It's 10:30 in Seattle. If You're Not Downtown, You're Not Going. Seattle is Full.

I arrived at work on Occidental Ave at 7AM. I left work to go home at 7AM. It is no place to be if you are not attending the celebration, or selling things to the people who are. Cynical me says "I hate them all." Casual me says "hey, that's pretty cool. I hope everyone has fun."

Posted by Andy at February 5, 2014 10:51 AM

Like Andy, cynical me says, "One would think that something really momentous had occurred. Like the end of a war, a cure for cancer, a million new jobs created in one year, or.....you know, something really important. They say it will bring a few hundred million in tourist dollars and such not to mention all the spending on jerseys, hats, flags, and booze - all to the economic good. But in two weeks the fervor will have died down and all these revelers will have to face the dailyness of their lives. Kinda like a hangover. Not as bad, or as immediate, as the hangover in Denver, which began on Sunday."

Casual me says, "Seattle has been in the hinterlands of pro sports for lo, these many years. It's a well deserved moment for the long-suffering Twelveth Man. Party on! Hangover be damned."

Posted by Jimmy J. at February 5, 2014 11:23 AM

Does this mean that Peyton Manning didn't win?

Posted by MOTUS at February 5, 2014 12:03 PM

"An estimated 300,000 will show up...."
=================

That's embarrassing and appalling.
About 80% of the population is worse than useless.

Posted by ghostsniper at February 5, 2014 2:24 PM

Official Police estimate was 700,000. I'd say ±100K. Holy Catfish!! (Yelled that a Raible...not sure he heard me).

Lady and son in front of me buying overpriced coffee were in from Aberdeen, and according to news reports all the downtown hotel rooms were sold out, so I expect there were plenty of out-of-towners in the crowd.

Don't think the transportation system could have handled any more locally. Buses were standing-only full after 1 or 2 stops. Arrived at 8:30am after a 2 hour bus ride from the hinterlands. Arrived home at 6:30pm, after 2-1/2 hours freezing my ass off waiting for a bus and a 1-1/2 hour ride home. Did somebody tell Obama to turn off the global warming machine for the day? Windchill was under 20°F. OK while the sun was out, but that wasn't long.

In general, JJ's right. But now that I've thawed out...WORTH IT. Just like playing hooky without 'management' permission to go to the 1995 Mariners-Angels playoff (everybody scores!!).

Posted by Soviet of Washington at February 5, 2014 8:55 PM

I hear you, Soviet.. 2-1/2 hours for me , too. Everytime Seattle has one of these huge 'happenings' Metro acts like it's their first rodeo... Packed like sardines in a can by the second stop.. What really disturbed me was the number of people that hauled small children and babies into town on the bus before dawn, then tried to get buses home ... hundreds were stuck in the freezing cold with children... It felt more like an emergency evacuation than just a parade.

Posted by Jake in Seattle at February 6, 2014 8:09 AM