Go Hawks!

I kinda like football...anyone that knows me knows that this is most certainly true. Since the Seahawks are playing this Sunday in the NFC Championship game, there is a lot of talk on the Internet of bandwagon fans. You know, those fans that are only cheering for the Seahawks because they happen to be a great team this season. So, it got me thinking that I should write a blog post about my history with football. I am absolutely NOT a bandwagon fan. I have loved the Seahawks for a long time. But, I didn't learn to love the Seahawks in my house. A little secret? My parents don't like football. In fact, I'll go as far as saying that my dad hates it. I remember being little and hearing my dad talk about how overpaid the players were. His favorite sport? NHRA drag racing! I also developed an appreciation for that, but football was my favorite! So, if my parents didn't watch, then where did I get my affinity for the Seahawks? My grandpa... He loved his Seahawks. We would visit them every Sunday after church. Dad usually helped do a few chores around their house. My mom would be with my grandma in the kitchen. And I'd be sitting at my grandpa's feet watching football. He taught me everything I know about football and I soaked up every word. I loved spending time with him watching football. Eventually, my parents would finish whatever they were doing and want to head home. I begged to stay and was usually allowed. We lived right next door to my grandparents so I'd hike through the cow pasture when the game was over. I loved these days with my grandpa. Over the years, my grandpa and I stayed close. I called him several times a day, even when I left for college. I missed him so, but we always talked sports. My grandpa would ask if I'd gone to any Husky games since I attended UW. I told him I didn't have time. I was too busy studying. But I came home often and would still sit at his feet, watching the games. In January 2001, the Huskies made it to the Rose Bowl. My grandpa was so excited! That day, though, he wasn't in his leather chair right next door. He was at Harrison Hospital and wasn't doing so great. So, I packed up my homework and went to the hospital and sat in his room and watched the game with him. We laughed and talked. He taught me more about football. And we watched that game together. The Huskies won! I packed up my things and headed home. The campus was so excited about the win and I'd call grandpa often to tell him about celebrations I was going to, or news of our quarterback, Tui, that I'd read in the newspaper. Just a couple weeks after that Rose Bowl victory, my grandpa passed away at the age of 93. I was devastated. Watching football just wasn't the same. I missed my partner. When I met Brian, I found out relatively early on that he loved the Seahawks. Match made in heaven! So, for our first Christmas together, I bought us a spot on the Blue Pride wait list for season tickets. It took us a couple years, but we finally got our tickets. I didn't go to many games with Brian, but I loved watching football again! And then Brian died. That year I sold my tickets in my panic of being a single mom and many friends took me with my tickets I'd sold. I had a blast and it soon became my happy place! And then I found Kristi...my football partner! I had a partner back that loved football just as much as I did. I have only missed one game since then. It is my favorite thing to do. I love the sport. I love showing off my knowledge of the plays. I love watching the hits and trying to make the calls before the refs do. I love everything about it. I also love that I'm carrying on the tradition of watching football. There is always some point in every game that I catch a thought of my grandpa, sitting at his feet watching the game. And it sucks the wind out of my sails and I'm overcome with emotion. This most often happens when they are raising the 12th man flag. Seeing whoever it is to raise the flag come out makes me think of my grandpa often because it is typically the sports figures that I knew from watching with my grandpa. And I'm passing the tradition on to my girls and that makes me happy too. Amelia and Emerson quite often will watch the games with me. I remember Emerson being tiny in her high chair. When I would say, "Touchdown!" she'd raise her arms high in the air and grin. Over Christmas break, I overheard Amelia teaching her cousins Richard Sherman's Pre-game huddle chant...soon all four of them would be on the trampoline yelling "Who's got my back!" The girls know many of the players and help me get dressed for games, picking out my ribbons or which shirt I should wear. It makes me a proud momma...and makes me think of my grandpa and how proud he'd be. So, tonight, I tuck Amelia into bed and she said, "Hey, mommy...one more thing?" "What's that, Amelia?" "Do you know who the Seahawks are playing this weekend?" "Yes, honey...they play the San Francisco 49ers..." "No they don't." "Um, yes they do!" "Nope, you're wrong mommy...My friends and I talked about it at school today...they play the Forty-WHINERS!" And then she erupts into fits of laughter...and I join in. That's my girl!!