Third time's a charm

Despite a hard-luck loss in St. Louis, there was still hope yet for our beloved Seattle Seahawks.  Sure, there were people jumping off the bandwagon by the nano second, but maybe that wasn't the worst thing at this point in time.  This wasn't the time for finger pointing, placing blame, or making excuses.  This was a time to discover the type of grit, perseverance, and resiliency that lie inside the team and it's fans alike.  As the media spun it's rumors to generate clicks and revenue, rather than actually work and report, the team simply went back to work.  As the team attempted to return to their core beliefs, I decided to try and do the same.

Part of what made the journey of last season so great was the way it started.  My lady and I made a 12 hour trek, both ways, from Chinatown to Charlotte.  It wasn't comfortable, it's a pretty dreary experience in fact, but we had each other and we were alright.  It was very similar to how the Seahawks/Panthers game played out as well.  It wasn't pretty, but it was a gritty performance in a tough environment and it was a dreaded 10 AM start as well.  The sun was beating down on us from above, and I'm sure the players on the field must have been absolutely gassed.  Still, they prevailed, and it helped spark the greatest season in team history.

Not only was the journey interesting, but the people we met and got to spend time with were as well.  The night before the game, Seahawks fans united at a bar downtown and absolutely packed the place full of college navy and action green.  It was then that I knew that the 12th Man was going to be a force to be reckoned with the entire season.  The passion, the energy, the generosity, and that feeling of family were on full display.  Those feelings, those emotions, would last all season and made the Seahawks first championship run even more amazing to witness.  While those feelings hadn't vanished entirely so far this season, they were definitely slightly more subdued.

I wanted to recapture those feelings, reconnect with that energy and commitment.  If I was being honest with myself, I wasn't grinding it out either.  I didn't have a job for a while, wasn't visiting my family enough or spending enough time with my girlfriend, and had fallen in a little bit of a hole.  I had rested on my laurels and this is where it had gotten me.  Much like the team though at 3-3, it wasn't something I couldn't dig myself out of.  And despite the loss the week prior in St. Louis, things appeared to be on the upswing.

Now wasn't the time for self-doubt.  It was time to work harder than I had ever in my life before, and continue to keep grinding it out with the hope and belief that good things would happen.  Not only do you have to believe in something in life in order to achieve or attain it, but you have to work hard at it as well. You have to earn it.  You have to earn everything.  That was the major lesson I took away from 2013.  Now was the time to start applying it to life's newest challenges.

What better way to get back at it, then by retracing the footsteps of previous success.  I ordered my bus tickets as soon as I could afford them, with the feeling that last season's great run of luck started with a bus ride to Charlotte.  The ride wouldn't be pretty, but it didn't need to be, it just had to get me there.   I had been through it before and I knew that I was up to the task to handle it, especially after a 22 hour bus ride to St. Louis the week prior.  The only difference this year was that Laura wouldn't be able to attend.  It wouldn't be easy without her, but no one ever said that repeating would be easy.

The work week at the pickle stand, which I'm grateful just to even have at this point, breezed by and before I knew it, it was time to get on that Chinatown bus.  I had seen my mother and my sister earlier in the week and I even got to spend some time with Laura before making the trip south.  I was feeling good about getting back to the basics and the core beliefs that made my who I am.  Despite the ominous mural with a burning bas directly behind me, I boarded that bus with no fear.  A 12 hour bus ride is grueling for sure, but I could already see the light at the end of the tunnel.  That light, was a Seahawks victory and the first step in getting things back on track in 2014.

I couldn't sleep at all during the overnight bus ride, not for the lack of trying, but because the woman next to me has fallen asleep on me with her elbow digging into my ribcage.  She's out like a lamp though, like a jobber after a 'Million Dollar Dream' from Ted DiBiase.  Luckily, I've got my Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, and Outkast tunes cranking, as I further attempted to recommit to my roots.  A lot of thoughts tend to run through your head when you're awake and uncomfortable for 12 hours on a bus where you can only hope that your driver got enough sleep the night before.  Which each wild turn, or with each bump that sends the bus slightly off the ground, you start to think about the things that are truly important, to you and in life in general.

