| Wys³any: 2019-03-13 07:09:59 Temat postu: NFL champions began near the Space Needle SEATTLE -- Hundreds of thousands of notoriously loud Seahawks fans cranked up the volume Wednesday, cheering, chanting and going berserk during a parade and ceremony to celebrate the first Super Bowl victory in the history of the franchise. The mood in Seattle was electrified as the parade featuring the NFL champions began near the Space Needle and made its way to CenturyLink Field, the home of the team. At a ceremony inside the stadium, the team thanked its loyal followers -- the 12th Man -- capping a day of boisterous celebration that drew an estimated 700,000 revelers to Seattle. Players were introduced by the order of their jersey numbers and ended with No. 3, quarterback Russell Wilson, who walked onto the field pumping the Lombardi Trophy in the air to thunderous applause. "Our plan is to win another one for you next year," Wilson said later. Coach Pete Carroll led the crowd in a "Seahawks! Seahawks!" chant and said the team will be back. "Were just getting warmed up, if you know what Im talking about," he said. Nick Sutton watched the parade from Westlake Center and considered it a highlight when he threw a football to one of the players who threw it back to him. "Its surreal. Its hard to believe. Seeing this now, its finally sinking in," he said. Hundreds of thousands of fan lined the streets of downtown Seattle early in the day and cheered as the players rolled by. Thousands of students apparently skipped school to attend. Seattle Public Schools said more than 25 per cent of the districts 51,000 students were absent in the morning. By comparison, about 5 per cent were absent the day before. The school district also said 565 teachers were absent, far more than usual. "This is a historical event, once in a lifetime. To not show up would be blasphemy," said Jesse Lake, 36, a carpenter from Port Orchard, who stood in the packed parking lot outside CenturyLink Field to greet the team as they arrived. Shawn Cooper and Marlana Studebaker of Covington staked out a spot hours before the parade started and displayed supersized photo cutouts of Wilson and cornerback Richard Sherman, prompting many fans to stop and take photos. "This was a long-awaited win. Its well worth the wait," Cooper said. "Theyre years ahead of their time, which makes me believe theres another one coming." Dakota Heaphy, 20, and friend Ellie Hergert, 20, drove all night from Cheyenne, Wyo. -- more than 1,400 miles away. "My boss is a Broncos fan and said we kicked their butts and deserved to go," Hergert said. Revelers packed the 2-mile route, wearing blue and green wigs, waving flags, scarves and signs, and breaking out into song and dance. The Washington National Guard chauffeured many of the players in Humvees and other military vehicles under blue, sunny skies in cold temperatures. Elected officials rode along in amphibious vehicles used to take tourists around the city. Players enjoyed the celebration as much as the fans. Running back Marshawn Lynch sat on the hood of a vehicle carrying the Sea Gals cheerleaders. He tossed Skittles -- his favourite treat -- into the crowd. Other Seahawks players threw jerseys and T-shirts to fans while waving blue "12" flags as a sign of gratitude. Boisterous fans observed a "moment of loudness" at 12:12 p.m. Crowds also gathered in Spokane, Olympia and elsewhere in the state to celebrate the first championship in the 38-year history of the franchise. Many fans had camped out overnight to reserve front-row seats along the route, braving freezing temperatures. Others perched on window sills and balconies, climbed trees and pillars, or sat on sturdier shoulders to get a better view. At Westlake Center, smartphones and cameras were thrust into the air whenever players rolled by. Seattle city officials asked the public to keep cellphone use to a minimum to keep lines free for emergency use. There were some reported difficulties with 911 calls getting through, said Jeff Reading, a spokesman for the mayor. Chris Hoops, a sales worker from Everett, and his school-aged daughters left home at 7 a.m. to get a good spot. The girls, 11-year-old Emily and 8-year-old Bella, were bundled in sleeping bags at his feet. They warmed up when they were asked whether they were sorry about missing school. They shouted "No!" in unison. "I like the Seahawks," Emily said. "They were really good this season." Joe Mauer Jersey . A player confirmed to TSN on the condition of anonymity that he received his ballot yesterday. Another confirms hes been told to expect his shortly. 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Louis Cardinals continued their offensive tear with a 9-5 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the opener of a four-game series.Each week, The Reporters put their thumbs out to the good and the bad in the world of sports. This week, they discuss preparations for the Rio Olympics, the exciting first round of the NBA playoffs, Mike Keenan victorious in Russia and the prolonged wait for the NFL Draft finally coming to an end. Bruce Arthur, Toronto Star My thumb is down to the International Olympic Committee and…I know, I know…you feel like weve been here before, but this is a new frontier because the concept of an Olympics in Rio was new when the IOC awarded Brazil the 2016 games seven years ago. Concerns about readiness, inequality and about the way the country might react? Dont worry! Rio! Now with two years to go, the IOC is shocked…shocked…to find that they gambled on a country that hasnt built the establishment. Seriously, Rio is in major organization trouble with whole complexes unbuilt and with public unrest still simmering, the IOC is lamenting the fact that they cant employ Beijing-style slave labour. Theyre blaming it on Rio. Guess who they should be blaming instead? Steve Simmons, Toronto Sun My thumb is up to the first round of the playoffs and Im not talking about the Stanley Cup playoffs, which have been marvelous, as usual. Im talking about the NBA playoffs, where, normally, the first round is about favourites winning and not much else, but not this year. A last-second three by the sensational Damian Lillard of Portland meant there were five Game 7s in the first round, instead of a record-breaking six. There have been eight overtime games and the road team has won 21 of the first 36 playoff games - this from a league that usually sees the home teams win 70 per cent of the time.ddddddddddddAnd, of course, there is Game 7 in Toronto today with the possibility of 2 million people watching on TV. If this isnt fun, I dont know what is. Michael Farber, Sports Illustrated My thumb is up to Mike Keenan, who reminds us that a coach is a coach is a coach, no matter the team or the time zone. Keenan always dreamed of winning a Cup, although probably not the Gagarin Cup. Two decades after the New York Rangers memorable Stanley Cup run, Iron Mike did it again on the far side of the erstwhile Iron Curtain, coaching the KHLs Metallurg Magnitogorsk to a Game 7 win over Lev Prague. Note one striking similarity in the championships: as he did after beating the Vancouver Canucks in 94, Keenan celebrated in the dressing room by singing karaoke - this time in Russian, of course. The Red Army choir is not giving up its day job. Dave Hodge, TSN My thumb is up to May 8, which is coming soon - on Thursday - and thats why my thumb is up, because when May 8 finally arrives, it brings with it the National Football League Draft…finally. Did I say "finally?" When the NFL moved the draft from April to May, we might have known wed be sick of mock drafts by now. There is actual analysis that proclaims winners and losers of mock drafts! Ive heard so much about Jadeveon Clowneys awesome talent and alleged laziness that Im sure there are two Jadeveon Clowneys. Im not sure if the Houston Texans will take one of them or which one or if the Texans will take Johnny Manziel or if theyll trade down - I only know they cant trade up and I dont care anymore what they do, I just want them to do it. On May 8. ' ' ' |