Unity. Is it still there?

[Hawk&Awe]

Hey everyone. First post here. Hope you all are doing well this Friday evening!

So after the lack-luster start to the 2014 season, I was quite moved to hear about them having a team meeting. I was further moved when I heard that the main subject of the meeting was to talk about unity. To start playing for one another. Being a team that had each others backs.

And look what happened. Some incredible games and a great win streak.

And don't even talk to me about the NFC championship game. I believed I witnessed a miracle during that game. In fact, I still go back and watch the highlights of the Green Bay game on average of a few times a month.

And with that win, we ultimately go back to the big show.

Then of course we all know what happened. The play.

I recall hearing a lot of talk and speculation about the play tearing the team apart. That there was blame being spread around all over the place regarding the play call, Bevell, Lynch resentment, was Wilson being unfairly setup for MVP (and it failed), yada yada yada.

It seemed after a few weeks, all the talk of finger pointing and resentment went away and it seemed the team was still a team. This was further bolstered by the Hawaii trip put on by RW3 and the accompaniment of the defense.

All seemed right.

But I don't know, here lately it seems that the unity factor is slowly being broken down. Not sure if it's residual from the SB play or is it just offseason posturing. But something doesn't seem right.

Statements from people like Bennett and Irvin. JS and RW3's private wizzing match turning into public subtleties and veiled jabs. Here a tweet, there a tweet, everywhere a tweet tweet.


I guess I just feel that the incredibly awesome unity that propelled them forward to an almost magical season as a team is fracturing.

Am I just reading into a bunch of stuff because it's the offseason? Or does anyone else feel that there may be some truth behind the feelings of disunity?

Thanks for reading.

 

[chris98251]

They have to learn how to deal with success still I think, it has yet to be looked at as a culture here, it's now a trend or trending.

 

[Scottemojo]

The OC is still here. Pete fell on a sword for him. Some don't feel the same as Pete about him.

It will become an issue, IMO.

 

[Hawk&Awe]

Learning how to deal with success could be a make or break issue. Much like an individual, an organization can be destroyed under it's own weight of success if good foundational practices aren't in place.

And yes, I wonder how much the OC still being there is affecting certain individuals. Much like the case with Harvin, a single individuals presence can either help or hinder an entire group of people. Are they a source of encouragement or a cancer.

Time will tell.

 

[DavidSeven]

I really don't think it has anything to do with that play at all. The issues would be exactly the same if we had won that game. This is simply the cost of rapid success.

From my response in another thread:

We can pretend this is "business as usual" in the NFL, but it's really not. The Seahawks are in unprecedented territory for themselves.

Ultimately, the Seahawks really didn't avoid the "Super Bowl Hangover" trap that we all hoped they'd be immune from. Last year, it played out with the departure of Tate, Harvin's over-inflated ego, and a locker-room that was in disarray for most of the season. Now that our Seahawks have gone to back-to-back Super Bowls, the issues are sort of compounding. Guys don't just want to get paid; they want to get paid. And you can't really blame them. They've already proven themselves. They've already won. That is the nature of the Lombardi-winning beast, and every successful franchise has gone through it.

The "good old days" were teams led either by folksy heroes like Largent, Hasselbeck, Walter Jones or role-playing veterans like Michael Robinson, Leon Washington and Red Bryant. It's no longer that tight-knit group of unknowns that started coming together from 2011-2013. For the first time in franchise history, this team is led by multiple national brands. Russell Wilson is a brand. Marshawn Lynch is a brand. Richard Sherman is a brand. Earl Thomas is a brand. Beneath them, you have a bunch of guys who are trying to get at their level in this league (whether it's with Seattle or not).

The dynamic has changed. I'm not saying this is good or bad, but it's definitely a different challenge, and this is not the same group of guys they were in 2011-2013. How could they be? They've been to the top of the mountain and entered popular culture. They're no longer just young, hungry football players. Our top guys are enterprises unto themselves.

 

[Seahawkfan80]

I agree with chris above. Too much success can be a good thing and a bad thing. I think that what they are doing as you said about the Hawaii trip was a great thing. Building camaraderie is a huge thing in this game. The Defense feeds off the fan base and the offense needs that to spark them. The off season always has hits. I take it for what it is worth. Not too much.

Welcome to .NET. Be happy and enjoy the ride.

:2:

 

[Scottemojo]

I really don't think it has anything to do with that play at all. The issues would be exactly the same if we had won that game. This is simply the cost of rapid success.

From my response in another thread:

We can pretend this is "business as usual" in the NFL, but it's really not. The Seahawks are in unprecedented territory for themselves.

