Seahawks storylines: A viewer’s guide to Super Bowl week

The Seahawks have seen this act before.

A year ago, in fact, so when they touched down in Arizona on Sunday, they knew what was waiting for them. Reporters. And cameras. Reporters with cameras. Welcome to the Super Bowl, which is quite simply the biggest spectacle in American sports.

A year ago, the country waited to see if Richard Sherman would say something else. This year, it’s whether Marshawn Lynch will say anything. But that’s just one of the storylines that’s going to be circulating this week.

1. Pete’s Patriot act

He was fired by New England after the 1999 season. Get ready to hear a ton about that, everything from Robert Kraft’s decision to let Carroll go after three seasons with the Patriots and then to replace him with Bill Belichick. But here’s the thing: Everyone is better off for that decision. Even Carroll. No, especially Carroll. He took a year off before accepting the job at USC, where he showed a refinement in his coaching approach that has yielded epic success. Meanwhile, New England is only playing in its sixth Super Bowl in Belichick’s 15 seasons.

2. Marshawn Lynch vs. the NFL

The opening salvo came over the weekend when NFL officiating czar Dean Blandino told ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio that officials would be watching to see if Lynch grabs his crotch as he crosses the goal line. If they do see it, the result will be a 15-yard penalty. Now, that’s kind of dangerous to ask officials to be judging that in real time, especially when you consider the league fined wide receiver Chris Matthews for an obscene gesture when the replay showed he only shook Lynch’s hand.

Make no mistake: This is about compliance, which is why Lynch’s media availability is going to be a storyline that will be scrutinized this week, and the amazing thing is that no one really cares what he says, which is odd. That’s usually the point of an interview, after all.

3. There’s going to be a lot of talk about a certain “D” word

And no, that’s not some reference to Lynch’s hand positioning as he crosses the goal line. We’re talking dynasty here, and that word is going to get thrown around as Seattle is positioned to become what New England once was: the team of the decade. Not only were the Patriots the last team to repeat as Super Bowl champions, but that gave them three Super Bowl victories in the span of five seasons. If the Cowboys were the team of the ’90s, the Patriots were the team of the Aughts. Can the Seahawks be the team of the Teens? Plenty of people will be asking that very question this week.

4. There’s bound to be some controversy

It always happens. You put this many media members in one city, and something is bound to happen. Nine years ago, Steelers linebacker Joey Porter conjured up a blood feud with Seahawks tight end Jerramy Stevens. Last year, it was Lynch and the aforementioned media availability. What’s going to happen this year? We’ll find out in Arizona.