The 12th Man Now In “Tailgate Heaven”

By Justin Stiles
Love of Sports Correspondent

Tailgate Heaven

The spirit of “The 12th Man” in the Seattle area is something one can’t fully understand without being there to see it.

The 12th man is the fans, obviously, who act as another player because of the noise and support. In fact, the Seahawks have gone so far as to retire the number.

Sure, it’s a great marketing campaign. Fans no their favorite #12 will never be traded or sign with another team, as many players do. But the legend of the #12 goes deeper than that in this town.

The city of Seattle raises large blue #12 flags all around town, at the top of buildings, in store windows, cars and even on the most recognizable landmark in Seattle, the Space Needle.

It symbolizes community, team, hope, faith, and if you’re apart of it, gives you an instant membership onto the most popular local team in the Northwest. It’s coffee shop talk or talk radio subject matter. Wearing the jersey is like a “members only” jacket, but with a purpose and a central common objective: to root for the Seattle blue represented by the Seahawks.

Every game the team inducts a new honorary member of the 12th Man Club. Usually, that person is someone well known in the community or a celebrity, and allows then to raise the 12th Man flag in the highest point in the South end zone.

It happens right before kickoff, and the special guest isn’t announced until the moment they raise the flag. The fans look forward to it every week. They scream and cheer and then the game is ultimately allowed to get underway.

This weekend, the spirit of the 12th Man is going to mean something completely different, not only to me, but to the entire city of Seattle. It’s also going to be defined in a way it never has before.

Avid 12th Man members, Seahawk season ticket holders and friends of The Love of Sports, Brian and Beverly Mauck, were tragically murdered, without motive, in their home by one of their neighbors on November 17.

The couple was only married for a year and a half, but were highly thought of in their community and were well on their way to starting a family at the tender ages of 30 and 28, respectively.

For every Seahawks home game, they, as many others also do, drove 90 minutes at 6:00 in the morning to start their tailgate party in the most popular part of the stadium, ironically known as “Tailgate Heaven,” located just outside Qwest Field.

As you arrive, they encourage you to eat the sausages, chicken, hamburgers, wings and have a beverage - because that’s why they brought it after all.

A small TV with an antennae shows the early games in the back of their SUV.

They were best friends for years and magnetic to others, always the center of the party. Friends from all over would migrate to meet up before the game, laughing, sharing thoughts and memories, with all looking forward to the following game to do it over again.

At their recent funeral service, everyone in attendance was encouraged to wear Seahawks apparel. Word spread quickly to the 500 people in attendance as to just how to properly show their respect. Within no time at all, it looked like a Seahawks tailgate party.

Respectably, “Tailgate Heaven.”

Last week, Al Mauck, Brian’s father, received a phone call from Tod Lieweke, the CEO of the Seahawks, as word spread about the service and details of Brian’s and Beverly’s tragic death and their passion for the Seahawks.

Lieweke and the Seahawks were determined to find someway to show their appreciation for the couple’s long-term dedication to the organization.

This Sunday, the 12th Man Club will grow in a way it never has in the past, as the team will be honoring it’s two newest members no longer with us.

After the team introductions, there’s going to be a 45 second presentation in honor of Brian and Beverly.

The two seats they called their own for years will be cloaked in black for the rest of this, AND next season. The Seahawks agreed to buy the tickets so no one else will sit there. They’ll also be presenting the couple’s parents with season tickets for next year.

Brian was one of my best friends growing up in Washington. The first time I met Beverly, I knew they would be a perfect couple the rest of their lives.

Brian and I played baseball, basketball and football together for years. We traveled together, lived together in college and have thousands of memories together - as you can imagine.

The two of them lived life like most people wished they could. They had his and her Harleys, they were avid divers, and golfers and loved camping and having friends over for any and every occasion they could think of.

Brian always had a smile on his face and was always able to make you laugh. He was loyal and he was a hard working man with a larger than life personality. He and Beverly were each other’s best friends and will be together for ever.

This Sunday. I’m looking forward to the honoring of my friends and watching the Seahawks clinch their fifth straight NFC West title.

I’ll also be looking forward to celebrating the spirit of The 12th Man and the life and love of Brian and Bev.

To be honored in such a way, by a professional sports team who actually wants to show their appreciation back to their fans, is something I’ll never forget. Keeping their seats covered in black, honoring their family with season tickets and having a public memorial for them in front of 70,000 other 12th Man members is about as perfect as I can dream.

Thank you.