Smilin' Jack: Let's Go, SeaHawks!!

Or - You can lead the Broncos to water and then you can kick their butt!!

Super Bowl, Deuxieme Partie.

That's what it boiled down to. After a humbling loss to the San Diego Chargers last week the Seattle Seahawks had to get their MoJo back AND prove that the thumping they gave to the Broncos in the Super Bowl was for real.

It was.

But, I'm ahead of myself. We haven't even gotten on the Link yet to go down to the Stadium. As always, we had to first walk to the Othello Station.

And I was so eager to get to the CenturyLink Field, or, as we cool kids call it, The Clink, that I kinda pushed through without getting too many pictures.

Hahaha, rest easy. I did get a couple, though.

And I guess these are the official flags of Othello, the mythical Kingdom between GangStaLand and the 'Hood. The only redeeming thing I can say about my neighborhood is that it isn't, thank goodness, Chicago.

The neat thing is that there are people working in volunteer groups who are trying, desperately, to put some lipstick on this particular pig. I appreciate their hard work.

But we were on our way to the Clink for the game today!!

So let's start it with a...

Seahawk Game Day Selfie!!

Carol's got her 'Hawks on and I've got my brand-new Seahawk Cap!!

We got our Seahawk Shirts on and we're feeling Good 'N Blue!!

Gooooo, Seahawks!!

Let's go, SeaHawks!!

And here's our Magic Carpet ride to the game.

I'm gonna try and document (makes it sound all cool and official if I say "document") what new business The Link is currently advertising on their trains. This one isn't too good a picture but you can sorta see they are shilling the Little Creek Casino and Resort.

I thought we'd get off at Sodo Station, one down from the Stadium Station, and walk up to The Clink. Give us a chance to see what's what and explore another project I'm thinking of. I'm interested in shooting the graffiti painted on the walls along the link rails.

Something I'm thinking of. We'll see.

It was a good idea...it didn't pan out.

Here's the old rail route for the 'real' trains. Haha, could use a little spic 'n spanning. But you can see some of the graffiti I was talking about a bit further along the line there.

We got beyond the tracks and turned right heading toward the stadium.

Ah, Americana...could be AnyTown, America. We'd already passed a McDonald's, Arby's and, eventually, we'll pass a Jack-In-The-Box, and assorted offices, shops and the Post Office.

Hahaha, I had already begun regretting my decision a couple blocks ago.

But, you know, you see things you never would have had you not gotten lost...or, as so happens a lot in my case, made a bad decision.

Fried Chicken AND Tacos!!! Mmmmmm...

We did get to see some graffiti...not quite what I was looking for.

I don't know...what does it say?

Well, they're #1 whoever or whatever they are.

Then we passed some tailgaters. It wasn't as classy or as flashy as it was when we came to the play-off games. Those folks were semi-pro.

These guys are making the effort but...lacking the sparkle, the pizzazz!!

Still, you have to admire their dedication. I mean, they painted up their Tail-Gate Truck in Seahawk colors and logos. And they clean up after themselves, too.

Taking out the trash!!

Really...dedicated.

Don't ask me, I don't know. But, there it was.

Inflatable Seahawks.

My gosh, you can only imagine the parties these people must throw. What do they do at them!?!?!

Dedicated.

A lot of folks were getting lubricated for the game. There is always a lot of beer consumed...a lot of beer...and meat. Red meat.

Mmmmmmm...

OK, I 'm assuming, but I figure, from the way these fine fellows are dressed, so classy and all, that they're going to be driven the half-mile to the stadium in that stretch limousine behind them.

That's why the stretch is there. It all makes sense.

We're still walking...there's Jack!! And there's the infamous Event Parking!! These bandits have dropped their prices since the game with Green Bay. There were places that were charging over $100 for parking on that day.

This one is hard to read but they're only asking $30 to park for the game. That sounds ridiculously expensive just to park your car in the company parking lot. However, when I think about it, that the car could be there around 5 hours and then I divide $30 by 5 hours and come up with $6 an hour it doesn't seem so unreasonable. Slightly.

I really hate paying for parking. I know, I'm paying for the convenience. Still, I hate paying for parking.

This Dynamic Duo made sure everyone knew exactly where they were. They wuz LOUD!!

They were shouting,

SEA.........HAWK!!!

over and over and over and over...

