Somebody warn the Devil – I think his front walk just froze up.

Yes, the Seattle Seahawks are in the Super Bowl. For the first time, the football team from the Emerald City finds itself a part of the Biggest Sporting Event in the Universe, taking on the Pittsburgh Steelers on February 5 in Detroit. (Okay, so the Motor City weather isn't exactly Miami or Southern California this time of year, but beggars can't be choosers. At least it's in a domed stadium.)

The Hawks punched their ticket to Super Bowl XL (Extra Large!) on January 22 with a thorough stomping of the Carolina Panthers, 34-14. It's a sweet moment for a city that has won exactly one professional sports title in its history, with the 1979 Seattle Supersonics—and that was in the pre-Michael Jordan era of pro basketball. Jack Sikma and Gus Williams weren't exactly household names, before or after their championship run.

But I digress. The next couple weeks are all about the Seahawks. OK, so I'm a tad biased, having lived in Seattle almost all my life. But I've been a (long-suffering) fan since the team began play in 1976, so I've paid my dues. Many football fans don't know or remember that the Seahawks used to be so bad that the (former) owner once tried to sneak the franchise out of town and move it to Los Angeles. I think half the fans offered to help them pack. But those days are long gone. Seattle has a new owner (see below), a new stadium, and a new attitude. The Hawks are now the class of the league, with fans to match

Let me make it very clear: I take nothing away from the Steelers, who performed the amazing feat of winning three straight road playoff games against higher-seeded foes. They're a great team and a worthy opponent. But the Steelers won four Super Bowls (count ’em) in the space of six seasons in the 1970s. They've had their glory era, and it's time for Seattle to get a piece of the pie.

At the risk of jinxing the Hawks, I'll go out on a limb and predict a Super Bowl victory. Here are the Top Five reasons why Seattle will win in Detroit, plus a bonus reason:

1)      -- Mike Holmgren – you won't find a better football mind in the NFL. He'll have his team ready and rarin’ to play.

2)      -- Shaun Alexander – a big-time back who runs behind the best offensive line in the league. As if he needs any more motivation than a championship ring, Alexander will be a free agent after this season. A title will look pretty good on the ol‘ resumé.

3)      -- Paul Allen – the reclusive billionaire owner has come out of his shell during the postseason and is practically basking in the excitement. Buying the once-struggling Seahawks is now officially the best move Allen has made since founding Microsoft with his buddy Bill Gates 30 years ago. (Full disclosure: Microsoft cuts me a check every two weeks, so forgive the plug.)

4)      -- Bald Is Beautiful – Seattle's dazzling quarterback, Matt Hasselbeck, is follicullary challenged at age 30. He'll win it for all those guys in the Hair Club for Men.

5)      -- Soaking It In – the city suffered through 27 straight days of rain recently, including the first two weeks of 2006. Our fingertips were starting to look like prunes. Only the Seahawks' success has kept Seattleites from drowning in despair.

6)     --  Bonus Reason: It's Just Meant to Be – call it a hunch, a feeling, a blessing from the ghost of Vince Lombardi, who knew something about winning Super Bowls. Seattle is a Team of Destiny. You heard it here first.

And if I'm wrong, heck, it's no big deal. Our team has reached the top of the mountain, and we're feeling light-headed in the thin air. Bring on the Steelers, the Rolling Stones, and an international television audience. The Seattle Seahawks are ready for their close-up.

-David Hirning, Encarta Reference Editor

Well, it happened.

As I wrote in my previous blog entry, there's always something worth watching for in the World Series. Sunday night, we saw another dramatic moment that will go down in Series lore.

Game Two. Bottom of the ninth. Tie ball game: Astros 6, White Sox 6. The tension is thick in the air.

Already there had been dramatics--White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko's seventh-inning grand slam had erased a 4-2 deficit and sent the Comiskey Park crowd into a frenzy. Then, with the Astros down to their final out in the top of the ninth, Houston's Jose Vizcaino hit a two-run single to tie it up.

On comes hard-throwing 'Stros closer Brad Lidge for the bottom of the ninth. With one out, up comes light-hitting Chicago leftfielder Scott Podsednik. I was listening to the game in the car, and I had a slight premonition: "What if he hits it out?" Then, I thought, Nah, he's not a home run hitter. I didn't realize how true that was: Podsednik hadn't hit a home run all season (although he did hit one in the American League divisional series, strangely enough).

So I turn off the game and walk into the house. Snap on the TV. Hey, what's this--it's already over?

Yep. Of course, Podsednik hit out. Just the 14^th game-ending home run in World Series history--and I missed it. Typical. Seeing replays is just not the same thing. There's no drama in that. (I missed the Konerko and Vizcaino moments too because I had to go to the store--I just can't win!)

Did I mention that Podsednik was once released by my team, the Seattle Mariners? Also typical.

Oh well. Here's hoping the 'Stros can make a good series of it. I'm not rooting for either team--I just want more dramatics.

David H.