Visiting Fans

[HawkerBacker]

Been to several away games and haven't had a problem, Seattle is better than most, however have seen drunk fans at every stadium be really obnoxious and try to provoke before. Long as you are patient enough to not respond to a taunting, drunk fan you'll be fine. I'm taking my kids 8 and 15 to this one as well since its been so long since we played them. Course we're Seahawks fans I'd be surprised to see a ton of Seahawks fans drop their tickets for these since its been 10 years since they've been here. Although almighty dollar was highest with this game this season.

 

[IndyHawk]

May your day be filled with rain, cold and misery as your team loses. Hopefully this game is very poorly officiated with the Seahawks getting all the obviously wrong calls to go their way. I would love to hear stealer fans cry about the poor officiating.

They would and do. They still bitch about the Indy playoff game right before XL*, a game in which they WON.
IMHO after the gifts that were given to them in XL*, they should never be allowed to bitch about officiating the rest of their lives. They also got a few "gifts" from zebras in the SB against the Cards. It's ironic that they always seem to benefit from crap officiating when a Lombardi is on the line.

Those Indy games had the Steelers getting calls as well believe me and they were in the area of the XL ones.I know Steelers fans think we just bitch about it but so do Colts,Pats and probaly the Raiders fans from the 70's.

 

[irocdave]

I really didn't want to go down this road at all, its been 10 years. Just wanted some opinions about bringing my family to a game. I live in Portland, surrounded by Seahawks fans......I've had the discussion several hundred times probably.

Dude, I hope you have a good time at C link, but this is exactly what I am telling you to be aware of. Your blinded by Stealer homerism, Hawk fans are not. Hawks got screwed in that game, defend it all you want but only ignorant Stealer fans saw it that way. You walk in to C link with that ignorance your in for a long day and hopefully your young daughter doesn't get to see her daddy get his ass kicked. My experience with Stealer fans is that they think they can lip off, spew their BS and walk away like nothing happened. You do that at C Link this Sunday and my money is one someone taking you to task. Why on earth would you take your 5 YO daughter to an NFL game at a away game?? Seriously, why?

You putting up the same lame ass defense as the other Stealers fans on this forum wins you no favors. Do that at the game and your getting your ass kicked. You better understand your surroundings and history bud or it will become a day you wont forget.

 

[HawKnPeppa]

I hope you and your have a good time. Impossible not to be biased if you're a fan. That said, despite penalties being part of the game, Willie Parker TD, yada, yada...., the officiating was clearly lopsided in your favor. If you can't see that, you need a reality check or a new prescription. We get a very-questionable PI call on Jackson in the EZ, nullifying a TD; you get a Pittsburg-native back judge calling TOUCHDOWN for big Ben, who obviously fell short. That play helped bring about automatic review of all TDs; I wish it would have already been in-place. We get a very-questionable holding call on Locklear, which nullified a 1st and goal; you get a blind eye on holding during Parker's TD. I could go on, but obviously you've managed to convince yourself that was a straight-up win on a level field. Whatever makes you feel best. I could mention a cliché that relates bliss to another word, but I'm feeling nice today.

 

[Rob12]

I really didn't want to go down this road at all, its been 10 years. Just wanted some opinions about bringing my family to a game. I live in Portland, surrounded by Seahawks fans......I've had the discussion several hundred times probably.

Dude, I hope you have a good time at C link, but this is exactly what I am telling you to be aware of. Your blinded by Stealer homerism, Hawk fans are not. Hawks got screwed in that game, defend it all you want but only ignorant Stealer fans saw it that way. You walk in to C link with that ignorance your in for a long day and hopefully your young daughter doesn't get to see her daddy get his ass kicked. My experience with Stealer fans is that they think they can lip off, spew their BS and walk away like nothing happened. You do that at C Link this Sunday and my money is one someone taking you to task. Why on earth would you take your 5 YO daughter to an NFL game at a away game?? Seriously, why?

