Bye Bye Seattle

[Ekirh]

... 27-20..... incompletion on a fourth down... ick...

Quick Question.. you think Hasasleback (spelling?) Could've run it in? Looking at it I don't think so.....


but in my opinion (And it's just my opinion) the receiver (Can't remember the name damn)... should've caught the ball, it was quite catchable.. just couldn't get the job done.

[Todd B]

1. It's a shame

It's a shame too, I've always like Holmgren. Engram should of caught that ball, though. Sure it wasn't the best pass, but it was definitely catchable.

I don't think Hassleback would of had a chance to run it in though (at most he probably would of been stopped at the goal line). The Rams defense had quite a few guys waiting at the goal line.

[Mojambo]

2. Agreed. Quite catchable.

Hasselbeck played another superb playoff game. That guy can rise to the moment.

I'm inclined to say that they should break that Seattle team up. There is clearly something bad in the mix there. I'm hesitant, because they have really assembled a tremendously talented group but something has to be done.

I'll tell you what, if San Francisco comes calling about Holmgren's availability the Seahawks would be very wise to let them have him.

I'd rather jettison Holmgren and try and make a run with the current talent base than break up their core of talent.

I want a coach that has some respect for the ground game. Holmgren doesn't and it's going to cost Seattle any shot at resigning Alexander. It's a very deep draft at RB though so I'm not super concerned about that.

[Ekirh]

3. OH yes...

I feel bad that i didn't even mention Hasselback playing a good game...

watching Hasselbeck's reaction after the dropped pass was wrenching just the same.

[democracyindanger]

4. Wow. Get rid of Holmgren?

It seems pretty late to start shopping for head coaches.

[Mojambo]

5. Nah

Still quite early.

A lot of teams don't make that decision until after the Superbowl. The Seahawk job, if it becomes available, will be very sought after.

There are a number of coordinators who could be up for it. Mike Belotti out of Oregon would probably be given a lot of consideration if they were looking at college guys.

I'm not saying he's gone (in fact it's likely he's back) but my preference would be to shake it up now.

I'd keep Hasselbeck, Jones and (if he wants to come back) Shawn Alexander and bring in a more balanced head coach.

The Seattle defense isn't far away from being top 5 in the conference. I know that sounds silly but no team has a secondary as young and athletic as they do. If they draft well and get a FA middle linebacker that can stay healthy I see no reason why they wouldn't win the division again next year.

But they need a change of course and I think the most replaceable part in this machine is Holmgren.

[democracyindanger]

6. Guess you're right but

if you want more running, the Chickens need a new coach with a new system. The WCO still relies on a lot of passing.

Allen and Whitsitt like big name guys. I'm pretty certain that Belotti's locked up for a few more years, and he's said often that he wouldn't leave as long as his son was at Oregon (just finished his soph. year, I think).

Maybe Neuheisel? Although after the way he ratf-cked UW, he might not be safe in Seattle.

[Mojambo]

7. I think Seattle might be the one situation that could

lure Belotti to the NFL.

But you're right, he would be a long shot.

To be honest, I've kind of had my fill of the WCO. There is always the worry that Hasselbeck is only a west coast QB, but I don't think that's the case. I think he might be even better in a more traditional passing game that takes advantage of his physical gifts (which are vastly underrated, IMO)

[ChairOne]

8. (1) replace all the receivers, (2) get a star d-lineman,.....

and (3) have the GM have a talk with holmgren about being a run-based team, rather than pass-based. Alexander should've averaged 30+ carries/game.

Do that, and Seattle'll be just fine, I think.

There's no serious question, I shouldn't think, about getting rid of Holmgren. Until you can answer the question "Who's both a better coach and available?", there is no conversation...

EDIT: Oops - by "replace all the receivers", I mean make Rice the receivers coach, and execute the rest.

[Mojambo]

15. When you're deciding on a head coach

I think it has to be more about finding a different guy rather than finding a "better" guy. It's too tough to evaluate a head coaches based on who's better. They don't run 40 yard dashes and they don't bench press weights. The only measure of a coach is wins and losses, which is fine but it's a very limited criteria on which to judge.

I think there are two reasons why you go looking for a DIFFERENT coach who might or might not be better right off the bat.

