Seahawks fans, believe it! The Seahawks were in a Super Bowl! Of course, we all know what happened in Super Bowl 40. In case you forgot, Seattle was down 14-10 but driving deep in Steeler territory. Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck drops back to pass and hits then tight end Jeremy Stevens for a big gain down to the Steelers one yard line. The next play, Shaun Alexander goes in for the touchdown run. Seahawks goes up 17-14. Oh no, wait a minute, what am I thinking! More importantly, what are the referees thinking! The zebras call a holding call on the play. Up in the press booth John Madden calls the play a phantom holding call, questionable at best. Still the penalty holds up.

Now, Seattle has to pass to get a first down or maybe to get into field goal range. So on the next play, Hasselbeck drops back but throws an interception! To make matters worse on the run back, Hasselbeck blocks a steeler but the zebras say the hit was illegal. What? I know right! Pittsburgh has the ball around midfield now. Just when the Seahawks moral was at its lowest point, the Steelers set up a wide receiver pass to Hines Ward. Ball Game! 21-10 Steelers.

The only solice about the game was everybody knew Seattle got robbed of a fair game. Even steeler fans I know say they got lucky on those calls. I’ve learned to move on from the loss, but around Super Bowl Sunday the defeat still stings for me and I’d venture to say that is the case for most Seahawk fans (Photo Courtesy: Scott Eklund/SeattlePI).

Now to the big game on Sunday. Super Bowl 44: Indianapolis vs. Saints.

I have ties to both teams. I lived in Louisiana for about a year after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf. I have family and friends in Louisville, Kentucky who are Colts fans. That said, I have no stake in the game except I want to see a well played game. I think we’ll see that and more but I’ll take the Colts to beat the Saints in a shootout, 41-38. Drew Brees and Peyton Manning are great. Both defenses are about the same, opportunistic but vulnerable to great offenses. If Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney plays he probably won’t be as effective as he would if his ankle was healthy. This game is clearly a toss up game but in a close game, I trust Peyton Manning to get the job done just enough. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Colts blowout the Saints but not the other way around.  

I was looking at the 2010 NFC Pro-Bowl roster to see if any Seahawks made the team.

Yes, I know no Seahawks would be starters, but with the game one week before the Super Bowl, I thought maybe some other players from other teams would decline to play; paving the way for an alternate from Seattle to step in.

(photo courtesy: Sea Gals Facebook page)

Jon Ryan is the only Seahawk I thought maybe would make it and I was sure he would. But not even Ryan was on the NFC roster. Still Seattle fans need not worry. The team wasn’t totally snubbed!

Meet Amanda (on far left from photo above). She is a Sea Gal. She enjoys cooking, baking, traveling among others things (go to seahawks.com for her complete bio and more pics). She is also the Seahawks lone Pro Bowler. I’m genuinely happy for her but at the same time, saddened Amanda will be at the game alone. No! I’m not going to pile on the Seahawks here. Yes! I’m talking about the Sea Gals now!

That is what a horrible 5-11 season filled with a Puget Sound size load of empty positive talk and embarrassing losses has done to me. With that said, I never watch the Pro-Bowl game and wouldn’t even if a Seahawks player was there. The good part is 2009 is over.

Hello 2010! Pete Carroll and company will make several changes with the current roster soon. So much so, quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, Lofa Tatupu, and T.J. Houshmandzedah (and some others, I’m not crazy!) might make up a small core of players fans will recognize on the field next year. I can’t hardly wait to see what direction the organization goes in starting with free agency and the NFL draft. Whatever happens, my only hope is that the changes made eventually add up to more Seahawk wins and more pro-bowlers. If not, I’ll be scouting the Sea Gals roster once again next year with great intrigue to see which Gals are off to the all-star game.

I‘d Thank God for the opportunity but then, I’d meet with Head Coach Pete Carroll and CEO Todd Leweike to hammer out which players in the draft and free agency are worth adding to the team. Then decide which current players on the 2009 roster are worth keeping or letting go.

I’d realize the Seahawks already have a proven talent and leader at quarterback so I’d draft a frontline offensive lineman to protect Matt Hasselbeck with the 6th pick in the draft. I wouldn’t waste money in free agency for a lineman. They can just as easily be developed (See Rob Sims among others).