You putting up the same lame ass defense as the other Stealers fans on this forum wins you no favors. Do that at the game and your getting your ass kicked. You better understand your surroundings and history bud or it will become a day you wont forget.

Do better, dude. Seriously. He deserved none of that.

 

[camdawg]

I am not buying that anything was "handed" to them, that's just not the case. Yes, there were some bad calls....but bad calls didn't allow a 70 yard TD run to open the 2nd half, or the TD throw that Randal El threw.....or any of that. Bad calls are always an issue....if you watch the Colts-Steelers playoff game the refs were horrible and the Steelers almost lost because of it. Troy intercepted Manning, took a step, fell to the ground, rolled over, got up and the ball came out of his hands and they said he didn't make a "football move" The Steelers could have put that game away with that INT but they over came that, and several other bad calls and won the game. The refs made some bad calls, but that's all I will agree with. I am a man and I always carry myself that way, I treat others the way I want to be treated so unless I run into some morons who just want to start problems, I will be fine.

Here's the thing....I know you were here to get advice about having a good time at the game with your family. So I will follow up with a post that hopefully you, and other Steeler fan coming to the game, will find helpful. And I know there's another thread that's devoted to Super Bowl 40 debate.

But, you brought up stuff I do want to talk about, so I will. But I will follow up by being helpful, I promise!

The Willie Parker run...I know you said you hadn't heard about any controversy on the play....well, that's the advantage the winning fan base has. But, if you do have a copy of the game...yeah, our back 7 was not in good position. Still, Bryce Fisher gets a really clean jump at the snap and is going to tackle Willie for a loss. Heath doesn't want this to happen, of course, so he opens the hole with a blatant hold, and then a block in the back to finish it off. Next to him, Max Starks has his hands right in a Seahawk's facemask. It was an effective, but illegal block.

Anyway, if Steeler fans could be either honest, or not willfully blind, they would admit this TD should've come off the board.

Your first TD should not have counted either. Not because the ball was an inch this way or that way...it was because of what Alan Faneca did as the pulling guard for Ben. He bearhugs Michael Boulware, and then tackles him, right in front of where the ballcarrier (Ben) is going. So most of the officials should've seen this.

All that makes the holding call on Locklear even more inexcusable. You scored two touchdowns because you got away with worse than what Locklear was called for!

Now, are Steeler sites going to break this down? No....no Steeler fan wants to feel guilty about SBXL. If you truly are curious, there's tons of sites with lots of pictures that show you guys getting to play with a different set of rules than us. DJack gets flagged for OPI, but Hines Ward made that level of contact a lot of times during the game.

If Steeler fans could be honest about this stuff, they'd admit the refs bailed them out of the mediocre to poor game they were playing. They'd also admit if the roles were reversed, they'd never get over being the victims of a game like this. Or, when you were growing up, If Mel Blount gets the PI call that Benny Barnes got, and Pittsburgh loses Super Bowl 13, your fan base would still be pissed. Or the next year, if Swann or Stallworth are the victims of the Mike Renfro call, and you lost to Houston in the AFC Championship, the Steeler fan base wouldn't let that go either.

You brought up the Polamalu call in Indy. Again, not worse than quite a few calls/non-calls on you in the Super Bowl. But a bad call? Absolutely! But I swear, your team complained longer about this play, in a game they won, than our team complained about the Super Bowl.

And you didn't really overcome it. Questionable Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis had what should've been the worst Goat play in NFL history. But the Colt defender cut the wrong way when returning it, letting Ben tackle him. And then Vanderjagt choked. Yes, give Ben some credit for the tackle....but really, Indy should've taken it into OT, at worst. That wasn't Steeler toughness or clutch play. They just waited for Indy to screw up.

