It didnt have an organic, natural start. It was born in the mind of a corporate marketing person somewhere. As a marketing schtick it is a really good one. In fact it might have even been stolen from Texas A&M University. But, regardless of its beginnings, the Seahawks 12th man has turned into something so much more, something truly powerful and truly important to Western Washington.
I have heard sports affiliations described as one of the last vestige of tribalism in modern America. I think this is a pretty accurate description of the phenomenon happening with the 12th man. It brings the area together for one common cause. It unites us. We can forget about political, class, racial, gender and religious differences. We are all Seahawks fans. We are all the 12th man.
The Seahawks give us a socially acceptable easily approachable conversation piece. Need to kill some time with a stranger? Ask them who they like better Doug Baldwin or Golden Tate. Need a good ice breaker with a coworker? Just mention the last game or how much you are looking forward to this week's game. Talking about the Seahawks is easy and non offensive, unlike trying to
talk about gun control or the widening wealth gap in the United States.
It allows you to disconnect from the negativity and controversy of the
world, for at least a short time
Some people write the whole 12th man thing off as just a bunch of really
loud, drunk people that go to football games. But that isn't what it
is. If it was, it wouldn't be special because, trust me, every football
game has a bunch of really loud, drunk fans. Hell the Mariners have a bunch of really drunk loud fans at everyone one of their games and they dont have anything as special. The 12th man extends beyond
the reaches of Century Link Field, right into the homes, offices and
cars of Seahawks fans.
Part of the whole phenomena is born of winning. Having your team be the favorite to win the Super Bowl certainly helps. However, this isn't a band wagon thing. The 12th man existed during the down years of 2009 and 2010. They still filled the stadium and watched the games on TV. They still forced sports talk radio and the newspapers to fill their pages with Seahawks information. It has been growing steadily and will conitue to grow.
The 12th man is powerful and real. It is a community identity and a source if local pride. It gives us fans a way to relate to each other. It brings happiness and confidemce to people. The 12th man is a good thing. Thank you Seahawks for jump starting this tradition. Thank you Washington to grabbing hold of it and never looking back.
Friday, January 31, 2014
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Seattle Seahawks are Going to the Super Bowl
THE SEATTLE SEAHAWKS ARE GOING TO THE SUPER BOWL! THE FREAKING SUPER BOWL. OH MY GOD, THIS IS FREAKING AWESOME. EVERYTHING HAS TO BE IN ALL CAPS ALL THE TIME. THE FREAKING SUPER BOWL! THEY ARE ONE WIN AWAY FROM BEING THE LEAGUE CHAMPIONS! SEAHAWKS, SEAHAWKS, SEAHAWKS, SEAHAWKS, SEAHAWKS, SEAHAWKS, SEAHAWKS! SUPER BOWL, SUPER BOWL, SUPER BOWL, SUPER BOWL, SUPER BOWL, SUPER BOWL! NO I CANT CALM DOWN, MY FAVORITE FOOTBALL TEAM IS GOING TO THE SUPER BOWL! ALL CAPS.
SUPER BOWL!
Sunday, January 12, 2014
Marshawn Lynch: A Man of Few Words
Since joining the Seahawks, Marshawn Lynch has been known for his reluctance to talk with the media (although as a Bill he did do this funny bit with Kenny Mayne). He never gives post game remarks and seldom does interviews. He wont even talk to his friend and teammate Michael Robinson on the Real Robb Report. In fact his refusal to talk on the Real Robb Report became a bit of a running joke. Apparently, the NFL didn't find all this too funny. They recently fined Beast Mode $50,000 for failing to follow the league's policy on talking with reporters. After an appeal, the NFL decided to put the fine in a state of abeyance. If Lynch starts talking than the fine goes away, if he keeps up his silence than the fine doubles to $100,000.
I know the NFL and the sports media are in bed together and make billions of dollars every year and that interviewing star players like Lynch is part of the grease that keeps the cogs turning, but this fine is just so blatantly driven by the power of money it is sickening. The only people that suffer from Marshawn's decision not to talk to the media are some beat reporters that needed yet another cliche to throw into their Monday morning game recap. Let's face it, the vast majority of the quotes that players give are completely devoid of meaning or value anyways. Hearing yet another RB say he "just wants the team to win" and "is never going to stop until the whistle blows" doesn't make the fans more educated or benefit society in anyway. Fining a player for choosing to keep quiet is wrong.
