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As part of Best of the NFL Week on ESPN.com, here are five bests for the NFC West:

Best stadium innovation: I'm all for downtown stadiums with open roofs and cityscape views. That wasn't practical in Arizona, where temperatures exceed even Kurt Warner's sizzling playoff passer rating. The Cardinals made the most of their climatic predicament by going with a retractable roof and, remarkably, what they hail as the first fully retractable field in the country. The natural-grass surface spends about 150 days each year basking in the Arizona sunshine, requiring only about an hour to slide back inside on a massive tray weighing 17 million pounds (the rough equivalent of 47,200 Deuce Lutuis). Cardinals players get to escape the heat on game days while playing on a natural-grass surface that ranks among the very best in biannual player surveys.

Best alumni assimilation: This one isn't close. Keena Turner is the 49ers' vice president of football affairs. Guy McIntyre serves as director of alumni. Jesse Sapolu, Steve Bono and Eric Wright are alumni coordinators. Dwight Clark is a business consultant. Team president Jed York grew up around the team during its 1980s glory days. He was a fan first and it shows in how eagerly the 49ers embrace their past. The other NFC West teams also employ former players, but not to the same degree. Retired Rams great Jack Youngblood has even accused that organization of failing to adequately embrace its alumni.

Best team facility: Few team headquarters in any sport can compete with the $75 million facility Seahawks owner Paul Allen constructed on Lake Washington, south of Seattle. The practice fields overlook the water, with swank homes staring back from the opposite shore. Giant doors slide up for an open-air experience in the players' weight room, offering views of the practice field and, nearby, the water. The team has flown in free agents via seaplane, docking right at the facility. Square footage is right around 200,000 -- second highest in the NFL, according to the team -- and includes an indoor practice facility adjacent to the locker room. No other facility in the division comes close.

Best billionaire owner: Allen has the clear edge for now based on the Seahawks' success over the past decade, but Stan Kroenke's prospects deserve our attention. Kroenke has proven himself as a capable owner in other sports. He has also engaged his fellow NFL owners in ways Allen simply refuses to do. That gives Kroenke the ability to make the Rams more relevant at the league level. Seattle's profile has suffered with Mike Holmgren and Tod Leiweke leaving the organization in recent years.

Best training camp venue: The Seahawks have it nice on Lake Washington, but there's something special about going away to camp if the venue is right. Northern Arizona University fits the profile for the Cardinals. It's far enough from Phoenix to escape the blistering heat, but close enough for fans to turn out in large numbers. The high-desert scenery and nearly 7,000-foot elevation combine to set apart NAU from other camp venues in the division and the league overall.

NEW ORLEANS -- A few quick notes after dropping by the hotel lobby where NFL owners, executives and head coaches are checking in for their annual meetings:

• San Francisco 49ers general manager Trent Baalke was heading from a workout -- his own, at the hotel, as opposed to a college prospect's -- when I caught up with him for thoughts on the team. I'll work that into something for the blog in the coming days.
• The league generally announces its nationally televised Week 1 games at these meetings, but I'm told that isn't expected to happen here.
• I spoke with New York Giants owner John Mara regarding the playoff re-seeding proposal that failed to generate enough support for consideration at these meetings. The Giants and Tampa Bay Bucs missed the playoffs with 10-6 records while NFC West champion Seattle played a postseason home game at 7-9. I'll have more on that in the coming days.
• Speaking of the Seahawks, current coach Pete Carroll crossed paths with former coach Mike Holmgren in the hotel lobby here. Carroll was first on the draw with the handshake.
• New 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh walks with purpose and intensity even during the offseason. I have a feeling there isn't a more driven coach in the NFL, and that is saying something. Harbaugh and the other coaches will be available to reporters over breakfast Tuesday. That will be a highlight of the meetings, as always.
• Among the other NFC West people I've seen already: Billy Devaney and Kevin Demoff of the St. Louis Rams, plus John Schneider and Peter McLaughlin of the Seahawks. McLaughlin, hired after CEO Tod Leiweke left for the NHL, is making his Seahawks debut at the spring meetings. He's on the business ventures committee, the stadium security and fan behavior committee and the diversity committee working group.

The pace will pick up when meetings begin Monday. Thanks to those who have reached out with ideas. If there's something you'd like me to check into, fire away.

Pete Carroll has pretty much lucked into the unfiltered power Mike Holmgren craved for years and ultimately could not acquire from the Seattle Seahawks.

Here's the thing, though: I don't get the sense Carroll cares about his power profile nearly to the degree Holmgren did, and that might help explain how he's risen to such a position. Of course, Carroll might care if he runs into some of the issues that prevented Holmgren from fully enjoying the powers bestowed upon him to run the franchise beginning in 1999. Those issues allegedly included having a hard time getting clear, prompt answers from owner Paul Allen while sorting through an inner circle -- "layers" -- featuring Allen's friends and associates.

According to a news release Thursday, Carroll and the football leadership, specifically general manager John Schneider, will report directly to Allen on football matters. They will report to newly hired president Peter McLoughlin on budgetary issues. Outgoing CEO Tod Leiweke said during a news conference Thursday that nothing has changed along those lines, an indication that the power structure had evolved, but the CEO definitely outranked the football side.

