For SportsCenter anchor and Seahawks fan Mayne, victory parade was “one big, weird adrenaline rush”

Editor’s note: Today, four Seattle Seahawks stars are visiting ESPN’s campus for a “Mega Car Wash” in wake of their Super Bowl XLVIII victory. Wednesday, ESPN commentator, Seattle-area resident and one-time Seahawks prospect Kenny Mayne provided live reports to SportsCenter from the middle the Seahawks’ victory parade in downtown Seattle. In this post, the Tacoma, Wash.-born Mayne “needles” his fellow Washingtonians while reflecting on the impact of his team’s championship.

While I think we are a little soft as a people — we do not jaywalk like they do in the big cities — I’m proud that there were more than 700,000 fans out there and there was not one police incident to my knowledge. That peaceful celebration probably makes us soft also. Whatever.

I grew up about 15 miles south of the city [in Kent, Wash.] and we always played the same game on the way to town: “First one to see the Space Needle.” As I got older, I realized it was always the same spot where time was to declare that the Space Needle was in view. We’re learning out here. Out here by Alaska.

On Wednesday, the view of the Needle and the view of Rainier and the mountains west, the sound and ferries, Lake Washington and the bridges all came together in one big, weird adrenaline rush while surrounded by old friends, and new friends met a minute ago.

Thing is, the rest of the country and the rest of anyone’s perceptions about us really didn’t matter much Wednesday. Or ever. Not listening much if they want to make fun of “The 12s” [shorthand for “The 12th Man” Seahawks’ fan concept] deal because it’s real. They ran out of famous people one week and I got to hoist the flag before a game. It was just a St. Louis Rams game and this [NFC West] division was down at the time.

It’s all different now.

Except for the jaywalking thing. But we seem to be headed in the right direction.