It’s time for Seattle’s former stars to shut up

Here we go again.

Another year, another Seahawks hit piece. It’s part amusing, part depressing that 710 ESPN’s Mike Salk saw this coming earlier in the week.

Quite frankly, I’ve had enough.

I’ve read enough pissing and moaning from the former stars of this team. I’ve had my fill of all the complaints about how Russell Wilson was treated. I’m tired of the blame game over XLIX or the missed opportunity to win further titles.

Maybe I’m wrong, misguided and completely wide of the mark — but I don’t think the Seahawks blew a shot at a dynasty because they were too protective of the QB. I think they blew it because they were never able to get over XLIX. They let that become the catalyst for the end. They didn’t rally, come back stronger and write a glorious final chapter in the book of LOB. They chose to point the finger instead.

We all know Pete Carroll will never stop thinking about that interception at the end of XLIX. I suspect it’ll be the same for Wilson and Darrell Bevell.

One day I hope Richard Sherman and co will have the occasional sleepless night too. Nobody ever calls out their contribution to the end of a potential dynasty. They’re as much to blame.

Who cares if Wilson received special treatment? Get on with it. Shrug it off.

Invest less energy picking apart Carroll’s philosophy and the dynamic in practise. Invest more in glory. You might think you know better. You might be right. But so what? Get on with it anyway.

Another piece like this days before the start of Seattle’s season just seems petty. We’ve read all this before. I for one am ready to move on.

Sadly, I’ll probably never remember those former stars in the same way again. The stench of agenda, ego and assuming one knows best is too rich.

And you know what makes it worse? The fact nonsense like this overshadows the Super Bowl win against Denver. The game we never get a chance to focus on. Even when we’re days away from a rematch.

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120 Comments

  1. Matt

    I share the exact same sentiment as you. What an absolute disappointment.

    I’ll flatly say it…Richard Sherman is not well. Anybody who thinks pulling a stunt like this makes them look great really has a level of delusion that I struggle to accurately comprehend/describe.

    I’m ready to move on. Quite frankly, I hope they cut/get rid of the remaining cancers on this team. Football is too reliant upon a group of individuals, functioning as one. If you can’t do that…the door is that way.

    Last comment, and now I’m going to be the petty one: I hope Richard Sherman just lost his spot on the ring of honor. He has sadly tainted his legacy in Seattle to score cheap points on social media, or whatever his goal was. Maybe he has a mea culpa someday…but I highly doubt a guy who comes across as that petty will take responsibility for his role in all of this.

    Last, last comment – the Seahawks defense needs to go back and look at the 4th quarter of that Super Bowl. Still want to blame the offense?

    • Rob Staton

      I’ve gone from desperately hoping this group gets one more ring to hoping Pete and Russell get one without the drama queens.

      • Matt

        Yep. Exactly where I’m at.

        It is very sad but at this point, I hope RW/PC/JS shut these guys up and win another one.

        I just can’t fathom being a multi-millionaire from playing a sport, winning a championship, and seemingly having nothing but animus. It is one thing to be competitive. It’s an entirely different thing to be petty and point the finger at everyone but yourself. Unfortunately, I’ve learned that people who think everyone else is the problem…usually they are. And most, if not all don’t seem to ever learn or sober up to that point.

      • Trevor

        +1

        I am glad to be rid of the drama associated with Sherm and Bennett.

      • 1976Hawk

        Geez,

        I think this says more about Richard Sherman than it does about anyone in the entire article. We excused his behavior for years (ie his threatening to revoke the press pass of Jim Moore, his exchange with Skip “Mr Ego” Bayless, etc) because he was a Seahawk. But to continue to engage in this type of behavior, pettiness, petulance, duplicity and flat out character assassination of Russell and what Russell does and does not get is complete rubbish. Guess what Sherm, newsflash: QB’s are the highest paid players and the face of any NFL organization. It is what it is. You have now proven you can’t/ won’t let it go. You’ve thrown the coaches, players, teammates, GM and the organization under the bus. Any other bridges you want to burn?

        I admired you as a player and as a person for a long time. Now, not so much. You committed the cardinal sin of team sports: you put “me” before “we”. Last time any of us checked, there is no “I” in team but there is one in “win” (which didn’t happen with you in the Super Bowl against the Pats). Which gets me to my last two points: 1) why not be happy and focus on the achievements all of you accomplished together? 2) what did you as a leader of that vaunted defense do to stop Tom Brady in the 2nd half of that game? Oh wait, you didn’t, instead you allowed the Pats to come back and beat us. Why don’t you take responsibility for that? That loss was just as much on the defense as the offense. One of the biggest flaws of your defense was exposed by TB and the Pats in that game. You guys allowed too many yards on third and long. Guess what, that trend continued all the way up to the day of your departure. It hurts to write but it is true.

        • Elmer

          He needs a clutch between his brain and his mouth.

  2. Bankhawk

    Right on, Rob!

  3. cha

    First thing Collinsworth says last night when the camera trains on Bennett was how he immediately started complaining when he came to Philly and was told he wouldn’t be a starter.

    I underestimated the amount of relief I felt when thinking ‘glad that attitude isn’t on our team anymore’

    I think that’s the only time Bennett’s name got called last night.

  4. Logan Lynch

    The worst thing is that this story/narrative won’t be put to bed until Russell leads SEA to another Super Bowl victory. Even then, there will be an inevitable 30 for 30 or something similar done for that era of Seahawks football. There were so many factors contributing to that loss that blaming the final play is just asinine and childish. What happened to that group of dawgs that were “pissed off for greatness”? When did they become just flat out “pissed off” and resentful?

