The Seattle Times
Looking for a good listen during this time of self-isolation? The Seahawks’ Pete Carroll and the Golden State Warriors’ Steve Kerr have you covered.
The two championship coaches have teamed up with The Ringer to host a series of podcasts called “Flying Coach,” in order to raise money for coronavirus relief efforts.
The podcast, which debuted Monday, will cover a variety of topics and will have other coaches on for guest appearances.
The Ringer has donated $100,000 to The Seahawks Charitable Foundation and another $100,000 to the Warriors Community Foundation. Kerr and Carroll are using the platform to raise additional funds.
“They wanted to do this. They wanted to raise money. They wanted to raise awareness,” The Ringer CEO and founder Bill Simmons said on his podcast Sunday night.
“The most shocking thing for us was it turned out Pete handled the technology better than Steve,” Simmons joked about Carroll, 68, and Kerr, 54. “Pete nailed it, Steve struggled.”
On the first episode, the coaches discussed their formative coaching years, mentors and their philosophies as leaders.
The two also reflected on a visit Kerr made to Seahawks training camp for three days in 2014. Carroll’s Seahawks were coming off a Super Bowl win, and Kerr had just been named coach of the Warriors after leaving his job as a broadcaster.
“You may have come in to see what you could pick up from us, but I had you in there to see what I could pick up from you,” Carroll said.
The coaches reflected on who inspired them and how they developed their philosophies over the years. But what Kerr remembered most from the meeting — aside from getting to shoot hoops in the team facility or sitting in the huddle with Russell Wilson — was a question from Carroll: “How are you going to coach your team?”
Kerr thought he was talking about X’s and O’s, but Carroll was getting at something deeper.
“The more I looked back on the people who had impressed me over the years, I had major influence from guys like Bud Grant when I was at Minnesota for those five years and Monte Kiffin, a guy who I had coached with for years,” Carroll said of his mentors. “It was these unique people, and they had their way and their style.”
“I wanted you to think about who are you as a coach. What are you all about? Where are you coming from? What are your uncompromising principles? What are you gonna stand by? What do you stand for?”
The next episode is expected to be released this week.
Hawks bring back veteran guard Iupati
The Seahawks are re-signing veteran guard Mike Iupati, which was first reported by Tom Pelissero of NFL Media, adding to an already-stacked offensive line room.
A source confirmed to the Seattle Times that the move, which will give the Seahawks 17 offensive linemen on their current roster, is expected to happen.
Iupati, 33, has agreed to come back on a one-year deal, though no financial terms were immediately available.
Iupati, who played at Idaho and later had stints with the 49ers and Arizona, started 15 games last season for Seattle at left guard in his first year with the Seahawks but then missed the playoffs with a stinger/neck injury. However, that the team is re-signing Iupati indicates there are no urgent concerns about Iupati’s health.
Because Seattle already had 16 offensive linemen either signed, agreed to terms or having been tendered, it was unclear if Iupati was still in the team’s plans.
But Iupati is a favorite of line coach Mike Solari, who also coached Iupati when each was with the 49ers from 2010-14, and the team perceived him as playing well last season when he was healthy. He started the final 15 regular season games after missing the opener with a foot injury and his 1,015 snaps were the second-most of his career.
And bringing back Iupati could potentially foreshadow a pending move with center Justin Britt, especially in light of Seattle also having signed B.J. Finney as a free agent last month.
There was much speculation when he signed last month on a two-year deal worth up to $8 million that Finney could be in line to take over for Iupati at left guard.
But Finney has also been viewed as a possible candidate at center — the Seahawks, in fact, list Finney solely as a center on their current roster.
Britt’s future has been a matter of rampant speculation for a while now as his release would save the Seahawks $8.5 million against the salary cap if done either before or after June 1. Britt is also recovering from an ACL injury suffered in a game at Atlanta on Oct. 27. He would likely have to be released with an injury designation.
Seattle also lists Joey Hunt as a center — he has been tendered as a restricted free agent — and Ethan Pocic and Kyle Fuller as guard/centers.
So, the team has plenty of potential candidates at center, and that much more depth at the interior line positions with Iupati now back in the fold.
Iupati will likely again be atop the depth chart at left guard heading into camp. But others who will compete there include Pocic, who started the first game of last season at left guad when Iupati was still recovering from a foot injury, as well as Jamarco Jones, who filled in for Iupati for the playoff games, and Phil Haynes, who then took over in the divisional playoff loss at Green Bay when Jones was injured.
Warmack also figures to be given a shot at one or both guard spots —48 of his 51 career NFL starts are listed as having come at right guard, according to Pro Football Reference. Seattle also last week re-signed Jordan Simmons, who can play guard or tackle.
D.J. Fluker returns as the presumptive starter at right guard.
But Fluker also has just one year left on his contract and he the Seahawks could save $3.687 million against the cap if he is released either before or after June 1.
Lots of bodies, and lots more intrigue, with Seattle’s offensive line, with Iupati’s return Tuesday only adding to it all.
