Can he validate midway through the season or will there be more excuses?
Can Pete validate what? The negative perspective that you have? The perspective that Pete is a good coach who is building a competitive team this year?
If you base things solely on individual wins or losses without considering development and competitiveness then you may feel you're right. How you feel and what you believe is simply that what YOU feel and what YOU believe - feelings and beliefs without substantive backing don't move me because they have proven to be a poor indicator of reflecting the actual reality of things.
No player is perfect. Every player has errors throughout the game. The best players overcome the errors often in the moment. What's more critical is how players mentally process and flush the inevitable mistakes that will happen on the field. Russell was really good at that early in his career. Practice, film study, visualization and being positive all play important roles in individual play as well as team play.
As an observer, Drew appears to have a better handle on the mental aspect than Geno, but that supposition is simply that, a belief yet confirmed. I hope to see both Geno and Drew on full display and in the pressure cooker of the season.
Some of us may be pleasantly surprised by unexpected successes or the inadequacies of both QBs may be confirmed - in my view this season is all win even with many losses.
The purely negative here have lost most credibility or basis for being taken seriously from me through not seeing things beyond the knee-jerk instant gratification win perfectly with no mistakes mindset. You've built your narratives and you'll fight to the end - or you'll eventually change the narrative.
For whatever reason the negative influences on here cannot fathom a holistic perspective.
"Geno is trash!" - "Lock is mediocre!" - "Pete Carroll is senile!"
Trying a more reasoned perspective will actually allow your voice to be listened to. I am guessing that isn't your goal in all of this though.
This is how I view this process:
"Geno doesn't seem to process as quickly as I think is necessary, but this may be the first time in his career that he has been given true trust and support and with his maturing under those conditions it will be interesting and possibly even fun to see how he does."
"Lock is young and looks the part, but decisions have been unpredictable throughout his limited time in the league. It will be interesting to see how he has developed in this supportive environment with the time and buy in from everyone in the franchise."
"Pete Carroll may be getting older, but listening to him he is as sharp and hyper-focused as ever. I look forward to seeing how he proceeds with this foundational team shift developing a new leadership core over the season and beyond."
Look back at the formation of the LOB - the Seahawks weren't undefeated in 2012, 2013, or 2014. They played a role in each of the losses, just as Russell did. We forget the mistakes that are overcome and amplify the mistakes that aren't.
I still have a visceral reaction thinking about the loss to Atlanta in 2012/13 and the missed opportunity to meet the 49ers.
Football is the ultimate TEAM sport. I trust Pete Carroll to guide and develop the team. I also trust him to let go of those players who feed their hubris by becoming bigger than the team in their own minds. He may keep someone longer than I would, but who am I to judge his decisions?
I have no excuses though feel free to say that I do - I am enjoying the development process that Pete Carroll is excellent at.
