There are no Front Office Leaks

All of this business about anonymous sources is bunk. Look at it this way.

The Percy Harvin trade was a big deal. A really big deal. How much did "sources" leak to the media about the discontent in the locker room and Harvin's attitude before the trade? Zip. Nothing. Zilch. And now we're to believe that Silver, Rappaport etc have people in the front office feeding them information about Lynch? I call bs. What would that help? Not a damn thing.

"Sources" say the team is fed up with Lynch's antics, not showing up the White House.

"Sources" say this is Lynch's last year in Seattle.

Well, I have "sources" too. And my sources say that these media folks are full of ish. They have no real sources, they have conjecture. They think Lynch's cap number is too high next year so they report that "sources" say he will be gone, they think the front office should be upset with Lynch's attitude. They have no real information, and they have no journalistic integrity.

All I really want to add to this is to ask you to please stop using my sources

I'm in no way suggesting the reports of FO leaks are accurate, but why in the world would the FO leak problems in the locker room with Harvin when they were clearly trying to trade him? They wouldn't. Instead, they were talking about what a great team mate he was and how explosive he was at practice. I guess they were half right, he was "explosive".

That certainly doesn't explain why they would bad mouth Lynch, which also makes no sense to me, unless they are trying to do some preemptive PR work so the blow is softened when they let him walk (?).

In the past it was said that Pete let Sherm get away with a lot of the stuff he was saying because it was stuff Pete wanted said. I will say this, if I had to choose a side in this, in believing who is saying what, I'd believe Marshawn Lynch. We all love Pete Carroll, but let's not forget, Pete is the consummate salesman at heart.

The point is, this team has never bad mouthed players. Ever. The ones with attitudes that don't fit get released or traded with little news or fanfare (aside from Percy). This FO knows how to keep it's mouth shut, and leaking anything regarding problems with lynch wouldn't help anyone or anything.

No argument here. Maybe 'shawn is being hyper-sensitive. But you have to believe this riff (if that's what it is) has been going on for quite some time. Certainly prior to the Michael pick, imo.

Hard to say who is the bad guy in this and I myself have been back and forth on the subject. Many times I've felt Lynch needed to be reprimanded in the past, but likely because I am currently livid with Pete and John, and fearing the going away party for Lynch, I find myself now siding with Lynch. Human nature, I suppose.

But you are correct, I've not heard this FO speak negatively of our players. But then again, I've not heard many FOs speak negatively of their players. It's just something not done...and even to Harvin's credit, he is thus far also keeping a tight lip on the hap stances in Seattle. Maybe we still owe him money?

My sources say no one on this board knows a thing pro or con.

c'mon man, who are we supposed to fire now? b000000000000!

Every Sunday morning (game day) there has to be a story. What is "news" about Lynch not being here next year. Most of us were in agreement that he was playing his last season. There will be another story on Sunday morning.

Team sources could be the freaking window washer. Or some dipshit blogger.

As soon as people ran with Lynch not going to halftime with the team while I watched him get work from doctors on the bench, I knew it was bullshit. The guy was hurting.

Remember ...
we are the defending SB champs and the media would love to see us implode. Remember when they said ML was about to be traded prior to the deadline (Panthers game).
Some even used ML's numbers in the Chargers and Cowboys games to say, he wasn't interested to play anymore. We all know, he didn't get the yards because he wasn't given any carries.
Whatever ML does, the media calls it antics. Bill Polian and Jerome Betis said today on espn that ML should be fined, for staying outside at half time. These guys don't even understand anything ... but are paid $$$ to be on TV and make "educated comments".
Lynch is the heartbeat of our team. Just watching him compete would light the fire into any other player. This team is Lynch's team, NOT RW team. It is Lynch's team and it would be foolish and stupid to let go of a guy, who gives it all on every play. Lynch is a rare type of talent, that comes once a generation. You don't replace him with Turbin or kids like Christine Michael or some Rookie from College, no matter how talented they are.
What Lynch does for this team is beyond just carrying the ball. Lynch is the Attitude of this team. I don't think RW would have been this productive, if it wasn't for Lynch presence in the backfield to take the pressure off him.
RW should take less money, so that ML can get paid for another 2 years beyond this year. To me, this is a no-brainer.

