This Years Cam Newton !?

Hello, My first post and it's a shame it's on this subject !

I love this club. I've been following the seahawks since 83. Because mine is support from a far and not being a native of Seattle i'd be really interested to hear your thoughts on Shemans and Bennetts off field behavoiur this year. Their childish antics this year remind me so much of Cam Newton, that most self centered of modern day footballers ! To me it's important that players (senior players particularly) respect the club and act accordingly. For those of you that live in Seattle the club represents your city. It's one thing for me to feel these two players have let the club down, or me as a supporter down. But how about your city !?

Is it purely how this behaviour effects the team that's worth bothering about ? Letting the players have the freedom that Pete wants them to have. As long as it brings a winning team ? Or only starting to bother when the teams starts to play bellow expectations ?

To me the way some of the senior players have behaved this year is a big deal but it doesn't seem to have been reflected as such on the forum. As someone who has admittedly old fashioned values when it comes to sport and who lives so far from Seattle I'd be very interested to hear your thoughts .

Great first post and welcome.

I'm sure you will get a lot of comments on this one as the topic of player behavior and its impact on the team has been discussed quite a bit with each incident.

Overall though, I think the one difference, for better or probably worse, is that this was not the actions of one isolated player. Bennett, Sherman, Baldwin, amongst others, have had their breakdowns to some degree or another this year. The reasons and its impact on the team's future are yet to be seen.

My question though is were these outbursts a sign of frustration at the way the team is handled or a reflection of the team spirit?

We've been having this discussion for a while here. The long and short of it is Pete's reaction to dealing with the imbalance of two basic beliefs he fosters -- seeking the freedom of a player to express his individuality vs. protecting the team.

We all get that Sherman has a brand-- look at all the advertising he gets and TV interviews he's sought after for. He's brilliant. But none of this was possible without Pete's unique system, the Seahawks and the LOB. He gets that and it's my belief that this is the last time you'll see him be a distraction to the team under Pete's watch. And he's not going to be traded.

Bennett blew up at a reporter in the heat of the moment in the locker room after a tough loss and said some things, as it turned out, that really looked bad after the fact because the reporter was a cancer survivor. But it wouldn't surprise me if Michael subsequently made peace with that individual. But I don't see his outburst as being something to be wary of going further.

Welcome aboard, by the way. We have quite a few participants from the Old Colony on this forum. I notice a number of them having the run of the place around 3 a.m. Seattle time. Go Hawks!

Uncle Si":2tyatlla said:

My question though is were these outbursts a sign of frustration at the way the team is handled or a reflection of the team spirit?

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Probably a little bit of both.

I certainly think Sherman and Bennett's outbursts, along with Kam's holdout last year, along with treating Lynch with kid gloves and along with bouncing Percy off the team because he was being selfishly disruptive, etc etc has shown us that Pete's grip on the overall team culture has slipped.

So to just think ahh that's just how Pete runs his team no worries IMO is not the right way to go about this issue. If we're rolling and going to SB's? Then Pete can let that player expressions and outburst leash out a little.

But we're not. So he's gotta figure out a way to rein in the nonsense, or else it's just going to continue to rear it's head 2-3 times a year and create a negative distraction.

Sgt. Largent":rqv7ggyt said:

Uncle Si":rqv7ggyt said:

My question though is were these outbursts a sign of frustration at the way the team is handled or a reflection of the team spirit?

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Probably a little bit of both.

I certainly think Sherman and Bennett's outbursts, along with Kam's holdout last year, along with treating Lynch with kid gloves and along with bouncing Percy off the team because he was being selfishly disruptive, etc etc has shown us that Pete's grip on the overall team culture has slipped.

So to just think ahh that's just how Pete runs his team no worries IMO is not the right way to go about this issue. If we're rolling and going to SB's? Then Pete can let that player expressions and outburst leash out a little.

But we're not. So he's gotta figure out a way to rein in the nonsense, or else it's just going to continue to rear it's head 2-3 times a year and create a negative distraction.

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+1.
When we were on the rise and winning most games we "should" these things were not the focus and were easily swept under the rug. Start performing under expectation, losing games that should be won, and not meeting goals then little by little they begin to unravel and effect the team.
I agree...yes, we do need to rein in the nonsense, and get back to playing our best football and being a team that is having fun once again.