I’d target strong hitting safety Taylor Mays (USC) with the 14th pick and if he’s still there, take him. Jim Mora was right, the Seahawks need some dirtbags, hard hitters, Mays gives you that and more. If Mays isn’t there, I’d draft C.J. Spiller out of Clemson. The Seahawks need a playmaker at running back and Spiller can bring it.

If you take Spiller early, I’d take a quarterback who slips (Sam Bradford) in the second round. If a quarterback isn’t there and you draft Mays, I’d look at the next tier of running backs.

I’d trade two fourth round picks (2010 & 2011) to move up to the 3rd round and possible take Tim Tebow. If Tebow is not there, I’d draft another quarterback who drops in the draft because of injury concerns (i.e. Colt McCoy).

I’d ask wideout Deion Branch to restructure his contract given his lack of production and his uncanny ability to stay on the sidelines. If Branch does not agree, I’d trade or cut him. This would be hard because I like Branch. But its hard to bring him back given his lack of production this year (45 receptions for 437 yards and 2 TD’s) plus the last three seasons, after Seattle gave New England a number one draft pick for his services in 2006. I’d also ask running back Julius Jones the same thing I asked Branch. 

I’d keep running back Justin Forsett, but realize I need a stud running back via the draft or free agency and proceed accordingly based on who is available.

I’d sign a defensive back or trade for one that can team with Marcus Trufant or fill-in for him if he gets injured.

And Lastly, I’d thank Seneca Wallace for backing up Hasselbeck for all those years then tell him he is my new number four or five wide receiver and “wildcat” formation guy.

Every fan loves think how they would reshape their favorite team if they were in charge. Or in the Seahawks case, one of the guys that were making the decisions.

Normally, I don’t like to be that guy because frankly, who am I to say what the Seahawks should do or not do? I’m just a fan! Generally, I assume the people upstairs at every franchise is the right fit, the right call, or else, why did they get the job to begin with. Time determines if people hired are duds anyway.

But just for fun, Those are just some of the moves I’d make if I was the Seahawks general manager.

Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys go up against the powerful Minnesota Vikings offense in Adrian Peterson and Brett Favre this afternoon; and it is clearly “unclear” what the outcome may be.  Romo grew up watching Favre’s every movement with the Packers throughout the 90’s and will now stand across the sideline from Favre watching him go at it again with yet another team.  Favre has been an icon in the NFL for years now; and to some, he still is the best in the game.  An “American Idol” to some.  This is why I see it quite fitting that Favre faces a young gun in Romo that looked up to him for so long.  Will Favre keep the dream year going?  Or will Romo take over as the next dominant quarterback in the NFL?

Both of these offenses are capable of throwing up points left and right at any point in time.  The Cowboys have a three headed monster at the running back position with Barber, Jones and Choice while the Vikings have the man they call “AP”, Adrian Peterson, who can run over the best of defenses.  Although Peterson does plenty of damage, the monster Dallas has in the backfield is best in the stat column in RYG with 135.4 while the Vikings put up 119.9 RYG.  Both offenses go up against tough running defenses with Demarcus Ware and the Cowboys giving up only 15.5 PPG and 88.5 RYG while Jared Allen and the Vikings are giving up 19.5 PPG and 87.1 RYG.  Passing yards are so similar that there is only a 6 yard difference with Romo and Dallas throwing for 265.6 PYG while Favre and the Vikings throw for 259.8 on average.  You can run down the list and everything is so close, to some it’s a coin flip decision on who to pick.  Dallas has 400 yards of total offense per game compared to Minnesota’s 380.  The Dallas defense gives up 229.4 PYG and 317.9 total yards per game compared to Minnesota’s 218.4 and 305.5.

