Seahawks News Thread

[savage]

The NFL released its 2010 schedule on Tuesday and the Seattle Seahawks host NFC West rival San Francisco 49ers in their regular-season opener on Sept. 12 at Qwest Field.

The Seahawks got shut out of national television broadcasts with no Sunday or Monday night appearances for a second straight year, the first time Seattle has gone back-to-back with no prime time since the 1982-83 seasons.

The schedule includes four road outings among the first six games, but ends the opposite way with four of the final six at Qwest. Among the road treks is a Nov. 21 date at the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints.

Here's the full 2010 schedule:

Preseason
Saturday Aug. 14 Tennessee Titans 7 p.m. KING 5
Saturday Aug. 21 Green Bay Packers 7 p.m. KING 5
Saturday Aug. 28 at Minnesota Vikings 5 p.m. KING 5
Thursday Sept. 2 at Oakland Raiders 7 p.m. KING 5

Regular Season
Sunday Sept. 12 San Francisco 49ers 1:15 p.m. FOX
Sunday Sept. 19 at Denver Broncos 1:05 p.m. FOX
Sunday Sept. 26 San Diego Chargers 1:15 p.m. CBS
Sunday Oct. 3 at St. Louis Rams 10 a.m. FOX
Sunday Oct. 10 Bye Week
Sunday Oct. 17 at Chicago Bears 10 a.m. FOX
Sunday Oct. 24 Arizona Cardinals 1:05 p.m. FOX
Sunday Oct. 31 at Oakland Raiders 1:15 p.m. FOX
Sunday Nov. 7 N.Y. Giants 1:05 p.m. FOX
Sunday Nov. 14 at Arizona Cardinals 1:15 p.m. FOX
Sunday Nov. 21 at New Orleans Saints 1:05 p.m. FOX
Sunday Nov. 28 Kansas City Chiefs 1:05 p.m. CBS
Sunday Dec. 5 Carolina Panthers 1:15 p.m. FOX
Sunday Dec. 12 at San Francisco 49ers 1:05 p.m. FOX
Sunday Dec. 19 Atlanta Falcons 1:05 p.m. FOX
Sunday Dec. 26 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10 a.m. FOX
Sunday Jan. 2, 2011 St. Louis Rams 1:15 p.m. FOX

The cumulative 2009 record of the Seahawks' opponents is 116-140, which is the third-easiest mark among the league's 32 teams.

Only NFC West rivals St. Louis and Arizona have easier opponents schedules, which speaks to the fact the division plays not only each other twice -- with Seattle 5-11 and St. Louis at 1-15 -- but also is aligned against an AFC West that also had just one team with a winning record and includes 5-11 Oakland and 4-12 Kansas City.

On the flip side, Seattle will have to travel 23,122 miles on its road games, which is the third-most in the league behind only San Francisco and Denver.

 

[Dugless206]

i dont think words can fully express how fucking happy I am today!!!! the first home game of the season is on my birthday!! FUCK YEAH!! i just emailed lofa to tell him how excited i am, and that i hope he can still swing the tickets he said he'd hook up! i cant think of a better way to spend my birthday than with my dad, lofa's new wifey, and his mom in his suite!! fuck me im so excited right now

 

[Dugless206]

so who do hawk fans want in the draft tomorrow? i hope they take Berry if he's still available at 6 but im betting KC will take him at 5. if he's gone then i hope they get the left tackle that they think can replace walt. if they come out of the first day without a left tackle they will have really fucked things up. with the second pick id like to get derrick morgan hopefully but spiller would be good too

 

[savage]

Most defintely Eric Berry. We have only two safeties on the roster, and one is a backup(Jamar Adams). I know we need a tackle really bad, but if Okung and/or Bulaga isn't there at No. 6, I think they'll go with Berry(considering if he's still available). I think they might pick a T or RB or QB or trade down with the 14th pick.

 

[savage]

How Roethlisberger suspension impacts Seahawks

The six-game suspension of Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger on Wednesday figures to reverberate through the NFL, given the high-profile nature of the player and his alleged sexual assault last month of a Georgia college student.

