Seattle Seahawks and Old Women: Pluck the Cardinals Again

Contributed by Kathe Frahm

The old women in the rec room today are excited. They've followed their Seahawks all year and know this game with the Arizona Cardinals is a really important game to win. Many don't understand seeds, ties, and point spreads, but they do know by winning today their boys could have home field advantage for the playoffs and make them the winners of the NFC West.

The snack table is full of holiday creations, not one of which is good for you.

The Cardinals get on the board first. The old women are not pleased. The first field goal is where their boys start. After watching the hapless Cardinals' Ryan Lindley work to find his way as a starting QB, the old women relaxed and just watched the Hawks dismantle the Cardinal defense and offense. Seeing Wagner, Chancellor and Bennett throw Cardinal players around to get at Lindley brought out the blood-thirsty side of the old women. Even the 2 men in the room were taken aback by the ferocity of the screams to drop the QB. The old women commented that if the kid was going to learn anything it might as well be from the most aggressive front line in the game.

Touch downs and interceptions by their boys reduce the old women to raucous yells and applause. The disbelief that the kicker, Steve Haushka missed 3 field goal attempts did quiet the old women down a bit. Motherly excuses took over the conversation: maybe he didn't feel well, maybe he had problems at home or on the team. That last was dispelled when he was encouraged that it was OK by his team.

Richard Sherman picking off a Lindley pass and getting going in the right direction was pure Sherman. The old women think he has got the spirit of the Hawks.

Russell Wilson just destroyed the Cardinal defense's game plan of keeping him in the pocket. They learned you can't blink and still keep up with his scrambling to the goal line. The old women scream “run Russell run” loud enough to have other residents on the upper floors come down to see what is going on. Three of the Hawks TDs were classic Russell. On the mark passes and trademark hustle is his game now. The earlier season shakiness seems to have passed.

Watching Marshawn drag Cardinals all over the field to the end zone is something they love. The old women were worried when he did not come out to play early in the first quarter. Many did offer a shoulder or tummy rub for him if that would help. They didn't sound too Motherly with subsequent very risque comments. Old women say they could always kiss it and make it better. Must be a Mom thing.

Luke Willson, a former Canadian Lacrosse player, brought the rec room group to their feet with his touchdown run. He is one of the fastest tight ends and was just having so much fun. The old women cheered him on as he lumbered down the field.

Winning this game and looking forward to burying the Rams next week makes these shared afternoons/evenings a gift well appreciated. Noisy teasing and constant shushing keep them together, keep them caring for one another.

All the old women were a bit hoarse and one said she clapped so much her arthritic hands hurt. They did all over-eat so there was not much food to take back to their little rooms. Old women share. They know some can really use it.