A trip to the nation's capital proved to be just what the doctor ordered. It wasn't the prettiest display in Seahawks history, but it got the job done. Having experienced last season, and remembering that there were some clunkers sprinkled in there, not much thought was given to the style of play or lack thereof. Naturally, with a game in the fortress known as CenturyLink Field against the usual paper tiger Dallas Cowboys, it appeared that the magical elixir known as "winning" would help remedy the Seahawks early season blues.
Meanwhile, back in New York City, I was beginning to settle into a somewhat normal schedule at work. Selling pickles on a street corner wasn't what I had envisioned myself doing to fund this season, but it was what it was, and I'm not too good for any job. Whatever it takes, was what I kept telling myself. Oddly enough, I find my new job quite liberating. I still get to interact with tons of people every day, something that I love, but without the rigor, demands, and expectations of serving or bartending. Generally, people are quite happy when they're buying pickles, especially when they're damn good like these ones are.
Once again, it was time for my two world's to collide. Luck appeared to be on my side, as I found a ticket to Seattle from Newark, through Minneapolis, just a day before traveling for $195. I'd be using some of my miles that I had accrued from last season and earlier this season for my return trip home, plus $30. A round trip flight for $225 just a day before traveling, it felt like a major win for sure. And it also felt like the football god's and the universe were firmly in my corner, once again. A conveniently placed bye week while I found new employment, followed by a seemingly impossible trip to DC for the Redskins game on Monday Night for only $48, and now this. Things appeared to be lining up for another miraculous season, just like last year.
I make the 2 hour trek from Clinton Hill, Brooklyn to Newark International Airport early Saturday morning. I make it in plenty of time for my 11:34 AM flight and soon, I was off to MSP for a 3 hour layover. Looking back on things now as I sit on this flight back home, this layover was probably the highlight of the entire trip. That's not a good sign, save for the fact that it probably would have been even had the Seahawks won. Minneapolis is the home of, in my mind, the greatest Seahawks fan of all-time and one hell of an amazing and interesting person. Leif, a man who's passion for the Seahawks is only matched by the size of his heart and his passion for traveling and human interaction with people from all walks of life.
Once again, it was time for my two world's to collide. Luck appeared to be on my side, as I found a ticket to Seattle from Newark, through Minneapolis, just a day before traveling for $195. I'd be using some of my miles that I had accrued from last season and earlier this season for my return trip home, plus $30. A round trip flight for $225 just a day before traveling, it felt like a major win for sure. And it also felt like the football god's and the universe were firmly in my corner, once again. A conveniently placed bye week while I found new employment, followed by a seemingly impossible trip to DC for the Redskins game on Monday Night for only $48, and now this. Things appeared to be lining up for another miraculous season, just like last year.
I make the 2 hour trek from Clinton Hill, Brooklyn to Newark International Airport early Saturday morning. I make it in plenty of time for my 11:34 AM flight and soon, I was off to MSP for a 3 hour layover. Looking back on things now as I sit on this flight back home, this layover was probably the highlight of the entire trip. That's not a good sign, save for the fact that it probably would have been even had the Seahawks won. Minneapolis is the home of, in my mind, the greatest Seahawks fan of all-time and one hell of an amazing and interesting person. Leif, a man who's passion for the Seahawks is only matched by the size of his heart and his passion for traveling and human interaction with people from all walks of life.
Leif truly is one of the special ones in this life, and after crashing at my place for the Super Bowl, he had left some of his gear behind. I lugged it with me from home to Minneapolis, as Leif had told me that he'd meet me at MSP. As our plane landed and I headed out the gate, I was greeted by the familiar face whom I had shared so many experiences with just a year ago. What made things even better was that despite recovering from a serious injury, he looked good as new! The travels have been a bit interesting this season, so far, and seeing Leif for the first time since the Super Bowl brought back a sea of great memories that I had almost forgotten because of the focus applied to attempting to witness the repeat.
