Cheer Up, Emo Kid!

I sure don't like to be a Donald Downer, but looking through the last month or so of my writing here -- when I've felt revived enough to actually write -- it seems like this has stopped being a Seahawks fan site and more like a self-help group for people trying to escape the goth subculture.

With Christmas Eve's double-shot of misery for me, personally, with both the Seahawks losing and James Brown dying, I've felt more like painting on white makeup and talking about unfortunate topics like meaninglessness, high gas prices, TB epidemics and some ghastly thing called "the spiritual realm."

Hey, folks! It's not that bad! Things are going to be all right! Have a Red Bull and some valium! We're going to get through this!

I thought I was just being some dippy High School Musical cast-off until Chuckie agreed with me!

I was pissed off about Sunday's game, until I read how terrible Michael Boulware felt about giving Vincent Jackson too much room. Then I felt bad for being angry. So I decided not to shoot out my television when the NFL Network showed the game on NFL Replay Wednesday night, and decided to wait until they showed another of those cheerleading programs. That's when I usually shoot out my TV. Also during That's So Raven.

For 119/120ths of Sunday's game, the Seahawks were playing their best football in a month. I know, I know, the offense fell short in crucial situations. I knew giving San Diego the ball with a minute left was too much time. I felt it coming. But up until then, they were riding astride the best team in the NFL at the moment, matching them blow-for-blow, if you look at it quarter-by-quarter.

Then it hit me: Whatever you want to say about the Seahawks this year -- the frustrating fourth-and-ones when we tried end runs instead of punch-throughs, Shaun's juke moves looking more predictable, pass protection assignments being missed, and more injuries than 5 seasons of M*A*S*H -- nobody has ever questioned the resolve of this team.

They've been anchoring a wobbly ship since preseason. They've had to rebuild practically every damn week. Yeah, they've lost some games they should have, but maybe the other teams just built up their plans knowing they were facing us.

The NFC West is getting tougher. The 49ers may have their best running back since Roger Craig. The Rams have retained their considerable offensive swagger, especially in those close games we won. The Cardinals have a promising quarterback for the next few seasons, until he gets disgruntled and begs for a trade to a contender but will settle for Cleveland. But at least you can fold up their stadium and put it in your trunk for easy portability.

The point is, the Seahawks could have cashed it in at any moment. Frankly, I cashed it in myself. But they want it far more than I think we're used to crediting teams that are having hard-luck seasons. And it got to the point where I felt I was letting them down. That's really weird, especially since they wouldn't even put me on the practice squad. (Uh-huh! That's right! I may be a heartbeat shy of 40 years old, but I can still get pulverized with the best of 'em! Especially if the best of 'em are one-legged!)

I like Hasselbeck better this year than I did last year. He's just kept getting up. He can't stand it when he can't. You saw him pound the field when he got injured, then you saw him handle the press with the same reserved, wry sense of humor you usually don't see when a player can't contribute. Then he just went back out there.

I'm not excited about their prospects for the playoffs. But I would be terrified if we were going into the 2007 season with anyone but the people on that team.

The Seahawks are my mutual fund. They ain't my CD's. I'll hang around as long as they need me.

And hell, maybe I'm wrong about the playoffs.

There's your homer piece for the season. I had to do this. Mainly because I wanted to say what was in my heart, but also because I couldn't find a YouTube video with John Belushi's inspirational speech from Animal House.

Oh, what the hell:

"Over? Did you say 'over'? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!"

Forget it. I'm rolling.