Carroll has more expressed authority on football matters than anyone in the organization other than Allen. That was true in spirit before McLoughlin replaced Leiweke because Leiweke didn't want to be a football decision maker. It's true on the organizational flow chart under the new arrangement, enhancing the job Carroll accepted in January (Carroll participated in Schneider's hiring and has control over the roster).

It's still unclear to what degree Carroll will communicate directly with Allen when mulling important football decisions.

Allen's inner circle at Vulcan, Inc., has allegedly stood between the Seahawks' football leadership and Allen in the past, sometimes to the frustration of Holmgren, even when Holmgren was GM from 1999 through the 2002 season. One member of Allen's inner circle, Bert Kolde, was part of the news conference introducing McLoughlin. To what degree Kolde and others close to Allen factor into the Seahawks' ownership could affect the extent to which Carroll and Schneider feel unrestricted.

Perhaps that doesn't matter a great deal to Carroll as long as he and Schneider get to pick the players. The rest might be small details to Carroll. Holmgren uses the term "juice" with some reverence when contemplating who had the most sway. Carroll seems more concerned with dedicating songs of the day to friends and colleagues ("Shock the Monkey" went out to McLoughlin).

Holmgren wanted a direct line to Allen when considering whether to return to the Seahawks in an executive role during the offseason, before Carroll and Schneider were hired. The job Holmgren accepted from the Cleveland Browns carries more power than anyone beneath Allen wields in Seattle. Holmgren oversees all aspects of the organization, including the business side. Carroll never sought power over non-football operations.

Still, there was some irony in recent events. Holmgren wanted to stay in Seattle under the right terms and I suspect he would have accepted the arrangement Carroll now enjoys.

The Seattle Seahawks' new president, Peter McLoughlin, lacks NFL experience, even though he comes recommended by commissioner Roger Goodell.

It's that lack of football background that could, in theory, make McLoughlin a good fit now that CEO Tod Leiweke is leaving the organization. Leiweke also was not an NFL guy. He spent his time focusing on reconnecting with fans and the business community, with impressive results. He did not pressure any of the football people on football-related matters.

The Seahawks have a new coach and general manager. The last thing they need is a team president with strong opinions on football matters. McLoughlin should therefore fit into the organization without making many waves, particularly in the short term. He'll influence the longer-term direction of the franchise, the tone the franchise takes publicly and those types of things.

Leiweke oversaw the Seahawks, Seattle Sounders MLS team and Allen's Vulcan Sports and Entertainment, which included the Portland Trail Blazers. McLoughlin will oversee only the Seahawks and Sounders.

McLoughlin's experience in brokering major sports business deals means he's already familiar with NFL power players, including Goodell. That should help Seattle at the league level.

One concern could be navigating and managing the gap between team owner Paul Allen and the football operation. Allen is not directly involved in day-to-day operations or league matters. The team's previous football leadership sometimes felt as though Allen's inner circle at Vulcan, Inc., had too much influence. How might those dynamics come into play now that someone without Leiweke's profile and feel for the team has taken control?

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com passes along Ronnie Lott's thoughts regarding the speech Lott delivered to the Saints one day before New Orleans faced the 49ers. The Saints asked Lott to address their team about what it takes to win back-to-back championships. Lott: "So it is my responsibility to at least share some thoughts. A lot of that is, if you go back and look at that 1982 Super Bowl, 15 guys got in trouble because we didn't know how to handle a Super Bowl experience. Fifteen guys got in trouble because they didn't understand what it was like. ... I'm very confident and comfortable that whatever I did was for the right intentions of making sure I never fracture the game and I never fracture my relationship with the 49ers." The fact that Lott would see no conflict in addressing the Saints before their game against the 49ers shows players think differently than some fans think. I just don't see this as a big deal and Lott obviously did not, either. Lott will always be a 49er, and I've always thought he valued his legacy in San Francisco. Side note: I spent part of pregame warm-ups on the field speaking with another former NFC West great whose relationship with the current Saints regime is even stronger. Cortez Kennedy has worked for the Saints and he sometimes travels with the team. Saints general manager Mickey Loomis was with the Seahawks when Kennedy played for the team. They remain close.

Also from Maiocco: Frank Gore has played all but two offensive snaps this season.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says Lott was "rooting [his] butt off" for the 49ers on Monday night, according to Lott.

Dan Brown of the San Jose Mercury News says the 49ers used their editorial input to remove KPIX's Dennis O'Donnell from their weekly interview show featuring coach Mike Singletary. That's no surprise after O'Donnell agitated Singletary with repeated questions about communication problems at Seattle in Week 1. Brown: "KPIX originally posted the interview on its web site but removed it when it became a minor sensation. Singletary on Tuesday acknowledged that he lost his cool during the interview. He vowed to be more measured in his responses."

David White of the San Francisco Chronicle says rookie NaVorro Bowman is the 49ers' only real option for replacing the injured Takeo Spikes.

Eric Branch of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says the 49ers' communication will face challenges at Arrowhead Stadium in Week 3. Alex Smith: "Yeah it will be another really good test for us," he said. "In the first three weeks, we'll be playing in the two, I think, of the two loudest outdoor stadiums. So yeah, it will be another good test for us as far as communication goes. I think it's something we've improved on but, you know, I think it's one of those things that you can never stop working on."

Also from Branch: Smith runs well for a quarterback.