There are obvious implications on the Steelers, who already have traded for former backup QB Byron Leftwich.

Rumors are circulating of possible trade partners for Pittsburgh to unload their suddenly toxic two-time Super Bowl champion quarterback. ESPN's Adam Schefter says the Steelers have already called the Rams, 49ers, Raiders, Bills, Jaguars, Browns and, yes, the Seahawks, to see if there is interest.

But while I'm assuming the Seahawks are not one of the logical trade partners -- that one has the Raiders stamped all over it -- there will still be some trickle down to Seattle.

One of the most interesting parts of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell's decision is that he's making it clear the league's personal conduct policy isn't just built around criminal charges being levied against a player.

Charges were dropped against Roethlisberger in Georgia, but that didn't dissuade Goodell from dropping his own hammer.

What does that mean to Seattle? It raises the likelihood of a suspension for linebacker Leroy Hill in the wake of his recent arrest on domestic violence charges, even before his situation plays out in the court system.

GM John Schneider last week admitted he was "very concerned" about Hill's situation. The club asked Hill to stay away from the team's minicamp in the wake of his latest arrest, which came shortly after the veteran linebacker pleaded guilty to marijuana possession on a 2009 arrest in Georgia.

"We just have to wait," Schneider said. "We can't really even comment on anything until we hear from the league office."

The guess here is that, given Hill already was facing a potential disciplinary action from his drug bust, he could well be looking at a two-game suspension with Goodell continuing to make a strong statement on these sorts of situations.

Goodell sent out a memo earlier this month to NFL executives and head coaches that was obtained by the New York Times. It's worth noting this paragraph:

"Unfortunately, in recent weeks there have been several negative incidents. These incidents include subjects that we have previously identified as particularly troublesome, such as alcohol-related offenses, allegations of violence against women, and weapons offenses.

"The policy makes clear that NFL and club personnel must do more than simply avoid criminal behavior. We must conduct ourselves in a way that is responsible, that promotes the values upon which the league is based, and is lawful."

Goodell noted again in his letter to Roethlisberger that "you are held to a higher standard as an NFL player, and there is nothing about your conduct in Milledgeville that can remotely be described as admirable, responsible, or consistent with either the values of the league or the expectations of our fans.

"Your conduct raises sufficient concerns that I believe effective intervention now is the best step for your personal and professional welfare."

Applying the same standards to Hill, it holds that a stronger suspension than expected might be forthcoming there as well.

http://blog.seattlepi.com/football/archives/202852.asp

 

[Dugless206]

i just dont see the Chiefs passing Eric Berry up at 5. but the Seahawks will more than likely get a safety out of the draft still somewhere whether its Texas' safety or taylor mays, but again if they dont get a tackle on day one I wont be very happy. I also hope we dont see Carrol go out and get a bunch more USC guys, Mays would be okay, or Brown the tackle but i think he'll take some heat if he gets more than one the first two days

 

[savage]

I don't know, we'll see tomarrow. If they don't get to pick Eric Berry, maybe they'll go after Taylor Mays or Earl Thomas with the 14th, if they don't trade down.

 

[Dugless206]

Hell of a day today I'd say. Okung and Earl both slip to us? We did well today I'd say. Hoping for the same tomorrow!

 

[savage]

I'm so glad the first five teams passed up on Russell Okung. I'd much rather have him than Eric Berry. Because we got Earl Thomas now. Real good draft day for the Seahawks.

 

[BROWN GUERRERO]

You guys had a great 1st round.

 

[savage]

I think we had a great 1st round, too. I didn't get to watch the draft, but I heard that Mel Kiper said that we had the best draft day out of all of the teams or something like that?

 

[Meta4iCAL]

yeah, Seahawks did great in the 1st round

 

[savage]

Talk about a Golden opportunity

Golden Tate wasn’t sure the Seahawks were even interested in him, and the Seahawks couldn’t believe he was still available when they made the 60th pick overall in the second round of the NFL draft.

