US Football is all about the gimmick. The same league which includes the New York Red Bulls and David Beckham's LA Galaxy, currently minus David Beckham, also features a team called the Seattle Sounders - who have a player on their roster called Jarrod Smith, a close relative to one Mr Ian Smith.

Sadly lacking in the gimmick department, the Sounders decided they'd do something to get the crowd fired up - launch a shitload of doves. But things didn't go down [or up?] as well as they expected.

During a dry-run of Opening Night festivities last Thursday, the soccer team released several white doves from the tunnel, which were supposed to fly around the stadium a bit before returning to their home in Auburn (or thereabouts). However, they soon found themselves in peril as three hawks dive-bombed the easy targets.

What happened after was nothing short of a symbolism-laden massacre. One hawk reportedly killed a dove, dropped the carcass into the stands, and then went back for seconds.

Thanks to BSport for the tipoff, article from Hotdog & Friends.