Seattle, WA
Salk: 5 things Seattle Seahawks should prioritize in coach search
The Seattle Seahawks have an enormous decision to make with the search for their next head coach. And when that happens, fan bases get antsy.
More specifically, fans start picking favorites and getting attached to the idea of specific names filling specific roles for reasons that often have more to do with projections and the past than they do with the optimal outcome.
Why is Seattle Seahawks’ head coach job so appealing?
That isn’t necessarily a problem, but there are times when being on the outside hurts our ability to understand the traits that each candidate brings to the table.
Nowhere is that more evident than in the polar extremes available in this coaching search.
With former coaches, current coordinators and college leaders all available, we only have certain information on which to judge the options.
The former coaches have a résumé we can dissect, but the young coordinators? All that most of us have to go on is how successful their offense or defense has been, and that goes against what many believe are the most important qualities for a head coach.
Now that doesn’t mean that scheme is irrelevant, nor should it disqualify hot names like Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald. But it means those candidates should show something in the interview process that isn’t necessarily observable to most of us watching the process play out.
If I was suddenly put in charge of hiring the next coach of an NFL team, I would start by deciding what qualities were most important for that person to have. My top five would be:
1. Leadership
I feel very confident that leadership is at the top of this list. No matter who you ask, they all say everything starts here. It’s a broad term that encompasses multiple parts of the job, but to me it includes personal leadership skills combined with the organizational skills and personality to set a course for a whole building.
Seattle Seahawks Notebook: What GM John Schneider said about coach search
A head coach not only gets the most out of his players, but sets the tone for the other coaches, administrators, and employees of the team. If you can’t lead, no one knows what to do. So the first job of any coach is to set the culture first and foremost.
2. Communication
This is second on my list because it’s necessary for those players to buy in and to understand their roles in the bigger picture. To be a great communicator, most coaches have authenticity, relatability and an ability to use creative means to teach and help players understand their jobs. They have to understand their students and devise the best ways to reach each one.
Oh, and they are also the prime conveyor of information to the public so how they choose to communicate that info is an enormous part of setting the tone.
Pete Carroll was so good at this – he spent an enormous amount of time devising creative, fun ways to teach and then using his relentless positivity to pump up his players in the press.
3. Identity/vision
The best coaches have a clear vision for what kind of team they want to be on the field. Do they want to be more physical or do they want to finesse their opponents? Do they favor a passing or running attack? What do they want their team to be know for?
Many of the candidates this year have done this well. Jim Harbaugh and Mike Vrabel, for instance, want physical teams that are strong on the line of scrimmage and run the ball. I keep thinking of the way Joel Klatt described Harbaugh’s Michigan defense and how each level of the team was designed to compliment one another. That only works when you have a clear vision and a slavish devotion to it.
4. Hiring
One you know the vision, you have to hire right people to execute it! The best coaches have a stable of bright assistants who make it all work. No coach can do everything at once and many of the best ones get to that point by delegating to and empowering those around them. As I look back at the last few years of Seahawk mediocrity, this feels like one of the main culprits. If their was a clear vision, it certainly wasn’t translating onto the field and the assistants either weren’t capable or weren’t allowed to spread their wings.
5. X’s and O’s
Here you go. Here is the one that is most accessible to the public.
We might not be able to tell how an assistant communicates or know much about those they would hire, but we can judge them based on their ability to scheme.
Is it important? Yes. Leaders need to understand the scheme in order to project confidence to everyone around them. Would you listen to advice from someone who doesn’t have a detailed understanding of the job they are asking you to perform?
Furthermore, in order to hire the smart people below them, it sure helps to be smart yourself! Most high achievers want to learn from and work for smart people themselves.
But I tend to assume that most everyone who makes it to a head coaching interview has at least some idea of how to devise a scheme and understands where the players should be.
I see this ability as important, just not as important as the four above it. Yet for a segment of the fanbase, it has been a clear deciding factor. Why? While I can’t speak for anyone else, I believe it is for two reasons.
First, as I mentioned above, it’s all we know. Most of us don’t know what kind of personality Ben Johnson has, but we sure like the scheme he devised in Detroit. We don’t know if Mike Macdonald can lead, but we sure want a defense like they have in Baltimore. And that leads to the second point: We desperately miss having the edge that a great coordinator brings to a team!
