I haven't done one of these in a while: A review and recap of the Seahawks draft. The reason I'm doing it is because I'm pretty stoked about this draft class. I'll go through each of the picks and give them a letter grade. The letter grade will be based on when the Seahawks selected the player, and how well I think he fits our team. Let's go!
Round 1: LJ Collier, DE, TCU
Grade: C
The reason the grade is a C is because he was yet another first round reach for the Hawks. He could've been taken in the 2nd or maybe even 3rd round. Nevertheless, he's been described as a Michael Bennett-type D-lineman, able to move along the D-line wherever, depending on the down and distance. Bruce Irvin was also a first round reach and he didn't turn out half bad. If LJ is anywhere near Michael Bennett's capability, I'll call this a win. But for now, I stand pat with a C grade.
Round 2: Marquise Blair, S, Utah
Grade: C+
This was also called a reach. But Marquise has some upside, many see him as a Kam Chancellor-lite. He'll probably end up backing up McDougald for the time being and playing special teams. Hopefully he'll blossom and become a starter for years to come.
Round 2: D.K. Metcalf, WR, Ole Miss
Grade: B+
The first draft pick the Hawks made that I was legitimately excited for. He's a big-bodied and strong receiver like a Terrell Owens or Josh Gordon, but has speed that beats both of them. He has the potential to be an elite #1 receiver. However, he has injury concerns (who doesn't?) and he ran slower cone drills at the combine than Tom Brady. I kid you not. So he's not an agile receiver. But if the Hawks can use him effectively and he stays healthy, he's going to be an elite receiver.
Round 3: Cody Barton, LB, Utah
Grade: B
The Hawks drafted two defensive players from Utah in their first four picks, so Blair and Barton should be able to help each other out and pull for each other in training camp. Barton will be an excellent special teamer, but could he possibly start if need be? Time will tell.
Round 4: Gary Jennings Jr., WR, West Virginia
Grade: A-
I just found out Gary Jennings Jr. has known Russell Wilson since childhood as Russ coached him at the YMCA he went to. That's awesome. Russ will instantly have a rapport with this guy. Not only that, but Gary has very few if any glaring weaknesses and has less bust potential than Metcalf. If I had to pick who has the longer and more consistent career right now (between Metcalf and Jennings), I'd say Jennings.
Round 4: Phil Haynes, G, Wake Forest
Grade: B+
Solid pick who will most likely be groomed to play guard. With Iupati and Fluker as the current starters, it works out perfectly to have Haynes sit behind them and learn and take over in case of an injury. Keep in mind we still have Roos, Simmons, and Pocic. This is the first time in a while I can say I am happy with our O-Line depth.
Round 4: Ugo Amadi, S, Oregon
Grade: C+
He's a bit undersized, but will be used on special teams and in some nickel packages. Also... he's a Duck... Nevertheless, he's a decent mid-round selection, but my gut says I don't think we'll see him on the team in 3 years.
Round 5: Ben Burr-Kirven, LB, Washington
Grade: B-
Don't think we really needed to draft two middle linebackers, but it certainly doesn't hurt. And it's a local kid from UW! I'm excited to see who will do better between Barton and Burr-Kirven, both were Pac-12 middle linebackers. Good to have depth in case something happens to Bobby *knock on wood*.
Round 6: Travis Homer, RB, Miami
Grade: B+
This kid has the fight and tenacity that Schneider and Carroll love. He's an-all around back, too, can block, catch passes, can even play special teams. I would like to see him in the preseason get a bunch of carries to see how he does there. Could be a dark horse pick that gets some carries in the regular season (Think Phillip Lindsay of Denver last year).
Round 6: DeMarcus Christmas, DT, Florida State
Grade: C+
It's Christmas in Seattle! Literally. I'm going to be honest, it could be fairly tough for him to make the roster, but with Shamar Stephen gone there's a chance. He's like Poona Ford a bit, not quite as short though. I could see him backing up Ford and Reed when they need a breather on rushing downs.