In true Leif fashion, the man was prepared to do something interesting. After checking with Delta to see if my seat would be needed and if I would have to be bumped to a later flight to no avail, we bolt for the parking lot and jump in Leif's ride. Having not been unable to fly out to Minneapolis in the summer as planned, this was my first taste of the beautiful state of Minnesota. Even as my plane was flying in earlier, I marveled at how flying over the city felt like flowing over a giant Central Park. I was even able to spot the Minnesota Gophers outdoor stadium and Target Field from a bird's eye view up above.
Our first stop was Palmer's, a gritty place that is truly the definition of a "dive bar." Known for it's widespread crowd, mostly the haggard and mentally ill, it's a sort of institution despite it's ominous description. We drink a local brew, Summit, I think, before heading to our next spot. Leif warns me that the next spot isn't the coolest place in the world, but that there was a reason for us going there. That reason was Leif's buddy James, who I had just stumbled into in DC prior to the Monday nighter! It was beginning to feel a lot like last season again, with spontaneous twists and turns all ending up in glorious wins both on and off the field. I have a Midnight Ryder, another local brew as the three of us catch up and watch the conclusion of the Gophers victory over Northwestern.
After saying our goodbyes, Leif and I head to his apartment, a sweet pad that makes perfect sense of you know Leif. After I taste some excellent rum and bourbon, we head to our third and final spot during this action packed 3 hour layover. We go to another local watering hole of his preference, where I try a Grape Ape for the first time. I now see what people in Minneapolis do with their free time. Leif rushes me back to the airport just in time for my flight to Seattle. Unfortunately, I wouldn't be getting that $300 voucher from Delta, and I wouldn't get to hang in Minneapolis with Leif any longer. As we part ways, Leif adds that there's a possibility that he could be in Seattle for the game. It would be his first game of the season. This news is music to my ears, and I sleep like a log after breezing through security and boarding my flight to the Pacific Northwest.
It's the first time on any of my travels over the past year and change now where I've literally fallen asleep before take off and woken up in an entirely different place. Usually, I can't sleep worth a lick, but the Grape Ape in me makes sure that I finally get some sleep while in flight. I rise from my slumber, and head out into the rainy abyss known as Seattle. Seattle's so beautiful that even when it's pouring outside and miserable, it still leaves you in awe of it's beauty. I head down to Temple Billiards to grab a bite as I normally do, devouring a delicious spicy Italian sandwich. After chatting with Damian, the doorman at Temple and an awesome person, I begin to head towards SeaTac, which will be my resting place for the evening. Luckily, my buddy Bart who gave me a Marshawn Lynch jersey last season, (as well as handing fellow road warrior Greg $100 to buy a Russell Wilson Super Bowl jersey) was also in town for the game and he offered me a place to crash for the night.
Bart is the definition of a standup guy, and his wife is the best too for agreeing to let me sleep on their hotel room floor. You know, they say that sleeping on the floor is good for you, or something, and I've got to say that it beats trying to sleep in a chair on an airplane! That's got to be as bad for your back as sleeping on the floor is good for it, and I can attest to that as I developed a painful cyst on my back from all of my traveling last season. I choose to rationalize these sort of things that happen by thinking "hey, I'm just like Marshawn! Playing through back pain and not letting it hold me back." Luckily, I was better now and I got a good night's sleep before gameday, which is a rarity for me as anyone who knows me will attest.
The three of us awaken to a pleasant Seattle day, with the rain from yesterday just a distant memory. After grabbing some breakfast, Bart and his wife head for their rental car in a nearby parking garage. I head a different way, to the bank to take out some cash just in case I need to purchase a hard copy of a ticket. Leif tells me that he won't be making it to the game, and to start looking for one ticket for myself. Did I mention that I didn't have a ticket to the game yet? Things had fallen through with my ticket connections and I was forced to fend for myself on the secondary market. Somehow, this game started at $250 for the cheapest ticket just to get into the stadium! Having paid $225 for the season opener against the Packers, and $225 for the home opener against the Niners last year, I knew that there was no way that I was paying $25 more for a game in October against the Dallas Cowboys.