Additionally, with the size of the fine, the NFL is treating Lynch like he is some kind of criminal (which he might be once his outstanding DUI charge is settled) or menace to the league. According to Sportrac.com, in 2013 only three players received fines bigger than Lynch's $50,000. All of these were for dangerous on field hits. The NFL shouldn't be treating players who don't give interviews the same as those that target opposing players heads. They are basically saying that Marshawn's mute act is worse then Brandon Meriweather's week 2 helmet to helmet hit against Green Bay RB Eddie Lacy (only a $42,000 fine). Lacy ended up with a concussion from that hit. This whole thing proves to me yet again, that the NFL doesn't have it's priorities straight.
Source: NFL.com, Sportrac.com
I know the NFL and the sports media are in bed together and make billions of dollars every year and that interviewing star players like Lynch is part of the grease that keeps the cogs turning, but this fine is just so blatantly driven by the power of money it is sickening. The only people that suffer from Marshawn's decision not to talk to the media are some beat reporters that needed yet another cliche to throw into their Monday morning game recap. Let's face it, the vast majority of the quotes that players give are completely devoid of meaning or value anyways. Hearing yet another RB say he "just wants the team to win" and "is never going to stop until the whistle blows" doesn't make the fans more educated or benefit society in anyway. Fining a player for choosing to keep quiet is wrong.
Additionally, with the size of the fine, the NFL is treating Lynch like he is some kind of criminal (which he might be once his outstanding DUI charge is settled) or menace to the league. According to Sportrac.com, in 2013 only three players received fines bigger than Lynch's $50,000. All of these were for dangerous on field hits. The NFL shouldn't be treating players who don't give interviews the same as those that target opposing players heads. They are basically saying that Marshawn's mute act is worse then Brandon Meriweather's week 2 helmet to helmet hit against Green Bay RB Eddie Lacy (only a $42,000 fine). Lacy ended up with a concussion from that hit. This whole thing proves to me yet again, that the NFL doesn't have it's priorities straight.
Source: NFL.com, Sportrac.com
Friday, January 3, 2014
Sun Bowl Super Star Brett Hundley
I don't watch a lot of college football. In fact, prior to this years bowl season, I think I had watch a grand total of one games worth of college football. By that I mean I watch like a few minutes here and a quarter there that probably added up a full game. Something about college football just doesn't interest me. It is probably because the university I went to for my undergraduate eliminated their division II team shortly after I graduated. So, I don't have that passionate alma mater connection.
However, so far this year I have watched three bowl games, the Holiday Bowl, Sun Bowl and Rose Bowl (I am calling them their traditional names, corporate sponsors be damned). The best of these games was probably the Rose bowl where Michigan State beat Stanford in a hard fought back and forth game. Despite the good match up and the dramatics, the Rose bowl wasn't the most compelling for me. That title belongs to the Sun Bowl (You can watch the video highlights here)
The Sun Bowl featured the UCLA Bruins against the Virginia Tech Hokies. One of the biggest stories of the game was V-Tech's starting quarterback, Logan Thomas, getting hurt during a completely legal, but massive, tackle by UCLA LB Jordan Zumwalt. After that, the Hokies kept it close for a while, but eventually the game turned into a blow out. The biggest reason for the UCLA offensive success was the stellar play of red-shirt sophomore QB Brett Hundley.
One quick caveat, let me say that the names Brett and Brent are way to similar for my simple brain. For whatever reason I can never remember which is which. If I am introduced to a person named Brett and immediately forget which it was. Brett, Brent I have no idea. Anyways back to BRETT Hundley (at least I think so).
You basically can't put this any other way then saying that Hundley's Sun Bowl performance was amazing. I guess you could say he was beyond amazing. The guy had very few designed runs, but like Russell Wilson of the Seahawks, he had the ability to see the perfect opportunities. He regularly turned these scrambles into big gains, including a massive 86 yard touchdown run. He obviously has some great football instincts when it comes to running. Brett is no slouch through the air either. In the fourth quarter he threw a 59 yards bomb (39 through the air) and hit WR Shaq Evans in stride for a touchdown.
