Photos by Steve Shay
Top photo: Robert Mariani of West Seattle is a good sport as he brought his sons, Nathan (red hair) & Nick (in jersey) & their pals Ethan (red shirt) & Konrad Zarnick to the Seahawks sendoff rally on 188th St. in SeaTac today. They passed the football while awaiting the buses. Bottom photo: Buses take Seahawks players to the airport as they head to Washington, D.C. to battle the Redskins Sunday for the playoffs. Crowd cheers as they pass. SLIDESHOW: Click on photo or gallery of shots below.

UPDATE WITH SLIDESHOW: Exuberant Seahawks fans line 188th St. in SeaTac to cheer team buses heading to airport

By Steve Shay
01/05/2013

SLIDESHOW: Click on photo for more, or click on photos in gallery below

The Seattle Seahawks players were cheered on with screams and high spirits this afternoon by hundreds of fans in blue and green giving them a send-off when four, airport-bound, team buses drove west along 188th St. in SeaTac just off of I-5 across from Valley Ridge Park.

The Seahawks were off to our nation's capital for their playoff game against the Washington Redskins this Sunday, Jan.6., at FedExField. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. PT.

The fans wore gear, including jerseys, helmets, and pins, many waving #12 signs to honor the boisterous 12th man that seemed to help the team make it to the playoffs with audience-induced adrenaline, and the opposing teams who couldn't always hear their own plays called. Mayor Mike McGinn declared January 4 "Blue Friday", although Seattle fans hope it will be the Redskins who get the blues.

Robert Mariani of West Seattle toted his sons, Nick & Nathan, and their buddies, Konrad & Ethan Zarnick. The Marianis are Seahawks season ticket holders, and were doing something nobody else at the sendoff did. They weren't just spectators. They took out a football and passed it to each other while waiting for the buses.

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