Last week at this time I was looking forward to Super Bowl XLIX , anticipating my team, the Seattle Seahawks would win the grand trophy for the second year in a row, but it wasn't meant to be. The Hawks lost to the Patriots 28 - 24 .
In the last minutes of the game when it seemed certain the Hawks would have victory, and every 12th Man was loudly cheering, the tide quickly turned when the Pats intercepted a Russell Wilson pass. Hope for a back to back Super Bowl win was shattered. Fans were stunned, shocked. It took a moment to register what just happend. So close to the goal, why a pass? Why not feed the beast, and give the ball to Lynch to run across ?
Coach Pete Carroll took responsiblity for the call , but I can't help but wonder if the call had been different , if it was for Lynch to carry the ball across the goal line , the Hawks might have won. We'll never know for sure how it would have played out. We can only imagine. My guess is, if Coach Carroll would have called the hand off to Lynch , the Seahawks would be Super Bowl Champs!
Just before kick off my husband admonished me to control my emotions, saying I should keep things in stride, and not get too excited one way or the other, "After all, it's just a game", he told me. Well, I surely tried, but without much success. But it wasn't just me, for all Gary's talk about staying calm, he got pretty excited himself shouting out to the players as though they could hear him through the TV screen. He even woke me up in the middle of the night to relive the game, and question Carroll's final call. Hmm. Just a game ? Yeah, right. Okay, honey. Now go back to sleep.
The next day I reflected on how Americans like a team to cheer , someone to root for, a worthy champion we can look up to and carry us to a different place, if even for a brief moment. We wear their colors. When lofty and true, it is a good thing. It brings identification, connection and camaraderie. I read Super Bowl XLIX was the most watched in television history. While we cheered different teams, it was good so many of us were united around one single national American event.. we shared common ground. I was also inspired , uplifted in what Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson tweeted after the loss:
"Thank you God for the opportunity . I will never waiver who He calls me to be,"
"At 26 years old I won't allow one play or one moment define my career. I will keep evolving"
" Every set back has a major comeback"
While Russell Wilson didn't hand his fans another Super Bowl victory, he did give us something to cheer, perhaps even more valuable - an example of perseverance, positive attitude and faith. Keep on keeping on, even when things don't go your way.
In the last minutes of the game when it seemed certain the Hawks would have victory, and every 12th Man was loudly cheering, the tide quickly turned when the Pats intercepted a Russell Wilson pass. Hope for a back to back Super Bowl win was shattered. Fans were stunned, shocked. It took a moment to register what just happend. So close to the goal, why a pass? Why not feed the beast, and give the ball to Lynch to run across ?
Coach Pete Carroll took responsiblity for the call , but I can't help but wonder if the call had been different , if it was for Lynch to carry the ball across the goal line , the Hawks might have won. We'll never know for sure how it would have played out. We can only imagine. My guess is, if Coach Carroll would have called the hand off to Lynch , the Seahawks would be Super Bowl Champs!
Just before kick off my husband admonished me to control my emotions, saying I should keep things in stride, and not get too excited one way or the other, "After all, it's just a game", he told me. Well, I surely tried, but without much success. But it wasn't just me, for all Gary's talk about staying calm, he got pretty excited himself shouting out to the players as though they could hear him through the TV screen. He even woke me up in the middle of the night to relive the game, and question Carroll's final call. Hmm. Just a game ? Yeah, right. Okay, honey. Now go back to sleep.
The next day I reflected on how Americans like a team to cheer , someone to root for, a worthy champion we can look up to and carry us to a different place, if even for a brief moment. We wear their colors. When lofty and true, it is a good thing. It brings identification, connection and camaraderie. I read Super Bowl XLIX was the most watched in television history. While we cheered different teams, it was good so many of us were united around one single national American event.. we shared common ground. I was also inspired , uplifted in what Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson tweeted after the loss:
"Thank you God for the opportunity . I will never waiver who He calls me to be,"
"At 26 years old I won't allow one play or one moment define my career. I will keep evolving"
" Every set back has a major comeback"
While Russell Wilson didn't hand his fans another Super Bowl victory, he did give us something to cheer, perhaps even more valuable - an example of perseverance, positive attitude and faith. Keep on keeping on, even when things don't go your way.
