Holmgren returns to style that made him great coach

	Mike Holmgren returns to the Super Bowl for the first time since his Packers lost to the Broncos in 1998. Harry How/Getty Images

To know how far Mike Holmgren has come as the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks, all you need to do is rewind to the team's bye in Week 8, when he baffled his players by giving them the entire week off. Holmgren going soft on them in the middle of the season? Fullback Mack Strong was so stunned that he initially thought it was some type of cruel joke.

The Seahawks now see that as the first major indication of how much Holmgren trusted this team. There had been issues in the past -- immature players, disappointing losses -- that made it impossible for him to believe thoroughly in his roster, but those problems vanished this season. For the first time in seven years, Holmgren could relax and let this team grow into the dominant unit it's become, one that's one victory away from a Super Bowl championship.

You could actually sense a change in Holmgren as far back as training camp, when he operated as if a huge burden had been lifted off his shoulders. In many ways it had. He had won the front-office power struggle with team president Bob Whitsitt, a lengthy, contentious battle that nearly led to Holmgren quitting after last season (owner Paul Allen talked him out it.) In retrospect, it seems crazy that a man with Holmgren's credentials -- he's making his third Super Bowl appearance -- could be frustrated to the point of wanting to quit, but that's how disappointing his time in Seattle had been.

He came to town in 1999 as the franchise's savior, a coach who had resurrected the Green Bay Packers earlier that decade and was eager to give the Seahawks a taste of the good life. He soon learned that such a goal was harder to achieve than anybody thought. Yes, Holmgren was a great coach. But he also was a man too driven by his own ambition, too anxious to prove that he could win as both the coach and the general manager.

Today, Holmgren is back to what he does best -- patrolling the sidelines, creating strategies and inspiring players. He relinquished most of his personnel responsibilities four years ago, but it wasn't until this year that he had a strong executive to aid his pursuits. When Allen hired Tim Ruskell to replace Whitsitt during the offseason, he gave Holmgren all the help he needed to enter this season with more focus than ever.

When Holmgren looks at his roster these days, he sees more than stars such as NFL MVP Shaun Alexander, Pro Bowl quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and two of the best offensive linemen in the league: left tackle Walter Jones and left guard Steve Hutchinson. He sees experienced role players with extensive playoff experience, veterans such as wide receiver Joe Jurevicius, cornerback Andre Dyson and defensive end Bryce Fisher. These were all free agent acquisitions that Ruskell signed last offseason and they've solidified the character of a team that was ready to explode.