When Deon Grant sat down to consider his options and figure out where he wanted to play in 2007, he narrowed down his options with a quickness.
Seattle Times.com:

"One reason I considered coming to Seattle is the fact that they've been to the playoffs for four years straight," Grant told the Florida Times-Union Thursday. "They're definitely there."

Done deal sweety, bring on the cigar because the Seahawk secondary just gave birth to it's new age, and it's golden child is in the house.

I won't bore you with stats other than the big ones, namely an average of just about 65 tackles a year since he got into his first game in '01.

You want more reason to get excited about the landing? How does 18 interceptions float your boat? If you asked him how he did that, he might just come back with a line from one of his favorite Adam Sandler movies:

"You underestimate my sneakiness."

Grant also boasts 4 1/2 sacks to his credit, and he's only 27 years old.

"They're missing a few pieces, but I think with guys like Patrick [Kerney] and myself, we'll be able to make some things happen on that defense," Grant said to the Times-Union. "You bring in guys with playoff experience and Super Bowl experience with a coach that already has Super Bowl experience, we really feel like we can make it happen here in Seattle."

I think it's safe to say he's not alone on that sentiment.

Unfortunately with progress comes change, and the people of Seahawk Nation will likely be saying good-bye to local favorite Ken Hamlin as a result. Also with the addition of Brian Russel, even Michael Boulware will likely have to run his beak into the ground to prove he still belongs.

So now, right out of the Blue, you have sheer evil brewing in coffee town. All of a sudden opposing quarterbacks will not only toss and turn at the thought of Julian Peterson and Lofa, but also will have to account for Patrick Kerney and Mr. Sneaky as well.

To sum up that scenario, I give 'em each the same four words ...

Sucks to be you.

[Comments taken on Front Page]

Labels: NFC West, Seahawks

What a difference a matter of days can make, especially when you're holding your breath, and the collective members of Seahawk Nation were turning as blue as a Seahawk by the end of the first weekend of the FA shuffle.

But today the truth is you are hard pressed to find a Seahawk, especially here in the great Northwest, who has not been reduced literally to a couple of syllables when the subject is brought up.

"KER-NEY" is the most common one I'm confronted with, often with one fist balled up and the other in the traditional three-fingered, arm extended salute I remember best from my first Ozzy concert. For some reason they like to go way out of their way to seek me out just to heckle me, though I can't figure out why. One thing is clear - Seahawk Nation is pumped up!

And why not?

Some people have argued that Patrick Kerney, as a replacement for Grant Wistrom is a virtual exchange of basically the same assets for comparable money. And if you look at the stat sheets, this theory is somewhat supported.

But football isn't about just stats, oh no baby, it's about emotion - it's about momentum.

So as the Hawks kissed Grant Wistrom good-bye and sent him on his way to audition for a very Brady bingo-parlor, what they essentially did was bring in a breath of fresh air and change of mentality to their Defensive line. When you couple big-hearted with extremely talented, mix in a fantastic work ethic and high-motor, you run the risk of combustion when placed in the middle of the frenzy that is easily the most volatile stadium in the NFL.

That alone is enough to send shudders through every offensive coordinator in the division.

Maybe that's why when I say it's going to be a fight in the NFC West this year, I hear one or another version of the same thing back:

"The NFC West belongs to the Hawks baby, if they want it - let 'em come and TAKE IT!"


[Comments taken in SeahawkBlue Forums]

Labels: NFC West, Patrick Kerney, Seahawks

I've got to finish this before midnight, as that's when the statute of limitations runs out on discussing SB XL. However, in watching the game tonight, and the ensuing debate about who should be named the MVP, I got to thinking...who would have been named MVP of SB XL had the Seahawks won?

Matt Hasselbeck probably would have been the safe bet, because these things usually go to the quarterback, especially if the voting is close. Hass was 26 for 49, 273 yards, with 1 touchdown and 1 int. Good numbers to be sure, but that one interception was very ill advised, and actually probably was the play that cost us the game, so that may have worked against him.

