Friday cyber surfing: Sky’s the limit for Robinson
Good morning. Here’s what’s “out there” about the Seahawks for today, Feb. 17:
So, how did you celebrate your birthday? Michael Robinson went sky diving. You can check out the Seahawks’ Pro Bowl fullback, who turned 29 on Feb. 6, in this video from his website – RealRobReport.com.
A lot is being written and said about what the Seahawks should do to secure another quarterback. But general manager John Schneider tells Seahawks.com that there is one thing that definitely won’t happen as the team prepares for the NFL Scouting Combine next week and the start of free agency next month: “ ‘I just know if you panic at the position, it can set the organization back. So we’re not going to do that,’ he said. Regardless of the volume of those outside voices. ’That may disappoint fans, because they want to see an instant guy and have that instant success. But really, you’re better off continuing to build your team. Initially when I got here, I thought we were going to plug the quarterback in and we were going built around him. If we had done that, we would have panicked in a way. And I’m not sure we would have been able to host the Saints (in the 2010 wild-card playoff game) and had that great atmosphere and all that.’ ”
Chris Burke at SI.com has a “Free Agency Primer” for the NFC West, and has this to say about the Seahawks: “(Marshawn) Lynch and the linebackers (David Hawthorne and Leroy Hill), that’s where Seattle will land most of its attention. Bringing back “Beast Mode” is the key to the offseason, but the Seahawks could have upwards of $12 million to spend in free agency, so they’ll have to decide how much of that to throw at their defensive players (including Red Bryant).”
Since Cortez Kennedy was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame almost two weeks ago, there has been more talk – and more written – about those who did not enter the Hall than those who did. Jason Cole at YahooSports.com has had enough: “I’m officially sick of Cris Carter and the cries of injustice over his exclusion from the Pro Football Hall of Fame for the fourth consecutive year. I’m tired of people ripping the Hall of Fame selection process, as faulty as it might be, because some guy who happened to score 130 touchdowns didn’t get in. Likewise, I don’t want to hear about Charles Haley, Andre Reed, Eddie DeBartolo or Bill Parcells or anybody else who hasn’t made it yet. Ultimately, they’re all going to get in. I’ll bet anybody a 12-pack of cheap Mexican beer that every single one of those guys will make it – some day and some day probably very soon. That day just didn’t happen to be earlier this month. … Or maybe you want to argue about center Dermontti Dawson or left tackle Willie Roaf? They each happen to be considered among the top two or three players ever at their respective positions. How about Chris Doleman or Cortez Kennedy, two of the most disruptive defensive players in the history of the game? Should one of them step aside?”
As for the give-us-this-day-our-daily-Peyton-Manning item, Peter Schrager at FoxSports.com says it’s time for the Colts’ iconic QB to step aside: “I, obviously, can’t tell Peyton Manning what to do with his career. No one can. And as a fan, I know I’m supposed to want to see him on that field, suiting up as the starting quarterback for one of the league’s 32 NFL franchises next August. But I don’t. I want the NFL to stay on top, I want Manning to go down as one of the greatest to ever play the game with no asterisks or freakish ‘yeah, buts’ tagged to his post-career write-up, and I want to see him as one of the central figures on my Sunday afternoons for years to come. Nine out of 10 doctors and 99 out of 100 sports marketing experts may disagree, but I’m with Charles Barkley on this one. Hang it up, Peyton.”
Wednesday cyber surfing: Staff additions
Good morning. Here’s what’s “out there” about the Seahawks for today, Feb. 15:
Remember Marquand Manuel? One of the unexpected stars of the Seahawks’ Super Bowl run in 2005 is back as the new assistant special teams coach on Pete Carroll’s staff and we’ve got the story at Seahawks.com: “In 2005, Marquand Manuel stepped in and helped the Seahawks reach the Super Bowl. Now, the former free safety is stepping in as the assistant special teams coach on Pete Carroll’s staff. Manuel replaces Jeff Ulbrich, who left to become the special teams/linebackers coach at UCLA. The club also announced four other moves Tuesday: Keith Carter has been added as an offensive quality control coach; Rocky Seto’s title has been changed to defensive passing game coordinator; John Glenn has been hired as a coaching assistant/special teams; and Kenechi Udeze will be a coaching intern/defensive line.”
