Seattle, WA
Salk: 7 words that stick out with Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald
It has been a long time since the main stage in the Seattle Seahawks meeting room belonged to someone other than Pete Carroll. Walking into that room was somewhat surreal. Remember, it had been just three weeks since it was stuffed to the brim with applauding employees thanking Pete for all he had done. The basketball hoop was still in the corner and all of the other faces were familiar. But once John Schneider and Mike Macdonald took their pictures and sat at the table, it was an entirely new world.
What Mike Macdonald plans to do with Seattle Seahawks’ defense, QB
I’m glad I went. I haven’t made much of a secret of my skepticism. Macdonald clearly has the brainpower and successful resume of a top-tier coordinator. But for years I have argued that NFL teams do a disservice to their fans by simply hiring the top coordinator on whatever team had a good season and assuming that person will also have the skills and talents that translate to the new job.
I was perfectly willing to believe Macdonald had the soft skills to go with the obvious ones. But it struck me as a little premature to assume he had them before we got a chance to know him and hear about the process.
There was no way for him to answer all of those questions in just a short press conference, and obviously it’s a whole lot more important that he show the players, coaches and everyone in that building how he leads rather than proving it to a media chump like me. But as far as first impressions go, this one couldn’t have gone much better.
Here are seven key words that stood out from the day:
As Schneider introduced Macdonald, it didn’t seem like an accident when he said “this is the future.” It seemed like a clear message that the organization was looking forward, getting younger, and concentrating on what is to come. And if you are more of a visual learner, you couldn’t miss the slim fit hoodie under Macdonald’s suit (or the Jordan’s on his feet). It was very clear that they were demonstrating that this was a new day and about the future.
It makes sense and it’s exactly what I would want in their situation. The ghosts of Pete Carroll are going to haunt those halls for a while. His impact was so thoroughly felt in that building that it would be impossible to eradicate that energy even after you take down the signs and messaging. But for Macdonald to have a chance to succeed a legend, it needs to be about the future. And while it may not have been a conscious decision, it doesn’t seem like an accident to have gone from the oldest coach in the league to the youngest. Nor did it seem accidental to emphasize that in the introduction.
Macdonald is intense. Very intense. As much as his fashion choices screamed youth, his demeaner was more that of an old soul. He took every question seriously, and you could just feel the intensity emanating off him. He didn’t offer a full philosophical mantra nor even any slogans – in fact, he bristled at the odea of co-opting “the Ravens Way” in Seattle – but he did say they would work by “giving all we got, one day at a time.” It struck me as the kind of process that has helped him climb so quickly to the top of his chosen profession.
Similarly, he struck me as very methodical. We had heard he was detail-oriented, and that’s hard to judge in a press conference environment. But it sure wouldn’t surprise me based on the way he answered questions. He considered the question, took them seriously, and answered at his own pace. He was polite and forthcoming, but didn’t give away any more than he chose to. I got the sense that he had a plan and would stick to it.
He commanded the room. This might be the No. 1 thing I was looking for, and it was evident. All eyes were on him and he was very comfortable with that. He didn’t blabber on and he didn’t deflect with jokes. He was just straight up in charge. Whereas Pete would fill up a room with words upon words upon words, Macdonald let it breathe. He let the room come to him. And that made me feel a lot better about his jump from coordinator to head coach.
He wants the team to be physical. He wouldn’t commit to an offense and he was adamant that his defensive style isn’t about reaching specific percentages or blitz rates. Instead, it is all about doing what needs to be done on that day , for that play, or in that moment. As much as we heard the name “Harbaugh” invoked throughout the morning, in some ways his defensive scheme sounded more like something we would attribute to Bill Belichick. But he wants the team to be physical, and I think every Seahawks fan would agree that has been missing for the past few years.
He is modern. Yes, that is similar to the bit about the future, but this more about how he twice mentioned “growth mentalities.” In fact, he went so far as to say that was what he was looking for in an offensive coordinator. For all of the contrasts with Pete Carroll, this was where they were most similar. It was from Pete that I first heard this term (along with his emphasis on “grit,” and it’s one that we often use at my house in raising out two daughters.
Macdonald struck me as a student. And Schneider addressed that by calling him a “learning networker rather than a climbing networker.” Interesting distinction! But I think he’s saying that Macdonald has sought out other coaches to learn from them rather than just to get noticed for the next job.
He is authentic. He isn’t Pete Carroll, nor do I expect him to be. He isn’t John Schneider nor John Harnaugh. He seemed very comfortable being Mike Macdonald. He is going to succeed (or not) by being himself. And hopefully that is what will make him relatable to the players. It’s the only way to be.
It’ll be some time before we find out what kind of coach we have here in Seattle. And the comparisons to his legendary predecessor are almost unavoidable. But on day one, he showed the public everything we would want to see. That’s all any of us can ask right now.
