Later, Hasselbeck was asked if he has ever dealt with problems getting calls on the headset in his helmet. He has, but he also admitted that he has, on one occasion, pretended he didn't get the call in order to call his own play.
There was one problem with that, however, that got him caught:"What I failed to realize is that the other quarterbacks on the sideline have the headset, so you have to get in unison on that one."
Friday, September 17, 2010
Monday, August 23, 2010
Madden Tournament Heartbreak
I finally entered a Madden tournament over the weekend. After talking football with most of the guys, I realized that they all were just as geeky as I am when it comes to the NFL, and most had more time on their hands to play and master this year's version and were more experienced in competitive tournaments such as this one. Because I insist on remaining loyal to my rightfully low rated Seahawks, I figured I didn't have much of a shot at making any noise, so I lowered my expectations and just decided to go have some fun out there a la Brett Favre. Somehow, I managed to dink and dunk my way to a shocking 17-0 shutout in the first round.
My second round matchup was against a guy who was supposedly so good that he went on ESPN's Madden Nation bus last year. So once again, I figured I had no shot and started the game pretty loose. Then I win again, 14-0, and Mr. ESPN2 storms out in anger making excuses. At this point, the room starts to notice, and maybe even fear me. I mean, who wants to play the guy who rolled through the first two rounds having not allowed a single score, all while using those garbage Seahawks?
Semifinals. I’m starting to believe I have a shot at winning thousands of dollars. On the third play from scrimmage, DeMarcus Ware sacks Matt Hasselbeck. Injury timeout. Carted off the field. Seattle’s backup Charlie Whitehurst (who!?) enters the game having never thrown a pass in the NFL, gets picked off twice, and the guy I lose to goes on to win the tournament.
You cannot make this stuff up. The worst part is that this is exactly the type of thing that WOULD happen to Seattle. Did I mention our new $48.5 million left tackle, fourth overall pick Russell Okung got injured on the first drive of last night’s preseason game?
Sigh.
My second round matchup was against a guy who was supposedly so good that he went on ESPN's Madden Nation bus last year. So once again, I figured I had no shot and started the game pretty loose. Then I win again, 14-0, and Mr. ESPN2 storms out in anger making excuses. At this point, the room starts to notice, and maybe even fear me. I mean, who wants to play the guy who rolled through the first two rounds having not allowed a single score, all while using those garbage Seahawks?
Semifinals. I’m starting to believe I have a shot at winning thousands of dollars. On the third play from scrimmage, DeMarcus Ware sacks Matt Hasselbeck. Injury timeout. Carted off the field. Seattle’s backup Charlie Whitehurst (who!?) enters the game having never thrown a pass in the NFL, gets picked off twice, and the guy I lose to goes on to win the tournament.
You cannot make this stuff up. The worst part is that this is exactly the type of thing that WOULD happen to Seattle. Did I mention our new $48.5 million left tackle, fourth overall pick Russell Okung got injured on the first drive of last night’s preseason game?
Sigh.
Monday, July 05, 2010
Retirement
The blog is done. I figured if the year long Clippers internship, tons of interaction with well known and popular sports figures, trips to Vegas, New York, France, Italy, and Spain full of amazing eye opening experiences, and all the other big time stories that have come and gone while I myself have gone through other many adventures into the real world, all couldn't make me muster some words in here, then it's definitely time to call it quits. As well as the fact that last sentence was grammatically incorrect.
Besides, we're venturing towards a world of Tweeting. Follow me @Vishal620
It's been fun.
And remember, the best is yet to come.
Besides, we're venturing towards a world of Tweeting. Follow me @Vishal620
It's been fun.
And remember, the best is yet to come.
Thursday, March 04, 2010
Sproles
Peter King tweets:
What great fortune for Sproles, IMO: A returner averaging 72 touches from scrimmage per yr making $14m guar over two yrs. What a country.
So Darren Sproles will make an average of $7 million over the next two years. Factor in about 5 returns a game, and he will be earning $50,000 per touch. If we disregard returning, he will be earning a remarkable average of $100,000 per touch from scrimmage.
What great fortune for Sproles, IMO: A returner averaging 72 touches from scrimmage per yr making $14m guar over two yrs. What a country.
So Darren Sproles will make an average of $7 million over the next two years. Factor in about 5 returns a game, and he will be earning $50,000 per touch. If we disregard returning, he will be earning a remarkable average of $100,000 per touch from scrimmage.
