My excuse gone be I was in the bathroom every time. blockchain sports betting - something new, but I'm into it! Just made first bets! - https://tinyurl.com/3fbhv4ts
He is a little ahead of himself on the Poll. what it should be, jumping to week 18 Vs. Rams... If we have our playoff seeding locked up and the Rams are tied with Denver. Do we let the Rams win to improve our Draft slot (Rams pick going to Detroit)
We (Seahawks) have no control over what happens with Denver. Therefore, we (the fans) need to only concern ourselves with winning each and every week. No need for even thinking about losing being a good thing for Draft position. I will watch the results of Broncos games and smile with every loss they take and give us better draft position while still enjoying watching my team win.
Win! Win every time you can. Win this week, next week, next year, always. Well, except for that one time in game 8 of the 1992 season against the N.E. Patriates. Seattle won that game and eventually picked second in the 1993 draft behind the Pat's. We got the All-American from Notre Dame and they got some dork from Wazoo. It would have been better if the Seahawks lost that game and picked Drew Bledsoe as our QB for the next 17 years.
They could also have won the game, and still drafted Willie Roaf or Jerome Bettis and picked up Mark Brunell in a later round. We can probably play this game forever.
Off subject but I couldn't wait for the next QB survivor edition.
-Hooker is on the bench but is still a candidate to be selected by the Hawks. In fact, his injury improves the odds of Seattle selecting him since he'll likely drop a little bit in the draft ratings.
-Three events have given me a new perspective on quarterbacks Pete might select; watching Zach Wilson this weekend, reading an article on NFL kickers, and Geno Smith's success. Zach Wilson has a cannon but he has poor fundamentals which sabotages his ability to be consistent and perform under pressure. The article on NFL kickers stressed that while leg strength is enticing, consitency is job one. The path to consistency is performing the same kicking fundamentals every time whether it's in front of 60,000 screaming fans or in your bedroom at 3AM. Tiger Woods famously often awoke in the middle of the night and checked his fundamentals in a mirror. Finally, Geno is achieving greatness because of the soundness of his fundamentals. You might point out that Mahomes throws from weird arm angles and you're right but how many Mahomes are there and how likely are you to find one? Kyle Murray tries be Mahomes but his bad fundamentals have frequently betrayed him even with his extraordinary athleticism. The same is true for Lamar Jackson. Given similar levels of leadership and intelligence, show me the QB survivor who has the best, most consistent technique and that's who Pete will choose, not the most athletic guy with the biggest arm talent.
Yes, I have many thoughts piling up on QB Survivor. Thank you for these!
I'd fall over myself if the Seahawks could trade for Zach Wilson at a discount. Obviously I'm a huge fan but I can't say if he'll ever be able to put it all together. I just think the internet is doing its ole "pile on" song and dance again. Funny--where did that get Geno after two seasons with the Jets?
I read the kicking article. One thing I noticed is that the punter whom the article focused on the best in the college game at the tine wound up as a training camp cut who never made it to the pros. I guess that what was consistent in college was nowhere near good enough for the NFL.
There’s also a difference between fundamentals and measurables. Because of the money and emotion involved, we can forget that the college game is roughly the equivalent AA/AA.5 baseball. I look at a guy like Levis—whose measurables are supposed to be top-notch—and wonder why he doesn’t elevate his team even if the o-line and receivers suck. If he’s really the #1 pick as some argue, shouldn’t his fundamentals be good enough to lead a reasonably productive offense under any circumstances?
Yup, there are lots of really good kickers working and waiting for their chance and they have a long shelf life. Every team has one punter so opportunities are very limited.
I agree that measureables matter to the degree that you can make NFL throws but lots of guys qualify. It's the package that's hard to find. Michael Penix might be the most NFL ready QB in college. He's accurate, has a rocket arm, reads defenses well, shows poise, and is a leader. None of that matters if he can't withstand a hit from an NFL lineman. Levis is 6'3", 230 and KJ Jefferson is 6'3", 243. I think the potential for durability due to their size is a draw because these guys get hit a lot even with all the protections in place.
Yeah, I'm going to give you props for redactions. In the modern age, to be honest I find a history of redactions to be the measure of reliability. It's you and Paul Krugman leading the pack!
