No time to sleepless in Seattle

The moment the clock struck zero's and the Seahawks had defeated the New Orleans Saints to set up an NFC Championship Game with the Niners at CenturyLink, life became one really long dream sequence.  After being grounded by reality the entire season, my mind slowly began to slip away to another place.  The matchup that everyone had dreamed of had now come true.  We were all set to witness history.

Making things even more surreal was the fact that members of Seahawks.Net had banded together to raise funds not only for me, but for my buddy Greg as well.  A whopping $913.24 was raised in a little over a day in what was one of the most amazing displays of generosity we had ever seen.  Such kindness is practically unheard of these days, but it's been a way of life for Seahawks fans who have taken the term "hawking it forward" to entirely new levels this season.

After luckily snagging the last deal in town on Stubhub, Greg and I hit the road armed with two tickets in Section 300 to the biggest game of the season.   My girlfriend hooks it up with a ride to JFK Airport and on our way we get stuck at a traffic light.  Nothing out of the ordinary, except as I look up, I see that the street sign reads "Hendrix St."  We smile at the coincidence, and I think of Jimi for a second and what he'd think of this Seahawks team.  He'd absolutely love them.  Not only would he love their unique style, but he'd love their soul that shines through so bright.

With Hendrix now in the rearview mirror, I navigate my way through the airport to the gate which the plane was set to depart from.  Once there, I see someone wearing a red jacket and a blue hat.  As I get closer, I realize that the jacket is just that, a red jacket, while the blue hat is actually a Seahawks hat!  I strike up a conversation with the guy and it turns out that he's Jack Thompson, son of the legendary WSU Quarterback of the same name, or better known as "The Throwin' Samoan."  His brother Tony also played for the Cougars, and the Jack who stood before me had worked for the 'Cougs as well.  He tells me that he's headed to Hawai'i the following week to see his father get inducted into the Polynesian Hall of Fame, after first watching the NFC Championship of course.  I congratulate him and let him know that it's an honor to be amongst Cougar royalty.  To cap it off, he busts a 12th Man Flag out of his bag and wraps it around himself proudly.  You couldn't ask for a better omen as you're about to board a cross-country flight.

As we board the plane, we realize that Greg is sitting in Row 12.  I was in Row 23 (Marcus Trufant!), but thought it would be incredibly fitting if we both sat in Row 12.  Despite clearly having the leverage in the situation, my window seat was not enough to convince the man to leave his middle seat.  My request to trade seats had been denied but we couldn't let it phase us, so we just kept it moving and moved on.  It was nice getting some sleep on the plane for a change, so maybe it was meant to be and I really was supposed to have that window seat.

We hit the ground in Seattle recharged from our slumber and made our way to the Mayflower Park Hotel to meet up with old friends Jordan and Jonathan.  On our way there though, we passed a gift shop with a familiar name.  Astoria, not only the name of the town made famous in the Goonies, but also a local neighborhood back home in Queens.  This wouldn't be the only similar coincidence on this trip.  Far from it.  As we neared the hotel, you couldn't help but feel like the stars were beginning to align like they seemingly had in weeks prior.

Back to business, Jordan has been one of the major reasons this quest has succeeded to this point and Jonathan is a fellow east coaster who deserves this magical run from the Seahawks more than pretty much anybody.  He too, has been instrumental in the amazing journey that has been the 2013-2014 season for yours truly.  He had purchased his plane tickets for this weekend weeks in advance, long before it was even assured that the Seahawks would be playing in the NFC Championship Game.  His faith had been rewarded.  The stage was now set for one of the greatest, or one of the worst, weekends of our lives.  A few drinks to take the edge off after a long flight and to catch up, and it was time to call it a night and try and attempt to get any sort of sleep that was humanly possible the night before such a big game.

I tried, honestly, I did.  But I failed, miserably.  I got two hours, maybe three at the most, of sleep before I woke up at around 4:30am and decided to stay awake.  Who was I kidding?  I can barely keep it together before a Texans/Seahawks game in September, how the hell could I keep it together now the night before the NFC Championship Game against the Niners?  It just wasn't gonna happen.

So I sat there in the hotel room and just watched highlight video after highlight video.  Everything from the season's most important moments, to all of the team's touchdowns, to 29-3, and of course, 42-13.  I watched whatever I could to help pass the time and to also help myself visualize the greatness that we were all about to witness.  Luckily, ESPN2 was there to enable as well, as they had hours of programming dedicated to Russell Wilson lined up for the early part of the day. 

There wasn't time for the TV though, not today.  We hit the city streets, I'd say bright and early but that wouldn't be Seattle.  No, we hit the city streets grey and early, and there's no better way if you ask me.  San Francisco can have their sunshine, I'll take grey all day.  We tried taking our minds off of what lay ahead of us with some coffee and of course, Top Pot donuts, but even a Maple Bar was no match for the sense of anticipation that was eating away at everyone's stomachs.  The group of 4 becomes 5, as old friend Lon joins the party at Pike Place Market.  You can spot Lon's Seahawks cowboy hat from a mile away, so he wasn't tough to find.  As we make our way towards the stadium, we pass by another shop that makes me stop and pause, it is appropriately named "The Brooklyn."

Once we get down by the stadium, we head for Massachusetts St for some early tailgating.  You can tell that there are nerves in the air, but for the most part everyone still remains confident.  You've got to respect the 'Niners and what they're capable of and anyone who said they weren't the slightest bit nervous is probably lying.  You must respect your enemy in a Heavyweight fight because at any point they can knock you out with just one punch.  And to steal a line from the immortal Ric Flair, to be the man ya gotta beat the man!  Woooooooooo!!!!!  The Seahawks would have to beat the man.

Did the sense of anticipation, nervousness, and excitement dampen the pregame festivities?  Fat chance of that ever happening.  Seahawks fans were in rare pregame form, as witnesses claim to have seen one unnamed New Yorker doing a beer bong of Rainier and Jagermeister out of a shrunken head.  Validity of the claims have been questioned, but multiple people corroborated the claims.