I understand, Super Bowl champion prices, people want to cash in on their season tickets after years of being unable to even give them away, and the Cowboys are debatably still "America's Team" and they have fans all over the country who hopped on the bandwagon over a decade ago when Dallas was still relevant in the NFL. Of course, the NFL and the sports media go out of their way to always keep the Cowboys relevant because of that widespread fan-base and because they sell but that's another debate that we won't start up right here, right now. The bottom line was, I did not have a good feeling about this game after reading the secondary market. With ticket prices being so high, it probably meant that the place would be polluted with Cowboys fans, as the more seasoned Seahawks fans had sold their tickets to watch the game at home because it was a probable win for Seattle. Still, I remained optimistic that I was just being overly pessimistic and continued on in my quest for a ticket.
With last week's game ticket only costing $18, and with tickets to the Rams game in St. Louis starting at only $10 (which is 2 dollars higher than last year's $8 tickets for the same game), I figured that no matter what I payed I'd still be winning overall. I watched Stubhub as prices continued to drop the closer we got to gametime. I head down to Temple after hitting up Chase bank, and take my chances with someone in attendance possibly having an extra ticket. No dice. However, I see a random ticket on sale on Stubhub for $179. This being the lowest price I had seen since the start of the week, I jumped all over it and made the purchase. I would be sitting in Section 334 for the showdown with the 'Boys. Soon, Bart and his contingency arrive at Temple, as does Todd and his. Also making an appearance was LymonHawk, a Seahawks.Net legend and pretty awesome dude who originally hails from the Bronx. It wasn't long before I had to split though, to go to a random FedEx to print my ticket for the game.
Bart is the definition of a standup guy, and his wife is the best too for agreeing to let me sleep on their hotel room floor. You know, they say that sleeping on the floor is good for you, or something, and I've got to say that it beats trying to sleep in a chair on an airplane! That's got to be as bad for your back as sleeping on the floor is good for it, and I can attest to that as I developed a painful cyst on my back from all of my traveling last season. I choose to rationalize these sort of things that happen by thinking "hey, I'm just like Marshawn! Playing through back pain and not letting it hold me back." Luckily, I was better now and I got a good night's sleep before gameday, which is a rarity for me as anyone who knows me will attest.
The three of us awaken to a pleasant Seattle day, with the rain from yesterday just a distant memory. After grabbing some breakfast, Bart and his wife head for their rental car in a nearby parking garage. I head a different way, to the bank to take out some cash just in case I need to purchase a hard copy of a ticket. Leif tells me that he won't be making it to the game, and to start looking for one ticket for myself. Did I mention that I didn't have a ticket to the game yet? Things had fallen through with my ticket connections and I was forced to fend for myself on the secondary market. Somehow, this game started at $250 for the cheapest ticket just to get into the stadium! Having paid $225 for the season opener against the Packers, and $225 for the home opener against the Niners last year, I knew that there was no way that I was paying $25 more for a game in October against the Dallas Cowboys.
I understand, Super Bowl champion prices, people want to cash in on their season tickets after years of being unable to even give them away, and the Cowboys are debatably still "America's Team" and they have fans all over the country who hopped on the bandwagon over a decade ago when Dallas was still relevant in the NFL. Of course, the NFL and the sports media go out of their way to always keep the Cowboys relevant because of that widespread fan-base and because they sell but that's another debate that we won't start up right here, right now. The bottom line was, I did not have a good feeling about this game after reading the secondary market. With ticket prices being so high, it probably meant that the place would be polluted with Cowboys fans, as the more seasoned Seahawks fans had sold their tickets to watch the game at home because it was a probable win for Seattle. Still, I remained optimistic that I was just being overly pessimistic and continued on in my quest for a ticket.
With last week's game ticket only costing $18, and with tickets to the Rams game in St. Louis starting at only $10 (which is 2 dollars higher than last year's $8 tickets for the same game), I figured that no matter what I payed I'd still be winning overall. I watched Stubhub as prices continued to drop the closer we got to gametime. I head down to Temple after hitting up Chase bank, and take my chances with someone in attendance possibly having an extra ticket. No dice. However, I see a random ticket on sale on Stubhub for $179. This being the lowest price I had seen since the start of the week, I jumped all over it and made the purchase. I would be sitting in Section 334 for the showdown with the 'Boys. Soon, Bart and his contingency arrive at Temple, as does Todd and his. Also making an appearance was LymonHawk, a Seahawks.Net legend and pretty awesome dude who originally hails from the Bronx. It wasn't long before I had to split though, to go to a random FedEx to print my ticket for the game.
