The Seattle Seahawks announced this evening that they have signed running back Edgerrin James to a one-year deal and released running back T.J. Duckett to make room for the move.
So there it is. James is now a Seahawk. From what I understand, James is in town so hopefully we get a chance to see him practice on Wednesday and talk to him afterward.
Finally. I can’t imagine what Packer fans had to go through with Favre all the time. This was sickening enough. Is he? When is he? Uhhh. Either way, this is a good move that improved the team, although this still doesn’t address the problem with how our RBs are going to gain yards with some of the guys we have blocking for him. At least Edge is a good blocking RB for Matt in pass pro. He needs all of the help he can get.
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I apologize ahead of time to all of you..I don’t have anything negative to say. Now..I know that’s hard to believe considering the hate filled readers/contributors to this blog, but because I’m about to write something positive, I felt like I owed most of you an apology.
This is not like signing Adrian Peterson or Walter Payton in the prime of their careers, but I’m not sure how this move is anything but positive. You are all crazy if you think this doesn’t upgrade our RB position. Does it upgrade the running game as a whole?? Unsure, considering the injuries of the OLine. Is Edge better than TJ Duckett? That’s the trade here, and I think it’s pretty clear the answer to that is I actually might be better than TJ Duckett.
Enjoy your miserable existance as Seahawk fans. Sounds like it’s a blast. Ruskell sucks, waaaa..waaaa. I want Holmgren back…Ruskell sucks….boo hoo.
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Yeah.other than finding handful of nice pieces in the draft, Ruskell has pretty much decimated this team. Compare where we are versus what Steelers have done since SB XL , night and day and they even had a head coaching change…There are so many folks who defend Ruskell no matter what but the fact is this team has not gotten better since he came on board. Ruskell fans will say we have gotten older and players are breaking down, well it is his job to manage the roster so that we are prepared to reload and he has failed to do that.
Well, Ruskell won his battle for the team against Holmgren and he now has his “yes” man at the helm so we will see what he can do but I am pretty certain he(we) will not enjoy the success Holmgren was able to bring to organization.
Get ready for some lean years ahead, perhaps not to the extent of Patera, Flores, or Erickson eras but we will not see 4 straight division titles anytime soon, if ever again with Ruskell running things to the ground.
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I’m compilling all of these doomsday posts and will repost them later if team success warrants. Alot of people think the sky is falling.
The team signs Edge and now were not gonna win the division?? Dude, have some propofol & chill. Why don’t you see if it works first..
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Hey Numbskull, who’s the next signing… Marvin Harrison?
Trade some picks for an O-lineman. I know your last trade was brilliant (see K Colbert) but if I see Matt on his back 3 more times in our next game, this team is toast even before the season begins.
PS- Senaca, get your running shoes ready.
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Brock S wrote,
If we don’t have a winning record in 2009, I fully expect Ruskell will be fired. Paul Allen is not a stupid man.
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@mocarob
Define “team success”? Is .500 success to you? Perhaps playoff appearance? Division banner? Superbowl?
My comments was in regards to the general state of the organization and not specifically related to Edge coming on board. Edge is an upgrade over TJ but Ruskell should never have overpaid for TJ in the first place when we already had a similar player in Weaver on the roster and its these types of mis steps that has transformed this team into an also-ran while teams such as the Steelers have continued to improve since the SB, even after hiring a DC with no head coaching experience.
The team may still reach .500 and maybe even make the playoffs this year but IMO, I do not see four consecutive division titles nor a Superbowl appearance happening again anytime soon under the current GM and that is the point I was trying to make. No doomsday post, just a thought on current state of the team as I see it, that is all.
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I agree with BrockS, other than making some a couple good picks in the draft I’m not a huge fan of Ruskell. I do think that edge is a definite upgarde over Ducket. I’m just pissed about the Weaver situation. He might not have completely developed into a good short yardage back, but I feel he has the tools to be a very good back. I’m thinking goodbye Ruskell hello Holmgren as GM next year.
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We are going to win the division. This is a fact (IMO). There’s reason to be positive and there’s reason to be negative. The main negative at the moment is the OL. Aside from that, this team is in very good shape. Not perfect, but every team has a Brian Russell. New England does. Pittsburgh does. Minnesota does. Philadelphia does. I think we’re fine and think we will be Super if something positive can happen soon with respect to the OL. Maybe it is Walt making a miracle comeback and starting 16 games. Maybe Ruskell comes up with a trade? Something. I don’t know what. I know people talked about the Colts terrible run defense two years ago. They sucked (one of the worst in the NFL). Then they turned it on in the play-offs and won the SB. They gelled at the right time or got hot… whatever you want to call it. It can happen to our OL (although I’d feel better if we could trade for a good guard — again, good things come with a cost and we’re not going to get good players by giving up crapholes like Lawrence Jackson… we may need to trade a high pick or something?).
