[Rancid]

It's good to see the 49ers lose.

Miami got cheated out of a superbowl!

[AuContraireVoltaire]

What an anticlimax that Denver-New England game was

[The Immortal Goon]

Great Seattle game. It will be the rest of the country against Cascadia's ragtag army of outcasts, but it'll be a great showcase of a good defense team against a good offense team.

[Rancid]

Ragtag!?!?!? RAGTAG!?!? It's America's best defense!

[The Immortal Goon]

I say ragtag proudly. There's this weird spin some of the national media has put on the Seahawks like the Northwest suddenly became the evil empire.

The Beats by Dre Kaepernick commercial, for instance, portrays almost a poor downtrodden underdog like Kaepernick bravely walking into the belly of an evil beast:

[youtube]4Ttsx5squWg[/youtube]

Bay Area championships: 14
Northwest: 2

Just San Francisco NFL: 5
Just Seattle NFL: 0

...And they hate us. They proudly hate us. The San Francisco Gate, in fairness, had an editorial in which the author was baffled by this, but it's still true.

The same thing is nationwide. Seattle is good this year, even amazing. But we're hardly the dynasty that people pretend we are when spitting their venom. The playoff contenders this year and their Super Bowl appearances:

Broncos (played 7 times)
49rs (played 6 times)
Packers (played 5 times)
Colts (played 4 times)
Chargers (played twice)
Bengals (played twice)
Eagles (twice)
Saints (once)
Seahawks (once)

We're tied with the least amount of victories and appearances.

And this isn't just a San Francisco deciding that they hate us. Where there was relevant information available, even the deep South found themselves suddenly all-in with the Sodom that is San Francisco so long as they beat Seattle:



The Northwest is small market. It's a relatively common fear from Sacramento on up that the bigger market teams will get a few refs on their side by the league because there's so much more money to be made by a Lakers beating out the Blazers of Kings (two of the most notorious examples there are). This is NBA to NFL, but there's always that fear, especially when the rest of the country apparently believes your a monster to be put down with your all of no rings.

Added to that, Pete Carroll is pretty well known for taking the problem players and giving them a home. For all the positions, including the 12th man.

So yes. We're a great team this year. I've always been a Seahawks fan. It's nice to see our day in the sun. It's baffling to see the hatred thrown our way (though maybe this has to do with finally doing well? But then why not hate on San Francisco?), but I can deal with it. I'm ready to go.

[Red_Army]

Most of the hatred against the Seahawks is the fair weather fans I think.

[The Immortal Goon]

You're going to tell me that San Francisco had fewer fair-weather fans than the Seahawks? Let me post the map again:



It seems to me that the Seahawks have far fewer fair weather fans and are almost entirely based around their region. San Francisco seems to have a lot of people that just like winners. Or hate the Seahawks...for again, no real discernible reason.

It is baffling to me, but as I want to make clear, I like it. I like standing up for my region, I like being the misfits, and I like that Richard Sherman doesn't take shit (by the current accounts, it was something Crabtree started but that doesn't get reported). It makes me feel all the tighter with my team, and them all the more appreciative of their fans. I prefer to have a small team that is historically and geographically insignificant, that all the big powers piss their pants about and try to put down when it rises.

Even if we lose the Super Bowl, it's all been worth it. And amazing.

[Red_Army]

Where are you hearing all this Seahawk hate?

Just because someone prefers the Niners doesn't mean they hate the seahawks, anyway.

[The Immortal Goon]

Oh, I soak in the hate on the Internet and the occasional Californian transplant that pretends to be all northwest until given a choice. I feel their hate. It makes them strong.

Everything that has transpired has done so according to our design. The other teams, up there on high and mighty, are walking into a trap, as are their fans. It was us who allowed them to know the location of the Super Bowl. It is quite safe from their pitiful little band. An entire legion of boom awaits them. Oh, I'm afraid the defence will be quite operational when your friends arrive.

Obviously I'm being over-the-top. But that's really the fun of sports, isn't it?

[Red_Army]

I think most of the fun is in the gambling. The fans are often horrible, horrible people.

I'm a Saints fan, but I don't really begrudge the Seahawks for beating us. I always liked the Niners as a kid, but again I'm not too rabid. I think its about time Seattle gets a championship, but it would also be hilarious if all this build up failed to amount to one.

[The Immortal Goon]

I'm not counting on it coming to one. You mentioned all this build up, but we're so far from being a dynasty. We're a small market team that happens to have a very good defence at the moment. We're hardly this evil empire that the media hilariously assumes that we are after one good season. We're going to the Superbowl against one of the most winningest teams in history. To imply that there would be some irony in the small-market underdogs not beating the franchise dynasty is to really demonstrate the bizarre world that the marketers are trying to spin this thing into.

[Red_Army]

I think you're exaggerating this media shit. I don't watch any american news or even follow football particularly avidly. I just think it would be hilarious if the hopes of all the seahawk fans were crushed by a superbowl defeat, since it is obviously a bigger deal for them, seeing as they've never had one.

[The Immortal Goon]

I think you're exaggerating this media shit.

Well, obviously.

I just think it would be hilarious if the hopes of all the seahawk fans were crushed by a superbowl defeat, since it is obviously a bigger deal for them, seeing as they've never had one.

You must be a Lakers and Yankees fan then.

I like to see the little guys win. Really, the Saints are one of my favorite teams for the same reason.

[Red_Army]

Nah, I hate the Lakers and the Yankees, and would like to see Seattle get a championship, but it would still be funny if they lost.

I don't really give a shit too much to be honest. I'm a SF fan, but I have no problem with the Seahawks. Good luck!

[Demosthenes]

As long as we can all agree to refer to them as the Seachickens from here on out, I don't care.

I've never really minded, I even like Dave Krieg back in the day. They are fun to play on Madden 92 and 93 and that's a big endorsement really.

Almost to a Super Bowl, I would even favor the number one defense over the number one offense, but Denver has this juggernaut thing going right now, and I'm not convinced any defense can keep them from scoring 24 points.

So, I'm calling it Denver, but Seattle can take it. I'd name them 3 point favorites for what it's worth. In all honesty I wouldn't mind seeing either team win.

[Oxymoron]

Denver all the way, the thugs in Seattle have no chance.

[Godstud]

In that case, Go Seattle!!

[Zagadka]

I don't care who wins, as long as Richard Sherman gets fucking burned. I guess that kinda implies Denver winning, but whatever.

[The Immortal Goon]

I'm assuming it'll be a branco's victory. I'm pleased as can be we made it this far. Honestly, this is as big a victory as I could hope to expect. I actually think Sherman feels the same:

They’ve got the smartest quarterback in football and receivers who are large (mostly), explosive with the football and run great routes. Wes Welker is quick and elusive, Eric Decker is a great receiver with hands and speed, and Demaryius Thomas is as strong as they come. And Peyton knows how to get each of them in spots.

It’s the No. 1 offense vs. the No. 1 defense. It’s a match made in heaven, and we couldn’t be more excited. If you’re any kind of competitor and you have any kind of dog about you, you want to play against the best. Finally, we get the opportunity.

[Godstud]

We have a Superbowl party next Monday at 6:30 AM . Go Seahawks!!!