THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: A safe bet to say Seahawks will be in the mix

When did football season end?

Ah …

Silly question.

If we’re talking about the NFL, somehow the new season begins about 10 minutes after the Super Bowl.

We’re not entirely spoofing.

You’ll recall that the Eagles got stuck with a defensive holding penalty right at the finish of SB Roman Numeral-Roman-Roman-Roman — and thus Kansas City had its second Lombardi Trophy in the short but stunning career of Patrick Mahomes.

Then, after a few hours of the Chiefs’ celebrating with cigars and champagne…

It was time to talk about the draft.

OK, I’m exaggerating, but not by all that much.

The draft extravaganza, which is now a red carpet event like the Academy Awards, splashed over three days — beginning on April 25.

A month after that, more or less, veterans and rookies get to know each other — but without the violence — during a week of Organized Team Activities (OTAs).

These gatherings are voluntary.

LOL!!!

Anyhow, another month passes so everyone can take a deep breath, and then it’s time for minicamp.

This affair actually IS mandatory (unless you’re Lamar Jackson, or some comparable millionaire squabbling with your paymasters).

In any event, OTAs and minicamps must be completed without pads, or even bad attitudes.

ALL THE off-season camps, bonfires and running plays like a flag football team serve as warm-up acts for today.

Now it’s time to tee it up.

Teams get the green light on various days this week, but for the Seahawks …

This is it.

Training camp.

Seattle’s roster has checked in as immense — both in numbers and weight.

NFL teams can carry as many as 90 massive athletes during camp and 53 for regular-season wars, and now it’s all business leading up to the first exhibition game – against Minnesota on Aug. 10 at Lumen Field.

The Seahawks face Dallas nine days later, and then visit Green Bay on the 26th — which is just a glorious date for a must-see visit to the Fox River, and the stadium that Vince built.

No fooling around after that, however.

The schedule that goes on your official ledger sheet begins with a home game against the NFC West rival Rams on Sunday, Sept. 10.

The truth about this season is nobody — truly, nobody, knows how good (or otherwise) the Seahawks could turn out to be.

Yes, we’ll give you updates on camp progresses, peer at surprisingly good rookies — see: Tariq Woolen, 2022 –— and pass along any grim news (poor play, injuries, etc.) as camp rumbles along.

It’s fair to say, at least here on Day One, that the Hawks haven’t lost any bona fide stars from a team that went 9-8 and earned a wild-card playoff spot a year ago.

Coach Pete Carroll, who some football historians insist was present along with George Halas and Curly Lambeau for the founding of the NFL a century ago, teamed with Seattle GM John Schneider to uncork a tremendous draft class a year ago — and most league insiders suspect that the Hawks brass may have done it again here in ’23.

If that’s true, and the resurrection of QB Geno Smith continues (remember, he hadn’t started a game since 2014), the Seahawks could possibly fight it out with anybody this time around.

That would be handy, since the 49ers — one of the league’s true sluggers — won the NFC West last year and made it to the conference title game.

The Hawks’ first and most critical goal has to be dealing with San Francisco, and we’re not talking about complaints over a bad loaf of sourdough bread.

HOPEFULLY, you memorize these columns as you read along (yeah, just kidding), but if so, you’ll recall a reference to how the Seahawks seem to have everybody fooled as they head into the ’23 season.

That includes the Vegas wise guys, which is REALLY saying something.

Most early betting lines have the over/under on Seattle regular-season victories at nine.

Even if you DON’T memorize the Cheap Seats, paragraph by paragraph, surely you recall that the Hawks won exactly nine games a year ago — which essentially is complimenting this year’s team because the schedule is considerably tougher.

What’s amazing about the legal betting lines, however, is that — at the moment — the point spread for NINE of the Seahawks’ 17 games is three points or less.

In other words, don’t bet the mortgage money if you have a heart condition.

Or throw more than you can afford at the Seahawks-Steelers game with Big Jimmy the Bouncer down at the Bucket O’Blood Tavern.

Here’s a good working example of how the Hawks currently have pretty much everyone puzzled …

Seattle currently sits as a 3 1/2-point favorite over the Rams in that Sept. 10 opener.

But now, fast forward to Nov. 19, when the Hawks visit SoFi Stadium down south, and the Rams are a one-point favorite.

Those games fall into the lyrics of an old gambler’s saying …

“You can win ‘em, you can lose ‘em, or you can have nothing to do with ‘em.”

But of course, these are the Seahawks, so …

We’ve got to have SOMETHING to do with ‘em.

It’s a local ordinance.

Right, Geno?

Email: [email protected]

Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press four times each week, normally Tuesday through Friday unless, you know, stuff happens.

Steve suggests you take his opinions in the spirit of a Jimmy Buffett song: “Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On.”