Round 7: John Ursua, WR, Hawaii
Grade: C+
Good-looking kid, but he'll find it tough making the roster, even if Doug isn't able to play. Ahead of him are Lockett, Brown, Moore, and the two other Wide Receivers we drafted in Metcalf and Jennings. If he's able to excel on special teams, he could make the roster, but as a fairly-undersized wide receiver that'll be tough to do.
Overall GPA: 2.77 (+.5) = 3.27 or B+
I gave John and Pete an extra .5 because they started with only four picks (before trading Frank Clark) and ended up with 11. Wow. Just the way they were able to trade down and not lose much value was impressive. So I give their draft a B+ as a whole. They did well for the most part, but time will tell how well they did based on the careers of these young men. Hopefully this'll be a draft class like 2011 or 2012 where we can look back on it and say they hit it out of the park.
Saturday, April 27, 2019
Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker - Five Questions and Predictions
With Avengers Endgame out (and having seen it), the next movie I am REALLY
hyped to see is Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker. The teaser trailer and title were
announced/released two weeks ago, and I've had some time to dwell on them. Below are five questions people might have
about the film, and I put forth multiple choice possibilities and choose my
answer with reasoning. It'll be
interesting to go back here 8 months from now (Yikes!) and see how close I was.
I have now seen the Rise of Skywalker. For my full thoughts on it, you'll have to see my more recent post here. *SPOILER ALERT* I will of course be discussing spoilers so this is your warning.
1. So, apparently Palpatine returns, based on his cackle at the end of the teaser trailer. How is he able to return?
A. He returns as a spirit, much like a Force Ghost (The dark side version of it possibly). Not able to physically appear but in spirit.
B. A clone was made of him
C. He survived falling down the ventilation shaft.
D. He inhabits the body of someone or something else (Like Voldemort)
Answer: I'm gonna go with A, but neither C nor D would surprise me. My prediction is that there is a Dark Side way of becoming one with the Force. Obviously, we'd hear him and he'd be able to influence Kylo Ren and say things like, "Do what your grandfather failed to do." I only included B because I believe that happened in the Expanded Universe novels, although I doubt they'd take that idea straight from them. Option D would be cool to see, however. Could we see him inhabit Snoke's body?
The closest actual answer would be C. He had some assistance, clearly, but never fully died.
2. What will the relationship of Kylo Ren and Rey be like at the end of Episode IX?
A. Non-existent, as one will be dead.
B. Still enemies
C. Allies, or at least will have a truce
D. Romantic
Answer: I want it to be D, but Rey's parentage is still in question. Kylo told Rey her parents were nobodies, but he could have been lying (or possibly misled by Snoke). She still could be his sister or cousin. I'll go with C as my prediction, but I want it to be D. They won't kill Rey off, and I don't think JJ Abrams will want to kill Kylo off either, so I don't think it will be A. And I highly doubt they'll still be enemies; it would just feel like we need another film to resolve their conflict.
Officially it is A 😢, but for a brief moment is was C and D. I should have known Ben/Kylo would die because this film was billed for it "concluding the Skywalker saga", and if he had survived, the Skywalkers would live on.
3. Speaking of Rey's parentage, what is it?
A. Kylo was telling the truth. Her parents were nobodies.
B. Luke is her father. He abandoned her mother, and her mother (And stepfather?) left her on Jakku.
C. Han and Leia are her parents. She was conceived in secret and hidden on Jakku.
D. She is a manifestation of the Force, much like Anakin.
Answer: I just find it difficult to be B or C. Wouldn't they know about it and want to tell her? Also, I've noticed a bit of a conflict between JJ Abrams and Rian Johnson, who directed Episode VIII. They had different ideas for the films, so I think it might not be A. I'm leaning more and more to D. It would be kind of a copy cat origin story, but if they do it differently and uniquely it could work. So I'll go with D, with A as my second choice. They have to address this in Ep. IX, at least to some extent.
Wow, none of the above. Technically A is right, but they were trying to be nobodies in order to protect their daughter from her grandfather. I had a feeling JJ would decide Rian Johnson's choice wasn't good enough, I just had no idea she would be related to him.
