Columnist Sal DeFilippo: Mariners’ success rubbing off on Seahawks

Sal DeFilippo

Friday, Oct. 19, 2001 | 10:16 a.m.

Sal DeFilippo's pro football column appears Friday. Reach him at sal@lasvegassun.com or 259-4076.

I wonder if Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren took in a few baseball games this season.

As the Mariners battle the New York Yankees for the right to move on to the World Series, Holmgren, in his third season as skipper of the city's football franchise, is trying to get those in the Pacific Northwest to take notice of his club, too.

Looking at last week's impressive 34-21 win over perennial AFC power Denver, you can find some similarities between the 3-2 Seahawks and the baseball club that won a record-tying 116 regular-season games this year.

Three years ago, the Mariners were stacked with three superstar players -- Randy Johnson, Ken Griffey Jr. and Alex Rodriguez. By this spring, all three were gone, and manager Lou Piniella has brought in a new mix of players to replace them: Ichiro, Bret Boone, John Olerud, Mark McLemore, Jeff Nelson and others.

Holmgren slowly is building his own style of club, filled with proven veterans and young talent that he can mold. Cortez Kennedy is gone, but John Randle, Levon Kirkland, Marcus Robertson and Reggie Tongue have strengthened the defense considerably.

Matt Hasselback is a young starter at QB, but because of an injury, Trent Dilfer has filled in and orchestrated consecutive victories. While not flashy, Dilfer has won 13 straight games, including last year's Super Bowl.

Ricky Watters also went down with an injured right shoulder, allowing the team's future, second-year back Shaun Alexander, to become the team's present. In the past two weeks, Alexander has gained 318 yards and scored four touchdowns.

With games remaining against 0-4 Washington, 1-4 Buffalo, 1-4 Dallas and two games with 1-4 Kansas City, this revamped Seattle club can make a serious push for the postseason.

This weekend, Seattle has a bye, and a good chance to allow some of its banged-up players to get healthier. Holmgren, meanwhile, can sit back and watch Denver and San Diego, each tied with the Seahawks a game behind Oakland in the tough AFC West, battle it out.

Or, maybe he'll just take in a Mariners game.