Life and Football

Have any of you work at a place that has high standards? Not just say they have high standards but, produces high quilty work and that is the standard? Now have you seen other team members not held to that same standard? Did you see how the team started to fall apart because of double standards? That is what is going on right now for our very own Seattle Seahawks. The Oline is playing at a 1-15 standard but the rest of the team is playing at a 15-1 standard. Yet no heads roll, no one is cut after they put up a stinker of a game. Once a leader allows a double standard to infect his team, his subordinates will know that they no longer need to meet the higher standard. These contradictory behaviors unbalanced the whole organization and created mistrust. Once the trust is gone then the team's entire mantra of brotherhood and trust is lost.

I would not say our defense is playing to a 15-1 standard. Lets be real about that. Our special teams not so good either. Yes O-line has big part of blame but it is a team game. I feel the only way there would be division in locker room is if people felt they others were not tying as hard as they could.

Slightly different when you can advertise for employees and pay them as much as you like

Players don't blame other players for sucking as long as they try hard.

The do blame coaches and GMs for putting together a bad product...

Year of The Hawk":1iac7ke7 said:

I would not say our defense is playing to a 15-1 standard. Lets be real about that. Our special teams not so good either. Yes O-line has big part of blame but it is a team game. I feel the only way there would be division in locker room is if people felt they others were not tying as hard as they could.

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I think that is a big part of it. The team as a whole has started to mail it in.

mikeak":15xejtsx said:

Slightly different when you can advertise for employees and pay them as much as you like

Players don't blame other players for sucking as long as they try hard.

The do blame coaches and GMs for putting together a bad product...

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Great point. When you build a wall and use inferior material bad things are likely to happen.

There is something to the OP, but I think the figures are off a bit. Having said that, I do think people wonder why they try so hard and are called out and made examples of, when others don't ever perform, yet are continually put out there on the field with no explanation as to when we are going to stop and fix the problems. Everyone likes each other enough, but we can't all be small teams within the team like the LoB, who call on each other to correct their problems and hold themselves accountable. It it helps that they are all hall of fame caliber talents. So they look to the coaches to do what's right to fix it, not making or taking it personally. That's why nobody bitched when browner wasn't brought back. They knew it was for the better.

In my opinion, Carroll should feel some heat on his seat lately, because all of this is supposedly under his control. He has to be able to pull the strings so that the players know they are getting the most out of their staff, and problems need to be fixed. Injuries suck, but those are not the most serious of issues we face as a team right now. We need a wake up shake up, and it will be on Carroll if it doesnt happen.

Throughout NFL history, stories of teams abound where one team props up the other half for next to the entire year and eventually the side doing the propping starts to chafe - eventually causing schisms in the team.

On our team I have seen a particular way this rolled out.

The defense held repeatedly throughout the year as the offense stumbled and screwed around for a half. Then the second half the offense somehow found its footing or, when the dam broke and the defense started to give up scores the defense got blamed.

If the offense came back and somehow managed to win, the offense and the QB got the accolades.

All the crap with the FGs that happened in this game happened in the others, but the defense was holding earlier in the year. But now, without a key All Pro, it isn't.

The defense saved this team repeatedly over time, and it is BS to say that all the money is on the defense side. We have plenty of cash tied up in the QB, the WR, the TE - as examples. They offense just isn't earning those paychecks. (And it might not even be their fault, because the playcallings seems to ignore the context - we call plays oblivious to our own strengths and weaknesses. They WOULD work if the players executed, but they won't because they depend on us being able to do things we cannot and have not consistently done all year)

Now, the defensive players see that all that sacrifice and hard work is being squandered, by injuries and by ineffectiveness by the other side. So, they see the goal of a SB much less likely and rightly are pissed about it.

The defense saved this team when the offense needed help. But when the defense needs help? Nothing.

This all rolls back to the lack of accountability that the offense seems to have vs the accountability seeming demanded of the defense. Worse, lack of accountability of the offensive coaching staff is one of the root problems in the first place.

It isn't a good prescription for a successful run to a SB. I think we all instinctively know that.

TwistedHusky":2kg6esqf said:

This all rolls back to the lack of accountability that the offense seems to have vs the accountability seeming demanded of the defense. Worse, lack of accountability of the offensive coaching staff is one of the root problems in the first place.

It isn't a good prescription for a successful run to a SB. I think we all instinctively know that.

