A Letter to the “Football Gods”

To Whom It May Concern:

As a football fan, I don’t ask for much. At least I don’t think I do.

I’ve been a fan of the Seattle Seahawks for my entire life, not ever considering a different team. You know, the professional football franchise that endured 20 long years between playoff victories.

I’m not writing to beg you for a championship, or to demand a dynasty; hell, I’ve gone this long without a championship, I think I’ll survive if the Hawks don’t take it all in 2009. And although that isn’t the purpose of this letter, if you could keep it in mind a lot of folks in the greater Seattle area would appreciate it.

I don’t know how much control you have over every game, but it sure seems like you prefer some franchises over others. The Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, and Dallas Cowboys have combined for 16 Super Bowl championships. Yet the Vikings, Bills, Eagles, Bengals, Titans, Chargers, Panthers, Falcons, Cardinals, Lions, Browns, Texans, Jaguars, Saints, and Seahawks have combined for zero.

Do you hate Seattle, or any of these other unlucky cities? Am I doomed as a homer sports fan to never witness a Super Bowl victory for Seattle?

By the way, I thought you were going to let us have one in 2006. I didn’t know you had control over the referees, too.

But as mentioned previously, the purpose of this letter is not to beg for a championship. I’ll save that content for another letter later this month. I’m writing you to inquire about the sudden rash of injuries that the Seahawks have been dealing with.

Last season, the Seahawks were decimated by injuries, particularly on the offensive side of the football. Only three offensive players started more than 12 games for the Seahawks in 2008, and there was not one offensive position in which one player started all 16 games.

By the third week, it seemed as if the team was ready to hold open tryouts for wide receiver. At the end of the tumultuous season, the five “starting” offensive linemen were nowhere near the same five who began the season with the first unit.

And the defensive side of the ball wasn’t immune, either. Patrick Kerney, an aging yet effective defensive end, was lost for the season and the Seahawks were unable to generate any sort of pass rush the entire year. All-Pro cornerback Marcus Trufant played well but battled a hand injury, and of the three starting linebackers, only Julian Peterson remained healthy enough to play through the entire season.

So you got us. We made it through a miserable 4-12 season, and quite a few of us were shocked at how many injuries the Seahawks were forced to endure.

But now it is 2009, and the Seahawks should be recovered, healthy, and ready for a new shot at a successful season – there is not a chance they’ll experience the same magnitude of injuries again.

At least I don’t think so.

Yesterday, guard Mike Wahle was released after he failed a physical, unable to successfully recover from offseason shoulder surgery. Marcus Trufant was placed on the physically unable to perform list due to a sore back, but we’re told the injury isn’t serious – for now.

Now, let me finally get to the point of this letter. I hope I haven’t lost your attention.

I know you have some sort of grudge against Seattle. But I truly believe that this team can be competitive again if they’re healthy. So this is where you come in.

Please, if it is all possible, keep these Seahawks players healthy and let them compete on the field in 2009. If everyone stays healthy and they still post a terrible record, then I can deal with it. Like I said earlier, I’ve dealt with it quite a bit over the past few decades. But if the poor record is a result of injuries and a lack of healthy, capable athletes, then I’ll be quite upset.

I’m not asking for a championship. I’m not asking for the football to bounce our way every time. Just don’t force Seattle to deal with injuries again this season; it was hard enough to watch 16 games last year.

Please keep our players healthy this year – especially Matt Hasselbeck!

Sincerely,

Shaun Dolence