Top photo: Robert Mariani of West Seattle is a good sport as he brought his sons, Nathan (red hair) & Nick (in jersey) & their pals Ethan (red shirt) & Konrad Zarnick to the Seahawks sendoff rally on 188th St. in SeaTac today. They passed the football while awaiting the buses. Bottom photo: Buses take Seahawks players to the airport as they head to Washington, D.C. to battle the Redskins Sunday for the playoffs. Crowd cheers as they pass. SLIDESHOW: Click on photo or gallery of shots below.
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The Seattle Seahawks players were cheered on with screams and high spirits this afternoon by hundreds of fans in blue and green giving them a send-off when four, airport-bound, team buses drove west along 188th St. in SeaTac just off of I-5 across from Valley Ridge Park.
The Seahawks were off to our nation's capital for their playoff game against the Washington Redskins this Sunday, Jan.6., at FedExField. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. PT.
The fans wore gear, including jerseys, helmets, and pins, many waving #12 signs to honor the boisterous 12th man that seemed to help the team make it to the playoffs with audience-induced adrenaline, and the opposing teams who couldn't always hear their own plays called. Mayor Mike McGinn declared January 4 "Blue Friday", although Seattle fans hope it will be the Redskins who get the blues.
Robert Mariani of West Seattle toted his sons, Nick & Nathan, and their buddies, Konrad & Ethan Zarnick. The Marianis are Seahawks season ticket holders, and were doing something nobody else at the sendoff did. They weren't just spectators. They took out a football and passed it to each other while waiting for the buses.