But, before we get to the rally, let's check out the local weather with Q13's own M.J. McDermott. Not only is she a keen meteorologist, she's also a discerning and very particular patron of the visual arts, aka photography. Yes, very accomplished and a woman with impeccable taste in fine art.
But first, let's check the weather this morning.
And now, let's see what the weather will be like for the NFC Championship Game between the Green Bay Packers and the Super Bowl XLVIII Champion Seattle Seahawks.
Uh-huh. Sounds about normal.
And from this wet forecast, we can segue into the really important stuff . . .
. . . The 'Viewer Photo' segment of the morning weather report of Q13 News and who's photo was featured today?
Smilin' Jack's Photo!!
aka 'From Jack in Seattle'
"And, look, down here. I love how he captured the trees lit up in the Seahawks colors!"
"I have to be honest folks, in all my many years of doing the weather and featuring photographs from folks around Seattle, I've NEVER seen a photographer as talented as this "Jack in Seattle" guy is."
"Don't you agree, Adam?"
"Why, yes, M.J. This fellow is one fine photographer. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could get him to be a regular on our show?"
True story!! That's exactly what they said!!
Hahahaha, I wish!
Well, a boy can dream, can't he?
Let's get to the more important things . . . the Big Game this coming Sunday. How big is it? Big enough that the coverage will begin at 0600 on Gameday!!
So important that Pete Carroll argued for a start time of 1200 . . . and got it!!
Now why would he argue for that? Hahahaha, for The 12!!
Fun Facts: Seattle's fans are known as the loudest in the NFL, so much so that the league instituted a noise rule in 1985. Despite the rule, the 12th Man continued the tradition, giving the Seahawks a home field advantage that continues to this day.
The Seattle fans had such an impact on the success of the team in the 80s, that Seahawks President Mike McCormack retired the number 12 jersey on December 15, 1984 forever. A tribute to the best, and loudest, fans in the NFL.
WE ARE 12!!
And so off we went on this cloudy morning, heading downtown to the SeaHawks Blue Friday Rally in Westlake Park.
But, first, we've got to catch the Link. And that takes us past the Victory Grocery. It was here, on New Year's Day, that a young man was shot to death in a senseless and stupid drive-by shooting.
Here's the Memorial put up to remember the young man. Kind of a shame, really, that this represents the sum total, in a fashion, of this young man's life.
A terrible waste.
But the hard truth is, life goes on and things keep on happening. Like the game. And the Link!!
Hahahaha, Love. The. Zoom.
And I am having a lot of fun with it. It's not pretty, but I do like it.
And, after all, I shoot what interests me. Hahaha, and this interests me.
And, since my run in with Ol' John Law, I'm making it a point to exercise my First Amendment Right and shooting the Link every chance I get. Hahaha, I know, I'm uber petty but it helps me resolve the residual anger and feeling of impotence I've felt.
Hahaha, and like I've said, I'm petty!!
The weather was, well, cool. But it didn't rain. And, while we were downtown, it was pretty much clear. Hahaha, the weather has been amazing the last year.
It was not an easy trip. To begin, the Link was late. It was really late, like 10-15 minutes late.
Then, and this is comical now but at the moment it was irritating and confusing, we see the Link a-coming down the line except . . . it's on the wrong line!! The Link was coming up the down track. Hahaha, we were on one side of the station and the Link was on the other.
WTH!?!?!
So he pulls in and we're all, everyone on the platform, sorta looking at each other and then the Link and wondering what what's happening and what are we suppose to do.
Carol and I started walking towards the end of the station when the driver comes over his loudspeaker and says there has been an accident and they're having to run on the other track.
OK, so we begin walking real fast to get to the end of the platform, cross the tracks and come back up the other side. And as we're doing it, everyone, everyone else jumps down and crosses the tracks where it says, DO NOT CROSS.
We make the end and start back up and see everyone breaking the law and getting on the Link and so we start running, and by running I mean moving at a more rapid pace than we were previously. Hahaha, it must have been comical to see.
