Seemed like an interesting topic to discuss while we wait for our Hawks to lay waste to Cammy and the Carolina Kitties. Did you become a 'Hawks fan because your father was a die-hard Hawk? Or did you become one simply because you grew up in the shadow of the Kingdome? Or maybe you just became a Seahawks fan because of their uniforms/logo? Or because you always wanted to grow up to be just like Jim Zorn? So why did YOU (that's right, I'm talking to YOU) become a Seahawks fan? What's YOUR Seahawks story? I know a guy who was born and raised in upstate SC, yet who has pulled for the Hawks from the time he was a little kid. I think it was because he liked their uniforms the first time he saw them on TV. You know the old silver/white/green/blue ones. Anyway, he has been a Hawks fan ever since.

I am just curious because I grew up in the shadow of Giants Stadium in Northern NJ, yet I have been a die-hard Chicago Bears fan since I was knee high to a garbage can.

I was born in Seattle.

I appreciate the response, and no offense and all Roland, but that's kinda boring...

Because the Bears suck. Boring, but true.

I moved to Woodinville from Boston in 1977, right after the Seahawks first season. The first football team I was on was the "Junior Seahawks". We got to practice in the Kingdome before a Hawks game, and got to meet Sherman Smith, Jim Zorn, Steve August and a few others... and I was hooked.

Born in Kansas...actually started out (briefly) as a Chiefs fan. My Dad took me to Arrowhead Stadium for my first NFL game when Len Dawson was still playing.

Born n raised in Washington

Born and raised in Alaska. My first year really watching football, was the year before the Seahawks came into existence as a franchise. The moment I'd heard that there was this new team in Seattle, I knew they were going to be my team and they have been ever since

Born and raised in Seattle. Dad tried to make me a Rams fan because he grew up in Los Angeles, but it just didn't fly. Had to pick my own team and who else would I choose. Loved the old uni's as a kid too.

Seahawks game was the first NFL game I saw since I arrived in United States. I believe it was against Cowboys, so I just picked Seattle as my team.

Born, raised and still live in the same town in WA. I have been a Seahawks fan since they first came into the league. I have always been a football fan, back to when I watched games on tv with my Dad, before Seattle even had a team. He patiently explained all the rules and the one that sticks in my mind is him explaining the 4 downs to me. Once I got that, the game clicked in my head.

Born and raised in Bellingham Washington. I remember in elementary school the police would come by and hand out Seahawks cards in the early eighties. Still have them and have been a fan ever since.

Live in Los Angeles now and it's great seeing 'hawks fans out and about these days.

I was looking through the JCPenney Christmas catalog in 1975 and noticed the Seahawks helmet, logo and colors and was instantly no longer a Vikings fan. (Had the Ahmad Rashad jersey to prove it. Just liked the purple and white Nike-looking logo...I was 6, give me a break!) When I found out they were MY hometown team I knew it was a match made in heaven. Destiny!

I thank them for my annual heart palpitations ever since.

Born that way.

Largent80 wrote:Because the Bears suck. Boring, but true.

Tread lightly, chubs.

For all of those Hawks fans who have responded with their own, unique stories: Thanks. Let's keep them coming, guys. Fun topic to discuss while we count down the tedious hours till kickoff!

I just always wanted to visit Seattle. Now more than ever...

Born in Colorado but moved to Seattle area when I was 2. Grew up without a father figure so the violence of football appealed to me. Never was particularly athletic so I rooted first for the Sonics, as I could understand the game at an early age, then more Mariners and Hawks. Now I root for the Hawks first and foremost and the Ms second, despite logic telling me to do otherwise.

I always felt like the reward of a championship season would be so much greater if I had stuck with and defended my teams, rather than selling out for the flavor of the day ie; raiders/Yankees etc. I fully anticipate that the first Lombardi we earn will be among the most poignant moments of my life.

And I hope that I don't die before the Mariners win the WS.

hahaha, it sounds like my buddy isn't the only person who loved the old colour silver/green/blue/white colour scheme. Some pretty good/interesting responses thus far, fellas. I know how it feels to be an out of area fan, 'cause people always look at me funny when I tell them how/why I became a Bears fan, in spite of the fact that I grew up in Giants/Jets territory.

