Reading all the opinions of the pundits and seeing the negativity of our own local media, we don't need to just win this game, we need murderize the Jaquars so they're carried off the field on a pole.Working with attorneys (and watching a lot of law related programs on TV) I know that sometimes even a long and protracted case can be won by a compelling OPENING STATEMENT. That's what we need to do against the Jags on Sunday, make our OPENER into a STATEMENT game, which sets the tone and makes our season-long case to be Superbowl contenders.
After reading Monkey's comments on the PI thread, I have to agree, we don't want to sneak in under anyone's radar. We want to come into their crib, kick down the door with both guns blazing, have our way with their women, drink their whiskey, rustle their cattle, and wipe ourselve on their curtains on the way out!
We want the Seahawks to be the NFL version of Keyser Soze, you may not have faced them, you may not know how to describe them, but you better damn well FEAR them!
I'm sick of all the "what might have been" articles. I'm sick of having to watch NFL montages like the Zapruder film, looking for trace evidence of a Seahawk player, uniform or logo. I'm sick of having to explain and apologize for being a long time fan. And I'm bloody well sick of always having to wait until next year!
So what I'm saying is, regardless of our injuries. Regardless of not having Rhodes at the game. Regardless of the uniform color, gametime temperature or pending hurricane...
WE NEED TO GO TO JACKSONVILLE AND COME HOME WITH A FUR COAT, IVORY NECKLACE AND A FREEZER FULL OF JAGUAR STEAKS!
(which is am especially tough image for a bleeding heart liberal like myself to conjure up, but that just shows you how really pumped I am!)
After seeing what we do to that linebacker-sized quarterback on Sunday, I want Michael Vick worring about having his rail-thin Falcon-ass stuffed and mounted in the Seahawks player's lounge, right up there next to the still warm Jaguar head on the mantle!
AMEN BRUTHA!!! Well said alba, well said!
ReplyDeleteHere's a little story just to further illustrate the point I was making. Last week, I was watching the game vs. the Viqueens at my favorite sports bar sitting next to a (belive it or not, and I still find it amazing personally) KNOWLEDGEABLE Viqueens fan. Seriously, he really was. This guy really got what it takes to win on the NFL. He was lamenting the fact that Denny Green had turned the Vikes into an offensive power, while neglecting the defense, for all those years; and his point was that, once the Vikes were known around the league as a team whose defense would flat out come and beat you senseless. That defense had developed a reputation so fierce that they became known as the purple people eaters. Now they are known as a high flying offensive team who cannot stop anyone. And his point was that, the reason the Vikes can never seem to win the big game is because they went away from the very thing they were known for. They had established (earned) a reputation, and teams feared them, they had in effect, created a team identity, but had left it behind, the VIkes are no longer the purple people eaters, in fact they no longer know WHO THEY ARE, and this in his opinion was why they can't get over the hump. He mentioned a bunch of teams who had gotten to the big dance who ALL had developed some kind of a reputation for something, the Raiders bad boy image, the Bears monster of the midway etc...and he said "I'm sure the Seahawks have established their reputation too."
ReplyDeleteIt was then that I just had to stop him. I told that no, in fact that is EXACTLY EXACTLY what is wrong with this team, and has been wrong with this team for all the years I have followed them. The closest we ever came to establishing a rep was back in the ground Chuck does of Knox with Largent and with Kenny Easley etc...But we have NEVER been feared as a franchise, we have NEVER been known as a team to be feared. Instead we have always had this take the backseat mentality to this franchise. Of course I pulled out my example of Rice wearing Largents number, (something he laughed at and rightfully said he would have been SO pissed off about had that happened in Minnesota). I pointed out that that would never HAPPEN in Minnesota, the Vikes are proud of their history and would never allow something like that.
I've told you all before that my brother is a Cowboys fan, I have never once in all my life heard him say that he hopes his team sneaks up on people and surprises them. He just doesn't even think that way. He LOVES all the media attention the Cowgirls get, he REVELS in it, because it means that they are SOMEBODY in the NFL. It means that they have a tradition of excellence and HIGH expectations, which is also something he LOVES about the Cowboys. He loves the title Americas team, because that means that wheneveer they have down years, he can count on the team coming back to the top soon, because it is not just expected of them, but it is DEMANDED of them. They are not just expected to win, it is DEMANDED by the fans that they win. They will not settle for mediocrity as an organization.
Remember years ago when T.O. after scoring, ran onto the star in the middle of the field and spiked the ball? Remember George Teague flying out there, followed closely by over half the Cowboys team, to tackle him away from that star? That's because that star STANDS for something, it means something, and the players would NOT let some punk desicrate it. Trouble with the Hawks is that, no one would even bother with trying to desicrate our symbol, because it doesn't stand for anything. No one fears us or respects us as an organization, and that is the reason we can never get over the hump. Our whole thinking needs to change, we need to stop thinking like the underdogs stop with the loser, (well gee maybe we can sneak in and steal a playoff game, maybe we can fly in under the radar) mentality. We need to start thinking like we are going to DOMINATE every single pathetic team who gets in our way. Take no prisoners and DESTROY! We need to be pissed off when the media shows us no respect. We need to grab the medias attention and FORCE them to respect us.
