Monday, November 15, 2004
AND THE MEDIA FEELS OUR PAIN, SOMEWHAT...
It's been approximately 30 hours since Seahawks head coach Mike Holmgren made the dumbest decision I've ever seen in my years of watching football.
No, I'm not that old. But if you watched yesterday's Seahawks-Rams game, then you definitely know what I'm talking about.
Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch is right on the money. As much as I hate Rams coach Mike Martz, the man is 5-2 in his career against Holmgren:
Seattle's Shaun Alexander rushed 22 times for 176 yards. Only one man really stopped Alexander: his own coach. What was Holmgren thinking, putting the ball into the hands of incompetent quarterback Matt Hasselbeck on numerous trips inside the red zone? Why did Holmgren run the fullback - who was stuffed - on a fourth-and-1 play from the Rams' 39-yard line? Was Holmgren the only person inside The Ed who couldn't see Alexander bruising the Rams for 8.0 yards per carry?
And if I may digress for a moment ... why does Holmgren continue to elude criticism? If Martz screws up a game, or even a timeout, the national media grills him for a week. (Not to mention the hissing in St. Louis.) Let Martz call a stupid play, and every talking head on ESPN pounds him as if he's the cable network's personal pinata.
Meanwhile, Holmgren gets a free pass as he cruises along in his sixth season in Seattle with a mediocre overall record of 46-43. He's winless in his last four playoff games, having lost his last two as coach in Green Bay, plus an 0-2 mark in Seattle. Holmgren's team blew a 27-10 lead in a humiliating loss to the Rams earlier this season. And on Sunday Holmgren got nearly 200 yards from Alexander the Great, saw his defense limit the Rams to nine points over the final 51 minutes, 51 seconds and still couldn't win.
And Holmgren is a genius?
Huh?
Martz routinely outcoaches him when their teams meet.
Miklasz is so money and I hope that he knows it.
(Shaun Alexander and the offensive line's view of yesterday's events)
For all the hype that has been heaped on the Seattle Seahawks, what exactly have they done to earn it? Absolutely nothing.
What is there to make of the Seahawks 9 games into the 2004 season?
Well, Shaun Alexander is proving to be a great running back. He's by far the best player on the Seahawks roster. Matt Hasselbeck has been awful in two very key games this season (Oct. 24 at Arizona and yesterday at St. Louis). The receivers are still dropping balls. And the defense is still mediocre, although when healthy, Grant Wistrom provides a big boost.
As for Mike Holmgren, I seriously believe that if the Seahawks don't win a playoff game this season, he's going to be fired. The track record speaks for itself. He's been in Seattle since 1999 and what is there to show for it? Over the past 30 hours, I've really wondered about this possible situation, even got the cold chills pouring over my body just thinking about it:
Who would I want to stay in Seattle next season, Holmgren or Alexander?
It's simple. Alexander has to stay. He's a Pro Bowl-caliber running back. If he stays healthy, he will get over 1700 yards this season. You tell me he's not a good running back? Then I tell you you're full of it.
Unfortunately, Holmgren thinks that I would be full of it.
After all, he used Mack Strong on 4th and 1 yesterday.
No, I'm not that old. But if you watched yesterday's Seahawks-Rams game, then you definitely know what I'm talking about.
Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch is right on the money. As much as I hate Rams coach Mike Martz, the man is 5-2 in his career against Holmgren:
Seattle's Shaun Alexander rushed 22 times for 176 yards. Only one man really stopped Alexander: his own coach. What was Holmgren thinking, putting the ball into the hands of incompetent quarterback Matt Hasselbeck on numerous trips inside the red zone? Why did Holmgren run the fullback - who was stuffed - on a fourth-and-1 play from the Rams' 39-yard line? Was Holmgren the only person inside The Ed who couldn't see Alexander bruising the Rams for 8.0 yards per carry?
And if I may digress for a moment ... why does Holmgren continue to elude criticism? If Martz screws up a game, or even a timeout, the national media grills him for a week. (Not to mention the hissing in St. Louis.) Let Martz call a stupid play, and every talking head on ESPN pounds him as if he's the cable network's personal pinata.
Meanwhile, Holmgren gets a free pass as he cruises along in his sixth season in Seattle with a mediocre overall record of 46-43. He's winless in his last four playoff games, having lost his last two as coach in Green Bay, plus an 0-2 mark in Seattle. Holmgren's team blew a 27-10 lead in a humiliating loss to the Rams earlier this season. And on Sunday Holmgren got nearly 200 yards from Alexander the Great, saw his defense limit the Rams to nine points over the final 51 minutes, 51 seconds and still couldn't win.
And Holmgren is a genius?
Huh?
Martz routinely outcoaches him when their teams meet.
Miklasz is so money and I hope that he knows it.
(Shaun Alexander and the offensive line's view of yesterday's events)
For all the hype that has been heaped on the Seattle Seahawks, what exactly have they done to earn it? Absolutely nothing.
What is there to make of the Seahawks 9 games into the 2004 season?
Well, Shaun Alexander is proving to be a great running back. He's by far the best player on the Seahawks roster. Matt Hasselbeck has been awful in two very key games this season (Oct. 24 at Arizona and yesterday at St. Louis). The receivers are still dropping balls. And the defense is still mediocre, although when healthy, Grant Wistrom provides a big boost.
As for Mike Holmgren, I seriously believe that if the Seahawks don't win a playoff game this season, he's going to be fired. The track record speaks for itself. He's been in Seattle since 1999 and what is there to show for it? Over the past 30 hours, I've really wondered about this possible situation, even got the cold chills pouring over my body just thinking about it:
Who would I want to stay in Seattle next season, Holmgren or Alexander?
It's simple. Alexander has to stay. He's a Pro Bowl-caliber running back. If he stays healthy, he will get over 1700 yards this season. You tell me he's not a good running back? Then I tell you you're full of it.
Unfortunately, Holmgren thinks that I would be full of it.
After all, he used Mack Strong on 4th and 1 yesterday.
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