My heart was heavy from being away from home, but I was also very grateful to have the opportunity to be on a bus ride down the west coast. It's something I had always imagined, but now, it was reality. Our first stop was Portland and that's where I met "Rafael." I'm sure that's probably not his name, but that's the alias he gave me. He's the guy who told me he was also going to the game, and that the Niners were going to "beat the ass!" I laughed it off and tried to remember that it was the season, no it's always the season, to be good to one another.
Despite his obvious declaration of love for the Seahawks chief rival, I wanted to see if I could end up befriending someone clad in Red & Gold on this trip. Was it possible? I didn't say much to Rafael until we were deep in Oregon. I spent most of the time talking to the woman next to me, Ariel. We talked about the state of the world and uncertainty of the future. Social media's hold over people, human beings turned zombies by the addition of a phone to their arsenal. What was happening around us? Meanwhile, Rafael was passed out in the two seats across from us.
Rafael was an interesting character. He looked like Mike Iupati but said he was of Nicaraguan descent. He said he was a line cook at a restaurant in Seattle, and that explained his injuries on his arms. He was making the trip back home to San Francisco to spend time with his family for Thanksgiving, as well as check out the game at Levi's that night. He almost left his phone charging as he boarded the bus out of Portland. A woman told me about it, thinking it was mine, but when I got there I saw that it was his. In retrospect, would anything that ending up happening have happened if he didn't have his phone? How different would life be right now if I hadn't have given him that phone?
Not only that, but he took an extended bathroom break during the bus' layover in Eugene, and almost got left behind, if not for me telling him to hurry up and alerting the driver to him still being in the bathroom. Should I have just left him there? It didn't seem right at all at the moment, and that's what I went with. That feeling in my gut. I knew something was off about him, but I wanted to believe in the ability of the human spirit to exceed my expectations, no matter the appearance from the outset.
If my mom were reading this, she'd tell me that life's a lot easier when you don't have any expectations of people. In fact, she just told me that again just the other night. It's not the first time she's made sure to tell me that either. And she's right. Sometimes in life, no, all the time in life, you've got to learn for yourself. I am no different from the rest of civilization in this regard. However, in this case, expectations are what led to me being disappointed.
The rest of the trip went pretty smoothly, for the most part. The drive through Oregon was perhaps one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen in my life. It's exactly how I had imagined it would be. The most amazing color sky during sunset, a color that I'm not sure if I've ever seen before. All I could think about though, was that I should have been witnessing this breathtaking beauty with my one true beauty, Laura. It was a bittersweet moment, but one that I'll always cherish no matter how it made me feel inside.
When we arrived at a rest stop in Circle Point, Oregon, Rafael informs me that his cousin has two extra tickets to the game on Thursday. I had told him about my quest earlier in the trip in passing, and as luck would have it, he and his family are big time believers in paying it forward. "That's pretty cool", I thought to myself, while still being leery as a New Yorker would be in the face of a possible con. He tells me that his cousin is going to India, so she won't be able to use the tickets. $100 was his asking price for the two tickets.
I could hardly believe my luck, nor should I have. Even Laura was skeptical once I told her the news. She knew that I wanted to see the good in people, but she warned me to be aware of what was going on. I'd follow my instinct I told her, and myself, and I was confident in myself in making a proper decision. Besides, I had had incredible fortune on all of my travels in the past, there was no reason not to believe that that would change.
Now, not only would I have my own ticket to the game at Levi's Stadium, but I'd have an extra one as a bonus. I was excited at the opportunity to give my ticket away to a fellow Seahawks fan who otherwise wouldn't have gone. It was perfect for Thanksgiving and exactly what I had hoped would happen on this trip. All I would need to do at that point was tailgate with some Niners fans before the game and my mission for the day would be complete. Couple that with a Seahawks win to cap off the night, and I could head back to the east coast a very happy and content man, despite having been alone for the holidays.
Rafael even felt bad for me. A Niners fan, who wanted me to tailgate with his family, as well as bring me a plate of food from his mother's house on Thanksgiving since I was so far away from home. I couldn't believe my luck. What are the odds that I would be sitting next to this guy on a Greyhound bus?