Dave Boling wrote about this very subject Wednesday, as compared to how the Patriot's with seemingly less roster talent have sustained their high level of play, while we've taken a couple steps back since SB 49.

http://www.thenewstribune.com/sports/sp ... 01719.html

The most damning sentence for me is this one;

Coach Bill Belichick will not allow complacency, divisiveness, inconsistency or predictability, and he benefits from handing the ball to incomparable quarterback Tom Brady.

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Pete does allow divisiveness, and on the field we've been very inconsistent and predictable scheme and playcalling wise.

Lastly complacency? Certainly an argument could be made that some of the players and maybe even the coaches have become complacent now that they got paid and think they don't have to give full effort each and every snap/game.

Thanks for the reply's and welcome

There is the question of how this effects the team...... for better or for worse and that has been discussed. but I just wondered if anyone is concerned how this behavior reflects on the club and city ? Particularly those who live in the Seattle area.

idle Eric":a8up2udk said:

Thanks for the reply's and welcome

There is the question of how this effects the team...... for better or for worse and that has been discussed. but I just wondered if anyone is concerned how this behavior reflects on the club and city ? Particularly those who live in the Seattle area.

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When Baldwin "crapped" in SB49 I went onto his facebook page and let him have it. I actually got into a discussion with his brother on the issue, and let him know exactly how I felt. Told him he wears our cities name on his jersey, I've been a lifelong fan (since 1976), and I don't appreciate being represented that way. Then I said "you make a nice play in front of 114 million people and that is the best you can come up with to "celebrate"? That was a disgrace".

idle Eric":2th0w424 said:

Thanks for the reply's and welcome

There is the question of how this effects the team...... for better or for worse and that has been discussed. but I just wondered if anyone is concerned how this behavior reflects on the club and city ? Particularly those who live in the Seattle area.

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I always cringe when I see these comparisons... as if the Tomlin and the Steelers players all represent the steel industry of the city... or the Packers somehow represents the ideologies of middle Wisconsin.

The City of Seattle is not represented by its football team. The football team is hosted by the City of Seattle. Nor should people who live in Seattle compare themselves and their ideals to the players who were bought by the football team to entertain them.

If any citizen of the City is upset because Richard Sherman, not from Seattle, is a brash loud mouth who speaks a bit too much of his mind and that citizen feels it makes him look bad I would suggest they don't have the right perspective regarding sports.

The players represent their team. If a fan of the team wants to say they represent them as well then that's understandable. But not the city or the people who live there (many... most... of which aren't football fans)

When Baldwin "crapped" in SB49 I went onto his facebook page and let him have it. I actually got into a discussion with his brother on the issue, and let him know exactly how I felt. Told him he wears our cities name on his jersey, I've been a lifelong fan (since 1976), and I don't appreciate being represented that way. Then I said "you make a nice play in front of 114 million people and that is the best you can come up with to "celebrate"? That was a disgrace".[/quote]

That's just great mate !! Love it !

They represent the city whether they understand it or not. That's the problem, they are so tied up in themselves they don't really get that. Great players, great characters and probably good men, they've just been allowed to let themselves down badly. By the way the Heat of the moment locker room thing doesn't even begin to excuse it !

I personally think Pete's got it wrong on this one. Now that the team have had a couple of years of under achieving it's probably dawning on him and the organisation that this "freedom" was probably not a good idea in the first place. Their young men and pampered ones at that, They need a bit of guidance and coaching in life skills as well as on the field coaching. Not a Belichick way but a balance somewhere between Pete's current thinking and his. Good for the players, the team and the city they represent.

I believe that Pete truly believes his players need to be themselves but I also believe that behind closed doors he lets them know that actions have consequences. He isn't one to air dirty laundry in the press or public. So, I do believe that he takes care of business when it needs to be taken care of.

Schadie001":155rtmwc said:

I believe that Pete truly believes his players need to be themselves but I also believe that behind closed doors he lets them know that actions have consequences. He isn't one to air dirty laundry in the press or public. So, I do believe that he takes care of business when it needs to be taken care of.

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I'm sure you're right, but like being a parent if there's no consequence or punishment for the misbehavior, then what good does it do?

I'm sure Pete spoke with Richard after his first outburst during the Atlanta game, yet there was Richard again undressing his offensive coordinator weeks later.............and there his coach is again at the end of the season making excuses for Richard's terrible game against Falcons.

