Hutchinson raising the 12th man flag tonight

[Hawk-Lock]

I'm fine with Hutchinson raising the flag. He was a big reason for our success during the Hasselback years. Okay so he took the big money and left, but most everyone else would have.

 

[Seanhawk]

Why put this controversial pick under the spotlight on Sat night in the Wild Card round?

Is someone asleep at the controls at CLink?

Really is an odd choice.

 

[KiwiHawk]

Sigh. You guys don't understand how it went down. Hutchinson was to become an unrestricted free agent, as his good friend Walter Jones did the prior season. Hutchinson talked with the Seahawks who effectively promised they would do their best to retain him and if they didn't agree on a contract at least he would play under the Franchise Tag until they would work out a longer deal.

Then Ruskell was hired, and decided that guards aren't worth much money even if they are once-in-a-generation talent. He didn't deal with Hutchinson, and instead of using the Franchise Tag, he elected to go with the Transition Tag, so save a few bucks.

Hutchinson took this as a betrayal by the Seahawks, and lashed out at them via the poison pill contract with Minnesota.

So yes, Hutchinson did wrong, but the Seahawks screwed him over first. Don't hate the player when it's the management who screwed up.

 

[Bobblehead]

I never blamed Hutch... Yeah, the poison pill was a bit much.
It was Ruskell, he was an ass, he paid the wrong guy.

He paid Walter Jones, first ballot Hall of Fame left tackle, and widely considered to be one of the best ever at the position. :roll:

There will be boos when the flag is raised. And they'll be heard quite loudly, even on TV.

I wasn't talking about Walt, I was talking about Alexander...

The issue with Futch was never about Alexander. It was because he was transition tagged instead of franchised, thus "robbing" him of $500,000.

He wanted to be the highest paid offensive lineman on the team. He demanded we pay him more money than Hall of Fame LT Walter Jones. That's why he walked. And following that, Minnesota stepped up and ensured he would never re-sign here by putting the "poison pill" into the contract with the whole "playing games in Washington State" bullshit.

Yes, Ruskell was an idiot. One of many moves showcasing his idiocy. But Futch was the guy who flipped us the bird and walked off.

I read, Ruskell promised, Holmgren and Hutch that Hutch would be franchised. . When Holm went to Hawaii for vacation, Ruskell turned around and gave him the tran tag.. Hutch flipped Ruskell off went to Minn.. Holm and Rusk, were never the same.

 

[pmedic920]

Only crazy if it doesn't work.

 

[Seahawk Sailor]

Only crazy if it doesn't work.

BREAKING: Ken Behring to raise 12th Man flag at NFC Championship game if we host the Packers! :irishdrinkers:

 

[Mistashoesta]

Didn't hear any boo's. Guess it worked.

 

[seahawkfreak]

I never blamed Hutch... Yeah, the poison pill was a bit much.
It was Ruskell, he was an ass, he paid the wrong guy.

He paid Walter Jones, first ballot Hall of Fame left tackle, and widely considered to be one of the best ever at the position. :roll:

There will be boos when the flag is raised. And they'll be heard quite loudly, even on TV.

I wasn't talking about Walt, I was talking about Alexander...

The issue with Futch was never about Alexander. It was because he was transition tagged instead of franchised, thus "robbing" him of $500,000.

He wanted to be the highest paid offensive lineman on the team. He demanded we pay him more money than Hall of Fame LT Walter Jones. That's why he walked. And following that, Minnesota stepped up and ensured he would never re-sign here by putting the "poison pill" into the contract with the whole "playing games in Washington State" bullshit.

Yes, Ruskell was an idiot. One of many moves showcasing his idiocy. But Futch was the guy who flipped us the bird and walked off.

To be fair I think he wanted LT money. That may have put him over Walt's current contract but I do not think he was specific on wanting more money than Walter Jones. I to have more of an issue with the fact that Ruskell transition tagged him. It was a terrible decision that pissed off Holmgren. Totally changed our trajectory of the post SB Holmgren years.

 

[Rat]

Fine for a regular season game, ridiculous for the playoffs. I hope it's not our last home game of the year.

 

[HawkFan72]

Fine for a regular season game, ridiculous for the playoffs. I hope it's not our last home game of the year.

I agree. A very odd choice for our likely only home playoff game.

 

[irocdave]

I don't blame Hutchinson, Ruskell screwed him and MH. Also keep in mind Steve Hutchinson will more than likely make the HOF. Would be great to see him go in as a Seahawk not a Viking. Hutch and Walt were like peanut butter and Jelly. They go hand in hand, Walt is in, Hutch will be also.

 

[Vancanhawksfan]

Hutch got screwed over by Ruskell.

Do you really think the Seahawks management would be allowing Hutchinson to raise the flag if indeed it was Hutchinson that screwed the Hawks? No chance. This move is communicating a message to both the fans as well as to him.

 

[Megatron]

I never blamed Hutch... Yeah, the poison pill was a bit much.
It was Ruskell, he was an ass, he paid the wrong guy.

He paid Walter Jones, first ballot Hall of Fame left tackle, and widely considered to be one of the best ever at the position. :roll:

There will be boos when the flag is raised. And they'll be heard quite loudly, even on TV.

