Seahawks Thursday cyber surfing: Maxwell gives back

[News Bot]

Good morning. Here’s what’s “out there” about the Seahawks for today, Jan. 19:

Patch.com has the word on rookie cornerback Byron Maxwell donating $500 to the counseling department at his former high school: “The Angel Tree program helps needy students at the school and this year provided assistance to three families.”
Mel Kiper has his first mock draft for 2012 at ESPN.com, and NFC West blogger Mike Sando has his thoughts on Kiper’s selection for the Seahawks: South Carolina DE Melvin Ingram. Says Sando: “Seattle already has a strong defense. Adding another pass-rusher is critical. Chris Clemons is signed through 2012. He needs help. Quarterback is the other obvious need. Kiper projects only two in the first round. Teams selected four among the top 12 choices last year. The Seahawks haven’t drafted one in the first round since 1993. Mike Teel, David Greene, Seneca Wallace, Jeff Kelly, Josh Booty and Brock Huard are the only quarterbacks Seattle has drafted since selecting Rick Mirer second overall in that ’93 draft. The Seahawks selected those players 142nd overall on average. Needing a quarterback doesn’t entitle a team to one. Speculation over targeting Matt Flynn in free agency will continue in the absence of evidence the Seahawks have interest. I’m skeptical.” I’m with Sando on both counts – that adding Ingram, or another rush-end, would only make an already good defense stronger and fill a need; and the constant talk of adding Flynn is just that.
So, do you root for the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday because they’re in the same division as the Seahawks? Or, do you root against them for the same reason? Whichever you chose, Dan Banks at SI.com has a look at past 49ers-Giants matchups in the playoffs: “The irony of this most unexpected pairing can’t be missed. The NFC Championship Game matchup that we never saw coming – Giants versus 49ers – is actually one we’ve become very familiar with over the course of the past three decades of postseason history. No two NFL teams have met in the playoffs more often than San Francisco and New York, with Sunday’s title game at Candlestick Park marking their league record-tying eighth postseason showdown, all from 1981 on.”
John Boyle at the Everett Herald says it’s OK to be OK with the 49ers’ win over the Saints, and also would be with another over the Giants. Here’s why: “Time and time again, we’ve heard Pete Carroll preach the value of defense, running the football and winning the turnover battle. That formula led to some success for the Seahawks in the second half of the season, but even as the Seahawks were winning, people asked if that formula can work anymore in the now pass-happy NFL. Well with four teams remaining in the playoffs, there are two – New York and New England – that do rely heavily on the passing game, but the other two teams still standing, Baltimore and San Francisco, got this far using the same formula Carroll is trying to win with in Seattle.”
The Associated Press, via CBSSports.com, has the word on Nolan Cromwell becoming the latest person with ties to the Seahawks catching on with the Browns. Cromwell, the Seahawks wide receivers coach from 1999-2007, will be a senior offensive assistant – replacing Keith Gilbertson, the former Seahawks and University of Washington coach who is retiring.
And speaking of those with ties to the Seahawks, The Associated Press, this time via NFL.com, has the rundown on promotions for Mike Reinfeldt, Ruston Webster and Lake Dawson with the Titans: “(Owner Bud) Adams announced Wednesday that general manager Mike Reinfeldt now is senior executive vice president and chief operating officer, with Ruston Webster promoted to general manager and Lake Dawson to vice president of player personnel.”

Source: Seahawks.com