What a difference a matter of days can make, especially when you're holding your breath, and the collective members of Seahawk Nation were turning as blue as a Seahawk by the end of the first weekend of the FA shuffle.

But today the truth is you are hard pressed to find a Seahawk, especially here in the great Northwest, who has not been reduced literally to a couple of syllables when the subject is brought up.

"KER-NEY" is the most common one I'm confronted with, often with one fist balled up and the other in the traditional three-fingered, arm extended salute I remember best from my first Ozzy concert. For some reason they like to go way out of their way to seek me out just to heckle me, though I can't figure out why. One thing is clear - Seahawk Nation is pumped up!

And why not?

Some people have argued that Patrick Kerney, as a replacement for Grant Wistrom is a virtual exchange of basically the same assets for comparable money. And if you look at the stat sheets, this theory is somewhat supported.

But football isn't about just stats, oh no baby, it's about emotion - it's about momentum.

So as the Hawks kissed Grant Wistrom good-bye and sent him on his way to audition for a very Brady bingo-parlor, what they essentially did was bring in a breath of fresh air and change of mentality to their Defensive line. When you couple big-hearted with extremely talented, mix in a fantastic work ethic and high-motor, you run the risk of combustion when placed in the middle of the frenzy that is easily the most volatile stadium in the NFL.

That alone is enough to send shudders through every offensive coordinator in the division.

Maybe that's why when I say it's going to be a fight in the NFC West this year, I hear one or another version of the same thing back:

"The NFC West belongs to the Hawks baby, if they want it - let 'em come and TAKE IT!"


[Comments taken in SeahawkBlue Forums]

Labels: NFC West, Patrick Kerney, Seahawks