Mama Blue Special with Steve Raible, Part 2

*The following is the output of transcribing from an audio recording. Although the transcription is largely accurate, in some cases it is incomplete or inaccurate due to inaudible passages or transcription errors.

The following is a podcast from a qualified senior care provider, hurt, on the answers for elders radio show. And welcome back everyone to anthus for elders radio. And we are here with the Voice of the SEAHAWKS, Mr Steve Rabel. And Steve, thank you for staring a little bit about you know our background and where we’re at right now as we kick off football season. But we’re here for a very special reason and you know we just started talking about Mama blue in our last segment, but I love for you to tell our listeners a little bit about her significance as a fan, not only just because she’s always there, but there’s some really important milestones that you know she’s been a part of. That is truly she’s a legend with this team, isn’t she? Well, she really is. You know, it’s for those out there who aren’t sure who mama blue is, or then some of you may not follow it that closely, but Mama blue is, I was going to say a young lady, and she’s young at heart certainly, but she’s almost ninety years old now. But she has been a fan of the seahawks and a season ticket holders since the first year since one thousand nine hundred and seventy sixty. Yes, now, that was the first year of the franchise. That I was a rookie that year. So she can go back and tell you about up all those guys from Jim’s Horn and largent and you know, some young knucklehead named Steve Rabeles Hewersack, and yeah, you are all her boys. So we were her boys and that’s boys right, and that’s what she likes to call the call all of us her boys. And and she was there with her husband and they were they were fans for years and years and years and they just never missed a game. And and pretty soon the you know, she she began wearing the the she dresses up and that’s how she got the nicknamed Mama Blue, is that she’d put on this crazy big blue wig and these big glasses and dress all in blue seawks gear and have in your holiday she has Christmas lights all over and I mean she’s just a hoot. Gloves and players after the Games will walk by and hand her their gloves and or a towel or something like that. In her home she has like an entire room dedicated to seahawks with autograph pictures and Memorabilia. She’s got a helmet that was signed by by Paul Allen and Mike Holmgren when she went in. She has been named to the Fans Hall of fame full football fans. So I mean this is this is a person who takes this very seriously, but just the fact that she just loves her team and he everybody rallies around her, which is what we’re doing here again today. But it has been a lifelong calling and you know, I can I can look back over my time with the seahawks and you know, going back now this is the forty five year of the of the organization, and I’ve been there since since the beginning in seventy six and there are a number of fans who as well, like you said yourself, started out as kids going with their parents to see the games, but who have been through so much with this team. I mean the early years were a little tough, then we started winning some games, then chuck came in, Chuck Knox came in and the team won, being at went to the playoffs. Then we had a little bit of a difficult period through the early and mid s and then Mike Holmgren came in and took us back to the playoffs and we go to the Super Bowl in Detroit, where Mama Blue was as a matter of fact, and then two more super bowls under Pete Carroll, and the team has been a perennial playoff contender and N se west champion since Pete and John Schneider arrived back in two thousand and two thousand and ten. It is it is amazing the history that she has seen and that and that she remembers and that she loves to talk about. So that’s a little bit of a history of Mama Blue, how she got here, who she is and why, you know, she’s so, you know, well thought of and cared about by the seahawks family well, and also just I would be neglect to even mention the fact that she was pistle, along with Mark Collins, in saving the team in one thousand nine hundred and ninety seven when they almost got shipped off to to La. And you know, if it wasn’t for Mama Blue and Mark Collins, who we have talked about more, you know many times, we wouldn’t have a seahawks team here today. So she’s definitely somebody that we if you’re twelve out there in our listeners, are twelve. We have a lot to thank Mama blue for because she was one of the people on the front lines that was there during that time and they rallied to get Paul ellend by the team and all the different things that happen and that’s a very, very powerful time. And then, of course, I have a lot to be grateful for when both you and Mama Blue have been there for our seniors every holiday season. And you know, my one of my greatest memories of you and Mamma Blue are when we were at Ballard Senior Center and with Scanzy, Paul stanzy and you guys were so funny. The three of you on the seniors just love having you know, to share memories and to talk about, you know, the Times together and of course the dynamic with you and Mama blue is so precious. You know, it’s just clear that you guys go way back and that’s really special. Well, it’s fun for us and you know, as everything has changed over the years, you know players. In fact, there was a I’m not very good on social media, but I do look at twitter every so often to see what’s going on in the world and and that sort of thing. And and there was a really nice tweet, I think it was yesterday or today on there about Russ Russell continuing his every Tuesday