The rest of the trip was not without struggle. The lowlights were an impromptu layover in Redding, California because our driver for the final part of our trip's cab was late in picking him up. We waited an hour for this guy, and when he finally came, he made sure to make up for lost time by speeding every mile of the way.
There was also a horrendous 4 hour layover in Sacramento where I was stuck watching 8 consecutive replays of an NBA highlights show. The fine folks at Greyhound wouldn't change the channel, so I was subjected to watching Isaiah Thomas obsess over Steph Curry again and again. The one interesting thing that came of that was that I couldn't get over how weird it was to be watching Sacramento Kings highlights in Sacramento. That's something I'd never thought I'd do with my life that's now been accomplished. How is this supposed to make me feel?
I wake up Rafael as our bus to San Francisco is set to depart. In retrospect, a third opportunity to save myself from impending doom. However, I woke him up and made sure he boarded the bus. It's a quick but spectacular ride from Sacto to San Fran. Valleys, mountains, water, bridges, boats, you name it and you'll see it on this awesome drive. I'm listening to Robert Plant sing about Going to San Francisco and meeting gentle people there, and everything seems alright. As I watched that sun rise, I thought about all of the trials and tribulations that had already marked the 2014 season. Despite it all, everything was still going to be alright.
We finally reached 1st and Mission, 25 hours of Greyhound in the books. As always, it had it's typical Greyhound moments. The type of moments that make you question your sanity and make me appreciative of my ability to walk between worlds. The first thing I noticed once I stepped off of that bus was that the weather was a lot different. When I left Seattle, it was raining and probably 35 to 40 degrees, at most. Now, in California, it was hot enough to wear the first thing I did was take my jacket off and tie my Seahawks hoodie around my waist.
As we walk off the bus, something comes over me and tells me to speak up. "This isn't all just a Trojan Horse, is it?" "You're not just going to give me a fake ticket or rip me off, right?" He seems taken aback that I would even suggest such a thing were possible. He plays it off well and mentions that he just loves football, and that he wants to help out a true fan, no matter how much he hates the Seahawks or their fans. We continue onward, but I just had to ask. Obviously, if he were going to do such a thing, he'd never tell me, but I just had to let him know that I was thinking of the possibility. In hindsight, this is where I went wrong. I should have trusted my gut, like I almost always do.
People are looking at me sideways, and Rafael tells me that he doesn't want to be seen walking with me. I'm wearing my Marshawn Lynch jersey that Bart and his sister gave me last year, my Super Bowl Champions beanie, and a hoodie with the original colors and logo on it. Unlike last year though, everyone stayed quiet. There were no reckless or rude remarks, no. It was just a bunch of people who were upset but knew that they couldn't do anything about it because the NFC Championship Game burned a hole in their soul forever. They were not in a position to talk trash after the way their season had ended in January, at the hands of their rival.
And as awful as that memory is for them, it's just as great for me, and for the rest of the Seahawks fans populating this earth. I'll never forget that feeling, walking out of CenturyLink on that night. I was so happy and so proud at the same time. It was magical. I have no anger towards the 49ers or their fans any longer, because they were a part of one of my greatest sports memories, ever. I could only laugh to myself about the ownage and how it had all shaken out over the years. The days of Pete Carroll being unable to beat Jim Harbaugh were long forgotten, the new reality leaving people wondering if Jim Harbaugh would ever beat Pete Carroll the head coach of the 49ers again.
The Niners looked to be on the verge of a meltdown, while the Seahawks were suddenly trending upward. That'll happen when you beat the 9-1, division leaders soundly at home, limiting them to only 3 points. That'll happen when guys like Bobby Wagner and Kam Chancellor come back from injury, finally healthy as the stretch run looms in the distance. That'll happen when you've got a man like Earl Thomas, a true warrior and leader and the man with probably the biggest heart in the game, making sure that his team regains it's love for the game.
As we walk through downtown to get to his cousin's place to get the tickets and give her the cash, I reiterate to Rafael that the 49ers don't scare me. Despite having had a decent run of success in the past few weeks, their level of play was actually quite poor and their offense in particular was looking suspect. He doesn't seem to care, as he continues forward through the heart of downtown San Francisco. We finally reach our destination, and he tells me that he needs the cash. I hand him the $100 without hesitation, and proceed to wait across the street for him.
