A 12 man question from a dolphin fan.

I've been here before with some questions, and it's because of the respect I have for what your doing as your identity, and some research that I'm doing in terms of us getting our own upgrades..Finally, thanks to your fanbase, the masses are understanding what's happening when it comes to serious home field advantage..I still on my own boards have to debate that the advantage is real, the proximity, the blueprint of the link, the knowledge of the base all works perfectly to have a performance of your own.

Here's my question??...you guys have had the reputation when you use to play at the kingdome as being the 12 the man and being loud..Has the art of becoming the most intimidating place to play evolved, what I mean is, are their ways where your able to get the fanbase on the same page, for example, ( getting everyone in their seats before kickoff, everyone in the building standing and cheering when your on defense, everyone standing and cheering when your in a fourth quarter of a blowout in a preseason game) etc, basically is there any communication going on, and message being relayed to the public as to getting even smarter when it comes to a home field advantage..I know there was a committee to break the Guinness record?, are their more things happening like that?, does the stadium P.A people get involved, and to what degree, is their emails from the pr dept of the franchise?, radio messages? Signs at the stadium? Anything that could inform the masses to continue to evolve..

The preseason game in the fourth quarter, you guys were standing and cheering for the scrubs in a blowout, this to me is evolving your 12 the man with a purpose, it's almost creating a strategy, strengthening your identity, strengthening your advantage for future opponents, increasing the reputation, y'all know what I'm trying to say?, is that possible, or is all just organic?

Thanks for the time, good luck on the season, and jftr, I thought Russell Wilson should of been selected top 10 in his draft..

Well, there's a few theories. Being at a few games, I really don't remember anyone prompting us to be loud other than the scoreboard once in a while.

When folks get loud, it gets contagious. Seriously, it's like an electrical current that runs through the stadium. It can't be explained it can only be experienced. The ground literally shakes at times.

Us 12s are very passionate about our team. Why ? Well, Cowherd had a theory that places like Miami and LA have much better weather. People always have other options to do outside, and it dilutes the fan base a bit. I can see that.

It plays into Seattle's passion that our baseball team has sucked badly since the early 2000's and doesn't look like it will improve. We have no basketball team, and hockey isn't that big up here. Our fan base leans heavily on the Seahawks and all of our passion is directed at one franchise.

It's a frame of mind.. We believe we can "CHANGE" the outcome of the game. We are believers..

I really think it's just a culture that has developed since the beginning. The Kingdome was the perfect breeding grounds that quickly became known as the loudest dome in the NFL. The noise generated by the fans could be deafening, so it was really a domino's effect. The more we heard how disruptive we were being to the opponents, the louder we wanted to be. Decades later, it has quite literally become our collective badge of honor. We are the only team in the NFL to retire the number 12 and we are extremely proud of that. When owner Paul Allen was in on the development of Century Link, he made sure that acoustic experts were part of that development. The way our outdoor stadium was built, it literally funnels the crowd noise down to the field. Like the Kingdome, we know we have a direct effect on the opponent's psyche. The more we rattle them, the louder we get. It's a wicked, vicious perpetual cycle.

Also, the sustainability of our noise is key. We don't just scream on the opponent's 3rd down. We scream from the huddle through each and every down until they are off the field. It's overwhelming for them and it's just one giant party for us.

There's really nothing we could share as far as a book on how to get to this point as a fan base. It's a completely organic process rooted in history.

Good luck to your Dolphins!

It's a bit historical, definitely, with the Kingdome and the NFL putting excessive noise penalties into the rulebook specifically because of Seattle.

It's also somewhat confirmed by the team. The 12th Man Flag is a big deal, as was the game ball given to the 12th Man with the 11 false starts game against the Giants. Retiring 12 was also a big deal.

That said, more than anything, at this point, it's organic. People expect to stand all game. People expect to make noise all the time except when the offense is on the field. People especially make noise on any 3rd down for the opponent, or if they are foolish enough to go for it on 4th down.

Interestingly in recent years we're seeing more hardcore behavior in this regard i.e. we'll be up three touchdowns vs the Jaguars and it's nearly as loud as it was earlier in the game... when they crossed midfield the place got noticeably loud i.e. we really do want to dominate our opponents.

The result? We see teams coming in making all sorts of comments about the game coming up... typically they pretend "just another game" or they make reference to "sure, it'll be loud, but we've played in loud places before"... but really, we're in their heads before they get off the plane. Rightfully so, if you've been in the CLink to watch a serious beat down of a team in 50 degree rain with the crowd shouting the entire time. I've seen multiple games where the other team came out from halftime looking like they were just beaten and wanted to slink off the field and get to the (dry, warm) team plane.

Unfortunately Djphinfan I think either a fanbase has it, or it doesn't.

Obviously winning helps, which IMO has been the Dolphins problem for quite a while. But even when Marino was throwing it all over the place in the 80's, the Orange Bowl wasn't exactly a road nightmare for teams like the Clink is.

Seattle sports fans have a pretty big inferiority complex chip on their shoulder, and we've had it all our lives. This IMO is the main reason we go insane at games, we want to make sure the rest of the nation knows where we're at, and takes notice.

But there's nothing wrong with starting a Dolphin fan group (kinda like soccer clubs do). Organize a group, recruit other die hard Dolphin fans, all buy your seats in the same section, and go freakin' nuts and watch the snowball effect.

Bill "the Beerman" Scott (R.I.P.) Seattle icon, should be in the Ring of Honor. Look him up.

