What? No NFL thread? There is now!

[MooseMom]

OK, it's Wild Card Weekend, and already we've seen two remarkable games.

I am tired of hearing that KC's loss was the result of the second biggest comeback in playoff history because I remember all too well the biggest comeback, and that was that asshat game in 1993 when my beloved Oilers were beaten by Buffalo after being ahead 1,000 to 0.    But what a game by Andrew Luck.  Two little bits of trivia:  Oliver Luck, Andrew's dad, played QB for the Oilers, and Andrew Luck went to my high school.

I hate the Saints.  After that whole debacle that resulted in Sean Peyton's year long suspension, Drew Brees went on Leno and complained that the NFL was being too harsh.  Whine and bitch, bitch and whine.  So I hated to see them win tonight.  Still, it was an exciting game.  Well, we had TWO exciting games tonight!

Anyone have any thoughts on all of the coaching firings/hirings that occurred this past week?  Lots of drama!

[Rerun]

Those damn Seahawks better not be taking a week off.  They had better be out there running in cold weather and practicing everyday for 8 hours. 

I got my first Seahawks shirt for Christmas.  They had better play better than they have been to make it to the Superbowl.

         

[obsidianom]

The Seawaks have to win despite their idiot coach , slap happy Pete Carroll. He flamed out badly up here in New England with the Patriots. Thanfully that led us to Bill Belichick.    I would love to see a super bowl of the Patriots and Seahawks.   Belichick against Carroll.   That would be fun.   

[KarenInWA]

Seattle has some serious Blue Fever right now. 12th Man flags are everywhere, and just about all anyone can talk about is Saturday's playoff game against NOLA Saints. We're all counting the hours til kick off! This is what I love about NFL football - all the hoopla!                 

Also, the Seahawks have a special relationship/appreciation for their fans. They always thank the fans for doing their part in keeping the stadium LOUD during key points during the games. When legions of fans line up to wait for their busses at Seahawk HQ, they're all looking out their windows taking pics and films with their phones, smiling and waving at all the fans. I don't know what other cities are like during big game times like these, but I have to say, I sure do love Seattle during playoff time!

KarenInWA

[Rerun]

I have my blue and green shirt on!!  KAH....

[Rerun]

The Hawks are circling......

           

[RichardMEL]

you all know me. I am from that part of the world that doesn't exactly "do" NFL (aka Gridiron) - although the lingerie league.. sorry "Legends" league has suddenly got huge here recently for some reason, BUT, even down here on the other side of the world our major daily newspaper had a fairly big article about the Seahawks and Patriots being just 1 game away from the superbowl....

I guess for my own sentimental reasons I hope Seattle make it to the big game

[Rerun]

Nice try Richard...


           

[G.Lively]

49ers are coming to Seattle to do in the Seabirds.  Yes, they have Petey Tweetie as coach.  Say, isn't he the guy who escaped from USC after getting caught by the NCAA for a half dozen rule violations?   
These two teams split 1-1 during the regular season.  The 49er loss to Seattle happened when there were major injuries - at Candlestick the 49ers had their full roster for the starting team.  The Sea-pooping-birds lost that one. 

[MooseMom]

Oooh, I can't wait to watch these two games on Sunday!!  Two vet qbs and two new-ish qbs.  Gonna be great.

[KarenInWA]

And I get to exchange trash talk with a 40-Whiner!!!  SoGerald, is CA as crazy as we are here with our 12th Man/Blue Fever hysteria? I know in the end it's all just a silly game, but I love the frenzy hoopla, celebration, and excitement this all brings! LOVIN it!!!

Game time is 3:30pm PST, 12th Man will be READY!!! Legion of BOOM Baby!!!! 

Have any of you heard about the deaf Seahawk, and seen his Duracell commercial? I hope we make it to the Super Bowl for him alone. His name is Derrick Coleman. He is an awesome roll model for overcoming diversity and persevering.

KarenInWA

[KarenInWA]

SIXTEEN HOURS TIL KICKOFF!!!!!!

My friend and I went to a 12th Man Fan Rally today in an outdoor shopping center, then drove over to the city to catch the sights of all the "12ing" around town. I LOVE how this city gets so into it! Drove to Kerry Park (a famous view of Seattle on the Space Needle side) and to West Seattle (another famous view of the city skyline). Made for a nice day!

This city/state is SO excited for the big game tomorrow!!! The energy around here is infectious and amazing! GO HAWKS!!!! YOU CAN *DO* THIS!!!!!