With added pep in our step, we stuck to the theme of "doing things better than we've ever done them before" and tried to cram as much pregame action in as possible without getting too carried away.  It was on to Temple Billiards but before that our group decided to stop in front of our friend Leif's mural on the side of the WaMu Theater at CenturyLink.  We all posed and then asked a stranger passing by to please take our picture.  He obliged and as he handed back the camera and said "GO Hawks!", we couldn't help but notice the massive New England Patriots Super Bowl ring on his finger.  Jordan tells the stunned bunch, "you know who that is, don't you?"  We all look puzzled, to which he replies, "that's Lawyer Milloy."  He then says "Go Dawgs" and Milloy responds with a "Woof woof!"  Jordan points out to Lawyer that he's going to get to watch his legacy continued in the form of Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor.  Lawyer happily mentions that he's proud of being able to be a part of their learning process and that he's glad he could give that to the team.  We part ways as Lawyer and his buddy disappear into the crowd.

One of the greatest highlights, out of the many, of this entire trip and this entire season as a matter of fact, was finally getting to Temple and meeting up with the rest of our crew.  Many a familiar face lined the walls and you couldn't help but reflect upon what an amazing journey it's been.  No matter what was to happen in today's game, we all had each other, and Greg and I were especially blessed to be around such amazing people.  $913 is no joke, and we were now standing with the people who made it all possible.  I can't even begin to describe the feeling. 

The beer and bloody mary's were flowing and soon my buddy Todd showed up with a gift in hand.  Something very dear to him that he wanted me to have.  All week I wondered what it could be, and now I was about to see it.  Turns out it was a beautiful Seahawks.Net poster from back in the day that had signatures from Paul Allen, Seagal Amber, and Big Lo just to name a few.  Not only that, but old friend Bart has a Marshawn Lynch jersey for me that he wants me to have.  The feeling in the room was so great, there was absolutely no way the 49ers could win.  Not today.

I stash the poster behind the bar with the bartender Steve and we all make our way to CenturyLink for the last time this season.  What were once nerves have now turned to confidence, and the 12th Man is fired up and ready to go to the Super Bowl!  That dream that we all had at the end of last season and at the beginning of this season was now, finally, within reach.  Everything that everyone had worked so hard for, players, fans, and coaches alike, was now just one win away.  After a traditional hotdog at Joe's with Steve and his son Zack, we hit Touchdown City to eventually make our way to our seats.  We say our goodbyes, possibly our final ones depending on how the game goes, and with a half hour still to go before kickoff, we make our way to Section 300.

As luck would have it, we're sitting around a decent sized pocket of Niners fans.  The row in front of us is almost entirely Niners fans, and the right side of the row in particular is 'Niner heavy.  Everything seems civil before we realize that a few of the Niners fans are absolutely wasted.  As the game draws closer, the Niners fans become louder and louder, in typical San Francisco fashion.  Regardless of whether they won or lost, these fans came in to Seattle with a mission of talking the most trash as possible.  "Who's got it better than us?!" is thrown about a few times and kids that were probably younger than me start spewing propaganda about how many rings they've got.  Something inside me tells me not even to bother with them because we were going to get the last laugh.

After an amazing rendition of the Star Spangled Banner by Ann Wilson in which the 63-year-old leaves it all out there on the field, the crowd is whipped into even more of a frenzy when the video board behind the 12th Man Flag starts flashing clues and images of today's flag raiser.  After all the questions about who would be fit to raise the flag for such a big game, it was a pretty easy choice in the end.  The man himself, Paul Allen, the man who had once Saved our Seahawks, was now going to raise the flag just like he'd done 8 years prior before the NFC Championship Game against Carolina.  Would we witness a similar result?

Not so much.  It didn't take long to realize that today's game was going to be vastly different from that one eight years prior.  As a matter of fact, it only took one play before the Niners' Aldon Smith sacked Russell Wilson and forced a fumble by stripping Russell of the ball.  What in years past would have been a devastating blow was simply now a warning shot.  The Seahawks D, and the 12th Man, rose to the occasion and help San Francisco to a field goal.  It wasn't the ideal start by any means, but it could have been worse.  The Seahawks are one of the toughest teams in the league.  They had been through worse, and they would bounce back from this.

Still, it would take some more stressful situations and a 10-0 Niners lead before the home side would show signs of life.  We remained confident in Section 300 as the Niner fans in front of us began to gloat about the early lead.  As the Seahawks fate started to turn for the better on the field, the same happened in the stands.  One of the drunker members of the contingency in front of us was so wasted that he was taken away by stadium security.  The Seahawks followed with a Steven Hauschka knuckleball field goal to get on the board.  Other people seated in our section stated that they saw the poor Niner fan being stretched from the concession area.  Our luck was beginning to turn.

It wasn't until halftime that things really took a turn for the better.  Macklemore and Ryan Lewis might have been impossible to hear from our section, but you got the sense that his performance and his hypejob on the mic afterwards got the crowd back into it.  As the second half began, there was a noticeable difference in the atmosphere at CenturyLink.  The 12th Man was ready to witness history.  They were ready to witness the Seahawks fulfill their destiny and punch their ticket to New Jersey for a chance to take home the Lombardi Trophy.

Despite all of the positive energy, the stadium needed a jolt.  Some play that would kick things into hyperdrive.  It came in the form of Marshawn Lynch blasting through the middle of the Niners defense, before shifting gears and bouncing it outside with amazing lateral quickness and into the endzone for a monstrous, game-tying run.  The crowd went absolutely ballistic, as fans toppled over one another in the stands, the scene looking more like a mosh-pit in some sections (319 in particular) than a football game.  Hugs, high-fives, and punches to the throat were abound as we had all just witnessed another legendary Marshawn Lynch touchdown run in the playoffs.  How could you not love that man?

The joy would be short-lived however, as Colin Kaepernick took back momentum momentarily for the red and gold with a flick of the wrist and a laser touchdown pass to Anquan Boldin.  Colin Kaepernick must have been hoping that that was the dagger through the heart of the Seattle Seahawks.  If the game had ended there, he'd be remembered as a hero who finally overcame the big, bad Seahawks in their scary stadium with their savage fans.  Luckily, they play four quarters.  And it was in the fourth quarter that the Seahawks would truly leave no doubt about who was the better team.