After accomplishing that mission with ease, I head back to Temple to talk about the game at hand with my fellow diehards. Eli is there too now, and all of us discuss what it'll take in order for Seattle to beat Dallas. Largely, we are all skeptical of the "paper tigers" from Dallas, as Todd proclaims. After spending years watching the Cowboys flounder to 8-8 record after 8-8 record, I must admit that I was skeptical as well and that I took this team lightly. We all agree that Seattle will break the Cowboys spirit by midway through the third quarter after a heavy dosage of Marshawn, and that the Seahawks will be 4-1 in a few hours.
Now, unlike most people, I don't hate the Dallas Cowboys. I have too many friends, family, and loved ones in my life who are Cowboys fans that I just can't bring myself to genuinely hate them like I do the 49ers. They just don't occupy a lot of space in my mind, they hardly ever face the Seahawks, and they haven't posed a legitimate threat to Seattle, the NFC, or the NFL for years. The group leaves Temple, and there's someone up above flying a plane with a banner with the Cowboys star on it that reads "How bout them Cowboys". Some people are upset by this move, which is pretty funny in my mind, especially when you consider that Seahawks fans did the same thing in San Francisco last year in the game at Candlestick Park. What goes around comes around.
The march to the stadium is a brief one, and unfortunately it appears that my worst fears may come true. The streets are lined with Cowboys fans, boisterous and annoying as usual, severely lacking in any form of self respect or class, but it's to be expected from the bunch. I've never heard "woo!" as much as I did from Cowboys fans entering the stadium, they seriously love screaming "woo!" to one another and giving each other random high-fives. I make it half way up one of the walkways behind the Hawks Nest, before I'm stopped by the opening kickoff and the insatiable desire to see every play. Once again, as expected and as I pointed last week, teams are trying to throw Seattle off their game even from the coin toss. Or, everyone is trying to mimic Seattle's success from last season by deferring. One of these days lady luck needs to reappear in the form of a coin toss, so that the Seahawks can win a coin toss and get back to having the defense set the tone for the game.
Only, as the game gets going, it doesn't appear that that would be necessary. The 'Hawks march down the field on their opening drive before ultimately settling for a field goal. It's a solid start to the game, and it only gets better after the Seahawks defense stymies the Cowboys offense and forces a punt. Doug Baldwin appears to be lined up with the Cowboys gunner, but at the last second he crashes down hard on the left side of the Cowboys line and comes through clean for a diving punt block. Mike Morgan recovers the loose football and takes it straight ahead for the score and a quick 10-0 lead! Usually, that's enough at CenturyLink for the Seahawks. And usually, most teams would just fold like a cheap suit under such pressure. However, not the Cowboys, not on this day.
Despite being down quick, the Cowboys stick with their gameplan. That means a steady dosage of DeMarco Murray, some clutch throws by Tony Romo, and a defense that excelled with their man coverage that the Seahawks just couldn't seem to exploit. Somehow, in the blink of an eye, it's 10-10 and the Cowboys are now marching down the field with time dwindling in the first half. Up to this point, the game has been a disaster, as every category is largely in the Cowboys favor. Total yards, first downs, and most importantly time of possession. Suddenly, this game is starting to feel a lot like the San Diego game from a few weeks ago. Even more shocking this time around, since the Seahawks were being dominated at home, an extremely rare occurrence. Things continue to get worse, as Tony Romo fires a touchdown pass with 16 seconds on the clock in the first half. The Seahawks had coughed away a ten point lead, at home, to the Dallas Cowboys. Not good.
At halftime, I head to my seat in 334. Despite the cool view from the ramp way in the North End Zone, I remember that during the Cardinals loss at home last season, I kind of wandered around the stadium too, and never got situated at my seat. I figured that this was my punishment for not being a part of my fellow 12th Man for the game. Once I get to 334 though, and once the game gets underway in the second half, I start to wish that I had stayed in my spot by the ramp way. What I saw was quite disturbing. Cowboys fans littered all over the section, but that's not even the worst part. The worst part was seeing my fellow Seahawks fans sitting down on 1st and 2nd down's while the defense was on the field! People would rise to their feet on third down, but that's what every fanbase around the league does, we're usually better than that.
