U Mad Bro? Why Do So Many Hate The Seahawks

I’ve been a Seattle Seahawks fan since I can remember.

I grew up cheering for Curt, with a C, Warner, the former Penn State great who was the main instrument in Chuck Knox’s “ground chuck” attack in the King Dome.

I idolized SteveLargent and would aways want the number 80 on my jersey, often times tossing this football as far as I could into the sky, cradling my arms, and catching the winning TD against our AFC West rivals.

Still have the football.

To me there was no better quarterback than Dave Kreig or defensive lineman than Jacob Green.

I got lucky back in 2000 when Seattle drafted one of my favorite college players in Shaun Alexander.

Seattle had toiled in professional sports obscurity for so long.

Outside of a 1984 AFC championship appearance, the good times were few and far between.

Actually, more often than not times were awful, whether it was Brian Bosworth getting run over or going 2-14 in 1992 and drafting Rick Mirer number two overall, ironically, the Patriots took Drew Bledsoe at number one.

Rick Mirer set the franchise back a decade.

When folks would ask who my favorite football team was and I would answer with the Seahawks they would look at me like a crazy person.

The Seahawks?

So now the Seahawks are good.

Real good.

For the better part of a decade they have been perennial playoff contenders and are heading to their second consecutive Super Bowl and third appearance there in 10 years.

And everyone hates them.

Everyone likes to call Richard Sherman a thug, which, whether those who do that would like to admit, is a racially charged and extremely ignorant comment.

Essentially you are comparing a professional athlete, who might be an asshole at worst, to those who maybe deal drugs, rob, and shoot people.

Nice.

Does Pete Carroll leave a bad taste in your mouth?

Why, because he’s a good coach and you wished he coached your team?

Probably.

I get sports hate, I do, well, sort of.

I get that people hate Alabama, the Yankees, Steelers, Duke, or even the Patriots, but this success for Seattle has been a long time coming.

I mean, hell, Seattle sports fans had to watch their beloved Supersonics leave and have the most success they’ve ever had…… in Oklahoma City.

It’s really all quite silly in the end, but why do so many hate a franchise that for so long has driven its fan base insane with bad signings, draft picks and coaching hires.

I’m looking at you Dennis Erickson.

I will apologize for nothing.

I’ve been laughed at for being a Seahawks fan.

I’ve owned Seahawks Zubaz pants and once endured a Christmas morning where I was gifted a Rick Mirer jersey about a year after it was established he was a bust.

Win or lose in two weeks it doesn’t matter and if Seattle drops off a cliff in a few years so be it.

Sports is cyclical.

Go Seahawks!

 

Finally It’s Game Day

Does that set up not look amazing?

This has been one of the most excruciating months for myself as a college football fan.

The run up to the first ever College Football Playoff has seemed never-ending.

At this point I almost don’t care about the outcome as I just want the game to get here and start.

So finally, it is game day, but here again we are taunted by what will probably be a 9:00 p.m. kickoff.

I can’t read anymore about this game.

No more breakdowns.

Save me further analysis.

What in the hell is there left to say?

I don’t know about you all, but I haven’t even thought about the semi-final game between Florida State and Oregon. It’s as if it doesn’t exist. I wonder if everyone in that universe feels the same about Alabama and Ohio State.

Am I nervous?

No, I’m not playing.

I’ve gained some perspective as a Tide fan since Nick Saban arrived, which, yes, I know, sounds absurd for ANY college football fan let alone one of us Bammers.

We have won three national titles since 2009.

THREE!

Some programs will never win one, let alone three in their entire history.

For further perspective I grew up a Seattle Seahawks fan so I’ve truly been living fat off of the sports fan land.

Still, I want to see Alabama win this game, but regardless of who ends up in Dallas on January 12th I have come to appreciate the accomplishment of the four teams that have made it.

It’s been a long and crazy road to the final four.

Yes, Alabama is in the final four, words I never thought I would hear (thanks football!)

I’ve been taunted all month-long nearly everywhere I went.

