Ah, the Drama of it all. I have enough drama in my own life. Spending time fussing over a young man intentionally intoxicated with fame and wealth is not high on my list of things to do today. We will do well to circle back to the original appeal our Football holds for developing the primal urges of our boys and young men. The thrill and pride it vicariously lends to their Fathers, as they watch their boys learn to channel these passions into a productive life, using THE RULES laid down by trial and error. The girls notice and become wives. The Community notices and builds opportunities born by a sense of unifying with your neighbors. We graduate strong men and find associations among the same, going on to becoming wise in our judicious behaviors. It is good and right one of us exceeds all expectations and goes on to national fame, but let's remind them of what is truly important: Family. Community. Children. My hero is Tyler Lockett, finding a trade before his elite athleticism leaves him. While I can not afford even the tickets to a Seahawk's game, I can show up for my local high school kids learning the basics of growing up healthy and wise. Football in the Fall, Baseball in the spring. I thank my fathers and grandfathers for designing a uniquely American effort teaching us so much. I pray we are wise enough to identify what it is which could destroy it all. I suspect forgetting what it is all about is high on the list. Corporate mentalities remembering their humanity and adjusting accordingly. And possibly (not likely) Officials realizing why they are on the field in the first place. Okay, that last one is a joke...
Kenneth I agree with everything you said except “If you merely changed out Geno Smith for Wilson on the Seahawks this season, I’m not sure that Seattle wouldn’t be in contention for the division title and the number one seed in the NFC.”
I don’t believe the Seahawks would be better with Russ because they cannot run the ball and are dependent on getting the ball out quickly in the passing game. Wilson would be a terrible fit. Geno / Lock have been sacked 35 times despite facing a league leading pressure rate. Wilson has been sacked 45 times behind Denver’s far better offensive line. What would the number in Seattle be if Russ was the QB 55 - 60?
Yes Russ has not thrown interceptions this year but he has 10 fumbles. Again behind better protection. So protecting the ball is not improved. Fumbling away a game is not better than throwing an interception.
The key to Denver’s mid season turnaround- running the ball, combined with swinging passes and screens. Seattle does not do any of those things well. It stopped working because teams adjust.
Implicit in the comment is that Shaun Payton is an idiot who doesn’t care about winning. It is going to cost Denver 85 million in cap space to cut Wilson and they still have to find a QB. They will spread that out over the next two years but it is going to be bleak in Denver.
If Russ is actually even a mid level starter never mind the top 10 QB who would vault the Seahawks to playing for the number 1 seed - cutting him makes no sense. Because they don’t have a bad roster and with above average qb pay could easily win the division. Kansas City is not what they used to be and the AFC West maybe one of the weakest divisions top to bottom in the NFL. Despite a division that appears to be winnable. By cutting Russ, the Broncos are in effect saying count us out for the next couple years while we rebuild.
The greatest redemption story in the world would be a humbled Wilson returns to Seattle and leads the Seahawks back to the promised land. I don’t think that story has a chance not because of egos, but because the Seahawks knew what the rest of the league ignored (well at least Denver ignored) Running QBs don’t gradually decline- they fall off a cliff. Geno is likely not the ultimate answer because he doesn’t do anything special but he is still a starter in the league because of what he can do. (Throw accurately to all levels of the field with average NFL anticipation). Despite the stats, Russ is no longer special and I doubt he will be a starter next year because without his super he can be shutdown by controlling the sight lanes.
Yeah ... that was ... a bit odd. Not sure why he thinks Russ would be an upgrade let alone lead the team to a division/conference title.
I think geno is better than Russ today. He is a significantly better pocket passer. Russ is best scrambling around and improvising but he has lost a step as you say.
Maybe someone will take a shot on him with a vet league min salary but I can’t see much more than that.
Let me defend PFN. Their article following the trade was reasonable, balanced, and given what the knowledgeable public could muster at the time, spot on: the Broncos landed a star, the Seahawks got a lot of value in return. That was my feeling at the time too (I'd just switch the grades, A for the Seahawks, B+ for the Broncos).
If Wilson panned out (and he still beat the 49ers last year, and both Chiefs and Bills this year), that would be it. Unfortunately for Russ, that was not the case.
I know there are many other opinions about it but this my friends is the beauty of the salary cap.
You can't just build a super team and give every player a premium contract because then your team suffers a lot and your season has to be perfect with no injuries or anything else and we all know how possible that is.
