The San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks do not have a long, messy history. The two teams are divisional rivals, but it felt like, over the years, that the NFL was desperate to make the rivalry into something. They did the same thing with the 49ers and Arizona Cardinals when the Seahawks were still a bad team.
Darnell Dockett and Vernon Davis talking trash helped, but it never really amounted to much overall. Fans got into it here and there because these teams are divisional rivals, but I have to admit, I've never had much hate for the Seahawks.
Richard Sherman did a lot to change that for a lot of people. Marshawn Lynch helped to a degree, and there was always someone on the defensive line talking trash. They were cocky, and that wasn't enough to hook me, but then they started winning and that wasn't OK.
The Seahawks started winning big time, and they started being dominant overall, and that sucks. I know some Seahawks fans who are great guys and I won't be the one to disparage another fan base, but it made me angry when they won. I think the organization as a whole still doesn't rate high on my hate list, but the last couple seasons have been enough to get me a little prickly when I think about them.
When NaVorro Bowman was injured in that crucial game against the Seahawks, that about pushed me over the edge. Bowman, the most impressive and best player on the 49ers, sustained a huge injury. When fans booed him and threw popcorn at him as he was being taken away on the cart, my stomach turned. What a horrible, vile thing to do.
But again, I will state that I don't blame the whole fanbase for that. It was one or a few terrible people getting way too serious about sports and I've had plenty of great interactions with Seahawks fans, especially over at SB Nation's Field Gulls.
Then again ... screw those guys.
The Seahawks are the worst and the fact that they suck about as much as the 49ers do this season is one of the few positives this year. I laugh every time they struggle, every time they lose, and I cherish those little moments. I'm petty, I'm childish, and the 49ers suck so bad this year that I have abandoned all reason and I don't care even a little bit.
Seattle isn't a terrible team. They will be fine a lot faster than the 49ers will be. But this "rivalry" is basically over on an important scale. The 49ers have a long rebuild ahead of them, as far as I'm concerned. But when the 49ers play the Seahawks later today, I'm going to be rooting as hard as I'd be rooting as if they were in the Super Bowl. I want the Seahawks to lose, and I want them to be as bad as the 49ers. Let the Cardinals win the whole damn thing, I don't care.
Go Niners.