Article today in Seattle Times

Today's Seattle Times has an article by Stuart Eskenazi: " Not everyone's gung-ho over the Seahawks " on the Seahawks'stadium issue. It features comments by yours truly and a color photo of "moi" (taken on the roof of the University Plaza Hotel at NE 45th Street just off I-5 at sunset, in 2003, back when I still owned it). Link to the article at the Seattle Times' website is below. The text follows the link for those without hi-speed connections who don't want to take the time to download the article and photo from the Seattle Times' website.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002765038_antifans27m.html


Not everyone's gung-ho over the Seahawks
By Stuart Eskenazi

Seattle Times staff reporter

Armen Yousoufian of Maury Island is in a protracted lawsuit with King County over the withholding of documents that relate to the economic impact of sports teams, such as the Seahawks.

Drowned out by the incessant yammering about the Seahawks in the Super Bowl are those who opposed building Qwest Field with taxpayer subsidy, and others who are outraged by a region going gaga over a bunch of big boys in pads.

"I'm disgusted," said Marietta Alexander of Everett, who wrote a letter to The Seattle Times that was published Saturday before the NFC Championship. In it, she wrote: "I hope the team loses and loses big! I hope all the sports teams decide to move to Outer Mongolia and people get serious!"

The Seahawks' victory failed to convert her.

"I don't worship people; I worship the Lord," said Alexander, a substitute teacher. "It's gone beyond reason. People are outfitting themselves like freaks and spending thousands of dollars that they probably don't have to go to Detroit. All that money could have been given to the homeless and the poor.

"They aren't thinking about the fact that one day they are going to have to stand before God and account to Him what they did with their time and money."

She plans to nap during the Super Bowl — assuming her family, which will be watching the game, doesn't wake her.

Armen Yousoufian of Maury Island is in a protracted lawsuit with King County over the withholding of documents that relate to the economic impact of sports teams, such as the Seahawks. Yousoufian believes those impacts to be way overstated.

"I have nothing against sports," said Yousoufian, who grew up in New York when it boasted three baseball teams — the Yankees, Giants and Dodgers. "I'm happy for the Seahawks and the town. My issue is with cities and politicians that cave in to sports interests. If they all held the line, I believe stadiums like Qwest Field would be built anyway with private funds, just like the stadiums of my youth."

While watching Seahawks owner Paul Allen raise the NFC Championship trophy last Sunday, Yousoufian admits to having mixed feelings.

"Look, I've been involved in this thing so much, for so long, that I have learned to ratchet back my emotions," he said. "I basically thought, 'Oh well, what's for dinner?' "

Chris Van Dyk of Bainbridge Island led the campaign against the referendum to build Qwest Field. He watched the second half last Sunday. Fortunately for his blood pressure, he missed the part when Allen raised the 12th Man flag, a ceremony preceded by a video that proclaimed: "He built the NFL's most beautiful stadium."

"I just think it's absolutely fantastic," Van Dyk said about the team's on-field success. "The only comment I would have beyond 'Go Seahawks' is, 'I bet you fans wish you were sitting in the warm, sub-tropical Kingdome instead of in the cold.'

"But really, more power to 'em. If we're going to have a publicly funded stadium, then let's damn well have a winning team. The Seahawks won the election. I hope they win the Super Bowl, too."

Stuart Eskenazi: 206-464-2293

Copyright © 2006 The Seattle Times Company