Seahawks look to join Seattle's sports revival

Some day, the year will become part of Seattle's lore. The lost year of 2008, when sports in Seattle collapsed like an ill-constructed overpass in an earthquake.

Arguably no city ever had a worse sports year than Seattle did in 2008. It not only lost games, it lost an entire franchise. The Mariners lost 101 times. Washington football went 0-12.

The Seahawks lost their offensive line and wide receiver corps, their Pro Bowl quarterback and, oh yeah, 12 games. And the city lost the Sonics, who moved to Oklahoma City and became the Thunder.

It was a 12-month horror. A Coen Brothers movie gone terribly wrong. Freddy Krueger was the commissioner of Seattle sports in 2008.

Season to season the story got redundant. The losses became familiar. The energy was sucked out of the city. Going to the games felt more like a chore than a celebration.

But 2009 has become the Season of Recovery. From the Mariners, to the Sounders, from the Storm to the national champion Washington softball team, from Husky men's basketball to Husky football, hope is alive.

In 2009, there have been games, teams, months worth celebrating.

Now we turn to the Seahawks, who have sworn to us that 2008 was some kind of horrifying anomaly. Surely no team could go through the crush of casualties this team experienced in '08.

Except that now, luminous left tackle Walter Jones is hurt again. And Pro Bowl cornerback Marcus Trufant is out. Center Chris Spencer is down and, if you believe in omens, these injuries feel ominous.

But let's not wallow in recent history and omens. Let's look at what is. Let's ditch 2008, the same way the Seahawks ditched running back T.J. Duckett and safety Brian Russell this summer, and look ahead to this season.

This is the Hawks' mulligan year, a second-chance season. It's the season to prove that last year was some wild, uncontrollable catastrophe. A season to get healthy and happy again.

Let's start with quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, who looked like, well, Matt Hasselbeck this summer, both in camp and in exhibition games. He was sharp and smart and healthy and, despite some warts in the running game, the offense moved when he played.

His receivers are healthy again. For the first time since he came to Seattle, Nate Burleson is getting the ball in space, which allows him to use his athleticism and get yards after the catch.

Hasselbeck and newcomer T.J. Houshmandzadeh is a match made in Canton. Tight end John Carlson looks even better than he did a year ago. He's Pro Bowl good.

The offensive line, despite the dings, is better than last season. Sean Locklear suffers from comparisons with Jones (who wouldn't?), but if he were a free agent he would command millions. And rookie Max Unger, a second-round pick, is looking like the steal of the draft. He can start at guard. He can start at center.

The Hawks were 4-0 in exhibition games. Of course the Detroit Lions were 4-0 last year, then lost 16 straight. And Seattle's exhibition schedule was yogurt soft. Syracuse basketball coach Jim Boeheim schedules tougher preseasons.

So this summer hasn't been the best barometer. There were ambiguities in August.

The Hawks were alarmed enough about their running game to sign Edgerrin James late last month. And they were concerned enough about their secondary to agree to a deal with safety Lawyer Milloy on Saturday.

Both were out of work before the Hawks called. Can they be ready right away?

The holes in the secondary, especially in Trufant's absence, are frightening. Denver quarterback Kyle Orton — Kyle Orton — lit up the Hawks in the second exhibition game.

Milloy, a true gladiator and a reminder of past Husky glories, and returning cornerback Ken Lucas should make the Seahawks' coverages more physical.

The linebackers are the strength of the defense. Although they didn't do it in the exhibitions, expect the Hawks to blitz much more under coach Jim Mora and defensive coordinator Gus Bradley than they did in the Mike Holmgren years.

The Seahawks look like contenders in the weak, weak NFC West. They won't travel to the East Coast, where they have been notoriously bad (0-4 last season).

Their comeback season comes with no guarantees. Many questions hang as the opener against St. Louis looms. But if they stay relatively healthy — no more injuries the size of Jones or Trufant — the Hawks can win nine games.

They can win the West and continue this city's Season of Recovery.

Steve Kelley: 206-464-2176 or skelley@seattletimes.com.