Some out-of-the-ordinary events occurred this weekend.
Chuck Norris finally discovered that there’s a Web site devoted to generating fictional, yet hilarious, random facts about the former “Walker, Texas Ranger” star. My personal favorite: When the Boogeyman goes to sleep every night, he checks his closet for Chuck Norris.
In a response posted on chucknorris.com about the “random facts being generated on the Internet,” Norris stated, “Being more a student of the Wild West than the wild world of the Internet, I’m not quite sure what to make of it.”
In other news, Baywatch legend David Hasselhoff divorced wife and actress Pamela Bach, and rapper Eminem remarried Kimberly Mathers, the woman who inspired him to write a song about binding her and throwing her into a lake on his 1999 release, “The Slim Shady LP.”
Oh yeah, and the Seattle Seahawks are one win away from the Super Bowl.
This one might just be the most extraordinary event, considering that on Saturday the Seahawks won their first playoff game in 21 years and are now dangerously close to punching a ticket to Super Bowl XL in Detroit to play for the first championship in franchise history.
And why not? No other city is more deserving.
Save for the Washington Huskies in 1991 and the WNBA’s Seattle Storm in 2004, Seattleites have suffered long enough through wind, rain, championship droughts and mediocre professional teams. (The Mariners have never been to a World Series; the Sonics’ last and only NBA Championship came in 1979.)
So, Saturday’s playoff win against Washington certainly explains the sudden emergence of Seattle fans who had been hiding.
Now all are proud to proclaim: “Man, the Hawks are my team!”
Even that guy who sported a New England Patriots cap for 12 months arrogantly showed off his blue number 37 jersey on Sunday morning. After all, what’s not to love about these Seahawks?
Aside from Shaun Alexander, the 2005 NFL Most Valuable Player, Seattle doesn’t have a stockpile of superstars.
What the Seahawks do have are invaluable role players such as Joe Jurevicius and Mack Strong, a rejuvenated Matt Hasselbeck, and a tough run defense (five touchdowns surrendered on the ground this season.)
The only obstacle in the way of an NFC Championship is Carolina super-freak Steve Smith, who hauled in 12 receptions for 218 yards and two touchdowns in the Panthers’ 29-21 victory against Chicago on Sunday.
But the one thing Seattle can probably rely on Saturday against Carolina is rain and a hostile atmosphere inside newly-built Qwest Field because hungry Seahawk fans have waited too long and are too eager to taste the success that has eluded them for so long.
In fact, this die-hard San Francisco 49ers fan is putting away his red and gold for now (into the closet of disappointment): Let’s go Hawks!
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