A Moment Like This

I’d like to bring it down a bit right now if I could.

Ernie, turn the house lights down a bit. I’d like to get a little deep on y’all.

This past year’s sports champions have reminded me of the blood, sweat, and tears that go into winning a championship.  Not just the players but the fans. Okay, mainly the fans. We live and die with our teams. We cry and ache when they lose. And when they win … well, it seems that the sun shines just a little bit brighter.

Before the Red Sox got so darn good over the last 10 years, they sucked. For what seemed liked 86 years! And it tore at the very heart and fabric of the fan base.

And now the Seahawks have won a championship after, well, ever. Do you how long that is? Do you know how long that’s been? Ever is like … forever. And for some people, it really truly is. The Seahawks were born in 1976. I’m sure some people were, too. And those people became Seahawks fans. Part of the 12th Man fraternity! They suffered as their team struggled through years of lousy teams and 'close but no cigar.' Then, 34 years later, tragedy struck; some couldn't make it that long. As the Blue Öyster Cult alluded, "40,000 men and women every day."

At a much-too-early time, fate intervened and took that person away. Without knowing a fan's thrill of his team's championship.

Don’t even get me started on the Red Sox! Tragedy didn’t need to intervene. In fact, many people lived long, very productive lives and went peacefully in their sleep without knowing the greatest sports rush that any fan could ever dream of: a World Series championship! Sure there were close calls, near misses, blown opportunities, ground balls through first basemen’s legs. But never the big one.

So as the Seahawks continue to bask in their glory, I hope they give a thought and shout-out to the people who wait and spend an entire lifetime for a moment like this.

Now, go Cubs!