4. What does the title, "The Rise of Skywalker" mean?
A. Skywalker is or becomes a title for Jedi. Much like "Darth" is for the Sith, Skywalker becomes a title for Jedi as the Jedi rise and Rey (and possibly Kylo/Ben) start a new Jedi order. So Rey would be "Skywalker Rey".
B. Rey is a Skywalker, and she learns her true identity.
C. Luke's influence as a Force Ghost is critical to the Resistance and he aids in their victory.
D. Luke and Palpatine have a Force Ghost battle and Luke comes out on top.
E. Kylo sheds his name "Kylo Ren" and becomes "Ben Skywalker" (Not Solo).
Answer: It's a pretty vague title. I got answer "A" from someone's theory on Reddit, which I really liked obviously. Although you wouldn't see a title called "The Rise of Darth". But I can see Skywalker referring to a group of people and not just one person. B is obviously a candidate. C and D kind of go together and both could be possible. I know D sounds ludicrous but I could see it happening. E could mean the title is about Kylo Ren, since he has Skywalker blood. If he returns to the light he could identify himself "as a Skywalker". The title of Episode VII referred to Rey (indirectly). The title of Episode VIII referred to Luke. I think the title of Episode IX will refer to someone else as well, which leaves only Kylo Ren. It could be about his redemption and return to the light side, so I'll go with E. However, most people are figuring this must refer to Luke, so my next best guess would be "C".
The actual answer is kind of a cross between A and B. Rey assumed the Skywalker name, almost as if it were a title. My friend even said it was like Luke or Leia adopted her from beyond the grave.
5. The fates of the following people:
A. Kylo Ren:
a. Dead
b. Alive, but still Dark
c. Alive and turned to Light
Answer: C. It's gotta be, right? I touched on this in question in number 3, and I said I don't think they'll kill Kylo off. At least I hope they don't. If it was B they would need another film or something to resolve this, wouldn't they? It would be like leaving Darth Vader alive and still dark side oriented after "Return of the Jedi".
I should have known, like I said above. He sacrificed himself for Rey and hopefully Rey would respect his memory and tell everyone he was a hero.
B. Captain Phasma:
a. She died in Episode VIII
b. She comes back in IX but dies
c. She comes back in IX and lives
Answer: B. JJ and Rian have an internal conflict going on from what I've gathered. JJ will want to undo what Rian did and bring back Captain Phasma, only to have her die for real.
Falling that far into a pit of fire on a ship going down is hard to survive, especially for a non-Sith/Jedi. I think bringing her back would've been a slap in the face to Rian Johnson.
C. General Hux:
a. Dead
b. Dead
c. Dead
Answer: All of the above. Is there any chance this guy survives? He clearly has no good in his heart. The only question is how he will die.
Well, yes, but who saw him helping out the good guys? Not me! Kylo clearly got on his bad side, so Hux took action. Too bad for him General Pryde saw right through him.
C. a. How will Hux die?
1. Rey kills him
2. Finn or Poe kills him
3. Kylo turns on him and kills him
Answer: Number 1 wouldn't be satisfying enough. I'd like to see 2, have a battle between non-Force users. But I think it will be 3.
I didn't even consider him being a spy and one of the first order generals killing him. Gotta consider every possibility.
D. Leia:
a. Alive and present
b. Alive but gone away/missing
c. Dead
Answer: I almost forgot about Leia. Hard to say how much of an impact she'll have, with Carrie Fisher passing before they could film any of Episode IX. I will say C, and they'll make it as tear-inducing as possible.
I was right. I was impressed with how much footage they had of Carrie and how they were able to use it. It was tear-inducing, although I didn't cry myself. But I felt like it after seeing Chewbacca's reacting to Leia's passing.
Well, there you have it. I answered the five (plus) biggest questions about Episode IX. It's still almost 8 months away and I cannot wait for it to get here!
Meh, not terrible predictions, but some really caught me off guard. Click the link above to see my full thoughts on Rise of Skywalker. 🙂
I have now seen the Rise of Skywalker. For my full thoughts on it, you'll have to see my more recent post here. *SPOILER ALERT* I will of course be discussing spoilers so this is your warning.