    One good thing about this situation is even if the old guard hasn’t moved on from it…SEA has. They’ve done everything they can to rid the locker room of these “anonymous sources” in the article. I, for one, am happy with the direction this team is headed and am ready for the new season and this new iteration of the Seahawks. Go Hawks.

  5. Tecmo Bowl

    That last paragraph really says it. I’m with you Rob, I’ve read/heard enough of why the Hawks weren’t a dynasty, and have no plans in reading the SI article. Its crystal that ‘the pick’ caused a massive rift in the organization, understandably. The 43-8 dismantling over the greatest offense of all time(statistically speaking), doesnt get talked about nearly enough. The first and only SB title in franchise history. Theres a long list of great teams and players who never won the Lombardi, we got one!

  6. SwissHawk

    Totally agree – the timing is deliberate and with malicious intent. Obvious what the source is and I hope we ram it (run it) down their throats this season. Go Hawks!

    • Rob Staton

      Me too.

      Nothing would give me more satisfaction.

  7. Ashish

    Michael Bennett knew he was done after his last game , Sherman was trade piece last year and Thomas banging Dallas door right after the game. Last two years, most seniors player saw it coming.

    It was time to get rid of weed, irrespective who that person was, if he does not fit the locker room PC/JS planned to start fresh. Only few team members and coach are able to move on that one play. I totally agree with the approach, it’s time to start new chapter may be they were year late.

    I hope PC/JS find a way to close Thomas chapter one way or other so team can concentrate on season. Every year distraction is killing it.

    • Matt

      I honestly don’t think Earl was apart of that specific problem, but I do agree – it’s time to move on. Turn the page, close the book…let’s start a new one.

  8. SeventiesHawksFan

    Agreed that the SI piece and the players’ continuing finger pointing, misplaced resentments, and rationalizations are unbecoming and just rather adolescent.

    The defense lost those games too. They gave up 14 points with a 10 point lead going into the fourth quarter in the Super Bowl we lost. You could maybe blame injuries to Avril and Lane for that. But it’s about as wasted energy as blaming the coaches for ‘special treatment’ extended to Russell Wilson.

    And since when is it a good idea for players to be openly insulting their quarterback with a broad based shot like ‘You f-ing suck’.

    I’d reel that in too. And probably more firmly than Carroll chose to. As in you are not going to turn practice into a pointless ‘who knows best’ war between the defense and the QB. How is that going to win us any games. And not become a sideshow and distraction. Grow up and be a professional. If you think Russell can make different decisions that will help him play better, then say it in words that can help us understand what your thinking is. And that debate can happen amongst men behaving like professionals.

    It seems many of the players became entitled and were fragile themselves. Needing to nurse pointless resentments.

    And I agree wholeheartedly with managements decision to remove the players indulging their grievances. Seems apparent that wasn’t Russell Wilson.

    There may be an argument for new coaches who will have a more open dialogue with Russell and be more willing to criticize aspects of his play constructively. And hopefully Russell’s new offensive coaches will be helpful to Russell in that regard. But that’s a positive form of solution rather than a negative one that indulges petty gripes and feeds misplaced blame.

    Lastly the way to get those former players to shut up (and look petty and silly) is to simply move on and WIN with a new group of players who are unburdened with the issues of the former group. Pete Carroll and John Schneider have chosen that option. And if they turn themselves around and back into a contender within a year or two, that will be all the succinct and wordless reply necessary to offer their critics.

  9. Pran

    Fitting reply to all these formers and critics is to WIN another Super Bowl and show them how to win again!

    Go Hawks!

  10. YankinTa

    LOL,, I met Richard Sherman, Kam & Earl & Bobby, Doug etc,, back in December 2014. It was during Richard Sherman’s Early Christmas Presents Gifting to Low-Income Kids,, I knew then that Richard Sherman was a Shady Fake / Fake nice guy even when he was giving out gifts to kids. 🙂

    Mike Salk may have seen this coming earlier in the week but YankinTa knew that this ugly divorce coming since 2014. It’s amazing how this dude acts differently in public vs. private settings. No one wanted to believe back then though…

    • Dylanlep

      Interesting YankinTa. Care to elaborate at all what you mean by that?

      • YankinTa

        It’s just that you get a good vibe talking to Kam, Earl & Bobby. They’re really good dudes in public and in private environments.

        Richard on the other hand, you could easily tell that he’s a fake nice guy.

        • Dylanlep

          Yeah, I think I get the vibe. A friend has met him a couple times in social settings, had a similar assessment.

      • Jujus

        Ive been saying it for years now. Sherman is the sports version of trump.both ego centric

        You love him or hate him depending on your position.

  11. Corey

    Rob, I completely agree with your assessment of this rehashed fluff piece. Yes Russell is treated differently than other players, but what elite quarterback isn’t? What I find funny is these “unnamed” sources complain about that special treatment, but fail to acknowledge that Pete afforded them some of those same special treatments. He never publicly criticized anyone on the defense despite them allowing the Patriots to comeback from 10 down in SB49. To me that was more a factor in that loss than the interception. What other team would allow Marshawn to be Marshawn or Richard to be Richard.

    As much as I appreciate theses guys and what the meant to create this golden age of Seahawks football, I am glad that the team has moved on. I would love nothing more than Pete and Russ to win one without these guys and prove that the team made the right decision.

  12. Saxon

    Imagine being one play away from achieving a championship, the second in a row, a dynasty. It has to be soul crushing to watch that robbed from you by a truly horrendous play call. Then to see zero repercussions for that failure the following year, while the face of your franchise, Marshawn Lynch essentially quits the next season, presumably in disgust.

    I do not believe in the inmates running the asylum. There needs to be order. But, I do understand the players not being able to move on from that moment. It was unforgivable.

