Sunday, December 28, 2014

Go Seahawks!!!

Seahawks win the NFC West again! 

The road to the Arizona goes through Seattle. 

I can't believe after so many years of mediocrity that I have enjoyed the last four years of pure awesomeness that is this team.  After the Superbowl domination of last year, many people said it would be a one and done team.  After the mid-season struggles, many people echoed that statement.  Since Kam Chancellor and Bobby Wagner (go Aggies) came back from injury, the defense has been allowing a paltry 6.5 points per game.  6.5.  Less than a touchdown in a league where Troy Aikman (can't he be fired yet?) says it's unfair to compare his stats to the guys of today because the league is built to score points through the air. 

The defense is once again the most dominant force in the NFL.  Pete Carrol has once again used his defensive expertise to lead a team to greatness.  He has taken that defense to heights no one knew could exist in today's NFL.  All the while having a completely different offense than he has anywhere else he has been.  It's because, once again, he hires an OC, tells them I'm a defensive guy, you coach the offense and I'll coach the defense.  He hires good people and allows them to do their job (Whittingham could take a page out of his book).  Do I love their offense?  Nope.  I think they could line up under center, and pound the crap out of the defense with Lynch, Turbin (go Aggies), and Michael following a fullback.  However, it's not MY style that counts.  They spread you out, run the ball, and hit you medium to deep off play action.  Russel Wilson blows you away with his scrambling and running.  This team beats you up on both sides of the ball.  The last ten games, the team playing the Seahawks have lost the next week.  That's how bad they beat you down. 

I'm very proud to call myself a 12.  I've been a 12 before being a 12 was a thing. 

Years ago, walking into a sports apparel store wearing a Seahawks shirt and Mariner's hat an older man walked up to me.  He asks if I'm married and I curiously respond in the affirmative.  He said to me "Well, she must really love you." 
"She does thank you," hesitating to here his response to my next question, "why do you say that?"
He looks at my shirt and replies, "She knows you're loyal." turns and walks away in victory.  

I stood there shocked at the brilliance of the mild mannered cut to the throat.  If I could have, I would have demanded a standing ovation from the patrons and staff of the store.  As it was, I was to stunned and punch drunk to think of anything else than wow. 

These are the things I've been dealing with my whole life.  Knowing that, with very few exceptions, the Hall of Fame is littered with bad things the Seahawks have allowed or done.  Dave Krieg and Warren Moon owning the most fumbles ever by QB's.  Allowing 7 sacks in one game to the late, great Derrick Thomas who was quoted saying the only one that mattered was the eighth one he missed.  Dave Krieg stepped up into the diminishing pocket and threw a glorious, albeit wobbly pass to Brian Blades in the end zone to win the game, just as Derrick Thomas recovered from his earlier bypass and smacked him.  The knowledge that Bo Jackson's best game(s) came against the Seahawks.  Most people can still see Bo carrying "the Boz" into the end zone from 5 yards out.  Or him running into the tunnel after his 98 yard run.  Same game.  In the Kingdome. 

Those are days long past and the Seattle Seahawks are, for the second straight year, the most ferocious team in the NFL.  It all started with the BeastQuake run.  Where the reaction from the crowd of Marshawn Lynch's run for a touchdown in the playoff game against the Saints registered on the richter scale at nearby Mt Rainier. 

The Legion of Boom is young, brash, talented, cocky, and rarely out of place. The linebackers are young, fast, strong, and gap savvy.  The line is a pack of spitting dogs who want to torture anyone who stand in their way of getting to ball.  I LOVE THIS DEFENSE!!!

Lead the way to another Super Bowl victory!!

Go Seahawks!!!!

Saturday, December 27, 2014

What the?

Ok, so I'm hearing everything from Gary Anderson to Utah because of a flub from Oregon State not paying his $3 mil buyout, to Lane Kiffen, Dan Mullen and even Mike McCoy.  Kyle Whittingham is still the coach officially and none of these rumors are substantiated at all.  Yet, I will address how I feel about each. 