Too much lubrication if you ask me.

Also, fans seem to feel that if they're dressed up and heading to a game they can shout as loud and as often as they want and it is OK. We had several other instances of folks dressed up like SuperFans shouting and carrying on. All friendly and cordial but loud.

Uh, oh...the closer we got the higher the price of parking went.

Funny aside, there was a report on the evening news about guys charging cars to park on the public streets...and people were paying!!

And higher and higher.

To the credit of these bandits, it appeared, from what we saw, that $40 was the highest they went.

We were about 30 minutes from kick-off and the woman changed the sign from $40 to $30 for the two or three sites they had left. The lot looked full to me.

And we walked through this as we went under the overpass. There were a number of the Valued Homeless, all Vets no doubt, having fun in their camp-out. I glanced in one tent and I swear, there was a Big Bear Doll in there that was 3 to 4-feet tall!! And there was a painting leaning up against one of those folding camp chairs. They had a gas camp stove going and were heating up some food.

And having a good ol' time.

It was OK if you made sure to watch where you stepped. Wouldn't want to trip over the discarded underwear and other garments strewn about the sidewalk. And listening to one Good Man yelling about going to jail and he didn't care and...

We made it past the Valued Homeless and kept on trucking. The crowds were growing in size as we neared the Clink.

Here's some fans in line to enter.

Ah, Modern Times.

Used to be you'd show your ticket and go in.

Hahahaha, no more.

Those folks with their hands raised? They're not cheering, oh, no. They're getting wanded. Oh, and better have anything you're carrying in a transparent bag or else...

What do I care? I don't have a ticket and, honestly, I couldn't afford one. One of the scalpers asked me if I wanted some tickets and I said, "Yeah, but I probably can't afford them."

He didn't say another word, just turned and went away.

Hahahahaha, he didn't even bother to tell me how much he wanted because as soon as I mentioned cost he knew I wouldn't buy any.

And he'd be right!!

Surprisingly, there were a goodly number of Bronco fans there to watch their team lose. Like these guys talking to a die-hard Seahawk fan.

Seahawks, and Seahawks and Seahawks...

Hahahaha, yeah, I'll buy that. It is a Seattle Sunday Tradition.

The crowd wasn't as electric, as energized, as it was during the play-offs nor even during the first game of this new season. Things are settling down, I think, and folks are getting used to having a team that wins, consistently. But they are still wanting to show their colors. We even have a 'Blue Friday' in Seattle where everyone is encouraged to wear blue to show their support.

More lines to get in. Using the wands. Wonder why these guys don't have gloves? What happens if the wand alarms? Don't they have to have secondary screening or do they just ask if there is anything in there that's dangerous.

Guard: "Uh, the alarm is going off. You got something in there that could be dangerous?"

Terrorist: "Oh, no sir. Nothing in that pocket is dangerous."

Guard, smiling: "OK, then. Have a good time and be safe."

Well, you can say, like the TSA, they're making an effort.

The crowd, Boss!! The crowd!!

We could hear the roars of the crowd inside the stadium and there were still huge crowds of folks outside. Right here it's about 10-15 minutes until kick-off.

See the Seattle Team Shop on the left, there? Well we went in there on our, so far, futile quest to find a Seahawk Rubber Ducky.

And, here we are. One thing you're immediately aware of is that, like most of the older businesses in Seattle, this store doesn't have a very good cooling system inside.

It were hot!!

And they were still out of the Seahawk Rubber Duckies.

It looked like they still had the same number of Mariner Rubber Duckies that we saw the last time we were there...

Hmmmmm, maybe that's why there are no Seahawk Rubber Duckies for sale.

You only go there if you've got some Big Bucks to spend!!

The crowds...

And the Balloon Helmet Guy.

He makes 'em and sells 'em.

Then this guy...we think he was working...you know, drumming up business because we followed him, out of curiosity, into a fenced off area and figured out it was a Beer Garden. See the sign to his right?

D-uh!! Don't take me long to add up 2 and 2 and get 5.

It's too hot, man. I'm gonna get me one of those beers.

Seattle Seahawk Selfie...er, Twelfie!!

This is the second time we saw this...and the first time we got our picture together in it.

