“Women don’t know football” -John Moffitt, Former Seahawk

Former Seahawk John Moffitt has not played in the NFL for four years, but this did not stop him from agreeing with Carolina Panther’s Quarterback Cam Newton’s comment this week when Newton claimed it was “funny to hear a female reporter talk about routes”.  Moffitt even added, “women don't know football – she was fed that question, like most of her kind are”.

Before I get too involved in my defense of female football reporters, I think it’s only fair to learn a little more about the infamous John Moffitt and his opinion about female reporters. In a nutshell, Moffitt has been out of football since his retirement in November of 2013. In 2014, he was arrested on battery and drug charges. Even more perplexing, Moffitt was banned in 2013 from the Bellevue Square Mall for allegedly urinating on a parked car.

Reading this brief bio about Mr. Moffitt (which autocorrect keeps wanting to change to Mr. Muppet), makes me remember a phrase my dad told me years ago….

“If you don’t respect the person, then don’t respect their opinion”

I guess mistaking a Goodyear tire for a urinal would certainly make John Moffitt a person unworthy of my respect. But, for the sake of argument, let me point out some holes in his statement.

I have been a season ticket holder for the Seattle Seahawks for several years. Prior to obtaining my season tickets, I would often hold parties for all of my friends to enjoy good food, cold beer, and some great football.

There was something I noticed from the very beginning at both these parties and at the live games at CenturyLink. About half (if not more) of the NFL football fans I have encountered are female.

It’s hard for me to fathom that females are flocking to a game that they know “nothing” about. It’s even more perplexing that they know when to cheer, get angry at penalty calls, know to get loud when the Hawks are on defense, and strategize play calls. I guess I missed the reader board that is “feeding” this reaction to all of us ladies sitting in the stands drooling on ourselves.

For the female fans not attending the games in person, they are rooting for their team on television. They are not watching for the “sexiness” of the female reporters (we get plenty of that from the players). Perhaps they are watching because female reporters have a different perspective and often ask questions that female fans may be interested in. We are inundated with plenty of statistics and random facts from the men in the booth, and often want to hear different questions from a female perspective.

I thoroughly enjoy having Erin Andrews talk to the coaches after halftime, getting injury updates and strategies for the upcoming quarters. I have never seen a mic in her ear “feeding” her the questions, and I’m guessing if there was, the tone of the interview would be much, much different.

Let’s all put on our big kid pants and realize that we live in 2017. The NFL is about marketing. This business is savvy enough to know that if half of their viewership is female, then they need to have staff that appeals to the female audience.

Contrary to John Moffitt’s statement, we DO live in a society where women can do most everything men can do. Perhaps, except, urinating on parked cars. The contortions of that are simply a lot more difficult for us women.