Monday, February 01, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Jay Leno is Michael Jordan
Just watched Oprah for the first time ever.
She told the story of a celebrity who was the best at what he did, was forced into retirement, tried something new and failed, and so came back at the expense of someone else.
So why are so many against Jay Leno for pulling a Michael Jordan?
She told the story of a celebrity who was the best at what he did, was forced into retirement, tried something new and failed, and so came back at the expense of someone else.
So why are so many against Jay Leno for pulling a Michael Jordan?
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Pete Carroll
The Seattle Seahawks have been in the headlines this past week (although for not exactly the ideal reasons in January). As the news broke, I tweeted some short bits which you can follow here @Vishal620. I spent the weekend gathering and organizing my many thoughts, so it's about time I chime in already:
The Seahawks were a mess. They forced Mike Holmgren into retirement in favor of phasing in Jim Mora as per general manager Tim Ruskell's choice. After just one year running the show together, Seattle fired Ruskell and Mora, along with most of their staffs. This means the Seahawks have cleaned house and are starting with a somewhat of a blank slate. Recall billionaire owner Paul Allen doing the same with his Portland TrailBlazers a few years back.
The excitement was greater in Seattle when Paul Allen brought in Mike Holmgren to run the show because he was a sure thing who had proved he was an offensive genius in the pros. Holmgren won Super Bowls in San Francisco and Green Bay and had coached up quarterbacks Montana, Young, and Favre. In comparison, Pete Carroll is not a sure thing, although I think he will have success now that owner Paul Allen and CEO Todd Leiweke allowed him to choose new GM John Schneider while seemingly maintaining final say on player personnel decisions.
Pete Carroll does have professional experience with the Jets and Patriots...during the 1990s. Because that was over a decade ago, a large part of me wants to throw it out. Since then he has shown his brilliance in evaluating and recruiting talent, albeit at the collegiate level, in route to a couple national championships while dominating the Pac-10.
When Carroll came to USC nine years ago, critics bashed the hiring on the basis that Carroll was a coach in the pros had no head coaching experience at the collegiate level. I think Seattle is getting a seasoned and experienced Carroll, who has learned from his many experiences at multiple levels.
Mora and Carroll are eerily similar NFL coaches. Mora is 31-33 as an NFL head coach; Carroll is 33-31. Mora is 1-1 in the playoffs; Carroll is 1-2. Mora was fired after one year as head coach in Seattle after three years in Atlanta; Carroll was fired after one year as head coach in New York before coaching three years in New England. They are both are 4-3 defensive guys, players' coaches, and touted as motivational 'rah rah' guys. That being said,when Mora defended himself by saying going 5-11 was a one win improvement over last year's 4-12 disaster, I was ready to fire him too. Of those 11 losses, 7 were by 17+ points. Seattle lost its last four games under Mora by a combined 123-37 points. Instead of the team coming together and finally beginning to gel under its new coaching staff, it was clear that Mora and his staff had lost the players.
The hiring of Pete Carroll is not only great because of Carroll himself, but because he brings along several great coaches from USC. Seattle's new offensive coordinator will be Jeremy Bates, a young and up and coming coach whose value has shot up after working with Jay Cutler in Denver.
The linebackers coach will be Ken Norton, Jr. A UCLA Hall of Famer and Super Bowl winner with the Cowboys, Norton was a great linebacker himself. In his five years coaching linebackers at USC, he recruited and developed the likes of Dallas Sartz, Keith Rivers, Brian Cushing, Kaluka Maiava, Clay Matthews III, Rey Maualuga, and of course, Seattle's own Pro Bowler Lofa Tatupu.
Pete Carroll was once asked something like if there was any one player he ever coached that was the most memorable. Carroll essentially said that Lofa Tatupu was the player who was most like him, who had the same thought process, was like a coach on the field, and was most in tune with Carroll. The Seahawks already have in place a great group of athletic and skilled linebackers alongside Tatupu in Aaron Curry, LeRoy Hill, and backup David Hawthorne. I am getting giddy at imagining how effective the Seattle Seahawks can be now that Pete Carroll and Lofa Tatupu are reuniting to run the defense.
Not surprisingly, former players of Carroll on the Seahawks like Lawrence Jackson and Lawyer Milloy have already more than endorsed the hiring and are rallying the players to support Carroll and buy into his program faster.