How could this have happened, I wondered. Well, this explained tickets being so expensive on the secondary market. Apparently, all the diehards stayed at home or couldn't make it for one reason or another, and decided to cash in on their tickets for triple the face value. That usually equals more opposing fans and Seahawks fans who can afford $200 tickets in the upper deck. I can, barely, and that's for one person. What about the average Joe dad who wants to take his kids to the game? Sorry, not this one pops. The working class Seahawks fan had been squeezed out of this one, the heart and soul of this team ripped from it's chest. You just know that the players picked up on the lack of energy, and there were times in the second half where Richard Sherman and company were bouncing around, trying to do anything to get the home crowd hyped.
All of the positive energy, and relentless noise that helped earn a Lombardi Trophy months prior, were replaced by entitled fans who bemoaned every Seahawks failed attempt at making a play, as if they expected a Seahawks blowout because they dropped serious coin on attending. It doesn't work that way, unfortunately. We had a bunch of people who wanted to watch a victory, and celebrate one, but it appeared that most in attendance didn't know what was required of them as a member of the 12th Man in order to help the team achieve victory. Hopefully, the occurrences of the next several minutes will ensure that the seasoned diehard's return to their seats.
And those occurrences that I just referenced weren't pretty. Despite once again scoring the first ten points of the second half on a muffed punt that set up a Russell Wilson rushing touchdown and a fumbled snap by Tony Romo that led to a field goal, the Cowboys stuck with their game plan and came roaring right back. While the Seahawks appeared to be content with empty sets and having Russell Wilson wing the ball all over the field, with little to no success while neglecting Marshawn Lynch entirely for certain parts of the game, the Cowboys rode the horse that got them to their sparking 4-1 record, DeMarco Murray. Murray consistently gashed the 'Hawks when he needed to most, and Tony Romo continued to stand tall in the pocket and make all the throws he had to, a la Philip Rivers in San Diego in Week 2. Once again, the Seahawks pass rush was invisible to the naked eye, and the Cowboys had made it a 23-20 ballgame just like that. However, after a vital holding penalty, they were now faced with a 3rd and 20 and the game seemingly on the line.
With Bruce Irvin closing in on Tony Romo's blindside, Romo pulls his best Russell Wilson imitation and spins away from the hit, steps up in the pocket, evades Bruce Irvin's lunging efforts again, and fires a rifle down the right sideline. Miraculously, Terrance Williams is a) able to get open over 20 yards downfield on a 3rd and 20 and b) tap both of his toes in bounds before falling in a heap on the Cowboys sideline. Seahawks fans argue that he didn't get his feet in, but it was clear when it happened that he did and that it was a fantastic play by Romo and Williams. How was Williams able to get open 23 yards downfield? We'll never know. I suddenly have flashbacks to Gus Bradley's soft zone coverages down the stretch in numerous games in 2012.
That was the game changing play right there. DeMarco Murray would go on to finish the drive in impressive fashion with two excellent rushes, one of them for a touchdown that gave the Cowboys the lead with under 5 minutes to play in the 4th quarter. Cowboys fans everywhere rejoice as Murray's crosses the goalline, the crowd reaction a disturbing reminder that this was not a typical day at the office at the CLink. Having burned a bunch of timeouts throughout the 2nd half, the Seahawks were faced with having to march down the field with no timeouts and time running out. No problem, we've got Russell Wilson! Or so we thought. After some lousy execution on 1st, 2nd, and 3rd down gets the 'Hawks offense nowhere, a recurring theme throughout the day for a struggling unit, the 'Hawks go for it on 4th down deep inside their own territory and fail to convert, fittingly on this day.
Still, they manage to hold the Cowboys to a field goal and hope still remains as the score is now 30-23 with 1:09 left to play. We've still got Russell Wilson, and I'll always believe in Russell's ability to do the improbable. This would have been one of those moments. However, clearly some of the other fans in attendance didn't feel the same way, as droves of people head for the exits to beat the traffic, I guess.