Again, we’re not perfect at the moment but we are going to win the division. A good OL would really help things out. There’s still a chance for a Super Season. Lets ride it out and enjoy the ride.
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Hmph. Talk about spoiled fans. You think Ruskell is so bad? Remember the 90′s? People bored with Chuck Knox, spoiled by his relative success and wanting to “take the next step?” Try 3 steps backwards! But most of the fans have the same acumen as Ken Behring.
Fans got tired of Bobby Ross and team president Chuck Schmidt in Detroit. They clamored for – and got – Matt Millen.
Fans here were bored with Mike Holmgren and wanted him moved. Until he announced his departure. Then the same fans turned on his replacement and want Holmgren back, even before Mora has coached a single game.
And before the Super Bowl appearance there were the fans calling for Dennis Erickson.
I will say though I don’t recall anyone pining for Bob Ferguson and Bob Whitsitt to come back.
Comparing a team to the Steelers? There are only 3 or 4 franchises at most that compare to the Steelers right now. So those other 28 teams should be firing their coach and GM every year to try and match?
BTW the Steelers were relatively mediocre from 1985-1995, with the same basic type of record as Seattle from 1997-2007 (including a Super Bowl loss.) The Steelers didn’t fire coaches and GM’s every 3 years, 5 years, or 10 years.
They stayed the course knowing that you judge the performance of management and coaching based on the season and circumstances, not some imbecilic fan notion that change is guaranteed to bring championships. If your coaching and management is even slightly above average (which is what I think Seattle currently has) then odds are the change will be for the worse.
If the team stays healthy and it has a losing record, I would have to think a GM change would be considered with Ruskell at the end of his contract. If the moves he made this year, which seem like good ones right now, bust, then that would be the evidence to make a change.
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tp10super10 – LOL
Right on dude. A few posts back on another post by Eric I said a few similar things about all the negativity. At least I am not alone. This blog can be so much more than Ruskell is a …….. or Ruskell is also an…….. or Ruskell…..
Talking football, schemes, players, coaches, potential etc. is more like football talk from my view. Talking about replacing Ruskell all the time is more like baseball freaks trying to change the tide in mid wave. Let the season play out then call for heads.
I like the Edge signing. At least Matt will have one last line of defense when Edge is back on passing downs or he can release into the flats and give Matt an easy target to avoid a rush.Yeah I too would love a better OT in the mix in case one of our other guys get nicked. I say trade WR #7 and a DE (seems like Lawrence or Atkins from the thumbs down in the forum) and or maybe a late round RB or CB for one semi-decent OT who can play at least 8 -10 games if need be. If they pass physical Levi Jones or John Runyan are FA’s. Or go to an AFC team that needs WR and/or DE and at least make a call.
Oh, sorry, I was talking football stuff. Out.
GO SEAHAWKS
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Seriously, the Ruskell hate in the comments of every post gets pretty old. He’s had some bad picks and some great picks and I’m not sure how many other GMs have done that much better. Bad luck with injuries hasn’t helped. Anyway, Edge … better than Duckett as a blocker and for running more than 3 yards, and not a big expense, but the effectiveness of the running game will be affected more by the O-line than the RB. Same thing several others have said, it’s pretty obvious really. Not sure how easy that’ll be to change quickly. Probably impossible and we’ll just have to get by.
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http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcwest/post/_/id/3726/what-james-addition-now-official-means-for-seattle
Here is a link to what the ESPN Sando folks are saying about the Edge signing. A little negativity but note the overall football related comments. Eric is doing a good job here. Maybe it is the nay nay bloggers that need to go to Sandos blog and see how far they get.
Ahhhhhhhh football talk. We had it once here. I’m done with the anti-naysayer stuff.