He reappears a few moments later, and assures me that the email confirmation is being sent by his cousin as we speak. I'm grateful for his help, so I offer to take him out for breakfast as a thank you. We stop at a Taqueria and grab a burrito and a quesadilla, respectively, and it doesn't take long to realize that the food is absolutely delicious and authentic. It was on par with anything I've had back in New York City, including the cart that used to be on 74th Street and Roosevelt Avenue in Jackson Heights, Queens. Words can't do this chorizo and swiss quesadilla justice, and I must stop before my mouth starts to water and my brain gets distracted.
With some absolutely heavenly Mexican food in our bellies, we set our sights towards exploring the city. First, we make a quick stop at the Westfield Mall. I tell Rafael that I haven't gotten my confirmation email yet. He makes a quick phone call and assures me that, after speaking with his cousin, things were straight and that I'd be getting the email soon. He then rushes off and tells me that he'll be back in 30 minutes, he was meeting his aunt at the mall and he'd be right back. Now, I began to worry.
In my heart of heart's, I knew right away that I had been had. As the hours passed by, and the phone calls went unanswered, I knew that I wouldn't be getting those tickets and that I wouldn't be getting my money back either. Luckily, despite now being short on cash, I wasn't hard on luck. I still had a place to stay for the night, and luckily, it wasn't in San Francisco. I hopped on the BART and made my way to the hometown of one of the Seahawks finest, Marshawn Lynch. 19th Street in Oakland was my destination, and a few minutes after getting off the train, I was greeted by my girlfriend's best friend, Bryn.
Bryn was feeling like a champion after passing the BAR, so I joined her and her roommate Paul, on a journey to a bar near Berkeley. Free House is the name and it's honestly got one of the more unique setup's that I've ever seen. We join some of Bryn and Paul's friends and I thoroughly enjoy being able to witness their happiness after passing the BAR. I knew that feeling, I had felt it just this past February, and I was searching for it yet again.
On the way back home, we call Rafael from Paul's phone and he picks up! It appears we caught him off guard, and he scrambles for answers when I ask about the whereabouts of not only the tickets, but his whereabouts as well. He says that his cousin will be getting off of work any minute now, and that she'd send it to me immediately once she gets home. He says to call him in the morning if not. I hang up, and although Bryn remains optimistic, Paul and I both know that that wasn't good and that I'm never seeing the tickets or my money again. Now it's a fact.
We make it back to their place and although I'm down, I am not broken. I remain optimistic, despite then realizing that I had also lost a bag of my chargers in San Francisco. That was the least of my worries at the moment. I had gone 2 months without a phone last season, a few days would be nothing and I actually enjoyed the liberation of not having a phone. Bryn also had some chargers just in case. The focus remained on the ticket and making it to the game the next day.
I was telling Juan, my Packers fan friend who came to Seattle for the season opener, about the entire incident and he immediately sprung into action. Without even asking, Juan had sent me some cash to make sure that I got to the game the next day. I wouldn't have to worry at night, or have a sleepless night worrying about my fate or my impending doom. Juan had my back. So did Bryn and Paul.
This affirmed my belief that I am a very lucky man, surrounded by the greatest, most genuine and cool people on the earth. I know everyone probably says that, but I might have irrefutable evidence. I had a place to stay, friends to hang out with, and friends back home looking out for me as well. I couldn't ask for much more, other than being with my lady. Even then, I knew that she was having a great time with her family, probably enjoying the first snow of the year. Thanksgiving started to take on a new meaning, and I started to focus on what it was all about, rather than tickets, getting scammed, and all that other stuff. That's what it had become, but I wasn't going to allow it to stay that way.
I woke up on Game Day/Thanksgiving and found a ticket in a Standing Room Only section for $95. I pulled the trigger immediately knowing that I likely wasn't going to get a better deal, and that I needed to think wisely in terms of the ticket I selected. As long as I was in the stadium, I didn't care where I was.