   

KarenInWA

[RichardMEL]

WOW !! Well done Seahawks!!!

I have been following the game while at work as best I can and that seems like some sort of game- mostly tough going from what I could see, and it seemed like a real arm wrestle for most of the game with scoring difficult. They often say these finals are the best games to see, though I can bet for fans of either side real heart in mouth stuff.

So definitely going to support Seattle in the Superbowl!!!

[KarenInWA]

That game was pure NFL drama entertainment!!! We were down come half-time, we missed close TD's, but we came back with a vengeance, and we held it, too! It was beautiful!!!! I watched it with friends in a nearby pizza place that has a great bar set up. LOUD and PROUD fans were we!!!!

If you ever wanted to come to Seattle  - stop by during these next 2 weeks! It's gonna be Cah-RAY-ZEE out here!!!!

Best of the West for the Super Bowl this year - and the very first Marijuana/Hemp/Toke - a Bowl, too! 

KarenInWA

[G.Lively]

Seattle wasn't the best team on the field.  Two bad calls determined the game:  wrong roughing the kicker call; the fumble the Niners recovered on the one yard line and the referees gave the ball back to Seattle.  Both calls gave Seattle touchdowns.  The NFL did say these calls were wrong, but it'll have to wait until next year when the Owners get together to review rule changes.

I hate it when referees determine the outcome of an entire season for a team by making bad calls.  I recall the Sacramento Kings in the NBA playoffs against the LA Lakers.  The Kings had it won but the referee let Shaq step over the free throw line eight times.  The game was won by LA by one point.  This referee was investigated and found to have taken bribes and was fired before the next season.

If the referees in the game cannot make the call, what is the point of watching the game?

[Rerun]

Super Bowl Bound....  Spokane is Seahawk crazy too.  Finally Seattle and Spokane AGREE on something!

               

[Rerun]

Sorry about Sherman.  He is really a good guy...


                     

[cattlekid]

As a Packers fan, I can completely agree with you on the refs (*cough* Golden Tate *cough* interTDception *cough*)  At least that year, we had the replacement refs to blame and not the regular guys.

Seattle wasn't the best team on the field.  Two bad calls determined the game:  wrong roughing the kicker call; the fumble the Niners recovered on the one yard line and the referees gave the ball back to Seattle.  Both calls gave Seattle touchdowns.  The NFL did say these calls were wrong, but it'll have to wait until next year when the Owners get together to review rule changes.

I hate it when referees determine the outcome of an entire season for a team by making bad calls.  I recall the Sacramento Kings in the NBA playoffs against the LA Lakers.  The Kings had it won but the referee let Shaq step over the free throw line eight times.  The game was won by LA by one point.  This referee was investigated and found to have taken bribes and was fired before the next season.

If the referees in the game cannot make the call, what is the point of watching the game?

[MooseMom]

Sorry about Sherman.  He is really a good guy...


                   

I think Sherman was brilliant!  What drives me crazy is this:  all season long, we've been told what a big rivalry this has become.  For the entire damn week before the game, it was drummed into our heads that this was a bitter rivalry because it was so bitter and it was such a rivalry.     Each day, the bitterness and the rivalry-ness grew and grew until it became this great behemoth.  Harbaugh vs Carroll, etc.  BITTER RIVALRY!!!!!!   Oh, this is the stuff the media loves and promotes so that we can all work ourselves into a lather about the bitterness of this rivalry because it is, after all, so bitter.  And these two teams are such big rivals, in case you've forgotten.  Not to mention bitter.

Yet when one player, after making what was probably the biggest play of his life, engages in some trash talk when a reporter deems it appropriate to stick a mic in his face less than a minute after victory, everyone gets a case of the vapors.  If anyone was surprised by what Sherman said, then they don't know a damn thing about this "bitter rivalry" and don't have my permission to opine upon the subject.   

I listen to a fair amount of sports talk radio here in Chicago, namely 670 The Score.  Last week during an analysis of the upcoming game (uh, I mean, THE BITTER RIVALRY), there was a guest on who was talking about his pick for the game.  I will not post his name because while I am 95% sure I remember who said this, I am not 100% sure.  Anyway, this guest is a very frequent analyst for the NFL and is on The Score most days, sometimes even hosting a show.  He has been around for a long time and knows both Harbaugh and Carroll personally, and he actually said that he was hoping the 49ers would win because while Harbaugh is crazy, he's at least a good guy.  However, Carroll is not a good guy and "I personally dislike him."  Now, I thought THAT was rather more stunning than what Sherman had to say.