That's not good enough for me, that's an enabler.

idle Eric":3o9mmjg5 said:

They represent the city whether the understand it or not. That's the problem, they are so tied up in themselves they don't really get that. Great players, great characters and probably good men, they've just been allowed to let themselves down badly. By the way the Heat of the moment locker room thing doesn't even begin to excuse it !

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What city do the Patriots represent? How about the Jets and Giants?

Players represent the Seahawks organization, and more importantly the NFL ...and sure, their fans.

idle Eric":3rtox4sq said:

Hello, My first post and it's a shame it's on this subject !

I love this club. I've been following the seahawks since 83. Because mine is support from a far and not being a native of Seattle i'd be really interested to hear your thoughts on Shemans and Bennetts off field behavoiur this year. Their childish antics this year remind me so much of Cam Newton, that most self centered of modern day footballers ! To me it's important that players (senior players particularly) respect the club and act accordingly. For those of you that live in Seattle the club represents your city. It's one thing for me to feel these two players have let the club down, or me as a supporter down. But how about your city !?

Is it purely how this behaviour effects the team that's worth bothering about ? Letting the players have the freedom that Pete wants them to have. As long as it brings a winning team ? Or only starting to bother when the teams starts to play bellow expectations ?

To me the way some of the senior players have behaved this year is a big deal but it doesn't seem to have been reflected as such on the forum. As someone who has admittedly old fashioned values when it comes to sport and who lives so far from Seattle I'd be very interested to hear your thoughts .

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"Always Compete" that's the Seahawks' mantra. If you have been in serious competition you will understand their frustration.

Give me that all day over players who are joking around on the sidelines while they are getting their asses kicked.

sondevil89":1jdouvvk said:

"Always Compete" that's the Seahawks' mantra. If you have been in serious competition you will understand their frustration.

Give me that all day over players who are joking around on the sidelines while they are getting their asses kicked.

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Pretty interesting point..

sondevil89":fyov96h0 said:

"Always Compete" that's the Seahawks' mantra. If you have been in serious competition you will understand their frustration.

Give me that all day over players who are joking around on the sidelines while they are getting their asses kicked.

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NE's playing in their 7th SB in 15 years, are they not always competing? Cause I don't EVER see their players screaming at coaches or being distractions.

This is a flimsy excuse for some of our players acting selfishly and being distractions. You can have both, be competitive, focused and not put yourself over team with tantrums and selfish nonsense.

Sgt. Largent":2uunt7nk said:

sondevil89":2uunt7nk said:

"Always Compete" that's the Seahawks' mantra. If you have been in serious competition you will understand their frustration.

Give me that all day over players who are joking around on the sidelines while they are getting their asses kicked.

Click to expand...

NE's playing in their 7th SB in 15 years, are they not always competing? Cause I don't EVER see their players screaming at coaches or being distractions.

This is a flimsy excuse for some of our players acting selfishly and being distractions. You can have both, be competitive, focused and not put yourself over team with tantrums and selfish nonsense.

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http://www.csnne.com/new-england-patriots/brady-screams-then-hugs-mcdaniels-touchdown

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com...-just-a-part-of-football-2013nov22-story.html

First of many links I was able to find.. and that's just this year...


The difference here is not the players, but the way the coach handles hit.

Put it this way, NFL players are like transient employees of a business in the entertainment industry. The business owns property, pays taxes and employs other people who work in and call that city home, but the highly-paid transient entertainment workers usually don't have those same attachments. It would be like promoter hosting a major rock band for 10 to 12 shows in a 21 to 23 week period of time in one city. You wouldn't hold members of that rock band to the standard of being ambassadors of your city, would you?

What city do the Patriots represent? How about the Jets and Giants?

Players represent the Seahawks organization, and more importantly the NFL ...and sure, their fans.[/quote]


Patriots, Jets, Giants - Boston, the State, New York the community they play in........ The point is they represent more than just an "Organisation" ! That's at the heart of the problem with the NFL'S "Franchise" thing !!! If as fans we think of it as just an "ORGANISATION" ! ........ Well ask a San Diego fan.

Yes your right the players do represent the "Seahawks organisation and the NFL" . But for some reason you don't think they represent the city or area ?

Uncle Si":37n4x7bb said:

The difference here is not the players, but the way the coach handles hit.

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Right, they get traded to Cleveland or benched. Pete makes excuses and enables his players, and says it's just cause they love to compete so damn much!

I don't know what the answer is, I just know Pete has to get a handle on this issue. Whatever that means.