Revisiting Hutchinson

[SeaHawksHuddle]

MyNorthwest Article

I like Steve Hutchinson. I don't like Ruskell. I wish Hutchinson was still here, but this article is fantastic and I think a pretty valid and accurate revisiting of the situation.

 

[Striker]

Here is all the information I can find about the Hutch decision made by Ruskell.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1649 ... on-debacle

http://www.askthecommish.com/forum/tm.asp?m=78598

http://www.seattlepi.com/football/260545_hawk23.html

http://www.startribune.com/sports/vikings/11706836.html
(scroll down to "A Split in Seattle" here is part of it.)

Hutchinson still doesn't want to get into particulars of what happened, but he did say that he broke the ice with Holmgren shortly after last season.

"I was talking to the Seahawks equipment manager in his office and Holmgren came in," Hutchinson said. "He had him on speaker phone, and I had a couple-minute conversation with him. It was good. That was probably the first conversation that had nothing to do with how mad he was at me or at my representation or my situation. And that was almost a year."

http://blog.seattlepi.com/football/archives/185598.asp
(This one is more about Adrian Peterson talking smack about how he loves having Hutch before the game.)

http://dailyme.com/story/20091117000114 ... inson.html
(Coach Mike Holmgren arrived at the scouting combine in Indianapolis, and did not know Hutchinson had been designated Seattle's transition player until a reporter asked him.)

http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_13814908
(This one restates what many the others say.)

From my understanding this is how things went down. Hutch wanted an extension far earlier than the FA deadline, Ruskell was not willing to pay him what he wanted. Ruskell decided to Transition tag Hutch instead of Franchise him believing he could get a deal done before the FA started. He failed to do so and the Vikings bid on him and had a "Poison Pill" contract stipulation which was considered underhanded. It meant Hutch had to be the highest paid Lineman on the team when signed, which was a non factor for the Vikings as he would be, while if the Seahawks would have matched would have forced the entire contract to be guaranteed (49 Mill) since Jones would be making more than Hutch with this contract.

Ruskell now unable to Franchise Tag Hutch since he missed his chance and unwilling to match the offer had no choice but to let Hutch go to the Vikings. Holmgren was unaware of the decision to Transition Tag Hutch as Ruskell told him he would Franchise him until a reported asked him during his off season scouting about the decision. Holmgren was upset at Ruskell for not being included and breaking his promise, and upset at Hutchinson as well for agreeing to a contract with such underhanded stipulations that seemed just there to get back at Seattle not acting interested enough in him.

Since then Hutchinson is well on his way to the playoffs and maybe the Super Bowl, Holmgren is looking at rejoining the NFL with another team in 2010, and Ruskell is still our GM while our team is 3-7. There are other factors such as injuries and new coaches and so on, but that is the jist of where we stand.

*Correction Ruskell is no longer our GM* Thank you Jesus!