12th man overload? when is it enough?

[WilsonMVP]

Considering they ran out for introductions with a 12th man flag I dont think the team minds haha

 

[THUGCAPS]

You guys are starting to convince me that there will be a 12 on the ring.

 

[CostaRicaHawk]

I love that they have a national reputation and that they brought it at the Super Bowl. That being said, I think it gets overdone when fans start doing stuff like flying "12" banners over opposing stadiums. Don't see the practical benefit in that besides getting in the papers and riling up the opposition.

Have you ever really loved and supported a team? Overdone????
Why does there have to be a pratical benefit? Overdone????
37 years I have supported this team. I am a HOMER because it is my hometown team. Not a team I just picked because of any other reason. Good or Bad. THEY are my team, and it seams to me that they appreciate that I am there fan! I get loud either at the stadium or at home.....cause don't you know they can still hear me? PRATICAL? Really why be pratical.....it is a sport....they are OUR team....I AM A "12", I WILL BE HEARD.


:177692: :177692:

 

[chimpanjesus]

i think many of you are missing the point of this post. the original question was basically shouldn't the focus be on the team instead of us?

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Nope, can't talk about the 12th Man enough. The team embraces it, in fact they make it known that we are a part of it.

 

[JMR]

It's a fair question -- are we celebrating our own fanship at the expense of the players/team?

I think everyone needs to take 10 minutes and read Earl Thomas' two part SB blog and then I think we will all understand what the 12s mean to the players. If we are good enough for ET to just come out and say "I love you from the bottom of my heart" then I think that answers the question better than any 12 could.

And let's not forget the address of the Seahawks HQ: 12 Seahawks Way.

http://www.earlthomas.com/2014/02/11/super-bowl-part/

 

[Largent80]

We are Legend. It is Known.

 

[volsunghawk]

i think many of you are missing the point of this post. the original question was basically shouldn't the focus be on the team instead of us?

The focus can't be on both the team and the fanbase? I don't know about you, but I read a WHOLE LOT of articles leading up to and after the SB that talked about the players. Sometimes, those articles would reference the fans, but it was pretty much about the players.

So I don't think the Seahawks themselves are lacking for due respect given.

With that said, almost every team feels that it has a unique fanbase that is better than everyone else's. If the Browns had been making that SB run (heh, obviously a hypothetical), you'd have heard about the Dawg Pound. If it had been Green Bay, the cheesehead phenomenon would have gotten attention. Just par for the course.

 

[Sarlacc83]

When the 12's don't show 50,000 strong to send off the Seahawks and 500,000 or more for the parade, then yeah, it'll be overblown. Until then, when a city puts 700,000 people on the street, and someone like Sherman puts on facebook that he wants to go back in time to the parade, it's a sign of how important the relationship is on both sides.

 

[YYZHawksFan]

i would not be fussed with what they do with their rings but given how much real estate is on that ring, i am 100% confident there will be a 12 some place on that ring. clad with blue sapphires and emeralds are also a certainty.

the rings are huge....i have seen some with the score of the game, personally, i would not bother with that. it was a beat down...everyone will remember that... ;-)

 

[Grahamhawker]

As for the OP's question, never enough. The 12s and the team have a symbiotic relationship with each other that push each other beyond any physical limitations towards greatness (SB win, all pros, pro bowls, legendary defense, breaking world records, invading and taking over opposing team's stadiums ect.). This team is great and would have won a title eventually with a different fanbase but I ascertain it would not be this soon nor would the defense have the impact it has had. Lastly, without the 12s doing what they do best, making some noise, this team is playing in Anaheim period.

It's a pretty unique relationship I think. At least I've never seen anything like it before. It's all good. It feeds the marketing machine for the team and the league, so they're loving every minute of it. Anyone's crazy who thinks the players don't feed off it. The furor is at an all-time high with the SuperBowl- it will plateau- and have spikes and valleys moving forward. But it's all very good.

As far as the focus being on 12s instead of the team- What do you think the team thinks? They won the victory, yes. But at this level it's all about the fans. We are the team's raison d'être.

 

[Lynch'sLamborghini]

I saw the conversation that chimpanjesus is referring to, and I actually agree with the argument that a number "12" should not appear on the championship ring.

There's no question in my mind that the crowd has had a tangible impact on many of the team's games this year - including the Super Bowl. But in my mind, the ultimate accomplishment is primarily that of the players and the team staff. They not only built the roster and played the games, but it's they who put in the time in the condition program, the film study, the NFL oversight, OTAs, training camp, and all the personal sacrifices that came before that. It's the players who bore the physical pain of getting to this moment. I agree that the relationship between the two is symbiotic, but I don't think it takes anything away from the fans if the ring that commemorates the accomplishment of this group of people is restricted to the group of people who put in the work.

What I think the 'Hawks might do, and ought to do, is purchase a ring for the "12s" that would reside at CenturyLink - one that might even be specially designed to include "12". That would be a fitting reward indeed.