There are several NFL players who previously had success under Carroll and could easily be available this offseason. Carson Palmer. LenDale White. Reggie Bush. Matt Leinart. And someday Matt Barkley. I am just tossing out names, but do not be surprised to see Seattle end up going after one of these former USC legends.
Imagine if Seattle drafted Mark Sanchez last year.
In any event, the Seattle Seahawks hiring of Pete Carroll marks a new era to open up a new decade. With Kurt Warner's retirement coming up, looks like Carroll should be able to lead the Seahawks back to dominating the Pac-10...er, NFC West.
The Seahawks were a mess. They forced Mike Holmgren into retirement in favor of phasing in Jim Mora as per general manager Tim Ruskell's choice. After just one year running the show together, Seattle fired Ruskell and Mora, along with most of their staffs. This means the Seahawks have cleaned house and are starting with a somewhat of a blank slate. Recall billionaire owner Paul Allen doing the same with his Portland TrailBlazers a few years back.
The excitement was greater in Seattle when Paul Allen brought in Mike Holmgren to run the show because he was a sure thing who had proved he was an offensive genius in the pros. Holmgren won Super Bowls in San Francisco and Green Bay and had coached up quarterbacks Montana, Young, and Favre. In comparison, Pete Carroll is not a sure thing, although I think he will have success now that owner Paul Allen and CEO Todd Leiweke allowed him to choose new GM John Schneider while seemingly maintaining final say on player personnel decisions.
Pete Carroll does have professional experience with the Jets and Patriots...during the 1990s. Because that was over a decade ago, a large part of me wants to throw it out. Since then he has shown his brilliance in evaluating and recruiting talent, albeit at the collegiate level, in route to a couple national championships while dominating the Pac-10.
When Carroll came to USC nine years ago, critics bashed the hiring on the basis that Carroll was a coach in the pros had no head coaching experience at the collegiate level. I think Seattle is getting a seasoned and experienced Carroll, who has learned from his many experiences at multiple levels.
Mora and Carroll are eerily similar NFL coaches. Mora is 31-33 as an NFL head coach; Carroll is 33-31. Mora is 1-1 in the playoffs; Carroll is 1-2. Mora was fired after one year as head coach in Seattle after three years in Atlanta; Carroll was fired after one year as head coach in New York before coaching three years in New England. They are both are 4-3 defensive guys, players' coaches, and touted as motivational 'rah rah' guys. That being said,when Mora defended himself by saying going 5-11 was a one win improvement over last year's 4-12 disaster, I was ready to fire him too. Of those 11 losses, 7 were by 17+ points. Seattle lost its last four games under Mora by a combined 123-37 points. Instead of the team coming together and finally beginning to gel under its new coaching staff, it was clear that Mora and his staff had lost the players.
The hiring of Pete Carroll is not only great because of Carroll himself, but because he brings along several great coaches from USC. Seattle's new offensive coordinator will be Jeremy Bates, a young and up and coming coach whose value has shot up after working with Jay Cutler in Denver.
The linebackers coach will be Ken Norton, Jr. A UCLA Hall of Famer and Super Bowl winner with the Cowboys, Norton was a great linebacker himself. In his five years coaching linebackers at USC, he recruited and developed the likes of Dallas Sartz, Keith Rivers, Brian Cushing, Kaluka Maiava, Clay Matthews III, Rey Maualuga, and of course, Seattle's own Pro Bowler Lofa Tatupu.
Pete Carroll was once asked something like if there was any one player he ever coached that was the most memorable. Carroll essentially said that Lofa Tatupu was the player who was most like him, who had the same thought process, was like a coach on the field, and was most in tune with Carroll. The Seahawks already have in place a great group of athletic and skilled linebackers alongside Tatupu in Aaron Curry, LeRoy Hill, and backup David Hawthorne. I am getting giddy at imagining how effective the Seattle Seahawks can be now that Pete Carroll and Lofa Tatupu are reuniting to run the defense.
Not surprisingly, former players of Carroll on the Seahawks like Lawrence Jackson and Lawyer Milloy have already more than endorsed the hiring and are rallying the players to support Carroll and buy into his program faster.
There are several NFL players who previously had success under Carroll and could easily be available this offseason. Carson Palmer. LenDale White. Reggie Bush. Matt Leinart. And someday Matt Barkley. I am just tossing out names, but do not be surprised to see Seattle end up going after one of these former USC legends.
