Best Players by Jersey Number in Mariners History

Well, I did one for the Seahawks, so I will do one for the Mariners as well!  For this one, it's not quite as easy for me to see a player's value (I have to click on each of their individual pages this time), so for the most part I'll just be going by what I remember.  I'm doing numbers 1-59 (with one exception), as there haven't been too many players to wear a uniform number of 60 or above.  I'll tend to favor players that I saw play, but mainly ones in the 90's and early 2000's.  That's when the Mariners were at their best, anyway.  Here we go...

I'm editing this in 2022, and there were a few changes I'll highlight in BLUE.

0. Sam Haggerty, UT: It's either Swaggerty or Mallex Smith, and Mallex Smith should never be considered the best at anything in Mariners history.  At least Sam has provided some versatility and filled in will at multiple spots.  

1. Kyle Lewis, OF/DH (prev. Charles Gipson): I think it's safe to say Lewis eclipsed Gipson after just the shortened 2020 season when Kyle won Rookie of the Year.  Unfortunately, Kyle has battled injuries, but he shows he simply just hits when he is healthy.

2. Kenji Johjima, C: Kenji wasn't with us for terribly long but it was either him, Randy Winn, or a couple years of Jean Segura.  Tom Murphy has come close, but his season-ending shoulder injury in 2022 hurts his chances, as well as the emergence of Cal Raleigh for the future.

3. Alex Rodriguez, SS: First easy call.  I know, A-Rod's a total douche,  but he put up some amazing numbers as a Mariner.  Next closest was probably Zunino.  JP Crawford would actually be next now, but I'd still keep A-Rod ahead of him for the time being.  JP has either got to lead us to multiple playoff berths or come close to A-Rod in terms of numbers.

4. Harold Reynolds, 2B: Another easy choice.  Not too much competition at #4, mainly Jose Lopez and Mark McLemore.  But Harold beats both those guys.  Fun fact: I worked with someone who wore #4 for the Mariners: Giomar Guevara.

5. John Olerud, 1B: Yet another easy call.  He's probably the 2nd best first baseman in team history (kinda sad to think about, since Johnny O had more success in Toronto and New York).  Both Beltre and Ibanez wore #5, but only for one season.

6. Dan Wilson, C: Another catcher (probably the last one?).  Dan is considered the best catcher in team history, so he has to be on here.  Next closest was Julio Cruz.

7. Marco Gonzalez, SP (Previously Spike Owen): I had to go with Marco this time around, as he has been an anchor throughout a pitching staff undergoing a transition and a leader on a team undergoing a rebuild.  

8. Rich Amaral, UT: Need a utility guy on here, and Rich was a part of those exciting 90s teams that made noise. 

9. Ruppert Jones, OF: Ruppert wins this over Luis Sojo because he had much better WAR.  I've heard good things about Ruppert, who I think was the Mariners first All-Star.

10. Dave Valle, C: Well, I was wrong, Wilson was not the last catcher.  Dave Valle had a decent career with the M's, but maybe more known for being an analyst for FSN and Root Sports.  Perhaps someday Jarred Kelenic can claim this spot, but not quite yet.

11. Edgar Martinez, DH: Like with Largent, Big Walt, and Tez on the Hawks, if you have your number retired there is never any question or doubt.  Edgar takes this by a mile. 

12. Mark Langston, SP: The first pitcher!  Langston was one of the M's best pitchers in the 80's.  However, he is most known for being in the trade that netted us the Big Unit, Randy Johnson.  Evan White did win a Gold Glove at first base in 2020, but has battled injury and has lost his 1B spot to Ty France.

13. Omar Vizquel, SS: I don't like to pick players who had more success on other teams, but there was no competition for :Little O".  The next closest were Bobby Ayala (Ha!), Dustin Ackley, and Jeff Fassero.  Yikes.

14. Tom Paciorek, OF: Here we have the weird baseball thing in where managers wear numbers (unlike football and basketball) and this number hasn't been worn since Sweet Lou donned it.  I don't know if the team will retire it in his honor, but no one has worn it since.  Tom Paciorek had a few good years for us in the late 70s and early 80s, including an All-Star selection in 1981.

15. Kyle Seager, 3B: Not much doubt here.  An interesting stat: Kyle is 7th all time in Mariners history in WAR (Wins Above Replacement).  Yet, he has NEVER led the Mariners any year in WAR.  Everyone ahead of him in Mariners history for WAR has for at least one season, but not Kyle.  In Kyle's best years he was beat out both times by Robinson Cano.

16. Mike Blowers, 3B: And this is not just because he does color commentating for the Mariners.  I believe he has the highest WAR out of anyone to wear the #16.  Next closest was Willie Bloomquist.

17. Mitch Haniger, OF: He's already got the most WAR of any player with this number in team history.  Hopefully he can stay with us for a while longer to make this a no-contest.  Next closest were Shigetoshi Hasegawa, Glenn Abbott, and Jim Presley.

18. Hisashi Iwakuma, SP: Kuma has one of the team's no-hitters, but not just that he pitched very good baseball for us for 6 seasons.  And, his entire MLB career was with us.

19. Jay Buhner, RF: Like Lou Piniella, this number has not been given out since Jay retired, yet the number has not been retired in his honor.  One thing I remember is seeing a #19 Buhner jersey everywhere I went in the 90s and early 2000s. 

20.  J.J. Putz, RP: JJ is actually 3rd in team history in saves, if you can believe it.  He unfortunately had to play on some bad Mariner teams in the mid-2000s, but in 2007 he not only made the All-Star team but got a few MVP votes!  Daniel Vogelbach went on a bit of a run, even earning an All-Star bid, but to me he falls short of JJ.

21. Alvin Davis, 1B: I unfortunately didn't get to see Davis play, but if someone has the nickname "Mr. Mariner" he has to be on here.

22. Kazuhiro Sasaki, RP: It was between Kaz and Robinson Cano.  Cano has the better WAR, but that's not hard to do when comparing relief pitchers to starting position players.  I chose Kaz for two reasons: One, he was on better teams and helped us to the playoffs twice, and two, he never got suspended for PED's. 

23. Nelson Cruz, DH/OF: It wasn't the easiest decision, with Tino Martinez and Bruce Bochte close runners up.  But Nelson has got to be the 2nd best DH in team history, and would be the best if not for Edgar.  I will consider Ty France here if he is able to keep up his production for a few years.

24. Ken Griffey, Jr., CF: Like with 'Gar, there's no question when your number is retired.  Junior still has the highest WAR in team history.

