Yo! 82?! Superbowl?

[Project Willow]

Here we are on the eve of a match-up between two teams that, I can only imagine, you have some attachment to, yet, not a peep?

I'm confused and concerned. Please do check in.

Superbowl fever has taken over my city. Most of my artist friends, who regularly disdainfully dismiss organized sports, not to mention the legions of obnoxious and often abusive fans who empty their wallets and bladders in our neighborhood on the weekends, have been making quiet confessions to me all week.

They've been following the news coverage, they've been researching the players and defending Richard Sherman, they're re-learning the rules of the sport. They're excited, and they're actually going to watch the game tomorrow, as am I.

C'mon 82, didn't you start an entire thread about football here? What's up with you?

xo,
PW

[82_28]

Oh, I'm here, Willow. This game is a clusterfuck for a Broncos fan in Seattle. While I have been wearing Broncos shit all week, I have been laying low. Should be an epic game. Of course I love my time with the Broncos as being a lifelong fan, but it really doesn't matter to me in the same way those crazy four losses in the big dance meant to me then. I feel Seattle is in that spot. They have something to prove -- the city has something to "prove". A lot of it comes from the old AFC West rivalry that people here refuse to let go of. Meeting in the super bowl/ganja bowl is very strange for me.

The thing, as you brought up about agnostic sports fans here, is that they have way more hype behind them. It's plain stupid this "12th man" shit. Broncos people have been through this seven times. I feel we're more circumspect just because the worst losses in Super Bowl history came at the losing hands of the Broncos.

All in all, I feel the Broncos are more "professional" and much more storied. And the Seahawks are based off of a newfound faith and media blitz. I will make no predictions nor wagers. It will be nice though, to see this city quiet down after a Broncos win. Ah, fuck it. This is the first time I've ever thought favorite team would beat second favorite team in the last six tries.

I wrote this last night concerning a friend and the Super Bowl:

http://www.earlyclues.com/intranet/inde ... bryan-lusk

The Broncos should win handily.

[Project Willow]

Thanks for sharing that article, and I understand. What an unfortunate anniversary. Hope you have some fun today regardless. I'll raise a glass to you if your prediction pans out.

[Project Willow]

[82_28]

You do realize this city is going to be an absolute shitshow, right? Especially down by you! I'm the one hiding behind the couch here, BTW. If the Broncos win I will be (I think) forever in danger when I wear one of my many Broncos garments. They still hate Denver from the AFC days even though, as I've said here and elsewhere, most Seahawks fans football memory only goes back a max of 3 to 5 years.

The sports forums I ply indicate that there is some sort of perceived hatred and arrogance on the part of Broncos fans. I'll tell you what. As I have said above, we've been here before. Of course I want the Broncos to win and I am nervous. But, ultimately indifferent. It has been said that we're using insulting terms in reference to the Seahawks. Sure some are -- Seachickens, Seahens, Seahags, Seafags, etc. But when I moved here in 1999 all of the Seahawks fans referred to them that way. Because they sucked. Just like I use the term "donks" in thick and thin.

This Seahawks shit/12th man is cray cray. Here it's not "yeah, I'm a 'hawks fan", but "I'm part of the 12". In Denver it's just, "yeah, Broncos fan."

I dunno. Should be interesting!

[Project Willow]

Two weeks ago, I watched to last playoff game at the Saloon. It was filled with people I'd never seen before, lots of young men tricked out in their team gear, grunting, gesticulating, and screaming. It was sort of frightening, but a source of interest in itself. I walked home amid the crowds afterward and asked them, "Please don't turn over any cars." They laughed.

The neat thing about the 12th man is it's loudest while the defense is playing, and it's forced the opposing team to make mistakes because they can't hear the play being called.

I'm still adjusting to the shame that I care at all. We're having a combo birthday pot-luck and Super Bowl party at the Saloon. It should be fun whatever happens.

[Project Willow]

I thought it was going to be a competitive game. Sorry 82.

More 12th person factoids...

Crowd noise was an issue. This was a neutral crowd?

The Broncos were supposed to snap on Manning's shouted cadence, but no one up front heard him. As Manning stepped up, center Manny Ramirez heaved the snap past Manning.

"I thought I heard him," Ramirez said.

Running back Knowshon Moreno scrambled to recover the ball just before falling out of the end zone. Seattle had a gimme safety for a 2-0 lead 12 seconds into the game — the quickest score in a Super Bowl.

"It was nobody's fault, not Manny's fault," Manning said. "It was just a noise issue that caused that play to happen."

Seahawks scored 12 seconds into the game, and 12 seconds into the second half.

[Cosmic Cowbell]

The Broncos should win handily.

Sympathies 82-28. The Hawks are poised to repeat if they can keep this crew together and if they continue to compete at the levels they were showing themselves capable of yesterday.

[82_28]

Yeah 82_28 got banned from the official Broncos forum for starting a thread simply called "This takes the cake".

In which he wrote basically the following:

"This takes the cake for the worst loss ever in Broncos history."

Went to log back in and banned/suspended whatever.

That's all I said. I think a lot of other people were suspended there yesterday too. Merely for stating the obvious. Others were asking why and they too got suspended.

Fuck football.

Congrats Seatown. But fuck you too.

[FourthBase]

I feel so happy for Seattle sports fans. They deserved a win. They are the only city in America to really give a shit about soccer, even if it's really about city spirit and not the sport itself, they represent America well to the rest of the soccer-obsessed world. And then there's the unfortunate way the NBA fucked them over re: the Sonics. And now this, what will probably go down as the Championship American Sports Team Most Impacted on the Field by Fan Support. They earned the 12th Man nickname. When I saw the 12:12 Moment of Loudness thing and how both the city's football and baseball stadiums were packed full yesterday, I lol'd. Seattle fans took the cake this year. Denver fans? Meh. Now you sort of know what it felt like to be a Pats fan six years ago, except it was probably less of a last-second painful on-field tragedy for you guys, more like an hours-long firing squad. Reminded me of the way the Bears crushed the Pats 30-odd years ago. I remember those Broncos teams of the 80's, too, felt bad for you all then, even cried myself once as a child when the Skins beat you because I bet my uncle $10 that the Broncos would win.

[InfraGard]

[Project Willow]

Pictures from my window:

[82_28]

Meanwhile the same day same time in downtown Denver with a temperature of -13:



Good times. Wish I could have been there to share.

[82_28]

I remember those Broncos teams of the 80's, too, felt bad for you all then, even cried myself once as a child when the Skins beat you because I bet my uncle $10 that the Broncos would win.

Well, we now can triangulate the exact date and time some 25 years ago we both simultaneously cried. Who can claim that unknowable relationship?

Let it hereby be known that 4th Base and 82_28 were both crying on the date of January 31, 1988.

[The Consul]

I always like Floyd Little and Frank Little, too.