There was salmon for breakfast to honor the Pacific Northwest and the Seahawks, then farewell to Bryn and Paul and their entourage, who were headed to Sacramento. I got back on the BART at 19th St headed to Fremont. I said goodbye to Marshawn's hometown, but not before passing by the Black Hole. The Coliseum is decaying and looks run down from the outside, but it is still a classic stadium. It was pretty cool to see it right outside the train window after having seen it on television for all of these years.
I'm thinking it's a good omen when the driver of the bus I transfer to tells me he's a Seahawks fan. He looks around suspiciously and speaks in a humble voice when telling me, as if not wanting anyone in Niners country to find out. Oh they'd be appalled and horrified if they found out that a city employee was actually a Seahawks fan. "GO Hawks!" is our rallying cry as we part ways. I head for my train, the final step of my journey from Oakland to Santa Clara.
It's on the platform that I meet Rey. It's Rey's first day of work at Levi's Stadium and he had to take a Thanksgiving shift because it was the only one available. He's determined to do whatever it takes to provide for himself and his family, even if that means working on Thanksgiving. It really put what I was there for in perspective.
Rey is actually a New York Giants fan, and can't stand the 49ers. He tells me that he hopes the Seahawks pound them! We talk old school Giants football for a bit on the brief ride to Levi's, and my conversation with Rey helped me realize that sometimes there's just a bad apple in a group and that's life. Rafael wasn't picking up his phone, and no ticket came by way of e-mail. I had gotten conned. However, it was important that I didn't lose faith in humanity.
It seems that the universe was intent on helping me not lose faith. After scarfing down my Thanksgiving meal, an overpriced burger from Carl's Jr., I set my sights to the parking lots around the stadium to find my fellow Seahawks fans. After all that had gone down in such a short period of time, it was nice to finally be able to focus on football and the game at hand.
It didn't take too long to find pockets of blue and green amongst the sea of red humanity. They were scarce, but there definitely was a presence. One group in particular stands out to me, so I head in their direction. It's the Northern California Seahawkers, and they're having a joint tailgate with a group of Niners fans! This was exactly what I had envisioned when I was on the bus. There were people talking trash to one another, but it was all friendly and fun. I couldn't believe my eyes, Seahawks fans and 49ers fans celebrating as one.
Last year, at the tailgate outside of Candlestick, I saw a few acts of human decency and even a Seahawks fan sharing cookies with some Niners fans, but nothing like this. I don't know whether it was the Thanksgiving spirit or if these were the nicest Niners fans on the planet, but whatever it was, it was a way better vibe than the game last year. I meet the President of the Nor Cal Seahawkers, Tod. He goes by the nickname of 'PhotoHawk', and true to his name, he's got his camera around his neck. You can tell he's dedicated to his craft, as he waits for the wind to pick up just so that he can get a shot of a 12th Man Flag waving in the distance.
It was an excellent group of people that gathered in Blue lot A that day. One woman tells me the story of how her mother had passed away before the NFC Championship Game last January. The healing that the game provided for this woman and her loved ones was something that she'll never forget, and now I'll never forget, for the rest of our lives.
Fittingly enough, after my Thanksgiving meal at Carl's Jr., I meet a man named Carl and his father-in-law. They left the family behind in Washington state for the day, a friend's offer of two tickets in section 111 along with a free hotel stay as well was too much for them to pass up. They flew in earlier that morning and were slated to head back home the next day. Some might say that these gentlemen don't have their priorities in life straight. I'd say, those people don't know how to live spontaneously or how to have fun.
The three of us chat for a few hours before the two men decide that they're going to head towards the stadium soon. Having seen Seahawks fans and Niners fans alike coexist, I was content with what I had seen at the tailgate. I decide to go with them, as they offer to let me leave my bag in their hotel lobby. I had an 11 pm flight immediately after the game, so I needed to be able to take off right after the game ended to grab my stuff real quick and hit the road.
After our quick pitstop at the Hyatt, the three of us head towards Levi's Stadium in unison. We make it through security, where we meet the nicest stadium security guy of all-time. He sees our Seahawks gear and asks to take a picture with all of us. We oblige and our newly formed motley crew poses for a pregame picture with our newfound acquaintance.
