THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: Seahawks experiencing the other side of success

The globe keeps turning, and our sports world likewise spins along. 

Dog eats dog. 

Dog eats … um, a tasty bowl from another coaching staff. 

If you thought that those 31 other teams would admire the Seahawks — but not bother trying to pluck a coach or two out of the Northwest — then I’m afraid you’re dreaming. 

Or you don’t understand football administration. 

It’s the game at every level, from high school upwards. 

In fact, gobbling up someone else’s talent isn’t limited to football. 

Arizona’s hot hoop crew really wasn’t getting much done until the big-money people in Tucson snagged Tommy Lloyd. 

Surely, you remember that after two decades as right-hand man for Mark Few, Tommy had an agreement in place to take over the Zags whenever Few stepped down. 

In that case, Few had no objection to losing Lloyd and, in fact, urged Tommy to take the Arizona job. 

“You’re not going to find a better opportunity,” the boss told Lloyd. 

“This is your shot.” 

That’s the best sort of parting, when both sides see the reward for a job well done. 

IT’S NOT always peaches and lollipops, of course. 

Every few days, we get another tale of a coach (or a team) doing some shady business to put together a top-level organization. 

Sometimes, there’s a mess. 

The Seahawks are dealing with some serious confusion in their surprising bid for the Super Bowl. 

Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak is a wanted man. 

The Atlanta Falcons have gone public with their desire to land Kubiak as their head coach. 

Sources around the league suggest that Tennessee has been batting eyelashes at Kubiak for some time now. 

None of this comes as a surprise. 

Klint’s dad, Gary, was a head coach in the NFL for 10 years, so he obviously knows the territory. 

Yes, there are some problems. 

The Seahawks would REALLY like Klint to be working 25 hours a day on pushing his troops into the Super Bowl. 

Everyone who knows Kubiak feels certain he’s all in with the Seahawks — but still, it’s tough in any business to juggle the offer of a lifetime with an incredibly hard, day-day cramming for success right now. 

That kind of double gig is almost impossible in college. You’re working like crazy to win a bowl game, still recruiting in cahoots with the rich dudes hoping to land the nation’s top gang of freshmen and transfers.   

It’s a nasty game. 

I probably don’t need to explain that plenty of these shenanigans take place in the dark. 

That’s where the pro game is so much better in handling talk of offers and actual references, 

There has been enough change in the NFL that most job switches occur more or less in the light of day. 

Klint Kubiak isn’t meeting Falcons head-hunters out in the dark behind a pool hall. 

At least there’s that. 

HOWEVER this season’s coaching merry-go-round winds up, there will be winners and losers. 

Sharp young coaches like Kubiak are going to have choices. 

College and pro football aren’t so different from any other businesses, really. 

Talent generally rises to the top. 

The flood of NIL money has made income from college football (and basketball) almost obscene. 

If you’re waiting for a cash limit, you might be twiddling your thumbs for a good long while. 

We’re going to see things like bizarre parity all over the place. I doubt you were expecting Indiana to take over college football in two shocking years. 

Is that good for the game? 

For the fans? 

Remember how the change took place, and you’ll be tempted to wonder. 

Locally, I suspect that Gonzaga will come out of this stampede in good shape.  

The Zags have stayed ahead of the game when it seemed damn difficult. 

From the WCC to the Pac-12, I’m voting they’ll be winners in this chaos. 

But no guarantees, boys and girls. 

None. 

Email: [email protected] 

Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press three times each week, normally Tuesday, Wednesday and 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.”