More from Branch: Gore says rookie guard Mike Iupati improved markedly in his second regular-season game, allowing the 49ers to run inside effectively against the Saints.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says three of the Cardinals' five receivers in Week 2 were rookies. Somers: "All have had shaky moments early in their careers. Last week, (Stephen) Williams lined up wrong on the first play and dropped a pass. In Week 1, (Max) Komar lost a fumble at the Rams' 5. Roberts struggled to catch the ball in camp and hasn't seized the opportunity to become the team's main punt returner." Veteran receiver Steve Breaston and more recently Stephen Spach have also had problems lining up properly over the last couple seasons. They have incurred penalties. The Cardinals mixed up their personnel groupings in Week 2, sometimes using running back LaRod Stephens-Howling as a receiver. They used two tight ends and three wide receivers at times. They used three running backs and two tight ends. The changes were not very productive, though.

Also from Somers: Beanie Wells is eager to make his 2010 regular-season debut.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com checks in with Larry Fitzgerald regarding NFL teams' willingness to make changes. Fitzgerald: "This game is about winning. Whatever a coach feels is going to give his team the best chance to win, he’s going to do. The New York Giants, they are 0-2. We’re talking about a team that won the Super Bowl three seasons ago. And they are talking about that coach being on the hot seat – a perennial playoff football team. That shows you how fickle this league is. It don’t matter what you did two years ago. People just don’t care. What are you doing right now today? Are you having success with your quarterback play, that’s all that matters. In Tennessee, Vince Young, wins what, 10 of 11 down the stretch last year and he gets benched Week Two. That’s just how it is these days."

Also from Urban: The Cardinals are working to improve on third down.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams did make an offer to the Chargers for receiver Vincent Jackson. Thomas: "One of the sources also said that the hangup in Jackson going to the Rams was the trade terms with the Chargers. In any event, it became apparent Tuesday that the Rams had decided to pass on Jackson."

Also from Thomas: The Rams are 0-2 despite holding their first two opponents to 17 points or fewer.

Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Bradley Fletcher is getting lots of action at cornerback in what almost amounts to another rookie season for him. Coats: "It's no surprise that opposing offensive coordinators have been targeting Fletcher and trying to stay away from veteran cornerback Ron Bartell. Fletcher expects more of the same Sunday, when Washington and veteran quarterback Donovan McNabb visit the Edward Jones Dome."

Also from Coats: The Rams could seek an extension for selling tickets to avoid a local television blackout in Week 3.

Kathleen Nelson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams have added Laurent Robinson and Oshiomogho Atogwe to their injured list.

Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams' coaches must be more creative in helping an undermanned roster. Miklasz: "In 18 games under (Steve) Spagnuolo and offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, the Rams have scored 28 points -- with only one touchdown from scrimmage -- in the third quarter. That's an average 1.5 points per third quarter. It hasn't been so bad in the second quarter of the 18 games; the Rams have been outscored 127 to 91. But in the third quarter the Rams have been outscored 103-28. This perhaps explains why I'm of the opinion that the staff seems to be slow to adjust, adapt and counter the other team's strategy when reorganizing at halftime." Spagnuolo took over the team in 2009. The 2008 Rams averaged 9.6 points per game -- make that 2.2 now that I'm looking at the right stats -- in third quarters on their way to a 2-14 record.

Steve Korte of the Belleville News-Democrat says Rams rookie Mardy Gilyard wants more playing time on offense and the Rams might give it to him.

Nick Wagoner of stlouisrams.com offers a few Rams-related notes. Wagoner: "The Rams added QB Thaddeus Lewis to the practice squad and he was back on the field Wednesday. Lewis was released to make room for CB Marquis Johnson last week. Because of the injuries up and down the roster, the Rams need every spot possible so carrying a third signal caller didn’t make sense."

Also from Wagoner: a look at James Laurinaitis' leadership skills.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says rookie safety Earl Thomas expects more action against the Chargers, a team that features its tight end in the passing game.

Also from Farnsworth: Colin Cole has anchored the Seahawks' strong run defense. Coach Pete Carroll: "He’s been very effective in the first couple of games and really given us good play. The style really suits his makeup. He’s very physical at the point, doesn’t get knocked around and also has good instincts to find the football." That last part has stood out. Cole has come off blocks and gotten near the football.

More from Farnsworth: Carroll and Lofa Tatupu are together again. Carroll: "When you’ve been with guys for some time, the depth and the reservoir of things that you have in your pocket really makes you versatile and can make you really strong and very adaptable. And that’s something you have to have in this league."

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says the Seahawks think Deon Butler can stretch defenses. Carroll: "This is a guy honestly, I tell you, when we looked at him on film last year we thought, 'Boy, it's going to be a long ways to get him to be a factor for us.' ... We just didn't really know what we had because we hadn't been on the field with him. We saw the speed and the explosion and natural catching ability. He's just improved tremendously."

Also from O'Neil: Leroy Hill is out, again.

More from O'Neil: The Seahawks plan to introduce St. Louis Blues executive Peter McLoughlin as their new CEO at a news conference Thursday. McLoughlin is a Harvard graduate with vast experience brokering deals in the NHL and the corporate world (while with Anheuser-Busch and NBC Sports). The Seahawks have previously said they like their setup. That suggests McLoughlin will fit into the current structure without shaking things up too significantly. Outgoing CEO Tod Leiweke is a St. Louis native with strong hockey roots, and he played a leading role in identifying his successor. The Seahawks job has to be attractive for McLoughlin relative to his job with the Blues, an unprofitable team facing ownership uncertainty.

