Updated Sep 25, 2012 - 10:19 am
Tune out the noise and celebrate a win
I don't care what the rest of the country thinks and neither should you.
Nor should Pete Carroll, Russell Wilson, Golden Tate or any member of the Seahawks.
Yes, Seattle probably got away with one. Who hasn't?
 Despite the controversial finish, coach Pete Carroll and the Seahawks have every right to celebrate their 14-12 win over the Packers. (AP photo) |
And yes, the NFL continues to embarrass itself with overmatched replacement officials who can't handle the speed or complexity of the game.
But the final play of Seahawks' 14-12 win on Monday night was hardly the most egregious call of the season and Seattle is hardly the only team who has benefited.
The great thing about the NFL is that the Seahawks will have (at least) 13 more opportunities to show the nation who and what they are. And even if some fans will want to discredit this win, it will stand in the record books and in the minds of everyone who watched.
No one can take it away from you.
Just ask a Steelers fan how much he cares when he's taunted about the phantom holding call in Super Bowl XL? Notice how hard a Patriots fan laughs when someone mentions the tuck rule, or a Yankees fan when he's told that the entire 1990s dynasty never would have happened were it not for a truant named Jeffrey Mayer.
The point is that bad calls happen and sometimes you catch a break. But the Seahawks put themselves in position to capitalize on it when it came.
Referees didn't falsely award them eight first-half sacks nor did they leave Tate wide open for his first touchdown. They weren't responsible for the prolific Green Bay offense accounting for just one touchdown. They didn't help Marshawn Lynch come just two yards shy of another triple-digit performance. They didn't cause Green Bay to punt after failing to pick up the one first down they needed to win the game. No one in stripes moved the ball down to the 28-yard line before controversy ensued.
The Seahawks can take credit for all of those things.
I know many will wish the story was about how a plucky and physical team from parts unknown upended the Packers with a combination of grit and guile. But that's just the national narrative and it has no bearing on the game played on the field.
Respect comes later.
When seasons are completed and records are tallied, that's when it matters.
As for now, sit back and enjoy the show. Let yourself laugh in a smug way. This isn't the first fanbase whose team eked out a win with a controversial ending, nor will it be the last.
The Seahawks are 2-1. Feel free to enjoy it.
You might also like:
• Postgame interviews
• Seahawks get to Aaron Rodgers early and often
• Packers stunned by controversial loss to Seahawks
• Game photos
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nameserv wrote...?!?!?September 25, 2012 6:22 am{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }- Reply
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sambra27 wrote...A few thoughtsSeptember 25, 2012 6:26 am{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }- Reply
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sambra27 wrote...revisionSeptember 25, 2012 6:28 am{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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DesertRez wrote...A win is a winSeptember 25, 2012 6:34 am{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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jclaggett wrote...Completely AgreeSeptember 25, 2012 6:36 am{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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Regularjoe44 wrote...PittsburgSeptember 25, 2012 6:36 am{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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Forrest wrote...Greenbay wouldn't have scored their touchdownSeptember 25, 2012 6:39 am{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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Bozfan55 wrote...The Immaculate Deflection?September 25, 2012 6:41 am{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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FreeRange wrote...Just like the SuperBowl....September 25, 2012 6:42 am{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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jeffdb wrote...Sad!September 25, 2012 6:42 am{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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SEAHKFN wrote...Happy just like the Steeler fans..September 25, 2012 8:49 pm{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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busa89 wrote...I cant agree with thisSeptember 25, 2012 6:50 am{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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Brock Huard has co-hosted the show since 2009. After earning Gatorade Player of the Year honors at Puyallup High School, Brock went on to a record-setting career at Washington and then spent six years in the NFL, including four with the Seahawks. Brock has also spent five years with ESPN working as a college football analyst in the booth and the studio. Brock makes his home on the Eastside with his wife Molly and their three young children.
Danny O'Neil is the son of a logger, a graduate of the University of Washington and has been a working journalist in Seattle since 1999, first at newspapers and since 2012 at 710 ESPN Seattle. He is married to Sharon Pian Chan, associate opinions editor at The Seattle Times. They live on Capitol Hill with their wrinkled, smelly dog.
