One Headlight

ONE HEADLIGHT:
The Story of the 2006 Seahawks
lyrics by the Wallflowers

So long ago, I don't remember when
That's when they say I lost my only friend (even before the injuries, the media was quick to dismiss this team, only because they had won the NFC but lost to the refs and Steelers. No love whatsoever, but this year we never had the record to cram down their throats.)
Well they said she died easy of a broken heart disease (referring to our playoff losses, including this year, the dropped pass in the endzone that would've beat the Rams, and, of course, "We want the ball and we're going to score.")
As I listened through the cemetery trees

I seen the sun comin' up at the funeral at dawn
The long broken arm of human law (broken by the weight of NFL parity, which continues to haunt our lonely little franchise with echoes of terrible calls against the Bears)
Now it always seemed such a waste
She always had a pretty face
So I wondered how she hung around this place (this is a reflection on the rest of Seattle sports, which loses its superstars. Somehow, we're blessed with the weapons we have. Also, we are wasting the prime years of some of the best raw talent in the universe)

Chorus:
Hey, come on try a little
Nothing is forever (we won twice in the playoffs last year . . . but still no road wins)
There's got to be something better than
In the middle (better than medi-hawk-rity)
But me & Cinderella
We put it all together
We can drive it home
With one headlight (these last two lines are the mantra of the season. We were banged up and limping on, trying to drive it home the whole season with only one headlight)

She said it's cold
It feels like Independence Day
And I can't break away from this parade (again, the frustration of not meeting our full potential as the season marching on)
But there's got to be an opening
Somewhere here in front of me (frustrations with our run attack, especially with Mo Morris)
Through this maze of ugliness and greed (the NFC east and the fact that everyone in the media loves all of them. You heard more about the Redskins, Cowboys, Eagles and Giants this year than any other division in sports. Ugliness includes FOX showing Rex Grossman every seven seconds even when he was on the bench. When analysts say "everyone will be watching Grossman," they shouldn't force anyone to do so. We'll see him when he's on the freaking field, and that is more than enough.)
And I seen the sun up ahead
At the county line bridge
Sayin' all there's good and nothingness is dead (still hope for the future)
We'll run until she's out of breath
She ran until there's nothin' left (Shaun's performance in the Divisional)
She hit the end-it's just her window ledge

(chorus)

Well this place is old
It feels just like a beat up truck
I turn the engine, but the engine doesn't turn (again, all season, hoping to fire on all cylinders but never getting there)
Well it smells of cheap wine & cigarettes
This place is always such a mess
Sometimes I think I'd like to watch it burn
I'm so alone, and I feel just like somebody else
Man, I ain't changed, but I know I ain't the same (Jacob Dylan sings this as a sad line, but the Hawks are a playoff team and look to stay that way)
But somewhere here in between the city walls of dyin' dreams
I think her death it must be killin' me (this hurts, and the saga continues)

(chorus)


I kept saying, all season, that this was the second part of the trilogy. What I meant was that we can't look at this season alone, but as a continuation of last year's story (with plenty of rich back story, of course). What I was also doing was setting up the final part of the trilogy . . . you know, the season where the expectations aren't hanging over our heads and the dark and hurting turns to healthy production. See you in China.