Examining a spectacular year for Seattle sports teams
SEATTLE — In the last 12 months or so, there have been so many historic moments of civic pride from our Seattle sports teams. The sort of stuff most towns would love to see and wish to see once in a decade has happened in rapid succession in Seattle.
The best part of it all, really, is when you take a closer look at the situations with most of the teams, it truly could be the beginning of a Seattle sports renaissance. Obviously, there have been championships that gave us parades and all the fanfare every city longs for, but what we saw with the amount of our sports teams is truly remarkable.
A timeline from May 2022 through May 2023 puts that into perspective.
May 2022: Sounders win CONCACAF Champions League
Let's start with some history AND a championship all in one. The Sounders rolled through the CONCACAF Champions League Tournament to win the prestigious event. They became the first MLS club to win the tournament, sparking a time of pride for soccer fans all over Washington.
A month later, of course, we found out Seattle would host part of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
But the Sounders gave us history and a celebration to match. While the 2022 MLS season didn't go to plan after that, the Sounders had a respectable yet heartbreaking showing in a 1-0 loss to Egyptian power Al Ahly in the FIFA Club World Cup. That strong effort has manifested itself into a second-place spot in the Western Conference of MLS so far this season. It could be, anyway, a sign of more success to come.
September 2022: Storm All-Star duo era ends in playoffs
History can mean a lot of different things, and for the Storm, it wasn't another impressive playoff bid and series win.
It was the end of something special.
Sue Bird laced 'em up for the final time in an emotional goodbye at Climate Pledge Arena. She said goodbye to fans chanting "Thank you Sue!" and in a historic moment, ending a 20-year run with Seattle.
Bird was fittingly there for the 2023 season opener with the Storm and Las Vegas on Friday. The Storm will continue to build into a new era with Bird's departure and that of Breanna Stewart, who left for New York in free agency.
October 2022: Mariners end the drought
The Seattle Mariners punched their ticket to the playoffs for the first time in 21 years. History, milestones and two decades of pent up frustration came pouring out of Seattle on the final night of September and into October.
The moment and manner in which the Mariners clinched was truly unique with Cal Raleigh's walk-off home run into the Hit it Here Cafe in right field. The Mariners won a playoff series, too, beating Toronto in the wild-card round before running into the eventual World Series champion Houston Astros.
Twenty-one years is a long time. Seattle no longer has the distinction of owning the longest major pro sports postseason drought. A moment so many families in Seattle will never forget. Of course, with so many young stars, you would think that's the beginning of a special time for Mariners baseball. If you're deterred from thinking with a sub-.500 start through the first 40-plus games, I'll remind you the M's were 10 games under .500 (19-29) in June of last year before a 14-game win streak and more history led them to punch their playoff ticket.
October 2022: OL Reign wins the Shield
It's the type of success fans of the OL Reign are accustomed to but so many other cities would love to claim. The Reign won the NWSL Shield thanks to the play of star veterans and young rising stars. A perfect mix of great players propelled this team all the way to the NWSL semifinals. A strong start in 2023 makes us believe even more could be on the horizon.
December 2022: Huskies win 11 games
The Washington Huskies football program is elite, and it has been that way historically. A recent run over the last decade has made it so an 11-win season isn't exactly history. It happened in 2016 when UW won 12 games and two more times between now and then. Still, it was a rally after a dismal 2021 season that led to a coaching change.
Most importantly, that season and an Alamo Bowl win over Texas set the stage for what could be the historic season. Washington is seen by experts as a College Football Playoff and potentially national title game contender. The experts aren't always right (see below) but it's a consensus that UW could have something big coming, and it started with an outstanding 2022 season.
January 2023: Seahawks defy expectations and make playoffs
Here's that part about the experts.
The betting odds on the Seahawks win total was 5.5. They almost doubled it.
Everyone thought after trading Russell Wilson they'd be locked into a losing season with hope only coming by building in the draft.
Boy, did they prove all that wrong.
While there was always a quiet optimism (I predicted here they'd win 8-9 games; they won nine) nobody outside Seattle believed in them. Geno Smith continued his amazing comeback story with a Pro Bowl bid, the Seahawks absolutely nailed the 2022 NFL draft and found stars on both sides of the ball. What was supposed to be a rebuild to so many was really a statement and the beginning of a new era.
Now we get to see what's ahead in 2023 with that foundation in place.
April/May 2023: Kraken make first playoff bid
A common theme here, whether it's UW football, the Mariners or Seahawks, so many doubted our teams.
That is especially true for the Kraken.
Nobody in the continental hockey world gave them much of a chance after a difficult inaugural season. The Kraken proved them wrong, improving by 19 wins, 40 points and punching their ticket to the playoffs for the first time.
It got even better.
The Kraken went the distance in their first-ever series and won their first-ever Game 7 by eliminating the defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche. They almost made the Western Conference finals but fell one game short in another Game 7 in the second round.
They proved so many wrong, and now they hockey world is on notice.
Much like the Seahawks, Mariners and Huskies, you look at this team and really believe their best days are ahead. The roster is built for success, and it feels like this is just the beginning of a remarkable period of hockey ahead.
May 2023: Seattle Thunderbirds win WHL title
And most recently, but certainly not last, the Seattle Thunderbirds won the Western Hockey League on Friday. They did so with a group of players mature well beyond their years (the oldest players just turned 21).
The best part was the commitment from the entire team. Players, coaches and the front office all bought in and battled back from a heartbreaking six-game loss in the 2022 WHL finals. They fought with heart, wouldn't take anything but success as an answer and found a way to win it all in 2023.
So, what makes this so special? Why do the last 12-13 months standout when we have a rich championship tradition. What makes this different from Super Bowl 48 or the Sonics title of yesteryear?
The obvious answer is the wide variety of sports and the amount of success crammed into a short timespan. That's impressive and something so many cities can't even fathom.
For me, though, it's about heart.
Almost all of those stories are about teams that defied the odds. Teams that weren't supposed to enjoy the glory they did.
In short, the Seattle sports teams embodied the spirit of their loyal fans. So many we-told-you-so moments feel great for fans, but make no mistake, they're great for players, too. It was a special time because of the individuals.
Geno Smith waiting so long for a second chance and showing the world why how great he is, the Kraken players left unprotected by their prior teams in the expansion draft now making their mark. Who can forget the injuries of Michael Penix, Jr., and now he's a Heisman candidate at quarterback for UW.
It's one thing to enjoy success, it's another to manifest it through adversity.
Seattle sports teams showed us all the way. No matter how tough things appear, no matter how tough or slim the chances appear to be, don't give up. Give it your best.
That's what our teams did and Seattle sports fans will never forget it.