As the fourth quarter got underway, a beautiful thing happened.  The loud and obnoxious San Francisco fans in front of us began to get ejected one by one.  One guy poured his beer on a Seahawks fan in front of him.  The security guard made the right call and gave him the boot.  Soon, the two guys to his right were also gone.  Now, only one Niners fan remained.  As the Seahawks moved the ball down the field setting up for a long field goal, you could see a bit of relief rush over the stranger.  Everything was gonna be alright, he thought to himself.  Then, the Seahawks called a timeout after Steven Hauschka stood motionless over the field goal.

What happened next was a moment that I'll never forget for the rest of my life.  The Seahawks offense came back on to the field and Russell Wilson was in Shotgun formation.  Foolishly, the Niners take the bait and jump offsides.  Even more foolishly, two members of their defense stop and stare rather than seeing the play out.  Russell Wilson doesn't need anything else, he's already got a free play.  He looks upfield and fires quickly, lofting an arching pass towards the endzone.  Two Seahawks receivers and a slew of Niners defenders are in the general area of the pass.  Doug Baldwin gives way, as Jermaine Kearse leaps among the crowd and secures the pass before landing on the ground and giving the crowd a bow.  Absolute bedlam erupts in the stands and the Seahawks are now up, 20-17, against all odds.

There was no time to enjoy this though, as the Niners were back on the field.  Colin Kaepernick would now try to finally defeat his demons and get the 12th Man out of his head.  At about this time, Seahawks enforcer Kam Chancellor decided, no, not in my house.  Vernon Davis has to hate the man, as he once again tasted the wrath of attempting to cross the middle against the Seahawks defense.  Another bone-crunching hit was on the menu for Vernon, and you could tell after that that he wanted nothing more to do with #31's area of the field.  The Seahawks finally got to Kaepernick and forced a fumble, but the ensuing drive starting from inside the 10 yielded no points after a gruesome injury to NaVorro Bowman.  The ball never lies though, as justice was served when the Seahawks fumbled the ball away at the 1 yard line.  Make no mistake, the Niners defense is outstanding and especially stingy inside the 5.  This game was a pleasure to watch.

There was that man again though, Kam Chancellor, this time reading the play perfectly and making a nice play on a pass from Kaepernick intended for Boldin.  I told Kam's brother Cornel before the game that I hoped his brother would have the game of his life.  I was happy for his entire family when he came down with that pass and set the stadium off one more time.  Kam deserves it and they do too.  Good things happen to good people.

This time Seattle could only muster up a field goal, but still, it was something.  Now, the stage was set.  Just like in Atlanta the season prior, when this whole journey truly began, the Seahawks defense was in charge of preserving the lead and saving the game.  If you've followed this team closely this season, you wouldn't have it any other way, and neither would they.  However, the Niners weren't going to go down without a fight, and fight they did.  The nerves began to reappear as the Niners moved the ball down the field seemingly at will.  Harbaugh wasn't stopping the clock either, seemingly content with this being the last drive of the game.  We remained confident in Section 300 that the Seahawks defense would no doubt come through, but as the Niners moved the ball to the 18 yard line, you couldn't help but feel like an absolute basket case.  

And then it happened.  History was made.  As Colin Kaepernick lofted a pass to the endzone for Michael Crabtree, Richard Sherman cemented his legacy as a flat-out baller and made the play of his young career.  I could care less about what happened next, all that matters is that he turned, located, and swatted that pass and left it up for Malcolm Smith to throw down the alley!  As Smith fell to the floor, elation set in as the crowd of over 68,000 people realized that it had really happened.  The Seahawks were going to the Super Bowl!

As the confetti rained down, and "New York, New York" blared from the speakers, I took a look around and couldn't believe reality.  This was all real.  If Greg weren't there beside me to witness it, I probably still wouldn't believe it to this day.  We sat and watched the NFC Championship trophy presentation, and it felt damn good to see the boys in blue and green wearing all of that championship gear.  After all they had been through this season, they truly deserved to enjoy that moment, if only for a moment.  After a while, the stadium emptied out and the blue and green confetti on the field was all that remained.

We rushed to Temple to celebrate, as Blue Thunder worked the crowd in the streets into a frenzy.  People danced in the streets, car horns beeping in the background as their soundtrack.  The scene inside the bar was straight up jubilation.  Hugs, cheers, beers, and stories from inside the game and everyone's reactions to the game's big plays.  After everything everyone had been through all season, our wildest dreams had just come true!  From training camp to glitter bombs and the NFC Championship, this team had finally embraced their potential.  It all came together in such amazing fashion.

The party lasted well into the night, as Jordan, Leif, Brandon, Greg, and I celebrated what was one of the greatest days of our lives.  Still, we all knew that the qwest wasn't over.  The journey doesn't just end right here.  It has to end with a Super Bowl victory over the Broncos at MetLife.  Destiny must be fulfilled!  As fate would have it, the crew that went to MetLife in December to watch the Seahawks beat the Giants will be reunited for the Super Bowl.  The force was strong with that group in December, we shall see if the same holds true this time against the other Manning.

This trip also had a very fitting end.  My connector flight home from Chicago to Laguardia last Tuesday had been canceled, as well as all other flights to NYC due to a blizzard that was rolling in to town.  Luckily for me, all this flying finally paid off as I was put in the last seat, on the last flight back home before Thursday morning.  The only catch?  The flight was landing in Newark, New Jersey instead.  I was thankful for my incredible luck that kept my string of no canceled flights in tact for the season.  The fact that I was now flying in to New Jersey, much like the Seahawks would in a few weeks, just made too much sense.  I headed home, and even got a day off, as work was canceled due to the awful weather.

Watch, now my flight to Seattle for the Super Bowl Champions parade will be delayed or canceled.  Nah, just playin', I'll see you all there!

Oh when the Saints go marching home

I won't lie.  I damn near lost my mind in the week leading up to this past week's playoff game with the Saints.  As I toiled away at the grind, my mind couldn't help but keep thinking of all the scenarios that could possibly unfold.  You know you've damn near snapped when you start thinking about the possibilities of a 2-0 Seahawks victory in the playoffs against one of the most prolific offenses in NFL history.

Finally though, the useless week that was, was done and it was time to head back across the country to my home away from home.  My tenth trip of the season to Seattle.  A trip to Training Camp at the VMAC in August, 8 regular season home games, and now this.  My first ever NFL playoff game.  What better place than at the CLink, of course.  The dream, of course, is to make 12 trips to Seattle for the 2013-2014 season.  The NFC Championship being the 11th, and the parade for the Super Bowl Champion Seahawks being the 12th.  There goes that number again.  Coincidence?  I think not.  However, I can't allow myself to think ahead.  Just like the team preaches, it's one game at a time.  It's the mentality I've had all season long, and I'm not about to change that now at this point in the year.

