The "12th Man" Traditional Cache
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(micro)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
This cache was placed in conjunction with the 12th Man Faithful - Season Kickoff Tailgate Party event on Saturday, September 06, 2014.
Texas A&M University first referred to their fanbase as “the 12th man” on November 25, 1921 in their campus newspaper. In 1985, the school began waving 12th man towels during the game to support their team.
In Jan 2006, Texas A&M filed a lawsuit against the Seattle Seahawks to protect the trademark. The lawsuit was settled out of court in May 2006. In exchange for financial compensation, as well as public acknowledgement that Texas A&M owns the term, the Seattle Seahawks were licensed by Texas A&M to continue using the phrase “the 12th man”. The Seahawks paid A&M a lump sum of $100,000 and pays an annual royalty of $5,000. The original deal ran for five years, with an option for renewal that was picked up and runs into 2016.
The term “the 12th man” refers to the fans within a stadium and ultimately refers to the fact that a crowd of fans in a stadium can have a significant impact on the performance of the players and the outcome of the game. No other team in the NFL can claim the undisputed advantage with the Seattle Seahawks home-field 12th man. We hold the Guinness Book World Record for loudest crowd noise, registering an astounding 137.6 decibels (December 2, 2013 at CenturyLink field). The Seahawks and their fans are the only NFL team that can LEGALLY use the “12th man” term.
FUN FACTS:
The NFL instituted a noise rule in 1985. Despite the rule, the 12th man continued the tradition to be the loudest in NFL football.
A #12 jersey was retired on December 15, 1984 as a tribute to Seahawk fans in the NFL.
Former coach Mike Holmgren dedicated the game ball to the 12th man on November 27, 2005. The 12th man fans had a tremendous impact in a dramatic overtime win against the New York Giants, who were called for 11 false start penalties and 3 missed field goals.
At home, the Seahawks average 2.36 false starts a game, and often have a dramatic impact on the performance of the opponents as well as the outcome of the game.
Seahawk fans hold the Guinness Book World Record for registering a 137.6 decibels against the New Orleans Saints on December 2, 2013. In comparison, an eardrum rupture is often seen at 150 decibels and an aircraft carrier flight deck is considered around 140 decibels loud.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
zntargvp ovfba