History says Carroll will build a team with great defensive energy. He has a few good defensive players to start with -- linebacker Aaron Curry, cornerback Josh Wilson and defensive linemen Brandon Mebane and Lawrence Jackson (a Carroll product from USC) -- but overall the talent on the team befits one that's gone 9-23 in the last two years. Matt Hasselbeck turns 35 in September, and his career is in decline. Carroll will have many tasks early on -- replacing a franchise left tackle in Walter Jones, developing some semblance of a pass-rush, building a running game -- but none as daunting as finding an heir to Hasselbeck.

Welcome to .NET, mate. Great contrast between the two articles. Really shows how far we've come in the last few years. Consider this paragraph:



Yep. Those defensive players are the core of this team. Curry, Josh Wilson, and LoJack listed as three of our four main assets. Wow. And the need to replace Walter Jones, Matthew Hasselbeck, and find a running game? Decent enough job there, I'd say. No one will ever truly replace the great Walter Jones, but I'd say we don't have any of those questions to answer next year.

With the benefit hindsight, I think the Sanchez comments have some delicious irony to them as well. Nice reads, thanks.