What a wonderous season . . .

Every game, every quarter, every minute.

In some ways, Super Bowl XLIX was a microcosm of the Seahawks 2014 season . . .

• from the slow start (3-3 record – tied at halftime)
• to the injuries (Zack, Derrick, Max, Brandon – Richard, Kam, Earl, Jeremy, Cliff)
• re-grouping after half-way (ditching Percy – 3rd quarter adjustments)

Toward the end of the season it became par for the course for the games to come down to the wire, up to and including the NFCCG w/the Packers. So, when they were tied with the Patriots at halftime in the Super Bowl and then came roaring back in the 3rd quarter, it was like, OK we’ve got this!

The ending required wallowing . . .

But, the Patriots scored rare 4th quarter points on what was an extremely compromised Hawks defense. Despite these challenges, the Seahawks STILL had the ball and a chance to win it in the last seconds – after the awesome circus catch by Jermaine (Hawks had the most explosive plays in the NFL in both the regular AND post season) and a great run by Marshawn (clearly the heart and soul of the team) came the ill-fated call. Whether it was the wrong call, the wrong personnel, poorly executed – will be debated forever and a day. Bottom line: heartbreak.

I won’t defend the play call or the execution (that’s been done ad nauseam) but, just for grins, I will post a rather staunch “defense” of it by someone who gets a bit hysterical himself in arguing of the hysteria surrounding the last 50 seconds of the game . . .

As well as an open and honest interview with the man who made the call . . .

And now we get to the wending . . .

I have to believe that for this team, with an already unparalleled bond, this experience will only make them stronger, closer and more determined than ever.

Congrats to the World Champion New England Patriots!

Go Hawks!!!

” . . . your Seahawks – Super Bowl 48 Champions!” — Steve Raible

This was my Facebook status a couple hours after the game . . .

I think I need a pinch (or 12!) or, maybe a gatorade bath . . .

Hardly seems real – not that I didn’t think they could do it but, the manner in which the Seattle Seahawks earned their first World Championship was so totally impressive – it’ll take awhile to put it into words.

For now, just relishing and reveling . . .

It’s now been three weeks and, it STILL seems surreal!

Short of actually being in East Rutherford, I feel like I was able to experience the best of both worlds . . .

The camraderie with the thousands of twelves away from home (we were in Las Vegas for Super Bowl weekend). It was so fun walking around Sin City and seeing other Hawks fans and yelling “SEA!” and getting a resounding “HAWKS!” in return (and vice versa). Lots of fist-bumping and high-fiving ~ and that was all BEFORE the game ~ I think we were all still in shock afterward 😉

Rockin’ the colors and reppin’ our Hawks in SinCity

Happy 12s after the 43-8 victory viewed from Senior Frogs in LasVegas

pure jubilation!

AND then, being able to soak in the celebration at home for the parade and ceremony at the CLink

Happy 12s awaiting the parade of a lifetime!

Trophy Ceremony at CLink at the parade conclusion

oh, as for the game 😉 , some digital and video memories here . . .

Seahawks 43 | Broncos 8

NFL Films | SB 48 1st half

NFL Films | SB 48 2nd half

‘t was INDEED meant to be, Mitch . . . .

the “intra-city sports support” is pretty neat . . .

and my favorite . . . .

(apologies to Gilligan 😉 )

Just sit right back and enjoy a tale

A tale of a magical team

It started out in twenty-ten

With the Super Bowl as its dream

The coach was a positive energy force

The GM young and sly

53 men would tap “All In!”

And reach for the sky

Reach for the sky

Draft days came and draft days went

The roster began to gel

If not for the foresight of Pete and John

The program would not excel

The program would not excel

The wins, they began to pile up

With the Niners well in hand

With DangerRuss,

And BeastMode too,

Golden Tate

and Doug B,

Steven H  . . .

The Legion of Boom and Max,

Here in Seahawks Dreamland!

So this is the tale of our magical team

They’re here for a long, long time

No time to sleep and leave no doubt

It’s a championship ride

Paul and John and Pete and crew

Will do their very best

To keep their Seahawks soaring high

While grounded in the nest

No quit, all grit and confidence

And shoulder chips galore

They revel as the underdogs

And feed on the 12th man roar

So join us here each year dear twelves

Lend your voices across the land

resplendent in your blue green and gray

Here in Seahawks Dreamland!

Seahawks 23 | Saints 15

I didn’t get to see this one in person ~ as my daughter was in town from Vegas to enjoy her belated Christmas gift from and with her dad – a ticket to her first Seahawks playoff game. Needless to say, it was a pretty swell gift 😉

Meanwhile, I enjoyed the game and food and drink at a local establishment with some good friends . . .

There was wind . . .

And there was rain . . .

And there was a bit of a Russell struggle . . .

And there was an extra dose of BEAST MODE . . .

And there was a Percy concussion . . .

And there was a minor earthquake . . .

And there were some Saints miscues . . .

(including TWO missed field goals, 2 missed 4th down conversions, many missed passes, a couple of fumbles and a mistaken forward pass that ended the game)

And, most importantly, there was a SEAHAWKS PLAYOFF VICTORY!

yeah, ‘t was picture perfect and full of promise for PH to be a difference maker at that point . . .

https://twitter.com/ESPNMag/status/422141908811386880

Seahawks 10 | Cardinals 17

Of course it wasn’t ALL Russell’s fault . . .

But, it seems that the literal “boink” (Steven Haushka’s first FG miss – other than a block – this season) was the omen for the figurative “boink” (Seahawks first home loss in 2 years and first ever in the RW era)

to bullet point the pain . . .

• Turbin’s TWO fumbles rather ironic, considering “ball security” was the reason he was returning
• When given gifts, one must capitalize – Palmer threw FOUR interceptions – none converted to points
• WAY too many penalties (NINE for 102 yards, to be exact)
• he LACK of 3rd down conversions (just when we thought they’d mastered them) ~ 2 / 13 ~  y u c k ! ! !

there was SOME good . . .

And, of course, I can’t leave out the “controversy” . . . 

But, as with the Seahawks only Super Bowl appearance, good play can overcome bad calls. Unfortunately, despite their many bad plays, the Cards had more good plays than the Hawks today.

Here’s hoping THIRD TIME IS THE CHARM . . .

Seahawks 23 | Giants 0

via HawkNation facebook page

Fun with Numbers

TEAM

• record = 12-2
• road wins = a franchise record SIX!

DEE

• held Giants to 181 total yards (only 25 rushing yards!)
• only allowed one 3rd down conversion (in Giants 10 tries)
• hauled in FIVE interceptions ~ including TWO more for Maxwell (next man up!)

OH

• Russell out-gained Marshawn  in rushing yards (40/46 ) and Marshawn was the leading RECEIVER (73 yards)
• balanced attack: Marshawn 2-yard TD run, Doug 12-yard TD reception, Steven 2xpt + 3 FGs

RUSSELL

• 23 VICTORIES = most EVER by a QB in his first TWO seasons
• 50 TDs = tied with peyton MANNING and dan MARINO for most EVER by a QB in his first TWO seasons

classic RW . . .

classic BeastMode . . .

the 2-L’d Willson is pretty good too . . .

Wisconsin-Stanford Connection . . .

Other awesomeness . . .