 

[camdawg]

Hello everyone, just wanted to get a quick opinion from you all if I may? My family and I are going up to the game this weekend....I live in Portland now but we are from Donora, PA (just south of Pittsburgh) so of course I am a life long fan of the Steelers. Growing up in the early 70's was a pretty amazing time in Pittsburgh as you can imagine, I am sure Seattle has been similar the past couple years. Anyhow, my Steelers are finally playing a game up here so we are headed up. My wife and 4 year old daughter will be going with me and I wanted to ask you all if you believe it will be safe for us (aside from the regular messing around that is expected of course.) If it were just myself I would not even be asking, but with those two with me I am starting to get a little stressed. I probably should not worry, I have lived here in the PNW now for over 20 years and have had nothing but positive experiences. This game though, well I know there is a little extra hatred after the Super Bowl so I thought I would check. We live in crazy times, fans getting shot and stabbed at football games, pure craziness......I probably didn't even have to write this, I know we are all better than that up here. Anyhow, good luck to you all and I cant wait for the game............may the best team win!!!

To follow up, here's some thoughts and info that I hope are helpful to you, and fellow Steeler fans coming to the game on Sunday.

First, the overall vibe I expect...if you'd asked me before the season, I'd have told you not to come. We were all expecting another dominant season where we lose one home game, at most. We have a defense that destroys everything in their path. And it's time to crush Ben and get some big time revenge for Super Bowl 40! Some Redskin, Saint, and 49er fans had complained about rough treatment here....and I thought Pittsburgh fans would get the same. And you should wait to come until 2019 or 2023.

Things have changed. We might be talented, but we are by no means dominant. So we have no reason as fans to puff out our chests and be cocky. Instead of looking forward to slaughtering the Steelers, every one of us on here will be happy to win by a single point! Also, for awhile, we thought Ben would not be healthy enough to play in the game, so that took some of the angry energy away from us.

So most likely, I think you and your family will be just fine. And I generally expect the same for all Steeler fans coming to the game.

You picked one of the best seat locations. The East/visitors side is where our llocal scalper companies bought a lot of season tickets when the stadium opened. The Seahawks took some of those back, but you'll still be amongst a bunch of friendly faces.

For visiting fans, other good seat locations would be the padded club seats on either side. As long as you're not being totally obnoxious, I would expect no trouble for any visiting fan in these sections. Surprisingly, section 135 on the West/home side, is pretty tame. That's where I sit/stand. We have a lot of older season ticket holders in that section. Sometimes, it is the only section in the stadium, besides the club seats, where people are sitting down.

Where visiting fans should absolutely NOT sit/stand: The North bleachers, which we call the Hawks Nest. Pretty rowdy folks there. Likewise, I'd stay away from the South end zone, or the higher rows of the top level. Blue collar folks are sitting there, and may be more likely to want trouble.

None of this will be an issue the next time the Steelers come here, in 2019 or 2023.

Because your seats are lower down, your favorite team may be blocking your view. But I'm guessing your section will likely stand throughout the game, which should solve the problem. Your daughter will be fine to stand on her seat. I see younger kids doing it all the time, and no one has a problem with it.

 

[camdawg]

Getting to the game:

Rick, since your family lives in Oregon, you probably are pretty familiar with Seattle? So you'd be more comfortable finding places to park than other visiting fans that don't know the city. So this is advice for all.

Unlike in some NFL cities, here you can park fairly close to the stadium. It's just a matter of how much you're willing to pay. Most visiting fans who aren't familiar with Seattle, but are going in a rental car might be more comfortable parking north of the stadium, where our downtown is. This is a little more expensive. Savvier fans who know Seattle well can probably find some relative bargains the same distance south of the stadium, or east (International District).

To be on the safe side, be ready to pay $30 if you're five blocks away from the stadium. There are lots that are a block away, or right next door. Those will be $50, maybe even more.

Not everyone is excited about paying that much. So here's some public transportation options:

Metro bus-up to $8 round trip, depending upon route: http://metro.kingcounty.gov/up/spclevent/seahawks/
Sounder train-$7 round trip: http://www.soundtransit.org/seahawks

Getting in the stadium: Even before the Paris attacks, security at NFL games was pretty tight. Everyone goes through a metal detector. You'll have to pull out your cell phone, keys, change, anything else metal. You'll have to take off your hat.