and going to going to children’s hospital, and he’s done for so long. And what it reminded me of was, you know, some players are difficult to it’s difficult to get close to players anymore, I guess, is what I’m saying, because they’re bigger, they’re more famous, they’re all those things, and yet russ makes it a point to get out there, go be with the kids, go be with their families every week at Children’s hospital. I remember back in seventy six when the players we’d get to we get to the stadium, get to the Kingdome and we’d park out in the parking lot with the rest of the fans. So we’re walking into the stadium with the fans. You know, I’m carrying my playbook, I’m carrying my little yea having kids or whatever, heading in large unsorn or walking next to Sam Adkins and I, and we all come in driving together and and here we are walking in the same of and so we’re carrying on conversations. That’s the way it was then and it’s to some extended still is today, but it’s not quite as much. And the seahawkers were a great organization and so we got to know the fans a little more personally, and so that’s that’s why when we go to the senior center, we visit and, as you know, and the Ballard Senior Center especially, where we’ve been so many times, there are so many people there who are the first ones to jump up and say, yeah, I remember, I had season tickets for years. I used to go and watch when you play it. It really was a great a great thing. There’s a great kind of energy between this city and its team and it’s only grown strong the years and it’s amazing what winning football games and championships will do for you. Well, and you know, I’ve always said that football is the generational unifier, you know, and one of the reasons why we’re so great pull the team up with you the seats legends like you do, and and you know, and to have that honor our seniors into honor people like Mama Blue, is the fact that, you know, everyone can relate to the team, no matter what age. gript you are. It’s always a part of our holiday season. It’s part of who you know, this community that comes together, and so it really creates this synergy in a community and I think one of the things that certainly you have done through your career, but also that Mama blue has done, is she connects with people, you know, no matter what generation they’re from, is she. I mean I know young people that are crazy about Mama blue and certainly you know people up into our age group as well. We’ve really had that opportunity to really embrace her in so many ways and I think that’s really an exciting part of who she is well, and I think the you know, you can’t help but like her. I mean you can’t help but appreciate her energy. And he’s almost ninety years old and and and God bless her. We hope that all is going to turn out well here. And No, Shit’s a tough diagnosis, but they believe they caught caught it early enough and we’re hoping that the all the treatment works and, as we saidentill be with us for seasons and seasons to come. But take a look at highlights, take a look at some highlight films and for those of you who have time around the house, if you’re retired like I am now, and when you’re online you’re looking at the you know, notes from your grandkids or family, go to go online line and just go to the Google machine and plug in Mama Blue and check out a couple of the videos that show her at a game and shows her energy and the fungi and the excitement, yeah, that she feels. And you know again, she’s No kid and and she’s up there yelling and carrying on with her there’s a reason why eventually lying field is allowed as a stadium in the in the country, and that’s in one reason, in large measure, because of Mama Blue. Well, and I love the fact that when Kenny Easley, when he had his hall of fame speech, he called out to her to ask her to lead the ways, because he again has been there from the beginning and certainly see all needs our prayers and our support right now. Anybody that’s going through a cancer diagnosis like this, and and certainly you know it’s a horrible emotional ordeal, but it’s also a financial ordeal, no matter what kind of insurance can pay. There’s all different types of things that still need to be paid for and purchase, and especially in a time of a pandemic. You know, what we’re trying to do is support and raise enough money so that she doesn’t have the stress factor of that. She lives on a very, very, very tight, you know, fixed income, and so her tickets are done needed to her for the games by an anonymous donor. So certainly we you know she doesn’t have the resources to be able to financially do this, so we use the twelve. We always come together. And Steve, I just am so grateful for your support of this and certainly we’re excited to watch the game on Sunday from our TV sets, from our home and and thank you for all you do for this community and especially from me personally, thank you for what to support our seniors. That’s Susanne. Thank you, I appreciate it. Thanks for all your hard work and MOM Lud you’re out there listening. Get well. So we we miss you and we’ll see you at the seahawks game. So well. Thank you so much, Steve, and again at go hawks. Everyone. Answers for elders radio show with Susan Newman. Hopes you found this podcast useful in your journey of navigating senior care. Check out more podcast like this to help you find qualified senior care experts and areas of financial, legal, health and wellness and living options. Learn about our radio show, receive our monthly newsletter, receive promotional discounts and meet our experts by clicking on the banner to join the Senior Advocate Network at answers for elders, radiocom. Now there is one place to find the answers for elders.