25. Mike Moore, SP: Didn't see him pitch, but he got some Cy Young votes in 1985 when he went 17-10 with an ERA of 3.46. 

26. Brendan Ryan, SS: Yeah, I know.  I believe he leads the team in WAR for #26, though.  Just haven't been many good ones at this number.  Fun fact: In 2011, Brendan hit .248 with 3 HR's and 39 RBI.  He LEAD THE TEAM IN WAR THAT YEAR.  Most of it was from his stellar defense, but wow.

27. Matt Tuiasosopo, UT: I just... there's no one else.  Nobody else has worn the number for more than TWO SEASONS.  Jesse Winker has this number currently, so it won't take much for him to claim this spot.  Two semi-productive seasons should do it, honestly.  

28. Raul Ibanez, OF: Pretty easy choice.  Raul is easily forgotten as he never played on a playoff team for the M's, but he put up some really good numbers.  Good for 23rd in team history.

29. Adrian Beltre, 3B: This was a pretty tough choice.  There were a lot of runners up: Bret Boone, Chris Bosio (author of a no-hitter), and Phil Bradley.  Beltre won out by having the highest WAR, and Boone was linked to PED's so I decided not to seriously consider him.

30. Aaron Sele, SP: He only pitched for us for three seasons, but the ones in 2000 and 2001 helped us to the playoffs.  Next closest was Ed Nunez.

31. Jerry Reed, RP: There's not much else.  I had never really heard of him.  But who was I going to choose, Erasmo Ramirez?  Ryan Feierabend?  Yoervis Medina?  Steve Cishek?  Those are the next closest.

32. Ed Vande Berg, RP: Another relief pitcher.  No one else close again.  Marco Gonzalez HAD this number... so now we won't have anyone claim this title for a while.

33. Bob Wolcott, SP: Bob helped us to a couple playoffs in '95 and '97.  He was also a fairly decent pitcher.  There's also not much competition for this number.

34. Felix Hernandez, SP: No question.  Felix holds a lot of the pitching records for the Mariners, and has thrown the only perfect game in team history.  Next closest was the man who inspired him to wear #34, Freddy Garcia.

35. Dave Fleming, SP: He was only good for a season or two in the early 90s, but again not much competition.  We're gonna see that more and more the higher we get.

36. Logan Gilbert, SP: Yes, after only a little over a year of big league work, I'm putting Logan here.  I'm betting on him being a rotation mainstay for years to come.  He should've been an All-Star in 2022. 

37. Norm Charlton, RP: "The Sherriff" easily takes this spot.  He is still one of the best and most well-liked pitchers in team history.  Next closest would've been... Clint Nageotte?  Brandon Maurer?  Paul Sewald has emerged and I'd be ok giving him this title if he can anchor the bullpen for a few more years.

38. Joel Pineiro, SP: Joel was quite a decent pitcher for us in the early 2000s.  I really liked him.  I like the way his name was pronounced.  JOE-EL PIN-YARE-O. 

39. Erik Hanson, SP: Erik was quite a decent pitcher for us in the late 80s and early 90s, but before my time.  His 1990 season was one of the best of that time: 18-9, 3.24 ERA with 211 strikeouts.  And that was on a team that lost 85 games.  Next closest was Edwin Diaz.

40. Matt Young, SP: The twelfth (!) starting pitcher on this list so far, Matt Young had a few decent years with us in the 80s.  He even made the All-Star team as a rookie in 1983. Beats out Mike Schooler and Julio Mateo.

41. Charlie Furbush, RP: Charlie was a decent lefty specialist for us for a while.  It's a shame injuries sidelined his career.  Fun fact: He's engaged to Q13 Fox reporter Michelle Ludtka. 

42. Dave Henderson, OF: This number was last worn by Butch Huskey (remember him?  Also, what a name) in 1999.  But Hendu (RIP) wore it the longest and played the best in it.  Fun fact: The Mariners, like the Seahawks, also had a player named Michael Jackson and he wore this number.

43. Jeff Nelson, RP: "Nellie" takes this fairly easily, having three separate stints with the Mariners.  Better to give it to him than Brandon League (bleh!) or Miguel Batista.  Two fun facts.  One, Jeff Nelson is still the only Mariner I've ever gotten the autograph of (and 2nd that I've met).  And two, Jay Buhner wore this number for one season in 1988.

44. Mike Cameron, OF: "Cammie" takes this fairly easily.  It wasn't easy taking over in center field after Junior was traded, but boy did he do it well.  Still the only Mariner to hit four home runs in a game.  Current M's analyst for Root Sports Bill Krueger wore this number. Julio Rodriguez has absolutely burst onto the scene, and it might not be too long before he passes Cammie here.

45. Jim Beattie, SP: Still not done with starting pitching.  Jim Beattie takes this over Ryan Franklin.  Jim was a starter for us in the 80s, and while his record isn't impressive (43-72), he did it on some pretty bad teams. 

46. Mike Stanton, RP: No, not the Mike Stanton that pitched for the Yankees nor the Stanton that goes by Giancarlo now.  Mike was a decent reliever for us in the 80s.  He takes it over Bob Wells, who I used to get mixed up with Bobby Ayala. 

47. Ron Villone, RP/SP: Ron takes this honor, although there wasn't much competition.  Villone was a first round draft pick of us in 1992, but didn't make his mark (or wear this number) until the mid 2000s.  He also played for twelve (!) teams in his big league career.  Next closest was utility man, the lanky John Mabry.

48. Paul Abbott, SP: Paul pitched for us around the turn of the millennium, and while he was never an outstanding starter, he always rounded out our rotation pretty well.  He was probably one of the game's best #4 or 5 starters at the time.  Next closest was Bryan Clark.

49. Wade LeBlanc, SP: It says quite a bit that I chose a player who only played two seasons with us.  Next closest was Roy Thomas.  Kendall Graveman pitched well out of the pen, just not long enough.  

50. Jamie Moyer, SP: Was there any question?  Jamie's definitely in our Top 5 starters of all time.  He was the last to win 20 games for us and may be the last ever. 

51. Ichiro Suzuki, OF: Ok, if I wanted to I could split this award and give it to both Ichiro and Randy Johnson.  But the fact that Randy was upset and basically requested a trade, plus he went into the Hall of Fame as a Diamondback and not a Mariner, makes me give this to Ichiro outright.  Ichiro beats him in WAR as well (56.3-39.0).  The team should retire the number in Ichiro's honor and not Randy's, but will probably retire it in both.

52. George Sherrill, RP: The "Hefty Lefty" I call him, because George put on some weight as his career went on.  But he was a very good lefty specialist for us. 