We Hawks fans, me included, are already way too wrapped up in rooting against Denver in a way that I don't believe entirely healthy. I say this based on my own personal obsession. The kind that can cause one to lose perspective and root for injuries. At some point one has to look in the mirror and ask, "Who am I? Who do I want to be?"
As for feeling no shame in saying one was wrong, I'm right there with you. I find it feels good to admit my errors.
I find it nearly impossible to wish ill on Russell. I’d like what’s happening in Denver more if it were a 32nd-ranked defense holding back a powerful offense.
I don’t wish I’ll on Russ, but I’ve been wishing I’ll on the Broncos since the 70s and that will never change. They were my least favorite AFC West rival.
If it wasn't for Denver's picks, I have a feeling that the Broncos would be our new favorite AFC team. Maybe that will even happen next year if our brains can handle the whiplash.
I wonder what percentage of fans are completely over Russ and his brand vs those who wish him and his new team the best in the future... after the draft ramifications.
For me, I justify my glee with the Broncos current woes by wishing for their long term success... starting next year.
I love the sentiment ... I'm firmly in the 'man, i feel kinda bad for Russ' camp. But we have 1st and 2nd round picks from Denver for next year, too. My God. Just thinking about that makes me go *ouch*. My God. They done got hosed. Robbed. Shanghai'd. Shamboneed. Enroned. Hamburglered. Anstrapated. (bucky)Dented.
I don't feel bad for Russ because he instigated his situation or should I say his ego instigated his situation. Plus he married to a beautiful woman and worth half-a-billion dollars. Maybe deflating his ego is the best thing that could happen to him.
I would add a Niners loss in there--I think the Rams are toasted (Ken would know since he manages the TST site). After the picks this year, for me Denver becomes irrelevant. Between the cap $$ tied up in Russ' contract and the lack of draft capital until 2024, Denver is likely to be bad for quite some time.
Tonight I am rooting for the Cardinals in Mexico. Vamos Cardenales!!
Oh but I did watch the game last night and the comeback by the Raiders to win in OT was... delicious! Russ actually played much better than he has been playing but another bone-headed decision to throw on that 3rd down, incomplete, to stop the clock when it would have been better to get down--exactly the kind of play that drove me crazy the last couple of years in Seattle.
The Broncos were let down by their D yesterday. How do you ever leave ADAMS that wide-open?
I also see the Broncos have released Mr. Fumbler today. He cost the Broncos points that may have been the difference also.
Indeed- same here. I would point out the copy isn't going to write/sell itself when the analysis is one sentence. Unlike our host here who has interesting takes beyond a sentence long that more often than not make sense / and or are at least reasonable others out there have a harder time.
Even the people who would vote "I'll root for the higher draft pick..." Let's see what they have to say when it's tied in the fourth quarter. Internally, gutterally, we're all going to fall back into rooting to win. It's human!
The next article I want you to write is how long it takes new coaches to turn the team around. And for turnaround let's say make the playoffs because that is usually what ownership and fans want.
Broncos won their games before they traded Chubb. If you wanted to win games I think that was a mistake. If you are trying to tank, good move. Then again, tanking don't help them very much this year.
Before I got into seaside joe this season my favorite Hawk commentators were Brian Hawkblogger and Rob SeahawksDraftBlog. They’re both really smart and often are right about things that professional Seahawks journalists miss. But they both tend to double down on bad takes far longer than they should. I suspect that social media fuels some of this, leading to creating “brands” rather than, you know, expressing an opinion. (Both remain leagues ahead of Ben Baldwin.)
The only time I ever rooted against the Seahawks was when they played the Jim Zorn-coached Redskins (now the WFT Whatevers). Zorn was my childhood hero and I literally was sick each week he coached because so many media folks mocked him. In that case I sided with the man who was Mr. Seahawk, for me. (I had to come to grips with the fact that he wasn’t a good head coach, no matter how much I wished it to be so.)
Thank you for your own honesty and transparency Kenneth.
I have the same history. I am inclined to give Brian a bit of a pass because he writes so poetically of the Seahawks when they win. By his own description he is a 'fanatic' when it comes to the Seahawks and that can blind one to the objective reality (if that is even possible to discern). What Brian is doing with that poll is exactly the reason why I deleted my Twitter account in favor of Counter Social: on Twitter you create a 'brand' by being outrageous--it is 'angertainment' and I just don't have space for that in my life any more.