GO SEAHAWKS
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Top10, ROFLMAO!! Thank you so much, I’m getting sick of the whiners and doomayers that have taken over this blog. We’ve had one SB appearence in the history of the franchise, and they’re all acting like it’s the end of the world if we’re clearly not the team most likely to go to the next SB….GET A FRIGGIN’ GRIP!!! iF BUILDING A TOP QUALITY TEAM WERE EASY, EVERYBODY WOULD HAVE ONE. There are seven rounds in the draft, the last 3 of which are “jeeze, I hope this guy catches on” picks…if, in any given draft, you end up with 2 solid starters and a decent role player, you’ve done an outstanding job. There are just too many variables involved…for example, Branch did not have a history of injury before he came here…but he looked pretty solid…when he was picked, most folks said: “well, he may not be a first round talent, but he’s a known quality, so that makes it pretty much a wash, it’s a decent move…” No one said that he’d be a limping MASH case while he was here…and when he’s been healthy, he HAS done some pretty amazing things. Kelly Jennings was taken 31st in what has turned out to be a poor first round draft…so we jump on Ruskell for that…but we got an absolute stud D lineman in the 4th round, who is now playing better than most of the D linemen taken in the first round…but they just say he got lucky with that one, if they mention it at all. When John Carlson comes up, it’s said that he was Holmy’s pick, so no credit should go to Ruskell, but he gets the full blame for David Greene, even though Greene was just as much a Holmgren pick.. They say that Ruskel only makes good picks on the D side of the ball, but hells bells, people, that’s where his experience is…Just the way Holmy’s decent picks were all on the Offensive side of the ball (which nobody mentions when they’re clamoring for Holmy to come back as GM…and don’t forget, some of the offensive “studs” that Holmy picked included Jerremy Stevens in the 1st, #10 over all, as I recall, but no one calls THAT a wasted pick…I also seem to recall that Koren Robinson was a 1st rounder…GOOD choice there…)
And about all the injury boo hooing…EVERY BLOODY TEAM LOOSES STARTERS IN THE PRE SEASON! That’s why many teams want to shorten it…So far, we’ve lost a LT who is in the twilight of his carreer (the fact that he may have been the best LT ever to play the game is irrelevant, at that age breakdowns happen) We’ve lost (for a week or two of the reg season)a C who was, at best, adequate, and who, by the end of the season, may have lost his job anyhow, And a good CB.. It is distinctly possible that all 3 of these players will be back by week 3…The Tards have already lost their first round draft pick for the season. (ok, you don’t have to raise your hands, but how many of you were convinced that he was the man we needed to fix our RB woes, even if we had to use a #4 pick to do so?) SF has lost a starting G, and from the sound of it, for quite some time…the Lambs? Let’s just not go there…it’s too big a mess…
The simple fact of the matter is, over the past decade, the hawks have been a pretty good team who got lucky and jelled at the right time one year. One of the top ten in the decade? Perhaps, maybe 8 or 9…but no better that that…but that’s better than more than 2/3 of the rest of the league.. We won the NFC west by beating up on the little sisters of the poor, not by being a dominant, unstoppable team…we’re pretty good…and that’s something to be proud of…but we’re not, and never have been, great…so quit acting as if another SB is our birthright! We have the talent to get into the playoffs, provided injuries don’t sap that talent…After that, it’ll be pure drive and determination that decides how far we go…(and in case you’re wondering, THAT is why Ruskell wants good character guys on his team)
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Nightwulf, Freedom, and Badcat,
Well said and a pat on the back to each of you.
All in all we are only missing 2 pieces on the O line. I think Willis is a beast at RT, I would love to see Lock play RG. If Unger keeps up the development we are fine at C. I love Walt but can we trust him to stay healthy? Is Sims going to be the superstar this year he has been in camp? It is really not that bad on paper. If walt comes back and stays healthy than I think we have nothing to worry about.
High hopes? I don’t know yet, but I’m not going burry my head in a hole in the ground and say the seasons over before it starts.
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Would you trade Branch to SF for the right to sign Crabs?
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Come on! How much more do you want? We (the fans) complained about the passing game right? We got one of the best free agents in T.J Houshmandzadeh, and you know what, he was a receiver. We drafted Deon Butler, who right now seems to be a star in the making, he can make big plays like Koren,but he does not have the off the field issues! We didn’t like Julian Peterson (most of us) well we got what, seems to be the most solid player in the draft, and he does now posses Petersons job, and Curry will be there for a lot of years, and be playing like a freak (if injury’s doesn’t become a problem) O line lacked depth? Well we got the most versatile O-line in the draft, in Max Unger, I agree with the fact, that we still need some talent on that side of the ball, but still. Bad run defense? Enter Colin Cole, looks pretty good right now. Bad pass defense? We got a physical corner in Ken Lucas, who we know can play well, and he he’s been here before! And I could talk about Carlson as well!
What could we have done better!?!?! Change doesn’t happen over night, we’ve been unlucky with injury’s and such. Try thinking positive for once, I’ve not been active posting stuff here for a couple of months (since the draft) But it’s still the same crap, that is posted. Ruskell sucks, this player sucks and I’m getting sick of it! If you don’t like the smell in the bakery, you can leave! (Danish expression) I know everything isn’t perfect, but as said before. Stop living in the past, we won’t be the Patriots, the Steelers, The Colts that easily, it has to be bad, before it can get better. We do have a good team, I think it’s pretty damn solid all around, lack depth on the O-line, but otherwise we have a pretty great shot at making the playoffs, if the injury’s can get out of town.
