I'm kind of a sports fanatic. I grew up with parents who were really into sports, in fact I have vivid memories of my Mom making her own brackets for high school and college basketball championships, my Dad rambling off player stats like it was nothing, and football being just as sacred as church on Sundays. I was raised to be a fan of the Vikings, Twins, and Gophers...with a smattering of North Stars, Timberwolves, Lynx, and Wild here and there. I have screamed until I was horse at these teams both in person and from my living room, in support of their efforts, both winning, and more often times, losing. It's not always an easy road, but it is one I love to be on...no matter the event, whether I'm a participant or spectator, I love to be around the passion and energy that accompanies sport.
Ten years ago, I married another sports fanatic. When we met, his experiences with professional fandom were much like mine...lots of disappointments with a few high points along the way. Now, as a good wife, over the past 10 years I have done my fair share of cheering for "his" Seattle teams. I shared his disappointment in 2005 when the Seahawks lost to the Steelers in Super Bowl XL. I reveled in the victories of the Seattle Storm in 2004 and 2010, and of course I road his fan coattails all the way to the Super Bowl victory last year, and it was sweet. You may call me "band wagon" or "fair weather" if you want...but I supported those teams as if they were my own, through thick and thin (except of course when they were playing Minnesota teams). But this weekend, during the NFC Championship, with the Seahawks down 19-7 and 3 minutes left to go in the game, I did something as a fan that I have never done before...I gave up on my team. I had promised the kids we'd go swimming after the game, and in MY mind, it was over. I started to pack up our swim bag, told the kids to get their shoes and coats on, and had one foot out the door when my husband screamed "NO WAY!" I ran back up and got to witness one of the greatest comebacks in sports history. It was exhilarating, inspiring, unfathomable, one of the best sports moments ever...but I felt like a fraud. I had packed it in. I took my ball and went home. I didn't believe. I quit.
We've all heard that old adage; "Quitters Never Win, and Winners Never Quit". It's cliche, and when I hear it I think, "yeah, sure, blah, blah, blah". But after this weekend, I took a new look at that saying. I mean, there was no reason the Seahawks should have won that game. When your star quarterback throws four interceptions and can't make anything happen, when the core of your pro-bowl defense are all playing injured, when the only person who's had a good game is your punter, and when you are down 12 points with 3 minutes left to go...you should pack it in, take your ball and go home, you should stop believing, you should quit....right? Not the Seahawks. Somehow, they managed to see themselves winning that game. They could visualize themselves celebrating an NFC Championship and going to the Super Bowl. They had the ability to put 57 horrific minutes of football behind them and play like they were winners. They never quit, never quit believing in themselves, never quit playing hard, never quit trying, never quit. In a scenario where millions of others would have thrown in the towel, they kept going, and three minutes later, they were hoisting a trophy into the air and making travel arrangements to Arizona for Super Bowl XLIX.
I like to think of myself as someone with a can-do attitude, I like to believe that anything is possible with determination and hard work. But I have to admit, I don't know that I would have made that comeback. I don't know how you have that kind of a hill in front of you and convince yourself you are going to get up it. All I know is that after that game on Sunday, I can't help but believe that there really isn't an insurmountable obstacle that can't be overcome with the right attitude. I know that from now I am I am gong to visualize myself getting over that hill, or running that PR, or finishing that new distance. And beyond visualizing it, I am going to really believe that I can accomplish it, that I can "win" no matter how huge the probability against me winning is. I will make a promise as a fan of myself, that I will never give up on me. It's not going to be easy, some days it's not going to be fun, but I'd rather postpone a trip to the pool and be able to say, "I knew that was possible" than quit on myself when the going gets tough.
And I will never again give up on the Seattle Seahawks!
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