Through Super Bowls and almost Super Bowls, I have been a Seahawks fan all my life. But, up until the season opener versus the Denver Broncos in the first week of September, I had never been to a game. Though there were some things that rubbed me the wrong way, my first experience being a part of the 12th man was one I will never forget. This is my formal(ish) review of going to a Seahawks game.
The largest thing that irked me was the comedy, or lack there-of, during commercial breaks. For those who don’t know, the NFL requires 16 of them throughout every game; averaging about 50 minutes total according to ABC. I knew this before I attended, but still, sitting through two minutes was never harder in my life. More pathetic than pausing for nothing were the attempts at entertainment during these breaks. I vividly remember watching two people in giant hamster balls trying to roll past a Coca-cola polar bear and two Seahawks mascots in order to win a fancy cooler. While I was admittedly somewhat amused, I couldn’t help but feel the focus of all this was not on the world class athletes putting on a better show. It seemed like every second the game wasn’t going on, the Seahawks dance team, marching band, or some other gimmick was taking our attention off football. I would’ve rather watched commercials.
By far my favorite part of the game was the atmosphere. The weather was perfect, the seats were full, and anticipation was at an all time high for this game. And while it did get off to a slower start, ending the second half at 10-9, there was still a buzz about the stadium. That buzz would turn into a series of roars when the Seahawks would score a touchdown and shortly after recover a fumble in the third quarter. By the time the Seahawks took a knee to close out a Week 1 win, my voice was a croak and my ears could still faintly hear the 12th man. Reaching over 110 decibels, the noise was comparable to jet planes and thunder.
This noise came from everyone except those wearing orange, an estimated 60,000 Seahawks fans. The Seattle faithful showed out, and in a more meaningful way than I could have imagined. Yes we were loud, but looking around, I saw people from all walks of life, all unified by the fact that they were screaming their heads off for the Seahawks. So, next time you see a game scheduled, think about going. After all, football is for everyone — even the criminally unfunny at halftime.
