Coffee and Cigarettes: Seahawks Links for Friday

Thank goodness it's TGIF, you guys.

Seahawks.com Blog | QB competition: Day Five "
"We’re still on it," Carroll said of the quarterback competition. "This is the fifth day of practice. There’s not much to alter anything we’re doing right now. We’ll just keep getting reps, keep going, and gathering information."

Flynn runs with starters; offense struggles in red zone | Seahawks Insider
"It’s not easy for them at all," Carroll said. "We’re not making it easy on the quarterbacks – we’re making it as hard as we can for them. And so I think if they can move the ball on us and make plays on us, that’s a good sign. "I talked to the defense today, and told them to dial up and make it as hard as we can make it on those guys for just those very reasons, for comparisons and getting some good information. So we’re going to continue to do that, and continue to make it hard. … We’re going to stress them as much as possible."

Press Conference: Pete Carroll
Pete Carroll talks with the media as the Seahawks return to practice after their first day off.

Buyer Beware: Tall Tales From NFL Training Camps - SBNation.com
Which NFL teams are trying to pull the wool over our eyes as training camp rolls on this week?

Seahawks' K.J. Wright is making all the right moves | Seattle Seahawks - The News Tribune
One might expect someone from Olive Branch, Miss., to be a natural peacemaker. But NFL linebackers are not paid to be pacifists.

Camp Confidential: St. Louis Rams - NFC West Blog - ESPN
"That was different, but you could tell within the first three minutes of him being up there, with his presence, that the team was his," assistant head coach Dave McGinnis said. Fisher won over the Rams, and not with a fiery speech or with bold promises. "It's something that you can't put your hand on and touch it, but it's palpable," McGinnis said.

Seahawks.com Blog | Carroll comes away signing the praises of Bru-u-u-uce "
"Bruce probably had the best play of the day, chasing down a reverse and then flying up beside (wide receiver Deon Butler) and knocking the ball loose that was recovered for a fumble," Carroll said.

Seahawks.com Blog | Thursday in Hawkville: Maxwell making progress "
"Special teams is about going hard," Maxwell said of the play. "That’s all I do is go hard. It’s all about who wants it the most. I pride myself in my special teams play. That’s just the purest form of football. If you go out there and you can play special teams, you can play football."

It's a quiet training camp for Pete Carroll, Seahawks | Danny O'Neil | The Seattle Times
Unlike the first two years under coach Pete Carroll, there's not much drama early in the Seahawks' training camp.

Seahawks' Flynn remains a bit of a mystery | HeraldNet.com - Sports
"They're going to enjoy having him there," former Green Bay Packers teammate Jordy Nelson said via telephone earlier this week. "He's a playmaker. He comes out and makes plays. They've got a good one out there."

Seahawks rookie Bobby Wagner learning fast - Blog - MyNorthwest.com
"It's crazy and physical, because it was competition Tuesday," he said. "We just tried to get after it and make plays, you know, lots of picks and sacks."

Camp Carroll: Day Five | Seahawks Blog | The Seattle Times
Turbin-ator: Rookie running back Robert Turbin was on the receiving end of a significant whack from linebacker K.J. Wright on Monday. Well, Turbin is the one who delivered the better part of a blow during a drill Thursday, knocking defensive end Red Bryant down as the two collided. Of course, Turbin didn't see the big fella' fall as he'd been spun around himself. Suffice it to say there were some physics at work in sorting out that collision.

Barron on the rise | Seahawks Insider
Thursday, with the team in full pads, Barron was given time with the second unit at right tackle, behind starter Breno Giacomini. And three straight plays, Barron was asked to block speedy rookie first-round pick Bruce Irvin. Barron’s drop was quick enough, and punch so powerful, he dropped Irvin to his knees on the first snap. The next two, Irvin went with a spin move to the inside, and Barron stonewalled him. Those were extremely impressive efforts against a player who is young, yes, but is going to be a real nightmare for a lot of tackles in the league.

Brett's Seahawks Training Camp Insider Report - July 31st, Seattle NFL Blog, VMAC
NWSB Insider and Seattle Seahawks blogger Brett Bivens brings us up to speed from the VMAC on the 2012 Seahawks training camp. He was at practice on Tuesday and has some observations to share. KJ Wright was mentoring Bobby Wagner (after practice) and he saw Breno Giacomini mentoring 7th round pick J.R. Sweezy. Training camp is just better in Cheney.

Seattle Seahawks Projected To Have League's 2nd Youngest Starters - 12th Man Rising -
This year’s team doesn’t appear to be headed down the same road. The Seahawks have added veteran backups like Duece Lutui, Alex Barron and resigned Trufant and McCoy. ESPN projects the there to be 12 teams that are younger than the Seahawks this season.

Cleveland Browns' sale to Jimmy Haslam complete - NFL.com
With Haslam and Banner in place, the future of Browns president Mike Holmgren remains very much up in the air. It would not be a surprise if we learned Holmgren's future soon.

QB Challenge: Part 1
Amidst a three way quarterback competition, Russell Wilson, Matt Flynn, and Tarvaris Jackson took their shot at a free throw contest in part 1 of the Seahawks.com QB Challenge.

Kentwan Balmer still missing from Redskins camp - NFL.com
Kentwan Balmer's whereabouts remain a mystery to the Washington Redskins. The defensive end did not attend the team's training camp Thursday after failing to show up Wednesday.

Matt Hasselbeck fights to be Tennessee Titans starter - NFL.com
Jake Locker has been the buzz of Tennessee Titans training camp as he makes his bid to start at quarterback. But incumbent starter Matt Hasselbeck isn't going down without a fight.

What are the three toughest routes to defend? | National Football Post
Breaking down three concepts that give DBs major issues.

Only four plays in football? | Smart Football
While reading through some old defensive materials, I came across this quote: There are only four plays in football and they happen in this order:

Holdout History - Training Camp Lowdown - Rotoworld.com
Holdouts and the NFL go together like tea and crumpets.