Danny O’Neil at the Seattle Times and Eric Williams at the News Tribune also have the word on the additions to Carroll’s staff.
The Associated Press has the word on Jim Zorn remaining with the Chiefs as their quarterbacks coach, despite the Seahawks’ original QB being passed over for the offensive coordinator position in KC: “Brian Daboll was hired recently to run the offense, which led many to question whether Zorn would be back. He was retained along with assistant head coach Maurice Carthon, tight ends coach Bernie Parmalee, strength coach Mike Clark, wide receivers coach Nick Sirianni and virtually the entire defensive staff.”
Rob Rang of NFLDraftScout.com has updated his mock draft at CBSSports.com, but has the Seahawks making a familiar selection: “Devon Still, DT, Penn State: Many expect the Seahawks to consider a quarterback to compete with incumbent starter Tarvaris Jackson with this selection but in beating the New York Giants and Baltimore Ravens last year, and matching up well with division champion San Francisco, the club may not be willing to reach to fill a perceived need. Don’t be surprised if Seattle instead turns its attention to a bounty of talented defensive linemen likely to be selected in the top 15. Still, a 6-4, 310-pound defensive tackle, showed his talent and despite all of the distractions in Happy Valley last year, was the Big Ten’s Defensive Player of the Year. Still could help inside at defensive tackle as well as provide the Seahawks with some flexibility at the five technique defensive end position should incumbent starter Red Bryant be heavily pursued in free agency.”
Dane Brugler of NFLDraftScout.com also has a mock draft at CBSSports.com and sticks with a defensive lineman for the Seahawks. But not the same one as Rang: “Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina: The Seahawks will be looking for a pass-rushing defensive end this offseason and Coples falling would be the ideal scenario for Seattle. Coples has the ability to be as good as he wants, but questions about his passion and work ethic have raised flags, especially after a subpar senior season in Chapel Hill. Coples’ natural skills set and pro upside will force NFL teams to do their due diligence and homework before they invest a top-12 pick in him.”
As for the give-us-this-day-our-daily-Peyton-Manning item, Jim Corbett at USA Today looks at a half-dozen landing spots for the Colts’ iconic QB, including the Seahawks: “The situation: Inconsistent Tarvaris Jackson is the incumbent, with Charlie Whitehurst the backup. Why it would work: Manning could consider the NFC West the path of least resistance to the Super Bowl by comparison to the NFC East and AFC East. Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell worked with Favre with Green Bay and the Minnesota Vikings and would tailor the offense to Manning. Why it wouldn’t work: Coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider have gone young, so much so that Manning might feel more like he’s reliving his past with the University of Tennessee than his NFL prime with the Super Bowl-winning 2006 Colts.”
Speaking of Manning, as well as Randy Moss, John McGrath at the News Tribune says the Seahawks need to just say no to aging stars: “Whatever the score, wherever they stood in the standings, the Hawks almost always exerted a 60-minute effort. Moss still is blessed with transcendent ability – even (Cris) Carter acknowledges as much – but the last thing the 2012 Seahawks need is key a player with a “quit mechanism” that’s huge. Furthermore, (Pete) Carroll and general manager John Schneider have displayed a vision in their retooling of a roster that’s been turned over from established veterans to younger guys with hungry hearts. It’s a vision that precludes the presence of Moss and another veteran guaranteed enshrinement in the Hall of Fame, Peyton Manning.”
Speaking of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Peter King at SI.com wades into the growing conversation about the selection committee that gathers annually on the Saturday before the Super Bowl to determine that year’s class for the Hall. King has been on the committee for 20 years, I was on it for only two – but can relate to his concerns. In the Tuesday edition of his “Monday Morning Quarterback,” King addresses one emailer who pooh-poohs the selection this year of former Seahawks defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy: “Does it matter to you that (Chris) Doleman has 39 more sacks/forced fumbles/recovered fumbles in his career than Michael Strahan, and had a 15-sack season at age 37? Or that Kennedy was the Defensive Player of the Year on a 2-14 team, and two noted coaches have told me he is the toughest linemen their interior line had to block, ever?” Atta boy, Peter. As Tom Petty would put it, “Well I won’t back down; no I won’t back down.”
