Hawks Glasses Off: Beastquake Best Run Ever?

[AROS]

I was watching the freaking fabulous "America's Game: 2010 Playoffs: Saints @ Seahawks" and every time I watch it I am overwhelmed with the production, the interviews, the sideline shots and audio, and how many times I forget how amazing that game was outside of the obvious BEASTQUAKE. I love the interviews with most Saints players who seem if not understandably bummed that their defending world championship status ended on the road against a then 7-9 team, still able to give the Hawks credit for what they accomplished that fateful, historic day.

Favorite Saints Player Interview: Jabari Greer. Holy crap every time I watch this show he slays me. Hilarious. His facial expressions, his self-effacing persona, his honesty and sincerity, he is a joy to listen to.

Least Favorite Saints Player Interview: Jeremy Shockey. Man, I forget how douchey he was. In the one small spot he had on the show he was asked about the infamous run. He was so condescending and just an overall jerk in his quick moment on camera it reminded me of that game where he was a Giant and he thought his kicker won the game on a FG but he missed...His arms were raised and he started celebrating only to retract in horror when he realized he had missed...Again....Couldn't have happened to a better douche.

But I digress.

Watching the show, you are reminded how incredibly special that run was. THE run. Taking it all in, the crowd, the comments from players and coaches...But it got me thinking. The announcers and commentator would say "One of the best runs ever..." High compliment to be sure. And that is not debatable. It was.

But then I thought, "Well, IS there a better run than Beastquake?!"

I've seen some pretty damn impressive runs. Marcus Allen of course. Jim Brown, the list goes on and on. And I get this will always remain a subjective argument but I struggled wondering if I truly believe Beastquake IS the best run in NFL history or if that is simply because I am viewing it through a diehard Seahawks fan's goggles?

What say you? Curious to hear your thoughts.

PS...Did you know that Marshawn has no idea where "the ball" is from that play? He ran off the field at 0:00 and admits he didn't secure it and nobody knows for sure. Matt Hasselbeck said his last play was the kneel down and that "could" be the ball but nobody knows to this day. Crazy!

 

[Lagartixa]

I've been a Seahawks fan since 1976, and I've watched the Beastquake dozens of times (and it never gets old!), so it's hard for me to even pretend to look at it without "Seahawks glasses," but...

I don't care much about these things. I remember a time when I would look at the stats leaders in the sports section of the newspaper and hope to see players from my teams there, but at some point I realized leading in individual categories didn't matter, and that what really matters is how good the team is. Rankings of "greatest run ever" and things like that are even less important to me, because they're so subjective. I don't enjoy watching competitive gymnastics, figure skating, diving, surfing, or snowboarding because they are all decided by judges offering their subjective view of who did better than whom. When there are points for "artistic impression," the competition is not interesting to me. I even think competitive surfing kind of ruined surfing. Too many people, instead of just enjoying the ride and taking what a wave gives them, instead try to cram as many tricks as possible into each wave. Anyway, a ranking of the "ten greatest runs ever" is going to be completely subjective, so I don't care much about how each person's list comes out.

However, there are people who do like to do these kinds of rankings, and people who consume them. So let's find a few rankings and see what they say.

This video from "NFL Throwback" (appears to be from the NFL itself - I found a page on the NFL's site with this video embedded) claims to present the top 100 runs in NFL history, and the Beastquake is in first place. I think this might be from the NFL's 100th season, when it presented rankings of the top 100 of a lot of different things. So anyway, for whatever it's worth, the people at the NFL tasked with choosing a list of the top 100 runs in the history of the league put the Beastquake at the top.

This video doesn't rank them, but claims to have the ten greatest football runs ever. Lynch is in there twice. The first thing you see after the sponsor ad is moments from before "Beastquake II" in Arizona. Later, at about 5:34 after LeGarrette Blount's big run, an announcer says Blount looked like Lynch "last year in that playoff game." It then goes to the original Beastquake. No rankings in the video, but two Lynch runs are in there, and the Beastquake is the last one shown.