I would disagree with one thing that Grahamhawker said - I don't believe that the fans are the team's "raison d'etre". That's true insofar as the Seattle Seahawks organization. For the team itself, the 53-man roster, however, the reason these people do what they do is to win championships and, for many, be well-compensated in doing so. I think if you asked each Seahawk why they get up every day and go to work (presuming they answered honestly), less than half would say "for the fans" as their primary answer. I don't think that there's anything wrong with that.

 

[Grahamhawker]

I saw the conversation that chimpanjesus is referring to, and I actually agree with the argument that a number "12" should not appear on the championship ring.

There's no question in my mind that the crowd has had a tangible impact on many of the team's games this year - including the Super Bowl. But in my mind, the ultimate accomplishment is primarily that of the players and the team staff. They not only built the roster and played the games, but it's they who put in the time in the condition program, the film study, the NFL oversight, OTAs, training camp, and all the personal sacrifices that came before that. It's the players who bore the physical pain of getting to this moment. I agree that the relationship between the two is symbiotic, but I don't think it takes anything away from the fans if the ring that commemorates the accomplishment of this group of people is restricted to the group of people who put in the work.

What I think the 'Hawks might do, and ought to do, is purchase a ring for the "12s" that would reside at CenturyLink - one that might even be specially designed to include "12". That would be a fitting reward indeed.

I would disagree with one thing that Grahamhawker said - I don't believe that the fans are the team's "raison d'etre". That's true insofar as the Seattle Seahawks organization. For the team itself, the 53-man roster, however, the reason these people do what they do is to win championships and, for many, be well-compensated in doing so. I think if you asked each Seahawk why they get up every day and go to work (presuming they answered honestly), less than half would say "for the fans" as their primary answer. I don't think that there's anything wrong with that.

I agree. I actually meant that in a broader, more philosophical context- ie without the fans paying the way, there would be no NFL as we know it. As far as the season to season, game to game, day to day, play to play working and lining up, players all have their personal reasons and motivations that certainly transend fan appreciation. But I think this team has shown how grounded they are by referring to 12s in a gracious and appreciative manner on many occasions.

 

[Lynch'sLamborghini]

But I think this team has shown how grounded they are by referring to 12s in a gracious and appreciative manner on many occasions.

I totally agree.

 

[ZagHawk]

1) It's a little overboard for me like others said when we want a 12 on the ring, or want our OWN rings. I'd prefer it if the Seahawks just chose to pay tribute to the fans by putting 12 feathers or something on it as a subtle thing, and I'd prefer it to be up to the franchise itself.

2) Is it sad that I am almost wanting us to change the whole 12th Man name to something else, just so the haters (I can't believe I'm using this word, but there's no other word I can use to describe them) can stop whining about that whole Texas A&M Thing. And then suddenly with the new name/brand to our fans, Texas A&M Fans "12th Man" will wish they were us. And also all the haters (there I am using that word again) will have to find something else to try to rip on us for. I could think of a variety of names we could use, the only trouble is without a number, it takes away that whole subtle thing the team can do to pay tribute. Call us 12 Nation, Hawk Nation, Blue Pride, whatever.

Either way, I'm just glad the Super Bowl proved that our volume, is NOT just our stadium. It's a culture, and I think other teams fans now finally realize it. Broncos fans were trying to get loud by cheering and whistling, they didn't realize it's about slapping whatever u got, and screaming ur guts out on EVERY down.

 

[12thMode]

I posted this in a different thread, but the players/organization really do appreciate the fan's and all the support we give to them along with the crowd noise. Here is a quote straight from ETIII himself:

ETIII: It’s been a great season, but we don’t deserve all the credit. I want to give you guys credit. We’ve definitely been in this together. It’s been special. The few times we did lose, you were still there for us. As much as we deserve this championship, you guys deserve it more.

12s, I love you from the bottom of my heart. Let’s see if we can do this thing again next year.

Go Hawks.

http://www.earlthomas.com/2014/02/13/su ... l-part-ii/

 

[SoulfishHawk]

The team AND the fans can celebrate as much as they like. Nobody is taking away from the team.

 

[RichNhansom]

I think Pete prefers a fan base that tilts the field. The 12's actually do that. Nothing wrong with being proud of that.

 

[plyka]

This is a topic that was being discussed a bit in the Super Bowl ring thread but i think it deserves its own thread...

Does anyone else feel like all this focus on the 12th man is taking some of the glory away from the team/players? The week before the game i kept thinking how everywhere i looked there was a 12 and barely any SEAHAWKS flags/logos around the city. Are we rooting for a team or are we rooting for ourselves? The 12th man is the SEAHAWKS fan base so i guess by default a 12 flag is a SEAHAWKS flag? Something about that doesn't seem quite right though. How long until they start to sort of resent the whole 12 thing, They did after all win the Super Bowl. not us.

You're taking things way too seriously. My advice is let's stay away from deep thinking towards football. It's a sport, it's entertainment. Football without the fans would be a Thanksgiving day game between family members.

 

[BleedGreenNblue]

Geez we are never happy