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Oh and on-topic. Like Edge a lot! Just hope Forsett will see some time on the field, he has a lot of talent and a lot of upside! The biggest mistake we can make, is not giving the younger guys, some sort of playing time. Playing time where they aren’t thrown for the wolves because they are our last option (like last year, where they all flunked)
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As for me, I’m always positive about the Seahawks. Can’t help it, it’s why I’m a fan. Can’t quote all the stats ( but, love reading them) I just cheer my lungs out every week for each guy that’s wearing the uni, be it Big Walt or the next guy. Whoever the five guys they line up on opening day, will get my all, iffin’ they give their all….and I’m sure they will, just like the rest of the team.
GO HAWKS!!!
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Another thing….so what we’re not the best on paper. The Seahawks have been underdogs almost their whole existence, so what’s new? I hope like heck that Walter Jones heals up soon, but it takes a whole team to win, and that’s what I want. I think that we’ll all be excited a few weeks into the season when our “team” is kickin’ butt and takin’ names.
SEAHAWKS!!!
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all this talk about the running backs!!!! they don’t got anything without a line.
whether its duckett james jones forsett moore dunn or any other running back they won’t be able to produce without a line!
unger locklear and vallos need to step up while spencer willis and sims need to live up to the hype
and of course walter needs to get healthy!
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Edgerrin James at 31 should be servicable for a year or so. Hope he does for the Hawks what a 30 year old Corey Dillon brought to the Patriots. Those excited on how we’ve arrived at this decision are OFF YOUR ROCKER! TJ Duckett was forced upon Holmgren who said at the time ” I don’t know how I’ll use him”. Now, going into the season, TR finally figures out that TJ is just to FRICKEN slow. Most of us already knew that. But Holmgren actually used Duckett fairly effectively although he was consideraby overpriced for straight ahead power. Now, after an offseason and a couple of pre season games TR actually unloads the dead weight. Woo Hoo, the question remains… why you sign him in the first place?
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I like the signing; as long as the coaches handle the situation right I think it will motivate Julius Jones. Edge is motivated himself, capable as a spell/third down back at worst, and could be featured if need be. I do kind of wish they’d cut Forsett and not Duckett, as Duckett is decent at short yardage and I find Forsett a worse Mo Morris.
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I was getting a bit annoyed by all the Ruskell hate too, that’s why I posted my above comment (as well as a previous post on another topic). As I’ve said, I don’t think he’s bad as some tend to think. I’d like to shoot him for losing Hutch and whiffing on the 1st rounders, but most everything else he’s been above average. I do like his aggressiveness in moves when he sees something he wants (it’s usually pretty good – Lofa, Unger, wanting to trade for Abraham, etc.).
If we’re happy with being better than the 90s, I think that’s a losers mentality to be okay with 8-8. What’s wrong with wanting/expecting to shoot for the stars and wanting to win it all?
However, we’re all Seahawk fans and EVERYONE is entitled to our opinions. If somebody wants to give reasons of support in how they want Ruskell fired, they are entitled to them and I don’t think people should shout how Hawk fans are Nazis because they don’t blindly follow everything management does. But I will say the ignorant posts about just hating Ruskell and wanting him fired with no good reasons are simply sickening.
Again (from the previous post), things are fine and Ruskell has put a team together that is going to win the division. That’s not so bad. Granted, we’re in the NFC Worst, but I’ll take it.
If we’re Super or not is going to determine on the OL. This is a shaky unit and something needs to be done. I don’t think Ruskell can stand pat with the current clows that are assembled. I think something will get done. I just don’t know what.
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I like having Edge on board to help us till we draft a RB next year (personaly,I would have locked him with a two year contract till he gets his goals accomplished and have done some mentoring).Welcome Edge, hope You and Your kids are happy in Seattle !! After I got “jumped” by Bobby and Chuck_E , I went and checked the roster at the Ravens and Titans sites. Oher
is an overkill . Their starting LT is 6’9″ in his third year; his back-up was a rookie last year. That is why Oher is at the RT ( they have 2 more RTs). We can deal for somebody if not for Oher himself. Ravens themself need some people in other positions and we got those ; that is why we should trade players and not future picks. Next year there will be no less than five LTs of Oher quality.
Titans are loaded up- front also. We need two more good people on our OL and the division is ours to lose. With AZ’s luck we can be in the 2010 SB too.
To answer above Q : I’d be satisfyed only by 4 out of 5 division titles or play-off
appearances (or, 7 out of 10) and no less.
On Ruskell….getting in a pi**ing match with Hutch and letting him go was the most idiotic move a GM can make. ( I will never let go off it . ) Other mistakes
can be understud or, justifyed. After we lost Hutch, SA was never the same
(the lines never oppened again) Matt was less protected so, he got hurt; as did Walt because he had nobody to help him on his side as Hutch did. Instead of building a dynasty to greatness, we fell to 4-12 and Minni got better each year since signing Hutch Got it peacemaking “Gandy” wannabes ??
Cause and effect in practice.
Now, since I love the Seahawks, I wish they and Ruskell are successfull this year. I hope we make it to the SB and win it all. Two more good OL players can get us there. Edge proved he can do his part.
