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Stephen Pitell's avatar

Demarcus Lawrence has that "new car smell" is one of your best chunks of writing that has brought to me the old style taste to your writing.

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Chuck Turtleman's avatar

Okay, this headline might have made me groan louder than “Carroll-oke Night: Pete’s Got the Seahawks Singing a Winning Tune” and right up there with "“Geno-cide on the Gridiron: Smith’s Ready to Slay Defenses.” Though I'm still unsure what "Roe" is in this pun. I suspect "return on investment" but since not in call-caps, but I fear I might have missed the joke completely. If Jake Bobo ever has a breakout game, I will lose sleep trying guess what the next SSJ headline is going to be!

And speaking of Bobo -since he was in the Charbonnet poll -I met a former Seahawk player some 25 years ago and no longer remember his name. He wasn't a a starter or even or special teams regular, but to memory he had a pretty good 4 years that he was on the roster or PS. I bid a remodel job on his parent's house and would have never gotten introduced had I not been wearing a Seahawks hat or T-shirt or something -and he happened to be there visiting. He showed me his jersey collection (from college and pros) and told me a lot of stuff about the league, team, and players at the time. He was a Holmgren favorite and was promised a vet minimum extension but Mora took over and his football days were over. (I promise this is getting back to Bobo) But what stuck out to me was that he told me that there are so, so many really good football players on an NFL team that will never play significant snaps in actual games, but they are still very important to teams. They fill out the environment and culture of practice. If a guy like Bobo will Moss you in the end zone in practice if you aren't on your A game, that alone makes you practice better. Which makes you play better. I remembered that when I took a full minute hovering over the far more talented Charbonnet and Jake Bobo's names in a roster that now has a lot of capable running backs but is thin at receiver.

I think I still picked Zach, but much like this former player's name, I don't even remember now. I will say this though. I was still late 20's and big into weight lifting and running. I was a 6'1 225 pound lean sexy machine. And as soon as I shook that dude's hand I felt like the twerp in the ads getting sand kicked in his face at the beach while the other guy took his girl. Some of you who were around in the 70's remember it! But I was ripped and strong and once in a while you just meet a person and realize that they would absolutely big brother you if you ever dared to try to play the game of football across from them. I humble brag this partly to say that I hope that Bobo carves a career out for himself here, and Seahawks draftee Alex McGough does so well in the UFL that he maybe makes his way back. Even if for another team; it would be cool for a guy we drafted to make a payday for his family. It's not baseball where guys can make a living playing minor league because of injuries and the fact that semi-pro and such has never caught on with fans. I wish it would though. I feel like there are players working at UPS who could have a Kurt Warner story. Probably not a ton of them, but even a few would be Netflix worthy stories.

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Shaymus McFamous's avatar

Good call-outs on the headlines. I also love the sectional headings he uses. This one had gems like "storm's a bruin" re:Charbs (UCLA Bruin) and "Show me the Mafe" (Jerry McGuire's famous "show me the money" scene). I get a little jelly chuckle (turtleman?) between each slice of toast paragraph!

Thanks to Ken for my daily tea-time reading!

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Charley Filipek's avatar

Ahh, "a groan" is what a pun-maker is aiming for.

In Japan they call puns "sabui jodans" sabui is cold or chilly, a sabui jodan sends shivers, so it means that it was effective. 'Tis a complement to one who tells them.

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Chuck Turtleman's avatar

By all means, I consider a groan the highest compliment!

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Paul G's avatar
4dEdited

I went with Charbonnet for an unsentimental reason: undrafted WRs don’t tend to stick around no matter how popular they are with fans (remember Jerheme Urban and Tanner McEvoy?). Doug Baldwin is an obvious exception, but we already know that Jake is no Doug.

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Dale's avatar

Oh Chuck, always the reasonable commenter here at SSJ. Love your work. I look forward to Mrs Turtleman’s insight in the coming season.

BTY, how’s the rebuild going? Hope you’re coping ok.

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Chuck Turtleman's avatar

Things are looking pretty nice! I'm gardening like crazy this spring and will post updates in my Substack. There are a ton of trees down and we finally got a 100 foot oak that had been leaning over our house since the storm. Tree guys are all crazy busy for the next few years. I would not want to be in the firewood business though!

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Dale's avatar

Great to hear old boy.

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Shaymus McFamous's avatar

It's take on "Row, row, row your boat"

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Chuck Turtleman's avatar

I get that much, but the "Roe" spelling... I don't think it's fish eggs or a supreme court ruling, and that leaves only "return on investment" that I can think of.

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Charley Filipek's avatar

It's a run of the mill, Mil~Roe, our new QB.

'n why our recently hired QB would be sceaming.

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Chuck Turtleman's avatar

Ha, I should have noticed the apostrophe!

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Shaymus McFamous's avatar

I shoulda included this detail in my explanation above. Sorry that I implied an assumption that you didn't get the basic level of it. I didn't mean to undershoot you. Thanks, Charlie, for filling in my left out details!

