I stayed up late into the night after my husband went to sleep on Super Bowl Sunday. I surfed the internet and flipped the channels on the TV remote control for any news I could possibly find to help console me. As strange as it may sound, I was grieving the loss suffered by our hometown heroes, the Seattle Seahawks, in Super Bowl 49.
It was heartbreaking! With less than 30 seconds left in the game, Seahawks’ QB Russell Wilson’s pass was intercepted by the New England Patriots’ wide receiver Malcolm Butler on the 1-yard line. The game was over.
Final score: Patriot’s 28, Seahawks 24!
Grieving the Loss
Shock, disbelief and disappointment filled the homes and hearts of the ’12s’, loyal Seahawks fans, across the city, the state, the nation, and the world.
Facebook was filled with posts from friends who were disappointed. Most of them were also filled with gratitude for our team and the amazing season they gave us. Some were quick to jump on the bandwagon of questioning the last call and why the ball was not given to Marshawn Lynch—letting their frustrations out on Facebook. That play and that decision will be debated for years—and probably never forgotten.
I didn’t feel like writing after Sunday’s game like I did two weeks ago, or like I did after last year’s Super Bowl game. I was too numb and in a state of shock. My emotions were also in a bit of a roller coaster. At one point, I even wondered if I was living in some sort of dream. Did that really just happen?
I soon realized I was rapidly experiencing the stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. They are not just stages that we go through over the loss of a loved one. It is what we experience in any type of significant or unexpected loss.
High Hopes for a Victory
I guess I had some pretty high hopes around that game.
Why was that? The Seattle Seahawks have a great team of talented players and coaches. That is for sure. It was also their never give up attitude, their optimism, and how they connected as a team—like a band of brothers. More than that though, it is because this team commanded such a high regard for its fan support (the 12s) and they openly shared about their faith in God.
I’m sad for the Seahawks players. I’m sad for the community.
I’m also incredibly proud of the national spotlight that this team has brought to our city. I’m proud of the sense of unity and passion that has been ignited in our community.
Facing our Failures
Naturally in the post-game interviews, the players were somber. Yet I also saw tremendous courage, dignity, and humility as responsibility was taken for the plays and decisions made in the game.
The Seattle Seahawks are a class act. (Yes, I saw the mini-brawl on the field. Bruce Irvin was quick to apologize to the press and on social media.)
Two weeks ago in the NFC Championship game, the Seahawks stopped the Green Bay Packers from stealing the game and our 12th man joy. On Super Bowl Sunday, it was the New England Patriots who ‘stole’ the game from us with their miraculous interception. (Some might say that it was karma, but I don’t believe in that.) We weren’t cheated out of a victory like in 2006 when the referees made some very questionable calls. This was a fair loss.
Nonetheless, it was deflating; and it robbed the 12s of their much anticipated joy.
What do we do after a defeat of this magnitude? Do we hide and lick our wounds? Or do we stand tall and move forward facing the challenges that surround us?
How we move on with life through the trials and tribulations is what shapes us, defines us, and builds our character. From what I’ve seen of our Seahawks, I believe they will persevere this storm and come back even stronger.
God is Still Good
The Seahawks gave us both the incredible thrill of victory and the painful agony of defeat. And they are still winners who are worthy of our 12th man support, on and off the field. They are leaders and heroes!
Thank you Seattle Seahawks for such an exciting season of football, for playing your hearts out, for bringing pride to our community, and for displaying grace under fire.
Whether we win or lose, God is still good!
Making Me Bold 
Henriet Schapelhouman
/ February 3, 2015Good job. You described my feelings. I shared it on Facebook. I plan to write about it too and look at it from a leader perspective. 🙂
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ardisanelson
/ February 3, 2015Thanks Henriet! I haven’t felt inspired to write much lately, but I felt compelled to put my thoughts and feelings out there in a bigger way than a comment on social media! Thanks for sharing my post! I look forward to seeing your post too! 🙂
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Tania Dunn
/ February 3, 2015Ardis, such a moving article. Your writing is amazing. I can feel the emotion through it all. I too fell into a state of grief over the loss. We have an incredible team and the believers acknowledge God in all they do. It is truly an inspiration to me. I pray for Russell Wilson and the entire team for giving it their all and making us fans truly proud of them. I only wish they could read this
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ardisanelson
/ February 3, 2015Tania, Thank you for the compliment on my writing. I’m glad to hear you could relate to my post and shared the same feelings. I’m also glad to be ‘over the grief’ and have accepted what happened. I feel for the players who have to live with it more directly. I imagine that as professionals they learn to bounce back. They have modeled such passion, drive, and grace under pressure. That is what I want other NFL fans to remember about our team! Win or lose, they have our support!
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Alex Mosley
/ December 4, 2022Great reading thhis
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