One thing that isn't always well publicized is the bag policy. Women can only take in a very small bag. Otherwise, no purse. And kids can't bring in a normal backpack with snacks, books, games, etc. Steeler fans who go to Heinz Field every year will know this, but fans out on the West coast who haven't been to a game in awhile may not. The only decent size bags allowed in are transparent, so security can see everyhing you have inside.

Stadium Food: I think we have pretty decent stadium food? Rick, you can bring food inside for your daughter. But, if she'll be happy eating chicken strips and fries, at least, Ivar's in the stadium has that and pretty decent fish & chips. The stadium hot dog isn't bad either. But the hot dogs outside the stadium, along with other food, will beat the stadium food. For fans on the Steeler side, you may want to pass on this, as the venders are on the home side, outside the stadium. If you are coming from that way, though, it's worth checking out. I'm partial to Joe's Gourmet Dogs (yellow banner).

Restrooms: Rick, if you need a family restroom for your daughter, section 118 is probably the closest one to you.

What to wear/what not to wear:
Steeler fans should be just fine wearing black/gold logo stuff. Jerseys? I'd really stay away from these two: Ben, and Bettis. Ben especially. These two guys, more than anyone else, will bring back bad Detroit memories to the home fans. Steeler fans will get all kinds of bad comments about Ben if you're wearing that jersey. Maybe some about Jerome too....or you will have to debate the HOF worthiness of The Bus.

I'd also think about not wearing a Hines Ward jersey to the game.

But, that leaves a ton of others that no one will hassle you for wearing. Some could even start some good conversation. Troy P was also part of the SBXL team, but no one hates Troy. And he has the USC connection with Pete Carroll. And I don't think any of us are mad at Heath Miller himself for SBXL, just at the side judge that let him get away with holding.

No one hates Antonio Brown...Steeler fans will probably get comments about how good he is, and that we're wondering how Sherman will do in coverage against him. We don't have any beef with LeVeon Bell, either.

Lots of good vintage choices, of course...so bring your Mitchell and Ness Steeler throwbacks. Franco got his last cup of coffee in the league with the Seahawks. So if you wear a Harris jersey to the game, you'll probably have some nice talk going. No one hates Terry Bradshaw! The same surely goes for Swann and Stallworth. The blue collar part of our fan base will likely give props for anyone wearing a Bleier, Ham, Lambert, Hoge, or Greene (either) jersey.

Anyway, hope some of this was helpful to Steeler fans coming to the game. One more link: http://www.centurylinkfield.com/stadium-guide/

 

[Seahawkfan80]

CamDawg...great posts.

 

[RastaHawk12!]

Thanks! And not at all man, like I said I am bringing my 4 year old daughter so I will not be starting anything. We will all be wearing our colors, maybe a terrible towel or two but we will not be starting any fights. I appreciate the reply!

I was just gonna say... wear Seahawk colors and you won't have any trouble!

 

[irocdave]

I really didn't want to go down this road at all, its been 10 years. Just wanted some opinions about bringing my family to a game. I live in Portland, surrounded by Seahawks fans......I've had the discussion several hundred times probably.

Dude, I hope you have a good time at C link, but this is exactly what I am telling you to be aware of. Your blinded by Stealer homerism, Hawk fans are not. Hawks got screwed in that game, defend it all you want but only ignorant Stealer fans saw it that way. You walk in to C link with that ignorance your in for a long day and hopefully your young daughter doesn't get to see her daddy get his ass kicked. My experience with Stealer fans is that they think they can lip off, spew their BS and walk away like nothing happened. You do that at C Link this Sunday and my money is one someone taking you to task. Why on earth would you take your 5 YO daughter to an NFL game at a away game?? Seriously, why?

You putting up the same lame ass defense as the other Stealers fans on this forum wins you no favors. Do that at the game and your getting your ass kicked. You better understand your surroundings and history bud or it will become a day you wont forget.

Do better, dude. Seriously. He deserved none of that.

