Steve Schilling retiring.

[tweet]https://twitter.com/bcondotta/status/583769135894540289[/tweet][tweet]https://twitter.com/bcondotta/status/583769262055002112[/tweet][tweet]https://twitter.com/bcondotta/status/583769399779172352[/tweet][tweet]https://twitter.com/bcondotta/status/583769575293976576[/tweet][tweet]https://twitter.com/bcondotta/status/583770134986133505[/tweet][tweet]https://twitter.com/bcondotta/status/583770300422037504[/tweet]

Bob Condotta article about the center position / UW’s Pro Day / just one mini-camp practice because of a practice violation last year >>> [urltargetblank]http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/seahawks/seahawk-center-steve-schilling-retires-and-a-few-other-notes/[/urltargetblank]

Not the greatest Hawk ever, but he retired early without playing the "football is a violent sport" card, even though he could have easily. For that, I have nothing but respect for the guy. That's not to say I have anything against guys retiring for health reasons, but Schilling could have used such an excuse to cover for less flattering reasons, and he didn't. I liked that he protected the game on his way out.

It's gotta be harder for O-linemen. They are pretty much forced to stay at 300Lbs of muscle. Imagine quitting your job and then being finally able to lose like 80 lbs.

kearly":2595o2gr said:

...I liked that he protected the game on his way out.

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That's a really great point.

Ring of Honor candidate?

Good guy, was hoping he'd come back for depth and competition, but I can't fault a guy for making the decision. Only he knows whats best for himself and his family.

We all know the truth. He's mad at Pete Carroll for not giving the ball to Marshawn. The locker room is in shambles.

:sarcasm_off:

So we've got LJP and Lewis on the roster at C now, right? Who's the starter of the two if we don't (still think we do) pick somebody up in the draft/FA?

Laloosh":1za2nkiu said:

So we've got LJP and Lewis on the roster at C now, right? Who's the starter of the two if we don't (still think we do) pick somebody up in the draft/FA?

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French is currently an unsigned free agent. We've got Lewis and two PS scrubs.

Hawkstorian":2q95r8st said:

It's gotta be harder for O-linemen. They are pretty much forced to stay at 300Lbs of muscle. Imagine quitting your job and then being finally able to lose like 80 lbs.

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Sort of like Alan Faneca, an Arizona Cardinal lineman who retired, lost 100 pounds, and became a marathon runner. . . .

http://www.runnersworld.com/general-interest/former-300-pound-nfl-lineman-runs-356-marathon

SeahawksBMX":kangjwms said:

kearly":kangjwms said:

...I liked that he protected the game on his way out.

Click to expand...

That's a really great point.

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That is a great point, I'm sure the media would have loved to jump all over the mass exodus with yet Another player leaving early if they could link it to fear of injury or concussions in any way...

Schilling was atrocious, his PFF grades confirm that. Lewis (better player, better grades, younger, cheaper) is a lock for one of the two center spots in 2015. The question now is whether the other will be a vet such as Wiz or Myers, or a rookie. My bet is that Wiz will be signed after May 12 (with Myers as an emergency backup if Wiz signs elsewhere). Schilling retiring is absolutely no loss, nor is turning away from LPJ, who made Schilling and the others look like Mike Webster in his prime.

Lewis was the better player, but I still have my concerns about his game. He seemed slow to diagnose in pass pro and was not an asset in the running game. A rookie center is almost certain to be drafted.

On a side note, I have nothing against players who say they are retiring over injury concerns. The only people who should play this game are those who are willing to give their informed consent that the benefits of playing outweigh for them the very serious risk of injury.

The more people who appreciate these risks and make an intelligent decision for themselves the better. And the more people who talk about their decisions publicly, the more informed future generations will be, both in terms of the risks AND the rewards (see Bobby Wagner's expression of undying love for this game). Change is not corrosive when it leads to more knowledge, and knowledge does not imperil the integrity of the game. Willful ignorance might.