Good vibes, among other things, are in the air and as we enter the stadium, Carl and his father-in-law tell me to come sit with them in section 111. I agree with this notion, so I head with them towards their seats for pregame warmups. While the stadium usher is distracted by Carl and his father-in-law, I sneak behind them and down towards some empty seats in the section. Some of the players start jogging on to the field a short time after our arrival, and it's apparent to me that these will be the best seats I've ever sat in in my life. If I don't get kicked out of the section, of course.
The three of us sit and marvel at the location of their friend's seats. Right down on the ground, just off the 30 yard line, and on the Seahawks sideline too! I couldn't help but feel that this was karma's way of softening the blow of being scammed by Rafael. Rafael was the last thing on my mind at this point, as Russell Wilson and the rest of the offense take the field and start practicing their plays. The team looks sharp and determined, as they quickly give it one last walkthrough before an absolutely massive matchup with their biggest rivals.
Levi's Stadium is a fairly nice stadium. A foghorn sounds, alerting fans in nearby parking lots that it's one hour until kickoff and time for them to make their way to the game. Levi's won't blow you away, but it's a clean and crisp looking design with good sight lines and a definite "new" feel to it. After hearing about the lack of atmosphere in the building though, I decided that I'd wait until the game got going before I made any final judgments on the place. It was almost game time now, and the stadium was still almost half empty.
Finally, the moment we had all waited for was here. We were all maniacs for leaving our family's and loved ones behind to check out a football game on Thanksgiving, but it wasn't just any old football game, no. It was 'Hawks vs. Niners, with both teams walking in at 7-4 on the season and needing a win to keep playoff hopes alive. It was the first meeting between the two teams for the season, and the bad blood was sure to pick up where it had left off in Seattle last January.
The fans boo as the Seahawks are introduced on to the field. Between all of the booing, you can hear some sparse cheering from the Seahawks fans in attendance. It's a decent turn out from the 12th Man, considering that it was Thanksgiving and that we were deep in enemy territory. That did not seem to deter anybody. Not only were they present, but they were making noise as well, something that I didn't see in Candlestick last year. Mostly due to the fear of being shanked on the spot by some Niner fan/gangbanger.
The crowd is now in a frenzy after all of the pyro and theatrics from the 49ers player introductions. It was officially game time. After everything that had transpired during this trip, it was great to finally get to watch the game. Even better, the person who's seat I was sitting in in Section 111 hadn't shown up yet. I was good to watch the start of the game from close range. The Seahawks win the coin toss and elect to kick, shades of last season all over again.
Steven Hauschka's foot hits the pigskin and sends it flying into the air, and with that, the game was finally underway. It doesn't take long to realize that the Seahawks defense is still riding high from their performance against the Cardinals just 4 days earlier. Kam Chancellor pounds Michael Crabtree into the turf on the game's second play from scrimmage, and Crabtree is slow to get up. In fact, he can't get up and the trainers rush onto the field to assess his injury. You don't want to see anyone get hurt, but the tone had been set and the Seahawks were here to kick behind and take names later.
The Seahawks defense tightens and forces the 49ers to punt. This sets off a string of possessions where both teams offenses can't quite get things going. The team's trade punts on each of their first 2 offensive possessions, until the Niners are faced with 3rd and 8 from their own 30 yard line. Colin Kaepernick drops back and looks right and appears to lock on to Brandon Lloyd, the author of some amazing one-handed catches in his day. Kaepernick shows off his rifle for an arm, but finds the wrong man. Instead of finding Brandon Lloyd, his pass takes off on him and lands right in the thankful, waiting arms of Richard Sherman.
49ers fans groan in disgust, as public enemy #1 fires the first shot of the game. The Seahawks now had the ball in Niners territory to start their next possession, and they made Kaepernick and company pay for their mistake. After a key defensive holding call on 3rd and 7 kept things alive for the 'Hawks offense, Hustle Wilson finds Doug E. Fresh for a huge 24 yard gain. This sets up the Seahawks first touchdown of the day, and it would be their only one. Hustle hits Robert Turbin coming out of the backfield, and Bobby Turbo stumbles into the end zone for an early lead.
I can't help but think of a man who was wearing a Turbin authentic jersey in the parking lot before the game. I figured the man had to be a family member, as not many people go out and drop serious coin on #22 jerseys, yet. I'm thinking of how grateful he and his family probably are, having just gotten to see Robert score a rare touchdown up close and personal.
