Jersey Man Smitten With Seahawk Fever

Jonathan Rudnick, dealing directly with his obsession, has come to a realization.

"I'm pretty much just plain nuts," said Rudnick, a 25-year-old from Edison, N.J.

What he's nuts about is the Seahawks. He has been a fan since 1985 when, as an impressionable youngster, he thought their helmets were cool. That was enough. From that point on he was an instant and lifelong, passionate fan.

Yet he lives a continent away. He knows no one in Seattle and had never been to Seattle until a year ago. His friends, family and co-workers can't understand his preoccupation with a team that hasn't been to the playoffs in 11 years.

But he loves them unconditionally. Even to the point that he purchased season tickets this season.

"My friends get really sick of hearing me talk about the Seahawks. They tell me they want off of my Seahawk (e-mail) mailing list," said Rudnick, who flew to Seattle this weekend for his first "home" game this season. A consultant for a warehouse design company, he juggles his two weeks of vacation for long weekends to attend games.

"He is insane," said Kerri Small, his girlfriend. "When I first went over to his place he had Seahawk stuff all over his refrigerator, his garbage can, a little Seahawk doll, Seahawk stuff all over the place. I guess it's nice to have a passion."

Passion and pain. Rudnick has attended about eight games when the Seahawks have played back East, without a lot of success. Six years ago in a game against New England, a Patriot fan pulled a Seahawk sign he had made out of his hands and ripped it in half. Rudnick was pelted with cherries and had to move to another seat. And he has had to live with the abuse of rabid Jet and Giant fans everywhere he turns.

"That 41-3 loss to the Jets two years ago (in the Seahawk home opener) was a nightmare," Rudnick admitted. "Talk about taking abuse."

But he is undaunted. Last year he came to Seattle for his first game, Nov. 1 against the rival Raiders.

"It was pretty exciting even seeing the Kingdome. As soon as I saw the End Zone store I was all over it," said Rudnick, who wears a Ricky Watters jersey and a bandana over his head for games - just like Ricky does. "But the Raiders won the game, 31-18. It was one of the worst nights of my life. The plane ride home seemed like 30 hours. But it was still tremendous fun for me."

He can't come to all the games, but he listens to pre- and post-game shows over the internet. He watches games via satellite TV at his neighborhood bar, Poor Billy's. He's always the first to show up, and employees set him up with his own TV.

"I don't think they even know my name. They just call me `that Seahawk guy,' " Rudnick said. "Most of my friends and family are not very interested in the Seahawks. They have a tough time understanding my obsession."

Rudnick, who said he has suffered like any other Hawk fan for the past 10 years, believes this year will be different because of Mike Holmgren. He bought season tickets the day Holmgren was named head coach. Rudnick said he has already tentatively cleared his schedule for three playoff games- and of course, the Hawks' first appearance in the Super Bowl.