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**justified
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Sorry for the bad spelling, Trying to type fast
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That’s not a bad idea if they fit the scheme.
But Baltimore wouldn’t want to trade Oher and I hope you understand what I meant by that. If we had a first round pick and all of us fans were happy with that first rounder and thinking he was going to be a good player (and he was locked up for a reasonable contract), would we want to immediately trade him? And for what? Baltimore isn’t going to want some losers like Spencer and Jackson for Oher, as some have suggested (not you, but others). Baltimore management would not consider that. Would you want Ruskell to consider trading Carlson to some team who needed help at TE for some below average DE and an average S and possibly a 6th round pick? Some of these crazy fans think we can trade crap and get future Pro Bowlers in return. If I could have my way, I’d like to trade Brian Russell and a 4th round pick to the Colts for Bob Sanders. I’d like to send Branch to the Vikings to get Hutch back too. Can you imagine how hard these GMs would laugh at us if we offered that? Kind of about as hard as us offering Lawrence Jackson for someone who is actually good.
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Good to see some posts showing some cooloer heads prevailing here. “These are the times that try men’s souls” (somebody said) and its not easy this week to step back and see that this is a troubling week in the middle of a long story to which we are witnesses.
Ruskell has made mistakes (so have Patriots and Steelers FOs) but that’s ancient history. On balance I think its clear the overall building of this team has been in very competent hands since 2005. Enough of blasting Ruskell for anything and everything that goes wrong. What about the hundreds of decisions he and his staff have made that have gone well? Don’t forget, we could have Josh McDaniels running this team right now.
I’m not sure whether I like the Edge signing or not yet; I think he’s too old. I think Edge is really just a hedge against losing Julius to injury. If JJ stays healthy, we really don’t need Edgerrin. And I sure didn’t like dumping Duckett; I think he was a valuable short yardage back and short yardage is too important a part of a football game to ignore.
So this trade-off sounds to me like playing not to lose instead of playing to win. That’s why I don’t like it.
But I hope I’m wrong, and I’m glad we pay our ticket $ to Ruskell’s staff to be the ones to make these decisions. If this team can be successful this way then I’m ready to cheer on the new RBs. Good luck, TJ. Let’s go, Edge!
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I’m going to remain optimistic because we saw the young guys on the line begin playing pretty decently towards the end of last year and that playing time will help alot.
I’ve thought all along the Hawks were going to have a shaky start due to the new sysytems installed and it would be week 5 when we see them start getting revved up and I’m praying it’s week 11 when the hawks start playing thier best ball of the year.
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So, they couldn’t get Franco Harris? We now have an already spent RB in James and the Marlboro Man in Jones? Alexander isn’t working for anyone but Casey Treat, we can probably get him.
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I read a couple places speculation that Big Walt is likely done for the year.
Eric, can you or someone ther speak with Walter Jones and dispell or confirm that. That is a huge blow if true.
I like Edge. Personally hated the signing of Both Jones and Duckett. Like others, they to me are, were not an upgrade over Morris/Weaver, just seamingly way more expensive.
I think the Hawks will be fine this year. Need to see if the D can gameplan for KC and Stop them, They are not a “High powered O” so I would hope they can shut them down.
I think the front 7 better be ready for the run, going to see a lot of Jackson, and Gore. We have All Day Adrian Peterson and his going to get 2,000 yards this year talk on the schedule. Front 7 better get ready.
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It doesn’t matter if Seattle had a 24 year old Barry Sanders. I’m not sure he could get very many yards with this O-Line. God I hope I’m wrong
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seahawklover,
It’s not that I don’t like your idea of Oher, but it’s not practical. Baltimore drafted him in the 1st round and has signed him to a 5 year contract. You don’t trade your 1st round draft choices before they even suit up in a regular season game. That was my only point.
I agree the team needs to look at the possibility of finding some depth at tackle out there. It won’t be Oher. That would be like Seattle saying D. D. Lewis is more than capable to start at LB so they should trade Curry now to get help somewhere. It just won’t happen.
Also, to KLM it is my understanding that the deadline for a team to trade the ‘rights’ to a draft choice have passed so Crabtree either signes with SF or he sits out until next season.
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First of all, Ruskell is the worst GM in the history of the NFL.
Seccondly, got to love this quote on E. James from little girl baby back Julius Jones :
“I do know that whatever happens doesn’t have any impact on me,” Jones said.
Is Jones the only person in Seattle that doesn’t realize that he is a piece of garbage as a running back? I mean OJ Simpson would be an upgrade over J. Jones, and thats assuming they just let OJ out of jail on Sundays to play tailback for the Hawks. Julius Jones is a moron.