Greg Johns of seattlepi.com says Charlie Whitehurst has little trouble playing the role of Philip Rivers in Seattle practices.

Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune says rookie Golden Tate feels in control of his own destiny. Tate: "The way I see it, being active or inactive is up to me,” he said. “It’s not up to somebody being injured or not playing well, it’s up to me to practice hard and do everything right, to show the coaches I deserve to be out there. How I practice these next days is what will determine whether I deserve it or not."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch revisits Sam Bradford's first regular-season NFL start. Thomas: "Nonetheless, Bradford took his share of shots from an active, aggressive Arizona pass rush. A review of the game showed that Bradford was hit 13 times, and knocked to the ground eight times. (Those totals include the two times Bradford was sacked.) A few of the hits were little more than love taps. But a couple were jarring blows, including what looked like a helmet-to-helmet hit by defensive end Calais Campbell which drew a roughing-the-passer penalty. Bradford said he wasn't all that sore Monday morning." Bradford never seemed rattled and rarely appeared affected by pressure. He got rid of the ball quickly, sometimes settling for shorter passes.

Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch explains why the Rams' TV ratings were up while attendance was down. Miklasz: "The more casual fans are willing to make an emotional investment in the Rams. They were, at least on opening day, charged up to turn on the HD televisions, fire up some chicken wings, ice some cold beverages and watch Rams football at home. The challenge for the Rams is more daunting: convert the emotional investment into a financial investment."

Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams placed rookie linebacker Josh Hull on injured reserve after Hull suffered a torn ACL in practice.

Also from the Post-Dispatch: Should the Rams pursue a trade for Vincent Jackson?

Nick Wagoner of stlouisrams.com offers Rams-related notes from Wednesday. The team's specialists traveled off-site to practice on a dirt infield similar to the one they'll encounter in Oakland.

Also from Wagoner: The Rams might need rookie cornerback Jerome Murphy in Week 2.

More from Wagoner: Rookie left tackle Rodger Saffold held up reasonably well in his first regular-season start. Wagoner: "In addition to the many shifts and blitzes the Cardinals used, Saffold also had to get used to the constant chatter of (Joey) Porter, who worked tirelessly to bait Saffold and get into his head. At one point, Porter even used Rams running back Steven Jackson as his proxy, telling Jackson he wouldn’t be able to accomplish much running behind Saffold. But Saffold laughed off the attempts to get him to crack and said he stuck to the advice of his older teammates who told him not engage Porter in anything but a block."

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com breaks down Vernon Davis' new contract with the 49ers. Paying the bills shouldn't be a problem.

Also from Maiocco: a chat transcript in which he affirms a preseason prediction for a 9-7 record and NFC West title. Maiocco: "I'm sticking with that for now. But the team showed how fragile they can be. They dominated through the first 23 minutes of the game. But when things started to go badly, they could not snap out of it."

More from Maiocco: thoughts on the 49ers' troubles calling plays on time.

More yet from Maiocco: a player-by-player review from Week 1 supporting more playing time for Delanie Walker.

Eric Branch of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat quotes Davis as saying the 49ers need a more creative game plan to help the tight end get open.

Cam Inman of Bay Area News Group counts the ways the 49ers appeared dysfunctional during and after their opener.

David White of the San Francisco Chronicle says the 49ers need to improve their communication.

Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune assesses changes on the Seahawks' offensive line.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says linebacker Leroy Hill could play on special teams and on defense in Week 2 after missing the opener while serving an NFL suspension. Coach Pete Carroll: "I’m hoping he’s going to be in there playing and he’ll get in the rotations."

Hall of Famer Warren Moon says during a Seattle Times chat that ex-Seahawk Steve Largent would be a good choice to replace Tod Leiweke as CEO of the team. Moon: "I think it would be a great hire. You're talking about a guy that's familiar with the area and the organization. He's been involved in politics and is the CEO of a very successful company. I think he's well qualified to be president of any organization."

Percy Allen of the Seattle Times checks in with Seahawks rookie receiver Golden Tate, who found out draft status does not ensure playing time. Tate made lots of big plays during training camp. The regular season demands more precision, and that is where Tate has fallen short. Tate: "That's probably the hardest thing for me," he said. "I'm used to in high school running around and making plays, in college running around making plays and here you got to do it their way. This is what the quarterback is taught. This is what we're taught. You do it our way or you're out."

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says Stephen Williams becomes the No. 3 receiver for the Cardinals with Early Doucet possibly needing hernia surgery. Third-round draft choice Andre Roberts could replace Max Komar as the fourth receiver this week. Somers: "Komar fumbled three times last week, losing one. He handled the punt return duties, but the Cardinals took Roberts in the third round to handle that job."

Also from Somers: Derek Anderson might need to take something off the passes he throws to Larry Fitzgerald. Coach Ken Whisenhunt: "Some of the throws that Derek made to Steve (Breaston) in the game were throws that were easier to him, ones that don't require the sense of timing or the feel that they did with Larry. People are going to try to double him, take him out of the game, and you are going to have to make a little different throw to him in certain situations. I think we'll get better at that as we progress."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com passes along quotes from Fitzgerald regarding Breaston's value to the team. Breaston can become a free agent after the season.