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Exactly. If you know that your managers and supervisors are not held to any kind of standard you roll your eyes when a higher up talks about "excellence in everything we do" The snide remarks come out, the back talk happens more and more. The 2001 Buccaneers talked about this. Tony Dungy was a defensive mastermind and played for the 70's Steelers. He held Sapp and Brooks to that standard, yet at the same time, he had no clue on what to do with the offensive coaching staff or gameplan. He got fired because of it. This is Pete's lose string if you pull on it hard enough the whole thing will come apart.

Actually, Pete and his staff are one of the most competent in the NFL as the long playoff history attests. We've had a trying year with injuries, young players developing and an offensive line that still is a work in progress, yet here we are, knocking loudly on the door for a big playoff push.
What is that attributed to? A versatile and experienced coaching staff that works well together and knows how to roll with the punches. Lesser staffs wouldn't have even guided this year's version of the Hawks to the playoffs.

Siouxhawk":2dclv1mk said:

Actually, Pete and his staff are one of the most competent in the NFL as the long playoff history attests. We've had a trying year with injuries, young players developing and an offensive line that still is a work in progress, yet here we are, knocking loudly on the door for a big playoff push.
What is that attributed to? A versatile and experienced coaching staff that works well together and knows how to roll with the punches. Lesser staffs wouldn't have even guided this year's version of the Hawks to the playoffs.

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I try and adopt your attitude about our staff between games. Here I am again, pre playoffs, ready to get on board. However, week after week, it's not just the players underperforming. This coaching staff is leaning backward, making mistakes, and it's becoming more and more obvious. I'm willing to forego any more skepticism until we're out or we've won it all. Then I want to hear you make the same cases or show us your drivers license, Mr Bevell.

KARAVARUS":3g5tit5t said:

Siouxhawk":3g5tit5t said:

Actually, Pete and his staff are one of the most competent in the NFL as the long playoff history attests. We've had a trying year with injuries, young players developing and an offensive line that still is a work in progress, yet here we are, knocking loudly on the door for a big playoff push.
What is that attributed to? A versatile and experienced coaching staff that works well together and knows how to roll with the punches. Lesser staffs wouldn't have even guided this year's version of the Hawks to the playoffs.

Click to expand...

I try and adopt your attitude about our staff between games. Here I am again, pre playoffs, ready to get on board. However, week after week, it's not just the players underperforming. This coaching staff is leaning backward, making mistakes, and it's becoming more and more obvious. I'm willing to forego any more skepticism until we're out or we've won it all. Then I want to hear you make the same cases or show us your drivers license, Mr Bevell.

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Does making those insiniations of identity help your cause? Maybe you're just trying to be funny. I don't know.
And I don't know why you wouldn't get on board as we're about to embark on the playoffs. We are, after all, one of the most successful franchises in this decade.

sdog1981":edybpz9h said:

Have any of you work at a place that has high standards? Not just say they have high standards but, produces high quilty work and that is the standard? Now have you seen other team members not held to that same standard? Did you see how the team started to fall apart because of double standards? That is what is going on right now for our very own Seattle Seahawks. The Oline is playing at a 1-15 standard but the rest of the team is playing at a 15-1 standard. Yet no heads roll, no one is cut after they put up a stinker of a game. Once a leader allows a double standard to infect his team, his subordinates will know that they no longer need to meet the higher standard. These contradictory behaviors unbalanced the whole organization and created mistrust. Once the trust is gone then the team's entire mantra of brotherhood and trust is lost.

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What type of work do you do?

Siouxhawk":sb2ja6nx said:

KARAVARUS":sb2ja6nx said:

Siouxhawk":sb2ja6nx said:

Actually, Pete and his staff are one of the most competent in the NFL as the long playoff history attests. We've had a trying year with injuries, young players developing and an offensive line that still is a work in progress, yet here we are, knocking loudly on the door for a big playoff push.
What is that attributed to? A versatile and experienced coaching staff that works well together and knows how to roll with the punches. Lesser staffs wouldn't have even guided this year's version of the Hawks to the playoffs.

Click to expand...

I try and adopt your attitude about our staff between games. Here I am again, pre playoffs, ready to get on board. However, week after week, it's not just the players underperforming. This coaching staff is leaning backward, making mistakes, and it's becoming more and more obvious. I'm willing to forego any more skepticism until we're out or we've won it all. Then I want to hear you make the same cases or show us your drivers license, Mr Bevell.

