Matt Hasselbeck, Greatest SeaHawk QB Ever

When Mike Holmgren traded for Matt in 2001, I was stoked. I had heard good things about him. He was smart, he had an edge, a little gunslinger mentality and very confident. Heck, the guy was behind Brett Favre, not a bad person to learn from, at the time at least, but that is another blog post. At the time Trent Dilfer was doing what Trent Dilfer did, he didn’t lose games but he didn’t win them either. I liked Trent but he wasn’t gonna get the Hawks over the top.

To me, Matt was finally the QB we needed, from the beginning he won and that is what we all wanted, a winner. Matt and Shawn led the Hawks to our first Super bowl, 4 straight NFC West Championships and several play-off wins. He has been a steady force at the most important position in football. Although injuries have slowed Matt down and sometimes, his gunslinger gets him and the team in trouble. Matt, is the best QB the Seahawks has ever had, Period.

Now, I read blogs, twitter, Facebook and every other outlet of news or opinions. All I hear is how Matt stinks and should be benched and not giving any consideration next year when he becomes a free agent. I disagree. Is Matt’s skill level not the same as it was? Yes. However, He still is better than more than half the QB’s in the league. Yes, the Hawks need a QB for the future and yes, the future is very soon. I don’t know if Charlie is the answer or the future, he isn’t better than Matt, I do know that. I also know careers do end and his is coming. However, until that future gets here, this should be Matt’s team and Job. He has earned it.

Give Matt some respect; he did after all bring the Seattle Seahawks back to a winning franchise.

Dear Brett

I have tried to avoid blogging about you but I can’t stand it anymore. I am tired of listen to all the apologists mumble while they have your johnson in their mouths.

Are you one of the greatest QB’s of all time? Yes, for right now. Are you the toughest QB of all time? Undoubtedly, well at least in the modern era. After all you do wear a helmet. Are you the biggest self absorbed, egomaniacal, pompous jerk ever to grace the football field? Absolutely! You are no better than those clowns from the Jersey Shore. I wonder if you even have had the common courtesy to thank ESPN for all the ball massaging you have received.

Today, you called a team meeting telling them that they need to make sure whatever goes on in the locker room stays in the locker room. You’re joking right? After all you are the king of “leaking info” to the press. How about every time you thought you might have become irrelevant during the off season, You texted “leaked” some teammate that you are going to retire and ESPN sent the entire press core down to redneck Ville just to make sure it isn’t so. I don’t just blame you. ESPN is just as fault. Hell, we thought John Madden was in love with you. ESPN has him beat by a mile.

News Flash Brett Favre, Most football fans hate you. Do us all favor. After this season just keep you mouth shut and show up to all the off-season crap or don’t. If your done just disappear, because after the last two years you have definitely ruined your legacy.

Tiger

Look, I know it’s been awhile. Decided I needed to back to school and get educated again, something new. Well I now I am back, just in time for football. Yeah Baby, football. But that is for a later blog. Tonight it is about Tiger.

Are we surprised he is playing the way he is? I for one am not. That guy has been through more in the last nine months than most athletes will go through in their whole career and after as well. Most these athletes are far worse than Tiger Woods. Don’t get me wrong what Tiger did was bad, Real Bad. However, if we step back and look at, let say the NBA. These guys are famous, almost celebrated adulterers and lead the world in illegitimate kids and other, under the radar activities. The majority of those clowns make Tiger look like a Angel. Tiger screwed up and he is paying for it. He has owned it and is trying to move on. The reason behind his play, horrible for him average for the rest of the field is simple. ESPN.

Yes, I said what most of us think these days. These ass clowns in Bristol think they have all the knowledge. They may have all the money but knowledge they lack. They have glorified Tiger to this almost Greek like God status, they and many others have done the same. Tiger maybe the greatest golfer our generation will ever see. He is however, just a man, one man, not a God not a hero not a role model just a man. A man who made some mistakes. I think the pressure he already puts on himself to be the best is plenty enough, we as spectators should just sit back smile and watch when he does something all these wanna bees wish they could. I think Tiger should call this season done, focus on the at home issues and practice like he used to. Go back to keeping everyone at arms lengths. Tell ESPN and the other networks that they are no longer allowed to mutter your name until he decides they can. Clean up your house and come back next year and lay it on them Tiger. We don’t care what you did anymore; we just want to see you do what you do, again.

Where are the real fans

I have to say it was a good weekend of football. First the Cardinals get waxed and then the Cowboys go and get spanked. You have to love when that happens. I mean really how many people do you know who are Cowboy fans and have never been to Texas. More than half these quacks are from places like LA, Phoenix, Oregon and Mexico. Well I guess Mexico covers the first Two. Either way I am so happy they got beat, they didn’t even show up. Good, we don’t have to listen to those fans for another 5 months.

The Cards though they are a different story, this team that has a long history of being a loser finally starts winning and what comes with winning? Fans and true there are those that have really been around since they moved here from St Louis. You know the Dave McGinnis and Joe Bugle days. Funny thing about Phoenix AZ, there are more people who are not from here but have transplanted. I meet folks from NY,WA,CA, Chicago ….you get the point. These people, some have loyalty most don’t. Maybe because the team they used to love or where they are from sucks and really have no sense of pride. I am a Seahawks fan, never will I root for another team. I lived in Washington DC for 8 yrs and never once did I call the Skins my team. I write this because I have a friend who is from CA. Is and has been as longs as I’ve know him a Cowboy fan. So I thought. HE WAS WEARING A CARDS JERSEY. What the EFF! That’s what I mean this team's fans suck always have and will. Two lucky years and a healthy Kurt Warner, who by all accounts is about to retire. It’s all coming to an end. We will then see how many TRUE fans there really are.