Gary Anderson, how would this work?  I think as a football move it's my favorite from this list.  The likely hood of this I don't see at all, but that is what a rumor is right?  Just speculation, which is what I'm doing here.  From a PR standpoint, it's scary as hell.  Gary Anderson just left 3 years on his deal at Wisconsin to go to Oregon State.  This could be a huge mess for OSU if they don't pay the buyout and get him inked.  They've already held press conferences and hired assistants.  Could get scary for Utah, Whittingham and Sitaki as well.  Utah would now have the drama of the entire situation looming over it's head for the next ten years minimum.  Would Sitaki come with him?  If so, than the problem was Whittingham and not Dr Hill.  If, I really mean IF, that happens, how would fans feel about the whole situation?  I think the fire on Dr Chris Hill's seat that has started the last few weeks would be extinguished, for now.  If that happens and the ire turns towards Whittingham, where would he go to escape it?  DC for the Chiefs?  That seems unlikely, though probably the best best bet to stay under the radar.  Sit out a year and take over for BYU?  Highly unlikely.  I've heard he has a strong distaste for the fan base since the "fight" with his wife and brother in the stands.  Though, you never know.  Utah fans would relish the 2016 game and hope the Utes just piled on the hapless Cougars.  Again, Anderson wouldn't do that.  Can you imagine the personal bridges that would burn as well?  Whittingham would never speak to Anderson, Sitaki, Tuiaki or Kaua'aha'a again.  This is more than football, it's personal. 

Lane Kiffen, just no.  No.  HELL NOWHY EVEN CONSIDER THIS GUY?!  He's cheated at every level.  From deflated balls, changing a players number to cause confusion for who knows what end, to bailing on Tennessee after getting canned from the Raiders where Al Davis said he felt fooled by this guy.  USC was justified in firing him at an airport after a game.  He's proven to be a liability to a program rather than a benefit.  NO!!

Dan Mullen, I don't understand this one at all.  Not in the least.  His only loyalty to Utah is when he came from Bowling Green with Urban Meyer as the QB coach.  He went to Florida when Urban Meyer did as his OC.  Coach Mullen even stole Brian Johnson from Utah.  Good for Johnson, but would Brian come back to Utah?  Is Whittingham the problem there too?

Mike McCoy, here is wishful thinking on anyone's part.  I'd still take Gary Anderson, though Mike McCoy is intriguing.  It fits the trend however, offensive mind after defensive mind.  Since Jim Fassel was fired in 1989 they went defense with Ronnie Mac, offense with Meyer, defense with Whitt.  Yes new Ute fans, the Same Jim Fassel who coached for the New York Giants.  However, McCoy has earned enough respect in the NFL that even if the Chargers lose on Sunday to the Chiefs (ironic isn't it that I've mentioned them twice in this blog, could it be that this NFL game has Utah implications?) and he gets fired, he lands at least an OC job in the NFL.  I don't see him stepping back down to college.  He's never done it anyway.  Whose to say the recruiting aspect wouldn't suit him.  Don't get me wrong, the one time I met him he was a great guy who seemed very charismatic and he could do wonders in living rooms.  Imagine being a 17 year old drop back NFL style QB choosing between Oregon, Oregon State and Utah and you have Mike McCoy sitting there telling you he knows what it takes to be an NFL QB.  The fun part to this would also be imagining who the defensive hires could be.  Anyone would want to work with him.  Maybe I'm talking myself into this one a little more...

My vote is Kyle Whittingham for at least one more year.  I do believe at this point, that's the most we'll get as fans of the Utes. 

What brought me back

Whirlwind sports news and no one to talk to about it.  Well, with all due respect to my wife, the glazed over look she gave me when talking about Gary Anderson's coaching pedigree made me realize I need to sit down and write again.

So I'm back doing something I love, writing about sports.  Being able to get my thoughts and feelings out in a medium I respect, regardless if any one else reads it or not, brings me joy.  Feeling the weight of opinions expressed being lifted off my shoulders in grand way.

I love sports.  Standing in line at a gas station on Christmas day, talking to a stranger who I just met about the state of Badger football because of the sweater he was wearing warms my soul.  Instant comradery with someone who I have no business talking to.  Coach Gary Anderson is our link.  My favorite defense that went from Utah to Utah State to Wisconsin has now landed at Oregon State.

What's the state of Badger football?  How comfortable do you feel with the new coach?  Oh, I love it.  Great hire, he's been there before.  However I would have loved to see what Coach Anderson could have done.  It's to bad he felt the need to go somewhere else.  How do you feel about him stealing your DC?  Oh I don't know, from what I've heard he's a great guy, but I haven't really loved the defense since Coach Anderson left.  Don't get me wrong, it's really good.  Under him though it was great with less talent.  This is one of the reasons I love sports.

Now, on to a darker topic.  The state of Utah Football is drastically different today than 2 days ago.  First let me tell you the sequence of events as I know them.  I will qualify all of this by saying I do not, let me repeat, I do NOT have a #Source.  I don't have any inside information and what I know is hearsay from people who do have sources.  Right now that's really mucky water because it seems as though we are all hearing multiple stories from multiple "sources".  Again, let me tell you the sequence of events.

