Wednesday, April 17, 2013 @ 12:11am
Scout's take: Seahawks edge 49ers as NFL's best team
Those paying close attention to the moves made this offseason by the Seahawks and 49ers might have noticed a pattern.
Each team opened the new league year by trading for a high-profile wide receiver, with Percy Harvin coming to Seattle and Anquan Boldin joining San Francisco.
The Seahawks and 49ers both traded away a backup quarterback they considered good enough to start, moves that necessitated a replacement and reflected how highly each team regards its starter.
Reports of the Seahawks' addition of Antoine Winfield came a week and a half after the 49ers added Nnamdi Asomugha, another veteran cornerback with Pro Bowls on his resume.
The similarities in those moves might be purely coincidental, but it's all made good fodder for debate over which NFC West rival has assembled the best roster. If you ask Matt Williamson, a former NFL scout who now works for ESPN's Scouts Inc., the Seahawks have a slight edge.
 "I think it's going to be the best rivalry in the league and the most physical game of the year," ESPN's Matt Williamson said of the Seahawks and 49ers. (AP) |
Unlike their 49ers counterparts, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider had to overhaul their roster en route assembling a Super Bowl contender. What's sped up the process, as Williamson noted, has been their ability to find cheap talent through the draft. Russell Wilson, for example, is making well under $1 million per season, whereas some teams are paying their franchise quarterbacks more than $15 million a year.
"They're getting great quarterback play, but it's not abusing their salary cap," Williamson said.
The Seahawks and 49ers finished first and second, respectively, in scoring defense last season. Williamson thinks Seattle surpassed San Francisco on defense but said the draft will provide the 49ers with a chance to regain their edge. San Francisco owns three picks in the first two rounds, while Seattle has one.
"I think that the Niners will get better on draft day than the Seahawks do, but it's going to be a great power race just watching these two," he said, "and I think we're splitting hairs to say who the better team is."
A few more of Williamson's thoughts:
The read-option's future. Williamson doesn't think the read-option will be a passing fad like the Wildcat, but he questions how effective it will be now that it will no longer catch defenses by surprise.
"Think back just 365 days ago. The only teams that were running the read-option were Cam Newton and the Panthers and [Tim] Tebow and the Broncos, and at this point [last year] he was a Jet and Peyton Manning was in place. So defensive coordinators weren't preparing for it all offseason," Williamson said. "This year, I'm sure every defensive coordinator is grinding that tape like crazy on how do we stop the read-option, they're calling their buddies in college, 'give us some tips.'"
Williamson doesn't think the read-option can be a staple of a team's offense because of the risk it poses to quarterbacks who are exposed to extra hits. The read-option was much more of a wrinkle than a staple for the Seahawks last season, which is an important distinction to make when discussing its sustainability.
'Not a fan' of Brady Quinn. Williamson thinks backup quarterback is one of the Seahawks' biggest needs. In his mind, that's as much of a testament to the overall strength of the roster as it is an indictment of Brady Quinn, who's currently Seattle's presumed No. 2 quarterback after signing with the team last week. One of Quinn's biggest problems, according to Williamson, is that he's "way too hesitant to pull the trigger."
The good news for the Seahawks, according to Williamson, is that their defense and running game would be good enough to win games without great play from their backup quarterback.
Winfield's skillset. It's safe to say Williamson likes the addition of cornerback Antoine Winfield, who has reportedly agreed to a one-year deal with Seattle. He cited Winfield's physicality and ability to defend against the run as reasons why he's ideally suited to play inside as a slot corner.
"He has good short-area quickness but not elite speed anymore, so you don't want him running down the sidelines with A.J. Green so much as you'd rather him do battle with the Wes Welkers and the slot receivers and blitz ..., have him attack the running game," he said.
Tuesday, April 16, 2013 @ 4:25pm
Ex-scout likes Seahawks' addition of Antoine Winfield
At 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds, Antoine Winfield doesn't have the imposing size of fellow cornerbacks Richard Sherman and Brandon Browner, his new teammates with the Seahawks.
 Antoine Winfield |
"He may be the most physical corner in the league, and that includes Sherman and Browner," Williamson told "Bob and Groz" on Tuesday. "He's a hitter, he plays the run exceptionally well, the closer you get him to the ball the better he is."
Winfield's deal, still unofficial, is reportedly for one year. With the Seahawks set on the outside with Sherman and Browner, Winfield seems like a logical replacement for Marcus Trufant, who struggled at times last season while serving as Seattle's primary nickel corner.
That's where Williamson thinks the 35-year-old Winfield is best suited to play at this stage of his career.
"He has good short-area quickness but not elite speed anymore, so you don't want him running down the sidelines with A.J. Green so much as you'd rather him do battle with the Wes Welkers and the slot receivers and blitz ..., have him attack the running game," he said.
