Alexander has advice for ML

[Seanhawk]

The problem is there are many who don't appreciate what he accomplished and write him off as a product of the o-line.

Well, we did have an amazing offensive line in the early-mid 2000s.

I'm not saying we didn't. But to dismiss Alexander because of it is ridiculous.

 

[RolandDeschain]

I'm not saying we didn't. But to dismiss Alexander because of it is ridiculous.

Aye, but equally ridiculous to ignore the O-line. Frankly, there is too much emotion all around regarding Shaun Alexander for this discussion to ever be logical and levelheaded on this forum, IMO.

 

[Seanhawk]

I'm not saying we didn't. But to dismiss Alexander because of it is ridiculous.

Aye, but equally ridiculous to ignore the O-line. Frankly, there is too much emotion all around regarding Shaun Alexander for this discussion to ever be logical and levelheaded on this forum, IMO.

I agree and I'm not suggesting they be ignored for a second.

 

[Scottemojo]

I know a lot of you hate the soft label, but it wasn't bestowed on him by Seattle fans. It was a label applied by other players. Fair? Not really. It's pretty difficult to get that many scores and be soft.

But he wasn't "hard" either.

Lynch is one of the few running backs I have ever seen that can turn a 3 yard loss into a 2 yard gain and have THAT play be the one that makes the defense decide they better prioritize stopping him. Lynch forces business decisions.

The start of the article doesn't do 37 any favors by talking about his physical style.

 

[MOSES]

I hate to say this, but I had a really crappy experience involving 37 just last weekend here in Indiana that ended with my 8 year old son balling and 37 basically writing a letter to me saying "Tough shit" about my son. So I will refrain from commenting on anything he says or does right now.

 

[chris98251]

We will never know for sure, but I would bet that Lynch would get the same touchdowns Shaun did given that line, I also bet he would have more overall yards because he would punish the second level defenders rather than go down easily. He would also have more receiving yards, Shaun could catch, but Lynch looks much more natural at it. I also think that Lynch would remain in on third downs and not get pulled because he would also pass block, which again would allow him to swing into the pattern and screens to happen.

Shaun in our current offense would be a disaster, if he even seen the field, I look at him as Christine Michael in a lot of ways, style a bit different of course but the blocking limitation being the same.

 

[scutterhawk]

There was no tougher runner in the red zone than Shaun Alexander.

All this proves is that he was softer outside of it, which is fine. He wanted to preserve himself. What annoys me personally is people saying he was never soft when he very obviously was on purpose, with intention, by design, of his own accord. Just admit it everybody, and move on. Doesn't mean we can't appreciate him for what he did for us while also thinking he was a soft runner overall.

Feel free to take your own advise "Move On", it's obvious that others might have an opinion that differs from your own, and are ever bit as thought out and valid. eh?

 

[hawkfan68]

Alexander ran with a style that meant he was able to run for 1800 yards and score an NFL record 28 touchdowns at the age Lynch is right now - and compile 5 consecutive seasons with over 350 touches and 1500 scrimmage yarrds (Lynch has 0 seasons with 350 touches) without missing a game.

Getting tired of the soft narrative

Well stated. I agree and couldn't have said it better.

 

[themunn]

Nobody ever called Alexander soft until the 2006 season, when he broke his foot in week three and continued to carry the ball another 237 times in 9 games, but occasionally dodged away from contact to preserve his injured foot.

Way to take one for the team you workshy pretender

 

[Tical21]

Shaun Alexander may have had the best vision and timing in the history of the game. He seeked out the 1 on 1 with the safety. If there was a way to get there, he would find it, and often times win that one on one with said safety. But he isn't going to impress you if there wasn't a hole there. I don't begrudge a guy much for being soft when there is nothing there. What I do kill Shaun for is that he should have had 2,500 yards in 2005. He was that talented.

 

[chris98251]

I always thought he was soft, I stated many times when he was playing he was a lot like Franco Harris in comparison, Harris had a lot of yards, a great line same as song, but would go out of bounds a lot rather then try to break a tackle for the extra yards. Harris had a shit load of yards, but Blier was the one known as the tough SOB.

 

[hawkfan68]

There was no tougher runner in the red zone than Shaun Alexander.

The amount of hate he gets these days is absurd. Respect the only MVP in team history. His vision and cutback ability was amazing.

Let me know when Lynch rushes for 266 yards in a single game or matches any of Alexander's records

SA scored at least 15 TD's in 5 consecutive seasons
Back to back seasons of 1600 yards +

And you can call him soft all you want, but he carried the load a lot more than Lynch did. From 2001-2005 he averaged 330 caries a season, with the high being 370. The most Lynch has carried the rock in a single season is 315.

SA was a true workhorse beast who got better with the more carries he got. Stop diminishing him. It makes you look bad.

No doubt. I was at that game against the Raiders when he did that. Husky stadium, mad weather. Alexander was a key player that helped the team to its first ever Superbowl. The lack of respect he gets on here for his style of running is appalling. Guess what, Marcus Allen ran that way, so did Barry Sanders. Neither was known for their toughness. Yet extremely productive backs. Just like Shaun A. That foot injury derailed his career. His career would have been different if that unfortunate injury never happened. We may be talking about HOF for Alexander if that were the case.

