This is the wrong place to look for informed draft analysis. I don't watch college football with any sort of focus, and the ONLY Seahawks draftee that I had heard of before last weekend was QB Russell Wilson. Anything that I would tell you about the 10 men Seattle just drafted would just be regurgitation of something I read somewhere else. What can I tell you today in the aftermath of the draft?
Pete and John have a plan. They are sticking to it. And they don't give a fuck what you, I or Mel Kiper Jr. think. They understand on a fundamental level that the sole criteria they'll be judged on is postseason success- not April draft grades or fanpanics that flare up on talk radio or twitter. They have a constituency of one: Paul Allen. Until his patience wears thin, PCJS will be given wide latitude to build this team as they see fit.
Think about how LITTLE is left of the 2009 Seahawks. Hell, even the uniforms are different now. By kickoff weekend this September, there will probably be about a half-dozen players left on our roster who donned those bright green MoraHawks jerseys. Naysayers can point to Carroll's 14-18 regular season record, but it takes breathtaking ignorance to miss the progress that has already been made: A vastly younger, faster, more aggressive roster that is led by a defense already among the league's top 10 units. PCJS' 2012 draft was designed with a singular purpose: to finish the construction of a championship-level defense. To paraphrase Emperor Palpatine- This fall the NFL shall witness the firepower of this fully armed and fully operational battle station!
Are PCJS gambling a bit on the offense progressing with pieces they already have on hand? Doy. They are betting that the offensive line regresses back to a normal level of overall health. They are betting that Matt Flynn or Russell Wilson emerges as the QB that can shepherd us to playoff success (sorry T-Jack... Don't see you making the Kickoff Weekend roster. I hope you prove me wrong). They are betting that Lynch and Turbin can tenderize enemy defenses, and that multiple solid contributors emerge from the crowded WR corps. But if the defense fulfills its frightening potential, the offense doesn't need to be dominant for Seattle to become a Super Bowl contender- It just needs to be above average (particularly at avoiding giveaways and controlling the ball).
Do you think ANYONE working at ESPN understands this? Do you think any of them has spent more than a few minutes learning about our team in recent months? No. They're too busy stalking New York back-up QBs to truly understand anything going down in South Alaska. So when PCJS fail to step the narrow path they've laid, the Seahawks get blasted on every "platform" at the World Wide Leader's disposal.
The great news is that PCJS completely, blissfully ignore this crap. Why shouldn't we do likewise? Why should ANY Twelve internalize this un-informed negativity, let alone AGREE with it?
A few minor summer transactions aside, the 2012 Seahawks have been assembled. I wish I could see them take the field tomorrow, because this will be a season not just of growth, but of triumph. Be joyful, Twelves. Let Fearless be your middle name.
2 comments:
I've never understood where people get the cojones to give draft grades. If the picks work, they work. If they bust, they bust. Saying that you were "reaching" is kinda goofy, unless you're positive that the guy you picked could have been picked in a later round. And you'll never know.
If Mel Kiper knows the future, why'd we just dump Aaron Curry?
EXACTLY, spoonful!
Everyone thought so highly of that 2009 draft because of Aaron Curry, "The safest pick in the draft!"
National Media doesn't even know how to pronounce the names of our players! Let them announce their ignorance to the world!
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