Wednesday, how are ya? I've got to be honest with you ... the post-Super Bowl sads are kicking in and I'm going to miss football over the next few months. I think I felt it a bit harder yesterday because it was a bit of a slow news day. Still, we've got some good stuff for you this morning -- including some insight on the unexpected Russell Wilson saga in Seattle.
Today's also a mailbag day, so shoutout to all the lovely people who sent me some great questions yesterday. We'll hit those at the end.
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📰 What you need to know
1. Five steps to prevent Russell Wilson from leaving Seattle 🏈
We were expecting a crazy quarterback carousel (again) this offseason but I don't think many expected Russell Wilson's name to enter the conversation surrounding guys who could be on the move ... and yet here we are. Wilson is clearly growing frustrated in Seattle and wants to be involved in team personnel decisions moving forward.
Recently, our Jason La Canfora reported that the Seahawks have been getting a lot of calls about Wilson's availability.
Of course, it seems unlikely that the Seahawks want to trade Wilson, who was in the MVP discussion in the early part of last season. But now it seems the team has been put in a position to either move the QB or prove their commitment to his happiness in Seattle. If they choose the latter route, they should follow our Patrik Walker's plan to appease Wilson in 2021:
- Protect Russ, finally: Again, Russ was playing at an MVP-caliber level until the pass protection fell apart ... Russ in the first 8 games of the year: 71.0 comp pct, 2,541 yards (317.6 per game), 28 TD, 8 INT / Russ in the last 8 games of the season: 66.3 comp pct, 1,671 yards (208.9 per game), 12 TD, 5 INT .... Establishing an effective (and consistent) offensive line in front of the QB will go a long way toward keeping him happy and upright
- Rebuild the pass rush: The Seahawks' sack leader this season was ... safety Jamal Adams. That should signal that they need some help up front, and it helps explain why they tried to add Jadeveon Clowney last offseason. They need help on the edge
- Level up the secondary: If the Seahawks can't greatly improve up front, they're going to need to do so in the secondary. Seattle allowed the most passing yards in NFL history over their first nine games of the season. They need a shutdown corner ... or two
That's part of solid plan to not only keep Wilson around, but also fix a lot of the issues that led to Seattle's unraveling in 2020. You can read the rest of it right here.
It's probably safe to assume the QB has some of the same ideas in mind as he requests to have a say in personnel. We'll have to wait and see if the Seahawks are willing to get aggressive on the player acquisition front in order to keep Wilson happy, or if another team will be aggressive enough to make an offer that convinces the Seahawks to unload him and begin a new chapter.
2. Mavericks stop playing national anthem before games 🏀
A lot of attention has been paid to which athletes stand, sit or kneel for the pregame national anthem across sports over the last handful of years, but very few teams have decided to skip the national anthem entirely. Well, that's exactly what the Dallas Mavericks have elected to do this season.
Assuming Dallas shares more info on the decision at some point, I'll be interested to hear whether this decision came straight from the top (Mark Cuban) and what the exact reasoning was. Was it influenced by the lack of fans in the building (the other 29 teams have still played anthems despite minimal/zero attendance) or was it intended to be a social statement? I'll also be curious to see whether any teams (NBA or otherwise) follow the Mavericks' lead and cut the national anthem out of their pregame festivities.
Either way, I'm sure everyone will have calm, rational reactions to the news and not overreact whatsoever.
3. RIP Marty Schottenheimer 🏈
NFL coaching legend Marty Schottenheimer died on Monday, his family announced in a statement released yesterday. The 77-year-old Schottenheimer had been battling Alzheimer's since 2014 and was placed in hospice care in late January.
Here's a brief rundown of his impressive career:
- Schottenheimer spent 21 seasons as a head coach for the Browns, Chiefs, Washington and Chargers
- His 200 wins (200-126-1) give him the eighth-most coaching victories in NFL history
- Schottenheimer made the playoffs 13 times (winning 10-plus games in 11 of those seasons), won eight division titles and was named 2004 AP NFL Coach of the Year
- He had a 5-13 record in the playoffs, including an 0-3 record in conference championship games (he's only coach with more than 200 wins who has not won a Super Bowl or NFL Championship)
- Schottenheimer's coaching tree includes Bruce Arians, Pete Carroll, Mike Tomlin, Bill Cowher, Tony Dungy, Mike McCarthy and others
Schottenheimer became famous for "Martyball" -- his smashmouth style of football that relied heavily on a strong running game and defense. Despite all his success during the regular season and his clear impact and influence as a leader, Schottenheimer was often a scapegoat when his teams came undone in the postseason ... and they often did so in mystifying fashion. Still, he leaves behind a strong coaching legacy that few can match.