If i just compare it to Soccer Football in my opinion it is just great. In Germany Bayern Munich is 11 times Champions in a row and this season is special already because Bayer Leverkusen is playing lights out and held Bayern away from 1st place since the start of the season. But I strongly believe at the end of the season the probability for Leverkusen as Champions is just way lower than Bayern.
Won't happen in the NFL.
I disliked Brady a lot sometimes, but he just did everything right. Respect for this Guy is as great as it can get.
The best nfl team ever would be one with superstars getting payed like top 10-20 players.
I don’t think Wilson will be paid like a top ten QB. Cam Newton wasn’t and Russ won’t be either. Wilson’s legs not his arm made him a top ten qb. General managers don’t just read stats they watch tape. Payton adjusted the offense to Russ and then defenses adjusted and that was that. Russ can only play one way and the NFL can stop it.
It only takes 1 team / GM, to offer a top 10 contract. The teams currently being mentioned as landing spots are Raiders, Patriots, Steelers, Commanders, Falcons, Vikings.
The Vikings appear to be the only team that seems close to being a contender, and u think they would rather roll with Cousins.
If Russell is serious about / cares more about winning a championship (vs. $) then he would be wise to take a discount knowing he could join a contending team because the broncos are paying his 2024 salary ($39M?).
With that in mind I was wondering how y’all would feel about RW returning if it was on an affordable contract? Do y’all think he would make the team better?
RW3 was (and is) very accurate, with a very good long ball (the moon ball in particular). I always thought he had trouble working the middle of the field, probably due to height. Not a particularly fast trigger, IMHO, and not typically as good with the short ball.
The long ball takes longer to develop, though. He used to buy time by scrambling, which also opened up ground yardage for him. He did it well, and the mere potential of it caused defenses to play him carefully. That, in turn, opened up more opportunities - and he was pretty good at improvising to take advantage of them.
That entire style of play has left him now, except for the occasional glimmer. I always worried that his ego would cloud his judgment in the heat of the moment. Watching him now makes me suspect that his ego has completely possessed him.
Getting old sucks. It has only the one thing going for it: it beats the alternative.
Great write up. What a fascinating career. Could’ve even started with the draft! And subsequently winning the starting job.
I was on the RW side around 2017-2019 period. I admit, I was wrong. I think I was influenced by Ben Baldwin and others. But I think after Aaron Rodgers crushed Baldwin I think I even led out and eventually switched. I was on board with the trade and reinvigorated by it.
When the negative articles came out. And I saw everyone dancing on Pete’s grave. Additionally, trashing Drew Lock and Geno Smith. I couldn’t take it - so I turned to the sports books and had the biggest year I’ve ever had.
Why some people thought they were smarter than Pete Carroll? Is beyond me.
But the Seahawks are always at their best when the talking heads don’t like them and give them bad grades. Did the Seahawks find a market inefficiency with Geno and Lock? I love the chance because other teams don’t do it.
You should never delete a Kinks song! Fun fact, my older sister and I loved the Kinks and our Mom wouldn't let us go to their concert because she didn't like their name.
Thanks for the reminders from the so called pundits/experts and the trade grade. Even before the picks were made I thought it was a great deal for us. Youth, multiple players, less salary paid out (took an extra year for that last). Now if those picks can grow up more (Cross please be a top 10) then clearly we are “winning” the trade.
I loved watching Russ in his early Seahawks years. He was competent, entertaining, and had that “it” factor killer instinct, refuse to lose mentality. I suspect some of that came from huge confidence in his own abilities and a chip on his shoulder from being undervalued due to his height.
Whatever it was, he used that attitude to bring the greatest decade in Seahawks history.
Unfortunately, in true Greek tragedy tradition, he let his success feed his own ego and diminished the assistance provided by his teammates. This led to turmoil in Hawk land and the eventual trade to Denver where his hubris led to his undoing.
I don’t think he ever realized how much PC was protecting him from himself. Once he lost his shield and worked with other coaches his weaknesses were magnified while his strengths diminished.
I can’t bring myself to pity him since he is about $200 million richer than me, has Ciara, a SB ring etc. But it is sad to see a player who was arguably the most popular athlete in Seattle history brought so low so quickly.
He might still have a successful third act somewhere as his stats this year aren’t bad, but it will never be what it could have been.
"I don’t think he ever realized how much PC was protecting him from himself. "
If I believe what I saw on "Season of Boom" (I think that's what it was called) and on KJW's podcast, then PC was also protecting RW3 from the ire of his teammates back in the day. Especially the defense.