Monday cyber surfing: Baldwin doesn’t want to be ‘slotted’
Good morning. Here’s what “out there” about the Seahawks for today, Feb. 13, and was over the weekend:
Eric Williams at the News Tribune checks in with Doug Baldwin, after the Seahawks’ leading receiver last season did a live chat on the paper’s website last week: “Baldwin’s production in 2011 secured his spot as Seattle’s slot receiver. But Baldwin wants to be considered a compete receiver. And in order to do that, Baldwin has to make plays from the perimeter of the offense as well. ‘They say that I’m the slot guy, but every year they’re bringing somebody in to try to take your job – that’s the upper management’s job,’ he said. ‘So my job is to make sure that whoever they bring in doesn’t have a chance. That’s why I’m here, to be honest with you. I want to be known as the greatest receiver who ever played the game, and it’s going to be hard to do that strictly out of the slot.’ ”
Elliott Harrison has made his way to the Seahawks in his “Exit Interview” series at NFL.com. As for “what went right,” Harrison offers: “More than you might think. Despite getting off to a horrid start, the Seahawks outscored their opponents 321-315. Not a huge margin, but certainly not bad for a football team that many fans feel is a lot worse than it really is. Pete Carroll’s group rallied from a 2-6 start to go 5-3 down the stretch. In fact, they were 7-7 and still alive in the playoff chase before losing to a talented 49ers team and a red hot Cardinals club (which won seven of its last nine). A significant cause for the turnaround was the motivated play of Marshawn Lynch, and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell’s increased willingness to feed him the rock. After only getting 97 carries in the first half of the season, Lynch toted the ball 188 times down the back half – 23.5 attempts per game.”
Also at NFL.com, in honor of the Grammy’s, Adam Rank gives his thoughts on the musical mascot for each NFL team. For the Seahawks, that’s Soundgarden: “This is another one where I’m not even sure the band even likes football. When you think of Seattle music, Soundgarden comes first for me.”
Here at Seahawks.com, we connect the past, the present and the future. The past? Cortez Kennedy and some surprising stats he put up during his Hall of Fame career: “If there was a statistic that stood out for Kennedy during that do-it-all (1992) season, it was his 14 sacks. But scratch a little deeper and there also were 14 other tackles for losses – giving him a franchise-record 28 when coupled with the sacks – as well as 13 other tackles for no gain. So on 41 of his career-high 93 tackles – or 44 percent of those plays – the ball carrier never cracked the line of scrimmage.”
As for the present and future, the team made another “good get” by re-signing tackle Breno Giacomini before he could become an unrestricted free agent: “One of the cornerstones to Carroll’s coaching philosophy is “Always compete,” and in re-signing Giacomini the Seahawks now have a competitive situation at right tackle – which was not case when they selected (James) Carpenter with the 25th pick overall in the NFL Draft last year. Retaining Giacomini also provides insurance in case Carpenter is not completely recovered from his knee injury when the OTA sessions start in May and the team holds its only mandatory minicamp in June.”
Rob Rang of NFLDraftScout.com has updated his “Big Board” at CBSSports.com. Not surprisingly, he still had Stanford QB Andrew Luck ranked No. 1: “Put simply, Luck is worth the hype. It isn’t just that he has all the physical traits to be the No. 1 overall pick. His intelligence, anticipation and poise are phenomenal. Say what you will about Robert Griffin III’s upside, Luck is as close to a sure thing as it gets in the NFL Draft.”