Click to expand...

Does making those insiniations of identity help your cause? Maybe you're just trying to be funny. I don't know.
And I don't know why you wouldn't get on board as we're about to embark on the playoffs. We are, after all, one of the most successful franchises in this decade.

Click to expand...

I don't understand the outright defense of the staff, that's all. Yes, I was trying to be funny. I understand it's no knee-slapper. I have torte on board every week, yes. And after our first drive, almost weekly, I'm fuming again. 3 and out and then give up an easy TD, way too frequently. Bottom line, and deeply, seriously, truly... under-performance comes back to the coaching staff...even though its coach speak, Pete would say the same thing. Not everything is roses on our coaching staff.

The team has often been zero fun to watch, due to philosophy. People are not insane to look at the amount of talent we have on the team and expect more than what we are being given. Doe thi make us entitled? Maybe. Do we pay obscene amounts of money to see and support the product? No doubt. Why get upset about people questioning what's going on? And what do you see that makes you so sure THIS is all we need? I can honestly say, I don't get it. I don't see it.

KARAVARUS":1oqaqdfz said:

Siouxhawk":1oqaqdfz said:

KARAVARUS":1oqaqdfz said:

Siouxhawk":1oqaqdfz said:

Actually, Pete and his staff are one of the most competent in the NFL as the long playoff history attests. We've had a trying year with injuries, young players developing and an offensive line that still is a work in progress, yet here we are, knocking loudly on the door for a big playoff push.
What is that attributed to? A versatile and experienced coaching staff that works well together and knows how to roll with the punches. Lesser staffs wouldn't have even guided this year's version of the Hawks to the playoffs.

Click to expand...

I try and adopt your attitude about our staff between games. Here I am again, pre playoffs, ready to get on board. However, week after week, it's not just the players underperforming. This coaching staff is leaning backward, making mistakes, and it's becoming more and more obvious. I'm willing to forego any more skepticism until we're out or we've won it all. Then I want to hear you make the same cases or show us your drivers license, Mr Bevell.

Click to expand...

Does making those insiniations of identity help your cause? Maybe you're just trying to be funny. I don't know.
And I don't know why you wouldn't get on board as we're about to embark on the playoffs. We are, after all, one of the most successful franchises in this decade.

Click to expand...

I don't understand the outright defense of the staff, that's all. Yes, I was trying to be funny. I understand it's no knee-slapper. I have torte on board every week, yes. And after our first drive, almost weekly, I'm fuming again. 3 and out and then give up an easy TD, way too frequently. Bottom line, and deeply, seriously, truly... under-performance comes back to the coaching staff...even though its coach speak, Pete would say the same thing. Not everything is roses on our coaching staff.

The team has often been zero fun to watch, due to philosophy. People are not insane to look at the amount of talent we have on the team and expect more than what we are being given. Doe thi make us entitled? Maybe. Do we pay obscene amounts of money to see and support the product? No doubt. Why get upset about people questioning what's going on? And what do you see that makes you so sure THIS is all we need? I can honestly say, I don't get it. I don't see it.

Click to expand...

Perhaps we just measure success differently.
It's obvious you need a 20-point win, 13 to 14 wins a season and at least a Super Bowl berth. Maybe even a Super Bowl win. Anything short of that falls below your expectations. Fine. But I'd invite you to support any other team in the league and see if they measure up to your standards. Heck, I don't even know if the Patriots would qualify, because, after all, we have the same number of Lombardi Trophies this decade.
I think a franchise that has rattled off 10-win seasons 5 years in a row is one of the top flight teams in the league. That's a testament to the coaching and the formula used to be consistent at winning games. It's what Pete has envisioned and has built.
It's the new season. Our team is poised to go as far as any team in the league. I'm crossing my fingers that our O line has the cohesion to get it done because if that huge building block is in place, there's no stopping us.

The coaching has been atrocious this season. I cant fathom how anybody can defend them at this point. Even today old Pete about pissed another game away by putting Boykin in with 9 minutes to go and leaving him in when the pathetic 49ers cut it to 2. Like there was absolutely no urgency to win the game. Even Earl Thomas was tweeting his disbelief. We are witnessing the unraveling of this team and people cant or wont admit to it for some reason.