There have been numorous middle fingers aimed at my direction along I-670.

Some folks seemed downright offended last evening as I work my Alabama gear throughout Cosi, covering First Night Columbus.

“How you gonna wear Alabama gear up in here?”

Seriously, I was asked that.

I wanted to respond to him by representing a how-to on getting dressed for the day, but I figured it would go over his head.

Yes I wore my Alabama clothing nearly 24/7. I am damn proud of my university and what this football program has accomplished. Ohio State, after all, wants what WE have.

I will wear my crimson today and tomorrow and the next.

Sometimes I wish I didn’t care as much, but whether it’s a personality fault or not, I do.

So enjoy the game.

Alabama 34 Ohio State 24

Roll Tide.

It’s Easy For Alabama Fans To Hate Alabama Fans

Roll Damn Tide

I hate about 97% of Alabama Crimson Tide fans.

I do.

There are the obvious fans to hate like Harvey Updyke or the guy who tea bagged a LSU fan back in early 2012 (and all of the fine people who stood there and watched).

I’m a graduate of the University of Alabama. My time spent in Tuscaloosa was amazing and I would encourage any young person to consider The Capstone for a great opportunity in higher learning.

Without this time spent and my degree I seriously doubt I would be an Alabama fan or at least one that is this embedded.

Now every college football fan base has a large number of fans who have never sniffed the steps of their respective university.

My father, one of the biggest diehard Alabama fans you will find, didn’t graduate from UA. He did though, spend a large sum of money to send me and my brother to T-town, so he gets a pass.

I suppose you could even include family members of UA grads on the lifetime fan pass I just handed out, but the rest of you… whaaaaa???

The fact is there are also a ton of Alabama fans like this guy right here. He’s cringe worthy to the max.

Seriously, there are some just awful Youtube songs and videos made by Alabama fans.

Head scratchers.

Some are so awful that I will continually seek them out and watch again and again because it’s like watching an Nicholas Cage film.

Have I mentioned the terrible Alabama fan tattoos? I mean, even our once beloved quarterback has one of the worst tattoos I have ever seen.

 

Whenever my wife thinks I am going off the deep end as a sports fan I refer to these folks for comparison.

Yeah, see, my two car flags, two stickers and over abundance of t-shirts are NOTHING!

I think we can all agree that it is hard to be a semi-level headed fan of a major college football program and just not be totally embarrassed the majority of your fan base.

My other giant fan pet peeve are those that have graduated from one school, but support another more than their alma mater.

Around here you have an abundance of Ohio University fans that are just diehard Ohio State fans. In fact, it’s as if anyone who went to any of the MAC schools here in Ohio are bigger Buckeye fans than they are Zips or Golden Flash supporters.

I’ll never ever get that.

I’m sure you have Samford grads in Alabama who are Tide fans or grads from Montevallo and any of the other various schools in Dixie.

But Damon, what’s the big deal?

There isn’t a big deal. I’ll just never get it.

Roll Tide.

I Hate Alabama Fans

Roll Damn Tide

I hate about 97% of Alabama Crimson Tide fans.

I do.

There are the obvious fans to hate like Harvey Updyke or the guy who tea bagged a LSU fan back in early 2012 (and all of the fine people who stood there and watched).

I’m a graduate of the University of Alabama. My time spent in Tuscaloosa was amazing and I would encourage any young person to consider The Capstone for a great opportunity in higher learning.

Without this time spent and my degree I seriously doubt I would be an Alabama fan or at least one that is this embedded.

Now every college football fan base has a large number of fans who have never sniffed the steps of their respective university.

My father, one of the biggest diehard Alabama fans you will find, didn’t graduate from UA. He did though, spend a large sum of money to send me and my brother to T-town, so he gets a pass.

I suppose you could even include family members of UA grads on the lifetime fan pass I just handed out, but the rest of you… whaaaaa???

The fact is there are also a ton of Alabama fans like this guy right here. He’s cringe worthy to the max.

Seriously, there are some just awful Youtube songs and videos made by Alabama fans.