As for the give-us-this-day-our-daily-Peyton-Manning item, Ashley Fox at ESPN.com has an intriguing read on the Colts’ iconic QB and what his future might hold: “Peyton wants what he wants. This isn’t exactly breaking news. Manning doesn’t like surprises. He isn’t going to work around other people’s mistakes. He is inflexible and hard-headed and type triple-A. Those aren’t knocks on Peyton. He is who he is, and those qualities have made him the NFL’s MVP four times in his career. At age 35, Peyton Manning isn’t going to change. Not now. Not for anybody. He is used to running an offense he wants to run, to calling plays, to dictating practice. He has been in charge of the Colts for so long, he knows no other way.”
And for a look around the league, there’s Peter King’s “Monday Morning Quarterback” at SI.com.
Thursday cyber surfing: Tez comes to town
Good morning. Here’s what’s “out there” about the Seahawks for today, Feb. 9:
Scott Johnson of the Everett Herald checks in with Cortez Kennedy, the Seahawks’ Hall of Fame defensive tackle who was in town on Wednesday: “Kennedy will become the first Hall of Famer, in any of the major team sports, to be drafted by a Seattle team and spend his entire career there. ‘I’m always a Seattle guy,’ he said Wednesday, four days after his name was announced among the members of the Hall of Fame’s Class of 2012. ‘I love Seattle, and I love the fans. And that will never change.’ “
Here at Seahawks.com, we’ve also got a closer look at Kennedy, including his response to the question about whether his Hall of Fame-worthy career would have been complete even without the recognition to match: “You know something? We don’t have to talk about that anymore,” he said, punctuating the statement with one of his rumbling laughs that were as much his trademark as the body-slam tackles he cranked out during his 11 seasons with the Seahawks. “I’m a Hall of Famer now. So we don’t ever have to talk about that again. It’s done. It’s over with. Like the ‘Big Show’ Holmgren says, ‘It’s done. It’s over with. Forget it.’ I don’t want to hear it no more.”
We also check in with leading receiver Doug Baldwin, who has become a fixture at Virginia Mason Athletic Center since his rookie season ended: “The Seahawks’ 2011 season ended the day after their overtime loss to the Cardinals in Arizona on New Year’s Day. The team’s 2012 offseason conditioning program doesn’t start until April 16, almost a month later than in previous years because of the new CBA that came into effect following the 136-day lockout that erased the offseason last year. But you would never know it by watching Baldwin go through his almost-daily routine at Virginia Mason Athletic Center. And everything must be done on his own, another stipulation in the new offseason rules governing teams and their players. ‘I have lots to improve on, lots that I can learn,’ Baldwin said. ‘I know I can do so much more, in terms of my assignments and catching every ball that’s thrown to me. So I have lots to do and I’m anxious to get it done.’ ”
Dave Boling at the News Tribune weighs in on the speculation about Peyton Manning and whether the Seahawks should pursue him if/when the Colts part ways with their iconic QB: “The Seahawks have the need for a quarterback and the available salary-cap room to make a serious run at Manning. But should they? His health is in question, and for a team in the process of rebuilding and apparently on the rise, the ideal situation would be to find a young talent who could grow with the team for the long haul. But this is Peyton Manning, and the chance to get him – if healthy – should trump other options being studied. Risk? Oh, heck yes. He might never get out of training camp. Hey, realistically, everybody who plays in the NFL is one bad hit from retirement. But a soon-to-be 36-year-old quarterback who has had three neck surgeries in 19 months?”
Joe Theismann has a completely opposite view on the situation, and Dan Hanzus at NFL.com passes along the thoughts of the former NFL QB with regards to the Redskins pursuing Manning: “It’s not a good idea, it’s not a bad idea – its’ a horrific idea,” Theismann, now an NFL Network analyst, told a radio station on in Washington last week. “It would be one of the poorest things that we could do as a franchise. Are we gonna go find another guy for just a couple of years again? Haven’t we done this before? Haven’t we seen this act before? And by the way, if you get Peyton Manning, don’t you have a concern about protecting him? Don’t you have a concern about who he throws the football to?”