53. Arthur Rhodes, RP: Another lefty specialist.  Arthur "Thunder" Rhodes didn't always wear this number but he primarily did.  And he was a good reliever for us on some good teams.

54. Tom Wilhelmsen, RP: "The Bartender", as he was an actual bartender not long before the M's signed him and he became one of the better relievers in team history.  Next closest was John Halama.

55. Gil Meche, SP: For some reason I've always remembered his full name: Gilbert Allen Meche.  Came up as a 20 year old in 1999 and missed a couple years in 2001 and 2002 before coming back and pitching well.  Too bad he left for KC because we didn't want to pay him that much money.  Next closest was "The Condor", Michael Saunders.

56. Jarrod Washburn, SP: I started calling him Jarrod "Washed up"Burn whenever he had a bad outing.  Not much competition for this number.  Greg Halman wore this number though... RIP.

57. Mark Lowe, RP: Mark Lowe did pitch for us in two separate stints, and in between those stints he unfortunately became famous for giving up the walk off home run to David Freese in Game 6 of the 2011 World Series. 

58. Doug Fister, SP: Ok we're getting into the territory where not too many players wore the number of.  In fact, nobody wore number 58 until after the turn of the millennium.  Doug was a good pitcher for us for a few seasons.

59. Eric O'Flaherty, RP: Again, not too many players.  O'Flaherty is one of only 3 to wear this number for more than one season and the only one to wear it for 3 seasons.

65. James Paxton, SP: Too bad we had to trade "Big Pax" or "Big Maple".  But he could never get over the injury bug.  But when healthy and consistent his pitching ability would be Top 5 for lefties in team history.

Of course I had to include Big Pax, but other than him there weren't any real decent players to wear a jersey number that high.  All in all, a very solid list, with two numbers retired and another one imminent (51, Ichiro/Randy) and yet another very possible (34, Felix).

Best Seahawks by Uniform Number

I thought it would be to fun to see which players in Seahawks history were best by jersey number.  So hypothetically, if someone had enough time and money and wanted a wardrobe of the best player at each number, this is the collection of jerseys they should have.  I tried to even it out and not do too many of a particular position.  Also, since I've only seen Seahawks games since the late 90's I will be a tad biased towards more recent players.

1. Warren Moon, QB
Easy.  No one else is close.

2. Todd Peterson, K
Again, easy.  Next closest would be Trevone Boykin, who was a backup for a couple seasons.

3. Russell Wilson, QB
Easy, but not for a complete lack of competition.  Russ takes it easily over Josh Brown and Rick Mirer.

4. Stephen Hauschka, K
Boy did I want to go with Michael Dickson but six years of great kicking beats a year of any kind of punting.  Also Trent Dilfer, but Hausch takes it.

5. Ruben Rodriguez, P
There's literally no one else.  Mainly backup QB's that never lasted long like BJ Daniels, Alex McGough, and Charlie Frye.

6. Charlie Whitehurst, QB
There's literally no one else.  Clipboard Jesus at least won us a game that allowed BeastQuake to happen.

7. Jon Kitna, QB
Jon had a decent career and was our starter a few years.  Only competition was Tarvaris Jackson.

8. Matt Hasselbeck, QB
How many QB's are we going to get?  I don't think this will be the last.  Hass lead us to our first Super Bowl and led a team that made it to the playoffs quite often, something we hadn't seen since the early 1980's.  Still holds quite a few team passing records.

9. Jon Ryan, P
This one was my first really tough one.  Jon barely beats out Norm Johnson.  I went with Jon because he's more recent and because we already had two kickers on here, but only one punter.

10. Jim Zorn, QB
Easy choice.  Next closest were Jeff Feagles and Paul  Richardson.

11. Percy Harvin, WR
We keep going from easy choice to hard choice now.  There haven't been a whole lot of great players to wear #11 for the Hawks.  For this number there was also Deon Butler, Brock Huard, and Kelly Stouffer.  And SeaBass.  But Percy gets it mainly because of his kick return for a touchdown in the Super Bowl.

12. The Fans
Who else?  Sam Adkins?  Ha!

13. Chris Matthews, WR
Yikes!  Not much here, either.  Keary Colbert?  That's laughable.  Chris gets this for his onside kick recovery in the NFC Conference Championship game against the Packers.

14. Rick Tuten, P
He's the only somewhat legit candidate.  I vaguely remember him as our punter.  Rick "Pooten" Tuten my dad used to call him.  Hopefully D.K. Metcalf will be able to claim this number before too long.

15. Jermaine Kearse, WR
Did you know Doug Baldwin wore this number in his first year?  I had almost forgotten.  Jermaine was a key part of many playoff runs.  Next closest was Seneca Wallace.

16. Tyler Lockett, WR
This wasn't that close.  Lockett is now the Hawks #1 after Baldwin's retirement/release.  Next closest was our former punter Tom Rouen.

17. Dave Krieg, QB
Another that wasn't close.  Dave Krieg held virtually all the Seahawks passing records until Hass and Russ came long.  Next closest was big Mike Williams, whose jersey I actually own.

18. Sidney Rice, WR
A lot of fringe receivers have worn this number.  Sidney wast the best, though, helping us get to Super Bowl XLVIII.  Next closest was D.J. Hackett.

19. Tanner McEvoy, WR
We literally haven't had anyone better.  Fabian Bownes?  Bryan Walters?  Keenan Reynolds?  Pro Football reference gives an approximate value for each player I'm looking up, and Tanner had the highest.  Barely.  Somehow.  What the heck.

20. Jay Bellamy, S
Surprised you with this one?  It was a close call, and between four guys.  Jay was a decent safety for us for quite a while.  He beats out backup running back and occasional starter Maurice Morris, nickel corner Jeremy Lane, and defensive back Terry Taylor from the 80s.

21. Paul Moyer, CB
This was yet another close one.  It was either Moyer or Ken Lucas.  I chose Moyer because he only played with us and has remained a part of the Seahawks being on the radio.

22. Dave Brown, CB
No doubt about this one.  Dave is one of the best corners in team history (or so I'm told).

23. Marcus Trufant, CB
Speaking of best corners in team history, Marcus Trufant is as well.  He was our #1 corner for 8, 9, 10 years?  Helped us get to our first Super Bowl.

24. Marshawn Lynch, RB
If I had done this ten years ago, it would be Shawn Springs.  However, Beast Mode made his mark here in Seattle and his jersey is still spotted around the Pacific Northwest, despite him no longer being a Hawk.