Ultimately, the Seahawks really didn't avoid the "Super Bowl Hangover" trap that we all hoped they'd be immune from. Last year, it played out with the departure of Tate, Harvin's over-inflated ego, and a locker-room that was in disarray for most of the season. Now that our Seahawks have gone to back-to-back Super Bowls, the issues are sort of compounding. Guys don't just want to get paid; they want to get paid. And you can't really blame them. They've already proven themselves. They've already won. That is the nature of the Lombardi-winning beast, and every successful franchise has gone through it.

The "good old days" were teams led either by folksy heroes like Largent, Hasselbeck, Walter Jones or role-playing veterans like Michael Robinson, Leon Washington and Red Bryant. It's no longer that tight-knit group of unknowns that started coming together from 2011-2013. For the first time in franchise history, this team is led by multiple national brands. Russell Wilson is a brand. Marshawn Lynch is a brand. Richard Sherman is a brand. Earl Thomas is a brand. Beneath them, you have a bunch of guys who are trying to get at their level in this league (whether it's with Seattle or not).

The dynamic has changed. I'm not saying this is good or bad, but it's definitely a different challenge, and this is not the same group of guys they were in 2011-2013. How could they be? They've been to the top of the mountain and entered popular culture. They're no longer just young, hungry football players. Our top guys are enterprises unto themselves.

I don't blame the play call for any player antipathy towards the OC. He threw Lockette under the bus afterwards in the media, and Pete gave that tacit if not vocal approval. Those things have a way of coming back around.

 

[DavidSeven]

I don't blame the play call for any player antipathy towards the OC. He threw Lockette under the bus afterwards in the media, and Pete gave that tacit if not vocal approval. Those things have a way of coming back around.

I think that is definitely something to keep an eye on this season and could easily come back around. However, I think it's probably unrelated to the unrest among players seeking new contracts or extensions during the off-season and their perceived willingness to move on from the franchise (Wilson, Bennett, Irvin, etc.).

 

[Hawk&Awe]

I guess I just notice it more because I'm really big on Unity.

Watching a group of people from different backgrounds, socioeconomic status, upbringing, etc. come together and accomplishing something they never could have individually drives and inspires me.

Which is why I suppose this last season was awesome to watch.

So to see that begin to fray or to see disunity begin to infiltrate the team, it's just a bit disheartening I suppose.


Maybe it's nothing. But for someone like me who really flourishes in environments where unity is not only present but actively pursued, it bums be out to start seeing cracks.

 

[AVL]

Most of the starters are back from an ok season. We are doomed.

 

[gargantual]

All of those problems the team endured last season seem pretty big when put together like that, but regardless of that, we made it back to the Superbowl! The concept of a Superbowl hangover entails not even making it back to the playoffs, or at the very LEAST not doing very well in it.

I suppose it was a hangover in the sense that they were all problems deriving from the fact that we went to the Superbowl, but we disproved the doubters who claimed we wouldn't make it back just because of the historic trend.

I am concerned that there will be a accumulative effect from going back to back that will end up catching up with us. Then again, if any team can keep itself in the mix, it's this team.

 

[two dog]

It is the season of El Toro Shista.

So a linebacker's feelers were majorly hurt because he will not be paid XL money.

So a DT can hardly limp along and feed his family on the $ 8 mil. a year that he agreed to.

So RW didn't roll over at the first offer (we don't even know what it was).

Team success seems to breed this sort of minor turmoil. If it all works out, great.
If some things do not, time to try something else. No amount of hand wringing
on our part is going to change anything.

There will be a Seahawks team on the field this year and it will be a pretty good one.

 

[MizzouHawkGal]

Hey everyone. First post here. Hope you all are doing well this Friday evening!

So after the lack-luster start to the 2014 season, I was quite moved to hear about them having a team meeting. I was further moved when I heard that the main subject of the meeting was to talk about unity. To start playing for one another. Being a team that had each others backs.

And look what happened. Some incredible games and a great win streak.

And don't even talk to me about the NFC championship game. I believed I witnessed a miracle during that game. In fact, I still go back and watch the highlights of the Green Bay game on average of a few times a month.

And with that win, we ultimately go back to the big show.

Then of course we all know what happened. The play.

I recall hearing a lot of talk and speculation about the play tearing the team apart. That there was blame being spread around all over the place regarding the play call, Bevell, Lynch resentment, was Wilson being unfairly setup for MVP (and it failed), yada yada yada.

It seemed after a few weeks, all the talk of finger pointing and resentment went away and it seemed the team was still a team. This was further bolstered by the Hawaii trip put on by RW3 and the accompaniment of the defense.

All seemed right.

But I don't know, here lately it seems that the unity factor is slowly being broken down. Not sure if it's residual from the SB play or is it just offseason posturing. But something doesn't seem right.

