Source: Tacoma News Tribune
Nothing special for Seahawks

DARRIN BEENE; The News Tribune
Published: December 25th, 2006 01:00 AM

What's a polite way to put how the Seattle Seahawks special teams played Sunday? Uneven? Some good plays, some bad? Any other choices?

"We had all kinds of things going on," safety Oliver Celestin said, to put it nicely. "Sometimes it happens."

Everything seemed to happen to Seattle's special teams in the 20-17 loss to the San Diego Chargers. There were fumbles, near fumbles, penalties and crazy plays in coverage.

The most damaging, though, was a holding penalty called on tight end Ben Joppru in the third quarter that cost the Seahawks a touchdown.

To start the second half, the Chargers drove down the field and kicked a field goal to up their lead to 10-0. On the ensuing kickoff, Seahawks returner Nate Burleson broke from the pack and had just the kicker, Nate Keading, to beat.

Burleson did it, but the celebration of his 96-yard return was short-lived. The referees had called Joppru for holding. No touchdown.

"I blocked the same guy that I had blocked two returns before, and I put him on his back the same way I did the play before," said Joppru. "When I heard my number, yeah, I was surprised.

"That's a touchdown. That's huge, that's huge."

Joppru said he wasn't mad, nor did he blame the officials.

"Holding is a judgment call. In his judgment it was holding, and in mine … I don't know what it was," he said.

Source: Tacoma News Tribune
Revolving-door Hawks contribute

DAVE BOLING; THE NEWS TRIBUNE
Published: January 11th, 2007 01:00 AM

KIRKLAND – Rich Gardner, professional football player, was excited Wednesday afternoon because his roommate, Pete Hunter, planned to prepare his specialty for dinner.

Macaroni and cheese.

Ben Joppru, professional football player, was not certain where he was going to sleep Wednesday night.

His two most common places for bedding down recently have been an air mattress in Ryan Plackemeier's basement and a couch at Will Heller's place.

Not the image fans might have of the life of a member of the Seattle Seahawks?

"Probably not, no," Joppru said. "But I'm a couch and air-mattress guy these days."

Heller reports that Joppru, a fellow tight end, is a good boarder. "He follows the house rules; he makes it in by curfew."

And if he didn't?

"He could lose his TV privileges," Heller kidded.