Well, it was fun while it lasted

Published on May 2, 2011 by Tacoma News Tribune (Feed)     

The NFL opened it doors for players Friday – for at least a day.

And Seattle Seahawks players took full advantage, showing up for treatment and evaluations from team trainers, meeting with new position coaches and picking up playbooks before the league closed it doors again at the end of the business day.

“The coaches were waiting for them (the players), and we pounced on them,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. “We sent out a bunch of information during the window period that we had. I thought our staff competed beautifully. We talked to everybody that we could contact. Everybody jumped right on the phones, and let guys know that we’re still alive and pumping.”

Players who showed up at the facility included receivers Golden Tate and Deon Butler, tight end John Carlson and defensive backs Roy Lewis and Marcus Trufant.

“I think guys will start trickling back in. It’s time to get started, get this ball rolling,” Lewis told The Associated Press. “I’m excited. I’m excited about our pick last night. Our run game is going to be nice, so I’m really excited.”

Players’ access to team headquarters was cut short by day’s end when the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis granted the league’s request for a temporary stay of the injunction that lifted the 45-day lockout, allowing the lockout to be reinstated by the league.

So just when it appeared the league year would soon begin, including the possibility of free agency and trades, the NFL slammed on the brakes and closed its doors.

“Just in general, it was fun,” Carroll said. “We coached the heck out of some guys in the hallways and stuff. We didn’t quite have enough guys to go 7-on-7. I was ready to throw if we needed it. … For Tom (Cable, offensive line coach) to get his notebooks in his guy’s hands, and for Darrell (Bevell, offensive coordinator) to get his stuff to Charlie (Whitehurst), that’s important stuff for us. And fortunately, we took full advantage of it.”

Tags: Charlie Whitehurst, coach pete carroll, Darrell Bevell, defensive backs, Deon Butler, Hallways, John Carlson, Marcus Trufant, offensive coordinator, Offensive Line Coach, Playbooks, Position Coaches, Roy Lewis, Run Game, SEATTLE SEAHAWKS, Team Headquarters, Team Trainers, Tight End, Tom Cable, Window Period