The Seahawks' statement regarding Mike Holmgren's non-future with the team left much reading between the lines.

Only two things -- money or power or both -- reasonably could have stood between Holmgren and making this happen.

I have a very hard time believing the Seahawks offered Holmgren the job he wanted, only to have Holmgren turn down that job. It would not make sense given how much interest Holmgren had shown in rejoining the team as head of football operations. But if that indeed happened, then money must have been the issue.

Perhaps the Browns offered Holmgren far more money than the Seahawks were willing to offer, and the Holmgren camp, featuring agent Bob LaMonte, simply could not stomach taking so much less.

That also would seem odd given that Paul Allen is the wealthiest owner in the NFL. Would Allen lose a bidding war to the Cleveland Browns if landing Holmgren were his top priority?

Something doesn't smell right here.

My initial reaction was that the Seahawks were pulling off some sort of public-relations move with this statement. They didn't really want to hire Holmgren, my thinking went, but neither did they want to look bad for ignoring someone who had contributed so much to the organization. And so they offered him a job he could refuse.

The real story might never come out.

We know this: Neither the Seahawks or Holmgren look very good right now. Holmgren showed little regard for former general manager Tim Ruskell by repeatedly expressing interest while Ruskell was suffering through a tough season. Holmgren then pressured the organization into acknowledging his interest in the job. The Seahawks indulged that interest, but they failed to land him.

I'm heading to Qwest Field on Sunday. Here's hoping someone associated with the Seahawks explains what happened in greater detail.