Siouxhawk , I think a lot of us that have watched this team for a long time have the experience of watching competitive but not quite good enough, exciting but not good, bad and atrocious football. The body of work we are seeing right now screams something isn't right, doesn't mean were falling off the cliff, but means something needs to be addressed and fixed before we drop another level. We have been fortunate to use smoke and mirrors to get where we are, but luck and player toughness in playing through things they probably should not have will not work every season.

We are not a team that approaches a game now that says go ahead and give us your best shot and we will hit you back harder, it seems we try to cover our deficiencies now, playing not to lose and not to let our defense have opportunities to set up the offense for quick strikes by playing a soft and deeper zone. This was before Earl was injured.

We know what a Championship team looks like, seen three of them here in Seattle, they did not take the trophy home every year but the caliber of play is very close no matter which team that went to the Super Bowl you favor. We want that but understand you have to be fortunate and a bit lucky with injuries and officiating to get all of that year in and year out.

Seeing a team slide and or change dynamics and personality is different, we are seeing a Sybil of personality on this team right now and not sure which personality is going to come out on top.

chris98251":29t8wxfx said:

Siouxhawk , I think a lot of us that have watched this team for a long time have the experience of watching competitive but not quite good enough, exciting but not good, bad and atrocious football. The body of work we are seeing right now screams something isn't right, doesn't mean were falling off the cliff, but means something needs to be addressed and fixed before we drop another level. We have been fortunate to use smoke and mirrors to get where we are, but luck and player toughness in playing through things they probably should not have will not work every season.

We are not a team that approaches a game now that says go ahead and give us your best shot and we will hit you back harder, it seems we try to cover our deficiencies now, playing not to lose and not to let our defense have opportunities to set up the offense for quick strikes by playing a soft and deeper zone. This was before Earl was injured.

We know what a Championship team looks like, seen three of them here in Seattle, they did not take the trophy home every year but the caliber of play is very close no matter which team that went to the Super Bowl you favor. We want that but understand you have to be fortunate and a bit lucky with injuries and officiating to get all of that year in and year out.

Seeing a team slide and or change dynamics and personality is different, we are seeing a Sybil of personality on this team right now and not sure which personality is going to come out on top.

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That's exactly it. Dude wants to focus on the consistency over the last five seasons. I'm saying that's great, thank you for that, but we are NOT looking like that anymore, and it's fairly obvious that we are on the verge of falling off the plateau. It's not all just injuries either. To not look at the staff and kick the tires on some new ideas would be irresponsible.

chris98251":2ei732r1 said:

Siouxhawk , I think a lot of us that have watched this team for a long time have the experience of watching competitive but not quite good enough, exciting but not good, bad and atrocious football. The body of work we are seeing right now screams something isn't right, doesn't mean were falling off the cliff, but means something needs to be addressed and fixed before we drop another level. We have been fortunate to use smoke and mirrors to get where we are, but luck and player toughness in playing through things they probably should not have will not work every season.

We are not a team that approaches a game now that says go ahead and give us your best shot and we will hit you back harder, it seems we try to cover our deficiencies now, playing not to lose and not to let our defense have opportunities to set up the offense for quick strikes by playing a soft and deeper zone. This was before Earl was injured.

We know what a Championship team looks like, seen three of them here in Seattle, they did not take the trophy home every year but the caliber of play is very close no matter which team that went to the Super Bowl you favor. We want that but understand you have to be fortunate and a bit lucky with injuries and officiating to get all of that year in and year out.

Seeing a team slide and or change dynamics and personality is different, we are seeing a Sybil of personality on this team right now and not sure which personality is going to come out on top.

Click to expand...

Yes, Chris, believe me, I feel the frustration.
Didn't I just read that we were 2-2 in our final four games of 2013? Yes, that team had a swagger that never let our confidence wane, but they were still 2-2, so there must've been some warts.
The story being written this year will be overcoming the loss of Earl, as you accurately stated his dire importance, and the 'Ah Ha' moment we've all been waiting for with this offensive line. How good will we feel about ourselves when we start seeing adequate protection and nice creases opened up by our front five?
As I write this, it looks like we're going to get Detroit at home in the WC round. That's a matchup I believe will be a good start for us and will allow us to build some good momentum. We are the team out there better equipped to make a long playoff run than most. Teams fear us. And for good reason. We are fortified with playoff experience, have a quarterback tha tis tested and healed and a head coach that I feel will get us to have that killer mentality that will rear its beautiful head in the postseason.