The Seahawks posted some pictures from our Fire Engine 12 dedication on their own website. You can see them here

The Seahawks have retired Jersey Number 12 in honor of their fans, known collectively as "the 12th man" of the Seahawks team. So, it's a neat twist of fate that the Seahawks training center is served by Renton's Fire Station 12. And it was natural that we number the station's newest engine "Fire Engine 12." The new engine has been decorated with a Seahawks 12th man flag, and some other team emblems, which should give it appropriate decoration when it is needed as standby at large public events.

The Seahawks Mascot, their drum corp, and some of their Sea Gals were on hand on Saturday to help us with the dedication. Here is a picture from the event.

While I'm not a Seahawks season ticket holder, I've felt very welcoming of the team and the players in part because my wife has a first cousin named Donnie Nickey who is in his fifth season with the Tennessee Titans. He was an Ohio Buckeye hero before that. He grew up in Columbus in a home on five acres, with a full size football field for a back yard.

Like other NFL players, Donnie gets compensated very well, but he works EXTREMELY hard to stay in shape, and keep his weight exactly on target all year round. He also has a very competitive tryout every year to re qualify for the team, and he risks a career-ending injury every time he steps on the field.

Like nearly all NFL football players, Donnie is really smart and has a solid college education. The college education is something pro-baseball players often do not have because of the way the recruiting systems work. And ladies, he is as charming as he appears, and last I heard I think he is still single.

We are all super proud of him. The only way we could be happier is if he came to play for the Seahawks!


Donnie Nickey making another tackle






Donnie with Titans quarterback Vince Young






Donnie in center, my wife Cathy is on the far right



Donnie and his brother Jonathon



I shot this photo a couple years ago. That handsome, distinguished looking man next to the television is the grandfather that my wife and Donnie have in common...good looks and youthfulness run in my wife's family. Donnie is also shown, along with his father Don, a man who has given him love, advice, and encouragement throughout his career.




Plain City Ohio (a suburb of Columbus) celebrated "Donnie Nickey Day" after the hometown hero lead the Buckeyes to an undefeated season and a national championship



This is an older picture of my wife Cathy on the left, with her beautiful aunt Cynthia, who would give birth to Donnie a few years later. Cathy's and Donnie Nickey's grandmother, and Cathy's sister Laura are also pictured.

Renton elected officials and a couple Renton staff members were invited to see the Seahawks practice at their new Renton Headquarters/Practice Center today.

The facility and grounds, called the Virgina Mason Athletic Center, was built for a total cost of around 80 million dollars.

The facility is still getting its furnishings, but when completed will give players the best weight training, medical treatment, and indoor and outdoor practice fields in the NFL. It's also a very effective and comfortable office/meeting/studio environment, which will help the Seahwaks organization combine their entire business operation into one spectacular facility at an unparalleled location...nineteen acres on Lake Washington.

I got some great pictures of the Seahawks and the facility, and the weather was so nice I snapped a few random shots of my council colleagues as well.


















( Click here to see all the pictures...! )

There is a great story about the new Seahawks Renton training center on the Seahawks web site today. ( Thanks to those of you who forwarded this to me today)

Click here to read the story

UPDATE: For those of you who like spirited debate, the comments on this item are mostly about helicopters and neighborhood code enforcement

City officials got a tour of progress on the Seahawks Training Center in Kennydale earlier today.

It's an amazing facitlity, that will cost nearly 100 million with land, building and furnishings.

The new facility will allow the team to train and practice year-round. By being so close to Quest field, the Seahawks players and staff can live close to their training site and their playing site, and will get to spend evenings with their families even during the most intense training season... only traveling for away games. And the training facility is the finest in the NFL. Paul Allen and the Seahawks management are going to turn our team into Superbowl champs very soon.

Get a sneak peek at the inside of the facility by clicking below....



( Read more... )

The Seahawks headquarters and training center celebrated it's official groundbreaking at the shore of Lake Washington yesterday near I-405 Exit 7 in Renton. The headquarters will have three outdoor practice fields, and one indoor practice field with a ceiling 110 feet above the ground. The building will also house weight rooms and staff offices.

The facility is being built in partnership with Virgina Mason, and will be known as the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.







Renton Council Member Marcie Palmer, Mayor Keolker, Head Coach Mike Holmgren, and me pose in front of the 12th man flag at the new Renton site.