    The only way to excorsize those demons was to do what Carroll is finally doing: flush it. Get rid of the coaches involved in that moment along with the malcontents that can’t forget it, and rebuild. Unfortunately, it’s come a couple years too late. I doubt Carroll and Schneider will be around for our next championship.

    • Rob Staton

      I understand the players not being able to move on.

      But I also understand that choice not to move on bolloxed up any chance of future success. Which is on them. You have a choice to make in that scenario. Move on or suffer for an eternity. And some of this team decided to wallow.

      • Saxon

        That is very true, Rob, but it’s hard to fight human nature. It would have been easier for the players to move on had Carroll simply fired Bevell. It would have signalled that there are consequence for failure, etc. Just grinning and pretending it wasn’t a psychologically catastrophic event helped nobody.

        • Rob Staton

          So Bevell had to be a sacrificial lamb for these players to get over one bad play?

          Absolute bollocks.

          Anyone who thinks that must have a pretty low opinion of these individuals. Because if this was necessary, they would represent a giant bunch of overgrown babies.

          Besides, they never focus their angst at Bevell. It’s always RW or PC. They’d probably just accuse PC of firing a scapegoat.

          • Elmer

            Right on.

            And regarding that specific play, do I recall correctly that Ricardo Lockette was the intended receiver?

            You don’t want to pick on a guy who got very seriously injured, but if he was the intended receiver he shares some responsibility for the failure. The defender, Butler, was much more aggressive going for the ball.

    • BobbyK

      The Patriots lost to the Giants (the second time) all solely because Wes Welker dropped an easy pass from Brady. Welker makes that catch – Patriots run out the clock and win the game. In the grand scheme of things, that singular play lost a Super Bowl for one team just was much as Wilson throwing to Butler lost a Super Bowl for the Seahawks. What do the Seahawks do… this SI story. What did the Patriots do? Well, they won two Super Bowls since.

      • psk

        That’s a great comment!

  13. Ken

    Full disclosure, I am an eagles fan that has been following this blog for years because I appreciate the draft content published here as well as the Seattle draft philosophy. I think Aaron does an amazing job and enjoy the comments section just as much.

    I just thought i’d give an outsiders perspective on this topic, though i know many of you will not agree.

    I think the Seahawks success changed the fan base a bit. You guys deserved you championship, but the success lead to some hubris. The fan base kind of viewed the Seattle way as the only real way to build a team. Any criticism of the team was viewed as jealousy. You guys embraced the attitude of your team, labeled it swagger, and considered a key ingredient for you success.

    In truth you team has been highly dislikeable for years. Your stars were loud, opinionated, me first players. This may have allowed them to strive for greatness in the short term, but was predictably bound to blow up.

    I personally hope the Seahawks tweak their draft approach so that I can root for Seattle’s success. The fans here at this blog deserve it. However it was very difficult to do with the collection of personalities you assembled. I do think the eagles proved there was another approach and it is why they were able to overcome so much adversity last season. You can have opinions and be expressive without being a jerk. You can be great while also be a team first guy.

    • Rob Staton

      I will disagree to an extent Ken. I think us fans were aware how dislikeable the team was. It wasn’t something we really spent much time disputing. When the wins were coming, nobody in Seattle was concerned about the perception nationwide. Not really anyway. It’s natural for fans to critique the way fans react to the success of your own team. I’m sure there’s plenty of Eagles fans saying others are jealous of their recent success. It’s just the way fandom works.

      Nevertheless, thank you for following the blog. It’s appreciated. And congrats on the win last night. Exciting finish.

      • Ken

        Fair enough.

        Btw spell check must have changed a typo of “Rob” to “Aaron”. I appreciate the work you put into the blog.

        • Lewis

          I suspect there are plenty of us here that were embarrassed at times by players on the team. Not just Richard, either. For instance, Doug’s TD celebration in the Super Bowl. And I love Doug. We went to the same HS. I’m probably the only guy here with a #15 Baldwin jersey. You aren’t wrong, the team got full of themselves and did some dumb things.

          I do feel like there is a new energy with some of the old guard, though. Really looking forward to watching them work through this season and hopefully start t build something new.

          • Ken

            I look forward to see if you guys can recapture the magic with this roster turnover.

    • AlaskaHawk

      I’ll add on = winning a superbowl changes other fans perceptions from being the Cinderella team (like Seahawks and Eagles) to next years team that everyone wants to beat. You can expect every game to be competitive now = because every team will be waiting for you, waiting for that scheduled game against the superbowl champs. Whatever good will you had last year will be gone by midseason – and the people who rooted for you last year will chortle in glee at your every misstep.

      Do you hate you Division rivals? Multiply that times 10 and you will know what the other fans in your division think of the Eagles. Good luck!!

    • Kenny Sloth

      I definitely held my head during Sherman’s NFCCG rant

    • Darnell

      Very good points Ken.

      I think the competitive, combative, and almost paranoid makeup of a lot of the stars contributed to how great that team became and how dominant they were at their peak, but also foretold and end that was gonna be highly combustible. I think even in February 2014 we would have said that the end would be an ugly circus.

      Current state of the LOB: one probably wants to be a Cowboy, one is a 49er, one retired due to neck trauma, one is facing attempted murder charges.

      But really, it isn’t an uncommon situation in sports. Massive personalities and egos come together and are great but then the fallout and ending is almost as entertaining and certainly dramatic – 86 Mets, Broad Street Bullies, 80s Edmonton Oilers.

  14. Volume12

    Is this why most fan bases hated this team? Bright, over the top,.colorful uniforms with more to the point, the mouths and personalities to match?

