I can barley listen to the radio anymore with all the chuckleheads that populate the Seattle airwaves, but something I heard yesterday irked me more than usual."The Seattle Spots Guy" Dave Grosby has declared James Carpenter to be a bust because he was moved over to left guard to replace the injured Robert Gallery. Brock and Salk on 710 ESPN mostly agree with the assessment, adding insult to injury by saying that Carpenter was not a bust because we never should have expected him to be good. In their minds, he was always destined to suck. Most of the callers in the area seemed to agree. This assessment is typical, lazy, and more importantly; hogwash.
Dave Groz Myth #1:
Drafting a guard in round 1 is a reach; and Carpenter will ultimately play guard. Carpenter playing guard will never give the 'Hawks 1st round value.
FACT: The Seahawks drafted Steve Hutchinson 17th overall in the 2001 NFL draft (8 spots higher that Carpenter) to play (drumroll please): Left Guard. Is this pick considered a reach in retrospect? Obviously not. If Carpenter turns out like Hutchinson the Seahawks faithful will be weeping for joy.
Dave Groz Myth #2:
Andy Dalton would have been a better pick at 25.
FACT: Andy Dalton is not viable starter in the NFL. In all likelihood, he never will be. In his first preseason, Andy went 36 of 60 for 328 yards with 3 INT and 1 TD with a mean passer rating of 59.6. I can only imagine what kind of bust talk there would be if we had picked Dalton at 25. Bruce Gradkowski will be starting by week 8.
