Great game, great year, great team

I've got good news and not-so-good news.

The good news is that DISH Network settled its dispute with Northwest Broadcasters Saturday evening and got the Yakima Fox station on in time for the Seahawks-Falcons NFL playoff game.

The not-so-good news, according to my kids, is that I watched the game. And the Seahawks lost.

I have to admit I've wondered, but I'm not buying that jinx stuff. It just happened the game I got to watch was against the team with the best record in the NFL.

No shame in losing what turned out to be a classic. Besides, as much as I wanted to see the 'Hawks advance, I was happy for teary-eyed Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez at the end.

Reportedly, Gonzalez is hanging up his cleats after this season, and Sunday he won a playoff game for the first time in his 16 years. A man who puts in that many years at a hall of fame level of play deserves at least one playoff win.

I'm sure even Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson would say that. A humble man of God, he was as classy in defeat as he has been in victory.

At his post-game press conference, Wilson said the disappointment wore off before he left the field. He was already looking forward to next year.

“He ain't a rookie,” coach Pete Carroll said.

Carroll himself was classy. There was no whimpering, no dour face at his press conference. He had nothing but praise for both teams and the game they played. And he had no complaints.

And during the game I was even proud of Richard Sherman. He was not the jerk he can sometimes be.

You may think Sherman was mocking, but I prefer to believe he was really applauding the touchdown Atlanta scored against his coverage. The rest of the game, there was no success against him.

My only lament about this magnificent game was that Seattle scored its last touchdown too soon. As replays of Marshawn Lynch's bobble were shown, I hoped the refs would call a fumble and place the ball at the one.

Another play, on second down, would have helped. And if that didn't happen, we still had two more downs.

But we scored.

And the NFL being what it is, 31 seconds, with two times out, is an eternity to get into field goal range. With a gun like Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan, it's even longer.

After all the failures Ryan has had, he wasn't going to be denied. He matched the Seahawks, comeback for comeback, and found reliable Tony Gonzalez for the key pass. All true football fans can appreciate that.

Like Wilson, we can all look ahead to next year and the years beyond. If the 'Hawks continue to find the best young talent, we'll have a lot to cheer.

But temper your dreams about the Super Bowl. Winning the NFC West alone will be tough. As we throw Wilson at the 49ers, the 49ers will be throwing Colin Kaepernick at us.

Kaepernick is bigger, stronger and faster than Wilson, and he throws a 95-mph fastball.

All Wilson is is a winner. And humble too.