Back in the day, my take on it was that RW3 had a fragile ego - or was, at least, perceived that way.
I’ve always felt there was a huge difference pre-Ciara and post-Ciara. I’m not hating on or blaming her, but RW definitely became more image / brand conscious after they became a couple.
Until one of these trade away teams wins the superbowl, the league won't pay attention. Right now the working methods are, A) Have Pat Mahomes (Chiefs 2 rings), B) Have vet "franchise" QB with stacked teams around them (Rams, Buccs, Broncos), C) Have Tom Brady (Buccs, Pats all the rings), D) Have rookie QB playing at high level surrounded with talent (Eagles, Seahawks). That covers off the last decade of Superbowls.
The 'trade franchise QB and rebuild' strategy is producing improvements for some teams currently. But none of them have won it. As of yet, none have even made the big game. I'd love to see it happen and shake up the NFL structure but I also can't see a team like the 'Hawks or Lions or Packers doing it. Not until they reset with a rookie QB, at which point they are just back to Option D teams. So yeah, please PC/JS draft a rookie QB and surround them with talent, it's our best route back to the superbowl.
I think the reason the Hawks are struggling under the "Trade the Franchise QB" scenario is because they're still saddled with some really bad contracts (Diggs, Adams, Lockett?) that hasn't allowed them pursue young free agents.
Step 2: Build non-QB positions over "a while" (draft, leavened with veteran FA's).
Step 3, Option A: Maintain non-QB positions until struck by lightning (you get lucky with a rookie QB). Win some stuff, visit QB cap hell, loop back to Step 1 (mitigate Step 4 as best able).
Step 3, Option B: Mortgage the future to add missing pieces for "a while".
Step 4: Collapse for "a while". Bottom feed. Exit loop. Do not pass Go, do not collect $200.
Just added more Seahawk futures today NFC champs 30-1 (added rams too)
Imo, the two best coaches and QBs in conference. Offensive line playing better. If the defense can just be average or maybe get some turnover luck. I like our chances. I’ll take a 30-1 shot.
I find it a shame about Wilson. I think it’s fair to say that all hawks fans loved him when he was with us (except maybe some towards the end). He was great with us, and it’s sad to see him dropped.
However, no player can stay at the top forever and it takes a special player to stay there more than a couple of years. These contracts that increase year after year are ridiculous. I’ve said it before in these posts long ago, and I know there’s people out there that don’t agree, but payments to these players for chasing a ball around is obscene. What ever happened to be proud to play for the gersey? Why is it never enough for these players, or to put it another way, how much is enough? One seasons pay to a QB would be enough to for anyone to retire comfortably, or at least end their careers comfortably. It can’t go on like it has been forever. Something’s gotta give - and I hope it’s greed that does.
When owners keep giving into these monetary demands at such a high level then there will never be "enough" due to the players egos and their equating money with respect.
There are numerous revenue sources. Networks pay to get the rights for broadcasting, the military pays a lot to get to recruit through their involvement on the field, advertisers inside the stadium, food vendors, etc.
I respectfully beg to differ in a single respect only: everything on your list is a middle...
...dang...can we still use the term "middleman"? My daughter will whup me madly about my head and shoulders if she finds out! Except she loves the show "Middleman"! I am safe!
...middleman. The "revenue sources" you listed ultimately extract money from the fan base or from the advertisers' audience. Or, in the (valid-but-I-didn't-think-of-it-before-you-mentioned-it) case of the military, the tax payer.
Wasn't trying to convince you of anything. Just trying to accurately source the problem...philosophically simple to fix. Everybody stop buying tickets, stop watching football games (or at least stop buying anything advertised therein). Market collapses, exorbitant salaries come down. (Side effect: makes Ken get a real job.)
Not really "supply and demand". Just "demand" coupled with willingness to pay. P.T. Barnum understood it...
At one level Dale I completely agree. I can't relate to "earning" a quarter of a billion dollars over a 5 year contract.
On the other hand, the NFL is a money machine that generates enormous sums for the owners, and the product on the field is the players performing, so shouldn't they get most of the rewards?
What the NFL really needs, along with the cap,:
1. a revenue sharing agreement between players and the league
2. caps on the value of the top 3 (or 5?) contracts for any team as a % of the team''s overall cap
3. guaranteed contracts with no "void" years with cap relief only for injured players.