I wasn't talking about Walt, I was talking about Alexander...

The issue with Futch was never about Alexander. It was because he was transition tagged instead of franchised, thus "robbing" him of $500,000.

He wanted to be the highest paid offensive lineman on the team. He demanded we pay him more money than Hall of Fame LT Walter Jones. That's why he walked. And following that, Minnesota stepped up and ensured he would never re-sign here by putting the "poison pill" into the contract with the whole "playing games in Washington State" bullshit.

Yes, Ruskell was an idiot. One of many moves showcasing his idiocy. But Futch was the guy who flipped us the bird and walked off.

The poison pill was actually if he wasn't the highest paid lineman on the team his 49 million contract would become guaranteed. Since Walter Jones was the highest paid lineman at the time on the team if they matched the offer he would have to resign with the Seahawks but the contract would be guaranteed automatically. The Seahawks actually renegotiated Walter's contract so he would have a lower annual salary than Hutch but lost in arbitration. I don't remember the details regarding the arbitration case but I believe it had something to do with the timing when the contract was offered and when Walter's contract was renegotiated. So yeah, Hutchinson flipped the bird by agreeing to the poison pill in the first place when the Seahawks were willing to match the contract offer from the Vikings, but not completely guarantee the contract.

 

[AgentDib]

Do people around here really need the history lessons? It was only a decade ago.

I'm in the camp that doesn't forgive Hutch. I have zero problems with a player who leaves for a better offer but the way the poison pill situation went down was completely against the spirit of the CBA to deliberately spite the team and go play for a rival for the same money. That loophole was patched in the next CBA but I love that Childress hasn't gotten another head coaching gig after failing in Minnesota. I love the Vikings missing the playoffs or getting sent home early every year, and I think any other athlete in the history of Seattle sports would have been a much better choice tonight.

 

[gonzhawk]

Huck Futch...
cost = possible super bowl run
3rd and 1? agains Chicago?
4th and 1 vs Chicago?
He and Ruskell both screwed us!
Suck azz choice and bad gamble to raise flag.
He is no 12 to me.
Old school.
I signed back on after years just for this ish....
ps.
as far as the current team...
I smell swag...
WORD TO AGENTDIB

 

[kobebryant]

Great player, probably the next Hawk into Canton.

From time to time great players and teams will part on less than ideal circumstances (Montana, Favre, Josh Norman, Steve Smith etc) and it may be contentious. But no need to hold a grudge forever over something that happened when a man was in his 20's; I know I'd hate for the worst decisions I've made to be held against me indefinitely. Seemed like an olive branch from the organization, and the fan response came across as really really positive, which I bet felt good for Hutch.

 

[peppersjap]

I thought it was ridiculous, the equivalent of the Mariners if they brought back Arod to throw out a 1st pitch! He screwed the organization! I can't believe he even accepted knowing how disliked he really is here. They seriously dropped the ball. Fortunately we were all pumped up so it was meh!

 

[SeahawkSack]

I think the Seahawks were being cute inviting a University of Michigan man to raise the flag against the Lions.

I watched the game with a Michigan & Lions fan. When I saw Hutch I immediately laughed at my friend and said, "Look it's a Michigan guy." If it was a jab, my friend felt it.

Think how we would feel if the situation was reversed? Many of us wouldn't want to watch a former Washington or Washington St player show up for an opposing team in a playoff game. We are so sensitive as a fanbase sometimes that some of us get upset when a Seahawks player wears a baseball cap of a team other than the M's.

For the record I was shocked when I saw it was Hutch. I was mad at Hutch & Ruskell then and still feel the sting today, but seeing the shock and heartache in my Lions friend's eyes made it a little better.

Of course this could just be a coincidence and I could be wrong, perhaps playoff game flag raisers were scheduled months ago?

 

[evergreen]

He is responsible for the biggest shaft this team has ever had, outside of XL. He totally screwed us in his deal. HYeah Ruskell was an equal screw up too. I was surprised to see him do that then and just as surprised he got to ever be let back. But he was part of the best left side in history...

 

[Steve2222]

Sigh. You guys don't understand how it went down. Hutchinson was to become an unrestricted free agent, as his good friend Walter Jones did the prior season. Hutchinson talked with the Seahawks who effectively promised they would do their best to retain him and if they didn't agree on a contract at least he would play under the Franchise Tag until they would work out a longer deal.

Then Ruskell was hired, and decided that guards aren't worth much money even if they are once-in-a-generation talent. He didn't deal with Hutchinson, and instead of using the Franchise Tag, he elected to go with the Transition Tag, so save a few bucks.

Hutchinson took this as a betrayal by the Seahawks, and lashed out at them via the poison pill contract with Minnesota.

So yes, Hutchinson did wrong, but the Seahawks screwed him over first. Don't hate the player when it's the management who screwed up.

Sigh. I don't think you understand how it went down. Ruskell became the GM in 2004, not 2006 like you alluded to.

A matter fact, Ruskell used to be highly regarded too when he first got here. People used to say "In Ruskell I Trust." The Hutchinson debacle was basically the beginning of the end for him.