Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson Photo courtesy Seattle Seahawks
No, he's not the "Duke of Lizards" and probably would not answer to the "King of Prussia," either, as the lyrics suggest. In fact, NFL quarterback and Collegiate School graduate Russell Wilson was barely 6 years old when the jam band Phish first debuted its song "Wilson" on an album ( A Live One ). But when the group toured Washington state last summer before football season, lead singer Trey Anastasio shared some wishful thinking onstage: What if Seattle Seahawks fans were to sing the song's refrain —"Wiiil-son!" — whenever the QB huddled up with his team? The wish found its purchase with Seattle's raucous crowds throughout the season, and as the 'Hawks secured their playoff berth in December, they routinely welcomed the RGIII-eclipsing Wilson to the field with his own chant, courtesy of Phish. At press time, the NFL Network planned a short film, to air Dec. 31, on the cultish following of "Wilson," both the player and the song.