The average NFL player would benefit from these changes. Bona fide "elite" players would still get paid but any team could not afford more than 1 or 2 of those.
What I would be onboard would be an insurance pool so that injured players wouldn't count against the cap, and every contract would become guaranteed for injury.
Yes. I am sure that players have priavate insurance for injury but it would not be for their full contract amount. Having contracts fully insured for injury with the premiums built into contracts would make a ton of sense.
I agree with all of that Doug - sounds good. The money is just enormous, no matter who’s making it at the moment.
Caps or restrictions can work, but I’m not sure that some of these players would be happy about it. Maybe incentive payments could work better. ie. you only get paid extra when you succeed in certain things (though this also can have its issues). Maybe a combo of things. I don’t have the answers (obviously), but all I’m saying is that the money is way too much. I would much rather see it going to your first responders and the like.
We should care about the "average player" in the NFL. Now that college football has NIL that allows the college players to start getting paid (and actually incentivizes some players to stay in school and play rather than "graduate" to the NFL without finishing their education) the NFL needs to address the payment for players who have "average" careers (less than 4 years for the majority of players). The "rookie deals" should be higher at the bottom end particularly.
I don't begrudge the high salaries to athletes whose risk of injury is extremely high, and whose life after football is sometimes pain-filled and short. A better tax system for ALL high salary earners (and corporations!) without all the bogus deductions would result in a much fairer system for everyone also.
Until another great Brady comes along that cares more about winning than maximizing their income football dynasties are a thing of the past. You can't field 52 players with only 75% of your available salary cap, especially not consistently across multiple years... The current compensation for QBs is basically a death knell for any team that has to re-sign an elite one
I just heard today that Robert Kraft funneled money to TB ventures basically offsetting the “bargain” on the patriots books. I have not researched this, but thought it interesting to bring to this community to see if this was well known?
If that's true, it is a huge abuse of the rules, and the Patriots should face a huge penalty (loss of draft picks, stripping of SB bragging rights for the years that happened, reduced cap by the amount they funneled to TB ventures for a number of years until it's all paid off)
Yeah but with most things, there are loopholes I suppose. I couldn’t find much upon research on this topic (except for a Reddit thread on a conspiracy about belichick and Patricia doing some dark magic to swap consciousness’s) and let’s be honest, the nfl owners are in a club of their own.
Interesting it was the "TB12 Sports Therapy Center" which the patriots started contracting for their player therapy when a lot of other teams are paid by PT orgs for a chance to do the treatments and get exposure
An underlying theme...which is NOT the same as a "lying theme"...of several recent posts is that good players (including QB's) can be found later than the first round.
Over-simplifying, perhaps, but one (or both) of two things has to be true when that happens: either 1) the "finding team" got lucky or 2) the "finding team" out-scouted the opposition.
When you (Ken) get the time, I'd really like to hear your thoughts on how scouting works in the NFL, and how the teams differ. It seems to me that both the quality and quantity of scouting could be an important discriminator between teams, especially over the long term (especially because it is not subject to a salary cap).
Same people that scouted Trey Lance presumably scouted Brock Purdy, although there was a lot more at stake (and therefore more people running interference) on the decision to pick Lance than the decision to pick Purdy. Not sure that move had to be run by anybody.
If the Seahawks can do a good job of getting good players at other positions, it should at least increase the margin of error at finding the next quarterback.
Is it the same people? How do you know the owners didn't spank all those who scouted Lance, and send them packing? 'cause if it really IS all the same people, then...scouting might just be a crap-shoot, and drafting, too!
Ah, the Drama of it all. I have enough drama in my own life. Spending time fussing over a young man intentionally intoxicated with fame and wealth is not high on my list of things to do today. We will do well to circle back to the original appeal our Football holds for developing the primal urges of our boys and young men. The thrill and pride it vicariously lends to their Fathers, as they watch their boys learn to channel these passions into a productive life, using THE RULES laid down by trial and error. The girls notice and become wives. The Community notices and builds opportunities born by a sense of unifying with your neighbors. We graduate strong men and find associations among the same, going on to becoming wise in our judicious behaviors. It is good and right one of us exceeds all expectations and goes on to national fame, but let's remind them of what is truly important: Family. Community. Children. My hero is Tyler Lockett, finding a trade before his elite athleticism leaves him. While I can not afford even the tickets to a Seahawk's game, I can show up for my local high school kids learning the basics of growing up healthy and wise. Football in the Fall, Baseball in the spring. I thank my fathers and grandfathers for designing a uniquely American effort teaching us so much. I pray we are wise enough to identify what it is which could destroy it all. I suspect forgetting what it is all about is high on the list. Corporate mentalities remembering their humanity and adjusting accordingly. And possibly (not likely) Officials realizing why they are on the field in the first place. Okay, that last one is a joke...
