Banned from viewing, hearing Seahawk games

I've been banned from watching or listening to Seattle Seahawk football games until after the Super Bowl.

The score was 14-0 Sunday when our son Teddy texted from work in Alaska: “Russell looks scared.” “Too much pressure.”

I wrote back: I turned the radio off (Fox TV not available because of a dispute). Typical Seahawks on the road. I can't listen.

Then daughter Jenny called from Walla Walla U. I told her I refused to watch or listen.

“But they scored a touchdown.”

Oh yeah, what's the score?

“14-10.”

Well, I turned the radio off, and I'm not listening. You let me know how it's going.

Jenny called again at halftime, quite excited, with the score 14-13.

I asked if she was watching the game. No, she was working. Our daughter Berney was calling her the scores from Dallas, Texas.

I turned the radio on, and Pat and I listened excitedly as Seattle drove the first second-half possession to the Redskin 1-yard line. I texted Teddy: I guess they came back to life.

Teddy texted back: “We just lost the ball.”

Then we heard the fumble play on the radio. Pat flew off the handle.

“Turn off the radio,” she yelled angrily. I did as she said.

Jenny called: “You have the radio on?”

No. We just turned it off.

“Good. Leave it off. You don't get to listen anymore.”

Teddy texted: “They have the ball. We'll be okay.” “Touchdown.”

Jenny called: “Berney just called. It's 19-13. She didn't say anything about the extra point. Maybe we missed.”

Jenny called: “Those dumb Seahawks went for a 2-point conversion.”

What happened?

“They made it. 21-14!”

Teddy texted: “RG3 is broken.”

What does that mean?

“The Redskin quarterback is hurt.”

What's going on?

Then Teddy didn't text for a while, and Jenny didn't call. I started dinner to keep from being anxious.

I was in the dining room eating an early dinner when Jenny called her mom, Pat. The Hawks had won, 24-14.

I told Pat to change the TV to the NFL channel, and we sat down to watch every replay available.

Teddy texted: “Seahawks won!”

I asked why he took so long. He had been driving and was unable to watch the last five minutes.

Now this is a heck of a way to follow your favorite team. But it works.

Of the six games the Hawks have won in a row, we've watched or heard only one. They were 6-5 when we were watching.

The kids don't want us to watch or listen this weekend.

If we do, we won't tell them. Unless the Hawks win.