Written by Joyce Shea
Like many other sports fans, senior Herman Singh looks forward to the times when he can sit back on the couch and watch a football game. Unlike the majority of the Bay Area, who are fans of the San Francisco 49ers, Singh roots for their main rival, the Seattle Seahawks.
Singh’s loyalty to the Seahawks is partly due to their great teamwork and player dynamic. Cooperation and seamless play execution are all factors that unite the athletes. “I think the team works really well as a unit,” he said. “All the players have really good chemistry, which allows them to be so successful.”
Supportive fans play a large role in the success of their team; players are more motivated to perform well with an enthusiastic audience on the sidelines. For Singh, the energetic and dedicated fans are another aspect of what that makes
football so enjoyable and being a loyal follower of the Seahawks so gratifying. “The fan base is very vocal, and during games they’ll be super loud at the stadium,” he said. “There’s just a lot of energy surrounding the team, which is really cool.”
Because he lived in Seattle for many years before moving to Palo Alto, Singh has never really found a real reason to support the 49ers, as he has f eels that he isn’t actually from the Bay Area. Singh notes that it can be challenging to live in the Bay Area as a fan of a rival team. There are times where he feels stranded in a sea of 49ers fans, but the rare occurrence of meeting a fellow Seahawks fan can make his day. “There’s not a lot of other Seahawks fans around here, but when you find one other person who likes the Seahawks, it’s great,” he said. “You have a connection with that person.”
Singh’s favorite players are NFL stars Russell Wilson and Richard Sherman. In previous years, the dynamic pair tore up the NFL, but recently the team has been struggling. The Seahawks are currently rebuilding their team, but Singh knows that they’ll become better because of it. “They’ll come out of it on the other side looking really good and really strong,” he said. “The core of the team is still there. This season didn’t go as well because of so many injuries, so when everyone’s back healthy and fit, I think they’ll do really well.” The Seahawks currently hold the edge on their Bay Area rivals, last winning a Super Bowl in 2014, while the 49ers are trophyless since 1995.
