NEW YORK (BASN – STR/ITR): On a recent episode of the Internet Radio program, Soul Tree Radio – in the Raw! I closed the discussion of the upcoming Super Bowl with asking the panel to finish the following sentence:

 

“Offense wins games…”

 

And The Ch’uch said, “Defense wins championships!”

 

Say Amen.

 

The Synthetic Turf Sermon delivered in front of over 110 million pigskin parishioners by the Seattle Seahawks defense left no doubt as to the accuracy of that statement.

 

All week prior to the game, the spin went from “Peyton Manning’s legacy” to “Richard Sherman – ‘To Thug or not to Thug?” or how many tears Knowshon Moreno is gonna cry; every angle was broached except one – Gen. Russell Wilson and his date with destiny.

 

 

 

The defense did what it had done all season – only 16 TD passes had been thrown against Seattle’s D – so that wasn’t that big a surprise (actually when I had to give my Super Bowl score I said Seattle 38 – 20 for one publication and later said Seattle 38 – 24 on another)

 

And all the cute little pick patterns Denver’s wide receivers used to confuse their opposition throughout the season fell short as the Seahawk linebackers and secondary just let either them finish running that nonsense in front of them or clocking them in the five-yard window and throwing off Manning’s timing. A variation of the “Tampa Two” Zone Defense played to perfection; somewhere Tony Dungy is smiling…

 

It evoked memories of real football; not the bastardized fantasy – statistic driven crap designed to clean up some of the dirty money the league generates from gambling!

 

But let’s get back to Russell Wilson. My colleague Gary Norris Gray felt this Super Bowl matchup was déjà vu all over again because a John Elway – led team (albeit from the general manager’s office) was going up against a Black QB.

 

Well my brother was right in that regard; but there is a distinct difference – Doug Williams was not the starter at the beginning of the season – Jay Schroeder was; and it was mostly at the behest of teammates which pushed Head Coach Joe Gibbs to name Williams as starter late in the season  because he knew he was the best man at the position to play.

 

Gen. Wilson has been in command from the very start of his career. From the time he was drafted in the third round and seized the job from the designated not-so-free agent scrub Matt Flynn, to walking off the Playoffs field in Atlanta up and needing his defense to hold on for thirty – odd seconds more as he completed a 21 – point comeback (not bad for a ‘game manager’, huh?)

 

Then leading his charges through a 13 – 3 regular season where Wilson loses key pieces along with his offensive line (both starting tackles and his starting center) yet continues to win. In spite of a grueling road schedule, where team biorhythms were on low due to East Coast starting times, Wilson nonetheless compiles the best road record (6-2) ever for a Seahawk team; and a 15 -1 record at home since assuming command – including a comeback after being 21 points down this season to Tampa Bay – scoring all of the comeback points late in the second half (“game manager” my Black ass!)

 

Then handles his business in the playoffs by stomping on New Orleans and arch – rival San Francisco before walking onto Met Life Field and SB XLVIII – where he should’ve been named (no knock on Brother Smith) Most Valuable Player.

 

It should have been Wilson – but Black QBs aren’t gonna get Disney commercials (Doug Williams only got his because they had no choice) and Smith got his after they had to find out who he was – to tape it! Goo Gobs of folks’ short-attention spans’ lives were ruined by Manning’s falling on his face – again.

 

Meanwhile, Gen. Wilson handles his business. Tailback Marshawn Lynch was in Beast Mode for 39 yards and a touchdown on only 15 carries; Percy Harvin for what spark he provided with the kickoff return, didn’t gain much more after the opening quarter bursts.

 

Wilson threw for 208 yards 18 of 25 passes completed, third down after third down conversion frustrating Manning as the chains moved…2TD passes – no turnovers.

 

However, Walt Disney’s racist ass will not, in the spirit of humanity attempt to equate anyone Black – or anything Black – with being human!

 

Don’t believe me? Remember when Tampa Bay Buccaneers DB Dexter Jackson won the MVP because of the two Pick 6′s for TD’s against the Raiders? Did he go to Disney World? Hell to the No! Fucking Brad Johnson went – God forbid The Mouse would offer a hero’s welcome to someone they would treat with contempt were he not on a championship football team!

 

All that is to say since The Mouse is in bed with The NFL – several plans have been foiled by Gen. Wilson overcoming the humungous odds staring him in the face every time he walked onto the playing field.

 

Scared Money Don’t Make No Money!

 

When it comes to money overall, Wilson didn’t have a Joe Flacco–esque gambit in play. Like Williams was (which led to him leaving Tampa Bay for the fledgling USFL) Wilson is the lowest paid starting QB in the League – next season his base salary will be a little over $660K- less than Peyton Manning makes in a game!

 

But Paul Allen has shown the millions he invested in releasing Flynn and acquiring Harvin – have paid off. Although Harvin barely touched the field all year, he paid dividends big time when it counted.

 

Had the Seahawk hierarchy thought wallet first instead of results, Wilson would likely be playing baseball.

 

And, of course, it is a Black Thing; while The League is currently using the euphemism “mobile” to supplant “Black” rest assured – most of the world knows Wilson is a Black man. I say most because my colleague Patric Fharah, a producer at JCE TV in Jersey City, had to fend off some madness when someone referred to Wilson as “not being that Black.”

 

Is It Black Enough For Ya?

 

Well here’s how Black Wilson is: his father, Harrison Wilson, Jr., attended and graduated from Kentucky State, an HBCU; he then forged a collegiate career as a basketball coach, leading Jackson State to three consecutive NAIA titles while compiling a 371 – 93 won/loss record to his credit before eventually becoming Norfolk State University’s president in 1975.

 

While the League may take small comfort in Wilson not being Blue-Black like Michael Vick, rest assured, they ain’t happy.

 

Russell Wilson’s deportment in how he has handled everything makes it clear he knows exactly the significance of his feat – as well as whose shoulders he stands on as a Four Star Field General (Along with Warren Moon, Tracy Ham, Damon Allen, Condredge Holloway, Roy DeWalt, Chuck Ealey, Devin Durant, Anthony Calvillo, Kerry Joseph, Jim Plunkett and Williams)

 

Now Wilson’s success won’t make everyone go out and get a Black QB in The Draft or through free agency, but it will take away the most fucked – up excuse owners use to not select one – they can’t win.

 

Because when it came down to Money Time, General Russell Wilson, like those before him – did not fail.

 

michaelingram@blackathlete.com/basneditor@basnnewsroom.com

Always outnumbered…never outgunned.
Copyright© 2014 Michael – Louis Ingram all rights reserved.