Seahawks...Most hated NFL team outside Seattle

[MontanaHawk05]

It's because we're a team of punks and druggies.

You know I'm right. I love Richard Sherman, but he's an obnoxious loudmouth who talks trash every chance he gets and escaped a PED suspension on a technicality. Golden Tate has grown on me as a player, but he is a little punk who cheap-shots Dallas WRs, taunts on the way to the end zone, and benefited from a highly questionable officiation in the Packers game. Breno Giacomini is an on-field bully who plays way past the whistle and baits defenders into penalties. Our coach left the college ranks under suspicious circumstances and our OL coach was known for punching people in Oakland. Our star wide receiver is known for nebulous injuries and arguing with coaches. We upset a Super Bowl champion as a 7-9 team and made the playoff seeding rules look silly for a season. And how many teams do you know who have had SEVEN players busted for suspensions in just two seasons? Has anyone ever really stopped to take stock of just how much sheer personality Pete has assembled here?

This isn't irony or sarcasm right now. I've never talked about my feelings on this team's personality because I know I'll get nothing but grief for it. But I've long been annoyed by all this. I really wish Sherman would just shut his mouth once in a while. He's already proven himself and I fail to see what else he has to gain with more yapping. I really wish Tate would just play the game. I really wish our secondary would quit going out of its way to make a statement and risk the dumb penalties. Our losses this year have been close - where would we be without just a handful of untimely penalties? (Yeah, yeah, I know, #1 seed anyway, but still...)

And before you jump down my throat, be honest with yourself for a second: If the 49ers had pulled these shenanigans under Pete Carroll over the last three years, would YOU feel differently? Would you have the same tolerance (or even delight) for these things if it were another team? No, you wouldn't. You'd be giving them the Jim Harbaugh treatment - pure hatred and mockery, with only the occasional Scottemojo reminding people that they are in fact still a good team and grudgingly affording them some respect.

Combine this with typical "winner's hatred" and our habit of consistently defeating every "America's Team" and pretty-boy star quarterback out there, and you can understand why people feel the way they do. Not that I'm ashamed of being a Seahawks fan. It's just that once you put aside your fan bias and look at things objectively, you can probably understand where others are coming from.

 

[TeamoftheCentury]

Yeah, hate is a good thing. If anyone ever questions that, ask yourself how many people hate the Jacksonville Jaguars. Except from some division rivals, you'll get literally no national hate unless you're relevant.

I hate every team that's not the Seahawks.
Every team.

Yeah, me too. But, perhaps different levels of hate. But, I'm a reasonable man.

Just this week, a Jaguars fan here in Orlando did an admirable thing. He fessed up that he was completely wrong about Richard Sherman. Before, he thought he was all talk. He is now convinced that Sherman is a "bad man" (ie: the best CB in the league.) We also talked about Sherman's shtick. Football and entertainment are just that. He now agrees with me. For as much as he talks, Sherman truly respects players in the league far more than he is given credit and that is getting around. It will eventually win people over (except for those who wish to remain ignorant and launch insults about a player they don't really know.) It's already happening. But, because of his dominance... other fans won't love him as much as we do.

I think, in general, around here the Seahawks are still viewed as being insignificant rather than necessarily hated. I think it's going to take a Super Bowl Championship or multiple championships to rid them of insignificance. Maybe it has to do with geographical location. But, unless it's a team that has won it all before... they aren't really worthy to be in the discussion. It's REALLY important that the Seahawks take care of business and get it done THIS SEASON. When the playoffs arrive, anything they've done is quickly forgotten and all the naysayers are ready to write them off in the "new" season. If they don't get it done, I'm just going to hear that it's the same old Seahawks... can't win the big one - and until they do, they're barely relevant.

On top of that, talk sounds as if other certain teams always trump anything that the Seahawks accomplish. You hear it from the media even in a season like this when they are the number one seed. Guys like Kurt Warner are saying that home field advantage isn't going to matter this playoffs. He didn't say specifically for the team with the best home field advantage. But, the love for the 49ers and talk of "who can go to Seattle and beat the Seahawks" is prevalent. They're trying to appeal to other teams' fans. It's T.V. and they're speaking to the masses. Even if those guys really think it's the Seahawks' year... the Hawks are going to have to win it all to validate this team. Otherwise, the media gets to be smug.

Go Seahawks!!!

 

[willyum]

It's because we're a team of punks and druggies.