1. Holmgren has lost this team and he's not getting them back. The locker room chemistry is abysmal and when you've got problems like that you have got to go to the top (Holmgren and hopefully Whitsitt)

2. The West Coast Offense (at least Holmgren's variety) is a dying system. It's a dinosaur compared to the newer hybrid offenses today. You simply cannot have such a single minded approach and have ANY consistency at all on offense. If people think Holmgren is going to change that philosophy based on a converstaion with GM Bob Ferguson they're crazy.

The sad thing is that the Seahawks have (or had, once Alexander leaves) the talent to run a superbly effective balanced offense. Holmgren just doesn't run that system.

So that's why I think it's imperative to bring in a new head coach, even if he's not the better coach right away.

I think the odds are running about 80% that Holmgren will be back though. Personally, I'd be a little disappointed.

[kaitykaity]

9. A fitting end.

Goodbye and good RIDDANCE.

They couldn't rise to the occasion the way the Chargers
are doing right now.

[paulie5]

10. Seattle will go nowhere

The Sneeze Hawks are toast until they get a decent head coach. Holgrim has failed Mr. Allen. He promised him a super bowl win by his 5th season. That did not materialize. It's time for Paul Allen to make some changes in the team's management. But here is a guy with a 200, 300 and 413 foot yachts. For some reason his sports teams have not done well. The Trail Blazers suck big time. And now it's clear that so do the Sneeze Hawks.

Maybe he just dosen't care. Who know what goes on in the mind of a man with 20 billion dollars. ??? I would love to find out. Anyone got 20 billion dollars I could help you spend. Or maybe just a 5 billion dollar loan.

P5

[kaitykaity]

11. It's not Allen. It's Whitsitt.

After suffering Whitsitt with the Blazers for a dozen years,
he's finally gone on to manage the Hawks full time.

There's always been speculation here in Portland that
"Trader Bob" has dirty pictures of Allen in a safe deposit box
somewhere because Whitsitt sure sucks as a GM.

[democracyindanger]

12. Yep

If there's one thing all Blazer fans can agree on is that Whitsitt ruined the francise. How he parlayed destroying what was like the Green Bay of the NBA into Seattle's GM--when he's not even a football guy--is beyond me. Whitsitt chased a couple of good coaches out of Portland. I hope for Seattle's sake it doesn't turn out that Holmgren's not the problem.

In the end it's Allen's fault. He's the boss. Portland is a toy he got tired of playing with. If he's true to form, he'll pour money into the Seahawks for another season or so, then start cutting the payroll.

There's also the speculation that the reason Kemp got that huuuuuuge salary is because he had something on Whitsitt...

[kaitykaity]

13. Ah, the Shawn Kemp deal.

One of the many boneheaded mistakes -- like trading
Brian Grant instead of Rasheed Wallace, or signing
problem child Isiaih Rider.

Then they'd take green kids and bring them into a locker
room full of thugs and criminals and wonder why they
start acting like thugs and criminals.

I think that's why Jermaine O'Neal wanted out of here
so bad.

The litany is endless, and your analogy is perfect.
The Blazers were beloved in this town before Whitsitt got
ahold of them, and now even with that pretty stadium and a
really creative marketing campaign it's still not enough.

And now it seems like they've split up the homer-homey clown
show. I used to watch the games on TV so I wouldn't have to
suffer the punishment of Wheeler and Rice, and now all of a
sudden that idjit Rice is on the television. I was like aw
shit now I can't listen to the games at all.

[Mojambo]

14. The Chargers didn't quite rise high enough though

They practically had the game given to them and still didn't cash in.

Good Riddance to them as well I guess.

[kaitykaity]

16. Hey, at least the came back to tie it.

That's more than the hapless Seachickens could manage.

[Mojambo]

17. They lost in EXACTLY the same manner Seattle did

They just got lucky that the Jets like to employ retarded linebackers.

[kaitykaity]

18. Oh, you mean the elbow to the helmet play?

Yeah, what a bonehead.

It's not exactly because Seattle didn't make it to OT, but
I feel your pain. We're in the same place here.

:hi:

[Mojambo]

19. I know.

This has been the suckiest Sunday ever.

[kaitykaity]

20. Now all we need is one a few of those poor Denver

fans and we could start a support group -- Sucky
Football Sunday Recovery Group or something.