HawkWow":3eki9nf7 said:

That certainly doesn't explain why they would bad mouth Lynch, which also makes no sense to me, unless they are trying to do some preemptive PR work so the blow is softened when they let him walk (?).

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Bingo.

Thing is.. Lynch's production is not going to soften the PR blow, because right now he is our offense. Outside of Russ scrambling for his life.. the only constant is Lynch.

That said.. I think there is truth to ML being upset about his contract. Everything else is really throwing sh*t to the wall in hopes it sticks.

I'm convinced the media creates issues whether they are there or not. Then counter the negativity like they were not the creators to begin with.

A great example is what they have been doing with the patriots and Tom Brady . I honestly believe that sports news created a pseudo story about the down fall of Tom Brady at the beginning of season when they had their asses handed to them by the Chiefs and then asked, " is Tom Brady's career coming to an end?" Good story at the time and if it continues to be true,,,,,still a good story. Now if the story is wrong, all the pundits have to do is accuse all the pessimists of being wrong, when in all reality they are the naysayers.

Now that we are in the spotlight as SB champs they do it to us as well. The Harvin drama was small potatoes for a Super Bowl winner which I'm okay with.

I actually do have a source. Marshawn is the same and the locker room is the same. That is all.

PS They're hungry

PSS that is all all, for realz

SacHawk2.0":2aa3n07m said:

The point is, this team has never bad mouthed players. Ever. The ones with attitudes that don't fit get released or traded with little news or fanfare (aside from Percy). This FO knows how to keep it's mouth shut, and leaking anything regarding problems with lynch wouldn't help anyone or anything.

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Agreed. Thing is, our FO just doesn't have that history or MO of doing things this way.

The problem I have is this: regardless of whether there are leaks or not, Lynch just had a phone interview with NFL.com and he's basically saying the FO talks to much, he doesn't trust Pete Carroll, and he has no idea what the team's plans for him are.

If there aren't any leaks, why doesn't Pete take Marshawn into his office and alleviate all these doubts ? If they talked to Lynch and laid to rest all these rumors, at least he'd be in a better place.

The other problem is that Lynch has the entire locker room's respect. How do you not respect that man, who is tearing his body up for his team ? If other guys see all these "leaks" and no real effort from Carroll to squelch said doubts and fears, that's just as good as an admission for some guys. This could fracture the locker room worse than the Harvin deal was reported to.

At some point, it does not matter what the truth is. Truth for most people is just an interpretation of perception.

Lynch has implied, if not gone on record, that he feels the FO or Carroll (maybe both?) are smearing him.

Why? The rational response is that it could be to soften the blow, as alluded to earlier. That makes sense.

And it would be dumb.

But there is too much smoke rising for there not to be an issue. Carroll finally went on record as stating how important Lynch was. But the leaks were specific in stating "the FO is moving on from Lynch after this year" or "the FO is tired of Lynch's antics". So clearly there is SOME connection to the FO, and even if it is the janitor - IT ISNT A STATEMENT THE FO SHOULD BE MAKING IN FRONT OF THE JANITOR OR ANYONE ELSE.

My issue is this FO reeks of hubris right now. Look at them cutting an OL when our OL was gutted at the beginning of the year. Look at the ridiculous way the Harvin trade was handled. Even the way the Lynch holdout was managed was a bit bungled.

This FO put all its chips on Wilson this year, but neglected to give him experienced WRs, an OL, and decent offensive gameplans. We also bet it all on a scheme that included Harvin, Lynch and Wilson in some misdirection approach - apparently not aware the entire plan falls apart if Harvin goes down. Since Harvin is made of balsa wood and glass, it was a matter of time - but first his total douch*baggery won out and they had to trade him. Again, why build your entire offense around a scheme that demands the use of your most idiotic WR that has a history of never being able to play for you? When you know he was a d*ck to half the team besides? Hubris. They just assumed they were smarter than the data.