Joining me for this epic day of life would be my buddy Greg.  Greg and I pretty much grew up together in Queens back in the late 90's and early 2000's.  I remember summers spent playing football, where Greg and I would play for hours with our friends, climbing over a giant (at the time) black fence, and through a hole in another fence to play on a cement field at a local junior high school, IS 145.  Now we were 26 and about to check out a playoff game at CenturyLink Field.  A long-time Jets fan, Greg has always had a soft-spot for the Seahawks, much as I've always felt the same way about the Jets.  For years, Greg and a few other friends would come over to my place to watch the slate of games on Sunday Ticket.  As our circle of football loving friends grew older, we took our show on the road to bars across NYC.  Still, all the while, we road the wave of emotion that goes with being a diehard fan.

If you've been keeping up with me so far this season, thanks, and you'd also know that this wouldn't be Greg's first rodeo.  Nope, this would be his 5th trip to a Seahawks game this season.  That's pretty damn impressive in my book.  Houston, Indianapolis, Atlanta, and New York (errr, Jersey) were the other spots he hit on the 2013 schedule.  However, none in Seattle.  What better way than a playoff game, his first as well, and a rematch with the #6 seed New Orleans Saints.

As fate would have it, despite taking different flights into SeaTac, we both arrived in Seattle at the same time, roughly 9pm on Friday night.  Greg flew direct from JFK to SeaTac, while I took a more convoluted route (as usual) to save some cash, going from Newark to Charlotte, laying over for 3 hours, then finishing the trip going from Charlotte to Seattle.  It's a weird thing telling someone, "I'll see you on the left coast", and then meeting up with them over 3,000 miles away.  It's pretty damn cool actually.

The highlight of the travel out west actually happened back east.  At Penn Station, I stopped at a convenience store and picked up a copy of the NY Daily News.  Inside, there was an excellent article by Hank Gola about the noise and atmosphere at CenturyLink Field.  What made this article even better was that it featured quotes from my friend Leif, the Godfather of all things ROADHAWK.  Leif was one of the people who inspired me to commit to this journey the most, so I'm eternally grateful for him and it was great to see him get some much deserved ink.

After reading the paper twice from front to back, I finally arrived in Seattle.  I headed towards Greg's arrival gate and waited for him to get off the plane.  It really was great seeing someone I knew from back home in a far away place.  Greg's had my back all season long, and has been extremely supportive throughout.  Another person who's done the same is Jordan.  If I've ever needed a place to crash, ride to the Light Rail or even the Airport, or just someone to celebrate Seahawks victories in Seattle with, it's been Jordan.  The saying "do things better than they've ever been done before" has taken off around these parts.  Well, Jordan definitely accomplished that when he scooped up Greg and I from the airport promptly after our flight landed at around 9PM.

With a huge playoff game just hours away, the three of us decided to head on down to the Sloop for a beer before calling it an early night.  I've got to say, I was impressed with the amount of people who told me that they had a relaxing Friday night to keep themselves in tip-top shape for the big game.  That's pretty heads up from the 12th Man right there.  Good job all around.  And for those of you that continued to rage, much respect for holding it down for the rest of us.  I know it's not easy sometimes.

To make things even more surreal, the New York Daily News had informed me before the game that if the Seahawks won, they would want to meet up with me for an interview about the Seahawks.  Hank Gola called me to inform me that pending a Seahawks victory, Filip Bondy would be contacting me about a story.  I tried to stay focused on the task at hand, beating the Saints, and winning the Super Bowl.  Russell would've been proud.  None of this wouldn't have been possible without Leif or Seahawks.Net, and I am very grateful for both. 

Finally gameday was here, and it couldn't come any sooner.  I probably slept about three hours, if that, and was ready to go at around 7AM.  You all know how it is, especially the day before a playoff game.  Sleep, while a noble idea, is basically impossible to achieve.  As we rose, the nerves were apparent.  We all tried to play it cool, but deep down we all knew that this was going to be one anxiety-fueled day.  Still, we remained confident that the Seahawks would ultimately set themselves up for a shot at the NFC Championship at the CLink just one week later.

Much like the Cardinals and Rams games before it, I played a game of Madden on Jordan's PS4.  For some reason, I've always loved playing the upcoming Seahawks matchup in Madden, even if I haven't always been the biggest fan of the game.  As luck would have it, both times Jordan and I played the upcoming game, the results from the video game ended up matching the results in real life, to some extent.  We couldn't believe the whoopin' the Cardinals put on us and we were excited for the prospects of a Division Championship after spanking Kellen Clemens and the Rams.  After some fooshnickens (pronounced foo-shnickens, a word created by my friend Darryl from back home, meaning nonsense) the Saints absolutely pasted the Hawks.  Drew Brees couldn't be stopped.  Before leaving the next morning however, I picked up the sticks again, and this time was able to manhandle the Saints.  Balance was restored to the universe. 

Greg and I would be sitting in Section 315 free of charge courtesy of James, aka "The Doc."  James had previously given his tickets to his son, but unfortunately his son could not attend due to being on his honeymoon.  Congratulations are definitely in order, as is a giant thank you to James.  Free tickets to a playoff game?  That's practically unheard of in this "Stubhub" day and age, where fans can sell tickets they aren't using and make a pretty penny to help finance their season tickets.  Such a kind gesture doesn't go unnoticed and will never be forgotten.

Before it was time to get to our seats though, it was time to calm some of those nerves with a little tailgating!  The guys from Nintendo on Massachusetts know how to throw down!  Popcorn shrimp, black beans, and the kegs were definitely flowing.  However, you could tell that everyone had their eye to the immediate future.  As the rain and wind began to pick up after the skies had been looking a bit too pleasant earlier in the morning, the reality of the situation was starting to set in.  This could be the last game the Seattle Seahawks play this season.  For this reason, not many were taking the Saints lightly.  In fact, quite a few people I ran into were very nervous about the Saints revenge mission.  Not us though, that's just not what we do.  That's not how we were programmed.