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I’d take exception to your assertion that Ruskell is the worst GM in the history of the NFL. You can dislike his performance, but as long as Matt Millen is still around Ruskell can only rank 2nd worst.
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Ruskell has done a fine job as a GM. Holmgren also did a fine job as GM. Great maybe not. But I only make this assertion because for the past decade we have experienced “good years”.You know this because the seahawks are a team that everyone HERE expects to win. Anything less would be a travesty (I.e. Last season)If you are going to take shots at our team management, do your work and bring up some valid comparisons from other teams and their management. Otherwise you may end up being put on the same shit ridden boat as elperrogrande to be cast out in a less than splendid viking funeral.
What I’m saying is, all the negativity and people are all whining about the same things… OVER AND OVER AGAIN. I have become as dismissive with the majority of peoples comments this year as I have been with elperrogrande as a whole.
“Don’t be THAT guy”. Bring something new to the table or leave it be.
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Does anyone know of a good anger management shrink? ME and Chewy, aka ElPerrogrande need one…..hahaurghha I Easy doggy;hehe.
Guys, even I can understand that Oher might be a pie in the sky !! What I am saying (yesterday & today) is : Ravens got at least one tackle they may let go and since half of the league is waiting to see who they cut/PS, maybe we can trade with them now. That is it. I also stated that Titans have some “extra”
quality OL man.
Another idea is going after Andre “Moobs” Smith. He won’t sign with Cincy ( too much bad blood) and they will trade his rights. AND, NO I DON”T WANT CRABTREE TOO !!!
Moobs might had a tough year with his decision making ability and is not of
Oher’s character, but he is a good tackle, played against the toughest opponents while at Alabama (gave ONE sack in four years), is healthy,etc.
He wants a lot of money (so do I)…but, if signed to a incentive laden contract
we can have all our problems solved….. Just an idea.
I am ready now. Go ahead and jump on me again !!!
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Ruskell can only do so much to help the team each season…most of his fixes have been on the defensive side of the ball because that’s his expertise (go with what you know) Like it or not, he’s left the O line for last, most likely because that’s what he knew the least…but he’s learning, and I fully expect to see some serious O line help before next year..I am hopeful that we can scrape through and have a decent season this year with the line we’ve got…If Walt comes back and plays well this year, that should be no problem…if not, it’ll be a bit tougher…
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I’m going to jump on board the BobbyK bandwagon and defend Ruskell. Why? Well, the arguments against him seem pretty ignorant. Ruskell has brought in a lot of talent which many folks overlooked or undervalued. He has put a capital T on teamwork. He’s reached extensions on contracts with many highly productive and popular players. Remember- Shaun was popular! Matt, Walt, Trufant, etc. Really, the only popular and pivotal players that the Hawks have lost have been Hutch and Josh Brown.
Sure, some of the first round picks haven’t flourished, but when you are picking late in the round, your talent is watered down and you cannot expect the same results as what early first rounders are expected to do.
I think he’s done a solid job. 4 division titles in a row is tremendous. One bad year can be viewed as an aberration. We’ll see. I think the success of this team depends more on the development of his young talent more than the reliability of the older players. It is time for Rob Sims, Darryl Tapp, Mebane, Burleson, Carlson, and many others to step up to entrench themselves as cornerstone players. If they are just average or worse, that will be the most significant indictment of the Ruskell regime, that he couldn’t find new cornerstone players as the ones he inherited hit the decline.
Ruskell inherited (and successfully retained) Hass, Shaun, Walt, and Trufant. He has successfully brought in cornerstone: Tatupu. But really, who else he has brought in can truly be called that? I think Mebane is close. Leroy Hill is too. We need one on offense. Carlson I think will become that. Now we need a lineman to join him. Perhaps Unger, Vallos, Sims, Willis or even Locklear. Those guys are really getting their first opportunity to earn that this season. So the jury is out. But I think he’s done a lot more right than wrong.
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A. Smith may be the only guy we could get at this time with not being under contract and all. I would have thought you were nuts a month ago, but you do bring up a good point. He isn’t a Ruskell character guy, but we have a need on the OL and he has talent. I don’t think he fits the zone blocking scheme exactly, but Ruskell also won’t be around to use both #1s next year if the team goes 4-12 again. Maybe Cincy would send him to us for our #1? They are cheap and they may like the idea of having a (possible) lower round pick just to save money. I don’t think this would happen with any other team, but the Bengals are a proven cheap team. You never know.
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I think A. Smith came out as a junior though.
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Someone mentioned us not being a high powered offense and they are right as it stands with our current OL problems. However, with TJ, Burleson, Branch, Butler, and Carlson in the passing game — if that OL can just improve — I firmly believe we will have an offense that will score plenty of points, even with so-so RB play.
