"I cannot spare this man. He fights."

Lincoln said that about General Grant during the Civil War, but it should now be the mantra of the entire Seahawks organization and fan base regarding Matt Hasselbeck. His stat line was not impressive today: 22/38 for 287 yards and a pick. But just in maintaining some sembelance of an offensive attack while absorbing brutal punishment for 60 minutes, he proved his value to this franchise.

For everyone on the "dump Hass" bandwagon, I hope your little cart of pessimism careens into a ditch filled with broken glass and used hypodermic needles. For everyone who thinks that Hass is too old at 33, check this action:

Kerry Collins: Age 35
Brett Favre: Age 39
Kurt Warner: Age 37

Yeah, none of those old fucks are MVP candidates this year are they?

So now the Seahawks are staring down their worst season since 1992, and it's time to start thinking about preserving their most precious resource: An elite QB with a lot of gas left in the tank. As we move into the Mora era, no player is as irreplacable as Matt Hasselbeck.

Anyone who fails to see that is an ignorant fool. End of line.

Sign of the Times

That's from the "Just Sports" store at the Columbia Center Mall in the Tri-Cities.

The huge rack of Cowboys gear? That's still full price of course.

I guess the good news is that this a great time to stock up, if one has the necessary means. It's mostly just a painful reminder of how we've gone back to being the "Sea Chickens" in the popular imagination.

Balls.

Redskins 20, Seahawks 17

First of all, here's my pics from the game.

Secondly, a reader came up to me and gave me props on the blog before the game. However, I was kind of out of it and didn't really know what was going on until my friend KT explained it to me.. So, dude in the Big Walt jersey and Hawkhead: Thanks for reading, and I'm sorry for being a fucking dunce yesterday. :-]

What else?

-The Seahawks are going to post their first losing season since 2002. Realistically, they look headed for 4-12.

-This was the first time I sat in Qwest's lower bowl, and the first time I've attended a loss at Qwest. Sitting in 125 was fun, but I missed being higher up and seeing more of the field.

-Seahawk Addicts and Field Gulls have already broken down the game, so I just want to say that I was happy to see the team still fighting, even at a point where any realistic hope for the playoffs is long gone.

-Hasselbeck. I know he had a poopsmith-esque game, but I found myself incensed with the fans who showered him with boos and jeers. Beck is playing hurt, and we can debate whether he should be on the field at all, but to boo him pisses all over what he has done for this team. It's ignorant fucking horseshit to boo the greatest QB in team history, a three-time pro bowler who led Seattle to its only Super Bowl, and who has proven over and over that he spits and pisses blood for this team, this town, and us fans. Dude isn't playing very well, but neither are most of the other players. Does anyone really think Seneca or Frye would have led us to victory? Cripes.

As I left the game, a little kid right in front of me said "I hate Hasselbeck." His dad said.. "Where is Hasselbeck? I wanna boo him!"

I've never shot two people a dirtier, more disrespectful look in my 33 years on this planet.

I'm not kidding... If you were booing Hasselbeck yesterday, you are a big dumb fuck, and it's hard for me to fathom how you can call yourself a Seahawks fan.

2-8? I'm still going to have a blast on Sunday.

That's my friend KT, and I'm going to the game with her this Sunday. Back in September, we went to the Rams game and had a kick-ass time at Tailgate Heaven. This time around, I'll be coming down from my perch in 325 to sit with her in 125. I've never sat in the lower level at Qwest, so this should be a fun change of pace. So if you're at Tailgate Heaven or down around 125, hunt me down T-800 style and say hello. I'll be giving a nice little ovation to Zorn and SA during the introductions... After that, DC is going to feel my boundless wrath for three hours plus. I expect nothing less from all y'all, either.

Dear PFT Guy: Be Fucked.

I've documented the fucktardery of PFT's Mike Fuck-o a few times before.. You may want to catch up here, here, and here.. But the bottom line is this grimy little turd of a man goes out of his way to dump on the Seahawks pretty much on any day that ends in y.

In addition to wishing 80-year-old rules were different so the Seahawks would lose, and idiotically arguing that the Hawks have TOO MUCH of a homefield advantage, Fuck-o has recently added new grist to my mill of hate.

From his "Sporting News 10 Pack" this week, talking about the Cowboys:

And things get considerably easier over the next 10 days for Dallas, with a Week 12 visit from the 49ers and a Turkey Day treat featuring stuffed birds from Seattle, who at 2-8 would be playing for pride if they actually had any.

Yeah, I know it's easy to kick us while we're down, fuckface... But do you actually, you know, WATCH THE GAMES? In the last two weeks Seattle lost to two potential playoff teams by a total of eight points, and almost erased a 26-7 deficit on Sunday. We might suck, but to say that we have no pride is willfully ignorant. But what do you expect from a guy who thinks the Rams are going to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl every year? Asswedge.

Here's another gem: Fuck-o uses Hasselbeck's weird press conference rant as an excuse to show the 2003 Wild Card int again. Hilarious! Hmm.. Fuck-o claims to "dislike all NFL teams equally," but I don't see him posting youtube clips of every shitbrained Brett Favre playoff INT each time Wrangler Brett says something stupid or weird. Hypocritical Steelers-loving bullshitter.

Please beat DC on Sunday, Hawks... If only to ruin PFT's day.

