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Tonight the Seattle Seahawks locked up a playoff spot by defeating the Rams.  This marks the first time ever a team with a losing record has made it to the playoffs in the NFL.  This speaks to me.

I’ve lived in Seattle for almost 3 years.  The major professional sports teams here really aren’t very good unless you include the Sounders(soccer) and Storm(women’s basketball).  There has been hype, and plenty of excitement all around – ex: Griffey coming back, Pete Carroll coming to town to turn the ‘hawks into a contender – to name just a couple.   No matter how good or bad the teams play, the fans are super devoted.  The Seahawks have the 12th man.  The Mariners have the 10th man (not really).  Merchandise sales are impressive…   etc etc.  It’s really nice to live in a place where the fans take their teams seriously and are fairly united in that endeavor.  Originating from the NYC area, it was always about the Mets vs. Yankees vs. Nets vs. Knicks vs. Islanders vs. Rangers vs. Devils vs. Giants vs. Jets.  If you didn’t like any of those teams you’d root for Philly, or the New England teams.  Those who could agree would be best pals.  Those who disagreed would act like mortal enemies and trash talk continuously.  Here in the northwest we’re lucky to have football and baseball period.

I really hope this can turn into some kind of underdog story.  How about an upset of the Saints to get things started next weekend?  2006 wasn’t that long ago.  Stranger things have happened.