Kenneth I agree with everything you said except “If you merely changed out Geno Smith for Wilson on the Seahawks this season, I’m not sure that Seattle wouldn’t be in contention for the division title and the number one seed in the NFC.”
I don’t believe the Seahawks would be better with Russ because they cannot run the ball and are dependent on getting the ball out quickly in the passing game. Wilson would be a terrible fit. Geno / Lock have been sacked 35 times despite facing a league leading pressure rate. Wilson has been sacked 45 times behind Denver’s far better offensive line. What would the number in Seattle be if Russ was the QB 55 - 60?
Yes Russ has not thrown interceptions this year but he has 10 fumbles. Again behind better protection. So protecting the ball is not improved. Fumbling away a game is not better than throwing an interception.
The key to Denver’s mid season turnaround- running the ball, combined with swinging passes and screens. Seattle does not do any of those things well. It stopped working because teams adjust.
Implicit in the comment is that Shaun Payton is an idiot who doesn’t care about winning. It is going to cost Denver 85 million in cap space to cut Wilson and they still have to find a QB. They will spread that out over the next two years but it is going to be bleak in Denver.
If Russ is actually even a mid level starter never mind the top 10 QB who would vault the Seahawks to playing for the number 1 seed - cutting him makes no sense. Because they don’t have a bad roster and with above average qb pay could easily win the division. Kansas City is not what they used to be and the AFC West maybe one of the weakest divisions top to bottom in the NFL. Despite a division that appears to be winnable. By cutting Russ, the Broncos are in effect saying count us out for the next couple years while we rebuild.
The greatest redemption story in the world would be a humbled Wilson returns to Seattle and leads the Seahawks back to the promised land. I don’t think that story has a chance not because of egos, but because the Seahawks knew what the rest of the league ignored (well at least Denver ignored) Running QBs don’t gradually decline- they fall off a cliff. Geno is likely not the ultimate answer because he doesn’t do anything special but he is still a starter in the league because of what he can do. (Throw accurately to all levels of the field with average NFL anticipation). Despite the stats, Russ is no longer special and I doubt he will be a starter next year because without his super he can be shutdown by controlling the sight lanes.
Yeah ... that was ... a bit odd. Not sure why he thinks Russ would be an upgrade let alone lead the team to a division/conference title.
I think geno is better than Russ today. He is a significantly better pocket passer. Russ is best scrambling around and improvising but he has lost a step as you say.
Maybe someone will take a shot on him with a vet league min salary but I can’t see much more than that.
Let me defend PFN. Their article following the trade was reasonable, balanced, and given what the knowledgeable public could muster at the time, spot on: the Broncos landed a star, the Seahawks got a lot of value in return. That was my feeling at the time too (I'd just switch the grades, A for the Seahawks, B+ for the Broncos).
If Wilson panned out (and he still beat the 49ers last year, and both Chiefs and Bills this year), that would be it. Unfortunately for Russ, that was not the case.
I know there are many other opinions about it but this my friends is the beauty of the salary cap.
You can't just build a super team and give every player a premium contract because then your team suffers a lot and your season has to be perfect with no injuries or anything else and we all know how possible that is.
If i just compare it to Soccer Football in my opinion it is just great. In Germany Bayern Munich is 11 times Champions in a row and this season is special already because Bayer Leverkusen is playing lights out and held Bayern away from 1st place since the start of the season. But I strongly believe at the end of the season the probability for Leverkusen as Champions is just way lower than Bayern.
Won't happen in the NFL.
I disliked Brady a lot sometimes, but he just did everything right. Respect for this Guy is as great as it can get.
The best nfl team ever would be one with superstars getting payed like top 10-20 players.
Won't happen in the NFL.
That tweet from MileHighRachel from just a month ago has sure aged well. /s
The opera ain't over 'til the...robust...person who presents as a birthing-capable human...sings.
Some old sayings don't age worth a darn.
