The past few weeks have been a flurry of Seahawks-related excitement for everyone in Washington state. From Bellingham to Vancouver, WA, fans have shown devotion to the Seattle Seahawks in their homes, workplaces and schools—and Bellevue College is no exception. The Seahawks did not just get into the Super Bowl. Once there, they dominated the Denver Broncos, ending the game with a score of 43-8.
Immediately after the game was won, a parade was announced to take place in downtown Seattle on Feb. 5 to celebrate the Seahawks and their historic achievement. The effects of the parade reached the Bellevue College campus. Most classes that were not outright cancelled the day had significantly lower attendance. Although the temperature was in the 20’s and the streets were overcrowded, Bellevue College students were not dissuaded from joining in the festivities.
The parade started from the Space Needle and spanned the two miles from there to CenturyLink Arena, the Seahawks’ home field. With over 700,000 people attending, there were more people at the parade than Seattle has citizens.
Jacob Hanan, a Bellevue College student and avid Seahawks fan said, “The energy there was so intense that we couldn’t feel how freezing we were, or how our feet were sore. Everybody was there for the same reason, to celebrate our team. That unity is not something that you see every day.” Regardless of the Seahawks’ future, Hanan says that day will be unique. “Even if we win the Super Bowl next year, this day will never be the same.”
Throughout the football post-season, Bellevue College students have worn Seahawks shirts, jackets and jerseys. When it was clear that the Seahawks were going to be playing in Super Bowl XLVIII, Bellevue College had a “Super Bowl Blue Friday,” in which most students wore the traditional Seahawks blue and green. Students and staff gathered outside of the student hub, chanting “Sea-HAWKS!” and waving their 12th man flags.
Marketing and Community Relations Director Bart Becker, who organized the event, said, “All season long, BC folks have been wearing their Seahawks gear on Blue Fridays to support the Hawks. It worked! We helped them get to the Super Bowl.”
This was the first time in history that Seattle had won a Super Bowl and the Seahawks’ already notoriously loud and boisterous fans, famously dubbed the 12th man, were beyond ecstatic.