Super Fans

When the Seattle Seahawks beat the Saints last Saturday and clinched their place in next weekend’s NFC championship game, I can assure you that it had absolutely nothing to do with Marshawn Lynch’s 140 yards…

Steven Hauschka’s field goals…

Doug Baldwin’s great catch…

Or even, dare I say it…

Russell Wilson.

Nope, that win was created by one man, and one man alone…

Matt Baughn, a guy in my neighborhood.

Okay, his friends probably helped as well.

You see, over the last three years, this group of Hawks fans has developed a few “traditions.”

And hey, you can call these practices weird.

But they’re only weird if they don’t work.

And one look at the Seahawks record will tell you they do.

So, here’s a rundown of their super superstitions featured in our local paper:

Matt must stand with one foot on the tile in front of his fireplace for the entire game.

His wife Nikki must stand the entire time as well, but apparently her foot placement is not critical.

Good friend Travis must wear his Seahawks slippers and team socks, which have not been washed since the first game of the season.

Andy must wear his ratty and ripped up cargo pants, but laundering is not a factor.

Further, a football helmet-wearing piggy bank must face the TV from the back of the living room.

And a Santa decked out in Hawks gear must face the fans at all times. Last Saturday, Santa got bumped and things were looking bleak. However, the moment Nikki took notice and turned him in the right direction…

Seahawk first down. Woot!

Well, I don’t know about you, but I don’t give a hoot how the Hawks manage this week’s game prep —

I’m rooting for Matt and the gang.

PROMPT: It’s all about sport superstitions today. Perhaps your character is like Michael Jordan who always wore his blue North Carolina shorts under his Bulls uniform for luck, or Wade Boggs who had to eat chicken before every game, or maybe he or she is just super-serious about fandom like Matt and his gang. Whichever the case, that ritual just got ‘em in a whole heap of trouble…

Write on!