 

[CPHawk]

We will never know for sure, but I would bet that Lynch would get the same touchdowns Shaun did given that line, I also bet he would have more overall yards because he would punish the second level defenders rather than go down easily. He would also have more receiving yards, Shaun could catch, but Lynch looks much more natural at it. I also think that Lynch would remain in on third downs and not get pulled because he would also pass block, which again would allow him to swing into the pattern and screens to happen.

Shaun in our current offense would be a disaster, if he even seen the field, I look at him as Christine Michael in a lot of ways, style a bit different of course but the blocking limitation being the same.

Are you joking? Alexander beat out Ahman Green and forced Ricky Waters out, and he was a top 3 RB during his prime. On Michaels best day he couldn't hold Alexander's jock, you sir should just stop now. SA would have been great in any O.

 

[chris98251]

We will never know for sure, but I would bet that Lynch would get the same touchdowns Shaun did given that line, I also bet he would have more overall yards because he would punish the second level defenders rather than go down easily. He would also have more receiving yards, Shaun could catch, but Lynch looks much more natural at it. I also think that Lynch would remain in on third downs and not get pulled because he would also pass block, which again would allow him to swing into the pattern and screens to happen.

Shaun in our current offense would be a disaster, if he even seen the field, I look at him as Christine Michael in a lot of ways, style a bit different of course but the blocking limitation being the same.

Are you joking? Alexander beat out Ahman Green and forced Ricky Waters out, and he was a top 3 RB during his prime. On Michaels best day he couldn't hold Alexander's jock, you sir should just stop now. SA would have been great in any O.

He didn't force Watters and it's spelled with two "T"s, Ricky got hurt, Green was a fumbler, if your going to remember history at least remember it right. Alexander could not make his own lane and would have been tackled for losses over and over again, Lynch beats first contact routinely, many times coming before he gets to the line, or don't you watch the games?

 

[CPHawk]

We will never know for sure, but I would bet that Lynch would get the same touchdowns Shaun did given that line, I also bet he would have more overall yards because he would punish the second level defenders rather than go down easily. He would also have more receiving yards, Shaun could catch, but Lynch looks much more natural at it. I also think that Lynch would remain in on third downs and not get pulled because he would also pass block, which again would allow him to swing into the pattern and screens to happen.

Shaun in our current offense would be a disaster, if he even seen the field, I look at him as Christine Michael in a lot of ways, style a bit different of course but the blocking limitation being the same.

Are you joking? Alexander beat out Ahman Green and forced Ricky Waters out, and he was a top 3 RB during his prime. On Michaels best day he couldn't hold Alexander's jock, you sir should just stop now. SA would have been great in any O.

He didn't force Watters and it's spelled with two "T"s, Ricky got hurt, Green was a fumbler, if your going to remember history at least remember it right. Alexander could not make his own lane and would have been tackled for losses over and over again, Lynch beats first contact routinely, many times coming before he gets to the line, or don't you watch the games?

I watch the game, and Alexander avoided plenty of potential tackles in the backfield, but you're just a hater. He may not have ran them over, but he did make a lot of them miss.

 

[homerun1970]

Chris to compare Alexander to a back that has hardly been on the field ? You are talking about a back that held the NFL record for touchdowns, had multiple 1500 yard seasons, and came one yard shy of a rushing title.I think your example is unfair to the man. Yes lynch is great I wouldn't have any other back at present but that doesn't make Shaun crappy. It is easy to say what either back would do behind the others line no one can ever prove it, the facts say they are both special backs.

 

[chris98251]

Shaun didn't run with heart and passion except one game, the Washington Game where Hass got hurt, he got pissed and went for it that day. If you don't want to call him soft fine, he didn't run with heart then, it was just his job which he didn't seem to enjoy but liked the paycheck.

 

[NorCalSeahawk]

Two running backs with two very different running styles. Luckily we have had a chance to enjoy watching both guys become two of the very best Seahawk running backs in team history (along with Curt Warner, which some of us got to see too). Really I don't have any sports hate for either guy and I think they would have both flourished in either offense system. All I know is timing and systems make players and both of those guys have made those systems their own when given the opportunity to flourish.

 

[drrew]

Shaun didn't run with heart and passion except one game, the Washington Game where Hass got hurt, he got pissed and went for it that day. If you don't want to call him soft fine, he didn't run with heart then, it was just his job which he didn't seem to enjoy but liked the paycheck.

Nonsense...didn't run with heart my ass. Touched the ball north of 2500 times, 100+ TDS, 11000+ yards...I swear some Seahawk fans just get off on being overly critical.

 

[NorCalSeahawk]

Shaun didn't run with heart and passion except one game, the Washington Game where Hass got hurt, he got pissed and went for it that day. If you don't want to call him soft fine, he didn't run with heart then, it was just his job which he didn't seem to enjoy but liked the paycheck.

Nonsense...didn't run with heart my ass. Touched the ball north of 2500 times, 100+ TDS, 11000+ yards...I swear some Seahawk fans just get off on being overly critical.

Yea I agree, I have a hard time saying a guy who played football since at least his freshmen year in high school had no heart or passion or toughness for his profession. Show me how many guys would take a beating for at least 17 years and not have at least some heart or passion.