The Seahawks are this close to making it to (and winning?) their second consecutive Super Bowl. If you're a fan like I am, these are some exciting and stressful days; days where we have repeatedly shushed our children so that we can hear what the NFL Network thinks about our chances. And in these Seahawks-obsessed hours, we got to thinking: how is being a Seahawks fan like being a parent?
1. Sometimes you're Russell Wilson, and sometimes you're Beast Mode.
Most of the time, we parents manage to keep it together and manage our team effectively. We are poised, polite and always ready to scramble. But sometimes we need to make a statement, and that's when we become Beast Mode. We turn to Beast Mode when it's time to shut things down and get done what needs to get done, possibly while dragging three or four people behind us.
2. Say what you want about our players, we love them because they're ours.
Do you think Richard Sherman is an arrogant loudmouth? Well, we think he's a confident, competitive athlete. Do you call Marshawn Lynch an uncooperative pain in the butt? We say he's shy and prefers to show who he is on the field. They are our special snowflakes, and we'd take them over any other players in the league.
3. Silence means something terrible is happening.
Seahawks games, like children, are supposed to be loud. If there's silence, then something truly terrible has happened. Maybe the other team got a pick-six, or maybe your kids discovered the knife drawer (or the Skittles stash). Either way, you're going to want to get in there and see what's going on.
4. We don't get enough respect.
Russell Wilson, our quarterback, has had more regular season wins in his first three years than any other quarterback in history. He has taken us to the playoffs every year, and has won us a Super Bowl. But when people talk about who the best young quarterback is, they're going to mention Andrew Luck more than Russell Wilson. This is not unlike the way parents accomplish feats like keeping a child alive for three years and yet every day, still end up with poop on their hands. Don't we all deserve better than that?
5. It's all about defense.
Parenthood, much like an NFL defensive line, is all about reading the eyes of your opponent and trying to head off any problems before they occur. It's about making sure all the pieces are where they need to be so you can prevent a blowout. And while the guys on the frontline may be tough and battle-scarred, they couldn't do it without a great secondary. So thanks, Grandma, you're my Earl Thomas.
6. Next man up.
We benefit greatly as parents when we can rotate players in and out of the line-up. That's why it's important that everybody is ready to play when their number gets called. Unfortunately, for parents, we generally only have a no. 1 and a no. 2. The Seahawks may have a more than competent third string, but many parents wouldn't let our number threes take care of our fish, never mind our children. Still, it's the ability to tap out when needed that keeps us fresh.
7. Most of us weren't first-round picks.
There aren't many of us who would say that we came to parenting knowing any of the answers, or having any of the skills needed to be successful. And certainly if we had had experts picking who should be a parent and who shouldn't, I'm going to guess that most of us would have gone undrafted. But while we may start out with a lot to prove, we get the job done.
8. Ridiculous outfits are part of the gig.
You are wearing a tutu, with multiple strands of beads. Your hair is styled into some sort of mohawk, and you have face paint on. Are you sitting in the play room with your kids, or are you sitting in the Hawk's Nest with other Seahawks fans? It could go either way.
9. We're always 1 and 0.
One of the Seahawks' well-known sayings is, “We go 1 and 0 every week.” That's very similar to parents, who go 1 and 0 every day. When you finally put your tired, irritated, and probably dirty-haired head down to sleep each night, you have to let go of the mistakes and failures of yesterday and get ready to welcome the next day as a brand-new chance to not lose your ever-loving mind.