This is why it is so difficult to many on how to pick a winner.  So what will the deciding factor be in the game?  It could be one player; or maybe an entire line.  Miles Austin, Felix Jones, Marion Barber, Jason Witten, and (Cowboys fans crossing fingers) Roy Williams may change the game for the Cowboys along with Romo.  Sidney Rice, Percy Harvin, Vishanthe Shiancoe, and Jared Allen could be a deciding factor on the Vikings side along with Favre and Peterson.  One huge factor could be Shaun Shuisam for the Dallas Cowboys.  Dallas had problems with kicking early in the season.  How do you resolve this?  Bring in a another kicker; with problems kicking.  With kicking so important and lacking in the Cowboys game, I feel like the kicking game will come into play.  Penalites could kill the Cowboys as well.  They were lucky it didn’t affect them in the Eagles game last week, but it will only be a matter of time till that problem catches up with them.  So who will win the game?  I’ll leave that up to the fans.  What do you think the final will be to this shootout?

I figured there would be a flurry of changes in Seattle after their unforgettable 5-11 season; so far, so good! Locking up Pete Carroll sends a clear message to the fans that owner Paul Allen will do anything it takes to make the Seahawks a winner. Before the Carroll signing, that has always seemed to be the case; but this drives that point home. Enter Carroll, who signed a five year, 30 (plus) million dollar deal to lead the organization back to the playoffs (Photo Courtesy: Ted Warren/AP).

Carroll is bringing his offensive coordinator from USC, Jeremy Bates to Seattle. Plus, Ken Norton Jr. is making the trip up to Seattle as the new Linebackers coach after his time with Carroll at USC. And, Carroll recently hired Houston Texans assistant coach and two-time Super Bowl winner Alex Gibbs to help rework the offensive line among other staff moves.

I was impressed by his sense of purpose and mission to turn Seattle around after listening to Carroll at his introductory news conference on Tuesday (yes, I know every coach says they are ready to turn the team around). Carroll said he was “fired up” and acknowledged there are many challenges he faces as the new boss. Granted, all coaches sound great when they first walk in the door, like Mora last year. It is clear the 58 year-old wants to show the world he can be a successful NFL coach.  Most of his critics say he hasn’t proved anything as an NFL coach with a just above average career winning mark (33-31). But the critics were saying the same thing about Carroll when he took over the USC program. Carroll amassed a 97-19 record and won two national championships. 

Like any new hire, Carroll is a gamble but unlike most, the new Seahawks coach has plenty of experience and he also has the desire to prove everybody wrong; that can only mean good things for the Seahawks. If nothing else, the hiring of Carroll brings the excitement back to the Seahawks; the same excitement that has been missing since 2005. That all being said Seattle fans, I like the move more and more each day. Bring on the next waves of moves as the organization continues the rebuilding process!

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Good Luck and Go Cowboys!

Jim Mora is out as Seahawks coach. The coach who led Seattle through a dismal 5-11 got his pink slip on Friday. Now (reportedly), It appears Pete Carroll will be the next Head Coach of the Seahawks. Carroll has a few national championships to his name, but his pro coaching career is just above average (33-31). I’m always skeptical when an NFL team hires a college coach without any pro coaching experience, but that is not the case here.

I’ve read several blogs and apparently the 12th Man is happy that Mora was given the ax. Mora. Just last year, that was not the case. It is amazing how much can happen in one season. It is a sign Seattle fans and the organization from top to bottom are tired of a loser and want to root for a winner. I feel the same way, but at the same time, I’m all for giving somebody more then one year. Good thing I’m not running the Seahawks right?

At first, I was shocked Seattle fired Mora, but realized the new general manager probably would have fired the coach once he or she was on the job. So really, even Mora probably knew his days were numbered. The firing of Mora is just one of several moves the team is expected to make this off-season.

Some fans think that maybe it’s time Seattle makes a change at quarterback. That is crazy talk. Yes, Matthew Hasselbeck struggled this year. For every touchdown the three-time pro bowler threw (17), an interception was thrown. Hasselbeck’s back was an issue and the “franchise” isn’t getting any younger. I’d counter those arguements by saying the offensive line was horrible and the Seahawks had no running game that would have certainly helped the quarterback. Plus, there are plenty of  quarterbacks over the age of 34 doing well. Kurt Warner (Cardinals), Brett Favre (Vikings), Rich Gannon (Former Raiders QB) are just a few that come to mind. Why? Part of the reason is because each of those signal callers had talent around them the Seahawks didn’t have this year.