Started watching nfl about five years ago or so, liked it and needed a team. Obviously I have no local team to support, so stuck on Madden07, set up a game and clicked the random team button, up popped the Hawks and have followed em since!

meganman, thanks for your post. Are there many Hawks fans in Dallas or are you the only one rep'ing the 12th man down on the DFW area?! Just curious.

Born and raised in Portland. The "local" teams that we usually got to choose from on TV were the Raiders, 49ers or Seahawks. So obviously it was an easy choice. Steve Largent, Kenny Easley, Curt Warner and guys like that just made the choice easier.

Because I hate Wisconsin.

Moved to Oregon when I was 12 they were the only team in the area. And it was just at the time that I starting thinking sports weren't a waste of time.

Kreig to Skansi, and Kenny Easley. Grew up in Eugene, all my friends were/are 9er fans. I really didn't have an allegiance till the late 80's

No idea besides being raised in Tacoma. I was a big fan of Montana, Young, Rice, and even Stokes as a kid, but I always remembered vaguely rooting for the Seahawks because they were the home team. Cortez, Galloway, and Watters are my earliest Seahawks memory. I even though Mirer was the shh...as kid lol

I was born in WA and raised in Palmer, AK. My brothers were Cowboy fans. One year my oldest brother accused us all of copying him, so my second oldest brother and I decided we would root for the eagles (that was in 1980). I was the youngest (younger than the oldest by 12 years), and had a natural alliance with my second oldest brother, so I jumped on the bandwagon with him. As fate would have it, the Eagles went to the Super Bowl that year (oldest brother was very dismayed).

In 1980 I was 3 years old and I loved football. I found the Seahawks on the radio on (if memory serves) KABN radio in Alaska. The rest is history. My brothers kind of had the Seahawks as a regional favorite, and they were secondary to the Cowboys (everyone returned to normal after that 1980 season cause oldest brother decided it wasn't so bad if everyone rooted for the same team). My allegiance was wholeheartedly devoted to the Hawks by about age 4.

Dad was a pastor and Sunday afternoons were spent listening with my ear to the radio while the family napped between services. Pete Gross and Steve Raible filled my head with their calls. We didn't have TV, so they created the scene for me. I wrote a letter to Steve Largent, had a couple of Largent jerseys. Spent most of my time throwing a football to myself so I could be Largent. I studied every picture of him so I could mimic his stance at the Line of scrimmage.

I remember being at odds with my brother for a Thanksgiving game (Cowboys vs Seahawks), I came out victorious. So many great memories. Now my two oldest brothers are Seahawks fans first and foremost.

I remember the Seahawks came up to Wasilla, AK for a charity basketball game. I met Manu Tuiasosopo and a bunch of other players. It was awesome. I remember Steve Largent came to Anchorage, AK to sign autographs, but I couldn't talk my parents into taking me to get one. One of my biggest childhood regrets.

Born in Everett, raised in Mt Vernon, moved to Milwaukee 14 years ago. Liked the Seahawks when I moved here, but caught the NFL bug real hard being around all these Packer fans. Now I'm obsessive.

Aros wrote:I was looking through the JCPenney Christmas catalog in 1975 and noticed the Seahawks helmet, logo and colors and was instantly no longer a Vikings fan. (Had the Ahmad Rashad jersey to prove it. Just liked the purple and white Nike-looking logo...I was 6, give me a break!) When I found out they were MY hometown team I knew it was a match made in heaven. Destiny!

I thank them for my annual heart palpitations ever since.

I too am a former Viking fan who changed to the home state team. My loyalty to the Seahawks won't change even though I have officially lived more years away from Washington than in it. I did live in Minnesota for three years as a youngster and being a Viking fan in Minnesota was natural.

Born in Olympia and moved to Idaho a few years later, never had a "team", just whoever seemed good when I was a kid, I liked watching the games. In about 2004 I started to get into football more and went to some newer Seahawks games. I went to the Kingdom a couple of times in the 90's but the teams were really bad and I wasn't so much into following a team. That definitely changed in 2004 when I went to Quest at the time, I really got into following the Seahawks then after the Superbowl run. It's more fun when following a team when they are bad and get good then just following NFL games for me now.

I'd say my Mom being a big Seahawks fan since their inception helped too. She said she followed the LA Rams for a while until Seattle got their own team and switched then. Dad has always been a Browns fan so times have been pretty tough for him.

