No. 12 rises
<p>The chimney of Pam Borek's home in Post Falls is decorated with Seahawk gloves.</p>
<p>Bryan Elementary 4th graders Cooper Erickson, left, Kyle Seman and Olivia Jolley trade football cards with fellow students on Friday during the school's sports themed lunch. Students that participated in hot lunch were given a football card from the school.</p>
<p>Kate White, 5th grader at Bryan Elementary School asks for some Seahawks pudding on Friday during the schools sports themed lunch. Students were encouraged to wear their favorite sports team's jersey and hat to school today.</p>
<p>Jimm Ferriby, of Coeur d’Alene, recently had the Seattle Seahawks’ logo shaved into the back of his head as a show of support for his favorite professional football team. Among his Seahawks memorabilia collection are a football signed by former running back Shaun Alexander and a dancing dog that he turns on after his team scores.</p>
<p>Kevin Irwin makes a Super Bowl shield every year since the Seahawks first went to the Super Bowl in 2006. He already has a shield for both teams, so this year he made a Seahawk Sombrero to get in the spirit. </p>
Seahawk Nation across Kootenai County is ready to rumble.
Mike Steuernagel of Post Falls, a Seattle Seahawks season ticket holder for 27 years, and his wife, Kim, had planned on attending their first Super Bowl today and watch the Seahawks face New England (3:30 p.m., KHQ).
However, the $1,500 tickets through a broker didn't pan out and, despite scrambling Friday and Saturday in Phoenix to find other tickets, their quest came up short.
"No tickets - headed home," Mike said in a text on Saturday night. "Was downtown today, talked with lots of people and we were not the only ones who got scammed. Tons of people looking to buy tickets, just not wanting to pay the fortune they are going for."
As of Saturday afternoon, Steuernagel said tickets were going for $10,000 each. He said he would have went as high as $2,500.
Late last week, the couple thought the $1,500 tickets were secured through a broker, but word that they wouldn't be getting them after all cast a cloud over their dream date. They still flew south as planned on Thursday in hopes of getting their hands on tickets.
"There were just a lot of hands in the cookie jar," said Steuernagel of the ticket snafu.
The couple were told by the broker that they'd be reimbursed for the $1,500 tickets, plus 25 percent.
"I hope and pray that he lives up to his word," Steuernagel said on Friday. "It's been a valuable lesson on how not to buy tickets.
"Buy from someone who can physically hand you over the tickets, not online or in cases where you meet a broker a day or two before the event. (Buying online) is dangerous because of the expenses you've already had to reach the destination."
The two hope to put the agonizing ticket hiccup behind and enjoy the game - wherever they end up watching it.
"There have been a lot of tears over the years - and a lot of joy lately - to get here," Steuernagel said of the Seahawks' ups and downs.
Steuernagel, who was born and raised in Tacoma, estimates that he has attended more than 200 Seahawks games.
"Whatever the checkbook will allow for at the time, I try to make it," he said.
His man cave is filled with Seahawks memorabilia and he draws honks and thumbs-ups when cruising in his sleek black truck with blue rims and running boards and the No. 12 flag flying in the back.
Steuernagel said he picked up the Seahawks torch from his late father Don.
"It's been in the family blood forever," he said. "I love it when the Seahawks are winning and cry when they're losing."
Steuernagel's passion toward the Seahawks is among the stories shared with The Press when the newspaper solicited die-hard Kootenai County fans. True to No. 12 form, the response was roaring strong when asked to show their Seahawk spirit.
Jimm Ferriby of Coeur d'Alene has "12THMAN" on his truck license plate and flies the 12th man flag in his front yard from the first preseason game until the Seahawks' season ends. Recently, he had the back of his head shaved into a Seahawk logo.
He said he wouldn't even take offense to a fan of another NFL team calling him "bird brain" due to the new 'do.
"I'd smile and ask them if their team is still playing," he said.
A friend, Dani Cartwright, said of Ferriby: "Jimm has taken some serious razzing from friends over the years for being a Seahawks fan, but he never wavered in his love for them."