Also from Urban: a look at some of the Cardinals' key reserves, and a comment from Fitzgerald about his diminished level of play in Week 1.

More from Urban: Anderson's toughness appeals to the Cardinals.

News that the NFL's finance committee has backed St. Louis Rams minority owner Stan Kroenke stands as the latest positive indicator for Kroenke's bid to own the team outright.

The process is running its expected course and will almost certainly pass muster when owners vote at their summer meetings Wednesday.

The finance committee features a group of influential owners. Gaining their approval means Kroenke has made the right connections. The committee features chairman Tom Benson (New Orleans Saints) and members Bud Adams (Tennessee Titans), Arthur Blank (Atlanta Falcons), Joel Glazer (Tampa Bay Bucs), Jim Irsay (Indianapolis Colts), Robert Kraft (New England Patriots), Jeffrey Lurie (Philadelphia Eagles), Bob McNair (Houston Texans) and Wayne Weaver (Jacksonville Jaguars).

710ESPN Seattle has posted a partial transcript from outgoing Seattle Seahawks CEO Tod Leiweke, punctuated with an audio file featuring a few of my thoughts on the matter.

Just passing along.

One of my thoughts: "The best thing for Seahawks fans out of this whole announcement is the fact that Tod Leiweke is going to stay around and name his successor."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says some Cardinals players think Cowboys rookie Dez Bryant shouldn't resist carrying shoulder pads for veteran receiver Roy Williams as a rite of passage. Running back Jason Wright: "You can say it’s hazing or messing with the young guys, but really what it is in my opinion is, it’s an invitation to be a part of the team, to be part of the family. This is how you get into the family." Darnell Dockett offered an interesting take, noting that former Cardinals defensive tackle Russell Davis was the one player he wouldn't submit to as a rookie. If Bryant didn't want to carry pads for Williams, that could make sense to Dockett. Dockett: "But if [Bryant] treats all the receivers like that, then, I’d make it miserable for him."

Also from Urban: Cardinals receiver Ed Gant, facing a four-game suspension, knows he'll have a tough time earning a roster spot.

Revenge of the Birds' Andrew602 says the Cardinals' options at inside linebacker are limited. The list of free-agent linebackers includes Jeremiah Trotter, Adalius Thomas, Angelo Crowell and Junior Seau.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic checks in with agents for some of the Cardinals' unsigned draft choices. Sounds like the agents expect to get deals done relatively soon.

Clark Judge of CBSSports.com ranks the Arizona Cardinals' training camp venue as best in the league, with the Seattle Seahawks' venue third. Judge has this to say about the quarterback situation in Seattle: "Pete Carroll proclaimed Matt Hasselbeck as his starter, which is great. Except he also said he loves competition at positions, which is not so great for Hasselbeck and his future in Seattle. Carroll didn't trade for Hasselbeck; he traded for Charlie Whitehurst and paid a steep price to acquire him. So he has a conviction about him, which means he sees him as a future starter. The question, then, is: When does that future begin?" That depends upon Hasselbeck's performance.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch expects NFL owners to vote Aug. 25 on Stan Kroenke's bid to purchase the Rams. Thomas: "Barring the unexpected, club owners will vote on Kroenke's bid at the Atlanta meeting. There are details still to be worked out, but all signs point to league approval of Kroenke, the Missouri businessman who already owns 40 percent of the team." Kroenke's bid has appeared strong from the beginning. His familiarity with NFL owners and procedures gave him a tremendous advantage over other potential bidders.

Ron Clements of the Alton Telegraph says the Rams set high goals despite low expectations from the outside. Coach Steve Spagnuolo: "We’ve talked a lot about winning the NFC West and beating our NFC West opponents. You’ve got to do that first before you can get anywhere in this league. You’ve got to beat your divisional opponents." The Rams have won one division game over the past three seasons.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com breaks down the 49ers' roster and declares Nate Clements a clear choice to start at cornerback after an impressive showing at mandatory minicamp practices. Maiocco: "Clements might have a big contract, but when he took the field for the mandatory minicamp, the first-team defense looked a lot better. There's no question he's a starter." Clements has much to prove this season. That's good for the 49ers.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee expects the 49ers to stick with Moran Norris as their starting fullback despite issues in the running game last season, with Brit Miller as the likely backup. Barrows: "Michael Robinson and Jehuu Caulcrick also are listed at the position. Robinson is a far better pass catcher (and runner after the catch) than he is a lead blocker, and his role on offense is on third downs. Caulcrick, meanwhile, has the size of a fullback but has yet to acquire the mentality. He was a gifted runner at Michigan State, but the 49ers are trying to train him to seek out tacklers rather than avoid them."

Phil Barber of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat singles out 49ers players facing pressure as training camp nears. Barber on Manny Lawson: "He didn't express any bitterness when he arrived for the mandatory minicamp in June, but it's no secret that Lawson is unhappy with his contract, a deal that calls for a salary of $625,000 in its final season. The linebacker would love to prove that he is worth much more than that; his campaign begins next week."

