Friday, December 20, 2013

Racing in the Street


It's always good to be back home.  Whether you've been gone for a month, or just for a few days, there's nothing quite like that feeling of being back in the most familiar of surroundings.  Whether it be the home cooking, or that corroding dive bar that you and your friends have gone to for ages, there's something about being home that evokes strong feelings.  Clearly, the Seahawks agree.  They're the best home team in the league without a doubt.  However, this week's game wasn't a home game for the Seattle Seahawks.  Instead, they found themselves 2,872 miles away from the comforting confines of CenturyLink Field and heading into the mouth of a nasty winter storm in the Tri-State Area.

After enduring defeat in San Francisco, there wasn't any time to dwell on the game's outcome.  The boys in lime green would have to bounce back, and do it quickly, because a slip-up at MetLife would mean their stranglehold on Homefield Advantage was loosening up a bit.  While hardly any of the 12th Man feared the Giants going into this one, there were still some who wanted to wait and see how the Seahawks would react to losing a tough one against their biggest rival.  And of course, you had the national media wondering if the trip East would take it's toll on Seattle and if there was a possible upset in the making.  Sounds kind of funny now that the dust has settled.

Meanwhile, yours truly was back home in New York City anticipating the game that had been marked down on the schedule for months.  Since the NFL released this season's schedule back in April, actually.  It's amazing how things change though.  What in April seemed like a game against a tough conference opponent, on the road in December, now felt more like a gimme against a team that had nothing to play for.  It showed in the online ticket prices.  Tickets that were routinely going for $120-150 earlier in the season were now available for $35 and $45 dollars.  Simply put, Giants fans had given up, just like their team had.

The goal for the week was to just have a great time all week and to fully enjoy and bask in the glory of finally getting to watch the Seahawks at home.  I find it funny that I would still have to go to another state to get to the stadium, but it fits right in with how the rest of the journey has gone.  Fittingly, it seemed like there would be a ton of 12's descending upon Gotham City for the weekend.  Having seen the strong 12th Man presence in Arizona, St. Louis, Atlanta, and San Francisco, I had a feeling that there would be a decent crowd but people were talking about so many as 500 to 1,000 people making the trip from across the country to take in the game at MetLife.  Having been to multiple Seahawks games at the Meadowlands before, I remember being one of only 4 or 5 Seahawks fans that I'd see for the day.  My, how times have changed!

Now, it's time for the gory details!  The weekend's festivities kicked off on Saturday night at Carlow East, the now-famous, always-legendary bar on the Upper East Side in Manhattan.  Before this season, this is where I would come to watch the Seahawks every Sunday.  It's a beautiful place with a tight-knit community of cool people that all LOVE the Seahawks.  Some of the biggest Seahawks fans I know reside at Carlow.  What started off as just a few 12's watching the 'Hawks on Sunday's turned into a bigger group, and then a bigger group, up 'til this season where they've had to have an overflow bar in order to follow Fire Marshall's capacity laws.  I saw the chandeliers shake and girls dive off the bar here when Marshawn Lynch went full on BeastQuake against the Saints in the playoffs.  I've seen the quickest, most depressing mood change in the history of life when Matt Bryant's kick went through the uprights and sent the Seahawks packing last January.  I've even climbed a top the bar and gone full on Beast Mode after the Hail Mary against Green Bay last season.  Carlow East is an institution for NYCHawks, and a home away from home.

To make things even better, joining the 12th Man in support of the 'Hawks this week would be my brotha's Leif and Jordan.  Leif aka ROADHAWK would be making the trip from Minneapolis, and the dismal weather would follow him, while Jordan would be heading out from Seattle.  As I anticipated their arrival at the bar, the 12th Man piled in from everywhere.  Even with the snow falling outside and only getting worse, the place continued to get more and more crowded.  Everyone was in excellent spirits and I can tell you that with each passing week, the positive energy around this team and it's fanbase has kept on growing by leaps and bounds.  It's one of the greatest things I've honestly ever had the privileged of witnessing.


