Did Matt Hasselbeck Suffer a Leadership Vacuum?

Forcing too many passing, forcing scrambles and silly rushes, etc. You could see the frustration and desperation build each and every game. Matt is the fiercest of competitors, and the more he loses/fails, the harder he takes it and the more desperate he becomes.

tells me there was a physical impediment to his throwing ability. I was very critical of him last year, and he played very poorly, regardless of physical condition or throwing ability. Played awfully, and I’ve wanted to draft a QB for 2 drafts now.

In the midst of all that I know something was physically wrong and I don’t know what extent he may be able to return to, physically, but there is a dramatic difference between what he can throw, these minicamps, distance, velocity and release, than last year’s games, and I’ve been surprised it hasn’t been remarked upon by the media yet. Maybe because it would constitute a tacit affirmation that he sucked last year. I dunno, but I’m certain about it, and seeing him better now gives me more hope for this year than any other single Seahawk thing.

Because I do think the dumb things he did should not excuse his level of play, but at the same time, and not as an apology, he was doing too much.

As a qualification though, I do not think Matt was doing too much because he wanted to, I think he was doing too much because he had to, as I think it is inferred within the article.

As an aside; I hate it when Matt does dumb things like failing to dive past Willis for a TD, and I love it when Matt has the balls to take on Willis for a TD. Five years from now, when Matt is retired, we’re going to be swapping stories about how much of a bad ass Matt was on the field. He’s one of us out there, throwing double blocks 20 yards down the field, tackling his interceptors, and throwing the shoulder like a dumb ass when some RBs would walk out of bounds.

Did not having Holmgren on the sidelines to turn bright red and stare holes through him from the sideline contribute to that? Maybe, but I have a hard time thinking that Holmgren would’ve chewed Matt out as he crumpled to the sideline, gasping for breath after the Willis hit.

I think Hasselbeck is like Jack from Lost*. Always trying to take the reigns and make decisions that should make everyone happy but ultimately he’s retarded and he gets his friends into more trouble than they started in. I can remember a time when I liked Hasselbeck, and I can remember a time when I liked Jack, but now they’re both flaccid and annoying and would somebody please listen to Sawyer already?

*I am a season behind in Lost. Please be kind.

I don’t even know anymore if he’s any good healthy, because when is he? When was he? The first game and a half (and the first game against the Rams)? A constantly hurt QB is a bad QB. Here’s hoping Whitehurst is better than Seneca. Here’s hoping the FO ups their efforts at getting a franchise QB next year.

And that’s all there is to say about that, IMHO.

If Hasselbeck had shown minimal injury history and was about 7-10 years younger. But he’s missed time 3 out of the last 4 seasons and he knows that was not an intelligent decision. The score was 13-3 and while a touchdown would’ve been great, it was only 2nd down and Seattle had 1 timeout left. Based on those circumstances, it was not worth the risk to pull off that move.

This pretty much damaged the season and of course led to two weeks of Seneca Wallace’s gross incompetence that more or less sealed his fate as trade bait/cut material.

but you have to like his determination to win at all costs.

This is your revenge for the last poll isn’t it?

He was having a good year IMO until the last couple of games where he had 10 Picks and 4 Touchdowns.

I think that he can still be good as long as the O-Line can protect him, but then again I’m from one of the rival teams and I didn’t see a ton of Seahawks games last year.

Play smart, know your limitations (that would be your arm, Matt).

I get too attached emotionally. I love Matt Hasselbeck. He is my favorite current Seahawk, and in my top 4 or 5 all-time. I wear his jersey on game-days, and was almost physically ill when he crumpled at the sideline after taking that shot from Willis last year.

I want the team to win, and I think we have leadership that will yank Beck when he is no longer the QB that gives the team the best chance to win, and will draft the QB of the future next April.

But in my perfect world, Hass stays healthy, bounces back to Pro Bowl form, and we make the playoffs. Whitehurst stays glued to the bench, and Beck’s renaissance precludes the needs for drafting a new QB.

Not bloody likely, but I still hope for a happy ending to Beck’s career.. and in Seattle, too.

 I do think he was trying to do too much, However I do not think he is above reproach and/or criticism. There were times when he woulda/coulda/shoulda held the ball instead of throwing into double or triple coverage, a stunt he may have gotten away with 3 to 5 years ago, when healthy, but with age and injury to his ribs and back he just didn;t have the zip he had back in the day. If healthy and w/an O-line that gives him time to set, throw, and not have to improvise on the run, these things will not be as prevalent.

Boy did I get tired of that one.