Anyway, we're maybe 20 or so feet away from the open doors when, to our surprise and our immense chagrin, the doors closed and that &!#&@% started pulling away. And we're standing there on the platform.
I made a rude gesture in the direction of the driver and said a few mean-spirited things about his ancestry, among other things. So, there we are, two lost waifs standing alone on the platform, except for a homeless guy who, to his great credit made an attempt to keep the doors open for us and then joined me in speculating about the driver's heritage and his obvious lack of intelligence.
Then fate steps in and gives Ol' Jackie a helping hand. The traffic light at the end of the platform in the direction he's going is . . . red!! Hahaha, he's gotta stop!! I really enjoyed this small bit of irony but I was really thinking that Karma was giving me another undeserved kick in the pants. Hahaha, paranoid much?
So we're standing there with the Link maybe 80-100 feet ahead of us and, wonder of wonders, while he was stopped, the doors opened.
Wha . . . !?!
And we began running, sort of, again.
We made it. We were on the Link and, after we had boarded, the doors closed. I mentally apologized for my previous boorishness but, c'mon, that was a really chickenshot move, right?
And that wasn't the end, there were several more delays and aggravations but, very late, we finally arrived!!
Yay!! Let's go, SeaHawks, let's go!!
We joined the crowd moving to Westlake Park.
And, as we came up, we could see that the fun was already a-funnin'.
First off, there's lots of free stuff given away at these rallies . . . to those early enough to get them. Evidently, and I'm making a real wild guess here, one of the things given away today were these 12 flags. At least every single person in front of me had one . . . or two of them.
I know, gripe, gripe, gripe.
And there he was!!
Blitz!!
There's the DJ. He's the same guy that was the DJ at the Rally in Renton and here he was again, doing the same thing. I know the SeaHawks were hosting this, is it possible the Seahawks have their own DJ? What a sweet job this would be, eh?
We were getting oriented and trying to figure out where to stand when Carol cut to the chase and said let's go stand in the middle there.
And so we did.
P.S. Carol was watching pre-game coverage on Q13 this morning, 1/18/15, and they featured this guy. His name is Toby Fresh, he's the Official DJ of the SeaHawks! Hand-picked by Pete Carroll hisself!!
This is some big deal!!
This is the first of three interviews we saw being filmed. There were crowds of people there for the rally and all around the city for the game on Sunday. The media is gonna be all over this one.
Packers vs. SeaHawks
Can't get much better!!
This is the second time I've seen this guy and he was doing the same thing both times. I do know his name is Ken and, from the little I've been able to gather, he's a sports talk show host. Well, he's good at this, too.
They were having contests. These guys were winning something.
All the Stars were there!!
So we began sidling through the crowd . . . from the rear working our way towards the front.
And while we were sidling, we passed this SeaHawk Warrior!!
Hahaha, he's ready, that's for sure.
We Are 12!!
As the rally progressed, we continued to move, slowly, closer to the stage.
There's the modern version of the jungle gym. It had a bunch of little people all over it.
Up there, on the deck to the right, some folks are watching the goings-on at the rally.
The 12 is everywhere!!
And they start them young round these here parts. Hahaha, this madness will never end.
Now this guy was part of the entertainment. He came on after a couple of guys in a group named Barbershop . . . a rap group. They did, mercifully, only a couple of songs(?). Then this guy came on and did a couple jokes (?) and, finally, thankfully, went away.
Oh, and they were all loud.
The 12 are everywhere.
And the Drum Line from Blue Thunder was there. Same guys as at the Renton Rally. Hmmmm, I'm sensing a pattern here.
This is Chopper 7, Your Eyewitness News Eye in the Sky!!
This whole game is big news and even bigger money!!
Hahaha, I got a lot of shots like this today. A lot. Funny, I never thought of myself as short but it seems I'm shrinking. Either that or I have had the distinct bad luck of always finding tall people to stand behind.
I only used one of the many shots like this to give you an idea of what was happening. Folks were loud and, apparently, willing to lift their arms and wave their flags around on the smallest of excuses.