Next time I'll make sure the camera isn't zoomed before I let the Twelfie Guy take our picture. Hahaha, I can't tell you how many Selfies I've had to do over because I'd forgotten the camera was zoomed in. Plenty.

And the good folks come out each game day to warn the wicked...I admire that kind of devotion.

Then we were in the front of the stadium, near the main entrance, when there were several loud explosions!!

Fireworks!!

I saw them reflected in the Blue Apartment Building and tried to get my camera up for the shot but...ended up with this one where the building shows the reflected smoke of the fireworks after they exploded in the air.

They do it up right for the Seahawks.

And the noise from the crowd was growing louder and louder.

See the sign advertising the apartments? "12 Apartment Living"

Giant Seahawk Helmet Selfie!!

Who wouldn't pose in front of a giant Seahawk helmet, right!?! It was there, we were there, it all worked out. And I had the extension on the camera for the Selfies. Thank goodness.

We were heading down the home stretch to kick-off and our heading back to watch the game at the VFW. It was right about now, as the fireworks were going off and the game getting started that I began to hear the absolute ROAR of the crowd.

Seattle has the current World Record for the Loudest Stadium...here, read the Guiness World Record entry for yourself...

"The loudest crowd roar at a sports stadium is 137.6 dbA and was achieved by fans of the Seattle Seahawks, aka '"Volume 12 - The Seahawks 12th Man"' (USA), at Centurylink Stadium in Seattle, Washington, USA, on 2 December 2013.

The record was achieved with 12 mins 29 secs left to play in the second quarter during a 3rd down Seahawks defensive stand."

I can't even imagine how loud that must have been because they weren't trying to set any records today and, even outside the stadium, it was LOUD.

I don't think I could watch the game in the stadium if that level of noise going on for most the game. I'd need to bring ear plugs.

In forty to fifty years, aside from having a lot of old people with some really ugly tattoos sagging down everywhere, you're going to have a lot of old people walking around going, "Eh? What'd you say, Sonny?" A lot of deaf, old people coming up, folks.

I'm jes sayin'...

I can't imagine being a player on the field with that kind of adulation and attention washing over you just for coming out of the locker room. These people were really making some noise. It was right about now they had the kick-off.

There was a might roar!!

People pay for a seat and then stand. Another reason I don't mind not going to the actual game.

A lot of blue, a lot of 12s and a lot of noise.

The security team doing a debrief, I guess.

"OK, I'm just saying it's my turn to get the Mylar Seahawk Football. You guys can have the other balloons."

Aw, man. I wanted that one!!

What an experience, to go to a game in Seattle.

It was time for us to head back and we went to the International/Chinatown Link Station. To get there, we had to walk over the Amtrak Rails. There's where we caught the train to Portland.

Pretty soon we were over to the other side, behind Union Station and entering the International/Chinatown Link Station. You can get a glimpse of the Chinese Pagoda structure over King Street as you enter Chinatown.

We rode the Subway Link back to Othello.

Reflected Window Selfie!!

It's a sickness, I know. But fun.

Then, as we were walking down Renton Avenue, we passed the vacant lot next to the barber shop and I stopped to get a picture of some berries. I did, but then we saw these disgusting things.

Challenge accepted.

I came, I saw, I shot, I shuddered.

Seriously, disgusting.

I think they're all the same species...Orb Weavers.

They pretty much all had that same box on the underside of their thorax.

Disgusting.

If one of them landed on me I'd scream like a little girl and I know you have never expected to see me run again, ever, but I would!! Oh how I would run!!

Roll me over, in the clover

I did not know this. Roll me over is a very dirty song.

Now this is number one, and the fun has just begun

Roll me over, lay me down and do it again

Roll me over, in the clover

Roll me over, lay me down and do it again.

It quickly goes downhill from these humble beginnings.

It was a popular ditty during WWII and sometimes they substituted Yankee Soldier, in the refrains for in the clover. Oh, those GIs, they were a silly lot.

Anyway, I shall think twice before I start singing that song again. But the clover is still fun to shoot.

VFW Parking Lot Selfie!!

So we made it to the VFW in time for the second half.

And found they had a kinda pot-luck thing going on. Carol got a cupcake. I know she enjoyed it, but I think she got it more for the Seahawk Ring sitting on top of it because she cleaned the ring off and wore it the rest of the game.

Gooooo, 'Hawks!!