Ferriby said he fell in love with the 'Hawks in the late 1980s after he moved to Seattle.
"I'd ride the city bus to the Kingdome just to hear the noise because I couldn't afford to go inside," Ferriby said.
His most-prized Seahawks possession, among many items, is a football autographed by former running back Shaun Alexander.
"If you have to ask who that is, I won't talk to you anymore," Ferriby said.
He attended his second Seahawks game ever and first regular season game when Seattle defeated Carolina in the playoffs this year.
"It was really cool that my boss took me to experience that," he said. "I have a stuffed bulldog (dressed as a Seahawks fan) that dances and it's a ritual to push its button when the 'Hawks score, so I had to make sure that still happened."
The dog has gone with Ferriby to bars and homes on game days.
Watching the Seahawks may have been torturous for some during the earlier years, but the team has been therapy for others in recent seasons that included its first Super Bowl appearance in 2005 and first Super Bowl win last year.
Carrie Reese said her grandma, Florence Hall, 87, of Hayden, suffered a stroke a few months ago. Watching sports, including the Seahawks, has helped Hall's recovery, Reese said.
"Watching the Seahawks has been therapeutic for her," Reese said. "It has given her something to look forward to in her week. She told me after the Seahawks won (against Green Bay) that it made her life."
Mike Wimmer can't believe what the 'Hawks have done to his wife of 33 years, Cindi - "a quiet type" who enjoys reading and crossword puzzles. She became the 12th Woman - and then some - after he introduced her to the 'Hawks eight years ago, he said.
"She is in Beast Mode," he said. "I watch the games in the safety of our bedroom while she is confined to the living room. I've seriously thought of putting chicken wire over our living room flatscreen.
"Maybe our house is not painted the Seahawks colors and maybe she doesn't have a Seahawks logo tattooed across her derriere yet, but I think sometime in Russell Wilson's dreams, he will see a cute 61-year-old woman throwing a block on a blitzing safety and think, 'who the hell was that?'"
Real Life Ministries in Post Falls got into the frenzy by incorporating senior pastor Jim Putman into a Super Bowl group photo he wasn't able to make. He donned a mask, cape and 12th Man sign in the picture.
"We found a way to get him in the picture and honor our Real Life '12th manners,'" said Heidi Yount, RLM communications leader.
The church also held a "Souper Bowl" food drive for its food room to support people in need.
Multiple businesses used "Deflategate" - the controversy surrounding the Patriots the past two weeks regarding using deflated balls in the AFC Championship for better grip - to air their marketing efforts.
Michael D's Eatery in Coeur d'Alene posted a sign that states, "We deflate each pancake to perfection. Go Hawks!"
Silver Mountain Resort is deflating its ski lift prices from $53 to $12 today. Also, if the second-half kickoff gets returned for a touchdown, everyone in Noah's Canteen bar with an open tab wins a 2015-16 season pass. Such a touchdown return has happened in each of the past two Super Bowls.
Kay Mills of the Blazen Divaz dance group had custom pink 12th Man hoodies made for the group and carried the flag with her to Philadelphia during the group's performance in a Christmas parade. She plans to attend the Super Bowl.
Kandice Anderson said she and her family are all "lifetime Hawk fans." While they all live far apart, rooting on Seattle helps keep them close.
"We all are on a group text each game throughout the whole game," she said.
Brent Damschen once donned a Brian Bosworth-style mohawk haircut as a fan of the flamboyant former Seattle player.
"I've been a fan so long that I remember when it was so rare to even see them play on TV so I had to read about the games in Monday's paper," he said. "It's been a hard life being a loyal fan, but I knew that this day would eventually come. My son is (a fan) too now, although it's not really fair because I've waited 30 years for them to be the champs and my son started out with them being on top."
Seahawk Nation snapshots
- See how die-hard Kootenai County Seattle Seahawk fans are raising No. 12 for today's Super Bowl on the Coeur d'Alene Press Facebook page at bit.ly/SeahawksSpiritGalleryCdAPress or at www.cdapress.com under "Press in pictures."