As the Seahawks were getting closer to their pick in the second round of the NFL draft on Friday night, something was wrong: Golden Tate still was on the board as the picks ticked off.
“He was sitting up there like a sore thumb,” said Jason Barnes, the area scout who watched Tate mature into a Biletnikoff Award-winning receiver at Notre Dame last season.

So when the draft finally got to the Seahawks’ pick, Tate was the obvious choice with the 60th pick overall.

“We had to do it,” Barnes said. “It was obvious. We had to do it. He’s a good player.”

Obvious doesn’t begin to tell just how, well, obvious it was.

“He was really truly sitting by himself,” said general manager John Schneider, glancing to his left – where the receivers would have been listed on the draft board if he had been in the draft room. “He was the last player we had rated in the first round who was left.”

Tate also fills one of the blank spaces in the discussions coach Pete Carroll has had about finding players to help the Seahawks get the ball into the end zone.

“This is truly a touchdown-maker,” Carroll said of Tate, who scored 30 of them for the Irish. “This is a guy that’s going to get the ball in his hands, he’s going to break tackles, he’s going to run around the field and make some things happen in a very special way.”

As was the case with the team’s two selections in the first round on Thursday – Oklahoma State tackle Russell Okung and Texas safety Earl Thomas – there were moments of trepidation before Tate became a Seahawk. Especially when the Cleveland Browns traded into the 59th spot.

“We were holding our breath for a minute,” Barnes said. “We’re just happy that he fell to us.”

That happened when the Browns – under president and former Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren – opted for Tennessee running back Montario Hardesty. So the Seahawks got their man, again. And to the surprise of the player.

Tate did not meet with the Seahawks at the NFL scouting combine in February, or at his Pro Day workout at Notre Dame in March.

“I didn’t have any contact with Seattle,” said Tate, who was sharing his draft experience in Nashville, Tenn., with his family – including his father, Golden Tate Jr., who was a fifth-round draft choice by the Indianapolis Colts in 1984.

“I didn’t know that the coach of a rival team that we played against every year, and they beat us every year, was going to stand on a table for me and draft me.”

Told of Tate’s comment, Barnes smiled before offering, “You know, sometimes you get drafted by the people that don’t talk to you.”

The Seahawks already had seen enough of Tate – Carroll the past three seasons while coaching against him at USC; Barnes while watching mountains of tape of him, as well as seeing him live in several games.

“We always had our eyes on him,” Barnes said. “Watch the tape. That’s all you’ve got to do.”

He might play receiver, but Tate becomes a tailback when he gets his hands on the ball.

“That’s exactly right,” Barnes said. “He brings that running back mentality when he has the ball in his hands. Coaches, scouts, everybody’s looking for that – with the ball in your hands, take it the distance, break tackles. And that’s what he does.”

Tate did it often enough as a junior last season to compile 1,496 yards and score 15 touchdowns on 93 receptions. He also had 58 catches for 1,080 yards and 10 TDs in 2008, and averaged 20.7 yards on 44 kickoffs returns and 11.0 yards on 26 punt returns during his career.

But the Seahawks were even more impressed by how he produced those impressive numbers than the statistics themselves.

“A lot of people compare him to Hines Ward,” Barnes said the wide receiver from Pittsburgh who was the MVP in the Steelers’ Super Bowl win over the Seahawks after the 2005 season.

“Which I can really see, as far as his aggressive style of play, his strength and his feistiness.”

Tate was the Seahawks’ only selection on the second day of the draft, because they traded their third-round pick last year to re-enter the third round and select wide receiver Deon Butler.

The Seahawks will have six picks on Saturday, when the final four rounds will be conducted.

“We have a lot of players left (on our board),” Schneider said. “Not enough picks for those players. We’re still excited about it. We feel good about the players that are still there.”

Those picks will join Tate – as well as Okung and Thomas – in the team’s 2010 draft class.

“I wanted to go into a good situation and I think playing for Seattle is a great situation,” Tate said. “I can learn from T.J. (Houshmandzadeh, the team’s leading receiver last year) and I kind of have a feel for coach Carroll’s coaching style. I’m excited.”

