Climbing a Tiger
Published 11:16 pm Wednesday, August 1, 2007
KIRKLAND – Patrick Kerney lost his lunch. Darryl Tapp almost threw in the towel. And Jordan Babineaux couldn’t get the 45-year-old man off his back.
This wasn’t a grueling practice at Seattle Seahawks training camp, but something much more daunting.
Several times over the offseason, new defensive backs coach Jim Mora took different Seahawks players up the 21/2-mile trek of Tiger Mountain, an Issaquah landmark that has an elevation of about 2,500 feet.
“It’s a difficult climb,” said Mora, who started making the uphill hike with former University of Washington teammate Mark Pattison. “We try to do it in under 38 minutes, right in there.
“… Not to name names, but there are a few (players) that have taken an hour. But they all kind of like it. More and more guys have wanted to do it.”
While Kerney got off to one of the most forgettable starts – he vomited 10 minutes into the hike but eventually made it to the end – Tapp had a memorable finish.
Mora, Pattison and Kerney had already completed the climb and were waiting for Tapp for more than an hour before deciding to start the run back down. About 400 yards from the top, they ran into Tapp, who was still plugging away. Mora suggested that Tapp turn around, but when the player heard that he was only 400 yards from the summit, he took off in a sprint and reached his goal.
Then there was Babineaux, who took hold of the challenge and shaved four minutes off his first hike, from 42 minutes to 38.
“You saw the competitiveness in Babineaux,” the 45-year-old Mora said. “The first time he did it, he followed me up. The second time, I followed him. And every time I got close to him, I’d give him a little poke and say, ‘Don’t let a 45-year-old man beat you.’”
Despite the grueling process, most of the players enjoyed the experience.
“A big part of bonding is getting comfortable enough with guys that you’re making fun of each other all the time,” Kerney said. ” (On Tiger Mountain), everyone’s on the same level.”
A new start: While high-strung former special teams coach Bob Casullo made his presence known because of his booming voice and outspokenness, his replacement has been a bit more relaxed.
Bruce DeHaven, who has held the same title with Buffalo, San Francisco and Dallas, has quietly made an impact on his new players.
“So far, it’s been a great introduction to a great relationship that hopefully is going to last for awhile,” said kicker Josh Brown, who appreciates the way DeHaven has cut down his workload in preparation for the regular season.
Punter Ryan Plackemeier, whose laid-back demeanor seems to be a better fit for DeHaven’s style, said he’s also excited about the change.
“Having a coach like Bob really helped me in my life,” Plackemeier said. “It helped me to lean on God and lean on my faith. … I had to bounce back and learn on my own. It was a challenging year, but I think I grew from it.
“Bruce helps me a little more with technique. He’s a very encouraging man. And he knows a lot.”
Another shoddy effort: For the second day in a row, head coach Mike Holmgren lost his temper during a practice. While Wednesday’s morning practice had its share of impressive plays, a few mental mistakes were what caught Holmgren’s eye.
After center Chris Spencer messed up a snap count during a team drill, Holmgren pulled the No. 1 offense off the field while sending a few choice words in Spencer’s direction. A few minutes later, when No. 3 center Austin King and quarterback David Greene botched an exchange, Holmgren stopped the drill altogether and told each unit to go to separate ends of the field and meet with their respective coordinators.
Quick slants: Wide receiver D.J. Hackett was absent for a second consecutive day because he and his wife were expecting a baby. … Fullback David Kirtman broke his right hand during the morning practice and is out indefinitely. Safety Patrick Ghee (hamstring) missed Wednesday’s practices and is listed as day-to-day.