I don’t think Wilson will be paid like a top ten QB. Cam Newton wasn’t and Russ won’t be either. Wilson’s legs not his arm made him a top ten qb. General managers don’t just read stats they watch tape. Payton adjusted the offense to Russ and then defenses adjusted and that was that. Russ can only play one way and the NFL can stop it.
It only takes 1 team / GM, to offer a top 10 contract. The teams currently being mentioned as landing spots are Raiders, Patriots, Steelers, Commanders, Falcons, Vikings.
The Vikings appear to be the only team that seems close to being a contender, and u think they would rather roll with Cousins.
If Russell is serious about / cares more about winning a championship (vs. $) then he would be wise to take a discount knowing he could join a contending team because the broncos are paying his 2024 salary ($39M?).
With that in mind I was wondering how y’all would feel about RW returning if it was on an affordable contract? Do y’all think he would make the team better?
Hard pass from me. Would rather stay with Geno.
Any money Russ makes will go to the Broncos to offset his guaranteed salary. Up to 37 million or something like that.
RW3 was (and is) very accurate, with a very good long ball (the moon ball in particular). I always thought he had trouble working the middle of the field, probably due to height. Not a particularly fast trigger, IMHO, and not typically as good with the short ball.
The long ball takes longer to develop, though. He used to buy time by scrambling, which also opened up ground yardage for him. He did it well, and the mere potential of it caused defenses to play him carefully. That, in turn, opened up more opportunities - and he was pretty good at improvising to take advantage of them.
That entire style of play has left him now, except for the occasional glimmer. I always worried that his ego would cloud his judgment in the heat of the moment. Watching him now makes me suspect that his ego has completely possessed him.
Getting old sucks. It has only the one thing going for it: it beats the alternative.
Great write up. What a fascinating career. Could’ve even started with the draft! And subsequently winning the starting job.
I was on the RW side around 2017-2019 period. I admit, I was wrong. I think I was influenced by Ben Baldwin and others. But I think after Aaron Rodgers crushed Baldwin I think I even led out and eventually switched. I was on board with the trade and reinvigorated by it.
When the negative articles came out. And I saw everyone dancing on Pete’s grave. Additionally, trashing Drew Lock and Geno Smith. I couldn’t take it - so I turned to the sports books and had the biggest year I’ve ever had.
Why some people thought they were smarter than Pete Carroll? Is beyond me.
But the Seahawks are always at their best when the talking heads don’t like them and give them bad grades. Did the Seahawks find a market inefficiency with Geno and Lock? I love the chance because other teams don’t do it.
Keep building the team Pete!
Go hawks,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7lhMDrxEZU
sorry. was gonna delete this, but the option to delete has vanished.
You should never delete a Kinks song! Fun fact, my older sister and I loved the Kinks and our Mom wouldn't let us go to their concert because she didn't like their name.
Who'll Be The Next In Line-The Kinks-1965
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7lhMDrxEZU
Thanks for the reminders from the so called pundits/experts and the trade grade. Even before the picks were made I thought it was a great deal for us. Youth, multiple players, less salary paid out (took an extra year for that last). Now if those picks can grow up more (Cross please be a top 10) then clearly we are “winning” the trade.
I loved watching Russ in his early Seahawks years. He was competent, entertaining, and had that “it” factor killer instinct, refuse to lose mentality. I suspect some of that came from huge confidence in his own abilities and a chip on his shoulder from being undervalued due to his height.
Whatever it was, he used that attitude to bring the greatest decade in Seahawks history.
Unfortunately, in true Greek tragedy tradition, he let his success feed his own ego and diminished the assistance provided by his teammates. This led to turmoil in Hawk land and the eventual trade to Denver where his hubris led to his undoing.
I don’t think he ever realized how much PC was protecting him from himself. Once he lost his shield and worked with other coaches his weaknesses were magnified while his strengths diminished.
I can’t bring myself to pity him since he is about $200 million richer than me, has Ciara, a SB ring etc. But it is sad to see a player who was arguably the most popular athlete in Seattle history brought so low so quickly.
He might still have a successful third act somewhere as his stats this year aren’t bad, but it will never be what it could have been.
"I don’t think he ever realized how much PC was protecting him from himself. "
If I believe what I saw on "Season of Boom" (I think that's what it was called) and on KJW's podcast, then PC was also protecting RW3 from the ire of his teammates back in the day. Especially the defense.
Back in the day, my take on it was that RW3 had a fragile ego - or was, at least, perceived that way.
I’ve always felt there was a huge difference pre-Ciara and post-Ciara. I’m not hating on or blaming her, but RW definitely became more image / brand conscious after they became a couple.