The regular season MVP had a good day too, although he didn't break the 100 yard mark on 20 carries.

Darrell Jackson came out of the gates quick, catching five passes in the first quarter, setting a new SB record for most catches in one period, but then he disappeared, not to mention the one TD catch that was nullified by his (questionable) offensive penalty. Bobby Engram had his usual workman day, catching 6 balls for 70 yards. Joe Jurevicius lead the club in yardage with 93 on 5 catches, but a lot of those came in garbage time, with the game clock winding down.

On the defensive side of the ball, Kelly Herndon might have gotten some consideration for his goal-line interception which was returned 90+ yards, setting up the only Seahawk TD in the game.

And who caught that TD?

In the coming weeks, we're going to be hearing a lot about Jerramy Stevens, seeing as he's scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent, and his Seahawks career could be graded as an incomplete. There will be those who say the Seahawks should just let him walk, and others who think he's talented enough to warrant the franchise tag.

If only Jerramy had caught a couple more of the balls thrown to him in SB XL, the perspective of the fans as he enters free agency might be different, considering he may have also let a SB MVP slip through his hands on that day.

As it was, he registered 3 catches for 25 yards and one TD. Paltry numbers, but his catches, as well as his non-catches, came at very critical times in the game. Just think if the Locklear hold wasn't called, and J-Steve's catch at the two sets up the Seahawks with the go-ahead TD? Perhaps Stevens even scores it himself on a play-action fake to the tight end, since the Steelers were bottling up the run pretty well most of the day?

I think had the Seahawks won that game, and if that final catch held up, Jerramy Stevens would have been given some MVP considerations in last year's SB.

Just something to consider before vilifying him over the next several weeks.

[Comments taken in SeahawkBlue Forums]

Labels: AlbaNYHawker, Jerramy Stevens, Seahawks, Super Bowl

I'm having a lot of trouble getting excited about this Super Bowl. It's not the nauseating thought of Prince grabbing headlines and other body parts when we should be enjoying a football game. It's not the droll Colts vs. Bears matchup, even though it's pretty unexciting to me.

It's the memories of last year, coming back to haunt me. Seeing the Seahawks outplay the Steelers, and then losing by the difference of a few screwy referee blunders still chokes me up. I refrained at the time from flaming out on the internet about it -- I was just glad the Seahawks had such a great season -- but still I had a heavy heart. Not just because of the miscarraige of justice in this game, but because of what was happening to my dear, beloved sport of NFL football.

You remember the playoffs last year, right? One disputed, pivotal, game-changing referee blunder after another. Like a teenager's prom night zit, the travesty of the Super Bowl was merely a continuance of what was becoming the abysmal but established norm. It just happened to come to a head - again - on the biggest night of these player's lives. The NFL had a bad acne problem, and no amount of wishing was going to make it clear up. They needed a ProActiv Solution to their problems, or the NFL was going to lose all credibilty.

But I'm not writing this to vent hostility about last years' Super Bowl. That would be pointless and accomplish nothing. What I did want to say is that our loss was not in vain.

Check out this bit from John Clayton:

"According to the Times, officials called 876 fewer penalties this season, an average of 3.5 fewer a game. Only 11.9 penalties were called in each
game, and the number dropped to single figures in the playoffs. Overall, that's a good thing. Fewer penalties mean more action, and it led to one of the league's most competitive seasons and clearly one of the closest playoffs in NFL history."

Have you noticed this yourself? Football is the main topic after games. It's not about the lousy refs or blown calls. Mike Peiera is not breaking down video in midweek, stammering through some horrid explanation of how they screwed up.

Football is back. The refs are letting the players play, and I love it.

But I'm still sad. Sad it had to be our team that took the brunt of the injustice. But at least it appears to have had a purpose. I just can't seem to enjoy it yet.


[Comments taken in SeahawkBlue Forums]

Labels: Bloof, Referees, Seahawks, Super Bowl