What followed was to be expected. Two plays into the Seahawks last ditch drive, Russell's pass floats right into the waiting arms of a Cowboys defender and the game is sealed. A few kneels and the Cowboys legion of fans begin the celebration. I was sitting next to a Cowboys fan, and luckily he was a pretty cool dude, one of the few humble Cowboys fans in existence on this earth. Luckily, the way out of the stadium is a breeze since a ton of fans had already abandoned their team early, and all of the Cowboys were staying in the stadium and cheering their team on as they walked off the field. My Seahawks beanie goes off to Dallas. They came in to the lion's den when many people didn't give them a shot, and slapped the lion around and pounded the lion into submission. It was yet another stinging, humbling defeat just like the one in San Diego weeks prior.
Still, I left the stadium with my head held oddly high. This team, and it's fans, needed a real wake-up call. Not one that we could blame away on the heat or some poor officiating, just a real proper whooping like the one the Cardinals handed them at the CLink last season. The Seahawks never looked back after that loss, and while I'm sure there are more losses on the way for this team that's still struggling to find it's identity on offense and defense, you just have to believe that everything is going to be alright. No matter how dejected any fan is, they'll never take it harder than this group of players and coaches will, and that's what makes this team special. They are human, as they are proving this season especially when it comes to their depth which doesn't seem as impressive as it did last year, but they'll outwork anyone and I fully expect them to play a better game in St. Louis verse the Rams.
Anyone who knows me will tell you that years ago I wouldn't have been able to handle this loss. I would have been distraught, devastated. My entire week would have been ruined. Now, I understood that losing was a necessary part of life and some of life's greatest lessons can be learned in defeat, so long as you gave it your best effort. This team tried their hardest but awful play calling, horrendous execution, miserable crowd support, mounting injuries, and despicable officiating combined to lead to their downfall. Also, an outstanding effort from the Dallas Cowboys who proved that they just might be legit. Don't get too excited Cowboys fans, you all know that in the back of your mind you could see this ending in another depressing 8-8 season. No doubt, they look legit, but it's not how you start but how you finish, as Pete Carroll would surely attest to.
With my head held high I head back to Temple Billiards to commiserate with my fellow 12th Man after a rough day at the office. Most agree, even members of the Blue Thunder band, that the crowd didn't have the juice on this day, and neither did the team. Most also agree that Pete Carroll and his coaches would get this figured out, and quickly. They would have to, or else they'd risk losing ground in the treacherous NFC West, as well as the race for the always important homefield advantage. My hopes for homefield took a huge hit after this one, but there's a sick part of me that wants to see the Seahawks win a Super Bowl in New York Giants fashion, being road warrior's and slaying opponents in their own house and ending their dreams of taking away our championship from us.
Damian, the doorman at Temple, and I chat about the Seahawks, Sounders, and life. FC Dallas scores a last-ditch winner at home against the LA Galaxy and the place livens up a bit. This win means that the Sounders remain in first place, probably the only good thing to happen to Seattle sports over the weekend. Yes, I refuse to acknowledge the Washington Huskies and their accomplishments. That's what being bitter rivals is all about. It's okay Dawgs, the Cougs dropped another one and now need to win 4 out of 5 to even get a chance to Coug It in another bowl game.
Despite an awful sports weekend for yours truly, I leave Temple for the LightRail with a smile on my face. Good times, with great people, and great conversations were more important than a Seahawks victory in October. Especially when I still knew deep down in my heart that everything was going to be alright, and the Seahawks would still win the Super Bowl in improbable fashion. I make my way to the airport, which would be my free hotel for the evening before my flight back home in the early morning. SeaTac is actually a pretty comfortable place to sleep, and there's something cool about seeing weary travelers sprawled out in whatever position they can manage to find some bit of respite.
Still, they manage to hold the Cowboys to a field goal and hope still remains as the score is now 30-23 with 1:09 left to play. We've still got Russell Wilson, and I'll always believe in Russell's ability to do the improbable. This would have been one of those moments. However, clearly some of the other fans in attendance didn't feel the same way, as droves of people head for the exits to beat the traffic, I guess.