Rest in peace, Marty.
4. Who will headline the next Super Bowl halftime show? 🏈
The Weeknd's dizzying and dark halftime performance at Super Bowl LV seemed to draw mixed reviews. I saw many people say they loved it, but I also saw just as many people say they didn't "get" or enjoy it.
But I'm not here to ask you what you thought of the performance. I'm here to turn our attention to Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles. Who gets next year's show? It's too early to know, but it's not too early to guess ... and I have some suggestions.
- Drake - Drake is so embedded in the sports community at this point that it's honestly shocking he hasn't already landed a Super Bowl halftime show. He's got the hits and star power to qualify
- Foo Fighters - They're a liiiiittle past their prime but they have the necessary catalogue (to say the least) and are still capable of putting on one hell of a show
- Rihanna - She's planning a comeback and is seemingly going to release an album relatively soon. She's also signed to Roc Nation, which produces the halftime show ... and that'd be one hell of a promotion
- Snoop Dogg - He loves sports and saying "yes" to pretty much every offer that comes his way. Plus, it's a natural fit with the Super Bowl being hosted in Los Angeles
- Bruce Springsteen - Yes, he's already done a halftime show but I'm a "sportswriter" so I'm legally obligated to include him in this list
I also included some additional ... uh, let's go with "out-of-the-box"... choices on the list, so you can find the whole thing here.
Also, before you email me saying I'm a child with garbage taste in music, I should clarify that these aren't necessarily the artists I want to see get the halftime show ... it's just a list of people I think fit the mold of what the NFL might be looking for. Oh, who the hell am I kidding ... I'm going to get complaints either way, so I'll just say it: CARLY RAE JEPSEN FOR HALFTIME SHOW 2022!!!
📝 Odds & Ends
📺 What to watch tonight
🏒 Bruins vs. Rangers, 7 p.m. | NYR +140 | TV: NBCSN
🏀 No. 25 Rutgers vs. No. 15 Iowa, 7:36 p.m. | IOWA -6.5 | TV: Big Ten Network
🏀 Bucks vs. Suns, 10 p.m. | PHX +4 | TV: ESPN
🥇 The best thing I saw yesterday
The Oscars shortlists were announced yesterday and Jimmy Butler really campaigned HARD for his inclusion with this hilarious attempt to sell a call.
Mailbag!
My approach to most sporting events is to root against teams/players rather than for them. It probably reveals some kind of character flaw about myself. How about you? Are you're a root for or root against kind of guy? - Vince
Vince, no need to feel bad about yourself for this one. I'm a firm believer that sports are infinitely better when you feel compelled to root hard against players/teams. I feel that hatred is an important part of the sports experience, and that's why I often love when players taunt, talk smack or play a little dirty (within reason, of course.) A little hatred raises the emotional stakes and makes for great entertainment, and sports are supposed to be theater.
If you were a potato, in what meal/dish would you want to be served as? - Melissa
What a gloriously weird question. Thank you, Melissa. My answer is waffle fries. They may not be as versatile as mashed or baked potatoes, and they may not be as common as regular french fries ... but you show me someone who doesn't get excited about the arrival of waffle fries and I'll show you someone I don't care to know.
Boston has arguably has been the sports mecca of the 21st century, up until recently. I can't understand how two top organizations like the Red Sox and Patriots could let their best player walk away and then have to sit back and watch them win championships for other teams. I was hoping you could share your thoughts on this as I know you love your Boston teams passionately. - Glenn
I DON'T LOVE IT, GLENN!
Do you think the Patriots could have made the run Tampa Bay did if Brady had stayed? And would Kraft and Belichick have supported Gronk and AB coming back had Brady made that demand? -Mike
Looking at the weapons (or lack thereof) in New England this year ... no. Brady was clearly frustrated with the lack of talent around him in his final year in New England (can you blame him?) and the Patriots clearly weren't all that committed to revamping the offense for him this year. I don't think Gronk would have had any interest in returning to play for Belichick and the Pats (he retired for a reason) but Antonio Brown? Maybe. That still wouldn't have been enough for the Pats to get past the Chiefs or the Bills.
What would have to happen (sportswise) for you to stop writing the CBS newsletter? - Phin
Considering sports almost completely shut down for months last year and we still went strong with the newsletter daily, it doesn't seem like a whole lot can stop us now. I would probably have to get fired or die, so if you're unhappy with my performance then you'll just have to choose which one you'd rather root for.
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February 10, 2021 at 09:13PM
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The Seahawks won't really let Russell Wilson leave ... right? Plus, the weekly mailbag! - CBS Sports
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