Rob's analysis of draft candidates is far better than his takes on the Seahawks, and I have mostly stopped reading his blog because of that.
As long as Brian is taking money from his fans and asking for donations for his Seahawks takes, I'm going to keep pressing him on how little research or time he spends actually learning about football and the Seahawks. By his own admission, he barely pays attention to football in the offseason. He doesn't pause his Patreon or superchats though.
I’m with you re SHDB. The assessments of college players are (generally) clear-eyed,* but otherwise there’s a heavy dose of angst that can get comical. Staton is also thin-skinned and often full of himself. Still there’s good info there. He was all over Abe Lucas and rated Tariq Woolen as a second-rounder. I’ve got to respect that.
*Staton recently wrote with a straight face that he was completely objective when it came to Will Levis.
I will always remember how much Rob loved Johnny Manziel. Or Paxton Lynch. But also Abe Lucas! There's nothing wrong with loving a prospect and getting it wrong. We need to admit our faults!
This is a good take. He generally does a good job of scouting players, and he writes well. So, his takes on college players can be interesting. But he is very thin-skinned and arrogant. He also fancies himself as a great GM. He's not.
My excuse gone be I was in the bathroom every time. blockchain sports betting - something new, but I'm into it! Just made first bets! - https://tinyurl.com/3fbhv4ts
Fantastic quote, KenJoe - I laughed out loud, as youngsters abbreviate but don’t live out often enough,
(paraphrased) at the Merton quote you’ve tried to live by ever since you found it on BrainyQuote dot com six seconds ago!
Nice work … I’ll add two quotes I love:
“Pessimists sound smart, Optimists make money.” Nat Friedman?
and
“If you find yourself in a hole, first, stop digging.” Google tells me Will Rogers said that
He is a little ahead of himself on the Poll. what it should be, jumping to week 18 Vs. Rams... If we have our playoff seeding locked up and the Rams are tied with Denver. Do we let the Rams win to improve our Draft slot (Rams pick going to Detroit)
We (Seahawks) have no control over what happens with Denver. Therefore, we (the fans) need to only concern ourselves with winning each and every week. No need for even thinking about losing being a good thing for Draft position. I will watch the results of Broncos games and smile with every loss they take and give us better draft position while still enjoying watching my team win.
100%, Tabby!
Win! Win every time you can. Win this week, next week, next year, always. Well, except for that one time in game 8 of the 1992 season against the N.E. Patriates. Seattle won that game and eventually picked second in the 1993 draft behind the Pat's. We got the All-American from Notre Dame and they got some dork from Wazoo. It would have been better if the Seahawks lost that game and picked Drew Bledsoe as our QB for the next 17 years.
They could also have won the game, and still drafted Willie Roaf or Jerome Bettis and picked up Mark Brunell in a later round. We can probably play this game forever.
Off subject but I couldn't wait for the next QB survivor edition.
-Hooker is on the bench but is still a candidate to be selected by the Hawks. In fact, his injury improves the odds of Seattle selecting him since he'll likely drop a little bit in the draft ratings.
-Three events have given me a new perspective on quarterbacks Pete might select; watching Zach Wilson this weekend, reading an article on NFL kickers, and Geno Smith's success. Zach Wilson has a cannon but he has poor fundamentals which sabotages his ability to be consistent and perform under pressure. The article on NFL kickers stressed that while leg strength is enticing, consitency is job one. The path to consistency is performing the same kicking fundamentals every time whether it's in front of 60,000 screaming fans or in your bedroom at 3AM. Tiger Woods famously often awoke in the middle of the night and checked his fundamentals in a mirror. Finally, Geno is achieving greatness because of the soundness of his fundamentals. You might point out that Mahomes throws from weird arm angles and you're right but how many Mahomes are there and how likely are you to find one? Kyle Murray tries be Mahomes but his bad fundamentals have frequently betrayed him even with his extraordinary athleticism. The same is true for Lamar Jackson. Given similar levels of leadership and intelligence, show me the QB survivor who has the best, most consistent technique and that's who Pete will choose, not the most athletic guy with the biggest arm talent.
Yes, I have many thoughts piling up on QB Survivor. Thank you for these!