BuddyRyans46 wrote:

Largent80 wrote:Because the Bears suck. Boring, but true.

Tread lightly, chubs.

For all of those Hawks fans who have responded with their own, unique stories: Thanks. Let's keep them coming, guys. Fun topic to discuss while we count down the tedious hours till kickoff!

My "CHUB" does not tread lightly...

OK....I grew up in L.A. as a Ram fan in the 60's. I went to a LOT of games at the collesium.

I was there when the Rams played the Hawks in their first year. I knew I was going to be moving to Washinton the following spring. I loved watching Zorn and Largent.

So, I have spent most of my entire life a Hawk fan, even though I live back in SoCal now.

Born and raised in Chicago, Ill (1955). Left for the Air Force when I was 19, stationed in Biloxi, Ms. Got into chasing women and partying more than staying up on my sports. Came to Seattle after getting out of the Air Force in 1978. With the lack of the internet and pretty spotty cable, absence made the heart wonder and I picked up all the local teams in Seattle to pull for.

Since then, I have pulled for nothing but Seattle area teams. My brother, who is a year younger than me and moved up here from Cali (Air Force) is the complete opposite. I have caught hell from all my family and cousins for abandoning Chicago sports. I tell them they should be thankful. It wasn't until I stopped pulling for Chicago teams that they had the '85 Bears, Michael's Bulls and the White Sox winning the Series. When I pulled for those losers, we had Bobby Douglass, Tom Boerwinkle and losers to the stinking Miracle Mets. Dick Allen was the man though. Not sure why the Sox traded Bucky Dent and some of that pitching from back then.

I tend to pull for teams that just cannot get out of their way. I guess when I die, the Seahawks will go on a run and the stinking Mariners will finally get their act together?

I was in high school, living in Spokane, when the expansion was announced. Decided on the spot, that this would be MY team. If I remember correctly, it was a few months before we even knew what the team would be called. Something sticks in my mind about a contest to come up with names. Not sure about that part tho. Any way always have been always will be. GO HAWKS.

Wisconsin born and raised. I starting getting into football around 10 years old. My dad was, and still is a Packer fan, but I thought that they had the ugliest uniforms in the league. I thought that the Seahawks had the coolest, plus I just loved Largent. Been a fan ever since, over 25 years now.

Steve Largent................nuff said!!!!

Drew their name out of a hat.

Born in Washington. Seahawks first game was when I was 5. Me and my pop would watch every game together. He would sit calm and collected while I freaked out the whole game. I would often lay on the floor and toss a mini football up in the air, trying to just tap the ceiling, which must have drove my dad nuts. Good times.

BuddyRyans46 wrote:I appreciate the response, and no offense and all Roland, but that's kinda boring...

That's fine. I know it's boring. There's no big story behind my becoming a Seahawks fan. I started following them as I could as a kid in rural Wisconsin during the 90s, with Favre's glory years happening. That part of it sucked.

Sarlacc83 wrote:Because I hate Wisconsin.

Brings a tear to my eye.

CANHawk wrote:Drew their name out of a hat.

Russell?

Started with the NFL in 1958 when I got interested in a team coached by Vince Lombardi. Then got on the train with the prennial losers in Pissburgh and watched while Chuck Noll made history there. Was in the service in the Bay Area, got to meet John Brody at a ninnirs open house in the off season.

But then was chasing drag racing and didn't get much chance to see any football at all for years. Then bought a travel trailer and we camped a lot so missed lots of ball then too. Finally in my winter hobby, I was a damned good bowler, averaged about +15, which is 215 for those of you not knowing. All the gang I ran around with were Ray-Duh fans and typical jerks about it. Just got tired of listening so decided to pick a team closer to home.

Later a couple of us held up the start of racing at Spokane Raceway Park waiting to see if Curt Warner could us get the win. When he did the entire hot loop at Raceway Park cheered. But the owner was less than impressed with us.

