Seattle Seahawks training camp opens!!

Finally, NFL training camps are open. Not that I don't like other sports but Football reigns supreme as far as I'm concerned. I can't stand NBA basketball (March Madness is good though). Baseball is OK when the playoffs come around. I like soccer more and more every year. but... back to the NFL!

The Seahawks are gearing up for another campaign. This year looks to be very interesting and has quite a few side stories. An offense with some question marks, a defense set to dominate, a lame duck head coach, the replacement head coach on staff...

I'll try to hit on a few of those stories throughout the season. Today though, I will highlight some training camp news.

OFFENSE: The biggest news of the offseason was the release of Shaun Alexander (2005 MVP ['06-'07 softy]) and the additions of TJ Duckett and Julius Jones. The Seahawks also drafted F.B. Owen Schmitt from West Virginia, T.E. John Carlson from Notre Dame and H.B. Justin Forsett from California. The Hawks signed LG Mike Wahle from Carolina in an attempt to shore up a suspect offensive line. Perhaps the most important move however, was bringing in Mike Solari as the offensive line coach. Bill Lazor (QB's), Kasey Dunn (RB's) and Mike Debord (Asst. O' line).

All of the rookies were in camp on the first day with the exception of John Carlson. His agent must be playing some real hardball with the Hawks since Seattle is hurting so bad at TE. I sure hope he doesn't miss much camp as the offense will be difficult to learn.

Wide Receiver: Bobby Engram was in camp on the first day much to the relief of everyone. Bobby would like to restructure his contract but decided to honor Mike Holmgren and his contract by not holding out. Overall I'd say that receiver is the biggest question mark. Losing DJ Hackett was big, Branch has been very fragile. Burleson and Engram will probably be the starters on opening day. Don't be surprised to see Seneca Wallace work his way in at receiver or slot every once in a while now that Charlie Frye has a year under his belt with Holmgren.

Running Back: will be fun to watch this year. While I wouldn't expect as dominant a running game as in '05, it will be greatly improved over the last two seasons. Jones and Duckett hit the hole hard, and Morris should be running like someone with something to prove. The big sleepers in my estimation are; O. Schmitt (I hope that's what they put on his jersey) and Forsett. Schmitt is a head banging brawler, I believe him to be very similar to Mike Alstott. And Justin Forsett who is simply a play maker. Wouldn't be surprised to see him returning punts and kickoffs.

Quarter Back: Matt (Isn't his NFL Network commercial great) should be an NFC Pro-bowler again. Frye will probably be competing for the two spot with Wallace.

O Line: Jones is getting long in the tooth and is starting to get beat (3-7 times a year). The addition of Wahle should help improve things (as should some running backs who will hit the hole on their feet instead of curling up and falling down). They won't be great like '05, but they will be better than the last two seasons.

MLS Soccer player to Catholic Priesthood

I came across this news story and thought I would share it.

You often hear that there is a shortage of vocations to the priesthood. I don't think so however. I think there is a lack of answering the call to a vocation as a priest. Why is there this lack of answering the call? I think there are several reasons, I will give one here.

Parents don't embrace or promote the priesthood for their sons. This is done both directly and indirectly. A subtle way that this lack of support for a vocation to the priesthood is exhibited is in the way parents talk with their children and others about their children's future. Here is an example of a typical conversation between parents and their son.

Mother: "Johnny, when you grow up and have a family of your own, then you'll have the same rules for you your kids"

or

Dad: "Andrew, you need to go to college so that you can have a good job to be able to support your wife and children"

I've heard it thousands of times. There is an underlying assumption that a sons vocation is to the married life. It pervades a persons speech. It generates assumptive language when discussing the future of their children. It isn't a direct hinderance to following a call to the priesthood. But it creates a manner of thinking about the future that excludes the priesthood for young men. This in turn causes young men to reject those thoughts about being a priest when they begin to appear in their conscience because, the only normal thing in all their discussions with family is being a husband and dad.

Whenever I talk with my son, I consciously make a point of including the priesthood as a possible part of his future. Here is an example of my coversation with my son.

ME: "When you grow up and have a parish of people who depend on you, or a wife and kids that depend on you, you'll be glad that I tought you that a person needs to do their chores everyday."

Me: "It's important to learn how to talk with people and to learn how to listen to people because if you have a wife and kids, you need to be able to do those things. And if you are a priest, you have to be able to give people really good advice during confessions or spiritual direction."

I think if people would just make that subtle contextual change in their speech, there would be a dramatic increase in young men following their call to a vocation to the priesthood.

Champions of Faith

I'm about 2 weeks "late" posting this.

If you love baseball, get this DVD. If you love sports, get this DVD. Or if you just love how God can work in everday peoples lives, (or in the case of millionare professional athletes; how God works in peoples lives everyday), buy this DVD.

You'll probably hear some cynical people postulate that the players featured in this DVD (and they are some BIG name players) are only chasing a buck. Some will be watching and waiting for them to do something bad (sin) and cry out, "see, they weren't sincere!" I don't feel that way. I think they are folks just like you and I who have the resources available to produce something big that people will watch because of their celebrity status. I think there intent is pure. If they do slip up and sin, as we all do, it only proves that they're fallen humans. They just have the added pressure of being in the public eye. Imagine if you had news cameras on you the entire time you worked.

Anyway... Watch the DVD's, it will be a blessing.

Pyro

Oak Harbor State Champions

Fake Noise?

It has been reported that the Seahawks are using artificial crowd noise at Qwest field. Mike Holmgren did the right thing and used the situation to incite the Qwest field fans to be louder than ever.

I would love to be in that stadium on Sunday. Nationally televised game, rematch of a great game from last year, controversy, intrigue, and best of all; whiney New Yorkers filing official complaints about how loud it is at Qwest Field.

The Giant's players are going to look like a bunch of Pee Wee Hermans running around yelling, WHAAT? WHAAAAATTTT?