Bob Stelton and Dave Grosby share additional thoughts on Winfield in the video below.
You can listen to Tuesday's show here.
Monday, April 15, 2013 @ 4:44pm
Is Hansen's 'shot across the bow' enough to sway NBA owners?
Daniels has been the lead reporter on Hansen's efforts to buy the Kings and move them to Seattle along with building a new arena. He said Hansen's voluntary offer to up his bid by $25 million tells Sacramento "if you're serious about this, just so you know, we've got money, we're willing to spend it."
Daniels also said sources have told him the Sacramento investment group seeking to counter Hansen won't match his deal to buy a seven percent share of the Kings in bankruptcy court.
"So that's another $15.1 million," Daniels said, which means Hansen has deals to purchase 72 percent of the team.
"We haven't even gone down the road of talking about relocation fees and other fees and paying off loans," Daniels said of the additional money Hansen has committed to spending.
It all makes for a compelling case for Seattle's offer. But even though Daniels and others are convinced the Seattle bid is much stronger and further along, at the end of the day that might not be the deciding factor.
"Relationships matter," Daniels said of the NBA owners who will ultimately decide whether to approve the Kings sale and move or block it. Only eight owners need to say no to kill the deal- and lead Sacramento investor Vivek Ranadive has close ties to a number of them as a co-owner of the league's Golden State Warriors.
But Daniels pointed out Hansen has forged some close ties with several owners as well. He said Hansen and adviser Wally Walker, the former SuperSonics General Manager and minority owner, have formed a strong bond with Boston Celtics owner Irv Grousbeck, whose son Wycliffe runs the team and sits on the combined finance and relocation committee.
The committee meets Wednesday in a special session ahead of the NBA's Board of Governors meeting with all owners Thursday and Friday, when a decision could be reached.
"Seattle is definitely further ahead," said Daniels. "It's just a question of with Sacramento, is it enough to say this is not the time for Seattle."
Related:
Chris Hansen increases offer to buy Kings by $25 million
Reports: Sacramento promises match to NBA; Maloofs set new deadline
King County judge dismisses Seattle arena lawsuit
Is this Seattle's last shot at an NBA team?
Monday, April 15, 2013 @ 4:43pm
Red Bryant on the spot as offseason workouts begin
The beginning of offseason workouts provides an opportunity to look at players who will enter the 2013 season with something to prove.
For the Seahawks, Bob Stelton and Dave Grosby think that player is defensive end Red Bryant, whose struggles in 2012 can at least be partly attributed to a foot injury that limited his mobility.
In the video below, Stelton and Grosby discuss what's at stake for Bryant this year and how important he is to Seattle's defense.
You can listen to Monday's show here.
Friday, April 12, 2013 @ 5:07pm
New M's pitcher Harang likely to have low Ks, high HRs
It didn't take long for the Mariners to start tinkering with their pitching staff. A 5.47 team ERA and 4-7 record through Thursday necessitated an early change to the rotation, and the result is newly acquired starter Aaron Harang taking the place of Blake Beaven (8.44 ERA).
 New M's pitcher Aaron Harang posted sub-3.65 ERAs the past two seasons with the Dodgers and Padres. (AP) |
Harang, who will make his season debut Tuesday after coming over from Colorado for minor-league reliever Steven Hensley, had a spell of dominance with the Cincinnati Reds in the middle of the last decade. But he is now 34, and even though he's coming off back-to-back seasons of sub-3.65 ERAs, fans shouldn't expect that kind of production from the veteran right-hander, FanGraphs senior writer Dave Cameron told 710 ESPN Seattle's "Bob and Groz."
Harang had the privilege of playing in pitcher-friendly National League parks in recent years -- San Diego's Petco Park in 2011 and Los Angeles' Dodgers Stadium in 2012 -- which covered up for the fact that he's a fly-ball pitcher whose strikeouts have been on the decline.
"From 2005 to 2007, Harang was legitimately one of the best pitchers in the National League," Cameron said. "He got four strikeouts for every walk -- that's a number Felix (Hernandez) doesn't even get. Right now he's down to a little bit below two, and when you're not striking out twice as many guys as you walk, the only real way you succeed is not give up home runs. Well the easiest way to not give up home runs is get ground balls, (and) Aaron Harang doesn't get ground balls either."
In previous years, Harang could have found solace in the spacious confines of Safeco Field, but with the fences brought in this season, it has proven to be much more of a hitter's park than in previous years.