Chris Burke at SI.com ranks the network broadcast crews, and his top pick might surprise you: “Brad Nessler and Mike Mayock, NFL Network: Because the NFL’s Thursday night slate didn’t start until Week 10, this pairing only worked together a handful of times. But man, were they good. Nessler is energetic without being overly excitable, saving his best calls for the moments that necessitate them. His demeanor turned out to be the perfect match for Mayock, who was so good that SI’s Richard Deitsch named him the “Person of the Year” in his annual Media Awards. Not only does Mayock sound extremely prepared each game, but he takes that knowledge and easily translates it to the viewer. Thanks to the duo’s talents and the relatively weak slate of Thursday games this year, by season’s end people were tuning into the NFL Network’s broadcasts as much for the announcing as the games.”
On this date: Easley, Young spark AFC
A look at the memorable moments in Seahawks history that occurred on Feb. 7:
1988: Kenny Easley and Fredd Young provide half the AFC’s four interceptions, as well as eight and seven tackles, in 15-6 victory in the Pro Bowl. Steve Largent (one reception) and Jacob Green (two tackles) also were on the AFC squad.
1993: Cortez Kennedy and Eugene Robinson combine for nine tackles to help the AFC win the Pro Bowl 23-20 in overtime.
1999: Cortez Kennedy and the “strong side, left side” trio of Michael Sinclair, Chad Brown and Shawn Springs combine for five tackles and three passes defensed to help the AFC claim a 23-10 Pro Bowl victory in what is John Elway’s final game.
2003: Teryl Austin is named defensive backs coach on Mike Holmgren’s staff.
Tuesday cyber surfing: And still more Tez
Good morning. Here’s what’s “out there” about the Seahawks for today, Feb. 7:
While answering questions from his ESPN.com mailbag, NFC West blogger Mike Sando shares his thoughts on Cortez Kennedy’s selection to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday: “The Mount Rushmore of Seahawks history would include Steve Largent, Kenny Easley, Kennedy and Walter Jones, in my view. Shaun Alexander deserves consideration as well, but I think those other guys were the elite of the elite in the pure ability to dominate their opponents. Easley, Kennedy and Jones played extremely physical positions, too, so their dominance was a cut above simply by the nature of their jobs. I tend to favor candidates who flat-out dominated even when two or three opponents at a time matched up against them. Kennedy fit that criteria. Kennedy’s candidacy suffered some from the Seahawks’ struggles during the 1990s. The team kept hiring offensive-minded head coaches in an effort to fix that side of the ball, going from Chuck Knox to Tom Flores to Dennis Erickson to Mike Holmgren during Kennedy’s tenure. Holmgren’s arrival in 1999 led to an 8-2 start and playoff appearance that season. Kennedy had 6.5 sacks and two interceptions that year, with three of those sacks during Holmgren’s return to Green Bay on the Monday night stage. Overall, Kennedy appeared in prime time only five times during his career. For that reason, many of the selectors rarely saw him play. One key to Kennedy’s enshrinement was making sure the selectors had the relevant facts and testimonials before them. Presenting Kennedy was straightforward. His credentials made it so.”
Here at Seahawks.com, we check in with Steve Largent, the Seahawks’ original Hall of Famer, for his thoughts on Cortez Kennedy joining him in the Pro Football Hall of Fame: “I think entering the Hall of Fame does change your life,” Largent said, before quickly adding, “Not in respect to priorities or anything like that. But just in terms of externally, you’re on a higher profile as a player. And also, you realize you’re joining a very limited and unique club of people and that there is a camaraderie you have with those men that really goes beyond anything I’ve ever been involved in before.”
We also take another look at the Seahawks’ Week 5 victory over the Giants in our “Monday metatarsal musings” after they won the Super Bowl on Sunday. Says veteran cornerback Marcus Trufant: “It was just one of those things that shows during the season it’s not about one game, you’ve got to put a whole season together. Sure, we beat them earlier in the season. But they put together a run and they just kept making it happen. So it’s not about one game during the season. It’s about putting all the games together and coming away with a good season.”
Had enough Super Bowl coverage? Hope not, because here’s Peter King’s “Monday Morning Quarterback” (Yes, it’s Tuesday, but this wasn’t posted when we went surfing Monday morning).
