The Resurgence of Seattle

[CowboyinAmerica 2,840]

 

Seattle (AP) -- It's safe to say that last season didn't end exactly the way Seattle Bears fans would have liked. Stuck in a crowded conference, the Bears finished with the league's sixth-best record but missed the playoffs by virtue of sitting fourth in North America. Especially after the beginning of the season went so well, the end result was a bit heartbreaking.

 

But taking a bigger picture, though, last season wasn't supposed to be the leap for Seattle. Season 58 was the time all along where Seattle was aiming to jump into the league's upper echelon. And they now seem poised to do just that.

 

It certainly helps Seattle that there is now one grand conference, meaning that a situation last like year is no longer possible. With Calgary, Davos and likely Quebec still rebuilding, a playoff birth seems very likely. And unlike competitors in Riga and Helsinki, nobody on Seattle's team is entering depreciation, making now the opening that they've been looking for. It certainly doesn't hurt either that the Bears hold the second pick in the dispersal draft, with a player like Shawn Gretzky or Chase Keller possibly entering the fold.

 

"I have to say, I'm getting extremely excited for this upcoming season," winger Gabriel McAllister told the media following an offseason practice. "We've been building since I got here two seasons ago, but now's the time to break out. I don't think many people see Seattle coming, but with our depth, I think we might even have what it takes to go all the way."