Facing the facts

As bad as the public perception of the Seattle Seahawks is, it could be a lot worse.

The Seahawks could be win less and have low attendance...(ie: Miami). Instead, they have 2 wins out of 5 and the loudest home crowd in football.

The Seahawks could have lost their best player (Manning) for the season before it even started...(ie: Indianapolis) Instead, the Seahawks roster is looking relatively healthy being that it's 6 weeks into the season.

What about the 8 NFL teams that have 1 win or less? No, thanks.

Now there would be an advantage if this team actually was horrible, advantage being a very high draft pick. The whole football universe is caught up in the Andrew Luck sweepstakes because of his can't-miss arm and football mind. The Stanford quarterback will be the first overall pick but the team choosing is undetermined.

This much I know, the Seahawks will not be that team. They are simply too good to be bad enough to draft Luck. In some way that sucks. In another way it's kind of a relief that the Hawks already have enough talent. in enough places to win. Don't get me wrong, Seattle needs to start grooming the next franchise QB as soon as possible but the team as a whole is decent.

The Seahawks probably have another 3 wins in them. Honestly, it could be more. They almost beat San Francisco and Atlanta.

Most franchises need to hit rock bottom to eventually rise to the top. A lot of big-time quarterbacks are chosen in the top-10 of the draft but not all. You just never know till you know. If the Seahawks have a top-10 pick and a quarterback is available they better pull the trigger.

The only scenario I would accept with their first pick besides quarterback would be a cornerback. Veteran cornerback Marcus Trufant suffers injuries too often. The other options are Brandon Browner and Walter Thurmond. Both of those two guys are still young and learning on the fly but they have potential. I want Seattle to have one of those guys that shuts down one side of the field by himself. Pair a guy like that with safeties Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas and no one will want to throw on Seattle.

There are 11 more games to be played this season. Many things will happen between now till January. Many losses will have to be toughed out but I just want to ensure my Hawk fans out there not to get down on your team. You could always be the 0-5 Rams.

No, thanks.

Curry no longer part of recipe for success

Another pick bites the dust. You can now add Aaron Curry to the list of Seattle athletes that were paid big money and failed.

This morning the Seahawks traded the former fourth-overall pick from 2009 to the Oakland Raiders for a couple meaningless future draft picks. Sad story really.

Curry was a highly touted linebacker out of Wake Forest University that was widely considered the best defensive collegiate player that year. Back then he was added to a linebacker corp including Lofa Tatupu and Leroy Hill. Those three were supposed to be a dynamic trio that would dominate for years. Instead, those guys have all failed one way or another.

The speed of the pro game consistently proved too much for the very athletic Curry. He rarely sacked quarterbacks or forced turnovers. In the last two weeks he had been supplanted in the starting lineup by a rookie linebacker named K.J. Wright.

Tatupu made a couple Pro Bowls in the beginning of his career but quickly declined after a few concussions and minor injuries. To his and Seahawk fans surprise, his services were not retained this season. Since his release in August Tatupu has not been signed by another team. It's a very curious situation for a former stud that still is 28 years old.

Hill started strong with the Hawks too but started getting in trouble off the field. He was involved in domestic disputes with his girlfriend and then was cut from the team. Seattle brought him back this year for very little money then his initial contract and he has performed well enough to start.

The reality is that Curry was between a rock and hard place. He was a young man trying to live up to his draft status and the expectations that come with it. Unfortunately, the talent surrounding his was weak, thus, Curry had to play extra well to make up for everyone else. That was not a recipe for success.

Curry probably will improve in Oakland where expectations are diminished and he can just run around the field free of expectations. Many athletes have left Seattle to have better career numbers.

The bright side of this trade is the multiple millions of dollars saved by cutting that contract as well as the cheap contract the rookie replacement Wright is making in Curry's place. Maybe that extra money can be used for a big signing next season when the Hawks will be closer to a consistently good team.

Feeling Luck(y)

Some say success is reached through effort, timing and luck. Others say luck has nothing to do with it. They're all wrong. Luck is a requirement.

In the case of the Seattle Seahawks, the success of their franchise hinges on their demise. Ironically, each game the Seahawks lose puts them closer to their goal of attaining a franchise altering quarterback.

Every football team dreams that a player of Andrew Luck's ability and prowess falls to them in the NFL draft. Scouts say the Stanford junior quarterback is the real deal. The bees knees. The next John Elway.

Luck is smart (see Stanford). He is built like a man at 6'4, 235 lbs. He was already a Heisman runner-up. And his last name is Luck.

What more do you want?

The Seahawks need some Luck in their lives. This fan base needs it too. Seattle hasn't had a franchise quarterback with this skill set before. It is about time Seattle gets rewarded for all the crap it's sports teams go through annually. It could be our city's big break and all we have to do is lose.

We can handle that part, right?

Yes, I agree suffering through another horrible season is lame but if you can guarantee a reasonable shot at a once-in-a-decade quarterback, I'm in. Apparently, head coach Pete Carroll is in too because he recruited Tavaris Jackson to warm Luck's roster spot. I don't care what Carroll says about Jackson's progress, he is not the future. He is barely the present (i.e. Whitehurst).

Unfortunately, the only way to draft Andrew Luck is to be really bad. I'm talking maximum 4-win bad. Anymore wins than that and you're looking at a costly trade-up draft position scenario.

Currently there are 4 teams that are bad enough and haven't drafted their future QB in the last two years: Seattle, Miami, Kansas City, Indianapolis. Combined those teams have 2 wins and 14 losses.

Here is a snapshot of each team's chances at maintaining this ineptitude:

Seattle-- starts Jackson and has another loss coming this weekend in New York against the Giants. Prediction for wins and losses on remaining schedule: 3-9. Final record: 4-12.

Miami-- starts journeyman Matt Moore after incumbent QB Chad Henne went down indefinitely on Sunday. W-L prediction: 2-10. Final: 2-14.

Kansas City-- starts the wildly inconsistent Matt Cassell. W-L prediction: 3-9. Final: 4-12.

Indianapolis-- starts the very inexperienced Curtis Painter after Peyton Manning sits out with a neck injury, likely for the season. W-L prediction: 2-10. Final: 2-14.

Thus, I don't foresee any scenario in which the worst team gets 4 wins. All of those desperate teams will draft Luck if given the chance. And if Seattle doesn't finish worst which is likely, then they are going to have to trade someone very valuable to attain Luck's services.

Andrew Luck is not the only good quarterback in the 2012 draft class but he is easily the surest thing. So for this season and only this season, I will not complain when the Hawks lose. I will applaud the effort and hope for increased performance by the young guys so that when Seattle does get it's man they are ready to roll.

Do you feel lucky?

Well Seattle, do you?