25. Richard Sherman, CB
Sherm gets this, no question.  Still see his jersey a lot, too.

26. Ken Hamlin, S
I liked Ken Hamlin, he was an underrated safety.  He was like a mix of Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor.  Whenever I think Seahawks #26, I think Ken Hamlin.

27. Willie Williams, CB
This was a close one.  Willie was a solid corner in the 90s that I vaguely remember.  There's also Jordan "Big Play Babs" Babineaux and Patrick Hunter.

28. Curt Warner, RB
No question here.  I mostly associate this number with Michael Boulware, who I remember playing, but Curt has to have this.

29. Earl Thomas, S
I don't even have to look at who else has worn this number in Seahawks history, but I will just to see if it was even a little close.  Hmm... nope, just some DB named Dwayne Harper that I honestly have never heard of.

30. Bradley McDougald, S
Yep, Bradley's already made it.  Ok, to be honest, a cornerback named Corey Harris from the mid 90's had a better Player Value score, but I don't remember him, and Bradley by playing in 2019 will have been a Seahawk longer than him.

31. Kam Chancellor, S
Three safeties in a row.  There was never any doubt.  Next closest was Kelly Herndon.  I think he had an interception in Super Bowl XL.  But that's nothing compared to what we got from Kam.

32. John L. Williams, FB
Even I've heard of John L. Williams.  Possibly best FB in team history?  It's either him or Mack Strong.  Next closest was Ricky Watters, but he had more success on other teams.

33. Darryl Williams, CB
Darryl had the same player value score as RB/FB Dan Doornink.  But I went with Darryl.  I barely remember him, but remember him I do.

34. Thomas Rawls, RB
Not a whole lot of talent at this number.  Thomas Rawls had a couple decent years taking over for Marshawn Lynch, which was no easy task.  Next closest was Terreal Bierria.  Yeah.

35. David Sims, RB/FB
No, not the David Sims that calls Mariner games.  There was a running back David Sims who in 1978 ran for 14 touchdowns, which was a lot back then.  DeShawn Shead was a close second, he just didn't have the stats to back it up.

36. Lamar Smith, RB
It was between Lamar Smith, 16th on the all time Seahawks rushing list, or Lawyer Milloy, who only played a couple years with us and was at the tail end of his career.

37. Shaun Alexander, RB
I don't even have to look at who else wore this number.  Shaun was one of the best running backs of the mid 2000s, along with Jamal Lewis, Priest Holmes, and LaDanian Tomlinson.

38. Mack Strong, FB
No doubt about this one, either.  Mack had the talent and the name to back up his stellar blocking abilities.

39. Brandon Browner, CB
Although he's now in jail, Browner was a part of the original Legion of Boom, meaning the entire Legion of Boom makes it on here, to no surprise.

40. Derrick Coleman, FB
Oh boy, we enter the 40's, where not many star players wear numbers.  Derrick is my choice, although there wasn't much to choose from.

41. Eugene Robinson, S
I would hazard a safe guess by saying Eugene is the best player to wear a jersey number ANWHERE in the 40s.  We''ll see.

42. Chris Warren, RB
I barely remember Chris, but he had a fairly long career for us for a running back.  Then came Ricky Watters then Shaun Alexander.

43. Leonard Weaver, FB
Yet another full back.  That's five full backs now.  I did not expect to have that many on here.  Leonard was a decent full back in the mid to late 2000s.

44. John Harris, CB
I don't remember John playing (before my time), but he's third in Seahawks history in career interceptions.  That's good enough for me.

45. Kenny Easley, S
Well, I said earlier Eugene Robinson was probably the best to wear a number in the 40's in Seahawks history.  I may have been wrong.  I know it's been debated for a while who was the better safety.  Let's just say they were both excellent safeties.

46. David Hughes, RB/FB
David Hughes, like Dan Doornink and David Sims (huh all "D" names) was another one of those running back/full back hybrids the Seahawks employed in the 80s.  He had literally no competition.

47. Sherman Smith, RB
No contest.  Sherman is 8th on the team in rushing yards.

48. Mike Morgan, LB
He mainly wore another number, but there's literally no one else.  I do remember Morgan being a good player on special teams.

49. Clint Gresham, LS
Well this team needs a long snapper, doesn't it?  And who better than the long snapper that was on two of our Super Bowl teams?  Hopefully Shaquem Griffin will be with us long enough to give Clint a run for his money, or just beat him outright.

50. KJ Wright, LB
No question.  Finally into the 50's and we should be seeing some decent players here (mostly linebackers).

51. Lofa Tatupu, LB
There's Lofa, there's Anthony Simmons, and there's Bruce Irvin.  But Lofa was a star in the making in the early 2000s, until injuries and age ended his career.  Everyone seemed to have a Lofa Tatupu jersey back then.

52. Kevin Mawae, C
We got our first offensive lineman!  And Kevin just recently got into the pro football Hall of Fame.  He didn't play for us too long, but long enough in the mid 90s.

53. Keith Butler, LB
Keith was a pretty good linebacker in the late 80s/early 90s, or so I'm told.  He's now the Steeler's Defensive Coordinator.  I have to give a shoutout however to Malcolm Smith, the only Super Bowl MVP winner in Seahawks history.

54. Bobby Wagner, LB
No question whatsoever.  Bobby's not only the best #54 in team history, he might be the best linebacker in team history.

55. Michael Jackson, LB
This guy Beat It by edging out everyone else.  Sure was a Thriller.  Remember the time he played?  Ok, I'm done with the MJ puns.  There was also Frank Clark, and had he stayed a Seahawk a few more years he would've had it.  Oh well.

56. Leroy Hill, LB
I know most people may want Cliff Avril here, but I liked Leroy.  He had a better PV score and was a borderline Pro Bowler.

57. Tony Woods, DE/LB
I don't remember him, but he's 8th on the all time team list for career tackles.  That's worth something.

58. Bruce Scholtz, LB
He played 7 years for us at linebacker in the 80s.  That's all I have on him.  There's not much else.  Isaiah Kacyvenski, anyone?

59. Blair Bush, C
Blair was our center in the mid to late 80s, from what I see.  Don't know how good he was.  But who else am I going to choose here?  Aaron Curry?  Maybe Julian Peterson, but he had the bulk of his success with the 49ers.

60. Max Unger, C
Max was our center on the 2013/14 Super Bowl Teams, and he was a thumpin' good one.  It's a shame we traded him away for a washed up tight end in Jimmy Graham.

61. Robbie Tobeck, C
Three straight centers!  And the debate is, who is the best center in team history?  I'd say this guy, Robbie Tobeck.  He was an integral part of that offensive line that paved the way for Shaun Alexander.

