Love for the Seahawks abounds in the 'burbs

Seattle Times ^ | 1-30-06 | Jim Brunner

[NavyCanDo]

Maybe they should be called the Burien Seahawks.

Sure, there are plenty of die-hard Seahawks fans in Seattle — even more in these bandwagon days. But to find the deepest blue-and-green vein, hop on Interstate 5 or cross Lake Washington. The suburbs are where it's at.

Football is by far the country's most popular sport, often marketed with a dose of patriotic, even militaristic attitude. You just don't find that sentiment in anti-war Fremont, the land of nude bicyclists and a statue of Lenin.

Consider the numbers.

Despite the "12th Man" flag planted atop the Space Needle, just 14 percent of people in Seattle identify themselves as strong NFL fans.

Consider this: None of the team's 19 official Sea Hawkers booster clubs meets in Seattle. Why is that? Is Seattle too snooty for football?

Martinez notes much of his "Seahawks family" — the most zealous, elaborately costumed and colorfully nicknamed fans getting so much media exposure in the run-up to the Super Bowl — also lives in the 'burbs.

John Rizzardini, Seahawks vice president for marketing, confirmed the team's fan base is strong in the suburbs. In fact, 42 percent of the team's season tickets are sold to people outside of King County, he said.

Rizzardini said the Seahawks are especially popular in military towns like Everett and around Fort Lewis.

"The game of football is closely tied to the military. It's a very patriotic game," he said.

Do we need to mention Seattle's Lenin statue again?

[NavyCanDo]

SEE, I TOLD YOU SO - Seahawks fans come from the more conservative areas of the state, and if you look at the demographics of Washington, outside of Seattle, it is largely a Red State. I don't know how many times I have see post from Freepers saying they could not root for a team from a leftist city like Seattle, when in fact the Seahawks may play their home games in the city, it is the people living in conservative areas or at the very least the more moderate areas of the state that are their true fan base. These are the people who will travel to their off-season practice field, will stay late after a game hoping to catch an autograph, or maybe lay down a few thousand bucks for a new HD TV so the uniforms show in the true blue they are rather than the grayish hue their old TV showed.

This line says it all – “None of the team’s 19 official Sea Hawkers booster clubs meets in Seattle”.

So when you saw the 68,500 latte-jacked screaming fans at the NFC Championship you were not looking at a bunch of leftist. You were looking at true Americans. Football fans at their best.

GO SEAHAWKS

[Drango]

Go 'Hawks!

[sionnsar]

Evergreen State ping

FReepmail sionnsar if you want on or off this ping list.

Ping sionnsar if you see a Washington state related thread.

[Vigilanteman]

The Seahawks might have nice players and patriotic fans, but they represent a city of liberal latte lapping girly men. The Steelers represent a city of real men, host to the NRA's last convention and close enough in the last election to tie up swarms of loonie leftists activists who otherwise would have been unleased on Ohio.

[Horatio Gates]

I think John Carlson was talking about the same thing last week on KVI. Have you seen the 12th man flag atop the Tacoma Dome yet?

Go Hawks!

[Drango]

Steeler uniform for Sunday

[NavyCanDo]

"The Seahawks might have nice players and patriotic fans, but they represent a city of liberal latte lapping girly men."

Thanks for that one - When the Seahawks WIN I can say the mighty Steelers got whooped by a team from a city of liberal latte lapping girly men.

[Eva]

Maybe it's because Seattle has the third largest Gay population in the country, not to mention the fact that liberals think that they are to smart to play football, make that FEEL too smart to play foot ball.

[peacebaby]

are you a "liberal latte lapping girly..." man?

can't wait to see how you twist that sentence, bard.

[goodnesswins]

Uh Oh....them's fightin' words......

[BluH2o]

Seattle benefited from one of the weakest opponent schedules in the NFL this past season. If the Steelers play the kind of football they've been playing the Seahawks are toast in SBXL.

[joem15]

You guys shouldn't be sneaking into Mike Holmgren's closet.

[NavyCanDo]

"Seattle benefited from one of the weakest opponent schedules in the NFL this past season."

And if the mighty Steelers fall to this little weak Seattle nobody team, what would be your excuse?

The Redskins are still scratching their heads, and Carolina is still licking their wounds, and those wounds are deep.

[Vigilanteman]

If the Seahawks win, it will be because they are great players who played football in spite of representing a city of latte lapping girly men. Our fine military in the burbs of Seattle, of course, do not fit that description. Neither do the real men, military and otherwise, who hail from SW PA represent the idiot population of Pittsburgh concentrated in Shadyside and Squirrel Hill.

[BluH2o]

And if the mighty Steelers fall to this little weak Seattle nobody team, what would be your excuse?

They won't ... the AFC is the tougher division and the Steelers beat some very worthy opponents to get to the big dance in Detroit. Some very respected NFL types agree the AFC will prevail this year in SBXL.

[Supernatural]

I well remember the first time the Steelers went to the Super Bowl and how the city went nuts. Can't blame the Seattle fans for doing the same thing.

Go, Steelers!

[Lexinom]

I am a lifelong Seahawks fan and sadly I agree with you.

[phantomworker]

Thanks for that one - When the Seahawks WIN I can say the mighty Steelers got whooped by a team from a city of liberal latte lapping girly men.

But isn't Pittsburg considered to be an armpit? Smokestack city? ;) (LOL!)

[Vicki]

Do not judge our men, fans and the state by the birkenstock, metro males of Seattle. This state is overwhelming red outside of the city limits. It is ironic that I am either reading that we are a bunch of dumb lumberjacks or we are a bunch of silly ninnies sipping lattes.

I am enjoying the fact that the Seahawks are the underdogs. Most everyone is betting that we will lose. The odd makers in Vegas and the sportscasters. I even think Rush Limbaugh is banking on us losing.

It will make winning on Sunday all the better and oh so sweet. I am already prepared for the excuses that will be made for the Steeler's loss and the fact that we still won't be respected. However it won't matter 'cause we'll be the champs. GO HAWKS!!

P.S. King County's Election Supervisor Dean Logan will be the official score keeper Sunday and he's got a real knack for counting. :)

[chief_bigfoot]

"But isn't Pittsburg considered to be an armpit? Smokestack city? ;) (LOL!)"

Well lets have a look see....

hmmmm, nope, no smokestacks that I can see from here. Lets get a little closer....

dang, no stacks here either.

I guess this indicates that you haven't travelled much lately. BTW, since you hail from Washington, are you covered in rust? And doesn't it suck to live someplace where it rains 367 days a year? I can't say that I'd care to live someplace that you can't swing a plucked Seachicken without hitting some Kurt Cobain wanna-be, WTO protesting, anarchy loving, flannel wearing maggot. But hey, I'm funny that way.