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With the hiring of new head coach Pete Carroll comes the end of the road for quarterback Matt Hasselbeck. Or at least it would seem, since Hasselbeck has never run an offense other than the West Coast Offense in his entire NFL career. Carroll is bringing Jeremy Bates with him as offensive coordinator and Bates, as have USC OCs since the dawn of time, it seems, brings a completely different scheme with him.

At Southern California, Bates ran a much more spread out, traditional pro-style offense that was not built around a short passing game and quick-strike slants. In fact, Bates, who has also coached in Denver, Tampa Bay and with the New York Jets, has never coached the WCO. He was in Denver with Mike Shanahan’s version of the west coast offense, but was not calling plays. So any line of thinking that suggests he might be changing things up just goes right out the window and SPLAT on the sidewalk — it’s not happening.

Hasselbeck isn’t incapable of learning a new offense; he’s incredibly well-read, always prepared and would never be caught in a scenario where mistakes were made because he didn’t do his homework. But he’s not a fit in any other offense, really, due to the lack of ideal arm strength and foot speed. He’s mobile, but won’t create plays with his feet, so the quick drops are key for him, and one of his biggest strengths is reading defenses, something critical in the WCO.

He’s 35 in September and is coming off two sub par seasons in which the Seahawks won a total of nine games, and while there’s still gas left in the tank, the rebuilding Seahawks really shouldn’t have much use for him, maybe not even for one more year.

There have been rumors that Mike Holmgren, the new czar of football in Cleveland, may seek a trade for his former Super Bowl QB, and Hasselbeck could be a trade fit in several places, including Minnesota should Brett Favre retire, Arizona with Kurt Warner hanging them up at season’s end, and Washington, where Shanahan will likely move on fron Jason Campbell.

It’s not a mistake, necessarily, for Seattle to keep Hasselbeck for another year, since tossing a soon-to-be-drafted QB into the fire right away is typically complete insanity, but we shouldn’t be surprised if he’s traded this offseason, either. And if that happens, the Hawks will have traded the best quarterback in team history, and one that never really did get the attention he deserved as an upper-echelon QB, thanks to huge seasons by Shaun Alexander and the presence of Holmgren.

But it’s clear that Hasselbeck will not be leading Seattle’s next playoff run, thus leading to the belief that the era is over in Seattle.

We don’t really want Pete Carroll to be Jim Mora’s replacement, so 206Ball’s Chris Crawford decided to make a mixed tape — not a CD, a tape — and send it out to coach Bill Cowher to try and convince him to come to Seattle. Ya see, we assume that Paul Allen and Tod Leiweke are wise enough to check in on Cowher’s level of interest in a job way up in South Alaska. So if the Seahawks are offering the job to Carroll, we have to assume it’s because Cowher either did not want to come this far north and west, or he wanted to be team president, GM and head coach all wrapped into one.

So Crawford, who has a man crush on Cowher like nobody’s business (seriously, he talks about Cowher more than any other human being not named Michael Scott), put together his tape and sent it off Friday.

Here’s what was on the tape, to go with a little explanation or a note to Cowher himself.

1. Perry Como’s “Seattle” — Perry Como said that the bluest skies he’s ever seen are in Seattle … why would Perry Como lie, Bill?
2. Nirvana’s “Memorabilia” –  You can come as you are, as you want to be. Just come Bill, come.
3. Jimi Hendrix’s “Purple Haze” –  Excuse me while I kiss your ring, Mr. Cowher. Listen to that solo, tell me that doesn’t inspire you to come to the 206.
4. Heart’s “Barracuda” – Hear that bass? Thats the sound of 67,000 Seahawk fans rumbling. Nancy Wilson is asking for you Mr. Cowher, won’t you heed her call?
5. Sir Mix A Lot‘s “Posse on Broadway” — Not only is it a cool song? It’s a map, your eminence. All the cool spots in one song, Bam!
6. Presidents of the United States of America’s “Lump” – There’s a lump in my throat just thinking of how great it would be to have you on the sideline.
7. Faith Hill’s “This Kiss” — Okay, this one has nothing to do with Seattle, but it’s that pivotal moment, Bill. Its perpetual bliss.
8. Temple Of The Dog’s “Hunger Strike” — Not only a great song featuring two of Seattle’s most prominent singers, but I’ll do it if it means you are here and not Pete Carroll.
9. Flamingos’ “I only Have Eyes For You” – I don’t have to explain what this ones about. And by the way, I totally get that I’m to stay 500 feet away from you after games.
10. The PostalService’s “Such Great Heights” — No one else out there can take you to the top, your majesty. Not Pete, Not any coordinator. It’s you Bill, it HAS to be you.

With the regular season over and the postseason beginning this weekend, it’s time to take the initial look at the NFL Draft. In Seattle it should be a fun time, as the hapless Seahawks enter April’s event with three of the first 38 selections, which bodes well for a team with so many holes to fill.

We can thank the departed Tim Ruskell for the No. 14 overall pick, acquired from Denver on draft day 2009 for the Hawks’ second rounder.

Chicago and Carolina are the only two teams without first-round picks, with San Francisco sitting pretty with the Seahawks, as they also own two firsts this year.

At the top, there’s little doubt who the top prospect is, and it sounds like St. Louis, who need a quarterback in the worst way, aren’t likely to stretch for one with the best player in the draft sitting there waiting for them.

Chris Crawford chimed in solo on this one, but we’ll collaborate and update weekly until draft day comes.