In conclusion, go fuck a broadsword, crapstard.

Con Sarn It!

Well, the season is OFFICIALLY over. The Hawks were outclassed by a superior team today (holy shit... Boldin and Fitz worked over our DBs like they were prison snitches), but thankfully I saw a team that still gives a crap. They refused to run for the bus after falling behind 26-7, and gave us reason to have hope going into 2009.

Once this team gets healthy and retools through free agency and the draft, they'll be competitive next season. I want to see more fight over the last six weeks though... Even at 2-8, next week is important. Why?

I'm going to be at next week's game, and I've never attended a Hawks loss at Qwest. Yup, with me at the game the Hawks are 11-0 at Qwest/Seahawks Stadium.

What do you think, sirs?

Inexplicably Excited

I'm way too psyched up about tomorrow's game, and way too optimistic about our chances. I can't put my finger on it, but it doesn't feel like a meaningless game for a 2-7 team trudging through the remainder of its schedule, does it?

The Change We Need

I know President-Elect Obama has a lot on his plate right now, but I'd like to make a humble request as one of his voters/contributors/volunteers/constituents:

Bring back the Post-Super Bowl Presidential Phone Call to the victorious locker room! (Ok, now they do all the post-game stuff out on the field, but the principle is still the same.)

Nothing is more awkward/entertaining than a President trying to make small talk with an athlete... Remember when Reagan made that crack about using Marcus Allen as a weapon against the Russkies? Obama could top that by telling, say, Ray Lewis that he could sure use his help "intercepting" Bin Laden... Hilarious!

Shit, you could even have verizon sponsor it.. have Bob Costas hand the MVP the phone, and Obama shows up on the stadium jumbotron. Easy Peasy.

Who's with me on this one?

2002 Redux?

Ahh, the 2002 season. Remember how much we sucked the first half of the season? Unfortunately that team was slightly better than the '08 bunch at this point (3-6 v. 2-7).

However, behind a healthy Matt Hasselbeck, the Hawks finished with a 4-2 flourish. I can't help but think we have the potential to do something similar over the stretch run this season with Hass back under center. Yeah, I know a lot of you out there are rooting for that super high draft pick, but 7-9 sounds a lot better to me than 4-12, you dig?

I know that the upcoming sked looks rough, but remember that in '02 we won a number of games that were supposed to be cakewalks for the opposition (@ ATL and @ SD come to mind). Given the talent level of this bunch, there's no reason to think that they can't seriously fuck up other teams' playoff chances over the last 7 weeks.

AZ? Well, they'll be in the playoffs, but we can humble them a bit by sweeping they asses.

DC? I love me some Jimmy Zorn, but I'd love to keep him and his boys out of the playoffs even more.

Dallas? Jeez, do I even need to say it? Fuck Dallas. Fuck them right in the ear.

New England? See Dallas.

NYJ? Holmgren's last game at home? Against Favre? With them fighting for a playoff spot? I can't think of a sweeter win on the rest of our schedule.

What do you think, sirs?

Sunday Still Matters.

Arizona is cruising to a NFC West crown, just like we used to back in the old days of the Second Bush Administration.

However, we don't have to make it easy for them.

We can leave Kurt Warner limping, spitting blood and wondering why the Lord hath forsaken him. We can remind those red bastards that it aint gonna be this easy next year. We can put that nugget of doubt in their peanut heads: "Are we a one-year wonder?"

One more loss means all hope of the playoffs is extinguished. I'd prefer to have false hope for at least one more week, boys. Let's make those Cardinals fly back to Arizona with a team full of bum wings.

Almost 25 Years Ago....

I was only eight years old, but December 31, 1983 is forever scorched into my memory: Seahawks 27, Dolphins 20. Until 2005, the greatest day in Seattle's NFL history. Hell, that highlight above (thanks seahawksblue) is even narrated by the late great John Facenda.

When I am sitting in some Columbus sports bar watching the game this Sunday, I'll be wearing my Easley throwback and my mind will drift back to that soggy afternoon (probably in inverse proportion to how well the current Hawks are playing)... It's one of a handful of games in the '83 season that made me a Hawks fan for life.

Finally, sorry for being absent this week... I'm dealing with some personal issues, and was also trying to avoid the urge to gloat about the election in this space.

As always: GO HAWKS!

Eagles 26, Seahawks 7

The defense played gamely, but aside from that opening 90-yard spasm the offense could get NOTHING done. Watching this game was like driving around on a tire with a slowwwwww leak, wasn't it?

For the first time since 2002, I have to admit that the season is effectively over at midseason. Too many injuries, too much complacency (from both coaches and players). It's still important to see improvement in the second half of the season, and hopefully we'll see players busting ass to keep their jobs in the Mora regime next year.

Y'all know my position on packing it in.. I'm against it. But shutting down Hasselbeck for the rest of the season is just the smart thing to do, isn't it? With a healthy Hass in 2009, why can't we make a big turnaround?

It is profoundly depressing to see the Holmgren era ending like this, and I wish I could be there for his final home game v. NYJ. No such luck, though. Hopefully he'll get a hero's send-off from the Qwest faithful.

I'm off to see Zach and Miri Make a Porno. Staring at Elizabeth Banks MIGHT cheer me up.