*Note - I wrote this up last night before seeing Doug's fantastic post, and I'll just run this anyway. We've now seen how well Doug presents information related to Gus Bradley, so can a Times author do as well?
Alternate title: An Interview with Gus Bradley
It seems like only yesterday that I was combing through a Danny O'Neil article and shaking my head. I'll concede that it really feels like two days ago, because it WAS two days ago. This time around, the Times offers a slightly more coherent interview with new Seahawks Defensive Coordinator Casey "Gus" Bradley. Annnnnd away we go!
Gus Bradley makes quite a first impression.
That's the reason he got the job as Seattle's defensive coordinator after a marathon interview with Jim Mora that lasted 15 hours last month.
If I were feeling snide, I'd consider remarking that maybe Bradley got the job because he is a bright young coach on a very good defense (Tampa), and wasn't simply awarded the job because of his smile. Also, I might point out that a "marathon" 15 hour interview probably implies that Mora assessed something deeper than Bradley's handshake and ability to make good small talk. However, since I am feeling benevolent, let's dig in further and I'll not make any snide remarks about the open to this piece.
"Our mindset is to attack," Bradley said. "And I think that's what will probably be brought to Seattle more than anything."
It's hard to read much into a statement like that, as no coach would ever say "We plan on sitting back and letting the offense pick us apart.", but a young(ish), aggressive D Coordinator sure worked out well for the Giants. The subsequent paragraph will undoubtedly get into some X's and O's, or at least some talk about the general defensive theme:
Bradley's head is shaved, just like new Washington defensive coordinator Nick Holt. Bradley's got a goatee, and he's every bit a match for the energy and enthusiasm of the raspy Holt, though Bradley doesn't use the word "awesome" quite so often as Holt did.
Well, I guess I was wrong. The phrase "Tampa 2" does not show up in this article*, but at least we learn that Bradley is sporting the Buhner look. The cosmetic choices of Bradley and Nick Holt (never mentioned again in the article) are clearly more important than how the Hawks defense will be run. We do learn that Seattle will be staying in the 4-3. The soft thud you just heard was the sound of your jaw hitting the desk in front of you. You thought Seattle was switching to the unique Liverpool futbol formation? Wrong again, mate!
*To read an article that actually does cover the defense, read Doug Farrar's piece
While I had hoped for some actual information about the defense, at least we get a glimpse into Gus Bradley's persona. All mockery aside, I'm glad to hear that Mora is bringing in young, charismatic coaches with apparent talent. Whether or not it pays off remains to be seen, but it's certainly a promising direction for a promising team.