It wasn't like Hundley was playing chumps here. The Hokies defense was the second best in the ACC in both points per game and yards per game, behind only Florida State. This was a world class defense that Hundley abused for 161 rush yards, 226 pass yards and 4 TD. He basically humiliated them. Losing their QB Thomas didn't hurt their defense. They cant use that as their excuse. Brett Hundley is just simply an amazing football player.
As a red shirt sophomore, Hundley is eligible for the NFL draft. He could also return to college and hone his skills. If I was a Bruins fan I wouldn't hold my breath for him to come back to LA. The NFL draft will be hard to pass up. Lots of NFL teams are in need of a QB, especially the Texans, Jaguars and Browns, who all pick in the top four in 2014. Additionally, the recent success of dual threat style QB in the NFL, such as Russell Wilson and Cam Newton, has pushed a player like Hundley's value hire than it has been in years. He is almost surely a first round talent. The money and fame that brings will be hard to pass up, just for another shot at the Rose Bowl.
Regardless of what the Sun Bowl star does this off season, I was thoroughly impressed by his Sun Bowl performance. He has permanently cemented himself in my sports memory.
However, so far this year I have watched three bowl games, the Holiday Bowl, Sun Bowl and Rose Bowl (I am calling them their traditional names, corporate sponsors be damned). The best of these games was probably the Rose bowl where Michigan State beat Stanford in a hard fought back and forth game. Despite the good match up and the dramatics, the Rose bowl wasn't the most compelling for me. That title belongs to the Sun Bowl (You can watch the video highlights here)
The Sun Bowl featured the UCLA Bruins against the Virginia Tech Hokies. One of the biggest stories of the game was V-Tech's starting quarterback, Logan Thomas, getting hurt during a completely legal, but massive, tackle by UCLA LB Jordan Zumwalt. After that, the Hokies kept it close for a while, but eventually the game turned into a blow out. The biggest reason for the UCLA offensive success was the stellar play of red-shirt sophomore QB Brett Hundley.
One quick caveat, let me say that the names Brett and Brent are way to similar for my simple brain. For whatever reason I can never remember which is which. If I am introduced to a person named Brett and immediately forget which it was. Brett, Brent I have no idea. Anyways back to BRETT Hundley (at least I think so).
You basically can't put this any other way then saying that Hundley's Sun Bowl performance was amazing. I guess you could say he was beyond amazing. The guy had very few designed runs, but like Russell Wilson of the Seahawks, he had the ability to see the perfect opportunities. He regularly turned these scrambles into big gains, including a massive 86 yard touchdown run. He obviously has some great football instincts when it comes to running. Brett is no slouch through the air either. In the fourth quarter he threw a 59 yards bomb (39 through the air) and hit WR Shaq Evans in stride for a touchdown.
It wasn't like Hundley was playing chumps here. The Hokies defense was the second best in the ACC in both points per game and yards per game, behind only Florida State. This was a world class defense that Hundley abused for 161 rush yards, 226 pass yards and 4 TD. He basically humiliated them. Losing their QB Thomas didn't hurt their defense. They cant use that as their excuse. Brett Hundley is just simply an amazing football player.
As a red shirt sophomore, Hundley is eligible for the NFL draft. He could also return to college and hone his skills. If I was a Bruins fan I wouldn't hold my breath for him to come back to LA. The NFL draft will be hard to pass up. Lots of NFL teams are in need of a QB, especially the Texans, Jaguars and Browns, who all pick in the top four in 2014. Additionally, the recent success of dual threat style QB in the NFL, such as Russell Wilson and Cam Newton, has pushed a player like Hundley's value hire than it has been in years. He is almost surely a first round talent. The money and fame that brings will be hard to pass up, just for another shot at the Rose Bowl.
Regardless of what the Sun Bowl star does this off season, I was thoroughly impressed by his Sun Bowl performance. He has permanently cemented himself in my sports memory.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)