Seahawks fans watch a replay of punter Jon Ryan being stopped in the first quarter. (Ken Lambert / The Seattle Times) Seahawks fans were up early and ready to cheer on their team Sunday morning in its playoff game in Minnesota.
By Jack Broom
Seattle Times staff reporter
If the Seahawks beat the Vikings 27-17, congratulate longtime fan Jeff Gilgan of Everett on his prediction.
Gilgan “rolled out of bed at 6:30″ to don his Kam Chancellor jersey and get down to The Hawks Nest sports bar in Seattle when it opened at 8 a.m., two hours before kickoff of Sunday’s wild-card game in Minnesota.
“I had to be here in the heartland of the stadium,” said Gilgan at the bar that’s mere paces away from the darkened CenturyLink Field. Gilgan said the only place he would rather be would be Minneapolis.
“If we can contain A.P. (Vikings running back Adrian Peterson) we’ll be fine,” said Gilgan, 47.
SEAHAWKS @ VIKINGS
Hawks Nest owner Joe Piano added a little detail to his prediction: Seahawks 32-17 “and our defense gets two touchdowns.”
But Piano said anything can happen in a playoff game. “And the Seahawks can be a little bit Jekyll-and-Hyde.”
He’s hoping for an encore performance by the charged-up Seahawks, who won 36-6 in Arizona last weekend, and not the mistake-prone Hawks who, a week earlier, handed St. Louis a 23-17 victory at CenturyLink Field.
Another fan at The Hawks Nest, Mike Burke, 23, predicts a close game.
“We both have really strong defenses. It might come down to penalties.”
His call, Seattle 14-10.
A couple dozen fans were in the bar by 9 a.m., perusing drink specials that include a $5 “touchdown” — orange vodka and energy drink.
At Sluggers, another bar near CenturyLink Field, early arrivals included three Seattle fans feeling good about the team’s chances today.
“If we lose, tears are going to be shed,” said Jeff Martin, 33. He’s predicting a 38-10 Hawks win.
His companions and their predictions: Jennifer Western, 36, says Hawks win, 37-21; Allison Brown, 35, says Seattle, 31-17.
Brown predicts a third straight Super Bowl trip for the Seahawks, adding, “I think the toughest game will be the Panthers.” That’s on tap next Sunday in Charlotte, N.C., if Seattle wins today.
The big screen at FX McRory’s, coupled with the excitement of the 12s, is making the game seem larger than life. But to the folks here, it is.
When Adrian Peterson was tackled for a big loss, some fans shouted as if they’d won the lottery.
When the first quarter ended with the Vikings leading 3-0, Stephanie Tyler of Redmond said it’s not the start she was hoping for. “But we held them to 3, so that’s good.”
The Seahawks’ performance in the first half wasn’t adding to the mood fans at McRory’s. Only once in the half did the crowd break into the regular chant of “Sea” and the response of “Hawks.”
“Russell’s having a hard time hitting his guys,” said Grant Sutherland of Seattle, who was at four of the Seahawks’ home games this year.
“I think they’re going to be OK, Russell played at Wisconsin, so he’s played in the cold,” Sutherland said. “It’s only 3 points.”
Bedlam finally arrived at F.X. McRory’s with the Seahawks fourth-quarter touchdown to cut the Vikings’ lead to 9-7. Shouts. Chants. The whole bit.
“He’s making it happen. That’s classic Russell Wilson,” said Danny Chandler, 24.
Jack Broom: 206-464-2222 or jbroom@seattletimes.com; on Twitter: @JBroomSeattle.
http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/seahawks/seahawks-fans-wake-up-early-rev-up-to-watch-playoff-game-from-sports-bars/
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