What followed was to be expected. Two plays into the Seahawks last ditch drive, Russell's pass floats right into the waiting arms of a Cowboys defender and the game is sealed. A few kneels and the Cowboys legion of fans begin the celebration. I was sitting next to a Cowboys fan, and luckily he was a pretty cool dude, one of the few humble Cowboys fans in existence on this earth. Luckily, the way out of the stadium is a breeze since a ton of fans had already abandoned their team early, and all of the Cowboys were staying in the stadium and cheering their team on as they walked off the field. My Seahawks beanie goes off to Dallas. They came in to the lion's den when many people didn't give them a shot, and slapped the lion around and pounded the lion into submission. It was yet another stinging, humbling defeat just like the one in San Diego weeks prior.
Still, I left the stadium with my head held oddly high. This team, and it's fans, needed a real wake-up call. Not one that we could blame away on the heat or some poor officiating, just a real proper whooping like the one the Cardinals handed them at the CLink last season. The Seahawks never looked back after that loss, and while I'm sure there are more losses on the way for this team that's still struggling to find it's identity on offense and defense, you just have to believe that everything is going to be alright. No matter how dejected any fan is, they'll never take it harder than this group of players and coaches will, and that's what makes this team special. They are human, as they are proving this season especially when it comes to their depth which doesn't seem as impressive as it did last year, but they'll outwork anyone and I fully expect them to play a better game in St. Louis verse the Rams.
Anyone who knows me will tell you that years ago I wouldn't have been able to handle this loss. I would have been distraught, devastated. My entire week would have been ruined. Now, I understood that losing was a necessary part of life and some of life's greatest lessons can be learned in defeat, so long as you gave it your best effort. This team tried their hardest but awful play calling, horrendous execution, miserable crowd support, mounting injuries, and despicable officiating combined to lead to their downfall. Also, an outstanding effort from the Dallas Cowboys who proved that they just might be legit. Don't get too excited Cowboys fans, you all know that in the back of your mind you could see this ending in another depressing 8-8 season. No doubt, they look legit, but it's not how you start but how you finish, as Pete Carroll would surely attest to.
With my head held high I head back to Temple Billiards to commiserate with my fellow 12th Man after a rough day at the office. Most agree, even members of the Blue Thunder band, that the crowd didn't have the juice on this day, and neither did the team. Most also agree that Pete Carroll and his coaches would get this figured out, and quickly. They would have to, or else they'd risk losing ground in the treacherous NFC West, as well as the race for the always important homefield advantage. My hopes for homefield took a huge hit after this one, but there's a sick part of me that wants to see the Seahawks win a Super Bowl in New York Giants fashion, being road warrior's and slaying opponents in their own house and ending their dreams of taking away our championship from us.
Damian, the doorman at Temple, and I chat about the Seahawks, Sounders, and life. FC Dallas scores a last-ditch winner at home against the LA Galaxy and the place livens up a bit. This win means that the Sounders remain in first place, probably the only good thing to happen to Seattle sports over the weekend. Yes, I refuse to acknowledge the Washington Huskies and their accomplishments. That's what being bitter rivals is all about. It's okay Dawgs, the Cougs dropped another one and now need to win 4 out of 5 to even get a chance to Coug It in another bowl game.
Despite an awful sports weekend for yours truly, I leave Temple for the LightRail with a smile on my face. Good times, with great people, and great conversations were more important than a Seahawks victory in October. Especially when I still knew deep down in my heart that everything was going to be alright, and the Seahawks would still win the Super Bowl in improbable fashion. I make my way to the airport, which would be my free hotel for the evening before my flight back home in the early morning. SeaTac is actually a pretty comfortable place to sleep, and there's something cool about seeing weary travelers sprawled out in whatever position they can manage to find some bit of respite.
I guess if I was being honest with myself, complacency had set in. This wasn't just a reunion tour to try and relive the amazing memories of last year. Those were a part of the past now, a beautiful past, but the past indeed. Instead of trying to replicate last season, just like the team I would have to adapt, make the necessary changes, and realize that this year was different. Different circumstances, different trials and tribulations, and different experiences. I no longer wanted to just be happy to be along for the ride again. I needed to find that hunger that was so present last year.
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