Pete Carroll and QBs and Seahawks 2022

We’re 12 days away from the Seattle Seahawks start to the 2022 season. As with any NFL team the success of this season will depend in large part on the play of the teams quarterback. After trading Russell Wilson in March the Hawks will have a new QB for the first time since 2012. After a thoroughly uninspiring Preseason Coach Pete Carroll has named Geno Smith as the team’s leader.

As with most people Smith doesn’t leave me tingling with excitement at the prospect of him doing much of anything, really. I’ve said repeatedly since March Geno is the reincarnation of Tavaris Jackson. He’s a quarterback who is capable of moving his team between the 20s and before the 2:00 warning. But he has shown no particular talent for getting the ball in the end zone or even coming close inside 2-minutes of either the 1st or 2nd half.

I, however, choose to be optimistic about the play of our quarterback in 2022. The ONLY reason I choose to look on the bright side is because of Pete Carroll’s history with quarterbacks. Simply put, it is unparalleled excellence when he is the head coach. Let me explain.

In Carroll’s 2nd Head Coaching job he led the New England Patriots for 3 seasons. At New England he had former Cougar and Number 1 NFL draft pick Drew Bledsoe as his QB. Bledsoe had already been in the league 4 years before Carroll arrived and had established himself as one of the best at his position. But I think it’s important to note that nothing Carroll did slowed Bledoe’s career. In fact in March 2001, after only one season away from Carroll Bledsoe signed a $103-million dollar contract making him, at the time, the highest paid player in NFL history. Not soon after that Bledsoe’s career crumbled having been replaced at QB by The Goat, Tom Brady.

After being fired in New England Carroll resurrected his career at USC where he won multiple NCAA Championships AND continued to produce top-notch quarterbacks. In his first year at USC Carroll inherited an largely unimpressive, underachieving QB named Carson Palmer. In Carroll’s second year Palmer played so well he won the Heisman Trophy and was the first player selected in the NFL draft. Palmer went on to have a good, not great NFL career. Many would say he underachieved in the NFL. He didn’t have Carroll.

Carroll then won the National Championship the next year with Sophomore Matt Leinart as QB. Leinart won the Heisman the next year, 2004, as the Trojans won their 2nd straight National Championship. Leinart then left school early and was an NFL 1st round draft pick of the Arizona Cardinals. He famously did next to nothing in his NFL career failing to come close to the level of play he demonstrated when under Carroll’s direction.

Next quarterback on Carroll’s roster of success was Mark Sanchez. While Sanchez didn’t win any Heismans or National Titles he did play well enough in only 2 seasons to be drafted #6 in the NFL draft by the New York Jets. Carroll famously answered a reporter’s question truthfully by saying he felt Sanchez could benefit by staying in college one more year rather than leaving as a Sophomore. Sanchez, like Leinart, flamed out in the NFL. He is probably most remembered for “the butt fumble”. Look it up. It’ll make you laugh.

Carroll also coached Matt Cassell at USC. And while Cassell never played much, since he played behind Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart he was coached up enough to earn a fairly decent NFL career despite never having started a game in college.

Lastly, in 2012 as Seahawks Head Coach Carroll and GM John Schneider drafted a short (5’10”) quarterback out of Wisconsin via North Carolina late in that draft’s 3rd round. It’s important to note that every other NFL team passed on drafting Russell Wilson, some of them 3 times. Carroll coached Wilson into a probable NFL Hall of Fame career. Whether Wilson will follow the path of Carroll’s previous QB’s and stumble forward in a less than stellar remainder of his career remains to be seen.

The point is Carroll has one of the best record’s in football history of producing GREAT quarterbacks. At least they were great while playing for him. Will Geno Smith be a likewise beneficiary of Carroll’s Midas touch? That remains to be seen.

However, even without high end quarterback play I expect a Seahawk season better than what other’s are predicting.

Their offense will have some great running backs hauling the rock. And they have a rebuilt offensive line with stellar talent that only needs experience to improve over what we’ve had in recent years.