As much as I hate them. The Steeler nation stay's true. Redskin fans stick by their team even though the owner has completely ruined a great franchise. I can say this with great conviction. Football is better when the Cowboys and the Cards are golfing.

Seahawks and Coaches

I was thinking when they announced Jim Mora JR was going to be the next head coach after Holmgren left I was baffled. Why? He had one good year with Atl. and that was when Vick was new and as our secondary coach he wasn't very good. Yet after listen to all the hype and interviews with him and his staff I got sucked in and believed that we would return to our rightful spot atop the NFC West. Well a year later one win more than the previous year. I was back to being skeptical, maybe one more year under this system. When they fired him it took me a few days to really register. I am happy. I like this move to Pete Carroll, say all you want about his barely over .500 record but he does win. Outside of the Jets he got the Pats to 3 playoff games in three years. He will be just fine. Other football teams have been courting him for a few years now so obviously he can do something right. I HOPE.

Not surprised one bit

Am I surprised that McGuire is coming out now? Nope, don't really care either. I want all my players juiced up. I want 450ft moon shots, guys throwing 100+ mph. Tempers that will blow at any giving moment because someone just brushed them off the plate or they are crowding the plate. Boring is the 3-2 game, 50 visits to the mound and all that stepping out of the box crap. Have you ever been to a game when someone hits a bomb and the crowd doesn't go into a frenzy or when a pitcher puts a guy on his back for all his antics at the plate and not get a rush? NO of course not. We don't pay ridicules amounts of money to not be entertained. Everyone should get of their high horse because you all cheered while it was going on.

Should Mark McGuire get into the Hall of Fame? Not really sure yet but if they continue to keep Pete Rose out then they should keep all the players who "cheated" out.

That includes A-Rod when he's done, R.Clemens, B.Bonds and a few more that I really can't think of right now. If your name was on that list and you might have a shot at the HOF think again. I guess after it is all said and done. Who gets in and who doesn't really boil's down to how much did the media forgive. Don't be a Dick and you might just get in.

Why does it hurt so bad?

Happy and sad all at the same time. Happy that the season is done for my beloved Seahawks. (Pitchers and catchers report soon).Sad because it means only a few more weeks of football. I feel I have to rant about the season that was. Being that I live in AZ and have to listen to all the nonsense that comes out of Cardinals camp. The season was a long one just as last year was.

I went into this season all amped up and ready for the return back to the top as NFC West champs. Saw no reason why not, after all 2008 was a season of unthinkable amount of injuries that no team could endure. Every O-lineman was coming back. The receiving corp was healthy and better with the addition of T.J. Houshmandzadeh. M.Hasselbeck was healthy, A highly touted rookie LB and a new head coach.

All that ended early into preseason as I watched the O-line fall apart AGAIN. Mike Wahle retires, Walter Jones hurts, all season. Rookie starting at guard, linemen moved around brought in, cut etc…This line has slowly declined ever since Hutch left.

It seemed as though my fears were all for not after the 28-0 drubbing of the Rams in the season opener. Little did I think the Rams were that bad. Outside a few bright spots and the Jacksonville game this team, even in winning (5-11) looked bad.

I went back and looked a Matt Hasselbeck’s numbers and notice beside last year in which he was hurt. His numbers were not all that off. Sure worse than before but after being placed in a new system much different from what he has been in his whole career. I would argue that he did fine. 293/488 comp/att 3029 yds 17/17 TD/Int Passer rating 75.1. Sure down the stretch he played awful, I even suggested to my fellow hawk friends it was time for him to pass on the raines but after doing some more looking that is the last place I would start. Our offensive line is beat up and can’t really run block Who’s know if W. Jones will be able to come back and even then, if the Hawks plan to zone run he’s need to move to right tackle or be traded. With Max Unger anchoring the line at center and a core of young linemen if they can stay healthy will be fine in the future. What we need is a running back that will keep the defense honest. Justin Foresett has shown that he can get it done when giving the carries problem is Jim Mora’s waffling about who should get the plays. Julius Jones is done why he kept going back to him I don’t know. With the 6^th and 14^th pick in the upcoming draft I think the Hawks should go after a RB like CJ Spiller out of Clemson big and fast. If not there are plenty of backs coming out this year that would fit into this scheme.

We need to revise the secondary, I like Deon Grant but his time has come. Hopefully Taylor May’s will be around when we pick. Franchise free safety enough said. Both our corners are fine. A full year starting will be tremendous for Wilson, Trufant is a Pro-Bowler. Lucas and cast will be fine as a nickel package. In the end the Seahawks need to switch to a 3-4 defense they have all making of one just do it and if Bradley doesn’t want to send him packing. D-line- L.Jackson and D.Tapp DE, B.Mebane NT, A. Curry and L.Hill OLB’s and L.Tatupu and D. Hawthorne as our MLB’s. Makes sense doesn’t it?

The Seahawks are better than 5-11 but the window might close if they are not careful and none of us wants to go back to the late 80’s and 90’s.