You've seen it before. When Oakland Raiders defensive end Richard Seymour sacks a quarterback or tackles the opponent's running back for a loss, he celebrates by crossing his arms to form an "X".
Why does Richard Seymour do this? Is it a tribute to Malcolm X? Or to the X-Men? Or to X-rated films?
None of the above, according to Seymour. It's a Raider thing, baby. He did not do this as a New England Patriot.
In an online interview with Raiders.com, Seymour explains the deal with the "X" gesture.
"I grew up as a Raider fan," Seymour said, "It's just a nasty attitude that you come and you play with, and that's the way the game of football is played."
"As a Raider, especially as a defensive lineman as a Raider -- the guys who set the tone for the team -- I definitely think you have to have that attitude. So the 'X' just symbolizes what we're about to do."
Admittedly, this explanation does not make a ton of sense. But Raider Nation will not complain if Seymour continues to be the Raiders' X factor on defense.
Sports
Joe Kukura is a freelance writer who sometimes does an "X" gesture with his legs to symbolize that he has to pee really badly.