    • C-Dog

      Absolutely a part of it. Especially the fanbases of teams routinely owned by the Hawks, e.g. San Francisco. From the overly energetic gum chewing HC to the lewd sack dancing Bennett, the crotch grabbing Marshawn, the ultra mouthy Sherman, and even the overly goody two shoes Russell Wilson, if your team routinely played against this team, you hated them with a flipping passion.

      • Pepperpig

        The Niner fan hate was hilarious, especially towards Sherman.
        Seems they kind of like him now. Even funnier.😂

  15. Uncle Bob

    I think I’ve used this line on here before, but as an infrequent poster it might be worth repeating. There’s an old saying; “When you’re green you grow, when you’re ripe you rot.” Old sayings become old sayings for a variety of reasons, but most are that they relate to human nature.

    I find it fascinating just how pervasive the Seahawk SB loss to NE remains. Fans, former players, and many in the media just can’t seem to let it go to the degree it should be filed away. As an example I offer the failure of the Atlanta Falcons…….to the same team. You would think that the Falcons would frequently have their noses rubbed in the enormous failure to protect and/or extend a significant lead. That should be a much larger point of shame and “depression” than a singular blown execution of one play……..but for whatever reason(s) it barely gets mentioned. Certainly not in the same way or as frequently as the Seahawk failure. Perhaps Quinn is better than his mentor at managing the entire reaction. Maybe there’re other factors behind the scenes, but it just strikes me as somewhat odd.

    Hopefully the current roster, a group that is heavily disrespected for the most part, can become a highly functional group of “over achievers” and silence the critics. I noticed that in prognosticating the season ahead, most national, and some local commentators talk about the assets possessed by nearly every other team, yet when talking about the Hawks, they always put primary focus on who’s departed. I get that it’s largely a group of unknowns (to them), but really it’s shoddy reporting technique.

    Take a deep breath and enjoy the game Sunday.

  16. C-Dog

    A few thoughts.

    Ridiculously slanted article written by Bishop and Klemko. They periodically write that “not all” in saw it the way the disgruntled vets on the defense did, but the vast bulk of the piece is painting the disgruntled players side with only using the slightest of quotes from the players in defense of RW. It feels, very clearly, like the intent of the authors was to ride the narrative that PC lost his way choosing franchise QB over his defense.

    Interesting that the authors routinely point out “former players” and “current players” questioning the direction. Well, doing the math, we can see pretty plainly who the remaining current Super Bow players are on the roster, and it’s only a wee handful. My sneaking suspicion is that one Doug Baldwin, besties with one Richard Sherman, could have been a likely source. It’s going to be interesting to see how this plays out.

    Maybe the team didn’t purge enough off this roster. IDK how one can see these quotes from current players as actions with the intent to protect the team. They look more like actions from players who are wavering to remain “all in,” and the authors were easily able to extract from them. If I am one half of PC/JS, I’m thinking now might be the time to move past them, as well.

  17. Volume12

    Rob, I was watching some of Georgia’s D’Andre Walker and he’s obviously bigger and I’d imagine longer, but he give you Terrell Suggs vibes at all?

    • Rob Staton

      Sweet comp. I will hold off such a lofty comparison for now but I really like Walker.

  18. 80SLargent

    I totally agree that these players need to let it go, but obviously they’re having a hard time resisting the publicity not letting it go is getting them.
    It seems like this group is talking about how Pete’s message had changed, but then out of the other side of their mouths, talk about how they knew what he was going to say before he said it. Pete’s message didn’t change, the players changed. When they played for each other and no one was bigger than the team, they won. When they started turning against each other and their coaches, they started losing. These same guys wonder why they’re no longer on the team, it’s not rocket science.
    That said, I will never forget, nor stop appreciating the run they had, and I refuse to be bitter at them because of it. Seriously, I’ve never been jubilant and screamed to the point I legitimately almost passed out until Super Bowl 48. I’m a total introvert and crowds freak me out, but the parade after that victory was a blast.
    I wish they could appreciate the fact that run didn’t really start until one Russell Carrington Wilson became the starting QB. With all due respect to Tarvaris Jackson, they weren’t going to win anything with him. Mediocre QBs have won Super Bowls before, but the best odds of contending for multiple Super Bowls is by having a franchise QB, and Wilson is a true franchise QB whether they think so or not.
    This is why I liked this offseason so much. Whether it was their fault or not, Pete cleaned house of his coaching staff. That’s the kind of accountability I can get behind. They definitely have holes on the roster, even some created by showing the old guard the door. Those holes will get filled in due time. One thing Pete knows how to do is build a defense. It might take until at least into the middle of next season for that to happen, but it will happen. Will it be as great as the Legion of Boom? Probably not, but when a team has the 2nd highest rated passer of all time on the team, their chances of success is pretty good.

  19. Pedestrian

    Protecting the QB, well yeah you should and for good reason! But they didn’t entirely. They could spent the money on free agent offensive linemen they desperately needed, but chose to pay the LOB instead. I wouldn’t call that favoritism towards Russell at all.. petty for sure and a shame

    • MyChestIsBeastMode

      +1

  20. chris

    Rob, Mike salk name dropped you on his show this morning.

    • Rob Staton

      Thanks for letting me know 👍🏻

      • Isaac

        I wish the part of his show was on demand. I would love to hear what they were talking about.

  21. Zach

    I think the two clear takeaways from that piece for me were:

    1. I don’t think winning Super Bowl 49 would have changed much, other than how this team gets viewed from a historic perspective. The same personality issues and general tension between certain defensive stalwarts and the offense and Carroll would have come to light, though it might have taken longer and had a less-obvious focal point.