After hours of contemplating the past and attempting to prepare for the future, my feet finally touched land in Charlotte.  Those feet have a slight alteration from earlier in the season.  Gone were the new blue wing-tipped shoes with lime green laces, and back in their rightful place were the "Beast Modes" that I had worn to every game the year before.  Much like Darrell Bevell and the rest of the Seahawks, I knew that it was time to feed the beast and rediscover the man who had helped get me to the promised land, quite literally in both cases.  Like Marshawn himself, the 24's still look smooth, sharp, and unique but with a little bit of mileage on them.  They've both been through it all, gone through the mud, been to hell and back and come out the warrior champions that they are.

It was all the southern comfort that I would need on this trip to the not so dirty South.  Charlotte's a very clean city, and even on the outskirts of town where the bus had dropped me off, locals were friendly and said hello despite the fact that I was draped in Seahawks gear.  After wandering around a few stores and a giant parking lot in search of a restroom, a car pulled up to my left.  It was Melissa and Steve, my partners in crime for the day.  Melissa grew up with Laura and has remained close ever since.  After staying with them last year and having a great time, as well as the 'Hawks pulling out the win, I knew that they had to be there to witness it again.

After saying our hello's and taking a minute to catch up, we head to the Southeastern Seahawkers tailgate in the parking lot of Draught Bar & Grill.  It's almost 9:30, but there is still a decent crowd of Seahawks fans who apparently have been there since 8!  Now this was the type of energy, commitment, and passion that was so prevalent last year.  It was a total night and day difference from the crowd at CenturyLink for the Cowboys game, where fans sat on their hands and couldn't be bothered to get up and make noise until it was 3rd down or worse, when it was too late.  Encouraged by the turnout, I began having some flashbacks of September 8th, 2013, the date the Seahawks kickstarted their Super Bowl run with a display of toughness and tenacity that was able to take down the Panthers, as well as the blistering sun.

I've got to hand it to the Southeastern Seahawkers, because they threw an excellent tailgate.  There was a food truck serving pizza, burgers, and other delicious fuel for the day.  The truck even had beer taps built in to it for easy access beer for the masses.  All of this was done by them, basically for free, since the $10 suggested donation went straight to charity anyway.  There's a legendary line from the movie 'Field of Dreams' with Kevin Costner, "if you build it, he will come."  These selfless heroes built it, and the 12th Man did not disappoint, they showed up in droves.  What started as a gathering of a few Seahawks fans had now turned into a full-on Seahawks pregame party.  12 flags are everywhere, and there's a guy with a Russell Wilson head cutout patrolling the area.

With spirits and morale high, Melissa, Steve, and I continue to make our way through the crowd to mingle with other Seahawks fans.  One of the things I love about these road game tailgates over the past 2 seasons now, is that many times the player's family members will frequent these events to.  I rarely approach them or talk to them at too much length out of respect for them and their families, but I just like that they feel comfortable enough around other Seahawks fans to attend, as well as that they have pride in the team and wearing the colors.  Despite usually leaving them to themselves, I couldn't help but strike up a conversation with Jermaine Kearse's grandmother.  After meeting her, I have no choice but to root for Jermaine to end up as one of the greatest Seahawks receivers of all-time.

She goes into detail about Jermaine as a child, and how his father handed him a football before Jermaine was even big enough to carry it.  His father continued to push him to try his hardest, and over the years, Jermaine's love for the game that his father taught him continued to grow.  Sadly, Jermaine's father passed away seven years ago.  It was then that Jermaine told himself that he would always play to make his father proud.  I tell her that I love the fact that Jermaine's a local hero that's now getting to live out his dreams in front of his family and friends on his hometown team.  I admire the fact that he was an undrafted free agent, and that he had to stick on the practice squad for a while before finally emerging onto the scene last year.  She makes sure to remind me that none of it would have been possible without Pete Carroll giving her grandson a chance.  We say our goodbyes, and I let her know that there's a repeat in the making, and that the perseverance these young men are displaying, including her grandson, will be rewarded with another championship.

I'm back with my original crew now, and as soon as Steve mentions the name PredatorHawk, there he is in full gear!  You can tell that he's pumped and excited for this game.  He's been kickin' it with some Panthers fans at their nearby tailgate, and even gets all of them to sign a shirt that he bought to support their group.  Bob's a standup guy like that and part of what makes him such a great ambassador of the Seahawks and Seahawks fans.  I look over for a second and can't believe me eyes!  There stands Ian Robert Smith, all the way from across the pond in England!  I go over and say hello, and he absolutely makes sure to remind me that the Argentines helped his beloved Manchester City win it all last season in the English Premier League.  Ian and I had spoken at the tailgate last year, and when he mentioned that he was a Manchester City fan, I let him know that I am half Argentine.  He had mentioned that he thought Aguero, Demichelis, and Zabaleta would help his lads win it all and I agreed that I thought they would.  It turns out he was right.