We celebrate in 111 until a late-arriving group of fans come to claim their seats. I had to move, but luckily there were some more opens seats in the row down below. My good luck for the evening was still in tact. The same can't be said for the Niners fan sitting next to me who absolutely hated me once he heard me cheering for the Seahawks. Normally, I'm reserved and well-behaved at Seahawks away games, but after everything that had happened to me in San Francisco the day earlier, I had to let loose. I was like a caged animal that had been released back in to the wi.d I was free at heart and didn't care what any Niners fan said around me. I was going to root for my team.
Luckily for Seahawks fans, there was a lot to cheer about. The defense continued to absolutely harass Kaepernick, Jim Harbaugh looking clueless on the jumbotron as he looked for answers. You get the feeling that the Seahawks won more than a game last January. They had broken their rivals spirits. Sure, the Niners were still hanging in there at 7-4, but they lacked the spark that they had had over the past few seasons en route to being one of the league's best teams. True, the same could be said about the Seahawks for the most part in 2014, but it appeared that the Cardinals game days earlier had brought out the positive energy that the team was sorely lacking.
With the Seahawks up 7-0 and the defense thriving, it was the offense's turn to again try and hit pay dirt. They nearly do just that, as Hustle Wilson somehow finds Tony Moeaki open on the sideline as everything goes to hell around Russell. Somehow, he's able to get the throw off and even more mysteriously, Moeaki is able to rumble down the sideline for 64 yards and an apparent touchdown! The play happens right in front of us, and we were amazed that no one got a hand on the big tight end from Iowa. However, he's ruled down at the 1 although we were positive that he stretched and reached the ball across the goal line before his knee was down. The Seahawks don't challenge, and get stuffed at the 1 and are forced to kick a field goal. Points left on the board, sure, but we were loving the 10-0 lead and it was still just the second quarter.
Earl Thomas flies around, Richard Sherman revs the team up, and Kam Chancellor continues to lay the boom. The Seahawks defense is like a well-oiled machine at this point, absolutely slaughtering the squad who called Santa Clara home. Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril continue to cause constant pressure, and Kaepernick never really has the protection needed to make the Seahawks pay. Once again, Vernon Davis is invisible. All of those hits dished out by Kam Chancellor over the years seem to have taken their toll on the gifted athlete from the University of Maryland. You just knew that whoever won the NFC Championship last season would "own" their rival and that things might go downhill for the other team a bit. It was just amazing to witness the fallout in person.
Hausch Money keeps adding chip shot field goals, and the Seahawks first half lead stretches to 13-0. What happened next was one of the coolest things I've ever seen happen on a football field during a Seattle Seahawks game. Jon Ryan comes on for a punt up 13, but drops the snap! Somehow, no one on the 49ers special teams unit notices, and the one guy who does can't get to Ryan before Ryan is able to recover and boot the ball downfield. It's a great punt considering the circumstances, and all the time it took for Ryan to recover and get the punt off allows for Ricardo Lockette and the Seahawks special teams unit to fly down the field.
Lockette absolutely drills Perrish Cox, who fumbles the ball immediately after the devastating hit. Luckily for Seattle, O'Brien Schofield jumps on the ball and the Seahawks somehow regain possession. It was a play that defied logic, a play that you'd have to see in order to believe. This wasn't an episode of the Twilight Zone though, this was real life. And in this life, the Seahawks were just abusing their rivals in their own stadium on Thanksgiving. Nothing comes of the Seahawks ensuing drive, and the 49ers manage to piss of their fans even more with a futile effort to end the half. It was halftime, the Seahawks leading Santa Clara by the score of 13-0.
There's a brutal halftime performance from some one-hit wonder going on in the background, but I'm too busy talking with Carl and his pops about what an amazing first half we just witnessed! We agree that the Seahawks shouldn't have any problem putting away the lifeless Niners, and that if things kept up like this, I'd be able to leave the game early without feeling like a bad fan in order to catch my flight. Thankfully, I had booked a flight out of San Jose airport, which was only 11 miles away from the stadium. I never leave games early, but if the Seahawks were rolling, I wasn't going about to miss the 11th annual Turkey Bowl that my friends and I were slated to play the next day in Flushing, Queens.