Ken Norton Jr. is gone as Defensive Coordinator and we can all expect addition by subtraction for the Seahawk’s defense this year. Norton was awful. The schemes I saw him running last year, in particular, were laughable. I saw Poona Ford in pass coverage more than once! The Seahawk’s defense will be better.

In looking at the schedule game by game I see 7 wins. Just like last year. I strikes me as a particularly brutal schedule. Try as I might to envision an 8th or a 9th win…I just don’t see it. But, if Geno surprises me and everybody else and follows the path of past Carroll QB’s we might all get a New Year’s treat for 2023, a playoff birth.

August 31, 2022
Categories: Sports, Washington State . Tags: , , , . Author: Michael Schuett . Comments: Comments Off on Pete Carroll and QBs and Seahawks 2022

4% Listing Commission, for now

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May 23, 2022
Categories: Business, Real Estate, Washington State . Tags: , , , , , . Author: Michael Schuett . Comments: Comments Off on 4% Listing Commission, for now

Celebrate Jesus’ birth confidently

All my life I have heard and read so many people trying to disprove the Christmas story or aspects of it. Incredible amounts of resources and time have gone into such efforts. Frankly, such people are missing the point and wasting their time. While his birth is certainly a miracle, the fact that Jesus Christ lived at all is significantly more important than whether his birth story is embellished, or even a complete fable.

Thousands of people witnessed the life, death and resurrection of Jesus and many of them documented it. Besides the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John there are other writings including the Gnostic gospels. The first known writing about Jesus was in the first century from noted Jewish historian Flavian Josephus. He wrote: “Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man.” He went on from there. Josephus also wrote about Jesus’ brother James, “the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ”. Josephus was born in 35 AD, was Jewish, and would later become a Roman citizen. So he wasn’t a Jesus follower (as they were called then) and had no agenda in promoting the story of Jesus.

Jesus didn’t start his ministry until he was approximately 30 years old. Prior to that he was little known outside his tiny village of Nazareth, and was mostly known there as Joseph the Carpenter’s son. The point is, by the time of his death and resurrection 30 years later, few beyond Mary, his mother, were present before or during the birth of Jesus. So it’s hard to imagine how the Christmas story came to be. The fact that it was inspired is indisputable and inspiring. But it’s details I have always maintained are not what’s most important.

He was born. And he did live. And his message to love one another and to forgive is a message that resonates and who can argue it’s importance?

So this weekend we celebrate his birth as we should. But remember his life, his message and his miraculous resurrection above all things. And honor him.

I welcome comments and am eager to hear different perspectives.

God Bless.

Merry Christmas

December 23, 2022
Categories: Christianity, parenting, Uncategorized . Tags: , , , , , , , , . Author: Michael Schuett . Comments: Comments Off on Celebrate Jesus’ birth confidently

What Democrats Believe in 2022

It’s a strange new world we live in. To say an old guy like myself is a little bewildered and upset at the changes being forced upon us in our country would be a serious understatement.

The changes without question are being forced down our throats by the leaders of the Democratic party. Even ten-twenty years ago such changes would have been laughable even by their proponents today. In fact, in many cases they were. In one relatively minor example we should all remember that Presidential candidates Barrack Obama AND Hillary Clinton said in 2008 they didn’t believe in same-sex marriage. Then by the end of Obama’s first term in office he had “evolved” his view to endorse something that hadn’t ever been an accepted practice in human history. Now, in large part due to Obama’s endorsement, same-sex marriage is the law of the land, has been for 8 years, and is seldom talked about as controversial anymore. Things have changed.

I may be wrong, but I don’t believe that most Democratic voters believe in what Democratic Politicians are propagating in 2022. I believe, like Republicans too, Democratic voters vote Democrat because they always have and (perhaps) until now have not felt a need to change.

