After making that now-familiar trek home across country after the Jaguars game, there was no letup for the weary. It felt good knowing that I was heading back to NYC having seen the Hawks just start the season 3-0, but I knew the end wasn't anywhere in sight. Similarly, although I had finally made it home on Tuesday morning from Seattle and then Newark, I knew that this was only the beginning. It was right back to work for yours truly just a few hours later. Truth be told, I actually found this refreshing as it kept me focused on the task at hand. Work hard, earn everything, have no regrets.
It was a typical week at work and about midway through the week the thoughts about the upcoming game started. Once news broke that Max Unger and Breno Giacomini might both miss the game on Sunday, a sudden panic broke around Seahawks Nation, and rightfully so. Breno is an intimidating figure for the Hawks out there, and his loss is a big one, both literally and figuratively. Unger's loss is even more massive because as the Center he's responsible with line calls, as well as being a leader, as him being voted the Team Captain on Offense in 2012 would certainly attest to. For some reason though, I wasn't panicked. Maybe it's the fact that my buddy Eric, whom you might remember had his pitbull run away from home last week, gave me news that the dog was found and safe and at home. A definite spirit lifter for sure.
I had made the past two voyages by my lonesome, but this week would be different. A good friend of mine, Dah-Un, is a huge Texans fan and the minute we saw this game on the schedule in April we knew we had to go. Dah-Un used to live in Houston and that's where his Texan fandom emanates from. In addition, another long time friend of mine, Greg would also be accompanying us on the trip. Greg's a long-suffering Jets fan who has watched almost as many Seahawks games as I have over the years through association. He's long noticed the potential the team has, and has found himself more often than not cheering for the Hawks alongside me through their rise from the proverbial ashes. Hey, a friend of the 12th Man is definitely a friend of mine.
So after completing work on Friday night, it was off to Laguardia Airport early Saturday morning for my first trip to the Lonestar State. The plane actually landed in Houston 30 minutes early, a new personal record, and it was off to somehow find the Crowne Plaza Suites. Wait, you didn't think things would be THAT easy, did you?
Immediately after stepping foot outside of the airport and in to our new surroundings, one thing was clear, it was HOT! Worst of all, it was humid. However, I was prepared for this. It felt just like Charlotte had a few weeks earlier, so I basically knew what to expect and that I'd just have to deal with it, no matter how terrible. Another thing we noticed immediately is that Houston is HUGE! If you don't have a car, you're screwed, because although there are cabs around, everything is so spread out that they'll cost you an arm and a leg. Luckily, we are able to split things 3 ways, otherwise my journey's might be over. Or I wouldn't have been able to partake in the festivities. Oh, and were there festivities!
I've met some incredible people throughout my life, and some of the best of them reside at Seahawks.Net. And I'm not just saying that because they are Seahawks fans and share the same rooting interest and passion as I do, no, it's much more than that. These folks are good people, first and foremost, and amazing 12's immediately after that. So it should come as no surprise that Lon and Scott, two .Net members, would go out of there way to set-up a weekend full of awesomeness. Oh, I guess I forgot to mention that me and my buddies checked out downtown Houston for a little while, but it was easy to forget since there was nothing going on down there! Seriously, a downtown that closes on the weekends? If it weren't for the Yankees being in town for Rivera and Pettitte's farewells, the place would have been a dead-ringer for downtown Atlanta in the Walking Dead. An absolute ghost town. All it needed were some tumbleweeds to complete the effect.
Where was I? Oh, that's right, the festivities! First up on the docket was Twin Peaks. It was there that I got the pleasure of meeting the legends themselves, Lon and Scott, as well as some familiar faces in Leif, Jordan, Bart, Dom, Matt, Vijay, and the ole' gang. There were also some new faces, Steve, who has damn good taste in drummers (he's a John Bonham fan much like myself), as well as Greg and many more. Sorry if I didn't shout you out by name, my memory's been such a whirlwind since this all started. It all just feels like a never-ending dream sequence.
Soon, word broke that Beverly Sherman (Richard's mother) and the SoCal Seahawkers were in Houston at a nearby Buffalo Wild Wings. The troops were rallied and headed towards the next spot for the night, when soon after we heard talk that there were already 350 12's at the bar and they were at capacity! Absolutely amazing. As me and my friends plotted our next move, a man sitting next to us told me "this guy's son plays for the Seahawks!" I asked the man who his son was and he replied "Luke Willson."
Now, let me tell you, I've got love for Luke Willson. Asides from him being my 2013 Adopt-A-Rookie, I'll tell you why he was my choice for Adopt-A-Rookie. Luke is not only a member of the Seattle Seahawks with a bright future ahead of him, he was also a member of the Toronto Blue Jays as well. If you know me, you know that I'm a diehard Jays fan as well (I know, miserable season, don't remind me), so Luke Willson has a special place in my heart. He's the first, and possibly the only and last, Blue Jay/Seahawk to have ever existed. I have to love him, there's no choice. On top of that, I genuinely believe that he's going to turn into something with the Hawks, so it was an absolute pleasure to meet his father.