In retrospect, I should have asked him what it's like to have two of your favorite teams win championships in their respective sports.  And which one felt better?  Oh well, 'till next time good ole' Ian makes the trip over.  Not only big in stature, but in heart and team spirit as well, I can rest assured that this won't be Ian's last game.  After some hot dogs and a little more Yuengling, it's time to head to the stadium.  The Seahawks fans gathered in the parking lot begin their march to the nearby Bank of America Stadium.  Camera crews are present to capture the atmosphere and spirit of the moment, while Melissa, Steve, and I decide to make our way to our seats.  Our seats are separate, but I decide to head with them up to their's to try and find an empty seat so that we can all sit together. 

We get to our seats and immediately behind us are members of the Lockette family.  Earlier at the tailgate, Steve had gotten Ricardo's uncle a beer.  Ricardo's uncle is a really nice guy and was very grateful for Steve's gesture.  Just a few hours later, they would be sitting one row apart from one another.  The highly unlikely, and seemingly coincidental nature of it all had me thinking back to last year and how many amazing coincidences there were.  Maybe they weren't actually coincidences after all.  Maybe the universe did actually have a way of reaching out a hand and helping open a door whenever you least expected it, so long as you believe and work hard at something.  Regardless, as the game gets underway, my run in the Upper End Zone section comes to an end, as the entire area fills up.  I head towards my actual seat, and tell my friends that I'll see them at halftime.

I don't know why I ever tell anyone that I'll meet them at halftime.  I've done this about 5 times now at various stadiums, and I never actually leave my seat at the half.  I barely pay attention to any of the halftime attractions, but for some reason, I just don't want to miss any of the action when the game returns and the break between halves isn't long enough to walk to another section and make it back without missing something on the field.  That's besides the point though.  On my way towards my seat, I find a great vantage point of the field at around midfield.  A woman wearing a Panthers t-shirt cruises past me in her motorized scooter, with beer in hand.  The Carolina fans are ready for this one, and make no mistake about it, they realize the magnitude of this game for their team.  Both teams fan bases did, actually.  With Seattle at 3-3, a losing record would seem almost unfathomable for the defending Super Bowl champs.  As such, the Panthers stood 3-3-1, and needed to get their act together before digging themselves too deep of a hole.

From the onset, this game feels oddly familiar to the one played last season.  The sun is beating down on the 74,042 people in attendance, although not quite as hot as last year.  Still, if you've ever been down south, you know that the sun just shines a little brighter down there and can really get cooking.  Once again, I curse myself for not bringing any water.  In the early goings, things don't look so good for the Seahawks.  The offense is struggling to find it's rhythm and appears out of sync, while the defense is allowing just enough for the Panthers to sustain drives.  Tharold Simon drops a would-be interception when I get a tap on the shoulder.  It's Mike Flood and his son-in-law, Matt!

Interestingly enough, I had thought about asking Mike if he would be in attendance.  After all, it was there at the tailgate where a drunk man climbed a tree to place a Seahawks jersey a top of it, where I first met Mike.  As the VP of Community Outreach, Mike's been instrumental in me going to as many games as I have.  He's always treated me like a friend, not just some crazy fan, and he's helped me out whenever he's been able to including taking me and friends on tour's of the VMac.  His son-in-law is a giant of a man standing it at 6'10"!  We stand and watch as the Seahawks defense starts bending more and more, allowing first downs and gashing runs from Jonathan Stewart, the University of Oregon product who I was enamored with when coming out of the draft back in the day.

Despite things not looking too good, and another 12 men in the huddle penalty against the 'Hawks, the Seahawks defense holds on a crucial goal-line stand and limits the Panthers to just a field goal from Graham Gano.  It's 6-0, but it could be worse, and a 6 point deficit wasn't going to deter the Seahawks, despite what their current form suggested.  Still, the Seahawks needed to answer with something.  Mike and Matt head back to their seats, and we assure one another that while things were down at at the moment, we'd be the ones walking out smiling when it was all said and done.