Sarah Colonna Talks Life with Jon Ryan, and Designing Purses for the 12s

When Seattle Seahawks punter Jon Ryan spotted Sarah Colonna on the TV show “Chelsea Lately”, he had an immediate crush.  Wanting a chance to meet the witty and beautiful comedian, Jon approached a mutual friend (Ross Mathews) and asked him to introduce the two.  Ross, who was also on Chelsea Lately at the time, just happened to be a big Seahawks fan.  Ross made a deal with Jon – he would introduce the two only if the Seahawks won their next game.
Needless to say…Jon Ryan won more than just a game that day.
Two years later, Ross Mathews officiated the wedding of the NFL star and the actress/comedian/best-selling author.  The nuptials added another role to Sarah's busy life – that of an NFL wife.
Sarah has embraced her new role as the spouse of Seattle's favorite Canadian.  She has a deep love for the loyal and (very) loud fans of the Seattle Seahawks.  In fact, she has embraced all aspects of being a 12…..except one.  Sarah, just like every other football fan, had to comply with the NFL's clear-bag policy.
Putting her entrepreneurial skills to use, Sarah decided to come up with a solution for the female NFL fan…a solution that would fit the size requirement and allow them to take a regular purse to NFL games.  She calls her new line of purses “Clutch Women”.
Sarah was gracious enough to answer questions about her life with Jon, and the inspiration behind her new line of hand bags.
What's it like being an NFL wife?
It's fun.  I wasn't sure what to expect from the other wives and what not…but they're all so nice and welcoming.  It's definitely not like what you see on TV (like on the show “WAGs”) with everyone flying private jets and getting into fights.  Sometimes I wish it was, lol.
Your thoughts on Seattle? The 12s?
It's the best, truly. I'm blown away every time I am at a game and see the energy of the 12s.  They're also such a great fan base…always so nice and you can truly see their love of the team.
Is Jon as funny as you?
I swear Jon is funnier than I am.  He just doesn't get paid for it.
Tell us about Clutch Women.  How did you get the idea?
I was carrying my stuff in a plastic bag one day last year, and to be frank it was smack in the middle of my “time of the month” as one might like to call it.  I was so annoyed that I can't have privacy or something nice to carry to a game that I might want to also use outside of a game.  So, I came up with the idea to make a nice, sporty but fashionable clutch that is the exact size they'll allow for a non-clear bag  (‘no larger than 4.5×6.5' as they state in their policy).
That size is hard to find, and when you do find it it's usually a little thing made of cloth and/or has logos all over it.  I thought why not make a nice purse, out of great material that also won't get ruined at a game (you can see all the material features on our website clutchwomen.com under “FAQs”—it's even stain resistant!).
Many concert venues are even enforcing this policy so it's a purse you'd want to carry on a night out, not just a game day purse.  They're made in the USA, too, which was important to me.  The factory is about 5 miles from my house in LA…it's so cool to go by and be hands on with the entire process.
Then, the final idea was to add the inspirational messages inside.
Do you design all the purses?
Yes, along with a woman who has her own line (shout out to M. Andonia!).  I hadn't done this before, so I came to her with my ideas and she helped it come to a reality.  I love that it can be worn on the shoulder or around your hip (there's a secret sleeve on the back if you wanna go hands free).  It was so fun to have a part in the design.
Was it your idea to have the inspirational message inside?
It was!  I wanted something extra special about the purses, and women lifting each other up is something I find really important.  So, the idea came to me of the different meanings of the word “clutch.”  I thought: if a player can be “Clutch,” so can we.  And I feel like what makes you a “Clutch” woman, friend, wife, etc…are certain things about your personality.  So that's what I wrote in the lining:  You're strong, You're loyal, you're Independent, you're fearless…you're clutch.
It's fun to open the purse and see a little reminder of why you're a bad ass.
The purses are selling out quickly.  Will there be more in stock
soon?
Yes.  We have a new stock of the solid navy, which is the perfect compliment to the Seahawks Navy jersey.  We had a limited amount of the Blue with the green sides, which were really popular as well.  Those will be back in stock end of October.  If anyone wants to stay in the loop on that, subscribe to the website.  I'll be emailing that list when they're back.
Will you expand this to other teams' colors?
My hope is to expand to every team color.  I had to start small, since it was a big investment and I'm learning as I go.  But the feedback has been so amazing.  I can't wait to have every color combo.  Obviously I started with Seahawks first.
And finally….what is your prediction for the Seahawks this season?
SUPER BOWL CHAMPS
With the Seattle home opener just a week away, get your Clutch Women purse right away.  After all, if Sarah is right about her prediction for the season, we have A LOT of games ahead of us.  GO HAWKS!
To purchase a Clutch Women purse, visit their website:
www.clutchwomen.com

Will Kam’s Return Breathe New Life Into 0-2 Seahawks?

Kam Chancellor high fives teammates after coming out of the tunnel at CenturyLlink.

Kam Chancellor runs on the field before the offense is introduced on game day at CenturyLink. Photo by Brandan Schulze

If you heard a collective sigh of relief rush through the Pacific Northwest on Wednesday morning, rest assured it had nothing to do with the President of China’s motorcade heading North. As quickly as a Starbucks can misspell your name, news spread that Seattle’s beloved safety, Kam Chancellor, had ended his contract holdout and returned to the team. Chancellor’s return ended nearly two months of a negotiation stalemate with Seattle and came at a time when, for the first time since 2011, the Seahawks started their season with a disappointing record of 0-2.

Seattle fans knew that the Seahawks were slated to start the 2015 season with a tough two-game road trip. Games against the Rams and Packers, especially on their home turf, have historically been tough for the green and blue from the NW. But after big contracts (Russell Wilson), big acquisitions (Jimmy Graham) and a team that has been to the Super Bowl the last two years, a record of 0-2 seemed to startle many of the 12s. The disappointing start came with cries of questionable play calling, underutilization of Graham’s talents, and talk of a team that seemed out of sync.

And so, it seems, Chancellor’s return could not have come at a better time. Notably a leader both on and off the field, Kam’s teammates seemed to embrace his return with open arms. Missing in Chancellor’s absence was the tough mental and physical play he brings to every game. In week one, replacement Dion Bailey slipped while covering Rams tight end Lance Kendricks, allowing them to tie up the game on a last minute TD. The Seahawks eventually lost to St. Louis in overtime. And while no one player should be blamed for the Seahawks loss, the unfortunate slip only seemed to highlight Kam’s absence.

But now that the three-time Pro Bowler and noted team leader returns to the field, can Seattle reverse the tide? For the next few games, at least, it seems the odds are stacked in their favor. The schedule will soften drastically over the coming weeks, including back to back home games against the struggling Bears and Lions. Additionally, two of the next three road games are against the ever-imploding San Francisco 49ers and a Romo-less Cowboys team in Dallas.

And while both sides are keeping mum about the details of Chancellor’s return, Kam said he will deal with business at the end of the season.  As he stated to the press on Wednesday, it was simply “time to come back”.

As a Seattle fan, I couldn’t agree more.