Why do people go so crazy for the Seahawks?

[Largent80]

My initial thoughts are you seem to be very lucid for a person with autism. I say that because my wife used to teach kids with it.

To try and answer the question, football is a game of passion and where a single play can define a season. A season that begins as soon as it ends. Plus the end reward is a rare thing to attain. It is a chess match that relies on people to make the match come out favorably.

 

[Anonymous]

Great conversation going on here, but I was having a hard time with what the subject actually matter was. . .

That is, of course, until I capitalized the proper name "Seahawks". What the hell is a seahawk?

If you people want to talk about people, teams of people, or want to ask something of us or present something to us to be taken seriously AT ALL, you will take the millisecond it takes to use capital letters when they are required. This extends from the name of the organization to every person that works for them.

I'm not sure who many of you are, or where you came from, but Seahawks.NET is NOT a drunken text message receptacle. It is the finest Seahawks message board on the planet and has the finest membership of any website anywhere. We deserve to be surrounded by those who give a shit just like we do.

While you are here, you will treat our web space and the team we love with the highest level of respect at all times. That means typing your thoughts by capitalizing the first letter of ALL proper names. Otherwise, your drivel is of less use to us than used TP.

Carry on.

 

[Scottemojo]

seahawks

 

[Laloosh]

^^ I'm pretty sure that you missed a comma in there somewhere, HH.

 

[Seahawkfan80]

Welcome. My son is autistic as well. It's a cool question to ask. I'll give it my theory.

In the old days, the baseball players were the coolest guys on the planet. Everybody wanted to be Joe Dimaggio. Everybody wanted to hang out with Babe Ruth. Nowadays, football players are the coolest. Why football and not volleyball? Football players are the most bad-arse, cool guys of them all. We're all incredibly jealous. We all wish we were that good, that cool. We all wish we had what it takes to physically dominate someone and get the girl. We live through these guys, and those three hours that we watch them allows us to escape from our normal lives and step vicariously into a world that we crave.

Why the Seahawks? Well, because most of us are from Seattle. Why the Seahawks craze? One, because they're good, really good, better than they ever have been, and two, because they're the coolest team of all the teams, with the coolest guys in the league, maybe some of the coolest athletes on the planet. How much fun would it be to be Richard Sherman? Marshawn Lynch is quite possibly the baddest dude on the planet. Russell Wilson is dating Ciara. Earl Thomas is so cool he doesn't even have to try to be cool. Our coach is a cool version of Richard Simmons.

Me, until I was 15 years old I rarely thought about anything other than playing QB in the NFL someday. If asked, I think a lot of guys would pick some other job as their dream job, but I don't think any of them are being honest. I think just about everybody here would rather be playing for the Hawks than doing anything else. Since we can't, we have to celebrate their victories with them as well as share in their defeat.

Underlined and big block letters. That is the true reason for the fandom of any sport.

For some people it is a distraction which brings them satisfaction from a situation they would prefer not to be in. They gain from the enjoyment of group satisfaction or even self satisfaction from being a part of the gladiatorial game. Consider if you would the old time gladiators and the people in the stands. Pretty much the same conditions here with the exception that the people in the stands have more than a passing interest in the players on the field. They become friends, neighbors, and fellow workers that you go out to dinner with and go bowling. Heck, even the occasional beach romp could happen.

Good luck in your endeavor to find what you are looking for.

 

[AVL]

I think there should be a waiting period before members can start threads. Have a special forum for introductions.

 

[DynoHawk]

I can't help but think part of it has to do with SB XL. We saw how the Stealers fans traveled, it was like a home game to them. So, we adopted that philosophy and, well as we tend to do, did it better. and it just spread from there.

Just an observation, I could be wrong.

 

[jdblack]

Football has more going for it than other games in a few categories. You have more personalities to react to, more strategy, and rarity keeps it fresh - Only 16 regular games a year in a single league with no comparable leagues worldwide. Football's popularity is even more pronounced at lower levels of the sport; College football and non-premier leagues of other sports are basically incomparable.

I think the biggest factor is similar to gambling addition, call it big play addiction. Our brains get a rush simply from playing games of chance, and football has more going on there than any other sport. http://www.brainfacts.org/diseases-diso ... the-brain/ You always have the possibility of a long touchdown pass, a strip/interception TD, a long kickoff return, etc. The physical danger in the game is another kind of anticipation. These keep people on the edge of their seats more than any other sport, and that edge of seat anticipation is addicting. The closest sport I am aware of is soccer, but that has constant low probabilities as opposed to compact (each play is distinct), higher probabilities.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

I hope I haven't typed this in any way that offends. We are all equals. I just am struggling to understand this illogical concept. Can anyone help?