1. So, apparently Palpatine returns, based on his cackle at the end of the teaser trailer. How is he able to return?
A. He returns as a spirit, much like a Force Ghost (The dark side version of it possibly). Not able to physically appear but in spirit.
B. A clone was made of him
C. He survived falling down the ventilation shaft.
D. He inhabits the body of someone or something else (Like Voldemort)
Answer: I'm gonna go with A, but neither C nor D would surprise me. My prediction is that there is a Dark Side way of becoming one with the Force. Obviously, we'd hear him and he'd be able to influence Kylo Ren and say things like, "Do what your grandfather failed to do." I only included B because I believe that happened in the Expanded Universe novels, although I doubt they'd take that idea straight from them. Option D would be cool to see, however. Could we see him inhabit Snoke's body?
The closest actual answer would be C. He had some assistance, clearly, but never fully died.
2. What will the relationship of Kylo Ren and Rey be like at the end of Episode IX?
A. Non-existent, as one will be dead.
B. Still enemies
C. Allies, or at least will have a truce
D. Romantic
Answer: I want it to be D, but Rey's parentage is still in question. Kylo told Rey her parents were nobodies, but he could have been lying (or possibly misled by Snoke). She still could be his sister or cousin. I'll go with C as my prediction, but I want it to be D. They won't kill Rey off, and I don't think JJ Abrams will want to kill Kylo off either, so I don't think it will be A. And I highly doubt they'll still be enemies; it would just feel like we need another film to resolve their conflict.
Officially it is A 😢, but for a brief moment is was C and D. I should have known Ben/Kylo would die because this film was billed for it "concluding the Skywalker saga", and if he had survived, the Skywalkers would live on.
3. Speaking of Rey's parentage, what is it?
A. Kylo was telling the truth. Her parents were nobodies.
B. Luke is her father. He abandoned her mother, and her mother (And stepfather?) left her on Jakku.
C. Han and Leia are her parents. She was conceived in secret and hidden on Jakku.
D. She is a manifestation of the Force, much like Anakin.
Answer: I just find it difficult to be B or C. Wouldn't they know about it and want to tell her? Also, I've noticed a bit of a conflict between JJ Abrams and Rian Johnson, who directed Episode VIII. They had different ideas for the films, so I think it might not be A. I'm leaning more and more to D. It would be kind of a copy cat origin story, but if they do it differently and uniquely it could work. So I'll go with D, with A as my second choice. They have to address this in Ep. IX, at least to some extent.
Wow, none of the above. Technically A is right, but they were trying to be nobodies in order to protect their daughter from her grandfather. I had a feeling JJ would decide Rian Johnson's choice wasn't good enough, I just had no idea she would be related to him.
4. What does the title, "The Rise of Skywalker" mean?
A. Skywalker is or becomes a title for Jedi. Much like "Darth" is for the Sith, Skywalker becomes a title for Jedi as the Jedi rise and Rey (and possibly Kylo/Ben) start a new Jedi order. So Rey would be "Skywalker Rey".
B. Rey is a Skywalker, and she learns her true identity.
C. Luke's influence as a Force Ghost is critical to the Resistance and he aids in their victory.
D. Luke and Palpatine have a Force Ghost battle and Luke comes out on top.
E. Kylo sheds his name "Kylo Ren" and becomes "Ben Skywalker" (Not Solo).
Answer: It's a pretty vague title. I got answer "A" from someone's theory on Reddit, which I really liked obviously. Although you wouldn't see a title called "The Rise of Darth". But I can see Skywalker referring to a group of people and not just one person. B is obviously a candidate. C and D kind of go together and both could be possible. I know D sounds ludicrous but I could see it happening. E could mean the title is about Kylo Ren, since he has Skywalker blood. If he returns to the light he could identify himself "as a Skywalker". The title of Episode VII referred to Rey (indirectly). The title of Episode VIII referred to Luke. I think the title of Episode IX will refer to someone else as well, which leaves only Kylo Ren. It could be about his redemption and return to the light side, so I'll go with E. However, most people are figuring this must refer to Luke, so my next best guess would be "C".
The actual answer is kind of a cross between A and B. Rey assumed the Skywalker name, almost as if it were a title. My friend even said it was like Luke or Leia adopted her from beyond the grave.