After dispatching some shrimp and talking about all the possible scenarios, and even getting to cop a feel of the Lombardi Trophy, the three of us headed towards Temple Billiards.  It's not often that you can feel like a regular at a place clear across the country, but that's how I feel at Temple.  There's nowhere else I'd rather go before a 'Hawks game.  The combination of great people, hardcore Seahawks fans, and awesome Bloody Mary's make it the place to go before a game, in my opinion.  When I walk in, my friend who works the bar, Steve, is swamped.  As are all of the rest of the bartenders.  As you could imagine, the crowd is more like a mob.  The place is packed and people are rushing to the bar.  Anything to calm the nerves.

Meeting us near the door are old friends Steve and his son Zack.  Zack hands me a hoodie that his dad had been holding for me, I left it at his place when staying there for Christmas with his family.  I guess you could say I'm a forgetful guy, as that's not even close to the only thing that I've lost or misplaced throughout this journey.  My friends and loved ones would attest as well.  Still, Steve and his family had my back.  We make our way downstairs, where it's a little less crowded.  The intense, playoff atmosphere lingers through the air, and you can tell that everyone is ready for kickoff.  Ready to watch the battle that's about to ensue.  Steve hands me a Bloody Mary, and for a split second, it's the only thing that keeps my mind off of the game.  I never knew how much I loved pickled asparagus.  Thank you, Temple Billiards.

Conversations intertwine like chords of the spine.  Throughout the room you can hear various stories of Seahawks glory (and doom) past and present.  The memories are like tattoos, forever etched in the hearts of Seahawks fans forever.  Whether upbeat, or downtrodden, they are still games that remind us of various different times in our lives.  Like many Seahawks fans, I can associate some of the big events in my life with who the Seahawks were playing that day or that week.  I am not the only one, of course.  We all wear these memories like badges of honor, and speak of them with pride.  Even if it's a tale about Clipboard Jesus or David Greene, it still usually ends with a smile or a laugh now.  It wasn't always that way.  We couldn't always smile after those stories because they were usually still reality.  Not anymore.  Times have changed.

Once the clock strikes 12:30, everyone finishes their drinks and begins the trek to the CLink.  Like soldiers being deployed, we say our goodbyes all while wondering if this could be the last time we do so.  Nothing is guaranteed, especially against a great team like the Saints.  Everything must be earned.  Luckily, the Seattle Seahawks and their 12th Man are ready, willing, and able to earn everything at all times, at all costs.  We rush up the stairs, nervous with excitement, and Greg and I join Steve and Zack for a pregame hot dog at Joe's outside of the stadium.  On the way, a man stops me and asks if I post on Seahawks.Net.  "Yes", I reply, and he begins to tell me that he lurks and has seen that I have been attempting to go to every game.  I ask him for his name, and I think he says that his name is Matt.  Then, he gives me a giant hug and tells me that he's proud of me for what I'm doing.  That was pretty damn cool, I must say.  

We pull up to Joe's and grab some dogs.  Zack and Greg go with the Sherman Dog, Steve goes with the classic Largent Dog, and I decide to honor the Beast with a Lynch Dog with Cream Cheese.  I'm addicted to hot dogs with cream cheese now.  Thank you, Joe's.  It's fitting that New Orleans is in town, because Steve is a saint and pays for the grub.  There can't be many more giving and caring people in the world than my friend Steve.  It's impossible.

After scarfing down our pregame meal, we head to Touchdown City to begin the voyage to our seats.  Just as we enter, 3 security guards surround a man.  Steve says "Hey, that's Jim Zorn!"  Low and behold, it is Jimmy Z!  He's giving us high fives and is extremely fired up.  The security guards try to keep him focused and try to pull him back on track.  As he's being pulled away, Jim looks at Zack and says "you better yell!"  The whole encounter gives everyone chills.  Don't worry Jim, I'm sure Zack made you proud.  We then put two and two together and realize that those security guards are probably taking Jim to the 12th Man Flag, and that he's been given the honor of raising the flag.  Just an amazing scene that leaves us stunned as head towards the giant "I'm In" sign that everyone is signing in Touchdown City.

Once there, I bump into the family who I sat behind for a few games when I sat in the North End Zone.  Great people and great fans, with some family in Long Island so who knows, maybe we'll see them again in February?  We shall see.  For now, it was approaching game time and it the festivities were about to get under way.  We go to the turnstiles and the kind lady who scans my ticket (if only they were hard copies!  Oh well) looks in to my eyes and yells "GO Hawks!"  I'm in love with the support for this team from everyone.  From the buildings downtown with their lights forming the #12, to the people checking tickets, everyone is all in and I love it!

To the seats we go as the rain and wind steadies.  We get there just in time, as that chilling music begins to play and the video board begins to flash clues and clips to let everyone know who the 12th Man Flag Raiser is.  There he is, our boy, Jim Zorn!  Zorn is still fired up and raises the flag in what has to be record time.  I don't know if it was the wind or if Zorn was just that damn pumped and jacked, but whatever it was, it was incredible.  The crowd is going nuts as Steven Hauschka tees the ball up for the opening kickoff.  To show it's might and what had in store for both teams, the wind knocks the ball off of the tee.  That doesn't stop the screaming and the yelling and the cheering.  Hauschka places the ball back on the tee and gives it a thunderous boot.  The game starts with a touchback and with that, yhe first playoff game of my life was underway.  

The game was every bit as heated and contested as you would expect it to be.  The Saints wanted to show the world that the Seahawks and CenturyLink Field do not own acres of property in their heads, and the Seahawks wanted to prove to everyone that they were not going to follow recent years trends and bow out early as #1 seeds recently have been prone to do.  Whether it be Jimmy Graham jawing with Bruce Irvin, which led to Graham's now infamous "I'm Jimmy" quote (newsflash Mr. Graham, it's Jimi, and you are definitely not him), or Saints defenders pretty clearly going after Percy Harvin's domepiece, there was no love lost between the two sides.

