Super Bowl 2014: Every 12th Man’s Dream

Jan 19, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks fans cheer after the 2013 NFC Championship football game against the San Francisco 49ers at CenturyLink Field. The Seahawks defeated the 49ers 23-17 to advance to Super Bowl XLVIII. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

In three days, our Seattle Seahawks will go head-to-head with the Denver Broncos. A matchup America has been waiting for since the season kicked off. The top ranked offense against the number one defense. But most people in the state of Washington aren’t too worried about statistics; for the common 12^th man, this is a second chance at glory. And with most people still clinging to the idea that we were robbed of the Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl XL (and rightly so), 2014 brings new hope that a Seattle sports team will bring home the first championship since 1979. If you are like me, then you have followed every moment of this year’s magnificent playoff run; and loved every second of it. Ever since I can remember, I’ve rooted for the Seahawks, but being a 12^th man has not always been easy: Holmgren’s last year (4-12), Jim Mora’s only year (5-11) and Carroll’s first two years (both 7-9). Yet from the moment Pete Carroll arrived in the Emerald city, we could feel it. Something different was happening at the VMAC, something that had not happened before. It was an approach unlike any we’d ever experienced. For the average Seattleite, it seemed as if our beloved football team would continue on the path of mediocrity. But the organization knew. The staff knew. And the players were starting to believe. From Paul Allen, to John Schneider to Carroll, they just needed time. And after two 7-9 seasons, they’ve finally achieved their goal, to build the best team in football. Now all that’s left is one more game, four more quarters, 60 more minutes, and one shiny trophy.