Imagine if Seattle drafted Mark Sanchez last year.
In any event, the Seattle Seahawks hiring of Pete Carroll marks a new era to open up a new decade. With Kurt Warner's retirement coming up, looks like Carroll should be able to lead the Seahawks back to dominating the Pac-10...er, NFC West.
Friday, January 01, 2010
Monday, December 21, 2009
Huh?
Malcolm Gladwell:
How random are our reactions to celebrity misbehavior? You'd think there would be some general moral principle at work here, but there just isn't. Barry Bonds and Shawne Merriman allegedly did exactly the same thing: took performance-enhancing drugs that gave them a decided advantage over their peers. Bonds became a pariah. Merriman went to the Pro Bowl. Leonard Little left a party, got into his car and hit and killed a young woman. He blew .19 on the Breathalyzer. What happened to him? He did 60 days. Six years later, he was arrested for drunk driving again. He still plays for the Rams. Michael Vick did bad things to dogs and went to jail for two years and become the personification of evil. I mean, I love dogs and I was appalled by Vick's behavior. But in what universe is it a bigger crime to fight pit bulls than it is to get wasted and kill an innocent person? (Let's not even get into Plaxico Burress, whose case proves, I guess, how unexpectedly seriously New York state courts take the crime of stupidity). And now we have Tiger Woods, who fooled around on his wife and hit a fire hydrant. And in the middle of this absurd circus, the reigning King of Kings of the NBA and role model to millions is a man who not that long ago was accused of rape and lucked out of a trial because, by all appearances, he was able to buy off his accuser in a civil settlement. Huh?
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Friday, September 25, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Live Football
Random thoughts from watching the 49ers and Seahawks live in San Francisco last weekend:
- Football is best watched on television. The high definition telecasts, commentating, and ability to turn your attention to other games in between the long gaps in between plays and drives is simply better than the traffic, heat, jammed cell phone reception, and annoying fans that you must deal with when at the actual game.
- That being said, the live experience is still something that I still would love go for once a year. You simply cannot replace the feel of the game that you get from actually being there in person. The intensity of third downs, the crowd noise, the difficulty of an offense operating deep inside their own territory, and so much more can only be properly comprehended live.
- Watching what is happening on the sidelines is fascinating. For example, T.J. Houshmandzadeh came off the field after a series screaming at his position coach demanding the ball. He had to be restrained from shouting back at a 49ers fan in the stands. He later walked up to head coach Jim Mora presumably to express his frustration, but Mora either did not notice or pretending to be too busy to wisely avoid the confrontation. Seneca Wallace later came up to him, tapped him on the helmet in encouragement. Of course, the next two drives saw Housh get a couple catches, including one endzone target. It will be interesting to see how the Seahawks' most prominent offseason acquisition fits in, as Seattle has never really had such an alpha, perhaps diva, wide receiver.
- I was also fascinated by the many substitutions in between every single play. On defense, Seattle will rotate most of its defensive line in and out of the game, presumably in an effort to keep them fresh. On offense, Seattle changed their running backs nearly every play. While I understand the strategy involved, how certain players are better suited in certain roles and situations, playing towards the matchups, and am sure the coaches have even more reasons that I can come up with, I also think that this all makes it difficult for some players to get into a rhythm and flow in the game.
- Next year the Seattle Seahawks visit the San Diego Chargers, an occurrence that only takes place every eight years. After that, I think it will finally be time for me to look to find my way up to Quest Field and experience a home Seahawk game...with 67,000 of my peers.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
San Francisco
The past two years I have made a long weekend out of a couple road trips up to Berkeley. Each culminated on a Sunday in which the Seattle Seahawks were in San Francisco to take on the 49ers. Last year I had the thrill of seeing Seneca Wallace and Leonard Weaver combine for 338 yards of total offense as the Seahawks trounced the 49ers, 34-13. Recall it was Mike Singletary's first game as the head coach of the 49ers, when he pulled down his pants in the locker room at halftime in an effort to show his team what body part was getting kicked out on the field. As fun and fascinating as it was to witness such a game, it was of course a meaningless one.
