This is a game the Seahawks had to win. The noise from the fans and media was palpable all week long. You don't think the players hear the noise? Of course they do. In this era of social media it's virtually impossible for them not to.
Which is fine by me. That just means they get angry. And as we saw tonight, an angry defense is a productive defense. I frustrated offense is a focused offense. Did any of us really think Russell was going to play like sh*t for three straight games? If you did, shame on you.
The man has yet to lose three straight and I really didn't think it was going to start tonight. For one, the media has been practically anointing the Cardinals as the Second Coming because of their mini winning streak, and you would have thought that "Hail Murray" occurred at the end of the Super Bowl. Give me a break. Great play, not trying to undermine that play for them but the media always latches on to the teet of the flavor of the week. After all this is a league that is all about "what have you done for me lately?"
Remember when the Bucs got their butts handed to them on national TV by the Saints? Suddenly what's wrong with the Bucs? What happened? Brady is clearly too old and it shows. The next week the Bucs methodically handle the Panthers, Brady throws for 3 TDs, over 300 yards and no picks.
The point is, it's utterly ridiculous for fans to get so fired up from week-to-week. Yes, it's in our nature and that will never change and that's okay, but it's still funny to be a part of it, and witness it year-after-year.
Last week: "This team is garbage!! Trade Russell and see what we can get for him NOW!!!"
This week: "Gutty performance! We're back on track on with a legit shot at the #1 seed due to our remaining schedule!"
Oh the dichotomy.
The toughest part of being a diehard fan is we are so damn emotionally invested and no matter how much we hope and pray for a positive outcome any given gameday...We know, in the very end, nothing we think, pray, say or do, can have ANY effect whatsoever on the game itself.
All we can do is watch. Pray. Hope. Yet, whatever happens, happens. I think after 45 years of watching this team I have finally figured it out. Pulling for your team to win is like praying and hoping that your life, your family, your friends, will all turn out okay. And hopefully that is the case for you. However, like in life, no amount of hoping, praying, wishing, thinking can necessarily change the course of inevitability.
Without getting too dark, I think you know what I am saying. In life, there are simply no guarantees, and that's part of the thrill with being so emotionally invested in a team. A tribe. You roll with that tribe for better or for worse. In sickness and in health. You don't have to like it sometimes, you can throw a fit at times, you can be a complete jerk about it at times...
But you stay because you love. And this team has always been worthy of my love. Yes, even in the Dan McGwire, John Gelbaugh, Jeff Kemp years. Talk about a decade to forget, for the most part the 90's was a ridiculous comedy of errors on so many levels. Yet, many of us older diehards stuck through it. We felt, eventually, things would turn around and it absolutely did.
So here we are. 6-3 taking on 6-3. Russell was coming off his biggest slump of his career. The defense marred in the worst statistical defense in NFL history. Injuries abound. Lost 3 of the last 4. See, in these times it's EASY to be negative and expect the worst. It's not so easy to remain positive despite the noise. Yet, that is precisely what I just witnessed tonight.
Pete Carroll and his coaches prepared this team for a victory. The players prepared themselves for a victory.
Despite the noise. Despite the negativity surrounding them. THAT, to me, is a victory beyond a single W in the win column this week. It speaks unbelievable volumes about the resolve and character of this football team.
Given the obstacles, the injuries, the noise, the negativity, the stats...I can't remember the last time I have been this proud of this team.
7-3.
Which is fine by me. That just means they get angry. And as we saw tonight, an angry defense is a productive defense. I frustrated offense is a focused offense. Did any of us really think Russell was going to play like sh*t for three straight games? If you did, shame on you.
The man has yet to lose three straight and I really didn't think it was going to start tonight. For one, the media has been practically anointing the Cardinals as the Second Coming because of their mini winning streak, and you would have thought that "Hail Murray" occurred at the end of the Super Bowl. Give me a break. Great play, not trying to undermine that play for them but the media always latches on to the teet of the flavor of the week. After all this is a league that is all about "what have you done for me lately?"
Remember when the Bucs got their butts handed to them on national TV by the Saints? Suddenly what's wrong with the Bucs? What happened? Brady is clearly too old and it shows. The next week the Bucs methodically handle the Panthers, Brady throws for 3 TDs, over 300 yards and no picks.
The point is, it's utterly ridiculous for fans to get so fired up from week-to-week. Yes, it's in our nature and that will never change and that's okay, but it's still funny to be a part of it, and witness it year-after-year.
Last week: "This team is garbage!! Trade Russell and see what we can get for him NOW!!!"
This week: "Gutty performance! We're back on track on with a legit shot at the #1 seed due to our remaining schedule!"
Oh the dichotomy.
The toughest part of being a diehard fan is we are so damn emotionally invested and no matter how much we hope and pray for a positive outcome any given gameday...We know, in the very end, nothing we think, pray, say or do, can have ANY effect whatsoever on the game itself.
All we can do is watch. Pray. Hope. Yet, whatever happens, happens. I think after 45 years of watching this team I have finally figured it out. Pulling for your team to win is like praying and hoping that your life, your family, your friends, will all turn out okay. And hopefully that is the case for you. However, like in life, no amount of hoping, praying, wishing, thinking can necessarily change the course of inevitability.
Without getting too dark, I think you know what I am saying. In life, there are simply no guarantees, and that's part of the thrill with being so emotionally invested in a team. A tribe. You roll with that tribe for better or for worse. In sickness and in health. You don't have to like it sometimes, you can throw a fit at times, you can be a complete jerk about it at times...
But you stay because you love. And this team has always been worthy of my love. Yes, even in the Dan McGwire, John Gelbaugh, Jeff Kemp years. Talk about a decade to forget, for the most part the 90's was a ridiculous comedy of errors on so many levels. Yet, many of us older diehards stuck through it. We felt, eventually, things would turn around and it absolutely did.
So here we are. 6-3 taking on 6-3. Russell was coming off his biggest slump of his career. The defense marred in the worst statistical defense in NFL history. Injuries abound. Lost 3 of the last 4. See, in these times it's EASY to be negative and expect the worst. It's not so easy to remain positive despite the noise. Yet, that is precisely what I just witnessed tonight.
Pete Carroll and his coaches prepared this team for a victory. The players prepared themselves for a victory.
Despite the noise. Despite the negativity surrounding them. THAT, to me, is a victory beyond a single W in the win column this week. It speaks unbelievable volumes about the resolve and character of this football team.
Given the obstacles, the injuries, the noise, the negativity, the stats...I can't remember the last time I have been this proud of this team.
7-3.
