Seahawks WR Houshmandzadeh missed practice to attend Henry’s funeral

As a former Cincinnati Bengals player and playing seven seasons in Bengals jersey, the currently Seattle Seahawks wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh though it was necessary to miss team practice and attend former teammate’s funeral instead.

According to Seattle Coach Jim Mora, Houshmandzadeh will not practice Tuesday. Actually he has been already on his way to, or perhaps already in Louisiana to attend the service for Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry, who died last Thursday after falling out of the back of the pickup the previous day because of a dispute with his fiancé. Houshmandzadeh will return Tuesday night and may attend Wednesday’s practice on time.

Mora says Houshmandzadeh “was almost like a big brother” to Henry. Indeed, Houshmandzadeh played with Henry in Cincinnati from 2005-08, so it is no doubt that the two must have got along well with each other. Houshmandzadeh said everyone liked Henry and called his friend’s death “unbelievable.”

Houshmandzadeh is shocked with fuss in Seattle

The Seattle Seahawks current wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh tried to express he was totally a different receiver from Steve Largent. He did not think it necessary for people in Seattle to fuss about his way of express his feelings.

Perhaps people in Seattle were just used to their star receivers being quiet yet ultra productive like Largent, but Largent has been the past, Houshmandzadeh is Houshmandzadeh himself and he obviously does not like to behave like another person.

“I like myself, man, I really do,” Houshmandzadeh said Friday. The receiver angrily gestured toward quarterback Matt Hasselbeck to throw the ball more loft in the first quarter last weekend in Dallas. And in the third quarter, Houshmandzadeh was seen angrily shouting on the sidelines following the end of another possession in Seattle’s eventual blowout loss. The NFL’s leading receiver the previous three seasons had only 35 receptions in seven games with Seahawks.

Houshmandzadeh simply did not think there is any problem in his gestures or comments, as he said, he has been doing that since he put on NFL jersey and his former teammates from the Cincinnati Bengals were even surprised to see him not doing that until Game 7.

There is no necessary link between productivity and mode of act, so Seattle fans should be getting used to their outspoken wide receiver from now on.

Seahawks tackle Jones was placed on IR but not to end career

The Seattle Seahawks six-time All-Pro left tackle Walter Jones was eventually placed on the team’s injured reserve list on Wednesday. But the 35-year-old refused to end his NFL career just like this and said he would attempt a return in 2010.

It is the end of his 2009 season as well as the end of months of trying to return from the two surgeries the nine-time Pro Bowl selection has had on his left knee since he last played last Thanksgiving. Now he needs a rest and to gain enough strength for playing chance in 2010. With riches and nothing left to prove, the pre-eminent left tackle in Seahawks jersey of his time still thinks it is not time to retire.

“Because it’s what I love,” the anchor to Seattle’s offensive line for the last decade said, chuckling. “It’s a game that I have put so much pride in and wanted to be the best at. So I still want to come out and do my job and play this game.”

Jones had microfracture surgery last December and missed his first games due to injury since his rookie season of 1997. He returned in time to take part in Seahawks’ training camp but could not get through it and had a second knee surgery in nine months soon later.

Seahawks QB Hasselbeck and Tackle Jones are not expected to play on Sunday

The Seattle Seahawks Coach Jim Mora said Wednesday that the team is prepared for playing Sunday’s game against the undefeated Indianapolis Colts without quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and best blocker Walter Jones.

One is three-time Pro Bowl passer, and the other is nine-time Pro Bowl left tackle and both have been missing practices for health problems. The 34-year-old Hasselbeck broke a rib 10 days ago and still cannot run, having pain even when he takes deep breath. So Seneca Wallace is likely to make a second consecutive start this weekend.

As for the 35-year-old Jones, he did not practice this week with pain in his left knee, which underwent a surgery in August. Mora said the team will give Jones enough time to recover, so he is not sure whether Jones will play at all in 2009 season.