Do you have “12th Man fever”? I’m referring, of course, to the fervent fans of the Seattle Seahawks, and today’s Super Bowl matchup between the Seahawks and the New England Patriots. Even if you’re not a sports fan, it’s hard not to feel a little bit of excitement about “local boys” making it to the Super Bowl for a second time. I say “local” because the Seahawks really belong to the whole Pacific Northwest, and that’s worth a football field of local pride, right?
I confess to being largely ignorant about the game of football. If any sport captures my attention, it’s baseball. But even though I favor America’s national pastime, I’m more of a fair-weather fan, turning away when a team I’ve been following hits a hard patch. It’s not that I lose faith; I just can’t bear to watch a team’s downward slide, even if it’s temporary.
But since I don’t follow football, I had no such qualms while watching the Seahawks compete against the Green Bay Packers in the recent NFC championship game. My husband had the game on, so at first I tuned in and out as I took care of a few chores. When things looked pretty bleak for the home team, I didn’t turn away. And then, in one of those unforgettable “come from behind” moments — almost like a scene from a Hollywood blockbuster — our team rallied and won the game in overtime. Even this nonfootball fan cheered at the last-minute twists and turns!
As you prepare your favorite Super Bowl snacks today, while also making sure to claim the best (and most comfortable) seat for Seahawks-viewing pleasure, you probably aren’t thinking about what you’ll do once the game is over. Is there life after Super Bowl XLIX? Yes! And it just so happens that I have a bibliographic remedy in case you get tackled by gridiron withdrawal. Check out this week’s book.