On this date: Easley’s first Pro Bowl
A look at the memorable moments in Seahawks history that occurred on Feb 6:
1983: In his first Pro Bowl, Kenny Easley has nine tackles as the Seahawks’ lone representative in a game won by the NFC 20-19 as Danny White throws a TD pass to John Jefferson with 35 seconds remaining.
1994: Eugene Robinson intercepts a pass and Chris Warren leads the AFC with 64 rushing yards, but the NFC wins the Pro Bowl 17-3. Cortez Kennedy also represents the Seahawks in the game and contributes two tackles.
1998: Pete Rodriguez agrees to become special teams coach on Dennis Erickson’s staff.
2000: Walter Jones, Cortez Kennedy (three tackles) and Chad Brown (two special teams tackles) represent the Seahawks in the Pro Bowl, but the NFC wins 51-31.
2008: It is announced that assistant head coach/defensive backs Jim Mora will become head coach after the season, which is the last of Mike Holmgren’s 10 seasons as head coach.
Monday cyber surfing: Still more Tez
Good morning. Here’s what’s “out there” about the Seahawks for today, Feb. 6:
Scott Johnson at the Everett Herald takes a walk down memory lane in the wake of Cortez Kennedy being voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday: “And so when I first heard the news Saturday that Kennedy had finally been granted entrance to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, I put aside my journalist suit and broke into a short celebration. Anyone who got to know Kennedy over the years, even a little bit, had to be ecstatic when the Seahawks great was honored as one of the greatest to ever play the game.”
Here at Seahawks.com, we check in with Dave Wyman and Paul Moyer for their thoughts on Cortez Kennedy being voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday: “But while watching all of this unfold – and all the blocking schemes he collapsed – did those around him realize they were watching a player who would end up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame? ‘That’s a great question, because while you’re there you really don’t get that feeling much,’ Dave Wyman, who played middle linebacker during Kennedy’s first three seasons, said Saturday shortly after hearing that Kennedy had been elected to the Hall. ‘But I would say with Tez, he was one of the rare guys where you did know that he was something special. It’s the cream of the cream of the crop. I always tell the story that you’re the state shot put champion and player of the year and all these things in high school. Then you’re an All-American in college. Then when you get to the pros, you’re just kind of one of the guys because everybody is so good. But then every once in awhile there’s one guy that even in the pros is just special and ahead of everybody else. That was Tez. He was that kind of player.’ ”
Brady Henderson at mynorthwest.com passes along the audio from an interview Wyman did on 710 ESPN with John Clayton of ESPN.com and also a member of the Hall of Fame selection committee on Friday: “He wasn’t lining up in gaps. He wasn’t hiding. They were triple-teaming him,” Wyman said. “It was just amazing to watch.”
As for coverage of that game that was played on Sunday, there’s Clayton’s “Last Call” at ESPN.com; Clark Judge’s “Judgements” at CBSSports.com; and Art Thiel at sportspress northwest reminds us that the Seahawks beat the Super Bowl champion Giants in Week 5, offering: “Since the Giants are the best team in football today, and three months earlier were punched out at home by the Seahawks, it means either the Giants became really good really fast, or the difference between 6-10 and 10-6 in the NFL is the breaks on a handful of plays.”
Sunday cyber surfing: All about Tez
Good morning. Here’s a special Super Bowl Sunday edition for Feb. 5 to cover everything that was written about Cortez Kennedy after he was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday:
Dave Boling at the News Tribune looks at the man behind the player who was the best defensive tackle of his generation, and among the best to ever play the game: “Those of us who have followed Kennedy since he arrived in 1990 have heard endlessly that ‘Tez,’ as they all called him, was a Hall of Fame teammate, a Hall of Fame guy, a Hall of Fame father, a Hall of Fame friend. He was considered larger than life as a player (which is saying a great deal given his ample girth), but at the same time may have been the most humble man on the team.”