Darrell Bevell saw to it that I would be able to make it to my flight on time. He called a masterful game throughout, but the second half saw the Seahawks content to milk the clock away, while adding field goals to supplement their already strong lead. It's a bevy of runs and quick passes that Bevell dials up to keep the pressure on San Francisco, and the Seahawks march down the field easily on their opening drive. A lot of that probably had to do with the fact that half of the stadium was still empty from fans using the restrooms and concessions at the half. This lack of atmosphere was perfect for the Seahawks offense and Hustle Wilson. Hustle finds Paul Richardson on a 7 yard pass for his first career NFL touchdown, but the refs flag Robert Turbin for offensive pass interference. The touchdown comes off the board and I immediately start getting flashbacks from the Redskins game earlier in the season in DC. The refs didn't want this one getting out of hand on national television. At least not this early.
The Seahawks are forced to settle for another Steven Hausckha field goal as their lead jumps to 16-0 in the third quarter. You couldn't have dreamed up a better scenario if you were a Seahawks fan, except for maybe trading a few of those field goals for touchdowns, but such is life. The Seahawks defense was playing so lights out, that the missed opportunities hardly seemed to matter at all. Finally, however, on the 49ers next drive they are able to march the ball down the field to score some points. Unfortunately for the red and gold faithful, they're drive falls apart and they're forced to settle for their own field goal from veteran kicker Phil Dawson. Whenever I hear the name Phil Dawson, I immediately think of Red Bryant blocking 2 kicks against the Browns and the Seahawks still losing with Charlie Whitehurst at QB and Marshawn Lynch not playing due to back injuries.
Memories of a Leon Washington punt return called back on an awful call dance around in my head. Years ago, they would have tortured me, but with a Super Bowl trophy already in the display case just a few short years later, it wasn't so bad anymore. The same could not be said for 49ers fans, who were witnessing and living an all-too-real nightmare. Richard Sherman and the big bad Seahawks were in town, and they were ruining what was supposed to be a memorable Thanksgiving.
The Seahawks salt away some more clock on their next possession, as the game enters the 4th quarter with the Seahawks leading 16-3. The game is breezing by, which works for me with my postgame flight and all. Hustle Wilson continues to amaze, as even Niners fans around me can't help but gush over his ability and calmness on the field. The two gentlemen sitting behind me are class acts, and the three of us talk football both new and old-school as they admit that their team looks lifeless and pathetic under the bright lights.
Hauschka adds another field goal, and the place empties out. Fans head for the exits in attempt to beat the awful traffic that awaits them outside. This allows me to sit in front of Carl and his father-in-law again, and the three of us watch in glee as the Seahawks continue to make it look so easy. The highlight of our night, however, must have been the man sitting 2 rows behind us. I swear that I sat next to this man last season at Candlestick, I only remember because it was as if he was saying the same exact quotes from a year earlier.
He's in his 60's probably, and he sits with his young grandson, who is roughly 5 years old or so. After every play, he complains about the Seahawks, Pete Carroll, and what a bunch of dirty cheaters they are! "They're a disgusting team with a disgusting coach!" "They cheat on every play!" "He's mugging him, he deserves to be suspended!" Those are just some of the things that this man spewed. I found his antics to be absolutely hilarious, and I'd retort back "good example of being a graceful loser you're setting for your grandson. I'm sure he'll grow up to admit defeat, be humble, and accept responsibility for things in life."
Our hilarious back-and-forth continues before the Niners fans who haven't fled the stadium interject. Except, they aren't on his side, no. Instead, they tell the elder man to quit it with the whining and sore losing. After all, we were in Whiner country. Apparently, this was no country for whiny old men.
Even he was sent to the exists early, as Santa Clara's favorite person, Richard Sherman comes through with another interception of Kaepernick! If it wasn't over already, now it was! With the Seahawks up 19-3 with 7:04 to go in the game, I was confident that I could leave the stadium to try and make it to my flight on time. I knew that there'd be no late-game heroics, or an epic collapse from the Seahawks. They were playing absolutely lights out and that wasn't about to change in the final 7 minutes of the game with a 16 point lead. I bid farewell to my newfound friends, and make my way to the exits.