Mark it down, if you start over with a new quarterback, expect to pick high in the draft again in 2011. Yes, I know Mark Sanchez (Jets), Matt Ryan (Falcons), and Joe Flacco (Ravens) bucked that trend. But all three had plenty of talent on defense and around the young gunslingers to make up for their struggles. Seattle has too many holes to fill to think they can gamble with a rookie quarterback and expect a winning season next year.

Seattle probably wants to forget about December of 2009; I know I do! The month started off good for the blue and green. Seattle beat the 49ers on December 6th 20-17 at Qwest Field.

One week later things went from good to bad in Houston. The only reward the Seahawks received from the trip was a huge game by stud Andre Johnson and quarterback Matt Shaub; 34-7 Texans (Photo courtesy: Johnathan Daniel/Getty Images).

But atleast after the Houston no-show, the team had a chance at redemption with the then 1-12 Tampa Bay Bucs coming to town December 20th. Not so much! In another head scratcher Seattle laid an egg 24-7 to one of the worst teams in the league.The Bucs loss was ugly, then when you thought things couldn’t get any uglier, it did.

December 27th Lambeau Field. Seattle played the Green Bay Packers in a game that featured two teams going in different directions. The Packers are off to the playoffs; Seattle is headed home. You know what happened! The Aaron Rodgers led Packers torched the Hawks defense over a chest nut roasted open fire. When it was all over Seattle came back to the Great Northwest licking their wounds after yet another embarrassing loss 48-10. In Seattle’s last three games they’ve mustered only 24 points!

Seattle closes out the 2009 campaign against the dangerous Tennessee Titans but I can’t see anything else but another loss for Seattle because of one man; Titans stud running back Chris Johnson! The former first round pick is a mere 128 yards from the 2,000 yard mark for a season. He shouldn’t have any trouble running for 128 yards against the Seahawks defense.

The Hawks always seem to be kind to running backs; and this season they are giving up a 4.2 average per carry and have surrendered 15 rushing touchdowns. Plus, if Johnson gets greedy, in a game with no playoff implications for both teams, and rushes for 234 yards; he’ll break the all-time NFL record set by Eric Dickerson for total rushing yards in a season.

It wouldn’t be the first time Seattle can say they’ve been apart of a NFL rushing record; albeit on the opposite end of the spectrum. In October of 2002, Seattle beat the Cowboys 17-14 but in the process gave up an 11-yard run by Dallas great Emmitt Smith that made him the NFL’s new all-time leading rusher. We’ll see how much the Titans want to use Johnson but I have a feeling Tennessee is going to feed him the rock to give him a shot at making history.

Prediction: Titans 31, Seahawks 20.

I am not a very religious man. I went to a private Jewish school through eighth grade. At thirteen, as is Jewish tradition, I was bar-mitzvahed, thus becoming a man in the eyes of my religion. Since then, my relationship with the Big Guy (or Gal) has mostly been via sports.

I just finished a great book called The Spartacus War by Barry Strauss (aside: If you ever want a perfect example on how to write then read this book. Really, it is worth its price just to have the honor of reading the man’s prose. No wasted words and he paints an incredibly vivid picture of a story that leaves behind murky evidence at best.) In it, he writes of the various societies’ and tribes’ relationships with the different gods. Often, warriors would make sacrifices to the gods and look for signs before battle that might hint towards the outcome of the day. My religious tendencies are analogous to these warriors. Except instead of sacrificing animals I fold my towels a certain way and instead of checking my chicken coop to see if they are vibrantly eating I check my RSS feed to see the opinions of many writers (usually hoping they are picking against my team…It’s weird, I know). And the big difference: I do not do these things for personal glory on the battlefield - I do them hoping the football gods will lead the Giants to victory on Sundays.

Now, to many people I may seem clinically insane. But I know there is some outside force that controls these things. My affirmation came on December 13, 1998. The Giants were playing the previously undefeated Denver Broncos. The 5-8 Big Blue stood little chance against the 13-0 team from the Mile High City. Until something very small, but very important happened. December thirteenth is also my birthday and 1998 was the rare year I could have my birthday party on my actual birthday. I still remember that day at the local Y, a sports themed party where first we played football and basketball before eating pizza and cake. And with a cake comes candles, and with candles come a wish. My just turned eleven year old self - always the diehard sports fan - had one wish and one wish only: a Giants’ victory. (Another aside: Not to toot my own horn - ok, maybe to toot my own horn just a bit - but what devotion for an eleven year old kid who could wish for anything from a new SEGA game to world peace, to instead wish for a team with no playoff hopes to beat a team that probably had clinched a bye and home field advantage already. That is a true fan.)