I was born in Seattle, but grew up in a navy family. We moved all over when I was growing up. No matter where I lived, I always considered my Grandmother's house in Tacoma as my home. I remember when I was young, like 7 or 8 we were living in San Jose, Ca. My father was teaching me football while watching those old Oakland Raider teams. Learned football watching Ken Stabler, Mark van Eeghen, Cliff Branch, Fred Biletnikoff, Ted Hendricks and George Blanda. I knew at the time I was watching greatness, but just couldn't get into the Raiders. A year later we moved to Mississippi and I decided that the Washington Redskins were gonna be my team. It wasn't long before my dad informed me that I could quite pretending the Redskins were from that Washington and that I could finally have my own team. They had just announced that Seattle would be an expansion city. Without a second thought, gave my heart to a team without knowing the team mascot or ever seeing a uniform or team colors. Been as loyal as a lap dog ever since.

Moved as a child, by the grace of all that is holy, from Western Pennsylvania to Eastern Washington in 1976. It was fate.

Born and raised in South King County the year the Seahawks started. Dad was a fan and I was taught you are a fan of your hometown thick or thin, I've got the thin part down for sure, looks like we are going to finally get to the thick. Did not get fanatical until I was 12 and My Dad took me to my first game on my birthday December 23 in the Kingdome against the Donkeys.. Hated Elway ever since Loved the Hawks, We murdered Elway and I remember the chants ,, EEEEEELLLLLLLLWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYY, EEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLWWWWWWWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYY, so loud my ears rang for the rest on the night and into the next day. The obsession was born and so was the pride of being a loud fanatic for the Hawks, Huskies, Mariners and Sonics. Been a ton of pain in my soul being a Seattle Fan, Haven't watched Basketball since The NBA betrayed us and never will again. Hoping to become a new Hockey Fan soon, bring back the Metropolitans, that right Seattle is on the Stanley Cup, 1904 might have repeated if it wasn't for the Spanish Flu. My Only son born 12/12/12, that just reaffirms I am in the right fan base. Go Hawks

As a baby I was found floating down the Dawamish river by wild Osprey. They raised me as one of their own in their nest under the Alaskan Way viaduct.

Growing up in an Osprey nest under the shadow of the iconic Kingdome had a profound effect upon my fan hood.

It was destiny for me. CA CAW!

Was Raider and a Rams fan as a wee tot, watching Monday night football and listening to Dandy Don Howard and Frank Gifford, the games I watched on Sunday were my getting my teeth cut about the rules and watching these guys do fantastic things. But Monday Howard would make them surreal with Half time Highlights and the whole Monday Night Football was like a event every week.

Saying that I would always hear that Seattle isn't a real city if they don't have a NFL team, loved the Huskies here but you know as a kid your get influenced by grown up talk. Anyway as a sophmore in High School we had the announcement we were getting a team and I submitted a name in the naming contest. I was a fan from that day on. I never had to hear again Seattle isn't a real big city, we also had the rising of the Sonics to a Championship team about that same time.

Born into it.

Father became a fan in '76 when the team arrived, before that he said the Udub Huskies were the only show in town and the team of the PNW, and after that the Hawks took over the PNW.

Great Thread OP!

I was born and raised in Duvall & Carnation, WA so I never really had any say in the matter. I played basketball and hockey growing up, so the first area teams I loved were the Sonics (brings fury to my heart and tears to my eyes) and the T-birds (love the smell of the ice!). Once I hit high school ('00-'04) I became hooked.

I can actually pinpoint the moment to the Summer before the 2001 season when I went to an EWU basketball camp in Cheney and watched the Seahawks training camp. I had a Seahawks shirt on and I remember beng in awe of the sheer size of Levon Kirkland when he gave me an autograph (along with Koren Robinson, Chad Eaton, and ofcourse Mr. John Kitna himself among others, lol)...

On a side note, I remember how heartbroken I was when Ricky Watters wouldn't stop to give me an autograph, hated him ever since! lol..

I'm so pumped for Sunday - GO HAWKS!!!!!

because being a cowboy fan is too mainstream

Simple boring story for me, a lifelong Washingtonian: I was 10 and the team came into existence. Best age to hook 'em...

Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, so I've been a fan since Zorn to Largent.

Was born in kennewick and grew up watching the hawks play in the 80's. Been a diehard fan since, even thru all the ups and downs. Cant wait to finally taste the sweet nectar of a Super Bowl Win this year!

KCHawkGirl wrote:Moved to Oregon when I was 12 they were the only team in the area. And it was just at the time that I starting thinking sports weren't a waste of time.

KCHAWKGIRL, I like the cut of your jib!