62. Chris Gray, G
I never though of Chris Gray as a world class guard but he was with us for quite a while, from 1998-2007.  He anchored that line along with Robbie.  Pretty sure at least two of the others on that line will be here.

63. Nick Bebout, T
Never heard of him.  He was a tackle with us for four years in the late 70s.  But he's better than anyone else with this number.

64. JR Sweezy, G
Now I'll be honest, a tackle named Ron Essink had a better PV score than JR, but JR helped us get to a Super Bowl.  And he played more recently, which helps.

65. Edwin Bailey, G
I honestly though this would be Chris Spencer, but he was the runner up.  Edwin Bailey, meanwhile, was a guard for us for ELEVEN seasons.  That counts for something.

66. Pete Kendall, G
Pete was a decent guard for us in the late 90s.  He played for other teams more than us but he still played here five years.

67. Paul McQuistan, G
Wow, I can't remember the last time I had thought about Paul McQuistan.  He was on our Super Bowl winning team and had the best PV score for this number.  Beats out Rob Sims.

68. Justin Britt, G/C
Somehow, slowly, Justin Britt is climbing up the ladder of PV score for offensive lineman.  I mean, he's already passed Chris Spencer and has almost caught Robbie Tobeck.  Won't be long before he enters the conversation of best centers in team history.

69. Floyd Wedderburn, T
I barely remember big Floyd but I remember Mike Holmgren plugging him anywhere on the offensive line he needed to.  There was also Clinton McDonald, but Floyd beat him in PV score.

70. Michael Sinclair, DE
Right when I started watching the Seahawks as a kid Michael Sinclair was always their leading sacker, getting sack totals in the teens.  He's second in team history in career sacks.  Easily takes this.

71. Walter Jones, T
So if the Hawks retired the number for you, there is ABSOLUTELY NO question in regards to this.  Walt is just our best offensive lineman... ever.  For years we never had to worry about our left tackle spot.  Big Walt!

72. Joe Nash, DT
With respect to Michael Bennett, Joe Nash takes this.  Joe has more sacks as a Seahawk than Michael Bennett, surprisingly.

73. Ray Roberts, T
Ray was our starting left tackle in the early 90s and that's all I know.

74. Manu Tuiasosopo, DT
Manu, father to Marques (formerly of the Huskies) and Matt (formerly of the Mariners) was a decent nose tackle in the early 80s for us.

75. Howard Ballard, T
Howard beats out Sean Locklear for this spot.  Sean did help us to Super Bowl XL and was a part of that line for Shaun Alexander, but Howard Ballard had a better score in the same amount of years.

76. Steve Hutchinson, G
Here's a shocker.  Hutch does not have the best PV score at this uniform number.  That distinction belongs to Steve August, a tackle from the late 70s/early 80s.  Steve August beats Steve Hutchinson 53 to 52.  But August wasn't on a Super Bowl team and didn't pave the way for an MVP.

78. Jeff Bryant, DE/DT
Jeff Bryant was a tremendous D Lineman in the 80s.  He's 3rd in team history in sacks.  He beats out Floyd "Porkchop" Womack.

79. Jacob Green, DE
The guy first in sacks in team history has to be on here.  So he is.  There's been some talk of the Hawks retiring this number in his honor, but it hasn't happened.  His son-in-law, Red Bryant, was next best.

80. Steve Largent, WR
NO... QUESTION.  I mean Jerry Rice DID wear #80 in 2004... nah just kidding.  And they're the only two players to wear it in team history.

81. Koren Robinson, WR
This was a tough one.  I wanted to go with Golden Tate, who was runner up, but his PV score was a bit lower than Koren Robinson's.  And Koren wore another number for a year.

82. Darrell Jackson, WR
No contest here.  Darrell Jackson was one of our best receivers, if not the best, of the 2000s.

83. Deion Branch, WR
Yeah I know, but we haven't had a really great receiver wear this number.  Steve Raible wore #83 but he's most known as the voice of the Hawks.

84. Joey Galloway, WR
I know, Bobby Engram... but Joey was a more explosive receiver and at times carried our offense in the 90s.  Bobby was a VERY close 2nd.

85. Mike Pritchard, WR
I vaguely VAGUELY remember this guy.  More the name than anything.  He had a few solid seasons for us in the late 90s.  Really not much competition at this number.

86. Jerramy Stevens, TE
At the position, we have four solid tight ends in Seahawks history: Stevens, Christian Fauria, Zach Miller, and Mike Tice.  Jerramy has the slight SLIGHT edge numbers wise and PV score wise.  It was so close.

87. Ben Obomanu, WR
Ben was a solid and underrated WR in his time here in Seattle.  Ben had a longer stay than our runner up for this number, tight end Charle Young.

88. Jimmy Graham, TE
It didn't take much for Jimmy to get this, did it?  This, like #87, is primarily a number for tight ends.  There was also Itula Mili, but he wasn't as good.  Will Dissly has the number now; hopefully he can claim this as his number some day.

89. Brian Blades, WR
Boy this was a tough one.  Doug Baldwin is a close 2nd.  Brian played longer for us and got more yards and receptions.  Had he played in today's higher scoring era he'd have more TD's.  Doug almost very nearly took it from Brian Blades.  But BB had a very good career here; most consider him the 2nd best WR in team history.

90. Terry Wooden, LB
I don't remember Terry, but he did have four seasons of over 100 tackles.  He beats out current Seahawk Jarran Reed.  Reed may take this title from Terry some day but he'll need a few more productive years.

91. Chris Clemons, DE
This wasn't too much of a contest.  Chris helped our rise to NFC prominence and helped us win our first Super Bowl.  He's also 8th on the team all-time sack list.  Next closest to Clemons was Chartric "Chuck" Darby.

92. Brandon Mebane, DT
Mebane will go down as one of the best defensive tackles in team history.  But not THE best.  That guy's a bit later.  Mebane was also a part of our Super Bowl runs.  Next closest was Dave Wyman, now a Q13 FOX analyst for Seahawks games.

93. John Randle, DT
This was a very close one.  It was either Randle or Phillip Daniels.  Both played most of their careers elsewhere.  But Randle edges out Daniels just barely.

94. Chad Brown, LB
Chad wins this easily.  He was a very good linebacker for us in the late 90s and early 2000s.  I just remember him being good at everything.

95. Dean Wells, LB
Dean Wells was a linebacker in the 90s I don't really remember.  But he had the best PV score by a fair margin.  LJ Collier has the number now; hopefully he can be here someday.