Amazing comment. Nail on the head.
The same things that made him great are the same things that tore him down.
Danny O’Neil correctly called him “Icarus” when he left for Denver.
Dear Kenneth, We have some new coinage here thanks to Bobric: “He is full of fan gas”!
Until one of these trade away teams wins the superbowl, the league won't pay attention. Right now the working methods are, A) Have Pat Mahomes (Chiefs 2 rings), B) Have vet "franchise" QB with stacked teams around them (Rams, Buccs, Broncos), C) Have Tom Brady (Buccs, Pats all the rings), D) Have rookie QB playing at high level surrounded with talent (Eagles, Seahawks). That covers off the last decade of Superbowls.
The 'trade franchise QB and rebuild' strategy is producing improvements for some teams currently. But none of them have won it. As of yet, none have even made the big game. I'd love to see it happen and shake up the NFL structure but I also can't see a team like the 'Hawks or Lions or Packers doing it. Not until they reset with a rookie QB, at which point they are just back to Option D teams. So yeah, please PC/JS draft a rookie QB and surround them with talent, it's our best route back to the superbowl.
I think the reason the Hawks are struggling under the "Trade the Franchise QB" scenario is because they're still saddled with some really bad contracts (Diggs, Adams, Lockett?) that hasn't allowed them pursue young free agents.
Step 1: Trade franchise QB for draft capital.
Step 2: Build non-QB positions over "a while" (draft, leavened with veteran FA's).
Step 3, Option A: Maintain non-QB positions until struck by lightning (you get lucky with a rookie QB). Win some stuff, visit QB cap hell, loop back to Step 1 (mitigate Step 4 as best able).
Step 3, Option B: Mortgage the future to add missing pieces for "a while".
Step 4: Collapse for "a while". Bottom feed. Exit loop. Do not pass Go, do not collect $200.
Find Bigger Fool, sell team.
Can you just imagine what would happen if the Hawks make the playoffs and improbably make it to the SB this year? What a story that would be.
Just added more Seahawk futures today NFC champs 30-1 (added rams too)
Imo, the two best coaches and QBs in conference. Offensive line playing better. If the defense can just be average or maybe get some turnover luck. I like our chances. I’ll take a 30-1 shot.
Bring on the Niners!
I find it a shame about Wilson. I think it’s fair to say that all hawks fans loved him when he was with us (except maybe some towards the end). He was great with us, and it’s sad to see him dropped.
However, no player can stay at the top forever and it takes a special player to stay there more than a couple of years. These contracts that increase year after year are ridiculous. I’ve said it before in these posts long ago, and I know there’s people out there that don’t agree, but payments to these players for chasing a ball around is obscene. What ever happened to be proud to play for the gersey? Why is it never enough for these players, or to put it another way, how much is enough? One seasons pay to a QB would be enough to for anyone to retire comfortably, or at least end their careers comfortably. It can’t go on like it has been forever. Something’s gotta give - and I hope it’s greed that does.
When owners keep giving into these monetary demands at such a high level then there will never be "enough" due to the players egos and their equating money with respect.
“There is no loyalty between a team and a player.” —Warren Sapp
I don’t fault any of these guys for pursuing the best deal they can get. I wouldn’t be any different.
You understand, I'm sure, that the ultimate source of all that cash is the consumer (fan base + the audience for the advertising).
That problem isn't "them"...that problem is "us".
There are numerous revenue sources. Networks pay to get the rights for broadcasting, the military pays a lot to get to recruit through their involvement on the field, advertisers inside the stadium, food vendors, etc.
That’s quite the stretch! You can apply that logic to absolutely everything and every billionaire. We all know money flows uphill.
I respectfully beg to differ in a single respect only: everything on your list is a middle...
...dang...can we still use the term "middleman"? My daughter will whup me madly about my head and shoulders if she finds out! Except she loves the show "Middleman"! I am safe!
...middleman. The "revenue sources" you listed ultimately extract money from the fan base or from the advertisers' audience. Or, in the (valid-but-I-didn't-think-of-it-before-you-mentioned-it) case of the military, the tax payer.
Yes, yes. Supply and demand and all that. It’s still too much money. You won’t convince me otherwise.
Wasn't trying to convince you of anything. Just trying to accurately source the problem...philosophically simple to fix. Everybody stop buying tickets, stop watching football games (or at least stop buying anything advertised therein). Market collapses, exorbitant salaries come down. (Side effect: makes Ken get a real job.)