Lowell Cohn of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat likes the 49ers' chances in the NFC West. Cohn: "They are loaded. The NFC West is weak and there for the taking. For heaven’s sake, Matt Leinart is the starting quarterback in Arizona. So, what’s the problem? For all their progress, the 49ers have unknowns at the two most important positions. Quarterback Alex Smith still is an unknown. He began last season on the bench behind Shaun Hill. He has improved, but no one is sure of him. He could be terrific or he could be average or he could be bad. All that is to be determined. Yet the 49ers have hitched their fate to his star, such as it is, and he must prove himself or they all will go down in flames."

Ben Malcolmson of seahawks.com says the Seahawks' minority coaching interns this year will be former NFL safety Lance Schulters, former defensive tackle Joe Salave'a, former running back James Jones and former receiver Reginald Moore.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says Tod Leiweke's voice cracked several times while the Seahawks' CEO explained his decision to become CEO and minority owner of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Leiweke: "I’ve given this place everything that we had and we’ve built something special here. Walking away from that, those are the things that keep you awake at night. So there’s no way to resolve those asterisks other than to say that this is a dream come true and this place is in good shape."

Jerry Brewer of the Seattle Times says the Seahawks and owner Paul Allen will miss Leiweke. Brewer: "Allen can replace Leiweke's talent, as difficult as that will be. But he will have a hard time finding an executive to commit to the cause with as much humility, sincerity and flat-out toughness as Leiweke did."

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times calls Leiweke the public face for the very private Allen. O'Neil: "Leiweke not only grew the Seahawks into the Cadillac of the city's sports scene, he then repaired the relationship between Allen's Trail Blazers and the city of Portland and ushered the Seattle Sounders FC into Major League Soccer."

Greg Johns of seattlepi.com says the Seahawks should have an easier time setting Golden Tate's value after other second-round choices reached agreements.

Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune praises Leiweke for always putting the fan first. Leiweke: "One of the first things I did was I bought season tickets and I lived life as a fan. It wasn’t so easy, even in that beautiful stadium. There were things that, as a fan, I didn’t like. I bought seats up the Hawks’ Nest, and I sat in the stands, and I made it a point not to sit in a suite."

Michael Lombardi of NFL.com ranks players by position across the league, creating values for every roster in the league. The Seahawks' roster came in 32nd with five points. Lombardi: "Only having five points looks bad for Seattle, but there is a silver lining. They have many players coming back from injuries and their point total could increase into the 50s, quickly assuming they can stay healthy. The rebuilding has started in Seattle."

Former Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren wasn't the only person to hold up CEO Tod Leiweke as the best thing to happen to the organization in years.

With Leiweke leaving to take an ownership stake in the Tampa Bay Lightning, I wanted to pass along thoughts from DiLune2, a Seahawks fan and regular contributor in the comments sections of various blog entries. DiLune2 was able to personalize Leiweke's impact in ways that I could not when he left the following comment on the earlier Leiweke item:

Leiweke changed the Seahawks when he came onboard. The stadium experience in "Qwest" was horrible the first couple of years. The sound system in the upper deck was so loud I had to wear earplugs. They had a PA announcer who was constantly talking, advertising this or that (I still have nightmares about the Nextel Direct Connect Play. Every other freaking pass play it was the Nextel Direct Connect Play, essentially drowning out the crowd. Complaints were answered by form letters from the team. My family had season tickets since 1984 and were considering dropping them because just attending games was so terrible.

When Leiweke came aboard, everything changed. I remember seeing him coming up the aisle of our section early with a crew with sound detectors. Next game, the sound was down and we could actually hear ourselves cheer. The 12th Man flag went up and I got to shake hands with Chuck Knox and Steve Largent when they raised the flag. It was an entirely different stadium experience, night and day.

His effect on the fans cannot be overstated.

The Seahawks will have lost two of their pillars, Holmgren and Leiweke, in a relatively short period. Those two leave big shoes to fill, for sure. Largent has previously expressed interest in joining the Seahawks' leadership, but the team never seemed close to heading in that direction.

The Seattle Seahawks weren't worried about losing CEO Tod Leiweke to the NHL until the Tampa Bay Lightning offered an ownership stake in the team.

The Lighting made the ownership offer and Leiweke could not resist, taking a CEO job with equity in the team in a move announced Monday.

Leiweke's departure from his role over the Paul Allen-owned Seahawks, Portland Trail Blazers and Seattle Sounders has the potential, at its worst, to destabilize those franchises. But the Seahawks said Leiweke would stay onboard to help choose a successor and if that is the case, the organization can come out of this OK. Leiweke's involvement in hiring a replacement is critical because Allen's other advisers have proved less skilled in the processes used to identify management talent.

Leiweke leaves a strong legacy despite the Seahawks' recent on-field struggles and their front-office implosion earlier this offseason. Former coach Mike Holmgren has called Leiweke the best thing to happen to the organization. And while I suspected Holmgren sometimes intended the statement as a dig toward former team president Tim Ruskell, Leiweke was indeed a person the organization could trust. He always had the Seahawks' best interests in mind and he knew how to build a brand.

The Seahawks already had their new stadium when Leiweke arrived in June 2003, but their season-ticket base was around 30,000 and the organization had not reconnected with its fan base following Ken Behring's tumultuous ownership run. Allen, despite good intentions, didn't enjoy success as Seahawks owner until Leiweke came aboard. That was not a coincidence. Leiweke's people skills and business sense made an immediate impact.