96. Cortez Kennedy, DT
The third on here to have his number retired.  It's amazing how wide the disparity was between him and 2nd.  Tez's PV score was TWENTY FIVE TIMES greater than 2nd place, which was Grant Wistrom.  RIP Tez.

97. Rufus Porter, LB
The name Rufus Porter does ring a bell with me.  He was a very solid linebacker in the late 80s and early 90s by gauging his stats.  Next closest was Patrick Kerney.

98. Sam Adams, DT
Sam I Am was a very good nose tackle for us in the 90s.  We had some players then, just couldn't put it all together.

99. Rocky Bernard, DT
And we conclude with Rocky Bernard, a nose tackle who was on the 2005 Super Bowl team.  He was very solid as well.  Fun fact about him: In the NFL 2K5 video game the commentators call him by his actual first name "Robert" even though his name on the roster is "Rocky".  Also, Cortez Kennedy was the runner up, and he only wore #99 for ONE SEASON.  Shows how dominant he was.

Well, there you have it!  I'm thinking of doing one for the Mariners as well.  This was time consuming!  Many thanks to Pro Football Reference and their Player Index Tool to allow me to look up these numbers and stats easily.

All Possible Super Bowl Matchups, Their Storylines and Likelihood

(6) Baltimore Ravens vs. (6) Detroit Lions
Highly... highly doubtful this would happen.  There has never been a Super Bowl with two #6 seeds, although there has been a Super Bowl with two wild card teams.  Not many storylines in this one... it would certainly be a hard-fought, defensive struggle with perhaps some aerial attacks from the gunslinger QB's. 

(6) Baltimore Ravens vs. (5) Arizona Cardinals
Again highly unlikely as these two teams basically limped into the playoffs.  But they are two well-coached teams and it would be the second time John Harbaugh has faced an NFC West team in the Super Bowl.

(5) Cincinnati Bengals vs. (6) Detroit Lions
Two historically unfortunate franchises facing off (One would get their first Super Bowl win).  Also it would be the battle of the kitties.  Would be another hard-fought game, but this wouldn't be a Super Bowl that intriguing.  Not very likely, either.

(6) Baltimore Ravens vs. (4) Carolina Panthers
How many times would we hear Steve Smith Sr.'s name mentioned in the talk before the game?  Answer: A LOT.  He would probably want this Super Bowl, but not many people do.  Would be another defensive game.

(5) Cincinnati Bengals vs. (5) Arizona Cardinals
Another matchup where a team would get their first Super Bowl win.  Highly unlikely matchup with the two QB's (Dalton, winless in playoff games, and Lindley, who is a practice squad guy on most teams).

(4) Indianapolis Colts vs. (6) Detroit Lions
Jim Caldwell, the current coach of the Lions and former coach of the Colts, would be the main storyline here.  Also, two Texas-raised QB's (Luck and Stafford) would be facing off.  Not too likely, but not impossible for this matchup.  If a matchup is going to happen where the seeds of the two teams add up to at least ten, this would be the matchup that would happen.

(6) Baltimore Ravens vs. (3) Dallas Cowboys
Defense vs. Offense?  Hard to say what the storylines would be for this game.  Dallas would be heavily favored, for sure. 

(5) Cincinnati Bengals vs. (4) Carolina Panthers
Another battle of the kitties which you certainly shouldn't bet on.  These two teams tied in the regular season... might we see overtime in the Super Bowl for the first time if this were to happen?  Also, two minority coaches facing off (First since Lovie Smith's Bears against Tony Dungy's Colts).  Wouldn't be a Super Bowl that NBC is clamoring for, that's for sure.

(4) Indianapolis Colts vs. (5) Arizona Cardinals
How many times would Bruce Arians' name be mentioned?  A LOT.  This would be a fantastic Super Bowl to watch with the Bruce Arians storyline (provided Arizona got Stanton back and he was playing decently).  Could Arizona's D contain Andrew Luck?

(3) Pittsburgh Steelers vs. (6) Detroit Lions
These two teams are pretty close geographically.  Also, the Steelers 2nd to most recent Super Bowl victory came in the Lions stadium.  Other than that, not too many storylines. 

(6) Baltimore Ravens vs. (2) Green Bay Packers
Would be a very good matchup, but not many storylines.  Almost all of America would be rooting for the Packers, more than likely.  And the Ravens would be huge underdogs.

(5) Cincinnati Bengals vs. (3) Dallas Cowboys
Not many storylines here, either.  Dallas would be heavily favored, having taken out Green Bay (and probably Seattle, both on the road) to get to this point. 

(4) Indianapolis Colts vs. (4) Carolina Panthers
Two number one pick QB's (Luck and Newton) face off in a chance to reward their team for picking them number 1 overall with a Super Bowl title.  And two soft-spoken coaches who get a lot of respect from their players would face off.

(3) Pittsburgh Steelers vs. (5) Arizona Cardinals
This would be a rematch of Super Bowl XLIII, EXACTLY six years later (Feb. 1, 2009 to Feb. 1, 2015).  A few of the same players remain, namely Big Ben for the Steelers and Larry Fitzgerald for the Cardinals.  And with the Steelers trying to take a Super Bowl from the Cardinals on the Cardinals' turf, this would be a very good matchup. 

(2) Denver Broncos vs. (6) Detroit Lions
Would likely be a high-scoring game.  What prevails, a horse or lion?  Could Matthew Stafford be the third rising QB to beat Manning in a Super Bowl?  (The first two being Brees and Wilson)  Also, Golden Tate would be facing the Broncos in the Super Bowl for the 2nd straight year.

(6) Baltimore Ravens vs. (1) Seattle Seahawks
Not too many storylines here, other than Pete Carroll vs. the other Harbaugh brother.  Justin Forsett would be facing his former team.  Both running backs would be from the University of California.  Would be a hard-fought, low-scoring game. 

(5) Cincinnati Bengals vs. (2) Green Bay Packers
Titletown vs. No Titles in this town.  Basically.  Green Bay would be heavily favored and heavily rooted for.  There was a regular season game in 2013 between these two teams which was back and forth and high scoring, which I'd expect this game to be as well.

(4) Indianapolis Colts vs. (3) Dallas Cowboys
These two teams just recently played and Dallas smoked them.  Indy would be seeking revenge.  This would be a good matchup for NBC, with two gunslingers airing it out.  It would be up to the defenses to make a big play or two. 

(3) Pittsburgh Steelers vs. (4) Carolina Panthers
Don't see this matchup happening (at all) but it would be a fun game to watch.  Two big QB's against two tough defenses.  Two minority coaches facing off in this game as well.

