ESPN 710 Sherman Smith Interview Recap by Sheil Kapadia

[Erebus]

I hate to bring this up but it makes you wonder, what are the Patriots doing so ridiculously right, year after year where we seem to be missing the mark?

I've been wondering the exact same thing. You put my thoughts into words perfectly. Aside from Tom Brady and the offensive line, we are a more talented team overall than the Patriots. Is Brady just that much better than everyone else?

One possible explanation to me is level of competition. We're both doing something right: getting to the playoffs every year. But the Patriots had it easy in the AFC which resulted in HFA during most of the years they won the Super Bowl (although I would say they were truly great in 2003 and 2004), and we've never failed to reach the Super Bowl when we had HFA. All you have to do is get to the big dance and anything can happen. We just haven't been able to get there consistently because of better competition.

 

[chris98251]

I hate to bring this up but it makes you wonder, what are the Patriots doing so ridiculously right, year after year where we seem to be missing the mark? We could have been the "New Patriots" for lack of a better term...Destroying the NFL's most prolific offense in history on the biggest sports stage on the planet only to return back to said stage a year later for what we all know SHOULD have been back-to-back world championships...A modern day dynasty surely in the making...

But...

The last two years saw us exit stage left in the divisional round of the playoffs on the road.

(Cue Debbie Downer meme here)

No question has our collective team's hunger waned. Most men tend to become complacent (even if subconsciously so) once they earn the highest prize there is in all sports. Imagine a man who spent years going after a seemingly unattainable Super Model and finally, inexplicably starts to date her. Eventually the dream becomes the reality, and the reality is that the chase was the motivation, not so much the destination as much as he thought it was.

Desire feeds the fire. Now that he sees that Super Model is just another human being who farts and nags like anyone else, well...You get my point.

What's motivating our players right NOW? Collectively? Of course you could single out exceptional players like our top players who are freakishly built mentally and physically to A L W A Y S C O M P E T E but as a collective team? Where's the motivation?

And this brings me back to my original question. What are the Patriots doing so ridiculously right, year after year, that keeps them so damn competitive...9 Super Bowls in the Brady/Belichick Era? Crazy. Sure it's easy to point to Brady and Belichick as the sole reason but that's nowhere near the full answer. Look at the roster from top to bottom over the years...These are comprised of JAGS left and right.

My refined question then becomes, why can't we get a roster - top to bottom - that is considered on paper to be one of the most talented in the league for the past five years to demonstrate the same kind of consistency that the Patriots show year after year (besides the obvious fact they sold their souls to the Devil)?

I think Belichek up's the anti, so we went to a Super Bowl, we did something great, but to be a legendary team we need to do this and pushes things higher, brings in guys that have not had a lot of success on other teams but have a talent he looks for, they are Hungry, tells Brady you can be the best there ever was and have proven everyone wrong about being a 6th round talent. Buttons and more buttons, he fires guys, cuts guys or trades guys that lose the edge or don't play up to their contracts . Has an expectation that YOUR A PATRIOT, don't tarnish us, don't talk to the media about our business, don't tell the media anything about what were going to do or anything else. He can do that because what he has done has worked and players want to be a part of it. If they break that trust they end up somewhere else or cut pretty quick.

He also has a deep, deep, knowledge of the game, read only Brady out studies him and will challenge him in meetings and is usually right. The players can't argue his insight much.

 

[Hyak]

I hate to bring this up but it makes you wonder, what are the Patriots doing so ridiculously right, year after year where we seem to be missing the mark?

As great as Brady is, Belichick is the key. Aside from being a great X&O's coach and motivator, he's the best damn GM in football. They consistently get new players to plug in for departed ones with the same level of efficiency at bargain prices. Even Brady plays with a below market contract but that also is a huge factor IMO. If you are another player, how can you ask for more than Brady first off and it sets the tone.

Under BB, they consistently have resisted to pay their stars market prices and if it becomes a problem, they ship them out. Bledsoe, Ty Law, Milloy, Seymour, Welker, various OL, etc.