We are understandably sick of watching the Rams and 49ers staffs run rings around the Seattle staff. We know there is a talented roster here that hasn’t been able to take full advantage of its unique skills. But whereas I also want the team to have those kinds of advantages, I believe what we really want is a group of coordinators that can provide it. We want our own Johnson/Macdonald combo that other teams are looking to pluck.
It’s very possible that the next head coach in Seattle can scheme his way past the competition or that they hire the best coordinator from one of the best teams this year. I just hope if they do so, it’s because that coach can lead, communicate, has a vision and can hire good people around him and not just because they are the smartest schemer around.
More on Seattle Seahawks coach search
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• Seahawks Candidate Deep Dive: Isaiah Stanback on Dan Quinn
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SEATTLE – Transportation officials are warning travelers to prepare for heavy traffic congestion and significant delays as massive construction closures hit highways across the region and light rail lines this weekend.
Major highway closures this weekend
What we know:
The Washington State Department of Transportation said major construction projects are taking over several regional corridors from Friday, May 29, until the morning of Monday, June 1.
Crews are squeezing a large amount of work into a short spring window so they can pause construction during Seattle’s “summer of soccer.”
This means drivers will face concentrated traffic impacts now rather than disruptions spread throughout the summer season.
Here’s what is scheduled for this weekend:
- Kirkland (Southbound I-405): All southbound lanes will be closed from Northeast 124th Street to Northeast 70th Place from 11 p.m. Friday until 4 a.m. Monday for fish barrier correction work. Miles-long backups are expected.
- Seattle (Northbound I-5): Two northbound lanes will remain closed across the Ship Canal Bridge, further restricting traffic inside the city.
- Seattle (Eastbound SR 520): Eastbound lanes and all connecting ramps between I-5 and Montlake Boulevard will close from 11 p.m. Friday until 5 a.m. Monday. Crews are preparing for a traffic switch on the Montlake off-ramp. Only transit and HOV 3+ vehicles will be allowed to use the Montlake Boulevard direct access ramps to eastbound SR 520 across Lake Washington.
- Issaquah/Snoqualmie (Westbound I-90): The eastbound SR 18/Snoqualmie Parkway on-ramp to westbound I-90, along with the westbound I-90 off-ramp to westbound SR 18, will close for paving from 9 p.m. Friday until 5 a.m. Monday.
Timeline:
The closures start Friday evening, with I-90 ramp closures beginning at 9 p.m., followed by the full I-405 and SR 520 closures at 11 p.m. All highways are scheduled to fully reopen to regular traffic by 4 a.m. or 5 a.m. on Monday, June 1.
WSDOT also said much of the work is weather-dependent and may be rescheduled if it rains.
Light rail disruptions
In addition to the highway gridlock, Sound Transit passengers will face major service disruptions on Saturday, May 30, and Sunday, May 31.
Maintenance crews are shutting down parts of the region’s light rail network to complete rail replacement through downtown Seattle stations and perform work on the Crosslake Connection.
During the weekend shutdown, the 1 Line will completely close between the Capitol Hill and Stadium stations. Simultaneously, the 2 Line will be closed between Lynnwood City Center and South Bellevue stations.
The Source: Information in this story came from the Washington State Department of Transportation and Sound Transit.
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Eight dead in Longview chemical implosion
Eight people are dead and three remain missing after a massive chemical implosion at a Longview facility. Rescue teams face chest-deep water and a caustic “white liquor” that is so corrosive it is eating through their personal protective equipment. The EPA is actively monitoring the area after 500,000 gallons of the material seeped into nearby neighborhood dikes.
LONGVIEW, Wash. – After a massive chemical implosion at a Longview paper mill killed 11 people, little is known about the victims.
Eight people are confirmed dead, and three others remain missing after a tank of white liquor imploded at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging facility on Tuesday, May 26. Eight others also suffered injuries, including chemical burns and inhalation.
Longview Fire Chief Brad Hannig confirmed in a press conference Thursday that crews recovered six of the nine workers who were unaccounted for following the implosion. Two workers who made it out of the site also died, making the death toll 11.
Search and recovery efforts are underway for the three victims who remain missing. Because of the toxic chemicals, the victims’ remains must be decontaminated before the coroner can begin the formal identification process.