I sprint through the area around the stadium, and back to the Hyatt. I pick up my bag from the hotel lobby, tip the bell boy, and ask him where I can find a cab. He tells me to head back towards the Carl's Jr., and that that was my best bet. I follow his advice and sprint back in that direction, high-fiving and chatting with Seahawks fans along the way. There's some hateful comments being thrown at me from those draped in red and gold too, but that's to be expected after such a humiliating defeat at the hands of your biggest foe who now officially owns you, your stadium, your quarterback, and your coach. The worst part for Niners fans? They all knew it was true!
I'm waiting patiently on a cab line that looks like it'll never end, when I finally decide that enough is enough. No more mister nice guy! I run up the block to the corner, and cut off the cab line that had been waiting patiently. I didn't even care that I was being "that guy", I had to catch my flight. A cabbie pulls over and picks me up, as the crowd behind me begins to hurl obscenities and other pleasantries in our direction. The cabbie pulls a U-turn, almost getting sideswiped by a limo in the process, as the two drivers have words. Cooler heads prevail and we were on our way.
The cab driver was actually a really cool dude. We had a great conversation about life, society, and the Golden State Warriors. He tells me that he's glad the Seahawks whooped on the Niners. He's a Raiders fan and can't stand the frontrunner nature of many Niners fans who began crawling out of the woodwork once Jim Harbaugh revived their franchise after a decade of futility. It's an extremely quick ride to the San Jose airport from Levi's, and before I have time to realize, we've reached my destination. I thank the man, wish him a Happy Thanksgiving, and head in to the airport.
It's practically deserted and I'm one of three people going through security. A far cry from the insanity that I surely would have encountered had I flown out of SFO. Everything had worked out picture perfectly, except for getting scammed. Still, the Seahawks went 2-0 against their biggest division rivals and following a Cardinals loss to the Falcons a few days later, their destiny was back in their own hands. Just the way we like it to be!
Not only were things all well and good with the Seahawks, but I was returning home and I was going to make it in time for the Turkey Bowl! My flight ended up being delayed for an hour, but I could hardly muster up the energy to care like some people were, as I was content with a great night and a great week. There were trials and tribulations, bouts with loneliness, and excellent memories in between. I was thankful that I made it home in one piece and that nothing terrible had happened to me over the holiday's. Sure, I had gotten ripped off, but in retrospect that situation could have been much worse.
The redeye landed at JFK at 8 in the morning the following day and I went straight to Flushing Meadows Park. My friends and I played our annual game of tackle football, and it was one of our better games in recent memory. The game was so good in fact, that we might even be doing a Tundra Bowl around Christmas time. The redeye cost me an extra $100, but it was a small price to pay to see my friends and keep the tradition alive. I wouldn't have missed it for the world.
I finished the whirlwind of a day off with a night shift at work and I knew that the Seahawks would be proud. Just like they were, I was pushing myself to my limits and grinding things out daily in the hope that all of the hard work would eventually pay off. Like the Seahawks, I had survived the worst and now it was time to thrive. Things were looking grim after a loss in Kansas City, but it turns out that that loss may have been the best thing to happen to us this season. We learned a lot about ourselves, I sure as hell did after 66 hours of travel on the bus, and I know the team did and the results since then reflect that.
John Schneider and Pete Carroll made some risky moves to attempt to save this team's season and it appeared that with each masterstroke of genius, they had succeeded in getting their team back on track. Gone was all the turmoil that the media had reported. In it's place, the feeling of love and thankfulness for one another that Earl Thomas felt this team was missing.
Speaking of love, the next stop on this whirlwind tour was the city of Brotherly Love. Philadelphia. The Eagles would present a tough challenge for sure, and a Chip Kelly/Pete Carroll showdown in the NFL was going to be one for the ages, but having seen the Seahawks performances over the past two games only confidence ran through my veins. The "RePete" that I had envisioned and never lost sight of, despite trails and tribulations, looked like a very real possibility once again. Thriving in Philadelphia would go a long way in achieving that ultimate goal. The key to thriving in Philadelphia, of course, would be my very own secret weapon!
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