Anyone else sick of Seahawks mania? (Seattle: 2015, high school, college)

[mrazyattic]

Originally Posted by kaonevar

It bothers me that more people in general care about their given sports team than they do about slave labor, starving people, the homeless, etc.
But we're all guilty of this to some degree. While I donate my $$ and time as I can to help the world's atrocities, I spent this past weekend playing video games. That's time I could have been helping others. That makes me no better than those who spent their time at a football game.
But OP, you're guilty of it as well--just for something else. Different hobbies, same effect.

So you're saying we shouldn't stop and do things for ourselves?

[Transmition]

The "rules" are that you support either (or all of) a local team, a family-related team, or the team you grew up with. If you move then it is perfectly acceptable to support the new local team. What is not allowed is switching from say the Packers to the Patriots when you live in Seattle.

[kaonevar]

Originally Posted by mrazyattic

So you're saying we shouldn't stop and do things for ourselves?

You didn't read what I wrote. Note that we are all guilty of this because we do, myself included. Of course we should do things for ourselves. Should we blow thousands of dollars on season passes and never donate to help others? Nope. That was my point.

[sacite]

The whole thing is a joke, really. Now admittedly I am a 49ers fan. But I have literalky warched every 49ers SB and never seen anywhere near this volume of hats, sweaters, etc. even in the Niners heyday. I have lived in CA for decades and LITERALLY not met ONE Seahawk fan prior to 2012. Not one. Yet today some idiot at my job in Sacranento was decked out in hat and sweater, and I see more everyday. And stop forcing this rivalry on us. No one in SF cared about the Seahawks pre-2012 and honestly, aside from their uber obnoxious fans I still really don't. Lol 2 year "storied" rivalry. Give me a break.

Now I just got back from Seattle, and I understand it up there. I watched the game at a sports bar and 3 or 4 Hawk "fans" I spoke with were from out of state! Lol. None of them had even lived in Seattle very long. It is obviously a fad and it will fade. I almost feel sorry for the real Hawk fans having to be lumped in with some of the more loudmouth bandwagoners. But at the same time, a part of me kinda admired the movement. It gives Seattle a sense of community it otherwise may lack with so many transplants.

[sacite]

Originally Posted by BATCAT

You know how people are that just have zero interest in football? That's how I feel about the obsession with whether or not a given city's fans are "bandwagoning" or not. It seems like a really boring thing to focus your attention on.

Exactly. Seems "boring" to you because you are not passionate about football. Any true fan cannot help but be annoyed by bandwagoners that disrespect other fans continually. It's not a matter if focusing on anything, but instead a natural reaction. But you'd have to have watched football pre*2012 to understand

[Bimmerfanboy]

Originally Posted by Adrian71

Sports just isn't as big a deal out here -- I think it's a regional thing to a large extent. I've lived in the Midwest and the East and have friends from the South, and in all those places, sports can be like a religion to people. It's part of the fabric of their lives, not just an occasional diversion from real life. They're lifelong fans of their teams and stick with them through good and bad. Yes, there are bandwagoners everywhere, but the sports culture in general just feels different here to begin with.

Agreed sports is a fabric of the community and identity of most older cities. In Seattle it's never been a big deal. Aside from a few core NBA fans nobody batted an eye when the Sonics (a very historic franchise) left town. I went to the UW and very few people went crazy over football and basketball like they do at a lot of other schools. I'm not even kidding when I say that when it rained hard at some of the nighttime games I went to I saw hundreds of empty seats pop up in the stadium. And hockey fans are nearly nonexistent. I've been to a few Seattle Thunderbirds games (WHL) and aside from the season opener the games are half-empty. Of course, the quality of hockey in the WHL is pretty terrible but you'd think that in a mid-sized metro area they'd at least be able to fill up a small WHL arena.

That's all part of the reason why I don't have much respect for many Seahawks fans. Seattle isn't a die-hard sports town so many fans are somewhat fake/fair-weathered. They've always had their core followers who will fill up the stadium (like nearly every other NFL city) but I never saw much fandom outside that until the past 2 years.

I know that to a lot of people I sound like a real hater but let me just take a second to put things into perspective. While Seattle may not be the best sports town, it has a very strong job market and high-quality of life. Ultimately, that's what matters. So I'm glad to live here!

[Bimmerfanboy]

Originally Posted by Adrian71

Why can't people switch allegiances? That's silly.

Granted, I've been a loyal, diehard Packers fan for over 30 years, and I doubt that will ever change. And I don't understand the logic of having to support the local team -- maybe because I grew up in the middle of nowhere without a local team to support. But goodness, if people move here and want to back the Hawks, more power to them. I even cheer them on and hope they do well, even though they aren't "my" team.

I probably take sports too seriously but the concept of loyalty is something I hold very dear to my heart. I think that sports is all about loyalty. You can't just ditch your old team because they are playing poorly or are historically bad. For me personally, success is only self-fulfilling when I know the value of the hard work and struggles I went through in order to accomplish something. That perspective translates into sports. When you experience the ups and downs of a team, only then do you realize the significance of that championship. Bandwagon fans will never understand that and that is why I dislike them.

As a Detroit Lions fan, I have been through a lot. My father and even the generation before him have been through a lot. But I hold that glimmer in my eye and dash of hope in my heart that one day in my lifetime my team will hoist the Lombardi Trophy. If/when that moment happens I will remember all the struggles and bad years and be able to truly appreciate the value of that championship. In all honestly I would probably cry a little bit.

[Black_Sheep3]

People complain about people in Seattle being introverted, gloomy winter weather , rain and smug people. But when the city finally has something that lifts everyone up, makes most the city happy, and unite them, theres a problem. Man, you guys are getting more and more ridiculous.

[GatsbyGatz]

Originally Posted by Black_Sheep3

People complain about people in Seattle being introverted, gloomy winter weather , rain and smug people. But when the city finally has something that lifts everyone up, makes most the city happy, and unite them, theres a problem. Man, you guys are getting more and more ridiculous.

Isn't it funny how a forum intended to promote discussions about city life somehow attracts so many misanthropes?

Just wait until next week for someone to create a new thread titled: "Amazon is really starting to annoy me--Can they leave Seattle already!?"

[Garfunkle524]

Originally Posted by Seatown1

I went to the UW and very few people went crazy over football and basketball like they do at a lot of other schools. I'm not even kidding when I say that when it rained hard at some of the nighttime games I went to I saw hundreds of empty seats pop up in the stadium.

I think UW's football audience is generally weak because of the lack of student involvement. UW football really feels like an Alumni event. The student body doen't turn out to support the team like at most schools. Even my alma mater, whose football program is one of the worst in the country, generally had strong student attendance and therefore strong regular attendance as well. However, they've been so very bad for so long that attendance is really struggling now.

Oh and I apologize for supporting UW football. I don't have a degree from there so I must be a jerk.

And hockey fans are nearly nonexistent. I've been to a few Seattle Thunderbirds
games (WHL) and aside from the season opener the games are half-empty. Of
course, the quality of hockey in the WHL is pretty terrible but you'd think that
in a mid-sized metro area they'd at least be able to fill up a small WHL arena.

This one really bothers me as I'm hooked on hockey. If Seattle is ever going to get an NHL team we have to get out and support the minor leaguers. The Silvertips and Americans (Tri-cities) have a strong fanbase, the Thunderbirds not so much. Arena location hurts them too. Most Seattle snobs think Kent is like Detroit at the bottom of the Recession. I made a comment about how the mall in Kent looked pretty nice and my wife said "but it's in KENT!! Don't go there because I don't want you to get shot!"