You know I'm right. I love Richard Sherman, but he's an obnoxious loudmouth who talks trash every chance he gets and escaped a PED suspension on a technicality. Golden Tate has grown on me as a player, but he is a little punk who cheap-shots Dallas WRs, taunts on the way to the end zone, and benefited from a highly questionable officiation in the Packers game. Breno Giacomini is an on-field bully who baits defenders into penalties. Our coach left the college ranks under suspicious circumstances and our OL coach was known for punching people in Oakland. Our star wide receiver is known for nebulous injuries and arguing with coaches. We upset a Super Bowl champion as a 7-9 team and made the playoff seeding rules look silly for a season. And how many teams do you know who have had SEVEN players busted for suspensions in just two seasons? Has anyone ever really stopped to take stock of just how much sheer personality Pete has assembled here?

This isn't irony or sarcasm right now. I've never talked about my feelings on this team's personality because I know I'll get nothing but grief for it. But I've long been annoyed by all this. I really wish Sherman would just shut his mouth once in a while. He's already proven himself and I fail to see what else he has to gain with more yapping. I really wish Tate would just play the game. I really wish our secondary would quit going out of its way to make a statement and risk the dumb penalties. Our losses this year have been close - where would we be without just a handful of untimely penalties? (Yeah, yeah, I know, #1 seed anyway, but still...)

And before you jump down my throat, be honest with yourself for a second: If the 49ers had pulled these shenanigans under Pete Carroll over the last three years, would YOU feel differently? Would you have the same tolerance (or even delight) for these things if it were another team? No, you wouldn't. You'd be giving them the Jim Harbaugh treatment - pure hatred and mockery, with only the occasional Scottemojo reminding people that they are in fact still a good team and grudgingly affording them some respect.

Combine this with typical "winner's hatred" and our habit of consistently defeating every "America's Team" and pretty-boy star quarterback out there, and you can understand why people feel the way they do. Not that I'm ashamed of being a Seahawks fan. It's just that once you put aside your fan bias and look at things objectively, you can probably understand where others are coming from.

A little harsh, but I agree with most of what you said. But EVERY TEAM in the league has unsavory characters. Yeah, some more than others, but look at every team and you'll find a loudmouth, a showboater, a dirty player, rule breaker, or a disobedient player. And Tate's antics are just part of the game. WR's and DB's have been cheap shotting/trash talking/show boating each other for as long as footballs been around.

 

[MontanaHawk05]

A little harsh, but I agree with most of what you said. But EVERY TEAM in the league has unsavory characters. Yeah, some more than others, but look at every team and you'll find a loudmouth, a showboater, a dirty player, rule breaker, or a disobedient player.

Oh, certainly. It's just that we seem to have all those things on the same team simultaneously, LOL.

 

[HawkWow]

It's because we're a team of punks and druggies.

You know I'm right. I love Richard Sherman, but he's an obnoxious loudmouth who talks trash every chance he gets and escaped a PED suspension on a technicality. Golden Tate has grown on me as a player, but he is a little punk who cheap-shots Dallas WRs, taunts on the way to the end zone, and benefited from a highly questionable officiation in the Packers game. Breno Giacomini is an on-field bully who baits defenders into penalties. Our coach left the college ranks under suspicious circumstances and our OL coach was known for punching people in Oakland. Our star wide receiver is known for nebulous injuries and arguing with coaches. We upset a Super Bowl champion as a 7-9 team and made the playoff seeding rules look silly for a season. And how many teams do you know who have had SEVEN players busted for suspensions in just two seasons? Has anyone ever really stopped to take stock of just how much sheer personality Pete has assembled here?

This isn't irony or sarcasm right now. I've never talked about my feelings on this team's personality because I know I'll get nothing but grief for it. But I've long been annoyed by all this. I really wish Sherman would just shut his mouth once in a while. He's already proven himself and I fail to see what else he has to gain with more yapping. I really wish Tate would just play the game. I really wish our secondary would quit going out of its way to make a statement and risk the dumb penalties. Our losses this year have been close - where would we be without just a handful of untimely penalties? (Yeah, yeah, I know, #1 seed anyway, but still...)

And before you jump down my throat, be honest with yourself for a second: If the 49ers had pulled these shenanigans under Pete Carroll over the last three years, would YOU feel differently? Would you have the same tolerance (or even delight) for these things if it were another team? No, you wouldn't. You'd be giving them the Jim Harbaugh treatment - pure hatred and mockery, with only the occasional Scottemojo reminding people that they are in fact still a good team and grudgingly affording them some respect.