I make my way to my seat as an usher tells me that I can't stand where I'm standing anymore.  I make my way to my seat and almost immediately, Paul Richardson injects some life into the team when they absolutely need it most.  With Richardson handling kickoffs while Bryan Walters healed up from a concussion he suffered in practice, #10 made sure to make a positive impression with his opportunity.  His 49 yard return not only gave the Seahawks excellent field position, but it showed what Richardson is capable of when he gets a head of steam in the open field.  The rookie out of Colorado sets the 'Hawks up at around midfield, but despite the tremendous field position, it's eventually Steven Hauschka trotting out for a 58 yarder!  Me and the rest of the Seahawks fans in my section (which there were quite a few of including the couple sitting next to me and the couple in front of me as well) can't believe that Pete is giving Hausch the chance from so deep, but it pays off as Steven drills it on a kick that would have been good from 65!

The game continued on with it's sloppy pace, as both teams refused to grab the game by the horns.  Turnovers and missed opportunities were the theme of the day, as both teams continuously left points on the field.  Both offenses were able to move the ball down the field somewhat effectively, but when it came time for points, both teams seemed allergic to scoring any.  Credit to both defenses for some opportunistic play at times, but this game could have been a shootout if the offenses had brought their A games.  The first half ends with Russell Wilson's possible go-ahead touchdown pass to Marshawn clanking off of the Beast's hands, up into the air, and into the waiting arms of Josh Norman for an interception.  It's a fitting way for the half to end, and the traveling 12th Man licks it's wounds like the black cats they were going up against.  As I expected, I think about meeting Melissa and Steve at the half, but decide against it because I didn't want to miss any of the action.

Steven Hauschka adds another field goal, as the Seahawks tie it at 6.  Funny enough, it's at this point I realize that the Seahawks are wearing their Wolf Grey's.  I think to myself, that's funny, they just wore them last week.  Now, my girlfriend will tell you that I am color-blind and have been since I was a child.  After looking at my phone real quick, I realize that the team was wearing their wolf grey pants last week in St. Louis, with white jersey's.  Today, they were wearing the all wolf grey look.  I feel like an idiot, but who cares.

I remember that the Seahawks are undefeated when wearing wolf grey, and that gives me a little bit of comfort as the game heads down the stretch with seemingly neither team wanting to win it.  I'm flanked by Seahawks fans from Orlando to my left, and a Panthers fan who came to the game by himself to my right.  I was pretty lucky, as everyone was knowledgable about the game and knew exactly what was going on on the field.  That's not always a given at an NFL football game these days.  All of us have one thing in common though, we're all nervous wrecks and can't deal with the sight of our respective team giving up even an inch.  The woman in front of me turns to me and says "you're not from here are you?" to which I reply "nope, I'm from New York City!"  She looks at me in the eye and says "I thought so.  Welcome to the south" and turns to continue sort of watching the game.  I laugh, as it's the most southern thing that's ever happened to me.

With the Panthers facing 3rd and 8 from deep inside their own territory, it looks like the Seahawks defense will come up with another huge stop.  However, they would be left to rue a missed opportunity for a safety by Michael Bennett on Cam Newton just seconds earlier, as Newton heaves one up to Kelvin Benjamin deep down field.  As the ball floated through the air, time seemed to slow down.   I saw the trajectory, where Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas were on the field, and just knew that somehow Benjamin was going to come down with this ball.  The crowd roars as Benjamin comes up from the turf holding the ball in the air to show his fans that he did what he gets paid to do.  It's a demoralizing blow for the Seahawks and their fans, and seems to fall in line with the way the season had gone up to that point.

However, the Seahawks defense might have bent, but they did not break.  Gano was forced to try and hit a 3rd field goal after a clutch sack of Cam Newton by Brandon Mebane derailed the Panthers drive.  Gano connected, but there was plenty of time on the clock, and at 9-6, the offense only needed to get into field goal range to try and take the game into overtime.  Hauschka nailed one from 58 on this same side of the field, so there was reason to believe that this game would at least go to OT.  Then, there was also the fact that Russell Wilson was due for a magical comeback, game winning drive after his previous efforts in San Diego and at home against Dallas fell short.  The man they said was too short, never got the chance in St. Louis after the league botched a fumble at the end of the game, so now was a perfect time to atone for the mistakes of games past.