With the festive atmosphere in the air, along with the snow, the 12th Man partied the night away on the Upper East Side.  Drinks were slung, friendships were rekindled, and new bonds were forged.  The Seattle Seahawks, bringing great people together.  The rest of the night was a blur, aside from standing in the freezing rain on Franklin Avenue in Brooklyn trying to catch a cab, only to be splashed continually as about 30 cabs ignored us in our peril.  The Philly Cheesesteaks we ate were probably the only thing that kept our minds off of the fact that this was the absolute worst.  We finally got in a cab and made the quick trip home and called it a night, as the day of reckoning was almost upon us.

The next morning we awoke from our slumber to pay homage to the Football Gods of Seattle.  My lady, Laura, would be making her 2nd game of the season and the third of her career.  Having come with me for the game in Charlotte against the Panthers, and enduring a 28-hour roundtrip bus ride from Chinatown in Manhattan to Charlotte, she was back in the fold for another game!  The Seahawks were sporting a 2-0 record with her in attendance, including a victory against the Giants in MetLife back in 2011, (AKA the Brandon Browner game) so she hadn't known what it felt like to watch the Seahawks lose in person.  Also joining us at the game would be Greg and Jas, two of my best friends through my life that support the Seahawks whenever they can.  Greg had been to 3 other games already this season (Houston, Indy, and Atlanta), while this was going to be Jas' 2nd Seahawks game of his "career."  The other was a 42-0 thumping of the Philadelphia Eagles in Philly back in 2005.  Needless to say, the good karma was in abundance.

So we set out for the Meadowlands on the NJ Transit, with the hopes of witnessing a Seattle victory at the front of our minds.  We marched through the parking lot, trying to find lot J where Carlow East had organized a supposedly-titanic tailgate.  It did not disappoint!  The line for food was as far as the eye could see and everywhere you turned there was someone wearing some form of Seahawks gear.  I never thought I'd see the day where it seemed there were more road fans than home fans, but this might have been it.  

Still, in this sea of humanity, familiar faces are everywhere.  Jon, Walt, Jamila, Dave, Nathan...  they are everywhere.  At this point I'm on cloud nine and I can't even begin to think of way back down to reality.  It almost doesn't seem real.  My girlfriend, best friends, new friends, and Seahawks fans are all gathered in a parking lot in New Jersey.  Braving the call for tough weather all in support of the best team in the NFL.  I think to myself, this must be heaven.  A special shoutout goes out to Pat and the rest of the amazing people from Carlow who volunteered at the tailgate in order to ensure that a good time was had by all.  Thank you so much!  Your efforts will never be forgotten!

We finished our drinks and headed towards the stadium, as gametime was quickly approaching.  To this point, I still hadn't felt any sense of anxiety or nervousness with regards to the game.  That feeling was prevalent among the rest of the 12th Man as well.  There was never any doubt with this one.


Now, those who have been keeping up with my qwest this season know that there have been some pretty amazing circumstances and great fortune that has fallen my way.  I've experienced the utmost generosity and have been treated fantastically by life and by people almost every step of the way.  At first I thought it was just coincidence or circumstance, but then there were simply too many instances to ignore.  One of the first ones was when a man named Paul heard about the idea of going to every game on the schedule.  He loved the idea and when he found out he was going to be in Ohio during the week of the Seahawks/Giants game he had to act.  See, Paul's a Giants season ticket holder.  So a week later, Paul came back and handed me his two tickets for the game and told me to have them.  This got the momentum going and the good vibes flowing, long before the season got underway.

However, in the true spirit of "Hawking it Forward", I gave those two tickets away to Jordan and Leif since they were coming from out of town.  I wasn't back in the market for tickets for too long, seeing as how my other buddy Luis (also a Giants season ticket holder), told me that he had two tickets for Laura and I for the game.  So that was my view for the game, Section 329.  Greg and Jas didn't even bother going to their original seats.  The place was so empty that we all sat together in 329 and no one cared.  