Not really "supply and demand". Just "demand" coupled with willingness to pay. P.T. Barnum understood it...
At one level Dale I completely agree. I can't relate to "earning" a quarter of a billion dollars over a 5 year contract.
On the other hand, the NFL is a money machine that generates enormous sums for the owners, and the product on the field is the players performing, so shouldn't they get most of the rewards?
What the NFL really needs, along with the cap,:
1. a revenue sharing agreement between players and the league
2. caps on the value of the top 3 (or 5?) contracts for any team as a % of the team''s overall cap
3. guaranteed contracts with no "void" years with cap relief only for injured players.
The average NFL player would benefit from these changes. Bona fide "elite" players would still get paid but any team could not afford more than 1 or 2 of those.
What I would be onboard would be an insurance pool so that injured players wouldn't count against the cap, and every contract would become guaranteed for injury.
Yes. I am sure that players have priavate insurance for injury but it would not be for their full contract amount. Having contracts fully insured for injury with the premiums built into contracts would make a ton of sense.
I agree with all of that Doug - sounds good. The money is just enormous, no matter who’s making it at the moment.
Caps or restrictions can work, but I’m not sure that some of these players would be happy about it. Maybe incentive payments could work better. ie. you only get paid extra when you succeed in certain things (though this also can have its issues). Maybe a combo of things. I don’t have the answers (obviously), but all I’m saying is that the money is way too much. I would much rather see it going to your first responders and the like.
Again, I agree Dale!
We should care about the "average player" in the NFL. Now that college football has NIL that allows the college players to start getting paid (and actually incentivizes some players to stay in school and play rather than "graduate" to the NFL without finishing their education) the NFL needs to address the payment for players who have "average" careers (less than 4 years for the majority of players). The "rookie deals" should be higher at the bottom end particularly.
I don't begrudge the high salaries to athletes whose risk of injury is extremely high, and whose life after football is sometimes pain-filled and short. A better tax system for ALL high salary earners (and corporations!) without all the bogus deductions would result in a much fairer system for everyone also.
Until another great Brady comes along that cares more about winning than maximizing their income football dynasties are a thing of the past. You can't field 52 players with only 75% of your available salary cap, especially not consistently across multiple years... The current compensation for QBs is basically a death knell for any team that has to re-sign an elite one
I just heard today that Robert Kraft funneled money to TB ventures basically offsetting the “bargain” on the patriots books. I have not researched this, but thought it interesting to bring to this community to see if this was well known?
If that's true, it is a huge abuse of the rules, and the Patriots should face a huge penalty (loss of draft picks, stripping of SB bragging rights for the years that happened, reduced cap by the amount they funneled to TB ventures for a number of years until it's all paid off)
Yeah but with most things, there are loopholes I suppose. I couldn’t find much upon research on this topic (except for a Reddit thread on a conspiracy about belichick and Patricia doing some dark magic to swap consciousness’s) and let’s be honest, the nfl owners are in a club of their own.
Interesting it was the "TB12 Sports Therapy Center" which the patriots started contracting for their player therapy when a lot of other teams are paid by PT orgs for a chance to do the treatments and get exposure
Yep, CBS Sports had an article - https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/report-patriots-pay-a-brady-owned-company-run-by-suspect-partner/
An underlying theme...which is NOT the same as a "lying theme"...of several recent posts is that good players (including QB's) can be found later than the first round.
Over-simplifying, perhaps, but one (or both) of two things has to be true when that happens: either 1) the "finding team" got lucky or 2) the "finding team" out-scouted the opposition.
When you (Ken) get the time, I'd really like to hear your thoughts on how scouting works in the NFL, and how the teams differ. It seems to me that both the quality and quantity of scouting could be an important discriminator between teams, especially over the long term (especially because it is not subject to a salary cap).
Same people that scouted Trey Lance presumably scouted Brock Purdy, although there was a lot more at stake (and therefore more people running interference) on the decision to pick Lance than the decision to pick Purdy. Not sure that move had to be run by anybody.
If the Seahawks can do a good job of getting good players at other positions, it should at least increase the margin of error at finding the next quarterback.
Is it the same people? How do you know the owners didn't spank all those who scouted Lance, and send them packing? 'cause if it really IS all the same people, then...scouting might just be a crap-shoot, and drafting, too!
+1 that would be a super interesting off season article