Allow Myself to Introduce.... Myself. Again.

I've been writing and managing Field Gulls for about five months now and when I started the NFL had just gone into offseason hibernation. The normal offseason slumber turned into a full-on coma due to the (now defunct) NFL Lockout. This meant we Field Gullers had to reach way into the bottom of the barrel for things to write about but I'd say we did a pretty decent job getting you through it. Right? Right? Anyway, now that football is back in action, Field Gulls has managed to pick up a few new readers and members so I though I should re-introduce myself and welcome all the new Twelves to the site.

Whenever we'd do those godawful ice breakers at school or at summer camp, my go-to phrase was always "I'm Danny and I like Doritos" so I'm going to use that again. You shall now be able to remember my name out of the alliterative idea that I like Doritos. But I don't really even like Doritos that much, it's just an easy food that starts with a "D". Some of my hobbies include making beer, reading about history, going to trivia at bars, drinking the beer I was talking about earlier in this sentence (if you remember), playing hoops, and not hanging out in my parents' basement in my underwear pecking away at my keyboard (like most bloggers).

I won't go too in-depth into my back story other than to say I'm a big Seahawks fan, and have been for about five years. I'm obsessed, really. I'm constantly on my phone checking Twitter for the latest updates, scouring the interwebs for Hawk related news, researching and reading about football strategy, and watching old film so I figured blogging about it was a natural outlet.

What can you expect? -- I'll do some serious analysis pieces, try to bring news in a timely manner, post a daily linkup to other great Seahawks blogs or articles, and now and again I'll try to bring a little levity. Like, for instance, by telling a joke. (What's brown and sticky? -- A stick. Get it?)

Anyway, what we're trying to create here, if I were to sum up a mission statement or whatever it is you want to call it, is a quality place you can go to for Seahawks related news, analysis, commentary, and community. The team here is comprised of fellow Seahawks obsessed writers and I like to think we bring a pretty wide range of voices. That's my ultimate goal anyway. I'm still in the process of recruiting talented writers that will bring new specialties and outlooks to the site and will broaden the discussion, further readership football knowledge, and enhance the fan experience.

It should be a place you feel welcome to join, and don't be afraid to partake in the commentary threads if you like to talk 'a little shop.' The site guidelines are posted here, and you should give that a gander, but the main thing I'm trying to hammer on is that being a Seahawks fan should be fun. People watch sports to have fun. (Unless you're a degenerate gambler, then you might be watching sports in hopes you'll win and your loan-shark won't murder you).

That 'just have fun' ethos should be reflected here and though we do a lot of serious analysis, lets try not to take ourselves too seriously. If we screw something up, let us know, but don't be a jerk about it. If we write something that you like or appreciate, "Rec" the shit outta that bitch. Seriously, the use of the Rec button is HIGHLY encouraged -- on comments, FanPosts, articles, whatever. You should strive, with every comment you post, to get it rec'd and if you think someone made a good point, let them know with a Rec. Recs-N-Effect y'all.

Think about it that way, and the quality will be contagious, for readers and the writers. Think of the Rec button like a fistbump. --"Nice, dude."

The community here is great and strong, and it's only getting bigger and better. I'm proud to be a catalyst of this by providing my take on things, and encourage you to provide your opinion in the FanPosts section of the site. If you're interested and serious about the Seahawks and/or writing, throw your stuff up in a FanPost and you'll get some honest and constructive feedback. If you're interested in contributing, do so in the FanPost section and I'll try and front-page quality pieces.

Now, obviously losing games is frustrating, and for Seahawks fans recently, it's happened a lot. For sure. I've thrown my fair share of stuff at the TV. I swear a lot on any given Sunday. But let's try and remember that it's a game and we should appreciate the subtleties and intricacies of it just much as a win or a loss. Let's enjoy the fan experience -- for anyone that's had a chance to go to a game Seahawks Stadium Qwest Field CenturyLink Field THE CLINK, you know that it's just as much about the camaraderie and atmosphere there as it is about the final score.

Don't get me wrong, I love when the Seahawks win -- and I root for them to win every game, period. But, I'm a glass half full kind of guy when it comes to dealing with a loss. It's just who I am and because I am a main contributor the site will reflect that sentiment.

Another note: the site is run by the authors and the moderators. It's a team effort and sometimes if you're letting your passionate fandom get the best of you and violate the site guidelines, you may receive a 'warning' for it. Try not to take it personally. Our mods are here to keep things civil and in the anonymity of the internet, we inevitably deal with trolls. Because tone and sarcasm are harder to discern on the internet, you may get 'warned' despite the best intentions. Try and understand that it's not a perfect science and we're just doing our best to keep things positive and under control. Brush it off your shoulders and carry on.

Finally -- now that I've introduced myself, I want to hear about you. What brought you here? What do you do in the real world? What makes you tick? Let me know below.

Welcome to Field Gulls. SEA!!

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