Of course betting on Wilson was doomed to fail because he had no supporting cast. The moment Miller went down, and then to a lesser extent McCoy (who also never really did much) - he was screwed. So no TEs. And as for WRs? We might have been better off bringing back Rice, even if he was only able to play while riding a HoverRound chair.

Lynch isn't Miller. He knows he is carrying this team and he is the one risking permanent injury years from now to do it. For that, he asks that he be recognized and paid accordingly. We grudgingly him only a little mor in a little, because we assumed Wilson would just take over. He didn't and the FO had promptly p*ssed off Lynch.

Lynch has every right to be angry. This team has no chance over the next two years of going better than 8-8 without Lynch. We DEPEND ON HIM. It isn't even Wilson's fault he cannot produce as a passer consistently, since asking him to lead this team to a championship with this offense is like asking someone to create a five course gourmet meal but they can only shop for ingredients at AM/PM.

Without a consistent passing game it is just stupid to get rid of one of the best runningbacks in the game. (And please stop suggesting we can slip Michael in there, or worse Turbin...they are either years away, or need some HGH. We would be better off with that Icky Woods in the deli commercial.)

What concerns me most is Lynch's back. It's been a problem since he came here, but this season it's actually caused him to miss snaps in several games. A back will simply give out after a certain threshold is surpassed. The rumors might be totally false and Seattle might still get rid of Lynch this offseason regardless because they are scared by his back problem.

kearly":3hty0103 said:

What concerns me most is Lynch's back. It's been a problem since he came here, but this season it's actually caused him to miss snaps in several games. A back will simply give out after a certain threshold is surpassed. The rumors might be totally false and Seattle might still get rid of Lynch this offseason regardless because they are scared by his back problem.

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Yeah, as a person with a back that isn't what it used to be it is my biggest concern.

He is always listed as minimal practices, and/or questionable.

To me, it is AMAZING at what he brings on Sundays.

Please pay this man if and only IF he can keep up at this level. I am not thinking he can.

IMO, the Seahawks and particularly JS, use the media all the time.

If you notice any insider, PFT, you name it, always has glowing things to say about this regime AND seemingly spews exactly what the Seahawks want us to hear. Don't kid yourself, that's a rare thing to say. Be it Irvin was going to be taken by the Jets, to Percy trade damage control, the Hawks use the media to spin their narrative.

I believe that there is a "source" leaking this to the media, that it is a Seahawks exec, and the goal is clear. That goal being get ahead of the PR nightmare that is Lynch being cut. I think any true, true NFL junkie, that cant get enough of ANY NFL news/data, can see it fairly easily. It's pretty evident JS has a very good and open relationship with all the NFL big hitting insiders/press.

Four insiders went out of their way to shoehorn a "JS was VERY open about Percy to other teams, he was very honest" into random conversations. I'm sure!!?? It's pretty clear.

This is politics 101, ladies.

I think what we learned with the Harvin fiasco is that there's a gentlemen's agreement between the press, players and FO.

The agreement is don't write nasty stories about our players, even if true and we'll continue to make nice with your reporters and give you access to our players and coaches.

IMO this is why you usually don't hear bad things about players until after they leave, and it's not unique to here.

This is what's going to happen with Lynch, I'm sure the negative stories will open like floodgates when he eventually leaves.

Sgt. Largent":177z4q2r said:

I think what we learned with the Harvin fiasco is that there's a gentlemen's agreement between the press, players and FO.

The agreement is don't write nasty stories about our players, even if true and we'll continue to make nice with your reporters and give you access to our players and coaches.

IMO this is why you usually don't hear bad things about players until after they leave, and it's not unique to here.

This is what's going to happen with Lynch, I'm sure the negative stories will open like floodgates when he eventually leaves.

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I also believe that,

Ask about Tate and Wilson's wife? Say bye-bye to your press credentials and access was the mandate I heard.