About the only ones caring about this game were Seahawks fans.  The place was littered with them!  After the 'Hawks opened the scoring on a Steven Hauschka Field Goal, you could hear chants of "SEA-HAWKS!!!" breaking out all around the Upper Deck.  Giants fans hardly even seemed to care having been rendered indifferent after being officially eliminated from the playoffs the week prior in San Diego.  

The stadium had the general feeling of a morgue, but unlike a Mortuary Makeup Artist who could manage to make the corpse look half-decent, Eli Manning could not do the same for the Giants corpse-like offense.  Instead, Eli only made things worse, throwing a staggering 5 interceptions on the day.  Those who claim that Eli Manning is not elite (I'm one of them) must have loved the action at MetLife this past Sunday.  With each interception, the crowd grew more and more indifferent.  Manning responded to the adversity with his patented "ah shucks" routine, as he looked on in amazement like the rest of us as Richard Sherman and Byron Maxwell taught the Giants a lesson on how to fight for the football.  Truly a beautiful sight.


And how about that bad man Byron Maxwell?  It was just a few short weeks ago where everyone wondered what we would do without the likes of Walter Thurmond III and Brandon Browner.  Enter Byron Maxwell and Jeremy Lane.  Both have risen to the occasion when the Seahawks absolutely needed them most.  It's to the point where Maxwell definitely needs to get the nod to start even when Thurmond does return from his suspension for the Rams game.  At this point, I might even be inclined to drop Thurmond to 4th on the Depth Chart, as Lane has done a very stellar job of defending from the slot in the Nickel, as well as being able to kick it outside and defend on an island as well.  They sure can coach them back there, can't they?

Although the Seahawks Offense was pretty sluggish and Russell Wilson didn't have the greatest game of his career, the Giants couldn't muster up anything even remotely resembling an offense.  In a truly complete performance, the Seahawks D made things impossible for a unit that could barely get out of it's own way in the first place.  Watching from the stands, it barely even felt like a real game.  We all just sat and talked as the Seahawks continued to have their way with the Giants carcass.  Not a worry in the world.  Especially not with regards to the Seahawks potentially losing this game, let alone allowing a point.  As the Giants struggled to reach midfield, we took the time to talk about Seahawks memories new and old alike.  In the background, a noise goes off like a sawed-off shotgun as Kam Chancellor annihilates Jerrel Jernigan, who unfathomably absorbs the hit and keeps moving.

As the weekend-long, Seahawks-themed party continues, Cole and Lily join us for the 2nd half.  They've also made the trip from Brooklyn to see the game and Cole's quite the Seahawks fan himself.  Having talked Seahawks football with him all season, it was great to see him finally get the opportunity to take in a game.  He picked a good one too, because the Seahawks were puttin' a hurtin' on the GMen.  By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, about 95% of the Giants fans in attendance had already left a quarter ago and we the 12's had the entire place to ourselves.  Chants of "SEA-HAWKS!!!" grew louder and louder and popped up from everywhere.  12 flags, lime green beanies, Russell Wilson jerseys all on display for all to see.  As the clock ticks to zero's, we take in the final few minutes from down behind the Seahawks bench.  Just like in Arizona, St. Louis, and Atlanta before this, the 12th Man gathered behind the 'Hawks bench to show their appreciation for another job well done.  The scoreboard read 23-0, but it could have been a lot worse.  Still, a great job done by all. 

As we left the stadium, we could all tell that something great was happening and that this probably wouldn't be our last trip to MetLife Stadium anytime soon.  We had talked all weekend about conceptualizing success and remembering what it feels like to win in MetLife, in the cold and trashy weather.  Now, it all seemed so real.  You could just imagine Russell Wilson standing out there, hoisting the Lombardi Trophy as he looks to his father in the heavens.  I was at MetLife for Wrestlemania with the same friend who gave me tickets for this game and I started to daydream.  I won't call it "a vision" because I feel any one of us would have had it.  The thought of Russell Wilson and the rest of the Seahawks hugging and celebrating as the confetti rains down from above.  Fireworks go off, 12's lose their minds, and Pete Carroll is the happiest person alive.  It's just a thought I had a few months ago, but it felt so plausible. 