Leiweke overhauled the business side of the Seahawks' organization and changed the team's marketing focus. The team became friendlier, for sure, and the results are easily quantified. The Seahawks expect to have 62,000 season-ticket holders for the 2010 season after making available additional tickets beginning last week. Leiweke has similarly remade the Blazers' image after taking control of that organization in 2007. Separately, the Sounders quickly became profitable under his watch.

Those three Leiweke-operated franchises -- the Seahawks, Blazers and Sounders -- have enjoyed a combined 201 consecutive sellouts under his watch, according to a news release.

It's not yet clear who Leiweke might suggest as a replacement. Chief operating officer John Rizzardini could be a logical choice if the team makes a hire from within. Senior vice president and general counsel Lance Lopes helped coordinate the hiring of Pete Carroll from USC, so his name might be worth keeping in mind.

Making the wrong hire could undermine the legacy Leiweke has built. In the short term, it could undermine Carroll and new general manager John Schneider. The Seahawks and their fans can feel better about Leiweke's successor if Leiweke himself signs off on the hiring.

The Arizona Cardinals' No. 4 ranking among NFL teams in ESPN The Magazine's Ultimate Standings begged for a wider lens.

The rest of the division ranked between 19th and 31st in voting by 1,000 sports fans across weighted categories including bang for the buck, fan relations, players, affordability, ownership, stadium experience, championship prospects and coaching.

This type of survey probably carries a lag effect as perceptions chase reality. That appears to be the case in the first chart, which breaks out overall rankings for NFC West teams since the survey began in 2003. For example, the Seahawks fell six places from 2004 to 2005 after suffering the latest in a string of playoff disappointments. Going to the Super Bowl after the 2005 season produced four years of higher rankings, including an eight-spot jump to No. 3 in 2007, even though the organization was declining during that time.

The second chart shows where NFC West teams ranked within the NFL across the eight categories. The rankings differ from those shown in the main Ultimate Standings piece because mine reflect rankings only relative to NFL teams (the Ultimate Standings rank teams in all sports).

The chart ranks categories from most influential (bang for the buck) to least influential (coaching).

Quick thoughts on results for each team:

Arizona

It's interesting to see the Cardinals rank so high in bang for the buck and affordability even after opening a new stadium in recent seasons. ... Coach Ken Whisenhunt gets plenty of respect in this poll and I think he'll continue to score well among fans if the team falls off without Kurt Warner. Whisenhunt projects competence. ... The high ranking in the "players" category reflects likable stars beyond Warner. Receiver Larry Fitzgerald comes to mind. ... Ownership gets middle-of-the-pack ratings, but perceptions should change as the organization demonstrates stability.

San Francisco

Coach Mike Singletary gets high marks from fans even though he hasn't held the job long enough to prove himself. I suspect fans love his message and decisiveness (as shown during his handling of the Vernon Davis situation in 2008). ... Candlestick Park ranked low, no surprise. Getting a new stadium built would raise that ranking while giving fans reason to have more confidence in ownership. The 49ers' overall ranking could rise dramatically if the team meets expectations this season and Measure J's passage results in a new stadium by 2014. ... The "title track" category reflects the 49ers' five Super Bowl titles, not just whether fans think the team will win another one anytime soon.

Seattle

Qwest Field still commands respect even though the team has a 6-10 record there over the last two seasons. ... CEO Tod Leiweke can't like that No. 18 ranking in fan relations, defined as "openness and consideration toward fans by players, coaches and management." Head coaches can set the tone in this department. ... The Seahawks' Paul Allen ranked first among NFC West owners. I suspect his aversion to meddling insulated him from blame for the team's problems in recent seasons.

St. Louis

The Rams' highest ranking is in the "title track" category. No other NFC West team has won a championship as recently. ... The ranking for ownership stands to improve once Stan Kroenke takes over, as expected. ... No amount of goodwill can overcome the team's recent struggles and instability, however.

» NFC Stock Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Falling

Deuce Lutui, Cardinals guard. Lutui played well enough in 2009 to earn consideration for a long-term contract, but like most players, he's not valuable enough to leverage his team into action. Staying away from the offseason program would have been enough to lower Lutui's stock on its own. Recent moves by the Cardinals have only dropped that stock further. Line coach Russ Grimm has a long list of starting-caliber guards to consider after Arizona signed Rex Hadnot and nine-time Pro Bowler Alan Faneca in free agency. Arizona has enough depth for Grimm to consider using longtime left guard Reggie Wells at right tackle. The only realistic option for Lutui is the same one he's had all along: report in shape, compete hard and show the Cardinals he deserves a long-term deal.

Rising

Pete Carroll, Seahawks coach. Carroll cleared an important first hurdle as the Seahawks' coach and highest-ranking personnel authority when he oversaw an ambitious and productive first draft in Seattle. No team knows whether the players it drafts will become stars, but the Seahawks earned rave reviews from their handling of the draft, and those reviews appeared warranted. Seattle landed highly regarded players at positions of great need while also maneuvering to land running backs Leon Washington and LenDale White. Carroll and general manager John Schneider also validated the collaborative spirit CEO Tod Leiweke stressed in hiring them following a tumultuous period in the team's front office. It's still early. Carroll has much to prove. So far, however, so good for Seattle.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee offers a projected 49ers depth chart on defense. Barrows: "Yes, Nate Clements' salary jumps to $6 million in base this year. But the 49ers did not spend a high draft pick on a cornerback, and because of that it's difficult to see Clements leaving. My guess is that all the negative talk about Clements will serve as fuel for a very strong 2010 season. (Karl) Paymah is similar to former 49er Donald Strickland and likely will be in on a lot nickel packages. (Phillip) Adams and (Patrick) Stoudamire are projects. Stoudamire could play safety."