Also at the News Tribune, Eric Williams looks at Kennedy the player – now a Hall of Fame player: “(Former center Robbie) Tobeck got a steady diet of Kennedy’s impressive athletic ability at practice during the week. ‘Even in practice, when the offensive line goes down and does one-on-one pass drills, you had to be quick to get to your set because he was so quick and explosive off the ball,’ Tobeck said. ‘He had great hands, too. I think that sometimes doesn’t get talked about a lot in line play – playing off blocks with your hands – but he certainly was good with his hands.’ ”
Danny O’Neil at the Seattle Times says the long-awaited honor left Kennedy almost speechless: “Kennedy was at his home in Orlando, Fla., when he learned of the news. He was elated. He was grateful. Mostly, he was overwhelmed. ‘I don’t know what to say,’ he said. That’s OK. His career spoke for itself. He was a defensive tackle, as thankless a job as there is in football, and he played that underappreciated position for a team that can often be overlooked in the NFL.”
Mike Sando at ESPN.com, who made Kennedy’s presentation to the selection committee, offers his thoughts on Tez and the rest of the Class of 2012: “Thirteen modern-era NFL players were finalists for enshrinement Saturday in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Only one was named offensive or defensive player of the year during his career. That was the Seattle Seahawks’ Cortez Kennedy. His eight Pro Bowls, all-1990s selection and overall dominance made my job as his presenter quite simple. State the facts and let Kennedy’s career do the talking. Picking the final five out of 15 modern-era finalists is always tough, however, because it usually requires leaving off worthy candidates.”
Here at Seahawks.com, we caught with Kennedy moments after the announcement was made and he was one happy Hall of Famer: “ ‘I thought I’d get a call,’ Kennedy said moments after taking his rightful place among the best to ever play in the National Football League. ‘I was just watching TV, like everyone else, and then they called my name. They called my name. Can you believe it? It’s unbelievable. Unbelievable. Can you believe it?’ Believe it, Tez. You are a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Kennedy was a finalist for the fourth consecutive season, and also advanced from that field of 15 to the group of 10 last year. But Saturday, when the 44-person selection committee gathered in Indianapolis, Kennedy took the final two steps. First, he emerged from the group of 10 to the final five, as did Pittsburgh Steelers center Dermontti Dawson; defensive end/linebacker Chris Doleman, who played for the Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons and San Francisco 49ers; New York Jets running back Curtis Martin; and offensive tackle Willie Roaf, who played for the New Orleans Saints and Kansas City Chiefs. But even that does not insure a berth in the Hall, because the final five also must get 80 percent approval on the final ballot. Each did, and will be joined in the six-man class by Jack Butler, a senior committee nominee who played cornerback for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1951-59.”
We’ve also got a video tribute to Tez that will help those who never saw him play understand just how good he was, and those who did see him play remember just how much fun he was to watch.
Jim Trotter at SI.com writes that for most fans the Hall of Fame attention is usually on those who didn’t make it, but he also looks ahead to the Classes of 2014 and 2015, when the next former Seahawks will be eligible: “2014 – linebacker Derrick Brooks, wideout Marvin Harrison, coaches Tony Dungy and Mike Holmgren, running back Shaun Alexander, and safety Rodney Harrison. 2015 – left tackles Walter Jones and Orlando Pace, linebacker Junior Seau, quarterback Kurt Warner, cornerback Ty Law, , and running back Edgerrin James.”
On this date: A Super letdown
A look at the memorable moments in Seahawks history that occurred on Feb. 5:
1995: Chris Warren runs for 127 yards and a touchdown as the AFC rushes for 400 yards – and averages 10 yards per carry – to win the Pro Bowl 41-13. Rick Tuten averages 40.3 yards on four punts. Cortez Kennedy (one tackle) also starts for the AFC.
2003: Ray Rhodes is named defensive coordinator on Mike Holmgren’s staff.
2006: Matt Hasselbeck passes for 273 yards and Shaun Alexander runs for 95 yards, but the Seahawks can’t overcome their own mistakes and some dubious calls by the officials in dropping a 21-10 decision to the Steelers in Super Bowl XL – the franchise’s first appearance in the NFL title game.
