Put on your lederhosen and hoist your stein! Seahawks vs Buccaneers in Munich! Let’s go!
“Jolly” is not typically a word found in football parlance, at least not mine. Yet, it feels like the most fitting term for this international football event. The locale, the fans, the team and the cheers all culminate in a vibe that is distinctively jolly indeed. I’m rolling with that.
Before jumping into my wish list- or, in a nod to the occasion, meine wunschlite- I want to give it up for the 12’s. Oh man, they’ve shown up in full force and represented exquisitely. News reports and social media posts tell the story. They’ve traveled from all around the world to pack the pubs and roam the streets, creating a landscape of blue and green. The beloved chant, “SEA…HAWKS” reverberates through the Munich air, so loud you can almost hear it back home in Seattle. In addition to all the travelers, the Seahawks have a strong fanbase in Germany. I had the pleasure of partying with the German 12’s on the eve of the season-opener against Denver, as they were in town for the festivities. The hang was a blast. And thanks to my new friends, I unexpectedly scored a ticket to the game. As I write this, the 12’s are going hard in Munich tonight. I wish like hell I were there.
On to meine wunschlite:
- Geno Smith and the Seahawks offense snarl, growl, bite and answer anything the Bucs defense throws at them. The Bucs have a really good secondary, and our passing game will be tested. May we rise to that, with vigor and ease.
- A world class sack attack on Tom Brady. Love him or hate him, Tom Brady is a formidable opponent and a very good football player. What is that saying? The best way to kill something is to cut it off at the head? Metaphorically-speaking, that’s what I’d like to see the guys in front do- shut down Tom Brady before he has a chance to do anything. This will be rough. Brady releases the ball faster than any quarterback in the league. In the absence of sacks, I’d happily settle for lots of pressures, providing they’re effective.
- Homefield advantage. Say what? Yeah, I know. Given this is a neutral turf situation, this seems like a silly bullet on the wish list. But looking at the numbers of and enthusiasm from the aforementioned 12’s, I believe it’s possible for Allianz Arena to feel like Lumen Field. I could heard the 12’s chanting in the background during the Cardinals game last weekend. And I have the feeling there are even more 12’s in Munich than were in Glendale. Wouldn’t a delay of game penalty (or two or three) against the Buccaneers be fun?
- A loud alarm and strong coffee. That 6:30am (PST) kickoff is brutal.
Player to watch this week: Al Woods. Al has been having a great season so far, grinding it out in the trenches, jamming up runs and disrupting plans of opposing offenses. I’d love to see the big fella get in Tom Brady’s face, often.