There's no way BB would have paid every one of the star players the way PC and JS did. For 2017, the Seahawks have 11 players with cap numbers over $ 5 M (8 starters on defense + 3 on offense). NE has 6 players with cap numbers over $ 5 M (5 on offense + 1 on defense). There is clearly a line between team and player. Play within the rules in NE or you are gone, no matter how great you are.

PC does not do it that way and embraces the player's voice and alpha male mentality. It can work and has to a large extent but it does have some costs if you allow some of the stars to openly question things over and over without discipline. You think Belichick would have put up with Sherman's stuff this past year?

That all said, it comes down to effective scouting/drafting. The challenge is to find younger, cheaper players to push/replace the veterans. If you don't have that, BB's system doesn't work. The success rate of the Seahawks drafts has plummeted since 2012. 2015 and 2016 look to have promise but 2013/2014 were pretty bad.

 

[Barthawk]

Patriots went 10 years between Super Bowl victories. I am sure their fans were saying the same thing from 05-15 when they kept barely missing the trophy.

 

[EverydayImRusselin]

One idea for the Pats that we might need to explore more; roster churn. Look at the Pats teams over the years. There really is only 1 constant (Brady). All the other guys come in for a few years and are sent packing.

 

[theincrediblesok]

During Wilson's first contract talk, I did mention that we needed to sign Wilson to his extension but after The legion of Boom's 1st contract we need to evaluate their situation, you can't pay everyone, and mentioned that with their injuries they were prone to more injuries so we need to figure a way to keep them at a lower price or ship them out. I did mention we should approach the Patriots way as they've been consistently good with a medium rank defense.

The Legion of Boom's contract is the one to watch, especially Kam's. If the FO allows him to walk after this season, then what will Sherman and Earl think when their extension is due.

 

[Josea16]

This is disappointing about the hunger thing.

Thought we were doing the right thing about securing the "core" but if all that meant
was they will be satisfied with getting paid, promoting their "brand" and with a one and done superbowl, then we have bigger problems ahead.

Sherman himself said in the interview with the local tv guys that the fans "were getting fat" or something to
that effect. I believe he was referring to our high expectations. Please correct me if I am wrong, but I was extremely
disappointed to hear that from a leader on the team.

I don't think its a problem with Pete at all, if anything its puts more onus on the "core" for earning that "Re$pect" that Sherman says defines an organizations appreciation for a player. Big money. If they are now making excuses or not hungry enough, that is on the players.

Same thing for moving on and letting it go (SB49). Where is the sports psychologist when you need them? Move on please. Be the highly paid professional you are supposed to be.

As fans, are we not supposed to want to win forever, like dare I say, the Pats? :shock:

Richard Sherman or Smith?

Smith.

 

[Josea16]

During Wilson's first contract talk, I did mention that we needed to sign Wilson to his extension but after The legion of Boom's 1st contract we need to evaluate their situation, you can't pay everyone, and mentioned that with their injuries they were prone to more injuries so we need to figure a way to keep them at a lower price or ship them out. I did mention we should approach the Patriots way as they've been consistently good with a medium rank defense.

The Legion of Boom's contract is the one to watch, especially Kam's. If the FO allows him to walk after this season, then what will Sherman and Earl think when their extension is due.

Hopefully on other teams given they'd be 8-10 years in by then and we better have their replacements ready to step in. It just shows you just how important elite pass rushers are by the fact we resigned Bennett when we probably shouldn't have. Like quarterbacks they along with elite run/pass DT's are the only positions worth 3rd contracts on defense if barely.

Defense should be constantly a churn show given this league is all about offense and the quarterback and will only grow more so by the year.

If you find a good to elite OL player you sign them until they retire like quarterbacks.

 

[HawkGA]

Patriots went 10 years between Super Bowl victories. I am sure their fans were saying the same thing from 05-15 when they kept barely missing the trophy.

This is a good point. They've also had a ridiculously easy path every year in their division yet it is just hard to get to the Big Dance.