    2. Many of those same defensive stars seem to have some awfully selective memory, because they’re readily forgetting the games THEY cost the Seahawks (or nearly cost them) late. Just in the playoffs, you have the divisional round game against Atlanta where they let Matt Ryan get into field goal range with under 30 seconds left, the 2013 NFC Championship Game where they nearly blew a late lead (though obviously Sherman’s play was incredible to seal the win), the 2014 NFC Championship Game where they blew a late lead and were bailed out by Russ and Jermaine Kearse in OT, and of course that self-same 2014 Super Bowl where they blew a 10-point fourth quarter lead. The idea that the Seahawks defense was somehow unbeatable is contradicted by actual facts, and while obviously those guys were often excellent, and played perhaps the single greatest defensive game ever in SB 48, they also didn’t always come up big at the end either.

    • Dylanlep

      Amen. Particularly in the Atlanta game as well – Russ was unbelievable down the stretch to bring them back from that huge deficit. Then the defense gives it right back.

    • Bob Johnston

      I totally agree with this. People need to worry about their own quality of play and not that of others. And just STFU.

      Speaking of which, people seem to forget that Marshawn was just 1 of 5 from the 1 yard line that season. Frankly I’ll take the odds of a Wilson pass over 20% any day of the week (and Sunday).

      • GerryG

        Yeah they were not a very good short yardage team

    • AlaskaHawk

      The defense isn’t invincible. How often have we criticized third down behavior? How is it that a defense can be so tough on first and second down, and then consistently give away third and nines??? Is it the scheme or the players?

    • Group Captain Mandrake

      While the D is not without fault, you have to remember that in that Super Bowl Lane and Avril went out injured and Kam and Sherman played very injured.The Patriots couldn’t do anything until Avril got concussed, then they had no rush. That said, these guys need to grow up and accept that you don’t win every time and blaming others obviously wasn’tthe answer.

      • GerryG

        ^^This point about the injuries is so valid, and I regularly lament what if Kam wasn’t on one leg, or if Cliff hadn’t got concussed? They probably could have won on the defensive side of the ball.

  22. Shadow

    Two articles came out about the Seahawks today. One was filled with finger-pointing, pettiness, and bile from former players rehashing problems that this team has been dealing with for years. The following is from Russell Wilson publicly building up the players currently on the roster. Personally, I know who I’d rather have leading this team this season.

    https://link.traceme.com/newseason

    I can’t say how many of the incidents noted in the SI article are accurate. Some of them certainly are, maybe all of them are. I’m certainly not saying Pete Carroll and Russell Wilson are blameless for their role in what happened to this team. But they aren’t out there taking shots at other players. And if you’re looking for reasons why this team fell apart just when it looked like they were becoming a dynasty, some blame has to fall on players who are quick to publicly blame everybody else but have never stood up and taken accountability for their own mistakes and failures.

    • Sea Mode

      Nice one, thanks for the link.

  23. Hawk Eye

    the only thing America loves more than the underdog makes it big story is the fall from grace of a star.

    we should not expect 20 something year old millionaires to make good choices, and we have to expect that on any team with 53 players there are cliques and differences.
    the blame, if that is the right word, for “only” 2 SB appearances can be spread out the team, as well as staff. And you have to remember 31 other teams want what you have, and unless you are in a division with 3 terrible teams for say 20 years or so (look at you TB12), with injuries and age and salary caps, you just cannot keep it going year after year. This is why it is so hard to just get back to the SB, let alone win 2 in a row.

    as to the media hacks that have to keep bringing it up to get clicks, it seems like Pete must have stolen their lunch money or something at some point. It smacks of desperation.

    it would also be a mistake to completely dismiss these stories without taking away some lessons. I am sure John and Pete have (I hope) and these issues seem to have been the impetus of what they did this offseason.

    the good news is, the delight so many take in watching Seattle struggle now means they were relevant. The glee comes from jealousy.
    Something akin to it is better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all……

  24. cha

    Keanu Neal our for the year w torn ACL. Tough blow.

  25. Dylanlep

    Not really central to the article but weird bit about Tony McDaniel. I mean, I like him, great role player for the Hawks. But complaining about other guys playing ahead of him that he was outperforming? He was so good that he was out of a job in 2016. Seattle pulled him off the street.

    • Rob Staton

      I got the violin out for Tony when I was reading that.

      • Glor

        lol

      • Dylanlep

        Ha, that’s good

    • cha

      McDaniel was literally at SeaTac airport coming in town for a camping trip late in the summer and his agent begged/cajoled a meet & greet with the Hawks that one year. Not like teams were knocking the door down for his services.

  26. C-Dog

    FWIW, Cliff Avril has been pretty much calling BS to a lot of this article on 950 all morning and afternoon, and he was a source quoted in the article.

    • Volume12

      I’m really enjoying Cliff as a radio personality.

      Saw you responded to my comment up above and was gonna ask ya there, but ur post here makes it easier. Been meaning to ask if everything is good with ya and how you’ve been since the draft. Excited for some CFB?

      • C-Dog

        Doing pretty good. Thanks for asking.

        Really, really looking forward to the CFB season, especially with all these DLiners and linebackers.

    • Hawk Eye

      Cliff was always a voice of reason, a good player who played hard, did not complain, does good things off the field.
      He was also the only guy who could control MB when he got upset
      a quiet leader, let’s hope they find a few more like him, especially if they can attack the QB like he could

  27. John_s

    A lot of hypocrisy in the article written.

    • Rob Staton

      A lot of petty silliness too.