This video of the "Top 10 Legendary Runs" from NFL Films puts the Beastquake in second place, behind Marcus Allen's run against Washington in Super Bowl XVIII.

I saw one written ranking on Bleacher Report that put the Beastquake in sixth place. I just don't feel like linking to Bleacher Report.

 

[Chawker]

I'm not sure, Berry Sanders had a few, but Lynch's was pretty friggin awesome !

 

[Year of The Hawk]

I've been a Seahawks fan since 1976, and I've watched the Beastquake dozens of times (and it never gets old!), so it's hard for me to even pretend to look at it without "Seahawks glasses," but...

I don't care much about these things. I remember a time when I would look at the stats leaders in the sports section of the newspaper and hope to see players from my teams there, but at some point I realized leading in individual categories didn't matter, and that what really matters is how good the team is. Rankings of "greatest run ever" and things like that are even less important to me, because they're so subjective. I don't enjoy watching competitive gymnastics, figure skating, diving, surfing, or snowboarding because they are all decided by judges offering their subjective view of who did better than whom. When there are points for "artistic impression," the competition is not interesting to me. I even think competitive surfing kind of ruined surfing. Too many people, instead of just enjoying the ride and taking what a wave gives them, instead try to cram as many tricks as possible into each wave. Anyway, a ranking of the "ten greatest runs ever" is going to be completely subjective, so I don't care much about how each person's list comes out.

However, there are people who do like to do these kinds of rankings, and people who consume them. So let's find a few rankings and see what they say.

This video from "NFL Throwback" (appears to be from the NFL itself - I found a page on the NFL's site with this video embedded) claims to present the top 100 runs in NFL history, and the Beastquake is in first place. I think this might be from the NFL's 100th season, when it presented rankings of the top 100 of a lot of different things. So anyway, for whatever it's worth, the people at the NFL tasked with choosing a list of the top 100 runs in the history of the league put the Beastquake at the top.

This video doesn't rank them, but claims to have the ten greatest football runs ever. Lynch is in there twice. The first thing you see after the sponsor ad is moments from before "Beastquake II" in Arizona. Later, at about 5:34 after LeGarrette Blount's big run, an announcer says Blount looked like Lynch "last year in that playoff game." It then goes to the original Beastquake. No rankings in the video, but two Lynch runs are in there, and the Beastquake is the last one shown.

This video of the "Top 10 Legendary Runs" from NFL Films puts the Beastquake in second place, behind Marcus Allen's run against Washington in Super Bowl XVIII.

I saw one written ranking on Bleacher Report that put the Beastquake in sixth place. I just don't feel like linking to Bleacher Report.

+1000 I am 100% on board with you on not liking sports that are “judged”. Much of the Olympics is lost on me for this reason. Too many human factors. Just like any award ceremony for the same reasons.

The ranking things is about getting eyeballs and clicks. These are nothing close to facts. Just pure entertainment and mostly clickbait. They usually get people worked up. Pissed = clicks. As shitty as it is that is todays marketing formula for much of the media.

 

[pmedic920]

I don’t know NFL history well enough to claim it’s the best ever.

I know Seahawks history well enough to know that it’s hands down our best.
The setting, the stakes, the aftermath all dictate that it is.

Anyone that missed it live or on TV missed one of the greatest Seahawk moments ever.

Edit:I voted “possibly”

 

[knownone]

That's an interesting angle. Subjectivity is present in almost every competition. Penalties, for example, dramatically impact the outcome of football games. I think the human factor makes some of those sports more interesting. But then again, I don't know enough about a sport like gymnastics to know if the judges are bad. It's just entertainment to me.