"He didn't give up home runs last year, but part of that's the National League, part of that's Dodgers Stadium, and part of that's just luck," said Cameron. "Harang's ERA last year (3.61) was a lot of home run prevention, and that's not likely to continue, especially moving to the American League, and Safeco's fences have come in and looked pretty homer-friendly the last few days. I would expect as long as Harang is walking guys and not getting strikeouts, he's not going to be anywhere near the 3.6 ERA he posted last year."
The move to get Harang exposes a pitching problem the Mariners left Spring Training with.
"I think the pitching is certainly the biggest concern. Coming out of Spring Training, there (were) reasons to think the back of the rotation was gonna have some issues," said Cameron. "There wasn't a lot of depth there. ... I think the back end of this rotation is bad, and they didn't carry a long reliever at the beginning of the year. When you have a mediocre to bad rotation with some kids who aren't ready to go more than five or six innings, you need a long reliever. I think that's what they figured out, and that's why they traded for Aaron Harang and why Blake Beavan's probably headed to the bullpen."
Beaven isn't the only young Mariners starter who's had a rough beginning to the 2013 season. Brandon Maurer, a 22-year-old rookie who hadn't pitched higher than Double A before this season, has been roughed up in his first two starts (16.20 ERA) with the big club, though it appears the Mariners will continue to give him chances to prove himself as a Major League starter.
Friday, April 12, 2013 @ 11:26am
Bob and Groz drinking game rules
Here are the rules for the "Bob and Groz" drinking game*.
Each of the following words/phrases is good for one drink.
When Bob says: "Alright" or "Exactly right" or "How 'bout that?"
When Groz says: "Uhhh" or "supposebly"
When John Clayton says: "Let's put it this way" or "But also, too"
Today's additional word: "Sacramento"
*We are not suggesting any drink in particular.
Thursday, April 11, 2013 @ 3:37pm
Is this Seattle's last shot at an NBA team?
The league is expected to decide the future of the team in its meetings April 18-19, but the Sacramento Bee has reported the Maloof family, which owns a majority of the team, has given Sacramento until 5 p.m. Friday to submit its bid or it won't even consider it.
It's not exactly clear which city has the advantage, especially since it's not known whether or not investors in Sacramento have matched Seattle's bid.
KING 5 reports NBA commissioner David Stern is now leaning Sacramento's way, and that he has actually been working behind the scenes to get more support for Sacramento to boost its offer.
But reporter Chris Daniels told "Bob and Groz" the buzz is that Stern's influence is not as strong as it was even three, four, or five years ago.
"There are some new owners in the league with a new attitude and potentially David Stern's word doesn't carry as much weight," he said.
So now the question remains: what if Stern and the owners snub Seattle and we don't get our Sonics back?
"The league has put itself in unprecedented territory and (it's) running the risk now that if (it does) reject the Hansen-Balmer deal, it's going to be tough for the NBA to ever return to Seattle," Daniels explained. "They're going to have trouble working with any businessman or government in Seattle if they don't approve this deal now."
Would Seattle try again with another team? Milwaukee? Or is an expansion team even a viable option for the NBA?
Daniels said Mavericks owner Mark Cuban told him last year that he thought expansion was a net loss for owners because they'd have to divvy up another piece with all the revenue from TV and digital.
"They continue to say no, no, no, but I know that people have written that this whole saga is the best argument for expansion."
Earlier Thursday, The Sports Business Daily reported that the NBA is asking Sacramento to cover a $30 million non-refundable deposit Hansen's group paid the Maloofs, the majority owner, for the Kings.
Multiple sources also report the counter-offer from Sacramento is close to matching Seattle's.
"You can ask me a hundred different ways," said Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, "money is not the issue. Our group has stepped up and did what was necessary for our community ... to keep our team in Sacramento."
MyNorthwest.com staff contributed to this report.
Thursday, April 11, 2013 @ 2:53pm
More controversy for Seahawks' Richard Sherman
Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman claims he never said that "about half the league" takes the prescription drug Adderall, as he was quoted as saying in a Vancouver Sun story earlier this week.
 Sherman |
The NFL prohibits players from using Adderall in the absence of what it calls a therapeutic use exemption. Sherman was slapped with a four-game suspension last season for allegedly taking Adderall, but the ban was overturned when it was determined that his urine sample was mishandled.
The Vancouver Sun said Thursday that it stands by the story. The author of the story, Mike Beamish, provided 710 ESPN Seattle with a written transcript of his conversation with Sherman.
According to the transcript, the two talked about Sherman's overturned suspension before Beamish said, "There are players who actually have to take Adderall, because people have ADD and ADHD," to which Sherman responded, "There's about half the league that takes it [Adderall], and the league has to allow it."
Sherman said Thursday that he's never taken Adderall.
Bob Stelton and Dave Grosby share their thoughts on the story in the video below.
You can listen to Thursday's show here.