5. The fates of the following people:
A. Kylo Ren:
a. Dead
b. Alive, but still Dark
c. Alive and turned to Light
Answer: C. It's gotta be, right? I touched on this in question in number 3, and I said I don't think they'll kill Kylo off. At least I hope they don't. If it was B they would need another film or something to resolve this, wouldn't they? It would be like leaving Darth Vader alive and still dark side oriented after "Return of the Jedi".
I should have known, like I said above. He sacrificed himself for Rey and hopefully Rey would respect his memory and tell everyone he was a hero.
B. Captain Phasma:
a. She died in Episode VIII
b. She comes back in IX but dies
c. She comes back in IX and lives
Answer: B. JJ and Rian have an internal conflict going on from what I've gathered. JJ will want to undo what Rian did and bring back Captain Phasma, only to have her die for real.
Falling that far into a pit of fire on a ship going down is hard to survive, especially for a non-Sith/Jedi. I think bringing her back would've been a slap in the face to Rian Johnson.
C. General Hux:
a. Dead
b. Dead
c. Dead
Answer: All of the above. Is there any chance this guy survives? He clearly has no good in his heart. The only question is how he will die.
Well, yes, but who saw him helping out the good guys? Not me! Kylo clearly got on his bad side, so Hux took action. Too bad for him General Pryde saw right through him.
C. a. How will Hux die?
1. Rey kills him
2. Finn or Poe kills him
3. Kylo turns on him and kills him
Answer: Number 1 wouldn't be satisfying enough. I'd like to see 2, have a battle between non-Force users. But I think it will be 3.
I didn't even consider him being a spy and one of the first order generals killing him. Gotta consider every possibility.
D. Leia:
a. Alive and present
b. Alive but gone away/missing
c. Dead
Answer: I almost forgot about Leia. Hard to say how much of an impact she'll have, with Carrie Fisher passing before they could film any of Episode IX. I will say C, and they'll make it as tear-inducing as possible.
I was right. I was impressed with how much footage they had of Carrie and how they were able to use it. It was tear-inducing, although I didn't cry myself. But I felt like it after seeing Chewbacca's reacting to Leia's passing.
Well, there you have it. I answered the five (plus) biggest questions about Episode IX. It's still almost 8 months away and I cannot wait for it to get here!
Meh, not terrible predictions, but some really caught me off guard. Click the link above to see my full thoughts on Rise of Skywalker. 🙂
Sunday, April 21, 2019
My Belated Thoughts on Russell Wilson's Contract Extension
It's a little late, but better late than never. The night of April 15, 2019, Russell and his agent signed a contract extension with the Seahawks, a total of 4 years and $140 million. This makes Russ, for the time being, the NFL's highest paid player. Does he deserve it? Should the Hawks have given in? Will it be worth it? My answer to all of those: Yes.
First off, he does indeed deserve it. He has produced a winning season in every year of his career, made it to the playoffs in all but one, and won a playoff game in all but two. I'd argue if he was given full control and we didn't force the running game in the playoff game against Dallas that we would've won that, as close as it was. So that would've meant winning a playoff game in all but one season. Most quarterbacks don't even have multiple seasons of winning a playoff game period, let alone at the start of their careers. And Russ has done this despite a massive amount of roster turnover, despite an offensive line, that while in transition, was continually graded as one of the worst in the league. He lost a Pro Bowl running back in Marshawn Lynch, yet still puts up Pro Bowl numbers himself. His rushing yards may be down, but he continues to be one of the most efficient quarterbacks in NFL history. He's done nothing but succeed since he entered the league.
The Hawks had to give in. Russell is already on his way to being the greatest quarterback in team history (and some would argue he already is since he's the only one to win a Super Bowl and has the numbers to back it up). He's the kind of talent and presence that is not easily replaced. By re-signing Russell, the Hawks put their fans at ease. We could've worried year after year if Russ was going to leave or get traded, but the organization gets the security of knowing they have a Top 10 (borderline Top 5) quarterback for the next five years at least. After Brady, Big Ben, and Brees retire Russ could very well be Top 5. These kinds of quarterbacks stay with their teams for years and years because they are so hard to replace. Once you get a quarterback of this caliber, you do what it takes to hold on to him. And with Russ still in his very productive years, the Hawks had to dig deep in their wallet to hold on to their man.