So while I was missing the rest of the gang and the opportunity to rub elbows with Mama Sherman, I got something that meant a little more to me. Blue Jay/Seahawks just don't grow on trees, and to meet one's father was an incredible honor and an amazing moment overall. Don't worry, I let the poor guy enjoy his time with his buddy and me and some of the others decided to make a last-ditched effort at heading over to Buffalo Wild Wings. However, by the time we got there the show was nearly over, the Cougs were getting annihilated on National TV, and it was time for the 12's to head back home and catch some sleep (something tells me not everyone slept and some just continued drinking. God bless you brave souls, the world is a better place because of people like you.)
Being the team-oriented guy that I am, and an avid member of the "Couch Guy Maffia", I assumed my rightful position on the Hotel Room floor. I'm not much for sleeping the night before Seahawk games anyway, so I figured I'd let my friends get as much rest as possible for tomorrow, because they were going to need it! I woke up at 6:30am and just waited, waited for any sign of life from my friends. Slowly, they rose, and it was soon time to check out of the hotel. One problem, we now had our bags on hand and everyone knows that there's literally no chance in hell that you'll get a backpack into an NFL game anymore. Luckily, Steve, whom we had met the night before, gladly obliged when we asked if we could store our bags in anyone's car. This wouldn't be the only time Steve would go on to save us from definite failure.
The four of us made the quick walk over to the Reliant Stadium parking lots for the next chapter in the weekend's planned festivities. The Tailgate! First, let me mention that Texans fans do tailgating right! They've got ample room (surprise, it's Texas) and the enthusiasm for football and for good eats is contagious. You can literally smell it floating in the air. Not only that, but people from Houston were nice as hell! They were hospitable, quick to chat us up, and were genuinely interested in hearing what we had to say. Not too often that you'll find that! Still, we were on a mission, and it was time to get ready for an absolutely huge game between the 3-0 Seahawks and the 2-1 Texans. At stake was a chance to witness the Seahawks first 4-0 start in team history, so it's safe to say that excitement was in the air. Or was that just the fumes still in my nostrils from burnt Matt Schaub jerseys?
Who knows, all I do know is that tailgating in Texas was a blast! I actually felt like I was back home in Queens, with Mexican ballads filling the dead-air, competing with the smell of Tacos and Fajitas being cooked in the background. However, I was a long way from home, just like the Seahawks, and as time grew closer, the opening kickoff drew near. Thanks again to Lon and Scott for setting up such a great time!
And just like that, it was game time! However, a funny thing happened when we got to our seats. A familiar face, Jayson, was randomly sitting 3 seats over from me and Greg. The two people sitting directly next to me were kind enough to switch seats with him and we now had our own Seahawks cheering section up in Section 528. Needless to say, outside of this run in the first quarter...
However, this would almost act as a rallying cry for the boys from the Pacific Northwest. Section 528 certainly never gave up. We told anyone who would listen, Texans fan or 12th Man alike, that this game wasn't over and that there simply was no quit in Pete Carroll's warriors. They had been through adversity before, will go through it again, and as always, they overcome. And overcome they did. With the score 20-3 and almost half the time gone in the 3rd quarter, a seemingly harmless fumble by Houston gave the Seahawks some life after Bobby Wagner recovered.
Then, despite a M*A*S*H unit of an OLine, Russell Wilson began to show signs that we were about to all witness something special. Then, a little while later, we saw this and it was all but confirmed. The Seahawks were going to come back!
Before you knew it, Russell Wilson was Houdini on a football field personified, which then caused the Texans to sleep on Marshawn as he coasted into the endzone, yet again, for a Seahawks touchdown and a whole new ballgame. It's amazing to watch teams as Russell Wilson starts to take over a game. You can tell that they know the improbable is about to happen, and when they try and focus all of their energy on stopping #3, well that's just something you can't do with Beast Mode also a member of the same offense.
As exciting as this all was, our lovable group of American Football players were still down where it matters, on the scoreboard, 20-13, and Russell's bag o' magic tricks appeared to have run out of it's pixie dust. An interception from Johnathan Joseph looked like it might snuff out Seattle's chance for a dramatic comeback on the surface, but underneath it all everyone who had still believed up until that point knew that this was only delaying the inevitable.
The inevitable had a name on this day, and that name was Richard Sherman! Sherm did what elite NFL players do, change games, and took a Matt Schaub floater to the house to tie things up. I can't tell you how crazy we were going in 528. I had told Greg and Jayson that the Texans were going to try and go to the flats and that hopefully Sherm would be ready for it. Well, there ya go! I like to call this, one shoe and a cloud of dust!
Sadly, I was unable to witness the burning of any Matt Schaub jersey's. To continue with the theme of the week of barely getting by, me and my friends were lucky enough to get a ride to the airport from our new friend, Steve. Like a man possessed, he got us to the airport with literally no time to spare. As I passed through security and headed for the plane, I knew that I had just gotten away with one. Much like the Seahawks, it was close, and it wasn't pretty, but it got the job done. Special thanks, once again, to my friend Steve for playing Russell Wilson for the night and getting us to our flight on time. I'll never forget that.
Special thanks to the city of Houston as well, for being such great and hospitable hosts. To Lon and Scott for making the weekend's events all possible, and for all the great people in between for all the good times. Most importantly, a massive thank you to the Seattle Seahawks for making it one of the most memorable weekend's of my life. Had they lost, I'd still think it was special, but for them to win the way they did, that's what legends are made of!
There's something special brewing. I'm proud to say that I've been there every step of the way so far for the first 4-0 start in team history. This team is just different. The universe is speaking, hopefully we can all just listen and enjoy this amazing ride!