It might not have seemed so bad on television, but let me assure you that the weather played it's part in this game.  I won't excuse away all of Drew Brees and Russell Wilson's struggles as being weather related, but the conditions definitely didn't help matters.  Just ask Thomas Morestead and Jon Ryan what they thought of the swirling winds and driving rains.  Both punters looked like they were back in Pee Wee football with punts that couldn't even span 25 yards.  Despite it all, I liked the Seahawks apparent approach.  Play amazing, smothering defense, jump ahead early, and grind it out with Marshawn Lynch all day.  It might not be the prettiest style of play, but since when did the city of Seattle worry about being pretty?  Isn't it that elusive ring that we're all after that matters most?

Another thing your TV probably downplays is how loud it is at CenturyLink Field during a playoff game.  I thought I knew what loud was when the 'Hawks hosted the Rams with it all on the line, or when we set the noise record against the Saints on Monday Night Football, or even when we set the noise record the first time against the 'Niners.  That was raucous, and that was crazy, but this was savage.  A primal, guttural sound that emanates from within when your going crazy over something you're really passionate about.  In this case, it just so happens that these screaming bunch of lunatics all love the Seattle Seahawks.  What better place to be on a Saturday?  I look around, take in the moment, and realize that there's nowhere else I'd rather be in this moment.

By the way, that flash of lightning you saw in Saturday's game has a name, and it's Percy Harvin.  Not only was it good to have him back, but Percy showed his toughness by absorbing some huge hits from the Saints DB's.  Still, what everyone will remember from #11 in this one was his knack for not giving a damn about his body's well being, and that he's fast as all hell!  When he took that end-around for a first down and was looking for contact, I thought that I've never seen a Seahawk so fast.  Charlie Rogers?  No chance.  Joey Galloway?  Perhaps.  Daryl Turner?  I don't think I'm qualified to say.  The end result was a little more grim however, as Percy had to be taken out of the game due to a concussion.  Something tells me we'll be seeing him this Sunday.

As the game wore on, the Saints just wouldn't give up.  You had to expect that with Drew Brees at the helm.  The Saints continued to struggle with the wind, as Shayne Graham misses another opportunity to bring the Saints closer yet.  After another miraculous catch from Doug Baldwin along the sidelines, it appeared that Marshawn put things to bed with his mini-Quake that gave Seattle a 23-8 lead.  Drew Brees wasn't dead yet however, and the Seahawks defense appeared allergic to catching the football.  As always seems to be the case, the Saints made the 'Hawks pay for their miscues and just like that, we had a game on our hands.

I was never worried though.  There was no way the Saints were beating the Seahawks on this day.  Even if some fans weren't impressed with the performance, it got the job done, and that's all that matters this time of year.  The absolute greatest moment of the game had to be Marshawn Lynch bustin' it for a TD to pretty much seal the deal.  I'm not going to take all the credit for Beast's performance because I went with the Lynch Dog before the game, actually, I will.  Lynch Dog's for everyone!

As the clock struck all zero's, relief rushed over the masses.  To the 12th Man's credit, everyone still seemed focused on the task at hand after the game.  People were happy, and the celebrations at Temple afterwards were great, but no one will be satisfied with anything less than a Super Bowl.  It's been an amazing run, but it can't just be a run.  It's gotta' go down in history as one of the greatest, most resilient bunch of people that play the game of football winning the game's biggest prize and the legendary fanbase who cheered them on every step of the way.

After leaving Temple, our now larger group headed to J&M.  Joining Jordan, Greg, and I were Walt and Leif.  Walt's a New York City Firefighter and one hell of a guy.  He helped inspire me to embark on this quest.  We met years ago and I was blown away by the fact that a guy from New York had season tickets and traveled across the country for Seahawks home games.  When we first met, we agreed that the Tarvaris Jackson signing was okay and that we didn't mind him being the QB for the Seahawks who bridged the gap as we searched diligently for our franchise QB and savior.  We all know how that went.

As we stood talking, with the band absolutely destroying it in the background, a familiar hand patted me on the shoulder.  It was Kam Chancellor's brother Cornel's father in law.  We had met in St. Louis and Atlanta previously at pregame and postgame celebrations.  Cornel is one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet.  Our flight to St. Louis was delayed in DC and he bought me a drink after hearing about my travels this season.  Come to think of it, that was the closest I've come to missing a game this season.  I would have been a wreck if it weren't for Cornel being there to chill while we waited during the delay.  It was completely out of our hands, so we didn't stress it.

Cornel's father-in-law tells me about how upset Cornel would be because he's not around at the moment.  He had just left.  He takes me over to his table and tells me that he wants me to meet someone.  I wonder who it could be until we reach the table in the corner and he introduces me to Kam Chancellor's mother.  I was honored, and humbled, to meet the mother of such a great Seahawk and more importantly such a great person.  As vicious as Kam is on the field, his mother makes up for it by being the sweetest lady in the world off the field.  We all talk as the band continues to set the soundtrack for the night with Suze Sims belting out tunes while nailing the drums like Kam does receivers.

Everything was perfect, and we finally headed home to call it a night.  The Seahawks had won, our first playoff game was a success, and we got to hang out with some great people.  You couldn't ask for anything more.

Again, I won't lie, it sucked waking up to watch the 49ers eventually beat the Panthers in a game where the referees snuffed out any chance Carolina had early and often.  Our collective blood boiled as we watched Jim Harbaugh whine and complain to the officials, while Anquan Boldin headbutts defenders with no repercussions.  However, we all agreed that the best case scenario for this massive NFC Championship will be allowing the 49ers to implode.  Let them play the same way they did against Carolina, I'd be surprised if the refs let them get away with half of what they got away with last week.  Better yet, how 'bout the 'Hawks just destroy them so we don't even have to worry about the zebras?

As Greg and I set sails on our trip back home, we couldn't believe that this was actually reality.  An NFC Championship matchup with our most hated rivals, the San Francisco 49ers, looming in the not so distant future.  After weeks of preparation, the moment was finally here.  It was reality.  I drop off Greg at his JetBlue gate and walk towards mine.  With a 4 hour layover approaching in Charlotte, I thought for sure that meant that the Panthers would pull their game out.  After all, it was the first city I had a layover in all season, when I stopped there on my way to Seattle in August for Training Camp.  Banners and posters of Cam Newton are all over the place, and there's even an EA Sports store in the airport where you can play video games.  No one is wearing any Panthers gear though, and I bump into a family of 49ers fans before I see anything even remotely associated with the Panthers.  