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With Andre Smith having held out, I’m not sure he’d be ready to play early in the season. Some scouting reports I read thought he might spend his 1st year at guard then later slide to tackle as he got more experience. And then there’s conditioning (not one of Smiths’ strengths.) If he couldn’t play until week 3, then he wouldn’t help much this year unless Walter Jones is truly finished.
No tackle, rookie or veteran, that Seattle even has a remote chance of getting, is going to “replace” Walter Jones (i.e. play like the Walter Jones we’ve been accustomed to for a decade.) No one is trading Seattle a proven elite tackle (i.e. Pro Bowl worthy player.)
Even if they got an elite veteran tackle, that player wouldn’t be a match for Walter Jones in his prime. So we’ve got to accept that we may never see a LT as good as Jones again in a Seahawk uniform. You just can’t manufacture or “get” a Hall of Fame tackle in his prime!
If the replacement LT gives up 2 sacks in a game, or 5-6 sacks for the year – we have to accept that. 90% of the LT’s in the game, even good ones, give up sacks and need help blocking at times. If Sean Locklear has a dud game, it doesn’t necessarily mean he’s a failure at LT. It means he’s human, not superhuman like Walter.
That actually is one of my secret disappointments with the Holmgren offense. Having a unnatural talent like Walter Jones who could handle everyone 1-1, you would think would let the offense do more. (send more guys out on pass routes, help out other linemen.)
Of course the offense was good in the Holmgren era, and I may be taking it for granted, but I don’t think it was a knockout leader (except in the Super Bowl season of course.)
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I agree about calling out the negativity, but sometimes a spade is a spade.
All the experts in the league said Duckett was not capable of being an every down back; the front office ignored that and paid a 2 million dollar roster bonus to TJ Duckett. That was a mistake, and Ruskell should be held accountable for that mistake, just like my boss holds me accountable for mistakes I make.
On the positive side, the front office recognized the issue during the pre-season, and made an aggressive move to correct it. It is to Ruskell’s credit that he tried to address it, I hope it works out. I would have chosen a different solution, but they don’t pay me to make personnel decisions. At this point I am cautiously optimistic that the front office has corrected their mistake and set us up for success this season.
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As a first time commenter, but lifelong Seahawks fan, I am cautiously optimistic about this season. For a team as decimated by injuries as we were last year the thought of being truly competitive this year is glorious to me.
I hope that Edge will make a difference, I do think he is an improvement over either TJ or JJ.
It all comes down to OL, if we can open up some holes and give Matt the protection he needs, we have lots and lots of weapons.
It should be a fun year regardless, there is something about a 4-12 season that makes you happy for any improvement.
GO Hawks.
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I beleive our D will be the saving grace for us this season. We wil end up with an 8-8 or 9-7 record which will be good enough to when the division (damn we our lucky to be in this division). Even with Tru on PUP, Lucas and Wilson is better than Tru and Jennings/Wilson. If they don’t get injured we’ll survive. With more creative and aggressive blitz packages, the pressure put on the QB will hopefully take some responsiblity for the Russel situation. On the offensive side, we’re going to have to do a lot of shotguns and quick outs to keep Hass healthy, with Carlson, Housh, and Edge, some one will be there. I welcome the idea of trying to get Smith, but for some reason I just don’t see Ruskell doing it. Why he didn’t address the line better is beyond me, with the Walt surgery, Walhl injury and the rest of the battered OL from last year, but thats the past and it’s the last I’ll say of it.
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Oh yeah, my boy Hill is going be a beast this year, watch out for him, also, If Hass gets time, key word if, Burelson will be a game changer as well.
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In the ’05 season, the hawks were 2-2 in the pre-season. To my knowledge there hasn’t been a regular season game played this year, and we’ve got a lot of contributors to this sight worrying about:
1. O line play
2. rushing game
3. passing game
4. secondary play
5. D line play
6. (and least important—–Ruskells play
since Az seems to have lost one of their important skill players for the season, the niners have their starting QB Hill on the fritz with—are you ready for this—- a back injury, (didn’t that happend last year to someone we actually root for?) and the Rams just being the rams, i can’t wait for the regular season to start. It will be what it will be—but with our schedule, and if we get two of the aforementioned five working—we’re going to be fine.
Save your pessimism for the real season.
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TJ Duckett was a bust from the beginning, so having EJ in the back field will be a pleasant experience.
A play from the 1st quarter in Saturdays game sticks out in my mind. I was focused on the OL, and in an obvious running situation the LG opened up a huge hole (even I could have run through it). Duckett did hit this gap, but it was much to late, and he gained maybe 3-4 yards. Decent run, but if he had more speed, that gap was golden. It probably would have gone 5-10 yards.
That LG was Unger. I think that kid will make a good LG. I hope he is given a chance to prove it.