 

[Boom84]

Aros, I'm glad you touched on the Patriots here. That organization faced the same deflating defeat at the end of the 2007 season, but Belichick has been quite a visionary to see the key pieces on his team that need to stay through all the change; largely Brady, McDaniels (OC), Scarnecchia (OL coach), and Patrica (DC). The rest of the roster and coaching staff has turned over with the intent of keeping a large part of the roster hungry (players / coaches with no rings) while still keeping the continuity needed to compete in today's NFL landscape (largely passing game and defending it).

So the short answer to the Patriots secret is continuity at the key spots within the organization and a zeal to identify players that can help them win; specifically win in different styles suited to the talent available; note the evolution of the Patriots from a defensive-starred group in the early 2000s to a dominant passing team with suitable, not exceptional players matched to a highly creative scheme (again credit the continuity of Patricia leading that group).

The challenge for Carroll and Schneider is to have a similar vision and begin to put it into execution THIS OFFSEASON. Fortunately, Carroll, Schneider, Cable, Richard, Wilson, Earl Thomas, Avril, KJ, Sherman, Britt, and Baldwin should form the core to which this team can complement with younger, hungry players (Clark, Lockett, Prosise, and more). My expectation is the front office will move in this direction and it has me excited for the long term. Like the long sustained dynasties in San Francisco (80-90s) those rosters never got stale nor the hunger with it. Yes, this will lead to some hard and surprising decisions, but it is vital the Seahawks make those moves if they want to stay relevant at a championship level over the coming years.

Again, thank for this post Aros, it is spot on.

I hate to bring this up but it makes you wonder, what are the Patriots doing so ridiculously right, year after year where we seem to be missing the mark? We could have been the "New Patriots" for lack of a better term...Destroying the NFL's most prolific offense in history on the biggest sports stage on the planet only to return back to said stage a year later for what we all know SHOULD have been back-to-back world championships...A modern day dynasty surely in the making...

But...

The last two years saw us exit stage left in the divisional round of the playoffs on the road.

(Cue Debbie Downer meme here)

No question has our collective team's hunger waned. Most men tend to become complacent (even if subconsciously so) once they earn the highest prize there is in all sports. Imagine a man who spent years going after a seemingly unattainable Super Model and finally, inexplicably starts to date her. Eventually the dream becomes the reality, and the reality is that the chase was the motivation, not so much the destination as much as he thought it was.

Desire feeds the fire. Now that he sees that Super Model is just another human being who farts and nags like anyone else, well...You get my point.

What's motivating our players right NOW? Collectively? Of course you could single out exceptional players like our top players who are freakishly built mentally and physically to A L W A Y S C O M P E T E but as a collective team? Where's the motivation?

And this brings me back to my original question. What are the Patriots doing so ridiculously right, year after year, that keeps them so damn competitive...9 Super Bowls in the Brady/Belichick Era? Crazy. Sure it's easy to point to Brady and Belichick as the sole reason but that's nowhere near the full answer. Look at the roster from top to bottom over the years...These are comprised of JAGS left and right.

My refined question then becomes, why can't we get a roster - top to bottom - that is considered on paper to be one of the most talented in the league for the past five years to demonstrate the same kind of consistency that the Patriots show year after year (besides the obvious fact they sold their souls to the Devil)?

 

[scutterhawk]

Honestly it sounds like he's projecting a little bit. I'm sure for some on the team he's spot on, however, it sounds like he's the one who lost the fire a bit, who gave up a little bit after the patriots loss, said he wanted to leave when Marshawn left. I'm glad there is now one less individual with that mentality - especially a leader with that mentality - on this team. Thanks for your service coach Smith, respect buddy, but there's the door.

That's exactly right...a few of the players will sometimes feed off of the negativity.
Pete said right after SB 48 that he was going to have his work cut out for him to get the TEAM back up for the challenge, it seemed to work out for him, as he did motivate them right back to SB 49.....Injuries to our All World Secondary & a few bad play-calls in that game, cost them that second Lombardi.....Anyone looking at how close the final score was, has to admit that Pete did a commendable job.
Since ML has retired, I think the answer is RB by Committee.....Something to help BOTH RW & the O-Line to fight through the Rams, and Cards Defenses.
Without Pete's desired Running Attack, they are going to keep KEYING on, and containing Russell Wilson.
All ya got to do is go back to last year's Draft and all the RB's that they went after, and signed off the undrafted prospects, hopefully, they find a ground pounding RB early in the upcoming Draft, as there are a few of them to be had there.