Good luck trying to sleep this week.  Everyone might want to take a page out of my friend Leif's book and start drinking tea with a side of aspirin.  He says it gets him into game mode, and with his history of traveling to Seahawks games to cheer them on, I won't argue with him.  For a game of this magnitude, whatever it takes.  Don't worry Seahawks fans, we got this!  We all we got, we all we need!

The mark of a champion

Sometimes, the ball just doesn't bounce your way.  Other times, the ball "somehow" bounces off the forearms of Doug Baldwin, catapults 20 feet in the air, and into the hands of a diving Arizona Cardinal defender.  Regardless, that's just the way the cookie crumbles.  It's all about how you respond to adversity though.  Luckily the Seattle Seahawks have been responding to adversity all of their lives.

And for the first time in my life, I would be spending Christmas somewhere other than New York City.  It only makes sense with the way things have gone this season that I'd be celebrating in Seattle instead.  Before I left my home in Brooklyn, I didn't know exactly where I'd be staying for the duration of my trip to my home away from home, but I knew that something would materialize.  Things have a way of unfolding that way when you believe in something and try and live it to the fullest, I've found.

I lucked out when my friend Steve invited me up to Arlington to spend Christmas with him and the rest of his family.  Steve's been nothing but amazing, from driving me and my friends to the airport in Houston, to letting me crash at his place in Arizona, I don't think any of this would be possible.  I'm a lucky guy for sure, because there's a few people who I could say that about.  The support from everyone has been absolutely unreal.  I was prepared to sit this Christmas out without my loved ones here with me, but Steve and his family made me feel like a part of the family.  I'll never forget how that felt.

All the negativity on the web and through the airwaves had suddenly been replaced by 'Hawks memories new and old.  We talked about the upcoming game with the Rams, the loss to the Cards, and what the future held for the Seahawks.  Dinner was incredible and I even ended up with some new Seahawks gear and memorabilia courtesy of my Seahawks family.  I'm telling you, I think our fanbase is the most close-knit fanbase in the league.  Legends of the Seattle Freeze can now be countered by actual proof that Seattleites are pretty damn awesome.  The amount of couches I've been offered to sleep on is astounding.

After a day spent as a roadie for Steve and the Linezmen at a show in Snohomish where they absolutely tore the roof off the place, Saturday was here, and with it, the possibility of the day being one of the greatest of all-time.  Lined up for Steve and I was a tour of the Virginia Mason Athletic Center or as most people know it, the VMAC.  Mike Flood, the Director of Community Outreach for the team, was there to meet us at the front door and our small group was off to explore the place the Seahawks organization calls home.  I met Mike in Charlotte before the Panthers game to start the season and later bumped into him again in the parking lot at Candlestick Park.  Mike's one of the good ones, and I can't tell you how great I felt when he invited me to the VMAC for the tour.  It was a high honor.

Our first stop was the team meeting room, which is also the same room where Pete Carroll and the team hold press conferences.  Immediately to the left of the stage stands a basketball hoop.  Mike passes around a Seahawks basketball and we all take turns taking shots.  The seats are extremely comfortable, but one wonders how James Carpenter would fit in one, no disrespect to James.  Next up, a trip to the weight room.  Mike tells the group that there are 180 pound dumbbells laying around somewhere.  That's more than I weigh, a human being, in the form of a weight and there's somebody, probably a few guys on the team, that can curl that with ease.

The nicest thing about the weight room is that the glass, garage-style doors slide open so that the team can lift with fresh air all around them.  When I attended Training Camp in August, I remember being blown away by how cool it was that the team finished up practice on the field and then slid open the doors and went right to work in the weight room inside.  Now, nearly 5 months later and a day before the final game of the regular season, I was standing inside that same very weight room.  The same feeling I felt when I was standing on the sidelines at CenturyLink before the Titans game was what I was feeling just then.  This felt right.  It felt like I belonged there.

As if a look inside the weight room wasn't crazy enough, Mike then took us through two unassuming doors and out onto the team's indoor practice facility.  The place is massive, 80,000 square feet to be exact, and looks more like a hangar than a place where the best team in the NFL practices.  He opens up a bag of footballs and throws a few of them to the group.  Alyssa, a member of the US military, and I play catch on the same field where the Seahawks hone their craft.  My adrenaline gets the better of me and the next thing I know I'm making diving catches on the FieldTurf.  It wasn't until later when I got back to Steve's place that I found the turf pellets from the field that had found their way to my pockets.

 

     

At this point, I can't help but feel like I'm dreaming.  Steve and I toss the ball around before Mike takes us to a special wall the Seahawks have inside the VMAC.  On this wall, a signature from every Seattle Seahawk who ever suited up for the team in a regular season game.  It's pretty impressive and it shows you that the Seahawks care about their legacy and where they've came from and how important it all is to them.  Among some of the more interesting signatures that stood out to me, Brian Bosworth, Efren Herrera, Steve Raible, and of course, how could I ever forget?  Aaron Curry!  I figured I'd snap a picture of it for whenever I needed a good laugh.  Shows you how far this team has come so quickly that we can just think of Aaron's time with the 'Hawks now and laugh.  That could have been a crippling bust at the top of Round 1, but now it's just a minor blip on the radar, a footnote in Seahawks lore.

30 foot tall banners of Cortez Kennedy, Steve Largent, and Jim Zorn surround us as we head up the stairs to check out some of the offices above.  The Quarterbacks Office is especially small, while the Defensive Meeting Room is lined with slogans and mantras to help motivate the players.  Mike takes us to his office, one with an amazing view of the outdoor practice fields and Lake Washington to boot.  Deep down inside, everyone wonders how amazing it would be to work in a beautiful place like this.  You can see it on our faces as we look at everything in sheer amazement.  To cap off the amazing day, Mike hands Steve a coin from the Seahawks for his time spent in the Navy.  It's the perfect ending for a perfect day spent on Lake Washington.

As Steve and I said goodbye to everyone, we knew that there was absolutely no way that the Seahawks were losing to the Rams on Sunday.  There was just too much positive energy that had been building throughout the season to ignore.  While a large portion of Seattle fans were nervous about the game due to the failures of Seattle sports teams that litter the city's sports landscape and history, there were others who were ready to see the team step up and embrace the greatness that they could soon become.  The Cardinals game proved that greatness won't just be handed to you, it has to be earned.

