I want to talk about many things in that Marshawn Lynch run individually because I feel like there's so many different levels of disrespect here. There's just so many victims.
First of all, my condolences to the family of No. 21 on the Cardinals. I call him No. 21 because he no longer has a name. Maybe in his past life he was known as Patrick Peterson, the All-Pro cornerback, but that was before Lynch broke his ankles, tossed him out of bounds and offered him up for the dementor known as Ricardo Lockette. Lynch really stiff-armed him, took away his Twitter verified check and Lockette came in and reported him as spam. No. 21 probably thinks he's a parody account now, in real life.
Beast Quake II
Beast Quake II
Secondly, how long are we going to allow Lockette on the football field when he has an obvious disregard for human life? From this run alone, I can only assume that these Cardinals' defenders came over Lockette's house and refused to take their shoes off so now he's just out for blood. Like, why does he hate No. 26 so much? As soon as the play starts, he runs right over to him to let him know that he's a marked man. Then he chases him down like a horror movie villain before throwing him down like Bane did after breaking Batman's back -- THEN he destroys the fictional No. 21.
I used to watch a lot of nature shows that dealt with the various ways predators killed their prey. In one of them, a small jaguar was swimming across a lake when a crocodile surfaced from behind him. The crocodile moved quietly behind the unaware jaguar before snapping its jaws at him. The jaguar escaped. A few minutes later that same crocodile was resting by the shore when a huge jaguar swam across the lake and pounced on him. The crocodile tried to get back to the water but the jaguar was too quick and destroyed the crocodile. That huge jaguar is Lockette. No. 26 is the crocodile.
It's like Lockette is blocking with the soul of every receiver who's ever been blindsided before. He destroys 21, 26 and then, powering up to his final form, comes out of nowhere to finish off 31. Look at him! It's like Lockette and Lynch are Noob Saibot and Smoke, the Dudley Boyz right when they bring out the tables, Kidz Bop and their endless releases. They're just out there destroying everything and everyone you hold dear.
Thirdly, did No. 31 ever really have a chance here? It feels like he's the guy who's almost made it into the cool kids group but never really gets invited to the parties. At the beginning he sets his feet thinking Lynch was coming his way -- they're going to finally say hi to you Antonio, just play it cool -- but, nope, Lynch tells him that he can't sit with them and cuts to the right. Then he chases after him, probably asking if Lynch needs him to carry his books for him, and once he finally sees his chance, Ricardo "John McClane" Lockette comes and spoils everything. Lockette even slaps him in the face. Just rude.
Lastly, let's talk about Marshawn Lynch. I like to look at his run here as an allegory of life. Sure it shows off his incredible agility, strength and general awesomeness but there's more here. I think Lynch teaches a lot about the tragedy of life in this run.
Look for example at the lineman who first tried to grasp Lynch only to come up empty handed and fall flat on his face. Have we all not, during our lifetimes, reached for something -- a dream -- only to come up short and back in our mother's house? That lineman is just like us regular people. Except his happened on national television. Also look at No. 22, who was brought to his knees as Lynch disregarded him on his way to the end zone. I, too, have also fallen to my knees in prayer as life zigzagged past me.
The worst though is No. 57. I like to refer to him as "job hunt" because everything about him reminds me of being unemployed. When he breaks free of his block and starts the initial pursuit? That's when you graduate college and attack job applications vigorously, with a bright outlook of the future. You see how he slows down when it looked like Lynch would be stopped? That's when you realize how many people are applying for the same jobs as you so you scale it back because you're starting to look desperate. When he speeds back up and shifts into a new gear to catch Lynch? That's that second interview optimism. And, finally, when he falls flat on his face at the heels of an elusive Marshawn Lynch, he becomes the infamous "we have decided to go with another candidate that we see as a better fit. We will keep your resume for the next 60 days in case another position should become available."
Marshawn Lynch is nothing more than the embodiment of life and Ricardo Lockette is life's problems. All he showed here is that life will leave you grasping nothing, on your knees, before tossing you around like a rag doll and then kicking you in the face with its heels. At the end he reminds us life will also grab its crotch as it embarrasses you severely. Lockette just lets you know you can never run away from your problems. They will find you and they will hurt you. Badly.
★★★