Scooter Chapman
'Hawks future up in the air
Published on Tue, Dec 8, 2009 by Scooter ChapmanRead More Chapman
The Seattle Seahawks pulled out one at a cold Qwest Field last Sunday, 20-17, as Olindo Mare earned his paycheck by connecting on a 30-yard field goal as time expired.
Mare is no stranger to game-winning boots. He drilled a 53-yarder with 0:06 remaining in 2002 in Denver while with Miami.
The Seahawk crowd went wild as the team earned its fifth win of the season.
Seattle hits the road again this weekend, flying to Houston to meet a very tough Texan team, then it's home for Tampa Bay, a winnable game for sure.
After that it's a Dec. 27 match-up in Green Bay, then a final home tilt Jan. 3 against Tennessee, another game that could land the Seahawks in the win column.
As you know, the Seahawks held a hasty news conference last week. President and general manager Tim Ruskell stepped aside. Seattle won four playoff games in his first three seasons but the team is 8-19 since and that's the worst record over any 27-game stretch since the 1993 years.
Bottom line? The team didn't win enough games. Ruskell's team acquisitions included Lofa Tatupu, a second-round pick who played in the pro bowl each of his first four seasons.
Others? Deion Branch, whose receptions have declined each year and, of course, Ruskell didn't keep all-pro guard Steve Hutchinson. Patrick Kearney has been a good pick.
His five-year contract was up this year and the team did not make any moves to retain him, thus the resignation.
The Seahawk head office is considering many for the head job as the new GM must be in place and have a plan before the NFL draft comes up after the season.
There is much speculation that Mike Holmgren has the inside track on the job, but I don't know if that would be a good fit, what with Ruskell and Co. really behind his decision to "retire" after last season.
One doesn't hear much about any thought of a coaching change for next season, but I ask you, has Jim Mora done a decent job this year?
What about Mora - what do we know about him?
He played for the University of Washington Huskies as a walk-on linebacker from 1981-1983 and began his coaching career under Don James in 1984. While at Washington, he had the opportunity to be a part of a couple of Rose Bowl teams and helped the Huskies to a berth in the Orange Bowl as an assistant in 1984.
He broke into the NFL with the San Diego Chargers in 1985 and his job was a first-ever quality control coach, which consisted of breaking down game film, charting defenses, opponent tendencies and game analysis. He earned the spot as defensive backs' coach in 1989.
He moved on to coach the secondary at New Orleans for four years, then to San Francisco in the same capacity for two years before taking the defensive coordinator job for the 49ers. He went to Atlanta in 2004 as head coach. He and his staff had a record of 11-5 and led them to the NFC championship game.
Then it was on to Seattle to become assistant head coach and secondary coach. He was named to take over the head job when Mike Holmgren retired before last year started.
He has a record of 26-22 with Atlanta and will not be above .500 this year.
There is much ahead for the Seahawks and most of it will take place behind the glare of the media.
Wednesday whirl
_ Dawgs: If the Washington Huskies had played against Notre Dame, Arizona State and UCLA the way they did against WSU and Cal, a bowl game would be in the future.
Instead the Huskies will have to bask in the 42-10 triumph last Saturday over a Bear team that didn't even seem interested in playing after the first quarter.
Will junior quarterback Jake Locker leave for an early NFL draft? I don't think so and Washington will have a super 2010.
_ Preps: There were a lot of Sequim football fans in Tacoma last weekend to watch the playoffs and many were still wondering, "what if ..." after Lynden won its second title in a row by edging West Valley of Spokane 16-6.
Sequim gridiron returnees know what it takes to reach the next level, so watch out for the Wolves next season.
_ Foot-bowling: There are 32 college football bowl games ahead and that's way too many, folks. Next week: A bowl prediction list will accompany this column.
Reach Scooter Chapman at scooter@olypen.com.
Mare is no stranger to game-winning boots. He drilled a 53-yarder with 0:06 remaining in 2002 in Denver while with Miami.
The Seahawk crowd went wild as the team earned its fifth win of the season.
Seattle hits the road again this weekend, flying to Houston to meet a very tough Texan team, then it's home for Tampa Bay, a winnable game for sure.
After that it's a Dec. 27 match-up in Green Bay, then a final home tilt Jan. 3 against Tennessee, another game that could land the Seahawks in the win column.
As you know, the Seahawks held a hasty news conference last week. President and general manager Tim Ruskell stepped aside. Seattle won four playoff games in his first three seasons but the team is 8-19 since and that's the worst record over any 27-game stretch since the 1993 years.
Bottom line? The team didn't win enough games. Ruskell's team acquisitions included Lofa Tatupu, a second-round pick who played in the pro bowl each of his first four seasons.
Others? Deion Branch, whose receptions have declined each year and, of course, Ruskell didn't keep all-pro guard Steve Hutchinson. Patrick Kearney has been a good pick.
His five-year contract was up this year and the team did not make any moves to retain him, thus the resignation.
The Seahawk head office is considering many for the head job as the new GM must be in place and have a plan before the NFL draft comes up after the season.
There is much speculation that Mike Holmgren has the inside track on the job, but I don't know if that would be a good fit, what with Ruskell and Co. really behind his decision to "retire" after last season.
One doesn't hear much about any thought of a coaching change for next season, but I ask you, has Jim Mora done a decent job this year?
What about Mora - what do we know about him?
He played for the University of Washington Huskies as a walk-on linebacker from 1981-1983 and began his coaching career under Don James in 1984. While at Washington, he had the opportunity to be a part of a couple of Rose Bowl teams and helped the Huskies to a berth in the Orange Bowl as an assistant in 1984.
He broke into the NFL with the San Diego Chargers in 1985 and his job was a first-ever quality control coach, which consisted of breaking down game film, charting defenses, opponent tendencies and game analysis. He earned the spot as defensive backs' coach in 1989.
He moved on to coach the secondary at New Orleans for four years, then to San Francisco in the same capacity for two years before taking the defensive coordinator job for the 49ers. He went to Atlanta in 2004 as head coach. He and his staff had a record of 11-5 and led them to the NFC championship game.
Then it was on to Seattle to become assistant head coach and secondary coach. He was named to take over the head job when Mike Holmgren retired before last year started.
He has a record of 26-22 with Atlanta and will not be above .500 this year.
There is much ahead for the Seahawks and most of it will take place behind the glare of the media.
Wednesday whirl
_ Dawgs: If the Washington Huskies had played against Notre Dame, Arizona State and UCLA the way they did against WSU and Cal, a bowl game would be in the future.
Instead the Huskies will have to bask in the 42-10 triumph last Saturday over a Bear team that didn't even seem interested in playing after the first quarter.
Will junior quarterback Jake Locker leave for an early NFL draft? I don't think so and Washington will have a super 2010.
_ Preps: There were a lot of Sequim football fans in Tacoma last weekend to watch the playoffs and many were still wondering, "what if ..." after Lynden won its second title in a row by edging West Valley of Spokane 16-6.
Sequim gridiron returnees know what it takes to reach the next level, so watch out for the Wolves next season.
_ Foot-bowling: There are 32 college football bowl games ahead and that's way too many, folks. Next week: A bowl prediction list will accompany this column.
Reach Scooter Chapman at scooter@olypen.com.
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