Holmgren

[sc85sis]

I'm a fan who only casually watched the Seahawks after Lofa was drafted and didn't become a diehard until Pete was hired. My perspective is that Holmgren helped put the Hawks on the map. Prior to his tenure I suspect most, like me, only ever knew vaguely of the Seahawks because of Steve Largent and maybe Boz. Holmgren gave the team more name recognition and a certain amount of national legitimacy because of the division titles and getting to the Super Bowl. He should always be recognized and respected for that.

As for Pete, I miss having him at USC and probably always will--regardless of what happens in the future with Trojans football. I'm obviously biased, but I just think he's very special both as a coach and a man. He genuinely cares about others and wants to help people be the best they can. He's inspiring. And his energy is just so ridiculous in the best sense. I wish we could clone him, memories and all, and have him in two places at once. LOL

 

[Hawkscanner]

Just curious... Do Seahawk fans have respect for Mike Holmgren? I used to think he was golden... but After he turned down Seattle for more money in cleveland, Not so much...


LTH

If you're curious to hear more about Mike Holmgren, why don't you let Holmgren himself talk about that? As most of us know, Holmgren is now a regular on KJR 950 and today was no different. He was on extensively today, sharing his thoughts about the Super Bowl, Tom Brady, Marshawn Lynch, deflated footballs (VERY interesting comments/input on that), Holmgren's time in Seattle, etc. Holmgren alludes to the issues that he had in Seattle during this particular podcast today (fast forward to around 25:00 in to the podcast)

http://www.sportsradiokjr.com/media...mitchinthemorning/127-mike-holmgren-25765029/

Holmgren has had several such conversations in the past (and I generally make it a point to listen to him whenever he's on). I've listened to Mike talk enough to pretty much piece things together. Suffice it to say that the relationship between Holmgren and Ruskell wasn't exactly a rosey one. Two guys who were definitely not on the same page.


This is one that you might enjoy. Holmgren and Hugh Millen dissect this upcoming game (and of course, Holmgren shares his insights from his time in coaching) for a good 1.5 hours. Excellent stuff.

http://www.sportsradiokjr.com/media...e-holmgren-and-hugh-millen-takeover-25766795/

 

[Scottemojo]

I loved it when Mike was here.

And I never want to go back to the type of teams he fielded.

They were soft. Finesse. Other than the O-line and fullback, physicality was not the gameplan.

 

[Hawkscanner]

I loved it when Mike was here.

And I never want to go back to the type of teams he fielded.

They were soft. Finesse. Other than the O-line and fullback, physicality was not the gameplan.

Agreed Scott. I feel the exact same way. Right on the money. The Seahawks under Carroll are night and day different from Holmgren's Hawks. Outside of the Offensive Line, the one thing that really stood out to me about his teams (and that I'd really love to see with this team) is fewer overall procedural penalties. Those guys KNEW their assignments and didn't screw up in that way.


On a different note, did you happen to catch Holmgren's thoughts on Deflategate and his whole take on the history of football deflating? Absolutely fascinating and his comments on Tom Brady regarding it were downright scathing.

(Fast forward to 34:00 in to the conversation)
http://www.sportsradiokjr.com/media...mitchinthemorning/127-mike-holmgren-25765029/

 

[KiwiHawk]

I think it is very interesting that the Hawks picked Carroll after years of front office dysfunction...

Why not? He came in with a passion, a plan, and a clear vision as to what kind of football team he wanted to build and how he was going to achieve it.

Pete Carroll is an extremely charismatic person. Exactly the right guy at exactly the right time.

 

[LTH]

I think it is very interesting that the Hawks picked Carroll after years of front office dysfunction...

Why not? He came in with a passion, a plan, and a clear vision as to what kind of football team he wanted to build and how he was going to achieve it.

Pete Carroll is an extremely charismatic person. Exactly the right guy at exactly the right time.

I Agree totaly! Great call by Seattle management...

I also think it is interesting that Holmgren cant get the SF job...

LTH

 

[Hawkscanner]

I think it is very interesting that the Hawks picked Carroll after years of front office dysfunction...

Why not? He came in with a passion, a plan, and a clear vision as to what kind of football team he wanted to build and how he was going to achieve it.

Pete Carroll is an extremely charismatic person. Exactly the right guy at exactly the right time.

I Agree totaly! Great call by Seattle management...

I also think it is interesting that Holmgren cant get the SF job...

LTH

And Mike talked about the fact on KJR that San Francisco never called him. He talked about that when he announced his retirement back on January 5th ...

http://www.sportsradiokjr.com/media...e-holmgren-announces-he-wont-return-25713197/

 

[taco40]

I grew up watching an awful Packers organization change dramatically when they brought in Holmgren. Being a GB fan meant living in the past until Holmgren and the talented coaches that he brought in to the "then" Siberia of the NFL. (see Attyla the Hawk's comment above - "It's so easy to forget where this franchise was before he came here. This was the Siberia of the NFL. Holmgren, by himself, gave this franchise legitimacy.")
Similarities I see every week compared to those years was that the despite Holmgren being known as an offensive coach, it was his defenses that were built through free agency, trades (Favre) and the draft by a very good GM - Ron Wolf. The defenses kept the games close until such time that they would give the ball back to the high powered offense that would score often due to getting the ball back on a short field. Holmgren and his staff could make adjustments at halftime that would win the game and they would win ugly.
Holmgren was a good teacher, not just a fiery coach, which he could be. Holmgren dragged an awful team with a previously awful FO to be champions. His Achilles heal was need for more power, which Seattle used to draw him away from my then, favorite team.
Moving to the left coast a dozen years ago, it was easier for me to transfer my loyalties, in part because it was a whole lot easier to obtain tickets - twice and see the Hawks in person (I've never been to a game at Lambeau.) The other part was that I knew and greatly appreciated Holmgren and his staff keeping things close in the first half and make those valuable adjustments and I was, by that time used to winning ugly, something the Seahawks did often and still do. Often.
I'm sure folks still may have a bad taste in their mouth over Holmgren leaving, just as they did in GB. Holmgren never got the power and success he wanted and it affected him at the end of his tenure in GB (lost a winnable SB), as well as in Seattle. The two fan bases felt a bit jilted after losing a winning coach with a pretty big ego.
Holmgren will always be a favorite with me. I wish him all the best and have no problem with him being interviewed by the GB press. He made GB, THE place to play. He started the same mindset in Seattle. However, Pete has made Seattle THE place to play, finishing that job.

 

[Jayburd14]

I thought that Mike Holmgren was going to be the George Halas trophy presenter at the NFCCG because he had ties to both teams.

 

[chris98251]

The reason Carroll works here is Paul Allen isn't enamored with being a NFL owner and wants to have his fiongerprints on everything, he hires people that are good and lets them work. He had to learn stuff, Holmgren had to learn stuff, Holmgren in Cleveland started with a defense and then an offense, here it was reversed. In Cleveland the mess and then the change of ownership didn't allow a completion of what was being done. Cleveland was building to repectability under Holmgren.

Paul hired Pete and allowed him to find a GM that he could work with, I doubt you will find any other organzation that has a Coach with his amount of control.