http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/06/sp...=1&oref=slogin
February 6, 2006
Seattle Fans Left to Wonder
By BOB SHERWIN
SEATTLE, Feb. 5 — Pittsburgh won Super Bowl XL, 21-10, on Sunday in Detroit. Plenty of folks in Seattle, however, remain unconvinced.
As fans wandered in and out of bars downtown after the loss, they could neither credit the Steelers nor blame the Seahawks. But the referees were not spared their wrath.
"The game was stolen from us by the refs," Debbie Waldeck of Seattle said.
Twenty minutes after the loss, she remained in her seat at F. X. McRory's, an upscale restaurant and bar separated from Qwest Field by a parking lot. Waldeck said the penalty against Seahawks wide receiver Darrell Jackson that negated a first-quarter touchdown "started a pattern."
"Then there was a series of plays that were ridiculous," she said. "From that point on, they took everything away from the Seahawks."
Her husband, John, added: "It looked like a lot of the officiating went the other way. Still, the Seahawks didn't play like they did in the first two playoff games."
Fans began gathering in front of bars at Pioneer Square, the city's oldest neighborhood and an area well known for its drinking establishments, eight hours before the scheduled kickoff.
Most wanted to be part of the community and the revelry, but some just wanted to make sure they saw the game. Despite the crowds, a strong police presence helped keep the downtown area free of any significant incidents.
In the city's 154-year history, the city's sports fans have rarely moved in mass into the streets after a championship game. Few can recall what happened in 1917 when the Seattle Metropolitans won the Stanley Cup. And celebrations were contained after the SuperSonics won the 1979 N.B.A. title, the University of Washington shared the 1991 national college football title and the Storm took the 2004 W.N.B.A. crown.
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NYT: "Game Stolen from us by refs"
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