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If we had Charlie Frye as our starting QB should we all call him the next Hall of Fame QB or would we have a right to question him leading our team this season or would we have to wait until we lost the first game before doing that? There’s a good reason people are questioning the OL. It’s very much justified. Three sacks in one half against Denver, a team not known for it’s defensive pressure, is not a good sign. Plus, we aren’t running the ball all that well.
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Like I said, praise the Division we’re in, the Cards aren’t goin to sustain, the niners might win one more game then last year, and like a previous post the rams are the rams. The Hawks are play off bound by default. Once in the play offs, anything can happen, who knows, maybe Walt will be playin, Unger has a break out rookie season, and the rest of the patch work line come together and gel. Hopefully JJ will be tired, and a rested Edge plays like it his last season. Tru’s back is healthy, Curry plays like a vet, Hill and Tatupu play like them selves. The DL is pressuring the QB, and Burleson and Housh are last years Fitz and Boldin. Watch out for Carlson in the endzone too. I guess we’ll see. Go Hawks, only a couple of weeks left.
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What is it with some of you saying there’s been hateful posts!?!? Grow out of your panties and get use to people disagreeing with you–for good reasons! you don’t see poeple asking whats with all the ruskell brown nosing, do you? No, just people offerring valid points as to why Ruskell should go, and the points are valid enough to warrent such comments before the season starts becuase of the issue of last season and Ruskell’s failures with team management in the draft and FA. Relax Nightwolf, I know ruskell has had some good picks but the overall balance between good and bad is starting to tip towards that latter.
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I enjoy all the comments everyone. Being stuck in Las Vegas I don’t get much info on the Hawks, but I have been a fan since the beginning.
I understand the beating that Ruskell is taking because I don’t think that there has been any great teams (meaning multiple trips to the late playoffs & Superbowl) that didn’t have a solid OL. However, I think that the dropping of Duckett shows that Ruskell is learning and I hope like hell we do what it takes to pick up some more talent at OT before this season starts. If not, everyone keep picking on Ruskell until he learns that the OL will be the ticket to greatness.
Regardless, I’ve seen us start out seasons looking an awful lot worse than we do now so I am still excited. 32 years of being a Hawks fan is a little tough, but it has been a LOT better the last ten years or so. Hope the trend continues in 09. Cheers everyone.
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Trublu says
-Tru’s back is healthy, Curry plays like a vet, Hill and Tatupu play like them selves. The DL is pressuring the QB, and Burleson and Housh are last years Fitz and Boldin. Watch out for Carlson in the endzone too. I guess we’ll see. Go Hawks, only a couple of weeks left.
Barring some catastrophic injury to AZ they’re taking the division. With personel AZ has the upperhand(overall). With coaching AZ has the upperhand. You think Mora and Knapp are high quality coaches? Holmgren as a coach with no dramatic distractions of replacements(last yr) was the one advantage we had since the end of 05. tru, you should be best friends with nightwolf, i bet he’s just loving your post but wake up to reality!!! burl and housh next yrs fitz and bouldin????? that’s just showing you how far off base some of you are with your raith in ruskell and the new coaching staff
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good call sam
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Thanks Variable, but I have to disagree with you on Holmgren. He was driving me insane last year. The guy can certainly coach, but he had no clue how to manage the clock at the end of a half or the game, and I think he was becoming extremely predictable. In fact, my dogs and my wife were also happy to see Holmgren go just so I wouldn’t keep cursing his name during the games! LOL. Anyway, I’m no expert on Mora, but I love the fact that we are using the shotgun and mixing things up a bit (and the drive at the end of the first half of the Bronco’s game was great!). Anyway, I’m certainly willing to give him a chance to prove something.
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I hear ya on foul language during mike’s predictability. And i do like the shotgun. Maybe we should be questioning mora and his defense? What I remember of the mora falcons was vick and the offense, nothing about a top ranked jim mora defense. And if you look at what unit he’s coached with the hawks in the last two yrs(not taking although complicated injury mess into account) it doesn’t look to promising. Did you see that last couple games, we’d send an all out blitz and no one would get bust through, that scares me a little bit.
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Really like your analysis Variable.
Basically every Bronco drive in the first half scared the hell out of me. I was kind of encouraged by the pressure we were getting in the Chargers game, but I share your concern on the defense. I also read an article regarding the defensive scheme that indicated it only works with about a 1/2 dozen all-pros in the line-up. If that is the case, and if Mora doesn’t change the defensive scheme, then I’m sure I will be ready to string him up at the end of the year too. Right now, I’m just going to keep hoping that we will find some way to pressure the opposing quarterbacks…..
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Variable, you think warner is going to make it through the whole season, their running game isn’t any better then ours, so yeah, I do think we will win the west by default. And, did you read the who knows? part in my post, I was just trying to shine some light on the hawks and think positive. I know that Fitz and Bouldin, and Breaston for that matter, would be ridiculously hard to match but, you never know, anything could happen.
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