Oh, yeah, the SeaGals made an appearance, too.
Deja vu' all over again. I swear!! This guy was at the Renton Rally and carrying the same flag around. Man, this is getting weird!!
So Ken was the entertainment part of the day and at 1200, the official rally began with Steve Raible.
Fun Facts: Steve is the weeknight news anchor for Kiro 7 and the lead play-by-play radio commentator for the Super Bowl Champion Seattle Seahawks. He was a member of the original Seattle Seahawks as a second round selection in the 1976 NFL Draft. He played wide receiver for six seasons, from 1976 to 1981,
That's Steve on the left, there and, on the right is . . .
. . . Hall of Famer, Warren Moon!!
Hahaha, how cool is that!?! Moon is the color commentator for the Seahawks radio network working along with Steve Raible.
Trivia Time: Moon played for four NFL teams in his Hall-of-Fame career. Name the teams he played for.
The crowd was enthusiastic. And very loud.
Answer to Trivia Time: During his storied career, Moon quarterbacked for the Houston Oilers, Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks and the Kansas City Chiefs.
And, just like the Renton Rally, they had a plane pulling a 12 banner around and around.
Here's Nate Burleson.
Fun Facts: Burleson played for his home-town of Seattle from 2006 to 2009, four seasons. He also played for the Vikings and the Lions. His career pretty much ended when he was injured in a one-car accident. Cause of the accident? He was trying to catch his pizza before it fell off his seat.
Funny way for a receiver to end his career. Nate was sponsored by DiGiorno Pizza after his car accident where he lost control of his car trying to save a pizza. Hahahahaha and ha.
After signing with the Lions, Burleson gave himself two nicknames; 'Touchdown' Burleson and 'Recepticon' keeping with the Transformers-themed nickname 'Megatron' given to his fellow receiver, Calvin Johnson.
The things you see when you're a shorty in a large crowd of abnormally tall Super Bowl Champion Seattle Seahawks Fans.
Next up at the rally was Jordan Babineaux.
Fun Facts: Babineaux was signed by the Super Bowl Champion Seattle Seahawks as an underrated free agent in 2004 out of Souther Arkansas University.
His claims to fame was his tackle of Tony Romo on a 4th down scramble just short of the first-down marker after Romo fumbled the snap for what should have been the game-winning field goal for the Cowpokes. And he also intercepted a Drew Bledsoe pass against the Cowpokes in '05 with 3 seconds remaining, allowing the 'Hawks to get a game-winning field goal as time expired.
His nickname? It was, appropriately enough, 'Big Play Babs'. One of the SeaHawks' formations, the 'Nickel Babs', is named after him. He played with the 'Hawks from 2004 to 2010.
This might have been the best way to get a good picture of what was happening on the stage.
They had a contest for the best sign from those in the crowd and these guys won . . . two tickets to the game.
Ratz!! If only I had known.
One of the losers. Even Blitz is wondering at this one.
They won!! The burn is, they already have tickets!!
eBay, anyone?
Then Ken, I'm sure he has a last name but I've searched and, doggone it, I just can't find that Bad Boy, and Blitz read out a poem written by one of the 'Hawks loyal and loving fans.
Green Bay Eggs and Kam
"I am Kam. Kam I am."
"I will beat them with a sink.
I will beat them at the Clink.
I will beat them here or there;
I will beat them anywhere!"
After this, Ken got everyone at the rally to pledge to not eat any cheese until after the Big Game on Sunday.
And since things were winding down, they brought out the Blue Thunder Drum Line and the SeaGals again.
My name is Blitz and I approve this dance.
Gooooooo, 'Hawks!!
Suddenly there was a big blast of smoke . . .
. . . and when it cleared, everyone was gone!!
Whoa, dude!!
And we, well, we decided to take refuge against the fence around the platform for the media cameras until the biggest part of the crowd sorta moved on.
And we took one from the other way, as well.
And there was a semi-big crowd there. All wearing some pricey Super Bowl Champion Seattle SeaHawks related clothing.