Head scratchers.

Some are so awful that I will continually seek them out and watch again and again because it’s like watching an Nicholas Cage film.

Dude, that’s the ATLANTA BRAVES A!

I hope he at least rides a motorcycle.

Have I mentioned the terrible Alabama fan tattoos? I mean, even our once beloved quarterback has one of the worst tattoos I have ever seen.

Whenever my wife thinks I am going off the deep end as a sports fan I refer to these folks for comparison.

Yeah, see, my two car flags, two stickers and over abundance of t-shirts are NOTHING!

I think we can all agree that it is hard to be a semi-level headed fan of a major college football program and just not be totally embarrassed the majority of your fan base.

My other giant fan pet peeve are those that have graduated from one school, but support another more than their alma mater.

Around here you have an abundance of Ohio University fans that are just diehard Ohio State fans. In fact, it’s as if anyone who went to any of the MAC schools here in Ohio are bigger Buckeye fans than they are Zips or Golden Flash supporters.

I’ll never ever get that.

I’m sure you have Samford grads in Alabama who are Tide fans or grads from Montevallo and any of the other various schools in Dixie.

But Damon, what’s the big deal?

There isn’t a big deal. I’ll just never get it.

Roll Tide.

My Ugly Sweater = TV Magic or Something Like That

It was the day after Christmas and I was still in the giving spirit, so I allowed our on-duty sports reporter the privilege of using my Alabama sweater for his opening bit.

If I’m being honest, it’s the best looking thing we put on TV at 11pm.

Roll Tide.

Merry SEC-mas

Look at my sweater and how much the daily barrage of Christmas cookies has filled it out. It could be the turkey too. There’s no way to tell.

I hope you all are having a wonderful holiday, you know, all 10 of you that read this thing. It was a banner holiday at our home. Too much stuff followed by too much food.

We are quite fortunate.

Santa dropped me off this amazing Alabama sweater. It goes great with my pipe.

Also, he deposited me with some reading material to pass the next seven days until Alabama and Ohio State square off in New Orleans.

Pawwwwwl looks great in the Christmas village.

I do love Christmas, but as I take a long look around my home and outside I now think about all of the decorations and lights that must be taken down and put away.

Yes, you read that right.

I am an Alabama fan and will indeed take down my Christmas lights. They do not stay up year round. I think that is more of an Auburn thing.

Merry Christmas and Roll Tide.

I’m Going To Be In the Paper?

I participated in an interview for a Columbus Dispatch piece that is to run the day of the Sugar Bowl.

Since I work in this sordid news business I know I could just end up on the cutting room floor or whatever the newspaper peeps use for that equivalent.

Yeeeaaahh Boy.

I sent them my pic from the last post, but I don’t believe that was hi-def enough. I took it with my phone, so I took this pic with the Columbus skyline behind me in my shiny new Alabama rain jacket with my DSLR. Hooray.

My wife says I look angry. I always look angry, so it’s pretty much par for the course.

I don’t know about y’all, but I’ve begun to bury my head in the sand over this game.

There is still over a week to go and I am maxed out on reading/watching analysis Nick Saban vs Urban Meyer vs the SEC vs the Big 10 vs top recruiting classes vs best bbq, wait, that last one is BS. There’s nothing like Dreamland (or Archibald’s) in Ohio. City BBQ is nice, but child please.

Enough already.

Wake me up when it kicks off.

In the meantime I am growing weary of the same tired lines I hear from seemingly each and every Ohio State fan I come across.

“Hey pal, you’re in the wrong state!”

Yes, yes. Very well, let me pick up my family and move based on fan association you idiot.

“This is Buckeye country!”

You don’t say. I really hadn’t noticed.

I could go on and on about this nonsense. I’m sure there are Ohio State fans living in the Birmingham/Tuscaloosa area who are suffering from the same ordeal.

My favorite piece of advice is from people who actually suggest that I move if I don’t like it. Honestly, I like central Ohio. It’s a great place to live.

Of all the things I could hate about the region, hating the semi-repeating annoyance of Ohio State is really quite small.

