
By Riki Ellison
The agony of outrageous defeat brings forth the exact same intensity of emotions of the thrill of spectacular victory. Without experiencing both of them in chasing the mastery of a life span, one cannot truly experience complete and utter satisfaction of either one of them. For they are forever intertwined and dependent on each other in the passion of life that so inspires us to live.
Appreciation for greatness comes from the abyss of the depths of defeat.
Those depths are clearly apparent on the morning after what took place over three hours in Seattle (on Jan. 20th in the NFC Championship Game) where destiny changed on one single play that was led up to from all the small victorious battles of domination against all environments, all odds, thrown at this team of not just these three hours but of a dominate playoff run away from home, a peaking December and a season of 53 men, staff and coaches that came together as one unit that started almost a year ago with a defined championship culture emplaced, embedded and surrounding this group of men of the 2013 San Francisco 49ers.
Could not of wanted anything else but the one play to win the game driving through all the horrendous referee calls, mistakes, crowd noise to take the heart, soul of the opponent in his house and finish the game the victor not by fluke but by the reality of those that played and knew. The drive at the end of the game to win the game came down to the extension of the ball and its trust to the leader of the team, the game changer, play maker and the most confident man on the field of play, the quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers.
A position, a legacy of its own special merit within this franchise and its history.
Poise and making the right decision at the right time under tremendous pressure separates the legacies of the San Francisco 49er quarterback position and defines Super Bowl Championships and NFC Championships for the 49ers. From the first against Dallas Cowboys in 1981 to the last in 2014. That definition was preached, coached and instilled daily to all positions with the total all-in consumption that the entire team throughout the game was to get and give that ball to that Quarterback so he could do what nobody else on the team could do better, make the right decision, at the right time under the most extreme pressure.
That is Bill Walsh through and through. It is the San Francisco way to win Super Bowl Championships. We were in the perfect situation that the entire team fought to get in to win this game and we didn’t which leaves that if we could not win it like that we have to live with the harsh reality that we are not good enough to be a Super Bowl Champion this year.
As to the ridiculous penalties that were absolutely unjust, unfair and changed the flow of the game, you have to question the integrity of the National Football League and this great game. Why are referees that don’t report to the coaches but to the League have such tremendous influence of the outcome of the championship game then letting the players play the game? They were uncalled, yet thrown and overcome by this team to get to where they needed to be to win this game.
After talking to Al Sharpton (the following morning) of all people to run into and deciding not to invoke, making a conscious decision not to take a plane flight to Dublin Ireland to commiserate with distance and drown in the best pint of Guinness in the world at Mulligans on Poolbeg street and become a Irish Rugby Fan, here I am getting rocked instead of doing the rocking on the same high white back chair in Charlotte, North Carolina dejected, depressed with a hangover of grief and agony with the rest of the San Francisco 49ers fan base, team, staff and ownership but still so very proud and privileged to be part of the family, support the team and a Niner forever.
It’s hard to win Championship Games in the NFL, its even harder to win Super Bowl Championships.
NOTES: Riki, who won three Super Bowls as a linebacker with the 49ers, wrote this the day after the loss to the Seattle Seahawks. He gave GSPN permission to post his thoughts with Guam’s 49er fans! You can read about his visit to Guam last summer here.


Foody’s Fun Facts
Foody’s Fun Facts with Makayla Atoigue
ND Royals Rugby Player Makayla Atoigue lays down her Foody’s Fun Facts and shares her dream vacation spot
GPS Sports Calendar
May 2022
- MO
- TU
- WE
- TH
- FR
- SA
- SU
- 25
- 26
- 27
- 28
- 29
- 30
- 1
Events for May
2nd
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET #4
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
3rd
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA RUGBY LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS VOLLEYBALL QUARTERFINALS
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
5th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
6th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
IIAAG BOYS VOLLEYBALL SEMIFINALS
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
7th
GPD HOT PURSUIT 5K
MARIANAS OPEN
ISA MIDDLE SCHOOL TRACK & FIELD
ISA RUGBY LEAGUE
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
Events for May
9th
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET #5
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
10th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER All-Star Meeting
IIAAG GIRLS BEACH VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG GIRLS SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP
IIAAG BOYS VOLLEYBALL FINALS
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
10th
Events for May
12th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS VOLLEYBALL ALL-ISLAND MEETING
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER SEMIFINALS
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
12th
Events for May
14th
14th JUDICA CRABAO 5K
ISA MIDDLE SCHOOL TRACK & FIELD
ISA RUGBY LEAGUE
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA GIRLS SOCCER FINALS
Events for May
16th
ISA TRACK & FIELD ALL-ISLAND MEET
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE All-Star Meeting
Events for May
17th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
18th
ISA RUGBY LEAGUE SEMIFINALS
IIAAG GIRLS MIDDLE SCHOOL BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Events for May
19th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE SEMIFINALS
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
20th
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL All-Star Meeting
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
21st
Pre-Memorial Day 13-Miler
GETTING GUAM HEALTHY 5K BUBBLE RUN/HEALTH FAIR
ISA MIDDLE SCHOOL TRACK & FIELD All-ISLAND MEET
ISA RUGBY LEAGUE FINALS
ALPHA WARRIOR ESPORTS CHAMPIONSHIPS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE FINALS
2022 Guam Track & Field National Championships
Events for May
23rd
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL SEMIFINALS
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
23rd
Events for May
24th
Events for May
26th
Events for May
27th
Events for May
28th
- 30
- 31
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
Events for May
29th
Events for May
30th

Baseball
NINETE, JR. WINS 2022 BASEBALL MVP

Basketball
WILDCATS WIN MIDDLE SCHOOL GIRLS HOOPS

Volleyball
TITANS DON’T DROP A SET ALL SEASON

Baseball
NINETE, JR. WINS 2022 BASEBALL MVP

Running/Track
PANTHERS SWEEP ALL-ISLAND TRACK & FIELD MEET
Foody’s Fun Facts
Foody’s Fun Facts with Makayla Atoigue
ND Royals Rugby Player Makayla Atoigue lays down her Foody’s Fun Facts and shares her dream vacation spot
Foody’s Fun Facts
Foody’s Fun Facts with Makayla Atoigue
ND Royals Rugby Player Makayla Atoigue lays down her Foody’s Fun Facts and shares her dream vacation spot
COMING SOON …
- IIAAG & ISA Championships
- YOUTH FOOTBALL LEAGUE KICKOFF June 4
- GSPN Boys Volleyball All-Star Game
- Pacific Mini-Games in Saipan