Because sports is the ONLY social pastime that transcends barriers like race, class, creed and social status that brings entire cities and regions together.

Studies have been done with your very question, and what I just typed was the conclusion. We are emotional and passionate creatures, and sports is something we can all collectively be passionate about that helps fill that emotional need to be included in something greater than ourselves.

 

[HomerJHawk]

Great conversation going on here, but I was having a hard time with what the subject actually matter was. . .

That is, of course, until I capitalized the proper name "Seahawks". What the hell is a seahawk?

If you people want to talk about people, teams of people, or want to ask something of us or present something to us to be taken seriously AT ALL, you will take the millisecond it takes to use capital letters when they are required. This extends from the name of the organization to every person that works for them.

I'm not sure who many of you are, or where you came from, but Seahawks.NET is NOT a drunken text message receptacle. It is the finest Seahawks message board on the planet and has the finest membership of any website anywhere. We deserve to be surrounded by those who give a shit just like we do.

While you are here, you will treat our web space and the team we love with the highest level of respect at all times. That means typing your thoughts by capitalizing the first letter of ALL proper names. Otherwise, your drivel is of less use to us than used TP.

Carry on.

What he said.

 

[Hawkstorian]

The dude asks an honest question. Why question his motives or intelligence? Just don't answer him if you don't want to.

Thanks to Kearly and a few others for actually treating this guy like a human being. The rest of you -- ugh.

 

[Largent80]

The dude asks an honest question. Why question his motives or intelligence? Just don't answer him if you don't want to.

Thanks to Kearly for actually treating this guy like a human being. The rest of you -- ugh.

Not EVERYONE but Kearly....... John.

 

[Russ Willstrong]

Update - I'm not a troll. It may not be completely fluent grammer, as I typed it quickly based on my thoughts without major revisions.

People say I should understand, but I don't yet, because I am good at understanding logical things. There are many different things I like, some a bit better than others, but I like them all within balance. When it comes to football/seahawks, people seem completely off balance with their extreme level of passion so incredibly above and beyond any other related interests to a point beyond any logic which I can see.

Welcome.
Your posts here are very interesting but try not to let readers intimidate you if you are sincere and your intentions are good. I imagine most autistic persons find it anxiety-inducing when posting about your condition on social media. If you have done this before you do realize many readers may challenge your posts because in their experiences Autistic individuals have been lower functioning individuals who usually have difficulty expressing their thoughts and emotions besides the inability to understand/relate with others. As another poster mentions you do appear most lucid for a typical Autistic person.

Anyway, I have a few questions myself if you might expound on your diagnosis (i.e. whether you have autism vs Aspergers) and to what degree it has affected your relationships through life. Have you ever participated in team sports and to what degree do you understand fanaticism or other social phenomena.

I myself find your curiosity in this particular social behavior very interesting.

 

[edogg23]

I think this may be the most interesting thread I have come across on here. Thank you to everyone who took time to answer him seriously, I have read some great stuff!

 

[StoneCold]

Rooting for a team is not logical. Neither is crying when watching a movie about made up characters being portrayed by strangers who dress up in clothes they don't own and utter words they didn't write. In studying theater I was introduced to the concept "willing suspension of disbelief" It is the ability of a viewer to separate themselves from the logical notion that this is not real and does not affect me and allows them to immerse themselves in the drama that is unfolding. When in this state you become involved in the lives of the characters because we all share the same or similar emotional conditions. Everything you do as an actor has to support maintaining this state. (unless of course you are Bertolt Brecht). A related important concept is the idea of having a Stake in the outcome. As an actor you have to infuse your words and body language with a point of view where it's clear that you have an \outcome you are working towards.

If, as an autistic person, you can't activate or relate to these two concepts you will indeed have a hard time understanding fans of anything. A part of me knows that a win or a loss won't really have an impact on my life. I won't get paid less, my wife won't love me less and my friends will still want to come over for a BBQ. But for the game and the season I suspend my disbelief and go for the roller coaster ride.

 

[JustTheTip]

I work daily with people who have autism. This is the highest functioning person with autism I've come by. The spectrum is very wide... But really?

I just assumed he meant he had Asperger's Syndome, which some people consider to be on the austism spectrum.

It is curious though why he said "autistic," as opposed to Asperger's Syndome.

There is no classification of Asperger's anymore, only Autism Spectrum Disorder.

 

[Cartire]

The dude asks an honest question. Why question his motives or intelligence? Just don't answer him if you don't want to.

Thanks to Kearly for actually treating this guy like a human being. The rest of you -- ugh.

Not EVERYONE but Kearly....... John.

I would like to attach my name to this side as well.