Also from Barrows: says 49ers director of player personnel Trent Baalke will walk reporters through film sessions featuring the team's new draft choices.

Art Spander of the San Francisco Examiner looks back on the career of late 49ers minority owner Frank Mieuli. Spander: "He put chandeliers in the Cow Palace and Rick Barry’s jersey behind an office door, delivered bags of fruit to sports writers and delivered a championship to the Bay Area. You could call Franklin Mieuli eccentric. I preferred to call him passionate. He had a beard, a deerstalker hat and a love of life. A character, that’s what Mieuli was: delightful and charming, if manipulative. He was the last of the mom-and-pop team owners, and the team he owned, the Golden State Warriors, did him proud."

Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune pays tribute to retiring Seahawks tackle Walter Jones. Former teammate Robbie Tobeck: "He's more of a competitor than people realize. He’s so good and has such great ability, it almost looks effortless when he's putting somebody on his back. And the reason for it is how hard he works. He wasn’t some superstar who took days off. He’s also one of toughest human beings I’ve ever been around … the man laughs at pain."

Steve Kelley of the Seattle Times quotes former Seahawks line coach Howard Mudd this way on Jones: "He had this phenomenal athleticism. Walt is the kind of guy who does things so easily, it almost looks like he's playing at 75 or 80 percent. Like Michael Jordan or Tiger Woods, he never really struggles to get his job done, even when he's playing against the top NFL players. I don't think he ever lined up in a game where he thought he was closely matched, athletically, to the guy across from him."

Brian McIntyre of scout.com offers positional thoughts on the Seahawks' offense. He lists Deon Butler among the "locks" at receiver, a bit of a surprise.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times shoots down reports suggesting Seahawks CEO Tod Leiweke could leave to run the Tampa Bay Lightning. Nothing against hockey, but why would someone cede control of three professional sports franchises -- the Seahawks, Trail Blazers and Sounders -- to run an NHL team? Doesn't made sense.

Also from O'Neil: The Seahawks have made a couple roster moves. DeAngelo Willingham and Tom Malone are out. Matt Overton and Quinton Teal are in.

Greg Johns of seattlepi.com says new Seahawks defensive end Chris Clemons has high expectations.

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune says during a chat that he was surprised Golden Tate remained available to Seattle at No. 60. Williams: "I thought he would be a late first round, early second round pick. He's a playmaker that will help them immediately. I like getting Kam Chancellor when they did. I think he gives them a different dimension in the back end of the defense that they have not had in a while."

Ben Malcolmson of seahawks.com provides a photo of LenDale White and Pete Carroll chatting in Carroll's office at team headquarters.



Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says two Cardinals rookies -- Jim Dray and John Skelton -- come from families accomplished in business.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com checks in with Cardinals offensive line coach Russ Grimm, who offers thoughts on how the team might proceed after adding Alan Faneca. Left guard Reggie Wells could move to right tackle, competing with Brandon Keith and Jeremy Bridges for the starting job.

Also from Urban: Quarterback Matt Leinart has switched lockers so he can be closer to the Cardinals' offensive linemen. Does he know what he's getting into from a pranks standpoint? Leinart: "I just wanted to be with my linemen -- simple as that. Now it’s all business. I’m not trying to do it to make a statement or anything, I’m just doing it because these are my guys. I just want them to know I’ll be a leader and I’ll have their back too. We can’t be an offense without them."

Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams will have about 30 players at their postdraft camp on a tryout basis. That is a high number. Coats: "Two practices are planned for both Friday and Saturday, with a final session scheduled for Sunday morning. All are closed to the public. The mandatory full-squad minicamp is June 10-12 and will be surrounded by four weeks of OTAs -- organized team activities, or light practices. Training camp begins in late July, also at Rams Park."

Also from Coats: Acquiring safety Kevin Payne from the Bears could be a hedge against losing Oshiomogho Atogwe.

Jeff Gordon of stltoday.com says the Rams need to keep Alex Barron as insurance this season.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Barron told the team before the draft that he would sign his one-year tender and report to postdraft camp, according to Barron's agent. Thomas: "Barron has been an enigma since being drafted No. 19 overall out of Florida State in 2005. He has been one of the league's most penalized players over that span and occasionally has struggled blocking lesser players. But he frequently plays well against top tier defensive ends and has been durable. He has missed only two games because of injury in his career -- both late in his rookie season -- playing in 67 consecutive games, including 66 starts."

Former Seahawks coach Jim Mora says he has no plans to become an NFL assistant coach.

He'd rather become a college head coach.

Those were among the revelations from Mora's recent interview with the Fox affiliate in Seattle.

"I am researching the college game on a daily basis, so that if there's an opportunity that arises that looks like it might be a good fit, I'm ready to go," Mora said. "I want to be out in front in the recruiting process, ready to go, but who knows what is going to happen? I don't really want to leave Seattle, though."

Mora also indicated he was having lunch with Seahawks CEO Tod Leiweke, one of the people he discussed unfavorably during a March radio interview in Seattle.