Honestly, think about what all you’d have to despise if you lived in say, Detroit.

We’re not Detroit!

Merry Christmas, y’all.

Roll Tide.

Behind Enemy Lines

Sometimes work takes me to awful places. Sometimes I get to have fun with it.

What Does Ohio State Mean To Me?

I’m not from Alabama. I just graduated from the university.

In fact, I grew up in south central PA which was all Penn State and Notre Dame country.

Our house was the only freak Alabama house. To our credit, our home town, Columbia, PA also goes by the nickname Crimson Tide, so I guess it was in the cards.

Who was Ohio State to us?

To be honest, nothing really.

To us Alabama fans living in PSU country Ohio State was a team that would win nine or ten games a year, lose to Michigan and then get run in the Citrus Bowl by a SEC team.

This is what Buckeye fans refer to as the John Cooper era.

Yes, to my brother and me, we knew Ohio State by TV cutaway shots of a bewildered looking Cooper on the sidelines.

Our paths collided for one occasion at the end of the 1994 season.

Alabama had just come off a heartbreaking loss to Florida in the SEC Championship Game, while Ohio State had finally defeated Michigan and the two met for the early New Year’s day bowl in Orlando.

The Tide beat the Buckeyes 24-17 behind a monster game from tailback Sherman Williams.

You can watch the entire game right here:

From there I didn’t really pay much attention to Ohio State until they faced Miami in 2002.

Believe it or not, I was actually pulling for Ohio State in that game, like much of America did.

Flash forward to the 2006 season and like every hot-blooded SEC fan I was pulling for the Florida Gators to annihilate the Bucks in the desert, which they did.

One year later I moved to Columbus, OH with my family and like anyone else who lives here and isn’t drinking the scarlet and grey Kool-Aid, you grow weary of all the Buckeye rhetoric.

Luckily for me Alabama as been über successful in the time I have live in central Ohio, so I haven’t had much gruff to deal with.

Every now and then an Ohio State fan will fly off the handle at me and my Alabama attire, the worst incident coming in a Meijer. I was with my then three or four-year-old daughter and unprovoked an OSU fan comes up and tells me Alabama sucks.

How do you respond to that? Hey, guy, I have my little girl here, so back off.

I’ve covered tailgating parties for work in full Alabama gear on Saturdays. Most people are cool with it and there is some good-natured ribbing.

I’m fine with that.

So far my house hasn’t been egged or my car keyed.

I’m looking forward to this game and despite what I said in my last post, we are homeowners, so moving likely isn’t an option. At least that is what my wife tells me.

Roll Tide.

Win or We’re Moving

Double car flags, y’all!

I haven’t informed my wife of this yet, but either Alabama beats Ohio State on January 1st or we are moving.

That is one option.

Another is that device from Men In Black that wipes my memory clean and I won’t be a fan any more.

I can’t just be a “normal” fan.

Nope.

Not Me.

I have to be two car flags, two decals, and a license plate frame on my car guy. I have to fill up my twitter feed and Facebook timeline with countless posts about how great Alabama football is. Which, to be fair, I warned you all about.

I’ve covered Ohio State tailgating on Saturdays in Columbus in full Alabama gear.

No, I just can’t support my alma mater with a subdued tone. I have to be in full on, in your face mode 24/7.

When running a quick errand to Kroger I will find at least a hat to put on with a script A on it. That’s right, I can’t do a lunch meat run without stinking up the grocery store with Crimson Tide farts for all to smell.

LOOK AT ME YOU BUCKEYE HEATHENS! FU and ROLL DAMN TIDE! Oh, and um, I’ll take a pound of honey ham sliced thin, please.

Honestly I have to say I wish I didn’t care. I know it’s ridiculous. I know in the end it means very little to anyone. I still have to go to work on Monday. There are still countless piles of dog crap in my backyard that need picked up.

I can only imagine how horrible life will be here in central Ohio if Alabama loses.

I hear Minneapolis is a nice place to live.

Roll Tide.