Calm, cool, poised, and collected, Russell began to lead the Seahawks down the field on their attempted march toward victory.  Precise and accurate despite a shaky performance throughout, the man one of my best friend's Jazz calls 'Hustle Wilson' starts to work his magic.  The Seahawks are being cautious of the clock, using the no-huddle offense to keep the Panthers defense out on the field, not allowing for substitutions and allowing fatigue to set in when it mattered most.  Russell is straight surgical in his approach, and the rest of the Seahawks offense follows suit.  Kevin Norwood makes a great grab on a pass that got on him in a hurry, showing the great hands and clutch ability that he became known for while a member of the Crimson Tide.  Then, after some more heroic play by #3, he finds Luke Willson on a seam route down the middle of the field and connects for a touchdown, as Willson bulldozes his way into the endzone for 6!  The Seahawks fans around me and I go wild, as it feels like a huge weight has been lifted from our shoulders.

At 13-9, the Panthers would get the ball back, but by this time their offense was sunk.  Team morale was low, and the offensive line couldn't prevent Bruce Irvin from taking down Cam twice and preserving the victory for Seattle.  Much like last season and the season before it, the Seahawks had come to Charlotte and beat the Panthers in a defensive battle.  A slugfest that definitely won't go down as one of the prettiest games in NFL history, but more importantly will go down as a Seahawks victory in the standings.  A badly needed victory that brought the Seahawks record to 4-3, and a victory that could possibly help positively effect a team that's had to deal with rumor mongers, malcontents, and everything in between.  The Seahawks had won it the way they won many games last year, ugly, and it was further proof that ugly can be beautiful.

I meet with my friends outside of the stadium and we talk about the game and their experience.  They enjoyed it, and walked around the stadium during the game checking out the contest from different vantage points.  We head back to their car when we bump into PredatorHawk!  He's on cloud nine and has lost his voice from all the yelling he was doing.  I can't help but love it.  Unfortunately, I receive a text message informing me that my 8:30 PM bus ride is now rescheduled to 6 PM.  If I missed the bus at 6, I could board the 11:30 PM bus so there was that consolation prize.  Melissa, Steve, and I decide to not worry about the bus and to have a few drinks and some food instead.

We're at a wing spot Downtown and I'm eating some Sriracha Honey Lime boneless wings when Mike Flood comes up to us from out of nowhere!  He's there with the whole family, and we talk and catch up and discuss the much needed win.  Great people usually surround themselves with equally great people, and that's the case with Mike and his family.  Mike even hands me a page from a coloring book that belongs to his grandson.  It has my name, the score, and Go Hawks on it.  I assure him that it'll go up on the refrigerator first thing when I get back home to New York City.

After watching the Cardinals comeback against the Eagles and the Saints shellacking of the Packers, we decide to head on over to the bus stop.  We were waiting in the parking lot when another hopeful passenger told us that the bus would be canceled and that the next one wouldn't leave until 4 PM the next day!   With work lined up the next day, I absolutely couldn't call out so my mind started spinning at the possibilities.  After attempting to call the bus depot with no luck for nearly half an hour, the young man finally received a call back from the offices in Chinatown!  The bus was in fact, on it's way!  No worries, it had just broken down and they thought they had the problem fixed!  Wait a minute, so you're telling me I'm getting on to a bus for 12 hours that just broke down?  Not fun, that's for sure.

Luckily though, I got the last seat on the bus!  Unluckily for me, it was literally the last seat in the bus, right next to the bathroom door that had no choice but to hit me repeatedly every time someone went in and out of the bathroom.  This meant no sleep for the next 12 hours, but hey, Russell Wilson himself says that there's no time to sleep.  He's obviously taken the bus from Chinatown to Charlotte and back.  I didn't care though, it was worth it.  24 hours of brutal, uncomfortable travel and a victory to show for it.

As we passed through the Holland Tunnel after cruising through North Carolina, Virginia, DC, and Jersey, that familiar feeling started to come back.  That feeling of "mission accomplished."  The feeling of knowing you put in the work and truly earned everything.  It had been missing for the past few weeks, but luckily the NFL season is a marathon and not a sprint.  As I finally got off of that bus, I was not tired, no quite the opposite in fact.  I was reinvigorated with the belief that the Seahawks were turning things around and about to go on a tear.  It might not be pretty every step of the way, but we were on the right path towards rediscovering our identity.  That championship mindset.  I boarded the subway and headed to work.  The grind wasn't over.  Not now, not never.