 

[truehawksfan]

Hmm. I didn't see a lack of hunger against AZ (tie) or NE...protect every blade of grass games...or the playoff game against DET.

Yes, it's a very small sample size, but the team had a consistent run game against NE (healthy Prosise) and DET (Rawls).

And, we had a healthy Beastmode during our glory years...Michael and Turbin rarely carried the ball.

A healthily Prosise and Rawls and an improved OLine will wear down opposing defenses and keep our D fresh...and keep the protect every blade of grass mentality. That's Seahawks Football.

upgrade the OLine and perhaps draft another RB, and it won't be so grim.

 

[Year of The Hawk]

Hmm. I didn't see a lack of hunger against AZ (tie) or NE...protect every blade of grass games...or the playoff game against DET.

Yes, it's a very small sample size, but the team had a consistent run game against NE (healthy Prosise) and DET (Rawls).

And, we had a healthy Beastmode during our glory years...Michael and Turbin rarely carried the ball.

A healthily Prosise and Rawls and an improved OLine will wear down opposing defenses and keep our D fresh...and keep the protect every blade of grass mentality. That's Seahawks Football.

upgrade the OLine and perhaps draft another RB, and it won't be so grim.

I agree with this. We are not so far from being elite. We had a tough go with it this year with injuries and a rookie OL. Not that we cant improve in other areas but we do not need to rebuild or trade away core players or even our franchise QB (unbelievable idea). Just shore up some glaring deficiencies and we are on target again.
How do you explain the loss of hunger when several core players balled out this year (KJ, Wagner, Jimmy Graham, Lockett (when healthy), even Russell who played through injuries) and many others. If we were playing so unmotivated then who is the culprit. Just saying it does not make it true.

 

[Grahamhawker]

At times this past year I think the D played at a very high level.
Minus the Packers' fiasco, we'd be looking at a fifth scoring D title. Hunger was not the problem; lack of any quality depth was.

And the issues on offense are simply too obvious to point toward a chimeral lack of hunger.

 

[AROS]

Good stuff JTB and Boom84 and of course what thread is complete without Barthawk coming in and dropping sage musings? A lot of good convo here folks.

 

[Ozzy]

I think people tend to forget some of New England's failures as well. They're not in the SB every year and had a stretch of not winning any playoff games if I remember correctly. They have found ways to rebuild and get back on track though and I don't think Seattle is far from that. We were decimated with injuries last year so a little better luck in that regard and a modest improvement on the offensive line and we are right back to where we were imo.

 

[chris98251]

As a team ages the Luck Card becomes a bigger and bigger factor with injuries, healthy we could have been winners last year, that's the key though isn't it, staying healthy when you have a roster and staff that can make use of the talent. Another reason I think Belichek churns his roster a lot.

Unless the talent is leaps and bounds higher for a player and your willing to wait on them like Brady or Gronk for the Patriots pretty much everyone is a disposable commodity.

 

[Largent80]

Rawls has to "open his mind up."

[youtube]mSV6bcXMg9A[/youtube]

 

[Kennedyin92]

Smith basically confirmed a lot of fearful speculation from most of us fans. The hunger and fire is gone.

The challenge for coach Carroll will be how to re ignite that fire and desire in these guys to win?

That's going to be quite a challenge. Most of these guys were brought in because of the chips on their shoulders. They were self-motivated. If Pete wasn't the one to ignite the fire in the first place, the task of re-igniting it is going to be difficult. We basically need more talented players that haven't won a Super Bowl and/or haven't been paid.

Pete's philosophy is all about helping people achieve personal excellence. If this is accurate at all, I find it pathetic that they feel like they achieved it once so there's no point in continuing to strive. Maybe that kind of intrinsic motivation is only possible when you don't have a fantasy existence.