  28. Josh

    The Seahawks were a perennially 7-9 or 8-8 team without a quarterback. You think Matt Flynn or Tjack would of got them to the playoffs in 2012?!?! Do the whinny millionaires who were quoted in mmqb article realize that? When you have a franchise qb, he gets tons of special treatment. Sherman shows how ridiculous he is by trying to fight with Bennett. A dude who outweighs him by 75 pounds. Can’t wait to hawks to whoop that dudes butt. Sherman will never sniff a championship again.

    • Volume12

      Isn’t it ironic though that when we were back to back NFC champs and a SB winner it was because of the defense and running game, but now with those 2 units mired in uncertainty it’s become we have RW and we’ll be ok?

      • H

        This happens all the time when Franchise QBs mature, get paid and have more of a burden placed on them. The Pats won their first few SBs on the back of a great defence, now its all about Brady and Offence.

  29. Glor

    preach it Rob, preach it! I am in a bit of disbelief that those guys are still bitching and moaning

  30. GerryG

    Anyone who has attended those personality profile workshops at work, or read about different personalities and how they interact knows that you cannot interact with all people the same. Of course different players are treated differently.

    How many of you have multiple people that work for you? If you’re a good manager/boss you learn how you have to interact with the various personalities in your group. It’s how human nature works.

    Totally over the former superstars bitching as well. I’m happy not hearing another word from Bennett or Sherm.

  31. GerryG

    Also, this point has been a hundred times, but still needs to be mentioned whenever that SB comes up.
    1) Second down, one timeout, and that little time on the clock, you have to pass there. Just call a safe pass, so you can run OR pass on third.
    2) That team despite being a running team, was not very good in short yardage situations against a stacked box.

    • Shadow

      Heavy formation, play action, roll Wilson out of the pocket. As soon as Wilson is out of the pocket he can run it in, throw to an open receiver, or throw it away.

    • Hawk Eye

      bang on on both counts

      the right call was a pass, just not a slant into the middle of the D.
      and it was a bad play by both Lockette and Russell
      I just don’t think too many players were happy when Russell said god spoke to him right after that and said it was part of his plan. At least own up to the mistake and say you f’ck’d up. Guys accept that. But he is quirky and different

    • Volume12

      The former defenders who were/are paranoid also blew a double digit lead in that SB. If they hadn’t this team wouldn’t of needed to throw from the half yard line. The accountability is nowhere to be found. That’s a leadership issue IMO.

      Now what these guys are saying about RW aren’t true at all. Is he unlikeable? IDK. Never will. Point is, they’ve never given Russ preferential treatment. If so this team wouldn’t still be defensive heavy/run heavy which seems like it might wasting RW if anything.

      I mentioned this last year and I love the guy always have, but is PC’s style falling on deaf ears at this point? Is he out of steam? Might be time to move on from his style.

  32. Volume12

    Anyone believe the rumor that Jerry Jones lied to JS about wanting and selecting DE Taco Charlton? If so, it did lead to Seattle trading back one too many times and taking a guy in Malik McDowell with an almost identical build and skill set.

    • Rob Staton

      I don’t believe that rumour. Is it even a rumour? Or was it just someone thinking out loud on twitter?

      • Volume12

        IDK. That’s what I’m wondering. Couple people on twitter but also Davis Hsu at the time of the draft saying his sources or whatever led him to believe they wanted Charlton or something to that effect.

        • Rob Staton

          I don’t believe it. I find it a little bit unrealistic that the Seahawks basically make their decisions based on what teams like Dallas reveal to them — and then get upset when they don’t get what they hoped for.

          • Volume12

            Seemed sketchy, but sometimes when there’s smoke there’s fire. Although this was probably more of a smokescreen or someone blowing smoke due to all the speculation and misdirection that comes during draft season.

            • Sea Mode

              Yeah, honestly I hadn’t even heard about that one until it resurfaced a couple days ago.

              IMO, if for some reason (why? I have no idea) Jerry told JS they wouldn’t draft Taco, ok whatever. But to assume that JS somehow hung his draft strategy on this info and now holds a huge resentment from a lie told during smoke-screen season itself, I just don’t buy it.

              They set their price for Earl, plain and simple, and nobody has coughed it up yet.

  33. SgtPeppy

    I’ll always love Sherm because of the immaculate tip. But he can take his Kobe cleats to SF and play hero ball for someone else. And I don’t expect the league will be as kind to him as the Lakers were to Kobe during his last couple of seasons. What a perfect avatar for his ego

  34. SgtPeppy

    “Lynch, fully dressed, downing a bottle of cognac”…c’mon man we all know they talking ’bout the Henny

    Funny also how the article never mentions the constant gripe about Russell not being black enough…just cut it right out.

  35. Isaac

    This is why we are Seahawks fans. Not this nonsense. https://www.facebook.com/1138081436/posts/10216996603884137/

  36. Old but Slow

    Back in my distant youth, I read SI from cover to cover, but at some point it became mostly schlock. Now, I will pick it up if it is my only choice in the doctor’s waiting room.

  37. Trevor

    I find it amazing how none of these guys on Defense like Sherm have not been able to move past that one play that cost them an SB but Wilson the guy who threw the pick is more confident and playing better than ever.

    I hope the Hawks destroy the Niners and Russ picks Sherm apart.

    • 12th chuck

      what is also surprising, no d player other than browner and McDaniel have not had any success after they left the team. limited success (one year) at that

      • Trevor

        Great point and even guys like Bennett and Avril were certainly far from household names before they came to Seattle and pkayed for Peter and this defense.

        The only guy I can think of who the Hawks let get away on defense and continued to play well was Clinton McDonald. Now on the offensive side of the ball that is not the case (Tate, Okung etc) But as you say the majority of defensive players were vastly better players as Seahawks than they were playing elsewhere and that has to say something about Pete and his coaching staff.