He is of the same ilk that grandstanded in this forum after that debacle of a SB. I gave him outs, he didn't take them and showed his true colors. No, he did not deserve better. Stealer fans don't get the opportunity to rewrite history, especially on a forum that was affected the most. Apparently you were not around at the time and have no history of the events that took place. Stay on the sidelines and offer the olive branch to some one / fan base you actually were involved in. If you watched that game as a Hawk fan you would feel the same way, don't tell me to back off when it's clear your were not emotionally invested in the Hawks in 2005. Your post says more about you than me. I hate the Stealers and the outcome of that game. The Hawks were the better team and outplayed the Stealers. They had also suffered through so many years of shit that Hawk fans didn't deserve. You telling me to quite down is pathetic, STFU. The hawks had zero chance in that game, probably would have won it if it wasn't for the biased calls. Just STFU.

 

[peppersjap]

Just enjoy yourselves at the game. It has been pretty mellow this year with very few out of town fans. I'm blown away by people who are still hung up over that Super Bowl. I let it go once we won one. The calls sucked and very little we can do about it now. I believe the only person in our organization now that played in that game is Lofa Tatupu and they still have big Ben and maybe one more player. Let's just go get a win. That would be the best way to heal all the sad feelings about the referees 10 years ago.

 

[Scottemojo]

Just wanted to bump this in the hopes that the OP shows up. Bet he don't.

 

[Seahawkfan80]

I hope he does too Scotty... I want to see if he had a good experience with all the yellow flags flying. I did see a quite a few. thanks for bumping this one. Peace.

 

[glowingeyedseahawk]

:thfight7:
....waiting / hoping for a "follow-up" from the OP as well....been a great thread to read !!
:thfight7:

 

[JustTheTip]

I am not buying that anything was "handed" to them, that's just not the case. Yes, there were some bad calls....but bad calls didn't allow a 70 yard TD run to open the 2nd half, or the TD throw that Randal El threw.....or any of that. Bad calls are always an issue....if you watch the Colts-Steelers playoff game the refs were horrible and the Steelers almost lost because of it. Troy intercepted Manning, took a step, fell to the ground, rolled over, got up and the ball came out of his hands and they said he didn't make a "football move" The Steelers could have put that game away with that INT but they over came that, and several other bad calls and won the game. The refs made some bad calls, but that's all I will agree with. I am a man and I always carry myself that way, I treat others the way I want to be treated so unless I run into some morons who just want to start problems, I will be fine.

Actually they did, there was a blatant offensive holding that was missed on the TD run.

The Steelers were put into position for Randal El to throw that touch down pass. A phantom holding call against our right tackle on a play where not only did the guy he was accused of holding go offsides but your NT was lined up offsides (very obviously) for a good 5 seconds plus before the ball was snapped. All of this erased 1st and goal.

On the next play Hass threw the interception (wouldn't have happened had the previous play not been bungled by the officials so badly) and then got called for an illegal low block that handed the Steelers an additional 15 yards (putting them in prime position to run the Randal El play.) In every other instance that "illegal low block" has ever been made in the history of the NFL it has been called tackling the ball carrier.

 

[hannibalking]

My in-law was kicked out of the stadium for cheering for the Steelers... Did they deserve it, who knows, I wasn't there. Still, I don't trust fanatics either not to get someone kicked out because of who they root for. I hope it wasn't the latter because they would have managed to get Seahawks fans kicked out too.

 

[JustTheTip]

My in-law was kicked out of the stadium for cheering for the Steelers... Did hey deserve it, who knows, I wasn't there. Still, I don't trust fanatics either not to get someone kicked out because of who they root for.

I seriously doubt that a team that was among the first to put cops in the opposing fans jerseys at games kicked somebody out just for cheering for the other team. Did your in-law's version of cheering include continual profanity, vulgarity or dumping of beer on others?

 

[hannibalking]

I wasn't there. Doubt it though. Doesn't strike me as the type, especially not when the person in question went with a group of Seahawks fans.

 

[pmedic920]

Omg, this reminds me of a wheelchair story.

Hmmmmm:{)