We won't do it IF it didn't make a difference. We make a difference no doubt../.

Been loud fans for 30 years now. To be brutally honest, I don't think it is the true hardcore, longtime fan that is behind the noise anymore. Going to the stadium on Sundays to be loud has become the draw.

Here is the theory that 90%+ embrace: we can make a difference. As such, whenever the opposing team has the ball, yell as loud as you can.

Yes, having a quality product on the field helps the fervor no doubt. However, there's a rather large contingent of diehard 12's that will scream their guts out no matter how good the Seahawks are. Gameday is war. Badge of honor.

As far as the PA/big screen/announcer helping, not really. Nothing that you would point to and say "Oh, THAT'S why it's loud right now." It's loud regardless of what the announcer or screen is saying.

Hey Djphinfan! Thanks! You're right RW3 should have been a top 10 draft pick, being a Seahawks fan since '83, we've waited so long to have a "franchise" QB, so glad and thankful every other team missed out on him! He is Special and I wouldn't trade him for no other, Joe Montana was my favorite and he is so much like him....cool and collected and so focused!!! Go Hawks!!!

This is a good article on Bill: http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/ ... man27.html

The crowd was part of the performance, and Scott was a conductor. Other people could start a wave, but he would choreograph tsunamis.

"He would get one wave going and follow that up with another," said Gary Wright, the Seahawks vice president of administration.

Scott called it a tidal wave.

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Those were AWESOME!

GO HAWKS!!

I think the NFL is trying to help promote the in-stadium atmosphere as well. They have encouraged getting the fans involved, so once the Dolphins get that stadium upgrade, I expect Mr. Ross will be doing things to help cultivate a strong HFA. I think the comment about the inferiority complex helping to nurture the us against the world concept the fans have as well as the pride in being unique is a key point as well.

The Dolphins seem to be getting the talent to compete yearly for the AFC East crown with future moves pushing them into AFC champions. Depends on Tannehill. I don't know the makeup of the Dolphins fanbase but I remember the NY Giants fans and others from East coast teams looking down on the type of behavior the Seahawks fans exhibit. I read they thought it was mindless and beneath them. I also have seen Tom Coughlin try to get the fans to be more involved but if it is against their nature, not sure you can change fans comfort zone overnight.

Current genration Seahawks fans know they need to bring it at the stadium, because their folks were part of the zany crowd from the Kingdome days that got the NFL to create and try to enforce a crowd control policy for excessive noise. It is now part of the Seahawks culture. Not sure how a fanbase can change their behavior after decades of following the Dolphins. I think it can happen but it probably will be the new blood in Miami, not the decades long season ticket holder. Best of luck.

I think the NFL media in general ignoring us for 3 decades has caused us to have a bit of "little man syndrome", and we've compensated by showing it on game day like nobody else does. Now, it's just a thing of its own, and every Seahawks fan knows to bring it on game day. I mean, if you you want proof that it matters, find a recording of the Giants @ Seahawks game from 2005 where we won by a field goal and the Giants had 11 false starts. ELEVEN. Holmgren dedicated the game ball to the 12th man from that game.

Richard Sherman hands out steroids to alot of fans in the stadium before the game starts

The Seattle Sounders also have an insane following here and the Huskies have had a great HFA over the years. There is more to it than just being a perennial under the radar football team. Perhaps, in the face of decades of disappointment and mediocrity, fans up here in the PNW took control of the one thing we could win reliably - being the most passionate, loudest fanbase.

BocciHawk":1xx69k99 said:

People expect to stand all game. People expect to make noise all the time except when the offense is on the field. People especially make noise on any 3rd down for the opponent, or if they are foolish enough to go for it on 4th down.

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This is what most teams don't get.

I've been to probably 8 games at the Clink (I've lived away from Seattle for 15 years) and I've seen Seattle play probably 10 times around the midwest (I'll be at STL for MNF too).

At the Clink, you are standing and yelling at the TOP of your lungs FOR EVERY DOWN. ALL OF THEM. That means 1st down, 2nd down, somehow louder on 3rd down, and your head explodes on 4th down.

They don't do anything close to that in other stadiums. Sure, many get loud on 3rd down, but to be the 12th man, you have to sacrifice your voice on EVERY SINGLE DOWN (up by 30 or down by 30, don't matter).

Djphinfan, do you wish your team had taken Wilson over Tannehill? Or would you have still kept Tannehill?

Sgt. Largent":35kz11ut said:

Unfortunately Djphinfan I think either a fanbase has it, or it doesn't.

Obviously winning helps, which IMO has been the Dolphins problem for quite a while. But even when Marino was throwing it all over the place in the 80's, the Orange Bowl wasn't exactly a road nightmare for teams like the Clink is.

Seattle sports fans have a pretty big inferiority complex chip on their shoulder, and we've had it all our lives. This IMO is the main reason we go insane at games, we want to make sure the rest of the nation knows where we're at, and takes notice.

But there's nothing wrong with starting a Dolphin fan group (kinda like soccer clubs do). Organize a group, recruit other die hard Dolphin fans, all buy your seats in the same section, and go freakin' nuts and watch the snowball effect.

Click to expand...

I disagree sir, the orange bowl had an incredible 12 the man reputation..thought most folks knew that, A lot of where the decibels comes from has to do with the architecture of the building itself, proximity is so important, the orange bowl had it all, and the place we play in now is the complete opposite, farthest distance from stands to field in the league, which in turn creates a more passive crowd then if you were right on top of the action..