotel, we found the Hawks returning from their morning walkthrough. They went over the game plan at the Bills Fieldhouse, the indoor facility adjacent to Ralph Wilson Stadium.
Game on, as the NFL regular season is underway. Once again we've brought back the KING/5 Anchor Picks -- as Jean, Dennis and Lori each attempt to lay their hands on the winner's trophy. First up, Seahawks at Buffalo. The line has swung both ways by a single point (O/U @ 39), which I believe gives the Seahawks the edge. A quick glance at Expert Picks around the Sportosphere has ESPN's experts taking the Bills. USA Today's experts are even. And Sports Illustrated's Peter King is picking the Seahawks by two. Now to the K5 Anchor Picks. We're still tinkering with the graphic, but here's the first go. May the best anchor win. This time, all three are picking the Seahawks.
Here's a press release from the Storm on playoff tickets:
SEATTLE, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2008 - Single-game tickets for the Seattle Storm's first First Round home playoff game at KeyArena will go on sale this Saturday, Sept. 6, following the team's contest versus the Minnesota Lynx (approximately 9 p.m.). Tickets start at just $14 and will be available to purchase online at storm.wnba.com, at KeyArena's East Box Office and at the Sonics & Storm Team Shop located on KeyArena's West Plaza.
The Storm is in a tight race in the Western Conference and it's likely that playoff seeding will not be determined until the end of the regular season on Sept. 14. The First Round of the 2008 WNBA Playoffs is a best-of-three format, with Game 1 hosted by the lower seeded team and Games 2 and 3 hosted by the higher seed.
The Storm is 8-10 in 18 all-time playoff games, including a 6-2 mark during the 2004 season as Seattle captured the WNBA Championship. Two members of that team remain in a Storm uniform (Sue Bird and Lauren Jackson), and 10 of the 12 players on the current Storm roster have postseason experience. Additionally, the 2008 Storm roster boasts five WNBA champions with nine WNBA championships between them (Bird `04, Cash `03 and `06, Griffith `05, Jackson `04, and Swoopes `97, `98, `99 and `00). Again, for those who care, and after the Howard Schultz lawsuit was dropped I'm not sure if I care, Bubba Bennett and company unveiled the OKC's team name and logo. They'll be called the Thunder...shocker. Wow, Bennett kept that secret as well as his intention to move the team out of Seattle. If you're extremely bored or feel like you need another shot to the gut, you can read more and see more on today's announcement...click here. ...It's a good question. One that Seahawks head coach Mike Holmgren couldn't answer today. Holmgren says he's unsure who he'll start at returning kicks. He threw out these names as potential starters: Justin Forsett, Josh Wilson, Nate Burleson, Seneca Wallace, Mo Morris, and Marcus Trufant...yes, you see it correctly...maybe Mo or Trufant. Who's the best fit? ...KING 5's Chris Egan tells me that Seahawks head coach Mike Holmgren names a starting running back today. Mo Morris wins the honor of starting Sunday against the Bills. Holmgren says it won't be like the Shaun Alexander days. He'll rotate backs throughout the game. It's kind of surprising seeing as how they paid Julius Jones a good chunk of change to come to Seattle. Maybe it's Holmgren paying his respects to Mo for staying so long in Seattle behind Shaun Alexander. Either way, the backs, the blocking and the rotation looked pretty good in pre-season. Seattle ran for 173 yards per game, 2nd best in the NFL. They also gained 4.9 yards per carry, 5th best in the NFL. Hopefully their success rate continues. ...It sounds like Deion Branch may try to play Sunday against the Bills. Branch tore his ACL January against the Packers in a playoff game. He had the surgery to repair it seven months ago. If he returns to the field, it's nothing short of amazing. ACL's usually take 6-12 months...and probably closer to the latter for a contact sport like football. Head coach Mike Holmgren says Branch should
From the Seahawks:
Well, you've likely read all the preseason predictions that claim the Seahawks will once more win the NFC West, bookending Holmgren's dominance in the division, and heralding a change of the guard for next season. If you haven't, here's a quick glance around the Sportosphere:
Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck returned to practice today. He's missed nearly two weeks with a sore back. He says he'll start on Sunday. The Hawks also make a decision with their kicker situation. Olinde Mare will handle the duties this weekend. The Seahawks will probably have to decide soon whether Mare or Brandon Coutu will be their kicker this season. Rocky Bernard and Jordan Babineaux are serving a one-game suspension. Week two, they'll be activated to 53-man roster, so someone will lose their job...and likely at the cost of a kicker. ...As any Husky football diehard knows, Saturday's 44-10 spanking was the Dawgs' worst loss to Oregon in 25 years. Just writing that hurts. That kind of drubbing begs the question: Is it time for Tyrone Willingham to go? No matter what fans of the purple and gold think, the coach is definitly on the hotter-than-hot seat. And next week, No. 16 BYU comes to Seattle for the home opener. If the team can pull off an upset, the flames will certainly be doused. But if not... ...The Seahawks signed seven players to the eight-man practice squad. The eighth player will be signed later. German tackle Samuel Gutekunst, assigned to Seattle through the NFL's International Practice Squad Program, does not count toward the eight-man limit.
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