I'd fall over myself if the Seahawks could trade for Zach Wilson at a discount. Obviously I'm a huge fan but I can't say if he'll ever be able to put it all together. I just think the internet is doing its ole "pile on" song and dance again. Funny--where did that get Geno after two seasons with the Jets?
I read the kicking article. One thing I noticed is that the punter whom the article focused on the best in the college game at the tine wound up as a training camp cut who never made it to the pros. I guess that what was consistent in college was nowhere near good enough for the NFL.
There’s also a difference between fundamentals and measurables. Because of the money and emotion involved, we can forget that the college game is roughly the equivalent AA/AA.5 baseball. I look at a guy like Levis—whose measurables are supposed to be top-notch—and wonder why he doesn’t elevate his team even if the o-line and receivers suck. If he’s really the #1 pick as some argue, shouldn’t his fundamentals be good enough to lead a reasonably productive offense under any circumstances?
Yup, there are lots of really good kickers working and waiting for their chance and they have a long shelf life. Every team has one punter so opportunities are very limited.
I agree that measureables matter to the degree that you can make NFL throws but lots of guys qualify. It's the package that's hard to find. Michael Penix might be the most NFL ready QB in college. He's accurate, has a rocket arm, reads defenses well, shows poise, and is a leader. None of that matters if he can't withstand a hit from an NFL lineman. Levis is 6'3", 230 and KJ Jefferson is 6'3", 243. I think the potential for durability due to their size is a draw because these guys get hit a lot even with all the protections in place.
Double rec on this one, Dale.
Yeah, I'm going to give you props for redactions. In the modern age, to be honest I find a history of redactions to be the measure of reliability. It's you and Paul Krugman leading the pack!
Thank you, Andy!
This is the guy Nemhauser was wanting to respond to his poll.
https://twitter.com/JohnnyVenerable/status/1563380898258567169
https://youtu.be/arZdeg_fL-I
We Hawks fans, me included, are already way too wrapped up in rooting against Denver in a way that I don't believe entirely healthy. I say this based on my own personal obsession. The kind that can cause one to lose perspective and root for injuries. At some point one has to look in the mirror and ask, "Who am I? Who do I want to be?"
As for feeling no shame in saying one was wrong, I'm right there with you. I find it feels good to admit my errors.
hahaha
I find it nearly impossible to wish ill on Russell. I’d like what’s happening in Denver more if it were a 32nd-ranked defense holding back a powerful offense.
I don’t wish I’ll on Russ, but I’ve been wishing I’ll on the Broncos since the 70s and that will never change. They were my least favorite AFC West rival.
Don't wish him ill will but don't feel sorry for him either.
I don't have any ill will towards Russ but I did laugh out loud when Davante Adams found himself all alone by 20 yards to win the game yesterday.
Sunday wishlist in the following order...
1. Seahawks win
2. Broncos lose
3. FTR lose
If it wasn't for Denver's picks, I have a feeling that the Broncos would be our new favorite AFC team. Maybe that will even happen next year if our brains can handle the whiplash.
I wonder what percentage of fans are completely over Russ and his brand vs those who wish him and his new team the best in the future... after the draft ramifications.
For me, I justify my glee with the Broncos current woes by wishing for their long term success... starting next year.
I love the sentiment ... I'm firmly in the 'man, i feel kinda bad for Russ' camp. But we have 1st and 2nd round picks from Denver for next year, too. My God. Just thinking about that makes me go *ouch*. My God. They done got hosed. Robbed. Shanghai'd. Shamboneed. Enroned. Hamburglered. Anstrapated. (bucky)Dented.
I don't feel bad for Russ because he instigated his situation or should I say his ego instigated his situation. Plus he married to a beautiful woman and worth half-a-billion dollars. Maybe deflating his ego is the best thing that could happen to him.
I would add a Niners loss in there--I think the Rams are toasted (Ken would know since he manages the TST site). After the picks this year, for me Denver becomes irrelevant. Between the cap $$ tied up in Russ' contract and the lack of draft capital until 2024, Denver is likely to be bad for quite some time.
Tonight I am rooting for the Cardinals in Mexico. Vamos Cardenales!!
