Was watching a little bit of the college football awards show on ESPN and Mr. Largent handed out the Fred Bilenikoff award to the best wide receiver (Marqise Lee).

It was pretty cool seeing him up on the stage. He still looks good. Matt Hasselbeck has surpassed him as my favorite player, Russell Wilson might be on his way to doing the same, but Steve Largent is still and always will be "Mr. Seahawk" to me.

Easley was and will likely remain my all time favorite Hawk....but I agree, Largent will always be Mr. Seahawk to me, as well. Every time I see Jerry Rice, I despise him a bit more for wearing #80 with the Hawks. That was a disgraceful, classless act by both he and our FO.

just look at who was in charge... whittset. iirc

Whitsett rocked. He brought in Kendell Gill.

Will someone please tell me the whole story regarding the whole #80 scandal? While I agree it was wrong for Rice to even ask for it, it was also very classy on Largent to give the OK. But, something seems amiss. I never did get the whole story.

Blitzfan wrote:Will someone please tell me the whole story regarding the whole #80 scandal? While I agree it was wrong for Rice to even ask for it, it was also very classy on Largent to give the OK. But, something seems amiss. I never did get the whole story.

If I'm not 100% accurate with this, I hope someone corrects me, but my interpretation of the event was that we picked up the classless has-been (and greatest WR of all time) and he said he wanted to wear #80. That number was rightfully hanging from our rafters, where it should have stayed but Whitless told Rice he would have to ask Largent for permission to "un-retire" his number.

The always classy Largent, who I believe was running for congress at the time, answered Rice by saying (and I para-phrase) "I have more important issues than the un retirement of jersey...go ahead, I'm fine with it" (or something along those lines). This was accepted by rice and the FO as permission. Whitless should have never put Steve in that position and Punk-ass rice, the man that broke Largents record for TDs, should have never asked in the first place.

That's my take on it. I felt it was very disrespectful and I'm not surprised rice has been reduced to doing lame ass underwear commercials.

Largent = G.O.A.T. Seahawk.

Largent is my favorite of all time and it isn't close. I was born in 77 and I just kinda grew up a huge fan. Miss those days...

HawkWow wrote:

Blitzfan wrote:Will someone please tell me the whole story regarding the whole #80 scandal? While I agree it was wrong for Rice to even ask for it, it was also very classy on Largent to give the OK. But, something seems amiss. I never did get the whole story.

If I'm not 100% accurate with this, I hope someone corrects me, but my interpretation of the event was that we picked up the classless has-been (and greatest WR of all time) and he said he wanted to wear #80. That number was rightfully hanging from our rafters, where it should have stayed but Whitless told Rice he would have to ask Largent for permission to "un-retire" his number.

The always classy Largent, who I believe was running for congress at the time, answered Rice by saying (and I para-phrase) "I have more important issues than the un retirement of jersey...go ahead, I'm fine with it" (or something along those lines). This was accepted by rice and the FO as permission. Whitless should have never put Steve in that position and Punk-ass rice, the man that broke Largents record for TDs, should have never asked in the first place.

That's my take on it. I felt it was very disrespectful and I'm not surprised rice has been reduced to doing lame ass underwear commercials.

To be honest, the whole idea of retiring a number is that it is synonymous with a player - you don't let others wear it because they can't do it justice.
Jerry Rice is the only other player in NFL history that could do Largent's jersey number justice, it makes sense to let him wear it (imo)

Bob Whitsett was an idiot. There. I said it.

Aros wrote:Bob Whitsett was an idiot. There. I said it.

I think Bob Whitsnit IS an idiot would be more accurate.

I remember ground zero game 1 and Largent having caught at least one long pass. He was my favorite immediately. When he really started to gel with Zorn he was like a hero. They talk about how he wasn't fast, but he looked fast enough to me back then.

I was pissed in 1989, last game for Largent, they lost. I thought for sure they would win that game as the Hawks kind of went on a run near the end of the season.

In any case, I will never forget the young Largent, with long frizzy/curly hair, after a big game where they went off and a then somewhat cocky Largent saying "Now THAT is the Seattle Seahawks". Dude could do nothing wrong.

LOL, he also used to call the preseason games after retirement. In Mack Strong's rookie season, he was saying. "I just like this Mack Strong kid, anyone with a name like Strong that plays that hard deserves to make the team".

Funny, that I think he was the only Seahawk to start as one and have that long of a career (like Largents) with one team.

Watching the video recap of the '77 season that was posted on this forum helped refresh my memory on how great Largent truly was. He made some really amazing catches, really amazing and just got open all the time. Dude was just the best.

Largent wasn't fast by NFL standards his entire career. Very much like Jerry Rice later. They both ran routes and made turns so precise and quickly that no defender could stay with them for long..

He proved that speed isn't the only thing that makes a great receiver. He was so precise the QB could throw the ball to where he was going to be, not where he was.