Seahawks' Boulware took brotherly shoves

The backyard football games weren't really games, as far as rules go. They weren't even two-on-two.

In fact, the only rule was that the older brothers got to be quarterback and wide receiver.

That left little Michael Boulware to be the defensive back, a second-grader trying to hold his own against his two big brothers, one seven years older and the other 10 years his senior.

No wonder Michael is so good at being around the football. No wonder the Seahawks rookie has two interceptions in his first two NFL games.

"I always wanted to play receiver, but they would never let me," Boulware recalled of those days growing up in Columbia, S.C. "They forced me into playing DB, and I never liked it, but now that I'm playing DB, I'm kind of glad that they made me do it."

"He'd fight as hard as he could," said brother Peter, one of the backyard ballers and now a Pro Bowl linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens. "He couldn't keep up physically, but he never backed down from a challenge."

A week removed from his 23rd birthday, Boulware has several new challenges these days. On the football side, he's still learning a new position, strong safety, after playing outside linebacker at Florida State. He's also adjusting to the life of a rookie, spending his evenings engrossed in his defensive playbook and gaining more knowledge of the pro game, week by week, snap by snap.

The position change has been for the better, Peter Boulware believes. With two interceptions and a key special-teams tackle, Boulware has shown that he's a good fit for a defensive roster full of fast and athletic players.

"Physically, he has the tools to be the best in the game," Peter Boulware said. "He continues to find himself around the ball at crucial times. He's such an athlete. He can do whatever."

The changes in football have coincided with changes in his life. A newlywed, Boulware and his wife, Jessica, a former All-American softball pitcher at Florida State, are adjusting to their new digs in Kirkland and their new life in the Seattle area. They're still getting acclimated to the rain and have yet to get cable.

Jessica Boulware is going to help coach a youth softball team and will also keep herself in pitching shape by working with the University of Washington program when its players start practicing.

"I'm doing OK," Michael Boulware said. "It's definitely a lot to adjust to, being out on your own. It's a lot harder than I thought it was going to be mentally, but slowly but surely me and my wife are getting it done."

And then there is fly-fishing, which is about to become one of Boulware's new hobbies. He used to fish for smallmouth bass in the lakes around Tallahassee, Fla. Now he and Jessica will go after steelhead when they get some free time.

"I'm interested in it because I heard it was so difficult," Boulware said. "I love fishing. I feel I've kind of mastered bass fishing, and I need a new challenge."

Truth be told, Boulware isn't one to say much. He's serious about his job and lives a low-key life with Jessica. That's not to say that Boulware is anti-social, however.

"He's just a great guy to be around," Jessica said.

His personality is engaging, but on one occasion Boulware was wound a little too tight. Last week, Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren approached Boulware with a straight face that belied the fact that the coach was only kidding.

Boulware had been a hot interview subject after getting his first career interception against the Saints.

"'Michael, just because you got an interception last game, don't even think that you're a media darling here,'" Holmgren admonished.

"He told me, 'Coach, I would never do that or think that.' I had to tell him I was just kidding with him. You don't worry about guys like that, other than the fact that he's inexperienced."

Boulware admitted: "I get caught up in making it too serious. When you get up here you have to remind yourself that it's a game and you need to have fun, and when you have fun, you play your best ball."

If Boulware's best football is still in front of him, the Seahawks have a star in the making. Boulware's first interception came late in the third quarter at New Orleans, when he caught a tipped pass deep in Saints territory. On the next play, the Seahawks scored a touchdown and took a 21-7 lead, effectively ending the Saints' hopes of a comeback.

Boulware also ran down Saints returner Michael Lewis on the opening kickoff of the second half. If not for the tackle, the Saints would have scored the tying touchdown in what was then a 14-7 game.

At Tampa Bay before a group of friends and family, Boulware intercepted the Buccaneers' Chris Simms with 1:03 left to play and the Seahawks clinging to a 10-6 lead. The turnover thwarted the Bucs' attempt to drive for the winning score.

On the sideline after the play, Boulware got a hug from defensive end Chike Okeafor, who had been called for two roughing-the-passer penalties to sustain the drive.

Boulware might be a rookie, but he isn't treated like one by his teammates.

"It's just good to have a guy back there that's making plays and a guy, young or old, that's contributing to our defense," free safety Ken Hamlin said. "He's just like any other guy. He's one of us."

That means no rookie hazing for Boulware.

"We're out here to win, we're not worried about doing anything to make it hard on him to learn the defense," Hamlin said.

Early indications are that Boulware is a quick study. It's no surprise, given the success of his brothers and sisters. Oldest brother Raleigh, who joined Michael and Peter in those backyard games, is an engineer. Sister Kala is a doctor in Nashville, Tenn. Peter is an eight-year NFL veteran.

"That's the trend for our family, trying to set the bar higher for each sibling." Michael said.

So far, so good.

José Miguel Romero: 206-464-2409 or jromero@seattletimes.com