This team is earning everything though, and the final Sunday of the regular season was no different.  Everyone knew the stakes, a first round bye and Home Field Advantage throughout the playoffs, so the stage was set.  The ride down to the stadium was one of the coolest rides to a stadium you could probably envision.  The Sounder Train from Everett to King Street had a bit of everything.  From naval ships to people in kayaks getting after the day early, it sure beats any method of transportation to MetLife Stadium.  You've got a perfect view of the mountains, trees, and water that help make the state of Washington so beautiful in the first place.

After getting off at King, we hit up Temple Billiards for a drink or two to calm the nerves before the big game.  Todd, Dom, and familiar faces were out and about.  This already felt much better than last week where everything just seemed off.  Nobody quite knows what it was for sure, but something was definitely up.  It's there that I met Eli, a guy who had reached out to me about having me sit with him for the game, free of charge.  An incredibly generous offer that shows the type of person Eli is.  Eli tells me that he was at the playoff game in Atlanta last season, and that the game had some crazy mood swings for the fans.  I still believe that the loss in Atlanta helped shape the team today.

I'm pretty sure these were the best seats I've ever had, for any event in my life.  I think I sat further away from the action at my high school graduation than at this game.  4 rows from the field in the South End Zone, right by the Seahawks tunnel.  Player intro's were especially intense and it was great to see Earl Thomas win the Steve Largent Award.  You could tell how much it meant to him.  To make things even better, Jay Buhner gets the call to raise the 12th Man Flag and get everyone fired up.  As the game kicked off you could tell that the crowd was ready to lend itself to victory.

Malcolm Smith's pick six felt perfect.  Not only did it calm the crowd's nerves a little bit, but Smith gets into the endzone after failing to do so the week before.  Can't help but feel good for him.  Man he's been fantastic in place of KJ when we've needed him.  After the initial nerves wore off, it was obvious that the Rams were out for blood.  It first it seemed they were just after Golden Tate, but after a while you began to realize that they were just plain out of control.  The funniest thing to me is that Langford is probably one of the guys who deserved to be thrown out the least.  #50 and #22 were both toeing the line between tough, hard-nosed football and disqualification.  In the end, Langford had to die for their sins in order for the refs to send a message.  One that was received far too late.

And despite the efforts to put him down, Golden Tate had another fine performance against St. Louis.  Janoris Jenkins must absolutely hate Golden at this point, because Tate just owns him.  Marshawn Lynch ran with authority and played with an edge that clearly agitated the Rams defense.  Russell was stellar and didn't make any mistakes while Ricardo Lockette looked outstanding on Special Teams.  The performance of the day came from the defense though, as they absolutely smothered Kellen Clemens and the Rams rushing attack.  The key to the game for the Seahawks D always was going to be stopping the run, and they did it with authority.  That's got to give this unit a ton of confidence (as if they needed much) heading into the playoffs.

The final score read 27-9 and the Seahawks were now NFC West Champions and the owners of the #1 seed in the NFC.  What felt great about this one, and different from anything in the past, was that I tempered my enthusiasm a bit after the win.  Sure, it was a great accomplishment for the team and all, but they hadn't won anything yet.  I think it was the next day, but I heard Russell Wilson saying something similar in his post-game press conference.  There is still a long way to go before the promised land.

The highlight of the whole trip might be after the game when my buddy Jordan and I were at Triangle Pub.  There, at the bar, stood a drunk man who told us of the Seahawks impending doom in the playoffs due to their #26 ranked Passing Offense.  He told us how Russell Wilson's height would come back to haunt him and how the team was destined for failure.  As he yelled "the Seahawks will never win a Super Bowl!" he fell to the ground as if on command and was slumped over one of the bar stools.  We tried helping him up but he just wanted to lay there in his drunkenness.  As we walked out the door, we asked him who he had his money on, since he was the all-knowing.  "The Cincinnati Bengals!", he shouted.  The irony was beautiful.

The next day it was time to finally head back home.  Having spent the better part of the last 9 days in my new alternate universe, the timing felt right to get back home to see my family after so much time apart.  Jordan hooked it up with a ride to the airport and I breezed through security for the first time all-season.  I'm talking literally 2 to 3 minutes.  Unheard of.  Fittingly enough, my layover was in San Francisco.  However, after a delay at Sea-Tac, I literally had to sprint onto the plane in San Fran, which was luckily only 1 gate away from where I landed.  The gate number?  81.  The Golden Tate Bridge!  Believe me, I wanted to stay in the Bay a little bit longer to revel in the fact that the Seahawks in essence buried the Niners dump of a stadium but it wasn't mean to be.

When I finally landed at JFK airport I thought all was done and it was back home to be with my girlfriend.  Then, my phone started to blow up with text messages from everyone.  One from United telling that I now qualified, on the last flight of the regular season, as a gold member for accumulating 50,000 miles over the course of the season.  The rest of the text's were coming from friends with quotes from Percy Harvin about returning to practice and reports that it was indeed true and that Percy might be back for the Divisional Round.  What a way to ring in the new year!  And what a crazy new year it was, celebrating both the arrival of the new year and also the Seahawks taking care of business back in Seattle when it mattered most.  

And as if things couldn't get any better, the new year was rung in with two free tickets to the Divisional Round courtesy of James aka Doc.  Is that an amazing individual or what?  I'm convinced that I'm surrounded by the greatest people of all-time.  James was actually the first person to ever leave me a comment about my writing, which was and still is greatly appreciated.  With flights booked and tickets ready to go, it's time to wreak havoc on whoever the poor souls who trot out at CenturyLink on January 11th end up being.  It's been an amazing run, but it's not over yet.  Things should get interesting with the possible addition of Percy, which might be just what this offense needs.  Factor in the fact that there's very little tape of him as a Seahawk and you've got more of a reason, besides his unreal ability, for the rest of the NFC to take notice.

It's win or go home time!  This ride has been too amazing, and I'm not ready to go home just yet!  Unless we're speaking of home metaphorically, then yes, I'm always ready to go back home to CenturyLink.  Amazing things are on the horizon, memories and legends that will live throughout the rest of time and we're lucky enough to be here, witness to it.  The championship mentality is about to set in, and once it does, there's no stopping Pete Carroll and his band of misfits.