Calling out the 12th Man

Once upon a time, the 12th Man made Seahawks Stadium one of the most feared hostile venues in professional sports.

Now our house is not even respected.

A month ago, Seattle played its last home game, hosting the Falcons.

Like any defeat in team sports, that debacle was the work of many hands.

However, for me the most disappointing aspect of the contest was the weak showing by the 12th Man.

Early in the game, Atlanta got the jump on us, establishing a swift tempo with their audible-based no-huddle offense.

No visiting offense should be able to call an audible in Seahawks Stadium. Ever.

The deafening din of the 12th Man should shut that sh!t down every time.

When any offense attempts to call an audible in our house, the outraged roars of 67,000 throats should engulf the opposing players, causing blood to gush from their earholes with the force of a broken fire hydrant.

In the glory years, teams would practice silent snap counts because they knew they could not count on doing business as usual in Seahawks Stadium.

The last home defeat showed how far we have fallen. Atlanta's game plan was predicated on calling audibles in our house. And for much of the first half, the crowd remained quiet and let them do it.

Later in the contest, the team showed signs of life, and the 12th Man came alive.

But the crowd can't wait for our players to inspire them to get them involved in the game.

The fans need to seize the initiative.

Instead of waiting for the athletes to fire up the audience, the masses need to electrify our players by belting out a supersonic wall of noise at strategic intervals.

Every time our opponents possess the pigskin, the 12th Man must punish them with a barrage of decibels that vibrates sternums and gets in our enemies' heads, shattering their morale, impairing logical thought, and annihilating every instinct except the impulse to collapse into a tight fetal curl, weeping for their mothers and wishing they had worn diapers.

Where are the false start penalties?

Where is the fear?

Where is the 12th Man?

12th Man, the Seahawks Diehard is calling you out:

Prove that you still exist.

Show that you still matter.

Demonstrate that you can still dominate.

Or take down the flag for good.


A note on terminology

Our team plays its home games in Seahawks Stadium.

True diehards call the hallowed gladiatorial arena by its actual and original name: Seahawks Stadium.

Corporate monikers like Qwest Field and CenturyLink Field represent an affront to the conventions of written English.

More importantly, using these bogus names constitutes a massive insult to the taxpayers of Washington state who have paid and continue to pay for the facility's construction.

I understand that the corporations in question bought the naming rights fair and square, and there's nothing we can do about their name being displayed in and on the stadium.

But no corporation can buy our hearts and minds. Seahawks diehards must refuse to be corporate tools and insist on referring to the venue by its proper name, both in print and in conversation.

We happily allow the Sounders to play their worthy (yet inferior) sport in Seahawks Stadium, but the soccer players should remain mindful that they are merely guests in a facility built for football: real football, American football, the sport of warriors.