Many fans think his contract will handicap and hurt the team. I disagree. I think in the long run it will be worth it. The Hawks had most of their success between 2013-2015, when a majority of their players were on rookie contracts. Having a core group of young players succeed on rookie contracts is essential for a team's success in today's NFL. That hasn't changed. The Hawks have been a borderline playoff team the last 3 or 4 years because they have not drafted as well as they used to. Remember when we drafted Malik McDowell? He'll go down with Aaron Curry as one of the largest busts in Hawks history. The Hawks still need to draft well in order to have Super Bowl-type success. Nothing's changed there. I'll take a borderline playoff team and a potential Super Bowl team if we draft well, rather than losing Russ and being faced with uncertainty and up and down seasons.
The run the Seahawks had from 2012 to 2015 was the best 3 or 4 year run in franchise history. The last few years haven't been quite as successful, but at least they've been interesting and winning seasons. I am confident that the Hawks will have another run like 2012-2015 sometime in the future before Russell Wilson's career is up. We have to hold on to him though. And the Hawks will have to find a few diamonds in the rough in the draft. With Russ signed through 2023, the Hawks just increased their odds of making a Super Bowl run in that same time frame.
First off, he does indeed deserve it. He has produced a winning season in every year of his career, made it to the playoffs in all but one, and won a playoff game in all but two. I'd argue if he was given full control and we didn't force the running game in the playoff game against Dallas that we would've won that, as close as it was. So that would've meant winning a playoff game in all but one season. Most quarterbacks don't even have multiple seasons of winning a playoff game period, let alone at the start of their careers. And Russ has done this despite a massive amount of roster turnover, despite an offensive line, that while in transition, was continually graded as one of the worst in the league. He lost a Pro Bowl running back in Marshawn Lynch, yet still puts up Pro Bowl numbers himself. His rushing yards may be down, but he continues to be one of the most efficient quarterbacks in NFL history. He's done nothing but succeed since he entered the league.
The Hawks had to give in. Russell is already on his way to being the greatest quarterback in team history (and some would argue he already is since he's the only one to win a Super Bowl and has the numbers to back it up). He's the kind of talent and presence that is not easily replaced. By re-signing Russell, the Hawks put their fans at ease. We could've worried year after year if Russ was going to leave or get traded, but the organization gets the security of knowing they have a Top 10 (borderline Top 5) quarterback for the next five years at least. After Brady, Big Ben, and Brees retire Russ could very well be Top 5. These kinds of quarterbacks stay with their teams for years and years because they are so hard to replace. Once you get a quarterback of this caliber, you do what it takes to hold on to him. And with Russ still in his very productive years, the Hawks had to dig deep in their wallet to hold on to their man.
Many fans think his contract will handicap and hurt the team. I disagree. I think in the long run it will be worth it. The Hawks had most of their success between 2013-2015, when a majority of their players were on rookie contracts. Having a core group of young players succeed on rookie contracts is essential for a team's success in today's NFL. That hasn't changed. The Hawks have been a borderline playoff team the last 3 or 4 years because they have not drafted as well as they used to. Remember when we drafted Malik McDowell? He'll go down with Aaron Curry as one of the largest busts in Hawks history. The Hawks still need to draft well in order to have Super Bowl-type success. Nothing's changed there. I'll take a borderline playoff team and a potential Super Bowl team if we draft well, rather than losing Russ and being faced with uncertainty and up and down seasons.
The run the Seahawks had from 2012 to 2015 was the best 3 or 4 year run in franchise history. The last few years haven't been quite as successful, but at least they've been interesting and winning seasons. I am confident that the Hawks will have another run like 2012-2015 sometime in the future before Russell Wilson's career is up. We have to hold on to him though. And the Hawks will have to find a few diamonds in the rough in the draft. With Russ signed through 2023, the Hawks just increased their odds of making a Super Bowl run in that same time frame.
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