"It's just a game"

Can we stop saying this? For most Seahawks "fans" it is just a game. However, can't we agree that for those of us who are invested enough to post here regularly that it is a little more than that? I know you are all hurting and want to compartmentalize things. Nobody should base their life around something they can't control, and that is unhealthy. But it is a little more than "just a game."

When New Orleans won the SB not long after that whole Katrina disaster, that win picked that whole city off the ground. That was just a game? I am saying it is a BIT more than that. If we won how many people would be saying "guys stop being so happy, its just a game!"

Let's deal with reality. We lost a game that couldn't have been scripted to be more of a heart breaking loss. It really stinks. Not the end of the world, but it stinks ALOT. Why do we have to start talking about next season just 24 hours later?

I understand outsiders looking in saying its just a game, I'm sure if I wasn't so good at hiding my feelings my wife would said that to me. But you guys understand why it means so much, don't you?

I know what you are trying to say but let's try to be a little positive.

Winning the superbowl is the best thing that can happen to an NFL team and the second best thing in my opinion is having a franchise QB that plays at a high level. We should be glad that Russell Wilson is on our side and look forward to next year.

Damned straight, Skybeard. If it's just a game to you, that's a beautiful story; it's more than that to us, and to those in that group, we are only annoyed by your "It's just a game, calm down" reminders.

I agree. I'm jealous and a bit blown away by the positive feelings some people can bring to a loss like this so soon after. I wish I had that kind of personality. It will take me a month to get to the point where I can find any "brightside" to a loss like this. These opportunities to make the Super Bowl are rare - there's no guarantee Russell Wilson doesn't get hurt in the regular season next year and we don't even make the playoffs. Unlikely, but possible.

RolandDeschain":323w7k2s said:

Damned straight, Skybeard. If it's just a game to you, that's a beautiful story; it's more than that to us, and to those in that group, we are only annoyed by your "It's just a game, calm down" reminders.

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You're right. So how do we petition for this do-over?
Should we sue?

We lost, it's not the end of the world, it is just a game (believe it or not), and there's plenty to look forward to.

I agree. To me this game was the worst loss of the year, simply because by mid-3rd quarter I had resigned myself that we weren't going to win. My dad and I were watching together and as we were mounting the comeback (in the 4th QTR) the fire of HOPE was reignited in me to the point that I was SURE we'd win. When we scored with 30 seconds left I thought surely the defense will hold. Surely they will finally come through in the end.

Then to lose on the FG It was doubly painful (as If we'd lost twice). This day SHOULD have been all about Russell Wilson and his unbeleivable comeback he help mount. Instead the defense did what it's done all year- fold in the most critical time of the year. very disheartening.

I disagree. It is always good to keep perspective and while I agree the people who go around reminding everyone "its just a game" are annoying, its true. We arent doing anything important ourselves, we are enjoying football vicariously through the players when we enjoy football games. In this way we should always be reminding ourselves football game outcomes arent really important to us personally and it is just a game. I know its always hard to keep this kind of perspective. I was unbelievably bumped yesterday after the game.

jlwaters1":nx7wg0qi said:

I agree. To me this game was the worst loss of the year, simply because by mid-3rd quarter I had resigned myself that we weren't going to win. My dad and I were watching together and as we were mounting the comeback (in the 4th QTR) the fire of HOPE was reignited in me to the point that I was SURE we'd win. When we scored with 30 seconds left I thought surely the defense will hold. Surely they will finally come through in the end.

Then to lose on the FG It was doubly painful (as If we'd lost twice). This day SHOULD have been all about Russell Wilson and his unbeleivable comeback he help mount. Instead the defense did what it's done all year- fold in the most critical time of the year. very disheartening.

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Just highlighting what is likely the only (real) important part of this. Perhaps the perspective helps?

"It's just a game" is probably one of the phrases I hate in life the most. I heard it countless times as a kid growing up and whenever I hear it now I just think of how untrue it is for me. It's more than just a game to me, and to you and others, it's an emotion, a passion, something we love. Like all the other things we love in life, it gives us great happiness and amazing moments and memories like BeastQuake, games and plays that define what would normally be random days. The flip side to this is that it gives us moments like yesterday that can bring you down. It comes with the territory but I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

Tough one yesterday and it's okay to feel how you're feeling right now. I just laid down for a second and it really hit me. I thought of going to Seattle and all the great times this season gave me. The excitement. The hope. I love those feelings and always will, which is another reason why I love the Seahawks so much. It's been a tough year and the Hawks were always something that would keep my mind preoccupied.

It's more than just a game.

Man I love Seahawks and the NFL as much as anyone. But for me win or loss it's just a game. The outcome doesn't provide food and shelter for my family. The could win the Super Bowl but if I were unemployed I'd feel just as down come Monday as if they hadn't even made the playoffs. I'll admit it's great that they are giving us something positive to talk about around the water cooler vs the rest of the depressing news. I think the biggest reason that I'm able to refer to it as "just a game" is because I'm not on the field. What I do has ZERO impact on what they do. I try not to get to worked up about things I can not control.