        I personally do not believe Sherman will ever be the dominant lock down corner he once was and will certainly not miss him and the drama that surrounds him.

        • 12th chuck

          Yeah, I am sick and tired hearing former hawks trash carol and the team. A majority, if not all teams baby their qb to some extent. Pretty sure every team has locker room politics as well, we aren’t the only ones. It also seems, the only publicity or news stories are negative ones ( other than the griffins) and that gets old as well

        • DC

          In fairness both Avril & Bennett were established pass rushers prior to joining the Seahawks with 9.5 & 9 sacks respectively the season before joining the team. What a coup to get those two! Losing McDonald did hurt and I’m still of the belief that cutting Chris Clemons was done pre-maturely. Losing the depth of that rotation came back to bite.

  38. Volume12

    Wow!

    Wasn’t able to watch that Florida St/VA-Tech game Monday night so I DVR’d it, just finished it now and we should probably be talking about VA-Tech’s DE/EDGE Trevon Hill (6’3, 245). Explosive!

    ACC is loaded with pass rushers and this guy belongs with the best of the bunch.

    Tried finding some film on him, all I came up with was his highlight reel:
    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gHn0gDNpcik

    • Saxon

      Agreed. Hill was extremely impressive. Great swim move and can really dip his shoulder and snake under the tackle. Played hard all night too. Definitely one to keep an eye on.

    • D-OZ

      Really like Reggie Floyd also. Outstanding tackler and is a ball hawk. Nice size and quickness.

  39. smitty1547

    Ive never agreed with anything you have written more. Not a fan of needy, whinny, people who play the victim. Hope Sherman never makes the ring of honor, to petty.

  40. SeaTown

    Interesting interview from Richard Sherman right after SB 49. So what changed? His words here do not match his actions since that game.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZ_NowV99R4

  41. Kyle

    Hey all! Seahawks are back in action and Rob is getting his flow going. All I can say is hell yeah! Favorite part of the year. Fitting that my first baby is due during Seahawks football. Rob I love your insight. You truly make the year even better. CFB and Seahawks wouldn’t be the same without you. V12, you da man.

    It’s blue Friday! Forget this nonsense article. Forget about the earl saga. Let’s get into breaking down cfb and rooting for the best team out there. Our defense is going to get a lot young guys up to speed this year, let’s see if they have the dog in them to fight.

    Go hawks!

  42. BobbyK

    Personally, I think ET was probably a current source for this story.

    It’s funny to think they paid their team defense heavy and now they are about 30th in the NFL in spending on that side of the ball.

    I don’t think they are going to be good this year because of this philosophy (spending more on offense and less on defense), but part lies in the leg of Dickson (and a top 10 OL). Wow. Crazy to think a punter is going to be a difference maker.

    For the record, I like keeping ET at the expense of future drafts. I know I’m in the minority, but I see an off-chance of them getting hot and potentially winning a Super Bowl this year. I see zero percent chance of this team winning a Super Bowl without ET. Granted, this team doesn’t have the depth of its past so it must stay healthy, but it’s younger (which usually means LESS injuries) so it’s possible.

    Looking forward to the season…

    • BobbyK

      Another thing with Pete that the disgruntled players forget… Carroll has always been a hypocrite when it comes to “compete.” Remember when Carpenter and Moffitt were drafted and handed jobs from day one? They hadn’t earned anything. It just got magnified when they weren’t winning – which is where some of the Ifedi stuff comes from in that story (players being mad a guy like that was handed a job he didn’t earn).

      • STTBM

        And Carrol traded the world for Harvin and paid him huge money, causing a rift in the WR corps. He compounded that my laughably misjudging the WR market and trying to lowball Tate. You can’t preach Always Compete, then hand jobs to guys who suck like FatCarp, Sweezebag, and Ifedi jobs when they suck, and bring in guys who haven’t sacrificed for the team on huge contracts while not paying guys like Tate who had been good soldiers for years and think it’s going to fly.

        Carroll and JS have made huge mistakes and are their own Achilles Heal. Hopefully they have learned and will adapt.

        • Rob Staton

          Sweezy and Carpenter didn’t suck. And there wasn’t anyone on the roster more deserving of starting.

          Ditto Ifedi the last two years. We’ll see what happens in 2018.

          Let’s not rewrite history here.

  43. line_hawk

    It’s just Sherman doing Sherman things. He is a player who you would love to be on your team but hate to be against. Remember Crabtree? I expect more drama during the 49er games.

  44. SEAhemoth82

    The article feels like it is a rehashing of Seth Wickersham’s article from last year, which supposedly gave a looking glass into the “toxic” Seahawks locker room, a locker room that never recovered from the Super Bowl loss against the Patriots. Rob, I agree with you completely about how former teammates and “unnamed sources” should shut up in regards to the past. From my personal viewpoint, I will say that the Seahawks, pertaining to the team from 2012-2017, were always sore losers. Every single loss was capped with poor body language and piss poor sportsmanship. I understand the competitive nature, especially at the highest level in regards to football, but whenever the Seahawks were on the verge of a loss, they acted like straight up children who did not get their way, and nothing embodies this more than when they fought with the Patriots at the end of Superbowl XLIX. Being the sore losers they are, they of course won’t blame themselves, they will ruthlessly finger point and back bite; they will scorch one another for past mistakes without taking personal ownership; they blame the Seahawks culture, Russell Wilson, and Pete Carroll. The Seahawks only acted like a “team” when they won, which is common because winning cures all ills. True, this magnificent team lost on the 1 yard line on arguably the biggest stage in sports, but to never truly recover from that shows the true mental makeup of this team.