One year later, we perhaps had an even more enjoyable weekend up in the Bay. This season though, the Seahawks and 49ers each entered this Week 2 matchup 1-0, with realistic hopes of the game being a meaningful one this time around. Of course, Matt Hasselbeck gets nailed by Patrick Willis trying to run for the endzone. He gets up, waves for Seneca Wallace to replace him, and slowly collapses onto the field in pain. Although Seneca scored on the very next play, the game was a disaster for the Seahawks.
I know injuries are a part of football, every team has them, deep rosters are built to survive them with players who step up, the good teams power through, and all that good stuff. But I hope I do not have to remind anyone of the unprecedented disaster that was the Seattle Seahawks health situation last season. I do not mean to begin whining or making excuses, but here is a quick summary of injuries to Seahawks starters just two weeks into this young season:
Seattle Seahawks starters injured before Week 2:
Walter Jones (LT)
Mike Wahle (LG) retired
Chris Spencer (C)
Leroy Hill (OLB)
Deion Branch (WR)
Marcus Trufant (CB)
Brandon Mebane (DT)
Josh Wilson (CB)
Seattle Seahawks starters injured during the game at San Francisco, none of whom returned:
Matt Hasselbeck (QB)
Lofa Tatupu (MLB)
Sean Locklear (T)
Josh Wilson (CB)
Justin Griffith (FB)
Count ‘em. That is THIRTEEN STARTERS, including the four best players on the team.
As for those 79 and 80 yard touchdown runs by Frank Gore, note that the Seahawks were missing their starting DT as well as two of the NFL's top linebackers. When you have such a defense, there is simply an enormous drop off when the top guys are out with injuries. You can take it to the bank that those 79 and 80 yard touchdown runs by Frank Gore would never happen with Lofa Tatupu on the field. I know this is unreasonable, but take those two runs away and Seahawks win 10-9.
That being said, this season is not the same as last as most of these players are said to be returning soon. However, if they do not return to form, then we are heading for a similar fate.
I know injuries are a part of football, every team has them, deep rosters are built to survive them with players who step up, the good teams power through, and all that good stuff. But I hope I do not have to remind anyone of the unprecedented disaster that was the Seattle Seahawks health situation last season. I do not mean to begin whining or making excuses, but here is a quick summary of injuries to Seahawks starters just two weeks into this young season:
Seattle Seahawks starters injured before Week 2:
Walter Jones (LT)
Mike Wahle (LG) retired
Chris Spencer (C)
Leroy Hill (OLB)
Deion Branch (WR)
Marcus Trufant (CB)
Brandon Mebane (DT)
Josh Wilson (CB)
Seattle Seahawks starters injured during the game at San Francisco, none of whom returned:
Matt Hasselbeck (QB)
Lofa Tatupu (MLB)
Sean Locklear (T)
Josh Wilson (CB)
Justin Griffith (FB)
Count ‘em. That is THIRTEEN STARTERS, including the four best players on the team.
As for those 79 and 80 yard touchdown runs by Frank Gore, note that the Seahawks were missing their starting DT as well as two of the NFL's top linebackers. When you have such a defense, there is simply an enormous drop off when the top guys are out with injuries. You can take it to the bank that those 79 and 80 yard touchdown runs by Frank Gore would never happen with Lofa Tatupu on the field. I know this is unreasonable, but take those two runs away and Seahawks win 10-9.
That being said, this season is not the same as last as most of these players are said to be returning soon. However, if they do not return to form, then we are heading for a similar fate.
Full Month
While the blog has been inactive for a full month, it seems I have inadvertently made the switch to Twitter to pass along links and tidbits of information. This blog traditionally has seen some downtime during the fall, as most of my recreational writing is spent on those infamous power rankings in our fantasy football leagues, which many of you are part of and get to enjoy.
As much as I would like to say what is going to happen with this blog and make a concrete declaration, the fact of the matter is I simply do not. It is quite possible the blog could be in its twilight, as I could remain preoccupied at work, revert to spending time on the rankings, and continue tweeting away. But I when I do occassionally find something to write long rants about, this will remain the outlet as always. How often and to what quality each will have remains to be seen. Stay tuned.
As much as I would like to say what is going to happen with this blog and make a concrete declaration, the fact of the matter is I simply do not. It is quite possible the blog could be in its twilight, as I could remain preoccupied at work, revert to spending time on the rankings, and continue tweeting away. But I when I do occassionally find something to write long rants about, this will remain the outlet as always. How often and to what quality each will have remains to be seen. Stay tuned.
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