NYCoug":2bi6vety said:

"It's just a game" is probably one of the phrases I hate in life the most. I heard it countless times as a kid growing up and whenever I hear it now I just think of how untrue it is for me. It's more than just a game to me, and to you and others, it's an emotion, a passion, something we love. Like all the other things we love in life, it gives us great happiness and amazing moments and memories like BeastQuake, games and plays that define what would normally be random days. The flip side to this is that it gives us moments like yesterday that can bring you down. It comes with the territory but I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

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I know its a bit difficult to convey what I am trying to convey, but I think you got closer than me. Football (and other things that have a similar effect) add color and depth to an otherwise monotone life.

The highs can't feel high without the lows feeling low. That's what we sign up for.

I can't remember who was on espn 710 on the drive back home yesterday, but they made my point so much better than I could. When you are really plugged in to something emotionally, whether it is a LOW or a HIGH one thing you know is that you are alive. I concur.

CaptainSkybeard":24seaikx said:

NYCoug":24seaikx said:

"It's just a game" is probably one of the phrases I hate in life the most. I heard it countless times as a kid growing up and whenever I hear it now I just think of how untrue it is for me. It's more than just a game to me, and to you and others, it's an emotion, a passion, something we love. Like all the other things we love in life, it gives us great happiness and amazing moments and memories like BeastQuake, games and plays that define what would normally be random days. The flip side to this is that it gives us moments like yesterday that can bring you down. It comes with the territory but I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

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I know its a bit difficult to convey what I am trying to convey, but I think you got closer than me. Football (and other things that have a similar effect) add color and depth to an otherwise monotone life.

The highs can't feel high without the lows feeling low. That's what we sign up for.

I can't remember who was on espn 710 on the drive back home yesterday, but they made my point so much better than I could. When you are really plugged in to something emotionally, whether it is a LOW or a HIGH one thing you know is that you are alive. I concur.

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Well said my friend. I agree with you 100%, especially about feeling alive.

Nice original post. Hang in there.

CalgaryHawk":1n0cmeoo said:

I agree. I'm jealous and a bit blown away by the positive feelings some people can bring to a loss like this so soon after. I wish I had that kind of personality. It will take me a month to get to the point where I can find any "brightside" to a loss like this. These opportunities to make the Super Bowl are rare - there's no guarantee Russell Wilson doesn't get hurt in the regular season next year and we don't even make the playoffs. Unlikely, but possible.

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It could be a lifelong result of teams that dissapoint you. Getting to the bigger games and blowing it is much harder to deal with than being a fan of teams that just constantly suck (like my cubs). On the other hand I have seen my soccer, college football & basketball team blow game after game. I expect it to happen......

In addition having a few kids over the past few years doesn't allow me to get as emotionally invested in the game and then the outcome isn't as devestating.

I have more time to invest in the game here at work than being home.........

To be blunt - sports matter so much exactly because they don't.

You will eat tomorrow regardless of if the Seahawks win and because it has no effect and is a positive experience people can get very excited about it.

People who treat their health like we treat the Seahawks are called hypochondriacs - stressing over minutia on a daily basis because that is what they choose to stress over.

The sad part is I think the fans get more depressed than the coaches and players.

I'm all bummed out yesterday, and then I read the tweets from the players once they landed back home and they're joking around and positive. So IMO that's a lesson for those of us (myself included) that get super down after crushing defeats, you should never take sports more seriously than the players do. If they're upbeat and positive, then that's how we should react as well.

I agree that it's NOT just a game, it's bigger than that to a community and fanbase. But on the other hand it's not the end of the world either. That's the beauty of sports, hope for next year. It's what keeps us coming back.

I will be depressed until the Superbowl is over, and if San Franfreakin'cisco's Whiners win it, maybe till the draft, or longer. They will be UNBEARABLE.

Being a fan since '77, it's been a hard road. It's time for some glory!

Football is just a game, the nfl isn't, if the nfl was just a game, this website wouldn't exist and the nfl wouldn't be a billion dollar industry. "It's just a game" is something you say to a kid in youth football, when it comes to the nfl, it is more than just a game

Dude, it's just a game. Sorry if that ruffles your feathers but at the end of the day, and our lives, it really is just a game. Yes, we are emotionally invested more than most people, it's our jobs as diehards, but let's not get melodramatic here.

I invested a decade of my life to help nurture, grow and expand this website community. I lost a lot of money and even made some enemies during that time. But it was all worth it because of the community it has become. It's a legacy I will always be proud of but let's not lose sight of the fact that this is really just entertainment. It's a fantastic part of our lives to be sure but yes indeed, it is, just a game.

I wish we could stop making posts trying to decide whats ok or not ok to say.