What happened that day? As Ralph Vacchiano wrote two years ago when reminiscing about that game,

But Graham, out of nowhere, outdueled John Elway, playing the game of his life as he completed 21 of 33 passes for 265 yards. And with Giants trailing in the final minutes, Graham engineered an Elway-like drive, marching the Giants 86 yards to set up a game-winning 37-yard touchdown pass to Toomer with 48 seconds remaining.

The Giants won and an eleven year old kid was given a reason to have faith. To this day I have that faith. While I do not get birthday wishes every Sunday, I do my part not to upset the gods. I avoid stepping on cracks on the street, if any female watches with me they must sit in a certain seat on the couch (last aside: The role of woman as religious figures throughout history is incredibly interesting.), and certain jerseys are worn on certain days until proven ineffective. Some may call this superstition, but I believe it is where religion and fandom meet.

Now more than ever is the time where Giants fans must keep the football gods happy. Needing two victories in their final two games, and at least one loss from either the Packers or the Cowboys (Really, New Orleans…sticking to the theme, the Saints of all teams keep the Giants needing help.). Have the Giants shown any consistency at all this year to make me believe they can hold up their end of the bargain? No. Do I have any hope that Seattle, a team who just lost to Tampa by 17, will beat Green Bay or Washington, a team whose coach has literally given up, will beat Dallas this weekend? No. So my hopes reside in Week 17. The Giants must beat a Minnesota team fighting for a playoff bye, while Green Bay must lose to Arizona or Dallas must fall to Philly.

Possible? Very.

Probable? Not so much.

This is why we must keep faith.

Before the Bears faced the Ravens on Sunday, a game which ended up being their fourth loss by 20 or more points, Jerry Angelo held a press conference discussing the state of the team.  All the conference really showed was how Angelo is just as frustrated with how the Bears are playing as the rest of us.  He essentially sidestepped answering the majority of the questions he received, most of which centered on the coaching staff, especially Lovie Smith.  Two things he did answer on that subject were that neither money nor the amount of available high quality head-coaching candidates would factor into the decision regarding Lovie’s job.  Yeah, right.  That may be true to some extent, but Chicago hasn’t exactly been Mr. Moneybags when it comes to spending, whether on coaching or free agents.  Furthermore, it has to be impossible to evaluate Lovie’s job without wondering if one of the several available coaches could do a better job at improving the team than he could.  No offense to Lovie, but that’s just how things are this year.  A lot of Angelo’s answers in the press conference were about evaluating the team and the coaching staff.  He also said those evaluations would be done with Lovie, but he would not confirm that Lovie would be the head coach next year.  While Lovie says he isn’t worried about his job, I would bet that he would feel a lot better if the Bears won on Sunday, or at least played a good game. 

The weird thing about this press conference wasn’t necessarily how Angelo answered the press’ questions; it was how he held the press conference before a game.  He has answered questions before in this way, especially at the end of the year.  It’s always about evaluating the staff and players and discussing those things with his head coach.  However, he never held a press conference-at least during Lovie’s tenure-to say those things.  It seems clear he was trying to send a message to the team, saying:  “You need to play well and finish the season strong or we’re going to have some changes around here.”  Conversely, it was also a message to the rest of the league, especially to the available coaching candidates, saying:  “If our team continues to play poorly, we will be looking to get someone in here who will help them win.”  This is good timing on Angelo if that is the case as there was much talk over the weekend about Mike Shanahan possibly becoming the Redskins coach and Mike Holmgren possibly becoming the football czar of the Browns.  This is also where the money quote comes in well, as it could mean Chicago will be willing to pay the price to get one of the top coaching candidates.  Things do not appear to be in Lovie’s favor, and thus he will most likely need to not only have the Bears be competitive the next two weeks against the Vikings and Lions, but also have them win, particularly due to their loss to the Ravens.