Scoring the NFL
The following is going to be a recurrent piece that will compare the season of one lucky NFL team to a song/artist that was released/broke through in 2012. The title had to be something punny because it wouldn’t be any fun otherwise. After some brainstorming and, admittedly, consultation, the name Scoring the NFL was settled upon. Get it? Like scoring a symphony, scoring a touchdown? Well, either way, this is coming for the foreseeable future so be prepared.
The parallels between the Seattle Seahawks and boy-band One Direction are uncanny. Here is a quick history lesson of the 5-piece pre-pubescent pop-sensation: Each member tried out individually for The X Factor in England (where they all hail from) but each was voted off at some point in the competition. They were then given a second chance to compete not individually, but as a group and ended up finishing in third place on the show. Regardless of not winning the show, Simon Cowell signed them to his record label and the rest is history.
“How does this compare to the Seattle Seahawks?” you say? Well this off-season the Seahawks snagged two QB’s, to which they received criticism for. Russell Wilson was branded as too short for the league and the media scoffed Seattle for taking him in the third round. Matt Flynn was told he only achieved success in Green Bay because of the system that was in place and it was questionable how he would perform on any other team. Obviously, Pete Carroll went with the former and now they’re preparing to take on the Atlanta Falcons in the divisional playoff game. (Now, yes, Wilson is the face that everyone loves but there is still something to be said about Flynn being on the team that this is happening to, starter or not).
In short, none of these individuals were told they were good enough until they were given the proper opportunity. Now look at them. They have taken their respective fields by storm, putting many “nay-sayers” at bay.
If all that wasn’t perfect enough, take a listen to the song “Live While We’re Young:”
Granted the song is about wooing unsuspecting girls into some acts their parents would likely not approve of, take that part of it with a grain of salt and read the chorus:
Let’s go crazy, crazy, crazy till we see the sun
I know we only met but let’s pretend it’s love
And never, never, never stop for anyone
Tonight let’s get some
And live while we’re young
If you don’t think that describes Flynn and Wilson, Wilson and Carroll, Carroll and the Seahawks, the Seahawks and the Seattle fan base, then you have lost it. The fact that there haven’t been text messages or emails or something released saying those words verbatim is astonishing. Someone get the Seattle front office on the phone and tell them to play this through the PA system at Century-Link Field.
Kidding aside, both One Direction and the Seahawks are on a roll and show no signs of stopping. If you’re a fan of either, you must be excited to see something you love doing so well. If you’re a fan of both, well then you are just in euphoria.
The Seahawks play this week against “Matty Ice” and the gang. It is a tall order but they have it in them to move on to the next round. Just like One Direction, the Seahawks must come together as one to be successful.
And after that cheesy, albeit true sentence, this piece has to end.
Tune in next week.