I'm sorry this was so long and rambling, but this is something that has bothered me for years, I hope I was at least somewhat comprehensible.
i gotta stop reading monkey and alba's post...im getting too pumped
ReplyDeleteone day...
the misery will end...
one day...
oh what a glorious day...
Again Monkey, you're DEAD RIGHT with that rant! And I think that "reputation" has to come from the top down.
ReplyDeleteThe Vikings were the Purple People Eaters because the orgaization had a commitment to winning, and drafted or acquired the players to embody that mentality.
Dallas is America's Team due to the commitment to excellence from the old guard of Tex Schram and Tom Landry and into the new era of Jimmy Jones, Jimmy Johnson and Bill Parcells. (oh yea, that and the Dudley Dooright image of Staubach, and those gorgeous cheerleaders!)
This is sort of why I was calling for some cermonial change in the uniform or logo, a stripe here, a patch there, something to officially mark this rebirth of the organization.
I truly believe that with Ruskell and Reinfeld and Lewicky in the front office, and with Paul Allen seemingly more involved, we're on the brink of establishing an organizational identity as a force to be recogned with.
Watching the Raiders fade away in that game last night made me feel like I was watching the Seahawks of old. They had early success, but the Pats kept coming back, and then they got rattled and couldn't make the adjustments necessary to stay in the game. I don't want to be THAT team anymore.
On the other side of the coin, the Pats gave up the first opening drive TD to an opponent in like FOREVER. Did that get them rattled? Hell no. They only got a FG out of their own opening drive. Did they start saying "oh no, all the pundits must be right, we're nothing without Weiss and Crennell"? Hell no. Did they just keep doing what they've been doing all along, which is execute, execute, and execute? Hell yes. And that's how they won the game.
Now THAT'S a reputation I can be comfortable with.
Posted by alba
One more "case in point" Monkey.
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned the T.O. dancing on the Cowboys star incident, which I believe happened around the same time as the infamous T.O. Sharpie incident in Seattle.
I remember Holmgren being quoted after that game as disappointed that none of the Seahawks took issue with it, saying something like "I thought someone would go take his head off for that, instead of chuckling along with him" or something like that.
THAT defines the difference between the OLD Seahawks and teams with reputation and clout. I don't want to be the OLD Seahawks anymore.
Posted by alba
And while I truly appreciate all the props for the nice piece, can someone please comment on what an awesome picture that is to go with it??!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Irish -
ReplyDeleteI'm such a whore for approval.
(but that's exactly what I was looking for!)
Posted by alba
First props on the SWEET pic, not just saying it because you asked but because I got so wound up I forgot to mention it earlier, seriously nice pic alba!
ReplyDelete"I thought someone would go take his head off for that, instead of chuckling along with him" or something like that.
I had honestly forgotten about that quote from Holmgren and you know what? That is the PERFECT example of what I am talking about!!! Good memory alba! What a difference it would have made to this organization if someone ANYONE had come out and taken his stupid head off for doing that! This would be a much different team right now if someone had said, "Not in MY house" and knocked the idiot senseless.
We need to win this game and make the statement because this seems to be bash the Seahawks year on ESPN. Anyone else catch Micheal Irvin call us overrated?
ReplyDeleteThe national media, in its rush to discredit this team, actually believes the dark blue uniform thing will work, thinks a Rams team that had a -24 TO margin will become magic again, and desperatly wants us to go back to sucking so they can ignore us.
Its time to make the statement that we are here to stay awhile...so go grab us a beer Sean Salisbury and grill us a steak Jon Clayton.
Posted by Alan
This would be a much different team right now if someone had said, "Not in MY house" and knocked the idiot senseless.
ReplyDeletesince JoSCh seems to be busy, I'll say it for him...
.....WE MUST PROTECT THIS HOUSE!
Posted by alba
Who knows, if we had reacted to that situation appropriately, maybe he'd be known as T.K.O. instead of T.O.!
ReplyDeletePosted by alba
the WE MUST PROTECT THIS HOUSE guy was resigned by the Cowboys today...
ReplyDeletesorry guys lol
Posted by ADP
CitK - thanks man, this blogsite allows me to excercise two of my passions, Seahawks football and witty prose! I'm a whore for feedback so your comments mean a lot to me!
ReplyDeleteNCW Hawk Fan - Thanks too. Check out the Knock-Out pool thread where we already got 24 guys battling Brett for bragging rights to the site. There's still time to get in the pool if you want to.
Posted by alba