Oh but I did watch the game last night and the comeback by the Raiders to win in OT was... delicious! Russ actually played much better than he has been playing but another bone-headed decision to throw on that 3rd down, incomplete, to stop the clock when it would have been better to get down--exactly the kind of play that drove me crazy the last couple of years in Seattle.
The Broncos were let down by their D yesterday. How do you ever leave ADAMS that wide-open?
I also see the Broncos have released Mr. Fumbler today. He cost the Broncos points that may have been the difference also.
It’s a legit debate if you don’t have a life. Me, I’m going to root for the Seahawks to win and let the rest take care of itself.
Indeed- same here. I would point out the copy isn't going to write/sell itself when the analysis is one sentence. Unlike our host here who has interesting takes beyond a sentence long that more often than not make sense / and or are at least reasonable others out there have a harder time.
Even the people who would vote "I'll root for the higher draft pick..." Let's see what they have to say when it's tied in the fourth quarter. Internally, gutterally, we're all going to fall back into rooting to win. It's human!
Go Hawks!
The next article I want you to write is how long it takes new coaches to turn the team around. And for turnaround let's say make the playoffs because that is usually what ownership and fans want.
Broncos won their games before they traded Chubb. If you wanted to win games I think that was a mistake. If you are trying to tank, good move. Then again, tanking don't help them very much this year.
But it sure helps us!
Before I got into seaside joe this season my favorite Hawk commentators were Brian Hawkblogger and Rob SeahawksDraftBlog. They’re both really smart and often are right about things that professional Seahawks journalists miss. But they both tend to double down on bad takes far longer than they should. I suspect that social media fuels some of this, leading to creating “brands” rather than, you know, expressing an opinion. (Both remain leagues ahead of Ben Baldwin.)
The only time I ever rooted against the Seahawks was when they played the Jim Zorn-coached Redskins (now the WFT Whatevers). Zorn was my childhood hero and I literally was sick each week he coached because so many media folks mocked him. In that case I sided with the man who was Mr. Seahawk, for me. (I had to come to grips with the fact that he wasn’t a good head coach, no matter how much I wished it to be so.)
Thank you for your own honesty and transparency Kenneth.
I've met Jim Zorn and he's SO nice. Sad that his coaching career didn't get the chance it deserved.
Ditto. I used to follow the Seahawks Draft Blog but Joe is so much better. Also, Kenneth is a much nicer guy and yes, that matters.
I have the same history. I am inclined to give Brian a bit of a pass because he writes so poetically of the Seahawks when they win. By his own description he is a 'fanatic' when it comes to the Seahawks and that can blind one to the objective reality (if that is even possible to discern). What Brian is doing with that poll is exactly the reason why I deleted my Twitter account in favor of Counter Social: on Twitter you create a 'brand' by being outrageous--it is 'angertainment' and I just don't have space for that in my life any more.
Rob's analysis of draft candidates is far better than his takes on the Seahawks, and I have mostly stopped reading his blog because of that.
As long as Brian is taking money from his fans and asking for donations for his Seahawks takes, I'm going to keep pressing him on how little research or time he spends actually learning about football and the Seahawks. By his own admission, he barely pays attention to football in the offseason. He doesn't pause his Patreon or superchats though.
I’m with you re SHDB. The assessments of college players are (generally) clear-eyed,* but otherwise there’s a heavy dose of angst that can get comical. Staton is also thin-skinned and often full of himself. Still there’s good info there. He was all over Abe Lucas and rated Tariq Woolen as a second-rounder. I’ve got to respect that.
*Staton recently wrote with a straight face that he was completely objective when it came to Will Levis.
I will always remember how much Rob loved Johnny Manziel. Or Paxton Lynch. But also Abe Lucas! There's nothing wrong with loving a prospect and getting it wrong. We need to admit our faults!
That last sentence being the key.
This is a good take. He generally does a good job of scouting players, and he writes well. So, his takes on college players can be interesting. But he is very thin-skinned and arrogant. He also fancies himself as a great GM. He's not.
Rob was a proponent of trading Wilson for a couple years now. I thought he always made a good case.
Yeh, I just can't get past his ego.
Which is considerable.
These insights are super helpful and I will be able to use them to keep improving the newsletter. Thank you!
Exactly.
Just to suggest you read more Merton quotes. Love him
Thanks!