Even if it was a troll, the question was fun to answer. A lot of cool reasons people have, produced in an organic way. I still think it just boils down to endorphins. But im extremely cynical. You guys know that.


Pointless to care if hes a troll or not, since you wont ever know. Just answer the question if you want.

 

[jacobsod]

Sounds like the same kind of thing I get all the time here in Arizona, especially on Blue Friday's or game days.

I've been told many times for many years how us Seattle fans are "annoying" because we root for our team like "maniacs". We YELL loudly when the defense is out on the field (or the entire game if not at it)! We wear gear on Fridays (at minimum)! When we see another fan we give them a "Go Hawks!", wherever we might be. We act like we are actually a part of the team!

Umm...yeah...isn't that the POINT?! Usually when I'm asked / commented on about it I almost say something but I then stop myself.

If they don't get it they never will. :34853_doh: There is no stronger partnership between fan and a team than there is with the Hawks. Been that way my whole life. Anyone who think it does NOT make a difference is kidding themselves. But then again, I'm biased. I see those soccer fans go crazy on TV sometimes, but I hate soccer.

Sometimes I start to get really sick of their lack of understanding but then I'll be out and about somewhere and hear "Go Hawks!" and get a thumbs up. Makes me smile. Awesome.

:tardssmall:

 

[treesquirrel]

Thanks to all who have given informative responses.

Here are responses to some of the questions for me,

I do understand the game of football, I watch it on occasion, I play the video game versions, I've played flag football, and would play real football if I had a chance. So I do understand the game, and can enjoy it similar to a good game of chess, or any other game. For me though, I have no favorite team, they are all professionals on similar ground and I could enjoy it no matter who wins. Also the game has been played for many years, and will be played for many more years, so for me I see no importance on any particular game. I could watch a new game, or one from 10 years ago, and it would be equal for me.

Its true, I think logically about almost everything, and base little off emotion. So maybe that is part of it. I don't have any typical bad habits like drinking, gambling, eating unhealthy food, failing to exercise, etc (other illogical things that baffle me about people) I do get excited about things, but they are more about things that actually affect me, like if I win a game myself, or do something thrilling, or something else that affects me. I can get a little excited about someone else's achievement, like an exceptional touchdown pass, but for me it is still more of an appreciation of the technical achievement of the maneuver and low odds of it happening, and I can appreciate the achievement while remaining calm, and perhaps giving a well mannered "nice job". I just don't understand people shouting their lungs out every chance they get for hours.

I have been told I have Aspergers as well. I've been in denial about this for over 15 years until just recently I'm starting to realize it is likely true.

I did go to a seahawks game once, someone gave me free tickets. It was a horrible experience for me, being in the overexcited swarm which was constantly yelling their lungs out, and doing other maniacal things even when nothing was happening. My ears were ringing for a long time. There was no way I could enjoy the game among the madness. I left 1/4 of the way through.

So I have some more questions.

1) It seems one of the biggest things people are pointing out as the appeal is the social aspect, of using it as the most popular tool to form social connection with others, and feeling like they are a part of something big. So in a theoretical situation, what if one day football became something which was looked down upon by the overwhelming majority of the population? If for some reason most people decided it was immoral and obscene. In this case would you, or do you think most fans, would continue wearing the clothes constantly, painting their cars/houses/faces, yelling and talking about it at all times, and in general revolving their lives around it? Would they move on to the next most popular and accepted social bonding conduit, and become a fan of that with equal passion as what they currently have for the seahawks?

2) Why does it seem so important to watch the game live. I've seen family members seclude themselves from their family at gatherings to watch the game on their phone. I was once on vacation in a tropical paradise, but a guy chose to not partake in the activities but listen to the radio in a parking lot instead. Also not only this, but they dress up in seahawks gear to watch/listen by themselves. I've seen many other things like those examples, and the one thing in common, they all could have just watched the game a couple hours later at their convenience. So why not do that?

3) I still can't quite understand why the excitement level is so over the top. Personally I can like things and get excited, but am still quite calm and collected. It seems with seahawks people yell at their tv's, jump up and down, throw things, shout out to the whole neighborhood, and write 12 on everything possible. It seems often a group will behave in a maniacal fashion and another group will try and compulsively one up their level of insanity and wild behavior. I just can't imagine any logical reason for excitement levels to rise this high over anything. And then real things that truly affect and make a tangible difference the peoples lives, they often don't really care about or even give a second thought or acknowledge them. Why is this?

 

[hawkfansam]

The dude asks an honest question. Why question his motives or intelligence? Just don't answer him if you don't want to.

Thanks to Kearly and a few others for actually treating this guy like a human being. The rest of you -- ugh.

Yes... Ugh.