Combine this with typical "winner's hatred" and our habit of consistently defeating every "America's Team" and pretty-boy star quarterback out there, and you can understand why people feel the way they do. Not that I'm ashamed of being a Seahawks fan. It's just that once you put aside your fan bias and look at things objectively, you can probably understand where others are coming from.

Nothing you've said here should be ridiculed by any fan of the sport. We do have Hawk fans here that are far from that and will likely take exception to your very accurate points, but I doubt that will bother you. I love Golden Tate...but dammit, he's an admitted donut thief. I can't excuse the actions of someone that would steal such scrumptious delicacies but I am glad we don't chop the hands off of such nefarious characters in this country. ; )

Loved your post...refreshing to see someone unafraid / unashamed to critique our own. Such problems are league wide and with 53 + players on every roster, they're not all going to be Russell Wilsons. Nor should they be. But in my travels, I do see more respect for us than hate. Largely because I (guess) I'm seeing fans that understand such infractions are wide-spread thru-out society...and understand the members of any team are also members of that same society.

 

[willyum]

I think this team gets more hate than others for a lot of reasons:
-12th man/guiness hype
-our loudmouth is considered one of the best in the game, which others find hard to accept.
-our secondary's "in your face" playing style is looked at as dirty/cheap play in today's passing league where most fans just want to see high flying aerial attacks.
-PED suspensions, of course
-Carroll is considered to be "unorthodox/unconventional" as a coach
-13 wins

and of course, there will always be those fans who hate a certain team just because of the city its located in, lol (i.e. this ridiculous blog post http://www.ninersnation.com/2013/12/24/ ... e-seahawks)

 

[HawkWow]

I think this team gets more hate than others for a lot of reasons:
-our loudmouth is considered one of the best in the game, which others find hard to accept.
-our secondary's "in your face" playing style is looked at as dirty/cheap play in today's passing league where most fans just want to see high flying aerial attacks.
-PED suspensions, of course
-Carroll is considered to be "unorthodox/unconventional" as a coach
-13 wins

and of course, there will always be those fans who hate a certain team just because of the city its located in, lol (i.e. this ridiculous blog post http://www.ninersnation.com/2013/12/24/ ... e-seahawks)

Are there people that hate the city of Seattle? I ask in all seriousness. I mean, outside of SF?

 

[willyum]

I think this team gets more hate than others for a lot of reasons:
-our loudmouth is considered one of the best in the game, which others find hard to accept.
-our secondary's "in your face" playing style is looked at as dirty/cheap play in today's passing league where most fans just want to see high flying aerial attacks.
-PED suspensions, of course
-Carroll is considered to be "unorthodox/unconventional" as a coach
-13 wins

and of course, there will always be those fans who hate a certain team just because of the city its located in, lol (i.e. this ridiculous blog post http://www.ninersnation.com/2013/12/24/ ... e-seahawks)

Are there people that hate the city of Seattle? I ask in all seriousness.

Im from South Korea, grew up in California my whole life and I think Seattle is the most beautiful/enjoyable/unique cities in America and I plan on moving there one day.

Oh, and Fort Lewis is THE best active Army post!!!

 

[HawkWow]

I think this team gets more hate than others for a lot of reasons:
-our loudmouth is considered one of the best in the game, which others find hard to accept.
-our secondary's "in your face" playing style is looked at as dirty/cheap play in today's passing league where most fans just want to see high flying aerial attacks.
-PED suspensions, of course
-Carroll is considered to be "unorthodox/unconventional" as a coach
-13 wins

and of course, there will always be those fans who hate a certain team just because of the city its located in, lol (i.e. this ridiculous blog post http://www.ninersnation.com/2013/12/24/ ... e-seahawks)

Are there people that hate the city of Seattle? I ask in all seriousness.

Im from South Korea, grew up in California my whole life and I think Seattle is the most beautiful/enjoyable/unique cities in America and I plan on moving there one day.

Oh, and Fort Lewis is THE best active Army post!!!

I agree. I've now lived in Hawaii since 1982 and would move home to Seattle in a second if I could have the same lifestyle there as here.

 

[Brett]

This is only the top ten most hated teams as bleacher report sees it. I would be more likely to believe this than some graph that looks like it could be made in the paint program to me.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/7071 ... nfl/page/2

 

[White Devil]

It's the suffering stage that I'm waiting for...that comes soon.