Statements from people like Bennett and Irvin. JS and RW3's private wizzing match turning into public subtleties and veiled jabs. Here a tweet, there a tweet, everywhere a tweet tweet.


I guess I just feel that the incredibly awesome unity that propelled them forward to an almost magical season as a team is fracturing.

Am I just reading into a bunch of stuff because it's the offseason? Or does anyone else feel that there may be some truth behind the feelings of disunity?

Thanks for reading.

Welcome to .Net! :2:

We're good, this kind of thing is what happens when your team and fan base reaches the big time. It takes a little time to grow into it and learn how to wear those big boy pants. We'll get there soon enough trust that. I think Chris isn't that far off base but I believe we're further along the path then he thinks.

 

[Siouxhawk]

I really don't think it has anything to do with that play at all. The issues would be exactly the same if we had won that game. This is simply the cost of rapid success.

From my response in another thread:

We can pretend this is "business as usual" in the NFL, but it's really not. The Seahawks are in unprecedented territory for themselves.

Ultimately, the Seahawks really didn't avoid the "Super Bowl Hangover" trap that we all hoped they'd be immune from. Last year, it played out with the departure of Tate, Harvin's over-inflated ego, and a locker-room that was in disarray for most of the season. Now that our Seahawks have gone to back-to-back Super Bowls, the issues are sort of compounding. Guys don't just want to get paid; they want to get paid. And you can't really blame them. They've already proven themselves. They've already won. That is the nature of the Lombardi-winning beast, and every successful franchise has gone through it.

The "good old days" were teams led either by folksy heroes like Largent, Hasselbeck, Walter Jones or role-playing veterans like Michael Robinson, Leon Washington and Red Bryant. It's no longer that tight-knit group of unknowns that started coming together from 2011-2013. For the first time in franchise history, this team is led by multiple national brands. Russell Wilson is a brand. Marshawn Lynch is a brand. Richard Sherman is a brand. Earl Thomas is a brand. Beneath them, you have a bunch of guys who are trying to get at their level in this league (whether it's with Seattle or not).

The dynamic has changed. I'm not saying this is good or bad, but it's definitely a different challenge, and this is not the same group of guys they were in 2011-2013. How could they be? They've been to the top of the mountain and entered popular culture. They're no longer just young, hungry football players. Our top guys are enterprises unto themselves.

This is one of the smartest and insightful posts I've ever read on this site.

 

[Overseasfan]

There is a bit of a difference in how the players are looked at now. A few years ago they just came onto the scene and nobody expected anything. Now they have been to back to back Superbowls and with the addition of Graham they are one of the favorites along with Greenbay and Arizona to represent the NFC again. There is a lot of pressure on these guys, don't forget that.

The perceived lack of unity is most likely just a product of the off-season. Bennett wants to get paid a bit more for what he offers, Irvin isn't in the long term plans of the Hawks so he doesn't really want to stick around too long in a place where they don't necessarily want him and Russell Wilson wants a contract that is fair for he has brought and what he can still bring to the table.

That's just three players with some issues, that's all. These problems will be resolved before the start of the season and this group will still be tight-knit. Only the stress of having to perform will sometimes be evident.

 

[KitsapGuy]

 

[Vetamur]

I think its pretty hard to deny that the defense last year was exceptionally tight knit, and I think there are obvious signs that for some the ultimate loyalty wasnt to Carroll but to the DC. Kris Richard doesnt have the same currency or perhaps even charisma at this point and so I think that is digging a bit into the unity.

You can debate whether they had any choice in the matter, but giving Lynch more money mid contract.. then saying you cant give more money mid contract to other players isnt going to sit well with people who are accustomed to success , have proven themselves the worlds best and no want to earn what they feel they deserve.

Lots and lots of challenges. But you know what quiets a lot of disunity? Winning. This team starts hot , goes 4-0 out of the chute, sacrifices for each other..it will get better.

And Carroll thrives in the tempest.. even if things go wrong, he seems to know how to get people to play for each other.

I think the clock is ticking though. This next season is really the last we will be able to consider it basically the same as that team that lost to Atlanta and you KNEW right then they would be back... and did so back to back.

2016 will sort of be a rebuild I predict.

 

[brimsalabim]

The team certainly appeared unified on that Hawaii trip.

 

[Sports Hernia]

Is the offseason over yet???? Wake me up when it is.........

 

[kobebryant]

I would advise you to go by 1) what happens on the football field, and 2) whatever comes directly out of a players/coaches/execs mouth (as there is just too much 3rd party/anonymous stuff that comes and goes that it isn't worth giving the time of day to)