Hmmmmm, no Packers. I wonder why? Hahaha, the Ken guy did lead a chant of, 'No Cheese' with the crowd. That might account for it a little bit.
There were some wacky costumes(?) there. Some of these folks put a lot of time, money and thought into what they'd wear today.
But it's cool. The whole city is getting decked out and the biggest theme is 12.
But for us, it was time to find a place to sit and knock down a couple of SeaHawks Tuna Fish Sammies. Hahaha, I don't know why those sammies were given a 'Hawks theme. I'm just getting caught up in all the excitement, I guess.
Lookin' good, Carol Anne!!
This is the line for the Bartell Drug Store booth. No, I don't think they were giving drugs away. I think they were the ones with the wheel that you could spin and win some instant prize and they were letting people enter for a drawing . . . probably for a couple tickets to the game.
And folks were still rooting and taking pictures of some of the outrageous outfits.
And they had two babies with them. Two!!
We Are 12!!
Hahaha, the 12s are a wild and wooly bunch . . . but very polite, again. Folks were pretty much on their best behavior just like at last week's rally.
The Bartell's line. Hahaha, yeah, let's go stand in line.
This fan even got a costume for his kitty . . . which he brought with him. Take a gander at his left shoulder . . . after you finish looking at his legs, that is.
Hahahahaha, c'mon, Man!! Really!?!
Gosh, I wonder if someone was taking a picture of . . . no, wait!! He was checking this guy's license. Just one of the City Tax Collectors out making sure the vendors are all licensed and giving the city its fair share of the take for the day.
I did notice that a lot of the vendors were picking up their tables and moving out . . . even before the crowd had fully departed. Hmmmm, wonder why?
Hahaha, OK, it was a semi-beautiful day and so, after the rally, I turned my camera to the city around me. Can you imagine what it must have been like to visualize this building and then make it so?
Or this one? Every thing has to have a purpose and a reason. A lot of thought and dreams went into making this baby.
But we were now on a mission . . . to get some shampoo for Carol! There's a particular kind that she likes and so we were off to Sally's to get her some. This McDonald's is on the corner of 3rd and Pine and is one of the busiest Mickey D's I've ever seen!!
Unfortunately, it's also close to the Park and where all the Valued Homeless like to hang out so it gets a lot of traffic from those Fine Folks. Hahaha, you need a code to get into the restroom and they had, while I was there, a rather large fellow out in the dining area wiping tables and policing the Valued Homeless. He came up to one Fine Fellow and rapped sharply on the table to wake him up and remind him no sleeping was allowed in the restaurant.
Oh, BTW, this is the only McDonald's I've ever seen to have a stand for hand-wipes, you know, those little sheets that you can use to disinfect your hands with.
Hmmmnn, good idea, Mickey D's. Good idea.
The street. People are arriving daily for the Big Game on Sunday. Things were really hopping down around the Pike Place Market.
Which was, since Sally's was a bust, where we were headed next.
Hahahaha, the game was afoot!!
And speaking of feet, I like this shot. In the old downtown area they've marked all the streets with their names embedded into the corners of the sidewalks.
Semi-cool, eh?
And combining my affection for reflections and puddles, I got this shot. There's something there and I'm a gonna find it, by golly.
Bear with me.
Hahaha, I forget that there are sooooo many people that live downtown. And they need the ordinary conveniences like a supermarket and so on.
I was really surprised to see this, an underground supermarket there on 3rd Avenue.
Whoa, what's that!?!
Hahahaha, another puddle, Brah!!
And I sorta got caught up with the street names thingie.
Can you see a theme here?
Hahahaha, so can I but that ain't gonna stop me, nosireee!!
Next up was a quick stop at the City Target . . . just a couple blocks from the Pike Place Market.
Fun Facts: The Pike Place Market is home to nearly 500 residents who live in 8 different buildings throughout the Market. The Market is run by the quasi-government Pike Place Market Preservation and Development Authority.
This Market has over 10 Million visitors annually.
Whaaaa . . . !?!
The Target was a bust but there was this place over on 1st Avenue that might, possibly, maybe, could sorta have what we want . . . and we're off!!