More on new Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald
• Seahawks hope ‘disruptor’ Macdonald can make them contenders again
• What Stood Out: New Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald joins Bump & Stacy
• Key takeaways from Mike Macdonald’s 1st Seahawks press conference
• The File: Who is new Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald?
• A Ravens insider breaks down strengths of Seattle Seahawks’ Mike Macdonald
• What Macdonald must do when making jump to Seahawks head coach
Seattle, WA
VIDEO: Scream Club Seattle keeps growing, midway through first year
(Story originally posted 8:22 pm, updated 12:32 am)
By Torin Record-Sand
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
From a distance, they looked like a regular crowd of people enjoying a nice evening walk on the shores of Lincoln Park. But they were gathered here for a singular purpose: to scream. Since September 2025, the Scream Club Seattle has met at Lincoln Park on every third Sunday to scream, led by head organizer Amber Walcker. No explanation, justification, or invitation to scream is needed – come as you are. “There are some harder emotions people come here to deal with, sure, but some people also just come to scream.” head organizer Amber explained.
Tonight’s crowd showed the club is rapidly growing. From around a dozen or so participants in the first gathering in September, tonight seemed to attract around 40 people gathering to let it all out.
As the sun started to set, and everyone was finally gathered together, the Scream Club was ready to begin.
There are only three screams, organizer Amber explained. The first, she said, is a scream to get used to doing it in public. The second scream is there to ground you. And the final – and longest scream – is there to let you have an emotional catharsis.
She also wanted to make sure people were taking care of their vocal health beforehand. As she told everyone to walk a little bit from the meeting place and start to gather near the shore, she instructed the crowd to hum for a few minutes on the way, to warm up the vocal cords.
With that, the crowd walked towards the shore.
“On the count of one – two – three – scream!” said organizer Amber.
You can see our video of the proceedings here. After the screaming, we talked to a few participants about why they came out.
“There’s not one thing that’s really making me want to scream. There’s a lot of stuff going on for me, a lot of emotional ups and downs. Screaming into the ocean together gives you a sense of community.” said Jessie.
“This is my third or fourth time coming to scream. With the political climate, with everything that’s happening, getting together with local community to scream feels more productive than screaming into the internet on social media.” said Ursula.
“This is my first time coming out.” said Liz. “I screamed after the Seahawks won the Super Bowl, and I really felt something. I realized I’ve been feeling a lot of frustration recently, and it felt like coming here was a healthy way to get it out rather than screaming at your neighbors.”
Organizer Amber recognizes much of what they were saying. “Meeting like this can be an important element to have in your mental health toolbox. It’s rare to have scream therapy.” She shared an anecdote about the therapeutic origins of the group, which originally started with a chapter in Chicago. “The founder was a life coach. Their girlfriend was having a bad day, and they encouraged them to go to the Chicago Pier and just let it out. He walked her through the process, and that was that. Eventually they invited more people to come do it.” She hopes to bring that same therapeutic energy to the practice here. “It’s a moment of emotional release more than anything else. Depending on what’s going on in people’s minds, everyone will come here with a different mindset and purpose. We’re providing a safe space to do that.”
Scream Club Seattle meets at Lincoln Park on the first Sunday of every month, and they are also starting to meet on the third Sunday of every month at Golden Gardens in Ballard. Tentatively, the next events will be in Lincoln Park on April 5th around 6 PM, and Golden Gardens on March 15th around 5 PM. If you’d like to know more, you can find them on Instagram here or look at their future events on their Eventbrite page here.
Seattle, WA
Detectives Investigating Robbery, Shooting Over $20 Necklace – SPD Blotter
Seattle police detectives are investigating a robbery and shooting of a 23-year-old man over a $20 necklace in Pioneer Square this morning.
At about 12:40 a.m., patrol officers responded to a shooting in the 500 block of 2nd Avenue. There, they found a victim, bleeding, with a gunshot wound to his right thigh. Police and the Seattle Fire Department treated his injury. Medics took him to Harborview Medical Center (HMC) in stable condition.
Police determined that the victim just left a bar, getting into the passenger seat of his friend’s car, when the suspect, wearing a ski mask and armed with a firearm, approached him and demanded his necklace. They struggled over the item, and the suspect shot the victim in the leg. The shooter fled in a vehicle with the necklace before police arrived. The value of the “chain” is about $20.
Detectives in the Robbery Unit responded to the scene and HMC. Anyone with information is asked to call the SPD Violent Crimes Tip line at 206-233-5000. Anonymous tips are accepted.
Incident Number: 2026-57536
Seattle, WA
Fast Start for Kraken Win, Homestand | Seattle Kraken
That stretch begins with five more home games: A skilled and successful Carolina squad Monday, followed by St. Louis (for the second time in a week) Wednesday, Ottawa next Saturday, then Nashville (just behind Seattle in the West wild-card race) on March 10 and then finishing with Western Conference leader Colorado March 12.