  45. Cameron

    I was thinking about this while listening to Brock & Salk earlier today. It’s astonishing the fixation that some players had regarding how one player might have been “babied” or treated with excessive care in their eyes. This has come to feel like a borderline obsession.

    I’m trying to picture myself in their shoes over the years, and what I would do and how I would feel in the exact same circumstances. I can’t help but keep coming back to the conclusion that angry or not, resentful or not, lacking faith in the message of the coaches or not, I’d chose to move on, at least outwardly, in favor of the rewards to come if everyone is pushing toward a common new goal.

    And that’s the crux of it all; certain players, namely Sherman, had a choice. They could either be leaders and, whether they believed in Pete’s philosophy and message any longer or not, put on a positive front for the players around them that still could, and be a part of a united group seeking glory one more time. Or, they could be RIGHT. They could shout for all the world to hear that they knew better, and everyone should know it.

    In the end, for a few, being right was more important than being great.

    • Sea Mode

      Spot on. They need to loop that video Rob posted at the top of the article…

      Hopefully we’ll get more content on the great guys we do have in our locker room instead of this selective minority.

  46. Old but Slow

    A bit more immediate, and pertinent, it seems like Fluker may not play and Sweezy may take his place. Fluker has shown to be a primarily run blocker, and Denver is a pass rush team. Could this be good timing, like accidental, that we will be using a more mobile replacement? On the whole I like that we have some experience here.

    I am not confident that Sweezy is going to be an asset, he is not exactly exalted, but it feels a lot better than Roos.

  47. EranUngar

    I have been a volleyball player and coach for 3 decades. Even with just 12 guys on the roster, I have never seen the whole team become a “band of brothers”. Some of those teams played great together, won cups and championships, but as individuals outside the court some became tight friend and others not…(putting it gently)

    I am sure it is the same (probably worse) on a 53 men roster.

    As much as i adored Sherman as a CB in the Seahawks’ system, I never liked him. I felt that his load mouth was intentional to get him public recognition and the financial rewards that come with it. I even thought that the “You mad bro” was disrespectful to a player that accomplished way more than young Richard at the time.

    Sill, Richard was IMO the st CB in the NFL playing within Carrol’s secondary.

    I also think that he was right saying that the team “lost it’s way”. According to RS, Pete kept telling the same stories that some of the game greats (Sherman, Bennett) got bored with. Correct me if i’m wrong but that does not sound like Pete lost his way. It sounds like Sherman and Bennett did.

    Just remember, Sherman was a failed WR converted to CB in college, drafted in the 5th round by the only coach that wanted tall CBs. He was molded into what he became by that same coach as part of a ground breaking secondary. With the big money coming in due to his success Richard felt bigger than the man that made him what he is. It would be interesting to see what happens with the rest of Sherman’s football career away from Seattle.

    Bennett’s career before he returned to the Seahawks was less than stellar too. TB just let him go and NFL teams were not rushing to bid for his services. He also made his name playing for Pete Carrol. Now that he left he is a backup for the Eagles.

    Two players that failed to see who made them into what they are and had to show they are bigger than the team around them.

    So long Richard…I know that there will be a team of Seahawks battling on field under Pete without you. I wonder how great you’ll do with new coaches in a new locker room when the loses will start piling up…

  48. Drew Castleberry

    Dontae Johnson was put on IR. Maxwell cant come back for 3 weeks. So it means Tre Flowers will probably get the start over Nieko Thorpe? Im all for throwing the rookie into the fire and let him develop.

    So is ET going to play? Looks like theyre going to activate him. Im in favor of only letting him play special teams the first week or two and letting Thompson get the start. I think hes earned it. Earl shouldnt be able to just get inserted into the starting lineup after missing all camp and preseason.

  49. John

    Dontae Johnson is going to IR! I had a pretty good feeling for this season, but it just got dampened a bit with this news this morning. I don’t have much confidence in Neiko as his replacement. Any positives to take from this change?

    • Rob Staton

      Cornerback is a big concern.

      Still don’t know why they didn’t double dip at CB in the 2017 draft. Was the perfect opportunity to do so.

  50. D-OZ

    Really like Reggie Floyd also. Outstanding tackler and is a ball hawk. Nice size and quickness.

  51. Sea Mode

    Good response from PC:

    “Only that obviously I didn’t do a very good job of teaching, because one of the main principles in our teaching is that we’re not going to worry about what’s happened; all our focus goes on what’s coming right now,” Carroll said when asked for his reaction to the story Friday, per ESPN. “And so that’s a discipline that we learn, and I just haven’t taught it well enough. Whether you win or whether your lose or whatever happens, you need to move forward and leave stuff behind and go. So other than that, I don’t care about it.”

    http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000959154/article/carroll-doesnt-care-about-reports-of-wilson-favoritism

    • Rob Staton

      It was a sensational response from PC.

  52. LouieLouie

    Rob:
    Very interesting article. I also read the SI piece. It is obvious that the team lost its locker room after “the worst play call in NFL history.” Sherman, in particular, never let it go.

    Being somewhat of a old geezer, I’ve seen that happen in the workplace before. Egos, jealousy, tempers, or whatever take over. It doesn’t mean that they’re bad people. It just means they lost it. That fire was what made them play like they did, it can be a two edged sward.

    Once it gets to that point, the only answer is to change things up, and let some move on, and rebuild. That’s what Pete Carroll did, and you are absolutely correct Rob; time to move on.

  53. Travuw

    Thanks for your uncensored response, Rob. There is only one reaction I can have to the griping of former players regarding Pete and Russell – to root even harder for them. I can only respect their attitudes and talent more these days. I’m anticipating a fantastic season from #3 and hope that Pete continues to do things his way. Go Hawks

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