Pick: 60th overall, No. 28 in second round

Pertinent numbers: 5-11, 195; 21 years old. Ran the 40-yard dash in 4.42 seconds and had a 35-inch vertical leap at the scouting combine in February. Won the Biletnikoff Award last year as a junior after catching 93 passes for 1,496 yards and 15 touchdowns.

http://www.seahawks.com/news/articl...ortunity/1319a340-8e0b-4f78-ba57-3f0dde4723ad

 

[drunkaholic707]

Trade reunites RB White with Carroll

NEW YORK -- A newsworthy trade involving running back LenDale White grabbed the spotlight as the final four rounds of the NFL draft began Saturday.

Cincinnati receiver Mardy Gilyard was chosen by St. Louis to begin the fourth round as the Rams further bolstered their anemic offense.

Moments later, new Seahawks coach Pete Carroll dealt for one of his mainstays at Southern California, getting White from the Tennessee Titans for Seattle's fourth-rounder and sixth-rounder.

The Seahawks also got defensive tackle Kevin Vickerson, and the Titans selected UCLA cornerback Alterraun Verner with the spot acquired in the deal.

The burly and bruising White helped Carroll win a national championship with the Trojans. But he lost his starting job to Chris Johnson in 2009.

St. Louis made quarterback Sam Bradford the first overall selection Thursday night and began the second round Friday by choosing offensive lineman Rodger Saffold from Indiana.

Gilyard was pick No. 99 overall and one of the most high-profile players still available. He should help the Rams on kick returns, too.

Among the notable players still waiting to be drafted were Mississippi quarterback Jevan Snead and USC running back Joe McKnight.

 

[Fucky McFuckerson]

I dont give a shit one anyone says...Seattle is killing this draft. Fuckin Thurmond and Chancellor???? HELL YES!!!!!

 

[Minne]

hell yeah. we looking up

 

[Dugless206]

hell yea its been a great two days to watch how theyve worked this draft and the trades theyve made for white and washington. great job, im pretty impressed by the job theyve done

 

[savage]

I can't wait until football season starts

 

[Minne]

Leon washington to. i am excited about that

 

[savage]

Golden Tate: The Seahawks' new human highlight reel

I was among those who were stunned to see Notre Dame's Golden Tate drop to the Seahawks with the 60th pick in the second round of the draft.

While the two first-round picks were golden as well for Seattle, given they fill huge needs, the unexpected bonus is getting Tate in the second round even after trading down 20 spots in the Charlie Whitehurst deal.

One of the reasons I didn't like the Whitehurst trade was because I thought it would cost Seattle a shot at a big-time talent like Tate at No. 40. But they wound up getting Tate anyway, which is going to make the Seahawks much more interesting to watch, without a doubt.

For starters, there's the instant rivalry with USC safety Taylor Mays, who also slipped deeper into the second round and then ripped into Seahawks coach Pete Carroll for misleading him about what he needed to do to get drafted high. Here's a story from ESPN's Shelley Smith with more on that.

But Mays has a bit of a history with Tate as well, with Mays trying to take two knockout shots on Tate twice in their meeting last year ... and Tate scoring touchdowns both times. It's great stuff and you can watch it here.



But there's far more to Tate than that. And if you aren't sure how much of a playmaker he is, take time to watch this next video with all 15 of his receiving touchdowns from 2009, plus two rushing TDs and a punt return for a score.

Seahawks scout Jason Barnes, when asked his favorite Tate TD last year, said there were so many it was hard to pick, but he went with the score against Michigan State that finished with Tate diving into the band in the end zone.

I'll never forget seeing Tate rise up among a group of defenders to just snatch a Hail Mary pass against Washington State and the end of the first half. But if you watch this video, you'll see play after play that'll just drop your jaw.

It's a 10-minute compilation, but highly recommended viewing for anyone wanting to know just what the Seahawks are getting in Golden Tate.



http://blog.seattlepi.com/football/archives/203281.asp