(2) Denver Broncos vs. (5) Arizona Cardinals
Peyton Manning taking on another NFC West team with a tough defense.  Depending on Arizona's offense, Denver could be heavily favored.  Not likely with Arizona limping in to the playoffs.

(1) New England Patriots vs. (6) Detroit Lions
Not too many storylines.  It would be Tom Brady in University of Phoenix Stadium against a wild card team from the NFC... again.  Could Stafford pull an Eli Manning and beat Tom Brady?

(5) Cincinnati Bengals vs. (1) Seattle Seahawks
Very few storylines in this matchup that NBC would probably want to stay away from.  The Hawks would be heavily favored, more than likely.  It would be the 2nd time the Hawks (as a #1 seed) face an AFC North Team (that is a wild card) in the Super Bowl. 

(4) Indianapolis Colts vs. (2) Green Bay Packers
The story would be the quarterbacks, of course.  Two quarterbacks with potent offenses with defenses that usually do just enough to get wins.  Would most likely be a high-scoring and entertaining game.

(3) Pittsburgh Steelers vs. (3) Dallas Cowboys
OH MAN.  This rivalry would be renewed with a Super Bowl matchup.  This would be a dream matchup for NBC.  Many are dreaming of this potential matchup.  The history behind these two franchises would be the main storyline.

(2) Denver Broncos vs. (4) Carolina Panthers
This would be the John Fox Bowl, the Denver coach having previously coached Carolina.  However, I don't see this matchup with Denver happening, either, but anything's possible.  Peyton Manning would be facing another athletic African American quarterback who comes with a strong running game and a solid defense.  Would Manning lose again?

(1) New England Patriots vs. (5) Arizona Cardinals
Tom Brady would need to shake his Arizona demons... against Arizona.  Arizona would probably be underdogs in their own stadium.  Bruce Arians would be a coaching god if he won this matchup.

(4) Indianapolis Colts vs. (1) Seattle Seahawks
I predicted this matchup at the start of the season, and I'm sticking to it (sort of).  It's a real possibility.  It would be the matchup of the QB's from the 2012 draft class, Luck vs. Wilson (1st overall vs. 75th overall).  Would be a good matchup and the Seahawks SHOULD be favored.

(3) Pittsburgh Steelers vs. (2) Green Bay Packers
This is another dream matchup for NBC, a rematch of Super Bowl XLV.  Many of the same players remain from those teams, including the starting quarterbacks.  The first time they faced off was in an environmentally-controlled arena, and this time would be the same thing. 

(2) Denver Broncos vs. (3) Dallas Cowboys
This is another matchup that NBC would like.  This is a "rematch" of Super Bowl XII, 37 years later.  This game would be very high-scoring (41-38?) and more than likely be close.  Their regular season game in 2013 would be one many would hope this game would be similar to.

(1) New England Patriots vs. (4) Carolina Panthers
This would be a rematch of Super Bowl XXXVIII, with basically only Tom Brady remaining from either of those two teams.  The Patriots would be heavily favored, but the Panthers would give them a fight. 

(3) Pittsburgh Steelers vs. (1) Seattle Seahawks
Oh boy.  Rematch of Super Bowl XL.  This is a game I would definitely want to see, just so the Hawks could get revenge.  The Hawks are scheduled to host the Steelers next season, so a Super Bowl re-rematch would take place the following season.  Let's just hope for this game Bill Leavy would not be officiating. 

(2) Denver Broncos vs. (2) Green Bay Packers
Rematch of Super Bowl XXXII.  I have dreamed of this Super Bowl matchup again for a long time, because Super Bowl XXXII was the first Super Bowl I ever watched.  These two teams playing against each other look so visually appealing, with red and orange vs. yellow and green.  Another dream matchup for NBC.  If the Hawks can't be in the Super Bowl, THIS is the matchup I would want.

(1) New England Patriots vs. (3) Dallas Cowboys
Another game for the ages.  Dallas would have a TON of supporters, being much geographically closer to Arizona than New England.  Hard to say who would be favored.  This would be an exciting and close game, for sure.

(2) Denver Broncos vs. (1) Seattle Seahawks
Rematch of Super Bowl XLVIII, less than a year later.  Obviously, the Broncos would be seeking revenge.  A Super Bowl rematch hasn't happened the following season since Dallas and Buffalo in 1993 and 1994.  Dallas won both of those games (the first easily, the second sort of easily) and I think the same would happen here.

(1) New England Patriots vs. (2) Green Bay Packers
Another dream matchup.  They played in the regular season in Green Bay, with the Packers coming out victorious.  New England would be seeking revenge and without Lambeau to protect the Packers, New England would have a real shot (and probably be favored).  Rematch of Super Bowl XXXI.

(1) New England Patriots vs. (1) Seattle Seahawks
This is the matchup many Hawks fans think will happen, are rooting for, or both.  It would be the 2nd straight year the two #1 seeds face each other.  This isn't technically a dream matchup for NBC, but it would be a classic.  I do think the Patriots would put up more of a fight than the Broncos last season, but I see the Hawks coming out on top. 


So there's all the possible Super Bowl matchups.  Which will happen?  We'll find out by the end of January 18, when the conference championship games conclude.  Should be fun to watch.  

My Seahawks Journey and Extensive Super Bowl Prediction

Hey guys, I first want to start out by apologizing for the long delay in between blog posts.  I've been busy and really haven't felt the need or want to write about something.  Anyway, here we are in 2014 and the Seahawks have made it to their second ever Super Bowl.  What a great season they have had, and hopefully it ends on a high note.  I'm going to talk about my life as a Seahawk fan for a bit, how I became a Seahawks fan and certain notable games I remember, and then it will all lead up to my predictions for the Super Bowl, which will include an interesting analogy. 

The first Seahawks season that I can remember was 1999, the last season in the Kingdome.  The Seahawks went 9-7 that year, winning the AFC West Division Championship and earning their first playoff trip since 1988.  I got into the Seahawks around that time because I had just gotten into watching sports (including the Mariners and Sonics), but also because of my dad.  Before I was born, my dad would record every Seahawks game on VHS, but had to stop once me and my sister were born.  I remember watching one of the games he recorded.  He eventually gave the tapes of the games to Seahawks and Seattle sports super fan, Lorin Sandretzky, also known as "Big Lo". 

I even went to a few games in Husky Stadium while Seahawks Stadium (which eventually became Qwest Field which became CenturyLink Field) was being built.  I saw the Seahawks lose to the Broncos, but I also saw the Hawks cream the Raiders on Sunday Night Football, in which Shaun Alexander got a team record 266 yards rushing.  I feel after that game I really fell in love with the Seahawks. 

