
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.


GPS Sports Calendar
February 2023
- SU
- MO
- TU
- WE
- TH
- FR
- SA
Events for January
1st
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
2nd
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
Events for February
3rd
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
TRITONS BASEBALL INVITATIONAL PLAYOFFS
Events for February
4th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Events for February
6th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
7th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
8th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
9th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
Events for February
10th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
TRITONS BASEBALL INVITATIONAL FINALS
Events for February
12th
MONSTER ENERGY MOTOCROSS ROUND 2
Events for February
13th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
14th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
15th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
Events for February
16th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
Events for February
17th
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
Events for February
18th
BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2K/5K
World Athletics Cross Country Championships
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
Events for February
20th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
21st
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
22nd
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
23rd
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
Events for February
24th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL QUARTERFINALS
Events for February
24th
Events for February
25th
Events for February
27th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL SEMIFINALS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER SEMIFINALS
Events for February
28th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL FINALS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE SEMIFINALS
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL SEMIFINALS

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