What will we all think 8-10 years from now about today’s debates? I think its important that we take a close look. If Democratic voters actually thought about these things, or knew about them, perhaps, like Elon Musk, they can undergo a change in their voting habits and see that voting Democrat is not in their best interest.

  1. Democrats believe in abortion everywhere with no limitations. A child can be “aborted” (killed) moments from live birth in the eyes of Democrats. All but 1 Democratic U.S. Senator voted in favor of a bill saying as much.
  2. Democrats believe that men can be women and vice versa. And more importantly they believe that those who feel they are a different gender than what biology dictates that they are YOU and I and everyone else must address them and refer to them as the sex they falsely claim to be. Failing to do so will results in consequences including expulsion from school and criminal charges.
  3. Democrats believe men can get pregnant, have babies or abort those babies. They have testified as such in Congressional hearings.
  4. Democrats believe the creation of the nation of Israel was evil and it should be expunged.
  5. Democrats believe that all Republicans are racists.
  6. Democrats believe that all white people are racist oppressors.
  7. Democrats believe that we should not discriminate based on race in the job market, school admissions, or anywhere else…unless those being discriminated against are white or if they are Christian.
  8. Democrats believe everything on this list, 1-6, should be taught in our public schools from kindergarten through high school.
  9.  Democrats believe in censorship. They don’t believe in the 1st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
  10. Democrats believe in increasing taxes for the rich. They need to pay their fair share; even though more than 40% of this country pays no Federal Income tax. (Elon Musk paid over $11-billion in Federal taxes in 2021).
  11. Democrats believe in open borders. People from other countries need to be able to come into our country any time they want for any reason they want. Individually they will say they don’t; but their actions bely their true beliefs.
  12. Democrats want only electric vehicles driving on our roads by 2030, eight years from now. Legislatures in California and Washington have voted for this in recent years.
  13. Democrats HATE America. This is inarguable. Their very own leader, Barrack Obama basically admitted it when he said he wanted to fundamentally change America in 2008.

America is not perfect. But to fundamentally want to change it means to change what it is from its foundation.

And the changes being forced on all of us through threat, insult, intimidation, and force of law would fundamentally change our nation.

I may be wrong, but I don’t think most Democratic voters want these changes, or at least not all of them. We were a moral society. With these changes, we have to ask, are we still?

Thanks for visiting. Comments are welcome.

May 19, 2022
Categories: National Politics, Washington State . . Author: Michael Schuett . Comments: 1 Comment

Take Your Realtor Seriously

I am a Realtor. My wife is a Realtor. Together we lead The Schuett Team of Keller Williams Bellevue Realty. Maria and I have had a long and deep passion for the real estate industry.

My passion didn’t begin until about 1994 when my wife, at that time, had earned a very large commission check at her job as a television station advertising and marketing specialist. She insisted that we should take that money and buy a home. We were both young and didn’t know what we were doing. But we found a home that suited us. We bought it. We improved it. And after only a few years we moved into a house double in size. And we did it without selling our first house. Instead, we kept it as a rental. We only sold it when we wanted to buy a new home in a new location only 8-9 years after buying our 1st home.

It’s important to note that after buying our first home we had almost no money at all. There was nothing left in savings. We lived paycheck to paycheck, as the old saying goes. But because we had bought a house, we started accumulating wealth.

The Realtor we used to buy our first house was a fast talking Filipino woman who was the sister of a co-worker of mine, a co-worker who was one of the most skilled salespeople I have ever known. It seemed she was from the same school, because she sold us, and not in the most honest manner. She convinced us to make an offer on a house…”before we lost it to someone else.” We hadn’t been sure about the house. But the idea of losing it propelled us into making an offer. The house had been on the market for three months. In negotiating our offer the seller demanded a 90-day close. We were not in danger of losing the house. The Realtor was just tired of showing us houses and wanted us to find something so she could move-on to someone else.