After 1999, the Seahawks still remained in mediocrity until 2003, when they made the playoffs again.  I remember watching that playoff game against the Packers in the freezing cold, when the game went into overtime.  Matt Hasselbeck infamously declared, "We want the ball, we're gonna score".  He then proceeded to throw a pick six to Al Harris to seal the win for the Packers.  The Seahawks made the playoffs the following year, but lost to the Rams at home in the playoffs, which also happens to be the last time the Seahawks lost a home playoff game. 

The following year, of course, was the Seahawks Super Bowl season.  I was so hung up on every game that every loss left me devastated and depressed for the next week.  After the Super Bowl loss to the Steelers, I was so upset that I smashed every one of my Steelers miniature helmets I had at the time.

The remaining Seahawks players made the playoffs a few more times, but never mustered any real playoff run.  Then the Seahawks had a few bad seasons, which eventually led to them hiring Pete Carroll.  Pete and John Schneider, the GM, have put together arguably the best roster in Seahawks history.  Now they are one win away from the team's first ever Super Bowl title. 

I haven't let myself get hung up on games this year like in years past.  Just last season, when the Seahawks playoff run ended in a loss to the Falcons, I remember feeling so hopeless for the team, thinking that was our only shot.  But now, the following season, the Seahawks have gotten to the final game.  But for this game, I'm not going to let it affect me as much as others if we lose.  It helps to have a team and quarterback as opposition that I'm both a fan of.  I can never hate the Broncos or Peyton Manning, because they're both a big reason why I became a bigger fan of football than anything else.  If the Seahawks lose, it's not the end of the world, nor is it the end of their run. 

Now, for predictions.  At the start of the football season, way back in August, I predicted a Super Bowl matchup between the Broncos and Seahawks, and look how right I was.  Sure, I missed on a few playoff teams (Oops on Texans, Ravens, Falcons, Giants, and Rams), but I got the end result correct.  Now, I predicted a final score of 27-24 Broncos.  But that was when I thought our defense would have a bit of a down year with a new defensive coordinator.  So, let's go over what I think will really happen:

First quarter:
Seahawks win toss--defer to second half
-Manning and Broncos slowed by weather, punt on first possession.
-Wilson and Seahawks go 3 and out, which is something we've grown used to seeing over the past couple months.
-Broncos get decent field position thanks to a good punt return by Decker, but settle for a field goal.
- Seahawks get ball and are driving as quarter ends.
After one quarter: DEN-3, SEA-0

Second quarter:
- Seahawks drive to red zone, but a fumbled exchange between Lynch and Wilson gives the ball to the Broncos.
- Peyton Manning finds Demaryius Thomas for a long bomb, scoring the game's first TD.
- Seahawks drive again, thanks to some good runs by Lynch, but have to settle for a field goal.
- Broncos get stopped on some pass deflections by the Legion of Boom.
- Seahawks get ball back, but have to settle for a sizeable field goal try, which Hauschka misses to end the half.
After two quarters: DEN-10, SEA-3

Third quarter:
- Seahawks go 3 and out to start the half.
- Broncos drive to the red zone, but Manning is stripped by Cliff Avril and the Seahawks recover.
- Wilson finds Golden Tate on a 40 yard strike, which eventually sets up a Lynch touchdown to tie the game.
- On Manning's first pass of the next drive, Byron Maxwell steps in front of a pass and returns it for a TD.
After three quarters: DEN-10, SEA-17

Fourth quarter:
- Manning and the Broncos go on a methodical drive, getting chunks of short passes and eventually get a Julius Thomas TD.
- Seahawks get to 40 yard line, go for it on 4th down, but can't convert. 
- Broncos drive and get to a 4th and 1, but with the conditions and without a strong running game they have to kick a field goal, which Matt Prater does.
- Seahawks get the ball back, but are stopped on 3rd down near midfield.  Carroll decides to punt and Jon Ryan is able to pin the Broncos at the 10, with about 3 minutes to go.
- Manning and the offense is stuffed, but they take the time down to 2 minutes.  They punt it away to Tate, who muffs it at first but then recovers and gets a few yards. 
- Seahawks get a clutch pass to Doug Baldwin, which is a tiptoe sideline catch on third down, which many people will then say is one of the best Super Bowl catches ever.  The Seahawks run out of downs, however, and settle for a game tying field goal.  Broncos take their remaining timeouts to keep time on the clock, but once they get the ball decide to just kneel.
After four quarters: DEN-20, SEA-20

That's right, the first ever Super Bowl to go into overtime!
Overtime:
- Seahawks lose the toss, which is fine with them because of their D.
- Broncos get the ball, and a pass is tipped and intercepted by Earl Thomas, who returns it to the Broncos 40!
- Seahawks get a first down with a few Lynch runs, and set up a game winning field goal try from the 22.  Hauschka makes it, and the Seahawks win one of the most dramatic Super Bowls in history.
FINAL SCORE: DEN-20, SEA-23
MVP: Marshawn Lynch, 21-105, 1 TD

I think if the above were to happen many Seahawks fans would die of heart failure.  Anything's possible, though.  Before I wrap up, an analogy like I promised:

Their once was a team with a great defense. Maybe even better than great.  They had talent at every level on the defense.  Their offense was above average and usually good enough to get them enough points to win.  Sound familiar?  No, this isn't the Seahawks.  This team I'm talking about had a good running game as well, and some receivers that weren't All-Pro but made the big catches when it mattered.  Their quarterback wasn't even a Pro Bowler, but he was good enough. 

This team made it all the way to the Super Bowl as a representative for the NFC.  They had the best defense in the league, and maybe, one of the best defenses ever, with two already having gone to the Hall of Fame.  In the Super Bowl, they faced the team with the #1 offense and the League MVP at Quarterback.  But in the Super Bowl, they stopped this #1 offense by getting FIVE interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns.  This team?  The 2002-2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  They beat the #1 offense of the Raiders and MVP Rich Gannon in Super Bowl XXXVII by a score of 48-21.  All I'm saying is that if the Buccaneers can do it, so can the Seahawks.  Sure, Peyton Manning might be a step or two above Rich Gannon, but now is the time to shine as a defense, just like the Buccaneers did.  This was also the last time the #1 offense and #1 defense met in the Super Bowl.

So, let's hope the Seahawks can repeat what the Buccaneers did.  Let's hope for the first major sports championship in this city in 35 years.  Let's hope for a Seahawks Super Bowl Title!  GO HAWKS!!!