Keep reading for details on what we know about the victims in the Longview chemical implosion.
Two victims identified
As of Thursday, only five of the 11 victims in the implosion have been identified by family members:
Jared Ammons:
Family and friends described Ammons as a “loving husband, devoted father, cherished son and caring brother.” He leaves behind his wife, two kids, and another child on the way.
Those who knew Ammons said’ his loss has left an unimaginable hole in their hearts. A GoFundMe is raising money for his family as they navigate the recent tragedy.
Gilbert Bernal:
Friends said Bernal was one of the best people they’ve ever met, and “was a Godly man in every sense of the word.” He was a grandfather and an electrician at the facility.
His GoFundMe said Bernal was loved by many and worked hard to provide for his family. The online fundraiser will go towards his family’s funeral expenses and other needs.
CJ Doran:
Doran, who was 26 years old, is described by friends as a selfless and deeply caring husband and father. He was “the spiritual leader of their family, the joy of their home, and the family provider.” A GoFundMe will benefit his wife and family during this troubling time.
John Forsberg:
Forsberg was a father of two young children who lost his life in the Nippon plant implosion. Forsberg’s family asks for privacy as they process this tragedy, with an online fundraiser going towards supporting his children and memorial-related expenses.
Braydon Finkas:
Finkas was an electrician at the plant, whose “sense of humor and kindness touched everyone who knew him.” He was known for his love of golf, brisket-making, breweries and his wife, Kaitlyn.
Rex Czuba, a friend who organized Finkas’ GoFundMe, said he would always be there to help and would never turn down a request from a friend or neighbor. “He was a really big part of the town,” Czuba said. “He really jumped in and became a part of the community so quickly.”
Unidentified implosion victims
What’s next:
There is still little information about the rest of the workers who were killed, hurt, or still missing following the chemical implosion. City officials or the Cowlitz County Medical Examiner’s Office will release details as they continue the recovery and identification process.
Massive chemical flush underway in Longview
On the second day of recovery following what the governor called the deadliest industrial tragedy in modern state history, the Department of Ecology is flushing a massive 500,000-gallon toxic chemical spill away from Longview’s water supply.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
The Source: Information in this story came from GoFundMe, the Longview Fire Department, the Associated Press and previous FOX 13 Seattle reporting.
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On May 8th, Seth Wickersham wrote an article for ESPN discussing the initial market for the Seattle Seahawks. The team had been publicly up for sale for a few months at that point, having been announced as such shortly after winning the super bowl. At that point in time, Seth indicated that there had been surprisingly low amounts of interest from potential buyers.
The market was described as ‘soft’, and the NFL was said to have hoped for better. A few prospective purchasers were named, and it was still believed that the team would easily set an NFL record for price once sold, but there wasn’t a frenzy of interest. Less than three weeks later, however, it seems as if things have changed.
The Suddenly Robust Market
New reporting indicates that the market for the defending champs is now ‘robust’. While nothing is yet guaranteed, and no names were named, there is now reason to believe that the sale is imminent. In fact, there’s a possibility that the new owner could be in place before the 2026 season starts in early September, which would be quite the escalation.
Ian Rapoport believes that a special league meeting to approve a new owner could be coming in late August, around the time the NFL preseason wraps up. He also believes the price of the sale can eclipse the $10 billion mark, which leaves room for it to hit the $11 billion mark that was speculated on back in February. Either way, it’s a record.
To be clear, it’s a record by a massive amount. The current high-water mark for an NFL team was set by the Washington Commanders, who went for $6.05 billion in 2023. Even a sale of $10 billion would be a massive step up, and anything beyond that would start to flirt with doubling it. Clearly, a defending super bowl champion is worth something extra.
What Happens Next?
The wording of the most recent news indicates that things are moving fast, and implies that there’s at least one firm candidate to actually close the deal. Perhaps there’s more than one, and there will be a bidding war at the end. Either way, there’s an air of inevitability around the recent updates. Maybe it won’t be done before the season starts, but it will be done.
Obviously, there’s a mixture of emotions that fans will have about this. We always knew Jody Allen’s tenure as ‘owner’ was temporary, but it’s impossible to argue that she’s been remarkably effective in her role these last several years, so the next owner has big shoes to fill. The Allens have made this fanbase one of high standards. The next owner must continue that.
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