Stars Shine and Star-Crossed Hat Trick
Vince Dunn opened the scoring in his 600th NHL game. Jordan Eberle topped the best Kraken-season goals mark with his 21st and 22nd goals of the year, with 23 games left to flirt with his first 30-plus goals on the year since his sophomore season in 2011-12. Joey Daccord registered 27 saves on the victorious night, including nine high-danger chances in the first 40 minutes alone.
To the fans’ disappointment, the slick-stickhandling Daccord missed a historic goalie goal by inches. But the sellout crowd was rewarded when Eberle cashed in on the Vancouver empty net. Eberle now has four two-goal games this season.
In a bizarre twist, when Eberle scored that empty-netter, Kraken fans rightfully cheered and tossed headwear for what was presumed to be a hat-trick score. But after Eberle scored, the scoring change on the Kraken’s power play goal was announced when off-ice officials realized Eberle’s shot had just ever-so-slightly deflected off Matty Beniers’ skate. So no hat trick for the second time this season. Linemate Jared McCann and hat-tossing fans thought the Kraken’s all-time leading scorer had notched a hat trick earlier this season, only to have it reversed when an offside infraction by, wait for it, Beniers, erased the goal.
Eberle joked post-game that maybe fans deserved some hats. The Kraken captain also said when Daccord missed by inches on his goalie goal, he was on the bench saying, “he got it, he got it.” Post-game, Eberle said, “It’s just a matter of time before he gets one” because he greatly admires the goaltender’s puck-handling skills.
The Kraken came out fast Saturday night with two goals, a couple of near-misses, lots of scoring attempts and pucks on net during the first 20 minutes. One near-miss was a hard wrist shot from Jordan Eberle that clanged off the far post. But no matter, Eberle scored a pivotal goal in the second period, getting in front of a Vancouver shot and chasing his own ricochet to create a breakaway with his still-elite speed. The 35-year-old Seattle captain went to his lethal backhand to beat Canucks goalie Kevin Lankinen. Eberle’s tally re-upped the two-goal lead.
Good night for Kraken special teams as well. The penalty killer snuffed an early third period Canucks power play to keep the two-score cushion. Later third period, Matty Beniers scored on the power play, deflecting an Eberle shot, to push the score to 4-1. Chandler Stephenson earned his second point of the night with the primary assist. Same for Dunn, who notched the second assist. The Kraken needed just 10 seconds to score the man-advantage marker.
Captaining His Best Kraken Season…
It is Eberle’s 21st goal of the season. The next one he scores will set a new high as a Kraken for the teammate everyone calls “Ebs.” That makes it three of five seasons that Eberle has scored 20 or more goals. Eberle almost scored again later second period when matching cross-checking penalties on SEA forward Kaapo Kakko and VAN defenseman Filip Hronek. The ensuing 4-on-4 play was dominated by the Kraken quartet of Eberle, Matty Beniers, Brandon Montour and Ryker Evans. Beniers stood with some moves and an improv that had future Hall of Fame play-by-play man John Forslund saying, “Beniers did everything but score.” It was heartening to see Seattle flexing its offensive chops with a 3-1 lead.
The Kraken scored twice in an opening 20 minutes played to order, returning to the hard forechecking game they exhibited on a heater 10-game streak before the Olympic break. The starting goalie did his part, stopping all nine of Vancouver’s shots in the first 20 minutes to bring confidence to the first-intermission home locker room.
Jumping Out of the Starting Blocks
The Kraken faithful were mega-decibel loud during the announcement of the starting lineups, welcoming back Olympian bronze medalists Kaapo Kakko and Eeli Tolvanen, as well as Seattle teammates. This week’s two road losses forgotten, replaced by rousing cheers for starters and fourth-liners Freddy Gaudreau, centering Jacob Melanson and Ben Meyers (on the wing for the first since a road matchup in LA right before the winter holiday break).
Defenseman Cale Fleury and Ryker Evans rounded out the skaters in front of Joey Daccord. It’s not a stretch to think head coach Lane Lambert was sending a message with his fourth line and third pair getting the first shift after losing two games in the Midwest by a composite score of 9-2.
Saturday morning, both defenseman Vince Dunn and Lambert both talked about what would be the ideal first 10 to 20 minutes in this Pacific Division showdown with rival Vancouver.
“We need to play simple and hard and direct,” said Dunn, who was playing in his 600th NHL game, 333 with Seattle. “I think we’re very connected when we can get our forecheck going. I think the way we play as a five-man unit is that we slow teams down and don’t get scrambled in our own end. We’re more patient in our own end and letting guys accept their positions and roles and areas that they need to defend in.
“Right away, we need to start shooting pucks … the past two games, the shot count hasn’t been where we wanted it to be in the first 10 minutes. So let’s get some looks and see what happens. Let’s see if we can get the other team scrambling.”
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