2014 has been tumultuous for the Utah offense.  The defense was better than it's been since 2008 (Coach Anderson's last year at Utah).  Highlighted by the defensive line play once again.  It seems as though every year since Coach Whittingham has taken over there is NFL talent on the line.  This year there is one of the best talents the Utes have ever seen in Nate Orchard.  18 sacks in a single season.  He's not just a pass rusher though.  The dude's a beast who disrupts every aspect on field.  He bull rushes lighter tackles and guards into the QB or fly's around the bigger guys with unbelievable speed.  You don't get anywhere when you rush at him because he closes the gaps by taking on several blocks unlike most pass rushers.  You don't get anywhere by rushing away from him because he runs it down from the back end.  You still have to block him because of his speed.  On the other side of the line is Hunter Dimick.  A speed rusher who compliments Orchard perfectly.  I'm not going to break the entire line down, just say that they are fantastic. They earned their nickname Sack Lake City with only rushing four most times. 

The linebackers went through some injuries and saw several different starters through out the year.  I can't even fathom how good this defense could have been with a healthy Gionni Paul in the middle.  He was a dominant defender who made an instant impact when he came back from injury.
The secondary was good as well.  Really though, because of the d-line, they really didn't have to hold out for too long most of the time.  When they did though, they got exposed. Brian Blechen was constantly out of place and took really bad angles on fast receivers which gave up huge plays against Washington State, Arizona and Oregon.  Again though, they were beset by injuries and they looked great many times in the year.  Eric Rowe was, at times, a huge bright spot, but like most DB''s, other times he looked like he got cocky and got beat deep. 

The offense is a totally different story.  The first three games of the season, against sub par opponents, they were on fire.  Throwing the ball down the field with accuracy and running over and through everyone.  Once the competition stiffened up at Michigan, the offense stumbled, badly.  They once again ranked near the bottom in the Pac-12 in nearly every category except rushing (thanks Booker).  Travis Wilson was much beleaguered throughout the year until Kendal Thompson played and the offense was miserably one dimensional.  It seemed as though there was a rift between Coach Whittingham and Offensive Coordinator (and buddy) Dave Christensen concerning who the QB should be and what type of offense should be run.  This rift deepened throughout the year to where it was obvious in the Oregon game when, still contestable, Coach Christiansen pulled Travis Wilson in favor of Conner Manning, a redshirt freshman who had seen zero playing time and probably third string reps in practice.  Welcome to the Pac-12 son, go out there and beat the eventually number 2 (champion?) ducks.  This move turned a close game into a blowout. 

Despite this, they won 9 games including their bowl game, having the hardest schedule in NCAA for the second year in a row.  Huge year, on a junior and sophomore laden team.  The upside for this team looks incredible.  

Less than a week later, all hell has broken lose.  Kalani Sitaki has taken what is considered a less than lateral move to Gary Anderson's staff at Oregon State as the DC.  Ilaisa Tuiaki, the artist behind the d-line, went with him.  Utah twitterverse exploded blaming everyone from Coach Whitt to Dr Chris Hill, the AD.  All the while still exclaiming how wonderful coach Sitaki is. Coach Christensen has taken the "running game coordinator" job at Texas A&M.  He took a step down to get away from what seems like an over bearing Whittingham.  However, the Ute twitterverse is again exploding, this time blaming Chris Hill.  With 8 OC's in 8 years, you'd think people were used to this type of thing.  however, it sent a mini shock wave throughout the Utah media center so every one to their sources to find out what is going on. 

It seems as though a growing rift as been forming between Coach Whitt and Dr Hill.  Again, seemingly because of the lack of extension of the assistant's contracts.  It's amazing that a twenty year partnership, if not friendship, can be broken so easily.  I think there is more to it than what we are hearing.  Whitt has shown loyalty and expects it in return.  Dr Hill is a Utah man who has build the entire athletic program from the laughing stock he inherited to a power house football program, a top 20 (rebuilt) basketball program and many more accolades.  He is and should be about the health of the business of Utah Football. 

It pains me to see this going on as a die hard Utah fan who has been going to games since before Ronnie Mac.  It would have been easier had Utah not been as dominant as they were and won 9 games.  If they had again not made it to a bowl game, Coach Whittingham, and the rest of the staff would have been let go. 

You have to feel that Dr Hill has options in the works.  You have to also feel that someone with the resume of Coach Whittingham has options as well.  I've heard rumors from him taking over the BYU program (how does that make Broco feel?) to being Andy Reid's DC at Kansas City.  If Jim Harbaugh doesn't take the Michigan job, rumors also have Whitt there.  If Whitt does leave, Dr hill had best make a splash because it puts him on the clock. 

Best case scenario I see happening here is that Coach Whittingham fulfills his current contract threw next year and leaves with his head held high and hopefully a Pac-12 championship under his belt.  Hey, I can dream right?

Tell me what you think and what you are seeing in this.