Hahahaha, even the Corner Market has the fever!!
Fun Facts: Completed in 1912, five years after the Pike Place Market opened, the Corner Market Building is set like a keystone at the head of its landmark block. The architect, Seattle's Harlan Thomas, wrapped elegance around the corner with contrasting brickwork, generous arching windows along the top floor, and, at the sidewalk, they had open stalls for selling mostly fresh foodstuffs.
Today those stalls are mostly trendy little shops and restaurants.
Whoa!! A kick-butt blue sky and a polarizer!! Potent combination, eh? For someone with such a fear of heights, I do seem to like taking pictures of tall buildings.
Go figure.
I've always liked this corner at 1st and Pine. That's a great touch, that Space Needle on the corner of the building.
Hahaha, they love the 'Hawks but they, obviously, love making a buck, too!!
Or is it a trap, eh!?!
Hahahaha, maybe!!
Even the cranes are rootin' for the 'Hawks!!
We Are 12!!
This is our Seattle, liberal bastion of all that is absurd and tastefully offensive. It's a good thing they have a couple of conservatives around to sorta act like the adult and keep these guys in check.
Inside a tony little beauty salon along 1st Avenue.
A swing and . . . another miss.
So we went to a little shoppe along Pine where I got this shot of the reflections of the street on the door of the shoppe.
Yes, Virginia, there is an inn.
I don't know why, but I do like taking me some pictures of this sign. And I promise that, someday, I will really go down and have lunch at the cafe there.
I couldn't find out when it was built just that it is a century old building. I did, however, find this gem. That's the building on the left and the caption mentioned it's long Skid Road history.
And to illustrate that, they have this picture of a guy fishing on a skiff in the road. Oh, those wacky old folks back then!!
A detail of the columns used for the street lights.
Here we go again. Windows and Reflections.
Yet another shop we stopped in. We did us some hunting today . . . and had a good time, too. It was sorta like a scavenger hunt where you get a new clue at each place you visit leading you to the next stop in the hunt.
We did find two of the things we were looking for. Just two.
Inside the shop, they had this . . . interesting work of art. There's a reason but I haven't figured it out yet.
You know, photography is simply painting with light. It's a kick, too. I enjoy the way the light plays in most everything I see . . . like this old building, part of the Moore Theater.
Fun Facts: The Moore was a lavish social venue for the Gilded Age elite of early 20th-century Seattle. The Moore Theater and the adjoining Moore Hotel were designed partly to accommodate and entertain tourists visiting the 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition; the Moore opened in time for the originally planned date of the Exposition in 1907.
The Moore is a 1,419-seat performing arts venue. It's the oldest still active theater in Seattle.
And, just cuz I like it, here's Bergman Luggage, again. If you look at an earlier blog, you'll see some other shots of it from a different angle. Kinda cool, eh?
We had to make a quick pit stop in the McDonald's at 3rd and Pine. It may be a Valued Homeless Haven, but it's also in Seattle and so . . .
Gooooooo, 'Hawks!!
These signs were plastered all over the windows of the restaurant.
Even the soda stand was getting in on the fun!!
Hahaha, a bus sign . . . alternating between the 'Hawks and its destination.
Gooooooo, 'Hawks!!
Inside the concrete canyons of Seattle. And a blue sky. Woo, woo!!
Whoa, here comes the Monorail.
Windows. Reflections.
'Nuff said.
WE ARE 12!!
Gooooooo, 'Hawks!!
We had a good time. I think we always do when we go downtown. It was fun to get involved in all the silliness of rooting for the 'Hawks. Oh, I know, it's big money and for some it's VERY important but for us, Carol and I, it's just a lot of fun to come out and chant 'Hawks every so often.
Plus, we had a good time combing the city on our scavenger hunt. Getting the two wasn't that bad when you figure in we got to get around and see so much of the city.
And, oddly enough, the Hunt took us right back to our starting point, Westlake Park.
Kismet!!
Hahahaha, life is good.
Hooah!!
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