Hat’s off to Seattle’s 12th man, Mari

Maybe you’ve heard of Seattle’s 12th man.

Well, I know her.

My niece Mari has been bleeding blue and lime green for most of her life. As a lifelong Packer fan, I’ve tried to convert her, but she won’t budge. When reason failed, I sunk to trickery.

“You look a little chilled,” I told her as she stood in the Lambeau Field Parking lot all decked out in her Seahawks gear. “How about a nice, warm Packer scarf?”

“No way!” she said.

“Some gloves?”

“I’m good.”

“A wedge-shaped chapeau?”

“Definitely not.”

We agree to disagree when our teams play each other and, honestly, I admire her spunk. She knows the game and can sweetly hold her own in a conversation with the most curmudgeonly football fan. When the Seahawks take the field on Sunday, Mari will be in the stands. She’s one reason I’m pulling for Seattle.

The other is my husband’s old and sweaty hat.

He’s had it since Matt Hasselbeck tossed it to him after the Snow Globe Game 19 years ago. We were sitting in the south end zone at Lambeau, voices hoarse from cheering our Packers to a comeback victory over Seattle to earn a trip the NFC title game.

As the game ended and snow came down like Wisconsin confetti, players began making their way off the field. We saw Seahawks’ running back Shaun Alexander throw his gloves to a little boy seated near us. Then Matt Hasselbeck trotted toward us on his way to the locker room.

“Good game, Matt,” my husband called out.

The gracious quarterback stopped and smiled. He pulled the knit hat off his head and tossed it to a very surprised Vince.

Though he’s never worn it, Vince has kept the hat all these years.

Naturally, we’d prefer to be cheering for our Packers on Sunday. But, in the absence, we’re happy to tip our sweaty old hat to another team and to one of their greatest fans.

Sea-Hawks!