NFC Championship: Soak It In

Two days from now, the Seahawks will compete for their second straight George Halas trophy. They will face a quarterback who many consider the best player in the sport with their season on the line. The natural reaction for a Seahawks fan would be anxiety and nerves. And yet, most of the people I talk to are calm and confident. I imagine that same feeling pervades the Seahawks locker room. Everyone, including the opposition, knows the Seahawks are good enough to win it all. The challenge is no longer about reaching a new level of performance, but sustaining excellence.

It would not be hard to spin a tale about how the Seahawks have to win this week and win the Super Bowl to cement their legacy. All that would be is spin. This team is not going anywhere. Should the unexpected happen, and they fall short of the goal this year, they will be favorites to win it all next year. There is a good chance they will be favorites to win it all in 2016 as well. Every other team needs to prove they are good enough to beat the Seahawks. The Seahawks have already proven they are good enough to beat anyone else.

That is no excuse to take this game for granted. This will be just the fourth conference championship game for the Seahawks in 39 seasons, and only third at home. Over 20 million minutes have passed since this franchise opened its doors in 1976. Each championship game lasts about three hours. Think about all that has happened in your life since the Seahawks were born. Just think about how hard it was to wait two weeks to watch the Seahawks play during the bye week. These tiny windows of celebration relentlessly charge by. Life offers no DVR.

Seep in these moments. Feel this city joining together. Share your excitement with family and friends. You are writing history as it happens no matter the outcome. Thanksgiving dinners, wedding speeches, and reunions will be chances to pass down what you witnessed, at home or in person, this Sunday. You will remember where you were when it happened.

Celebrate the experience. Celebrate this team. Celebrate this community. There are precious few moments that draw people together across religious, political, and geographical boundaries. This is one of them. We are 12.

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