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Chuck Turtleman's avatar

I knew I was missing something! You gotta go deep sometimes on SSJ puns!

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Stephen Pitell's avatar

I'm proud to be the first to like your post. I had multiple reasons to do so. Now, I have to go look at your name and hope you are someone I'm just getting introduced to you, but probably you are someone I've been liking their posts for forever it seems. Either way, this will give more flesh to whomever you are and now will be cemented there in my feeble memory.

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Chuck Turtleman's avatar

I have my own substack, but it's probably not very interesting to most! Just woodworking and gardening, and maybe some day my other hobbies. But none of it is Seahawks related yet. I may get there. Along with my biggest hobby, which I feel is polarizing so have thus far avoided it. I feel like I will just post the things I do and if people like it, that's great and if they don't that's cool too. But I know your name from here! I recokon we're both day one subscribers or close. Love that the "Joe" is bringing people together!

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JIMMY JOHNSON's avatar

How many times I have watched a game tick away with a QB having a "bad day" while a game changing talent (or two) sits on the bench. It feels like we now have a coach who won't sit still for this. I'm all in for a set Starter, a Set Backup and a Wildcard. Week in/week out. Take the hoods off these Hawks and let them hunt.

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Mike McD's avatar

I’d love to see a deep dive into the differences between Anthony Richardson and Jalen Milroe

By my untrained eye, they seem very similar.

Which is to say … pick 92 or whatever it was is a great spot to take a shot instead of 4 (lots of Seahawks fans wanted AR).

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Chris H's avatar

Gotta take shots. The position is too important. Most won’t work out, but Milroe at least has a plan B option if he can’t be a consistent threat with that arm at some point.

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Stephen Pitell's avatar

I had that exact thought, and wondered why the entirely different attitude 32 different teams had simultaneously, seemingly. And Shed Sanders. That we got Milroe in the third feels like getting a free top four pick.

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Mike McD's avatar

Yeah … how does AR go 4 and Milroe go 92? I just don’t understand that. They seem like such similar prospects to me.

Would love to know what a front office would say.

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Paul G's avatar
4dEdited

FWIW, Randy Mueller said before the draft that Richardson was a Day 3 prospect and believes that the Colts’ ownership forced the pick on the FO and coaching staff.

Again FWIW, I don’t see Milroe getting any meaningful snaps this year. If Darnold gets hurt, MM will go with Lock. As for installing “packages” for JM, I’ve heard that before. It never happens. This doesn’t bother me—the focus should be on developing Milroe for the future, not looking for ways to get the #92 overall on the field.

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Bob Bryan's avatar

I suspect Kubiak and Darnold will see how they can do in the red zone w/o special packages (hopefully way better than last year). If things go well, great. But you’d also think that Kubiak’s experience installing packages for Hill would mean they’ll at least work on a few things. I’ve heard Milroe compared to Eddie George, which is interesting if true. Makes me think, if he makes the team and takes an active roster spot, they’ll have a few options for him, maybe more later in the season. For now, it mostly gives fans something to talk about.

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Scott M's avatar

Their builds are quite different ( 6-4 244 vs 6-2 216) but they do have some similarities in play style and movement. I like Milroe and his makeup, seems like a humble hard worker that gets it. I can't wait to see him turn into a baller.

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JIMMY JOHNSON's avatar

When I think of a team showing us how NOT to bring along a rookie QB, I think of the Colts and Richardson.

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Grant Alden's avatar

Start with…Milroe has played more snaps at QB than Richardson. (without checking) and he seems more self aware. Still not a believer, but…

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Grant's avatar

Athletically similar, but different personalities. I haven't seen a lot of AR interviews, so I could very well be off-base, but Milroe seems down to earth and ready to work. It's his attitude/personality and self awareness that make me a believer (for the cost of a late third rounder).

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Mike McD's avatar

Yeah … the chances of him turning into even a starter in the NFL are low … and an effective starter even lower.

But I like taking a shot in the third round. Low chance of success but high reward

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Paul G's avatar

And not much risk. There’s a world of difference between the first pick in the 3rd round (#65 overall) and the 27th (#92).

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JIMMY JOHNSON's avatar

I think you are right on the number of snaps.

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AggieHawk's avatar

I know I tend to be contrarian, but my gut was not in sync with most Joes on most of these…

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JIMMY JOHNSON's avatar

Me too, Aggie.

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Chris H's avatar

I just think Kubiak will leverage the depth in the RB room, so K9 just won’t get the touches. If he was the clear bell cow maybe, but I’m guessing the carries will get split pretty good. Add Milroe to the equation and things get diluted even more.

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JIMMY JOHNSON's avatar

I'm excited to see what difference solid O-Line play will bring, especially as concerns injuries. Until SSJ and you guys, I measured an O-line by how well they protected the QB in passing plays.

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Chris H's avatar

Even average o-line play would make an enormous difference.

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