When we bought our second house about 3 years later we chose another real estate professional. This was a friend and co-worker who had just started his real estate career and was only doing it part-time. We wanted to help him. The house he showed us and we eventually bought was way outside the geographic area where we had asked him to look for homes. I still remember being upset as I followed him in our car to an unknown address. As we got further and further outside the area we wanted I was thinking, we might need to find someone else to help us. Then we saw the house and I loved it immediately. It checked all the numerous boxes I’d asked to be included in what we were looking for…except location.

Six-to-seven years later we were on the move again. For the sake of our children we felt we needed a more blue-collar neighborhood rather than continue to live with the the snobby, nose-in-the-air people in the community we had chosen. The former co-worker I hired for our second home search was no longer in real estate. So we chose someone with no referrals or references whatsoever. I don’t even remember how we found her. But she was located in the geographic area we wanted to consider. We ended up firing her after finding a house we liked without her help. She had repeatedly shown us homes that didn’t match our criteria and she didn’t find the one we did like, something I never understood, and understand even less now that I’m a Realtor myself. We ended up hiring a buying agent which came recommended to us by the house’s listing agent. Probably not the smartest move in the world. I don’t even remember their name. I think they were a woman. But I don’t even remember that.

At this point a the age of about 39, with my wife, I had bought 3 houses. The first two we kept as rentals for a period of time, before selling each. The first house was sold by a listing agent I have almost no memory of. They were chosen almost entirely because their brokerage office was close to the house we were selling.

Our second house and second rental was sold before we had to face the Capital gains tax for having lived outside it for three years. I do remember the listing agent. We chose him because he was a cut-rate agent and listed our home for only a 4% commission rate. I also remember this independent brokerage was out of business shortly after the real estate collapse of 2009. We did far more research in the choosing of a Realtor this time. Including the cut-rate guy two other agents submitted listing proposals to us. Each of the other two substantially underestimated the ultimate selling price of the house. The cut-rate guy submitted a proposal that would list the house at substantially more than the other two proposals. And even though we had to lower the price after a couple weeks on the market, we still sold it well above what the other two agents proposed listing it for. I don’t know what they were thinking.

Sadly, the third house was sold due to a divorce from my wife at the time. We hired a family member as our listing agent. And while they did a good job with some things, including the listing price, we weren’t completely satisfied. But being a family member we kept our concerns to ourselves.

As a divorced, single, self-employed man I was able to buy my own house less than two years after my divorce. I had one criteria in finding my buyer’s agent; I was looking for someone who would return the favor and do business with me and my marketing company. To make a long story short, this agent reneged on his promise to give me some business after my new home was purchased.

I was married to my beautiful wife Maria three years after my divorce. She was already a Realtor, and due to her urging I got my license too, in order to help her build our real estate business. Together we bought our current and what I hope will be my last home nearly 2 years ago.

In summary, through the purchase of five homes and the sale of five homes (Maria and I also sold our rental which had been her home prior to our marriage), I’ve made nearly every mistake in the book in hiring a real estate agent. I hired friends and relatives of friends. I’ve hired close family members. I’ve hired cut-rate agents. I’ve hired agents we’ve ultimately fired. I’ve hired agents that promised financial reciprocation. And I’ve hired agents having done almost no research on them or others at all. And in all cases (aside from the family member) I never heard from any of them ever again. Until Maria and I sold our two houses and bought our current one on our own I never got my house at what I thought was a particularly good price; and never sold a home for what I thought we should. In the case of selling the homes we have sold there was always an urgency that made selling them at less than best prices necessary. A good agent could and should have helped us with that.

When making one of the biggest decisions of your life, hiring someone to be your Realtor just because they are family, or a friend, or because they promise something they won’t put in writing is not the best approach. Wisdom and experience should be your measuring sticks for who represents you in deciding to buy or sell a home or investment property. When you look into a Realtor’s background and judge their knowledge you will make a better decision than by just having a friendly connection.

November 11, 2021
Categories: Business, Real Estate, Washington State . Tags: , , , , . Author: Michael Schuett . Comments: Comments Off on Take Your Realtor Seriously

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