As for runs, Beastquake is definitely in the upper echelon. Is it the best? I don't know. It's not as pretty as some of Barry's runs. But Marshawn's flair at the end puts it over the top. I laughed when they showed it in the stadium. And I still laugh every time I see it. The man spoke for the city with one gesture: 7-9, heavy underdogs, against the defending Super Bowl champs. One of the greatest FU moments in sports.

 

[pmedic920]

This is an amazing video. (7:28 long but worth every second)

Click the link I dare ya. If you don’t grin ear to ear you’re probably dead and should have someone call 911 for you.

 

[pmedic920]

“Touchdown Seahawks”

In case you love that iconic statement and voice like I do, click this (only 40 seconds)

 

[Hawkstorian]

I just remember being there.... My Dad on one side, my son on the other.

 

[Mick063]

Against the defending champions? In a playoff game? At a time when the team was young, ascending, and fresh? At a critical, game deciding moment? It was just unforgettable.

"Beastquake" and "The tip" were the most memorable plays of the Carroll era. The long pass to beat Green Bay in the NFC championship should probably be included, but that was more about a full quarter of a string of highly unlikely events coming together, in succession.


Up until then, the most memorable Seahawk run for me was Curt Warner's very first rookie carry in a regular season game. There is something special about being completely surprised about a rookie that you knew was good, but you never expected to be THAT good. Like immediately good.

 

[pmedic920]

One of the incredible side notes of that run is, how far down field Matt H. got, and that he was attempting to throw blocks.

Ya kinda have to sort through it a bit but Matt was all they down to about the 7 or so when Marshawn went in.

 

[scutterhawk]

The number of Defenders he ran OVER, AROUND, and THROUGH + the "MINI-QUAKE" it caused = #1 Best Run by any RB >E-V-E-R< Nuff Said.

 

[RiverDog]

Although the one in the playoffs vs. the Saints gets all the praise, I saw a couple other Beastquakes of which I was in the stands for. One was against the Cards in Glendale and the other was in Houston against the Texans, one that I don't think resulted in a TD but was still a spectacular run.

 

[Flyingsquad23]

Just a “little baby stiff arm”…

That night in the stadium was amazing and a harbinger to the great times ahead. A huge run in a huge moment when everyone thought the Hawks didn’t deserve to be there.

I remember after that win I told JT the Brick on air that the Hawks were going to Chicago getting the W and GB was going to beat Atl and then the NFC championship would’ve been in Seattle…. Sadly only one of those teams made it.

I still believe if the Hawks would've won that game vs. the Bears they would’ve put the Packers down.

 

[Hawkstorian]

One of the incredible side notes of that run is, how far down field Matt H. got, and that he was attempting to throw blocks.

Ya kinda have to sort through it a bit but Matt was all they down to about the 7 or so when Marshawn went in.

I'm still trying to figure out how Tyler Polumbus beat Marshawn to the end zone.

 

[bsuhawk]

For what it's worth (admittedly not much), this video (from NFL Throwback) lists it as the number one run in NFL history.


Personally, I've been watching the NFL for close to 50 years and it's the best run I've ever seen.

 

[Mick063]

We have a back on the current roster that is fully capable of creating a historic run like that.

 

[pmedic920]

I'm still trying to figure out how Tyler Polumbus beat Marshawn to the end zone.

The intricacies are many, and most are completely overshadowed.

I watched it many times before I noticed Matt H. making (attempting) blocks all they way down the field.
It’s truly amazing when you notice where/when he started that direction.

 

[bsuhawk]

For what it's worth (admittedly not much), this video (from NFL Throwback) lists it as the number one run in NFL history.


Personally, I've been watching the NFL for close to 50 years and it's the best run I've ever seen.

Marshawn has four runs in the top 100, including his beastquake two run against the Cardinals, which is listed as the eighth-best run in league history.

 

[nwHawk]

I just remember being there.... My Dad on one side, my son on the other.

Me too. Row 1, son yelling in my ear and I couldn’t hear him at all. A play of a lifetime.