Spin Doctor
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People, people, Carroll was not just a product of Russell Wilson in his early years. Carroll did afterall draft him and give him an opportunity most coaches wouldn't have given a 3rd round rookie QB that is approximately 5'10. His drafting from 2010 to 2012 may go down as one of the best three draft classes in NFL history.
In 2010 alone we drafted Russell Okung, Earl Thomas, Golden Tate, and Kam Chancellor. Half of the class went to one probowl and in Thomas's case he went to multiple all-pros.
In 2011 we drafted K.J Wright and Richard Sherman, a probowler and an all pro player. Sherman quite possibly being the best CB of the 2010s and a man well on his way to the HOF. Malcolm Smith was also a huge contributor. We also got another probowler as a UDFA in Baldwin.
In 2012 we drafted Bruce Irvine, Bobby Wagner, Russell Wilson, and Jeremy Lane, Wagner and Wilson being on trajectories to being in the HOF.
That is 9 pro bowlers in three drafts, 3 multi year all-pros in Sherman, Thomas and Wagner, three potential HOFers in Bobby Wagner, Russell Wilson and Richard Sherman, and distant possibility of a fourth in Earl Thomas.
This wouldn't have happened without Carroll. When Carroll came in here he had a unique perspective. He saw that big corners were undervalued and brought in guys like Browner, Sherman, and got guys like Maxwell to play above their pay grade. We brought these guys in for pennies on the dollar. Carroll created a new trend with big corners that swept the NFL. The way he used Chancellor was also unique, and it paved the way for guys like Adams. People thought Carroll was mad, but he had an innovative vision on defense. He built a culture that not even he could replicate on the Seahawks to this day. He created an us vs. them mentality, and he got all of his players to buy in. It was almost like an NCAA team in the NFL. It was magical.
Unfortunately after the Super Bowl in 2014 things changed. His players soured on him and the team he built begun to unravel. The chinks in the armor started showing, and we've spiraled into irrelevance in the postseason. That being said, for all of Carroll's problems in the past, without him we wouldn't have a ring or the many magical moments that we shared in from 2010-2014. He had a vision that no one else had, and for that he needs to be commended. I know people are frustrated by him now, including myself, that being said lets not rewrite history here. Carroll WAS responsible for our championship.
Now, as today I think he's lost his edge. People have adopted his systems, people went after his previously untapped pool of players. Rule changes occurred in response to the 2013 Seahawks that changed how defenders are allowed to play. Our star players, especially the QB needed to get paid. Carroll has done a poor job adopting to all of these changes. It's like Mike Holmgren said, he knew when it was time to quite coaching. He no longer was keeping up with the game. I think Pete Carroll is at that point right now in his career. In the NFL it is adapt or die, it's called the "Not for Long League" for a reason. Carroll has not done a great job adopting the the circumstances thrown at him.
In 2010 alone we drafted Russell Okung, Earl Thomas, Golden Tate, and Kam Chancellor. Half of the class went to one probowl and in Thomas's case he went to multiple all-pros.
In 2011 we drafted K.J Wright and Richard Sherman, a probowler and an all pro player. Sherman quite possibly being the best CB of the 2010s and a man well on his way to the HOF. Malcolm Smith was also a huge contributor. We also got another probowler as a UDFA in Baldwin.
In 2012 we drafted Bruce Irvine, Bobby Wagner, Russell Wilson, and Jeremy Lane, Wagner and Wilson being on trajectories to being in the HOF.
That is 9 pro bowlers in three drafts, 3 multi year all-pros in Sherman, Thomas and Wagner, three potential HOFers in Bobby Wagner, Russell Wilson and Richard Sherman, and distant possibility of a fourth in Earl Thomas.
This wouldn't have happened without Carroll. When Carroll came in here he had a unique perspective. He saw that big corners were undervalued and brought in guys like Browner, Sherman, and got guys like Maxwell to play above their pay grade. We brought these guys in for pennies on the dollar. Carroll created a new trend with big corners that swept the NFL. The way he used Chancellor was also unique, and it paved the way for guys like Adams. People thought Carroll was mad, but he had an innovative vision on defense. He built a culture that not even he could replicate on the Seahawks to this day. He created an us vs. them mentality, and he got all of his players to buy in. It was almost like an NCAA team in the NFL. It was magical.
Unfortunately after the Super Bowl in 2014 things changed. His players soured on him and the team he built begun to unravel. The chinks in the armor started showing, and we've spiraled into irrelevance in the postseason. That being said, for all of Carroll's problems in the past, without him we wouldn't have a ring or the many magical moments that we shared in from 2010-2014. He had a vision that no one else had, and for that he needs to be commended. I know people are frustrated by him now, including myself, that being said lets not rewrite history here. Carroll WAS responsible for our championship.
Now, as today I think he's lost his edge. People have adopted his systems, people went after his previously untapped pool of players. Rule changes occurred in response to the 2013 Seahawks that changed how defenders are allowed to play. Our star players, especially the QB needed to get paid. Carroll has done a poor job adopting to all of these changes. It's like Mike Holmgren said, he knew when it was time to quite coaching. He no longer was keeping up with the game. I think Pete Carroll is at that point right now in his career. In the NFL it is adapt or die, it's called the "Not for Long League" for a reason. Carroll has not done a great job adopting the the circumstances thrown at him.