Despite having zero players with Super Bowl experience, the Seattle Seahawks have been a relaxed bunch all week. The trend didn't change the day before the biggest game of their lives.
After getting their first glimpse of MetLife Stadium on Saturday, the Seahawks moved across the street to the New York Giants facility for a 35-minute walkthrough.
The team looked loose and energetic as it went through its normal pregame routine, pool reporter Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News relayed.
"We're ready to go," coach Pete Carroll said. "That's kind of how we are. I don't know if it's loose, but we're where we're supposed to be. This is how we always prepare. This is the exact routine we always do. And the guys did it perfectly today.
"It's been great. We have no hesitation saying it's been exactly what we hoped to get done. We're physically right and mentally right and we're ready to go."
The team follows Carroll's lead. As usual, the coach was in a playful mood Saturday.
According to Vacchiano, Carroll pulled a prank on a friend of former Seahawks star Shaun Alexander who attended the walkthrough. While talking to Alexander and the friend, Carroll positioned himself behind the punter who was taking snaps. After the ball was hiked the punter, Carroll and Alexander all moved out of the way and the ball landed in the gut of the unwary amigo.
"It's always great to see Shaun and those guys," Carroll said. "It's good to have them around. It just kind of reminds us what we represent."
That representation is toughness, confidence and, of course, fun.
*Live from New York, it's the NFL "Around The League Podcast" Super Bowl Preview! *