 

[BlueTalon]

This is only the top ten most hated teams as bleacher report sees it. I would be more likely to believe this than some graph that looks like it could be made in the paint program to me.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/7071 ... nfl/page/2

This made me laugh! Commenting on the validity of a twitter-based opinion by referencing a bleacher report opinion just pushed my funny button.

I wonder what conclusions we can pull from myspace?

 

[BlueTalon]

And before you jump down my throat, be honest with yourself for a second: If the 49ers had pulled these shenanigans under Pete Carroll over the last three years, would YOU feel differently? Would you have the same tolerance (or even delight) for these things if it were another team? No, you wouldn't. You'd be giving them the Jim Harbaugh treatment - pure hatred and mockery, with only the occasional Scottemojo reminding people that they are in fact still a good team and grudgingly affording them some respect.

That might be a good question, but thankfully it's impossible to answer. If the ninnies had Pete Carroll, would we be stuck with Harbaugh? Speaking for myself, that would make life more difficult as a fan, having a sourpuss for a coach while a happy-go-lucky ninnie coach had success. I think THAT's what really drives opposing fans nuts -- we're not just good, we're having more fun than their team.

I really think a lot of Seahawks hate is imported from USC, whether people didn't like USC or Pete or both.

 

[Sarlacc83]

A little harsh, but I agree with most of what you said. But EVERY TEAM in the league has unsavory characters. Yeah, some more than others, but look at every team and you'll find a loudmouth, a showboater, a dirty player, rule breaker, or a disobedient player.

Oh, certainly. It's just that we seem to have all those things on the same team simultaneously, LOL.

Calling the Sherman case a technicality is embarrassing, and you should know better. The tester lying is not a loophole in the code. It's dishonesty and should be derided as such. Especially by a fan of the team.

 

[Sturm]

I question the validity of that graph. No one gives two craps about Kansas City. Texans and Bengals more hated than the Pats and 49ers? Get real.

My thoughts exactly. This graph is total B.S.

 

[MORGULON]

Yeah, hate is a good thing. If anyone ever questions that, ask yourself how many people hate the Jacksonville Jaguars. Except from some division rivals, you'll get literally no national hate unless you're relevant.

I hate every team that's not the Seahawks.
Every team.

every team

 

[MidwestHawker]

Hating every team that isn't the Seahawks is obviously a totally valid choice, but I'd be shocked and amazed if the level of hate didn't vary from one team to the next. If you hate the Jags as much as you hate the 49ers then...well, to each their own.

 

[Brett]

This is only the top ten most hated teams as bleacher report sees it. I would be more likely to believe this than some graph that looks like it could be made in the paint program to me.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/7071 ... nfl/page/2

This made me laugh! Commenting on the validity of a twitter-based opinion by referencing a bleacher report opinion just pushed my funny button.

I wonder what conclusions we can pull from myspace?

That's kind of what I was getting at with the post

 

[MORGULON]

And before you jump down my throat, be honest with yourself for a second: If the 49ers had pulled these shenanigans under Pete Carroll over the last three years, would YOU feel differently? Would you have the same tolerance (or even delight) for these things if it were another team? No, you wouldn't. You'd be giving them the Jim Harbaugh treatment - pure hatred and mockery, with only the occasional Scottemojo reminding people that they are in fact still a good team and grudgingly affording them some respect.

That might be a good question, but thankfully it's impossible to answer. If the ninnies had Pete Carroll, would we be stuck with Harbaugh? Speaking for myself, that would make life more difficult as a fan, having a sourpuss for a coach while a happy-go-lucky ninnie coach had success. I think THAT's what really drives opposing fans nuts -- we're not just good, we're having more fun than their team.

I really think a lot of Seahawks hate is imported from USC, whether people didn't like USC or Pete or both.

Completely agree with the part about Pete and USC. I really think a lot of the hate stems from this.

 

[MontanaHawk05]

A little harsh, but I agree with most of what you said. But EVERY TEAM in the league has unsavory characters. Yeah, some more than others, but look at every team and you'll find a loudmouth, a showboater, a dirty player, rule breaker, or a disobedient player.

Oh, certainly. It's just that we seem to have all those things on the same team simultaneously, LOL.

Calling the Sherman case a technicality is embarrassing, and you should know better. The tester lying is not a loophole in the code. It's dishonesty and should be derided as such. Especially by a fan of the team.

Again, were it Michael Crabtree, you wouldn't be bothering with such nuances. Or at least most people wouldn't. That's my point.