So, with a 12-2 record in the books and thorough domination in the rearview mirror, we headed back to New York City with the taste of victory fresh on our pallets.  As we head towards the train home, Leif and I bump into Adam, a Seahawks fan from out in Oregon who made the trek out East for the first Seahawks road game of his life.  You sure know how to pick 'em, Adam.  A few minutes later, we bump into Kam Chancellor's brother Cornell, whom I've had the pleasure of meeting in St. Louis as well as in Atlanta.  He's there with his family and we catch up before they head off to greet Kam in the locker room.  

As we stand in line for the NJ Transit along with the crowd made up of roughly 90% 12's, a young boy in a Marshawn Lynch jersey runs around the line handing out Skittles.  He even goes up to a couple, the girl wearing a Seahawks jersey while the guy is wearing a Giants jersey.  He hands the Seahawks fan a Skittle, then runs away, blatantly ignoring the Giants fan.  It was an awesome sight and one that we all got a pretty good laugh out of.  That's being a Model 12th Kid right there.

We then payed our respects at Carlow East and watched the Cowboys choke once again in December, before heading to Astoria and Olde Prague for some drinks to close out the night.  Things couldn't have gone any better, except for if we hadn't seen the worst standup comic of all-time at an Open Mic, but what can you do.  That man restored balance to the universe, otherwise it would have been a completely perfect day.  Consider his performance the walk in the 9th inning during a Perfect Game.  We still got a no-hitter of a day, so no one really cared. 

The next day, the weary travelers set their sails with home as their destination.  Leif was headed back to Minneapolis, while Jordan had to trek it out to Newark Airport and eventually on to Seattle.  We stopped for some pizza at a local spot in Brooklyn before Leif and I went down to Long Island City in Queens, to a bar called the Shannon Pot at the base of 5 Pointz.  For those who don't know, 5 Pointz is a graffiti "museum" that is being torn down in March.  It's walls were whitewashed a few weeks ago and with it, decades of art and culture were removed.  A dark day for NYC for sure, but we'll bounce back, we're good at that.  The old woman behind the bar tells us about how she wants to write a letter to Everton United (English Soccer Club) to have them shave American Goalkeeper Tim Howard's beard.  Leif and I love the idea, and I'm seriously hoping she goes through with it.  We finish our Tecate's, Leif hauls a cab headed for Laguardia Airport, and just like that, it was all over.


The weekend I had been waiting for had come and gone and unfolded in a manner that all felt so perfect.  There's not a thing I would change about the events that took place, and the result was especially perfect.  My girlfriend's career Seahawks record improves to 3-0, including 2-0 at MetLife, while my buddy Jas now sports a 2-0 record while in attendance, both East Coast road games that ended with a combined score of 65-0.  Sounds like a USC score from back when Pete was in charge.  Can you believe that though?  He's been to two games in his life, and he's never even seen the Seahawks allow a single point!  Who do I have to get in contact with to ensure that they are both present when the Seahawks take the field at MetLife again in a few weeks?

So that concludes one of the greatest weekend's of my life.  One filled with friends, loved ones, the Seahawks, and enjoying the finer things in life.  Literally the essentials, as far as I'm concerned.  As this journey continues, I always try and remember that it's the people that make this life one to behold, and it's about finding the right ones.  So far this season, the planets have aligned in a way that can only mean one thing.  Everything has happened for a reason, and that reason is for us to all come together when the Seahawks come back to MetLife to play the biggest game in their franchise's history.

To all those who shared this incredible experience with me that might be reading this, I love you all deeply.  I could not have asked for more than this and I can't ask for more than you all.  Your love and support throughout this all has been the greatest gift I've ever received in my life.  I'll never forget anything you've done for me or any of the times we've shared.  Let's do it again at the beginning of February, shall we?

No comments:

Post a Comment