The righteous indignation over Sherman's comments have, unfortunately, diverted our attention from two issues that I find to be disturbing.  Am I alone in thinking that there seem to be more serious injuries to players' legs/ankles/feet than usual?  While I applaud efforts to minimize head injuries, it seems to me that one unseen consequence of these efforts is more blows to the legs.  There were a couple of really horrible injuries, yet the network primly stuck a commercial in our faces, mercifully shielding us from actually seeing what can happen to the human body during a game that is played for our entertainment.

Yet we get all whipped up over Sherman's comments.  Talk about perspective...!

The second issue, to which someone has already alluded, is the declining quality of the refs.  OMG, it's terrible.  The NFL has become overlawyered with rules so complicated that now the networks have had to engage the services of a retired head ref to explain things to us!  Surely the NFL makes enough money that they can employ refs on a full-time basis!  Penalties that should have been called.  Penalties that should not have been called.  It's really frustrating.

[KarenInWA]

Resident Seahawk fan here! I bought a nice, fancy, stitched Sherman jersey from a nice gray-haired man at a fan rally on Saturday, the day before this game. I think it's irregular, but I figured that with it being Sherman, it's still a good investment. I love his story about growing up in the rough streets of Compton, graduating high school w/a 4.2 gpa, then going on to succeed at Stanford, both on and off the field. I also love that he has a foundation that he uses to help kids in his old 'hood, and in 'hoods around the Seattle area - kids who are growing up poor, w/o a mom and/or a dad. He even gives them his # so they can call him! I think Richard Sherman is a class act. Like MooseMom said, he didn't insult Erin Andrews, or use any swear words. It was a passionate moment after the biggest play not only in his life, but in Seattle sports history! And I don't know how much you all know about Seattle sports history, but I'm here to tell you that it doesn't take many pages to tell! Also, here's a funny thing. On the radio station that broadcasts the Seahawk games, Sherman of course was the hot topic of the day. They were taking calls about it, and the vast majority of people who called in were women! And they all were defending him!

Seahawk fans have a serious love affair with their team, and that feeling is mutual! I have no idea what it's like in other cities, but up here, it is truly an incredible thing. I love the meaning of the 12th Man, and the 12the Man Flag that is raised before every home game, and the significance of it and who raises it. I love that we have a fan from the beginning we call Mama Blue, who has been to EVERY home game since the beginning, decked out in her blue wig and blue and green gear. She was one of the first NFL fans to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton OH. I love stuff like that!

Then there's our QB, Russell Wilson, who visits Children's Hospital every Tuesday. As long as he's in town, he's at that hospital, visiting the children there and spreading smiles, laughter, and happiness. I learned on the radio today that he's comfortable in hospitals, and one of the first things he did when he arrived here in town was he went to Children's and signed up to volunteer. I think that's beautiful, and I am so happy to have a man like that as the leader of my NFL team.

I have only been to one game, which was this season on Nov 3rd. I love the energy out by the stadium leading up to the game, and everything about it! I know I won't be going to too many, just because of the cost, or the weather. But, I do love what the Hawks have done to this area right now. I can't wait to see how it ends up!

KarenInWA

[Rerun]

   GO HAWKS   

[Rerun]

49ers are coming to Seattle to do in the Seabirds.  Yes, they have Petey Tweetie as coach.  Say, isn't he the guy who escaped from USC after getting caught by the NCAA for a half dozen rule violations?   
These two teams split 1-1 during the regular season.  The 49er loss to Seattle happened when there were major injuries - at Candlestick the 49ers had their full roster for the starting team.  The Sea-pooping-birds lost that one.

Hey Gerald.... go cool off with a Ice Mocha at Starbucks!   

[RichardMEL]

Well the Hawks won our football premiership last season.. an omen?!

[KarenInWA]

Twas the Night Before the Super Bowl, and  and all through the Northwest
Not a 12th Man was sleeping, not even a rest
The Skittles were all ready for being tossed in the air
In hopes that Beast Mode in Action soon would be there

When out on Paine Field there arose such a SOUND!!!
The roar of the jet that is New York bound!
As the #12 flies cross country, the message abounds

On Sherman! On Chancellor,  Let's mow Peyton Down!
Go Wilson! Go Beast Mode! Score some Touch Downs!

And when that 4th Quarter comes to an end
We all will know who are the Champions then
Seattle will finally get a Lombardi
And the Welcome Home crowd will be One Big Party!

 

KarenInWA

[Rerun]

PLEASE!!!???  GOD???  Let Seattle win?