Earl Thomas is the small guy in a vary large Seattle Seahawks secondary.
Don’t let that fool you. . .At 5’10″, on stilts, and about 200 pounds, soaking wet wearing sponges, he looks out of place when the defense is in the huddle.
Once the ball is snapped Earl uses his great instincts to get himself into possition to be around the football. Then, Thomas uses his 4.4 speed to close on the ball quickly.
When the ball comes down, Thomas is usually the first to meet it. Not because he’s taller, but because the young man can jump. I’m just saying, he wouldn’t be rejected when trying to dunk the football over the cross-bar like some people in the division.
Vernon, please don’t get angry, you’ll always have your jump shot.
To dunk or not to dunk, that is the questionTalk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Once the ball is snapped Earl uses his great instincts… (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
On Monday morning, just hours before the Seahawks took on the Packers at CenturyLink Field in Seattle, Washington, Earl Thomas‘ significant other, Nina “Colada” (as she refers to herself on her twitter page) went into labor.
Earl was faced with two choices; Should he stay with Nina and welcome his new daughter into the world, or should he join his teammates, in front of a national audience, to take on the heavily favored Green Bay Packers?
Earl decided to play. That’s commitment to team if I’ve ever seen it.
Hours before the game, Earl tweeted about his daughters impending arrival.
Kaleigh Rose Thomas came into this world at 5:17 PM PST, roughly 15 minutes before the opening kickoff. By the second quarter of the game, mommy and baby were watching Earl Thomas and the Seattle Seahawks defense dominate the Packers.
At 6:35 Nina tweeted from her hospital room.
Kaleigh and I watching Daddy put in work against GreenBay!!!! #Seahawks!!!!!!
After the game Earl Tweeted:
Now What…My baby girl…this is a special night for me..God is great….
I am very happy for the young man, I really am, though I am left hoping this will not change they way he plays on the field.
I remember a former Seahawk, Aaron Curry, came out of the gates firing for the first few weeks of the regular season. The 12th man thought they might have a very special linebacker on their hands.
I think football is Earl’s passion, he strives to be the best,
Then, Maxwell Curry was born and Aaron changed as a player.
Suddenly, he was less focused on football during the week and his play suffered. His big hits turned into missed arm tackles.
His shooting the gaps became out of position on most plays.
I’m not saying Earl is going to go down the same path as Aaron did, and become soft both mentally and physically, but I am saying that I am a bit gun-shy from the experience.
Truthfully, I think Earl is a much stronger young man that Aaron was. The fact that Earl missed the birth of his first born shows that he loves the game of football.
Earl knows that in order for him to be the Pro Bowl player he has been, he will need to continue his focus.
I think football is Earl’s passion, he strives to be the best, I would not be surprised to see him have the best game of his career this week in St. Louis.
On Monday, Earl Thomas almost won the game for the Seahawks when he stripped the ball out of Cedric Benson’s hands near the goal line.
Unfortunately, Packers Center, Jeff Saturday was there to fall on the ball.
Time will tell how being a father effects Earl Thomas. From what I have seen out of him though I expect nothing but professionalism from him in the future.
Go Seahawks!
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© Brett Bivens for North West Sports Beat, 2012. | Permalink | No comment |
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Post tags: 12th man, Aaron Curry, Earl Thomas, Earl Thomas baby, Player spotlights, Seahawks, Seahawks Defense, Seahawks roster, seattle, Seattle Seahawks
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September 27, 2012
