| 15 June 2010
Junior’s retirement has gotten the SeaTown Sports staff thinking. Two decades ago, Ken Griffey Jr. became the unequivocal face of the Seattle Sports scene - a smiling image of our city to offer those out east who weren’t so into Grunge or Cappuccinos. Never would our town be the same.
From the final year of his first stint with the M’s until the final year of his last, Seattle has witnessed two new ballparks, Japanese fever, a Super Bowl, 116 wins, the WNBA championship, the loss of a basketball team, the gain of a soccer team, whatever the hell happened with the Huskies, and of course, the relocation of the Thunderbirds to Kent.
While Griffey’s influence on much of these occurrences can be called into question, it was without a doubt that the moment upon his second coming he was still the face of this city, and his departure may leave a popularity vacuum large enough that even David Oreck himself cannot market (some Googling required). So as #24 hangs up his cleats, who do we in turn hang our hats on now for some good ol’ escapism?
See our list of Seattle's most popular athletes after the jump!
No. 1: Ichiro
Now in his 10th season as a Mariner, I feel that a lot of people might be taking Ichiro for granted. From his hilarious bio quips on the Safeco Field scoreboard (favorite movie: Miss Congeniality) to his trademark pre-at bat stretches, Ichiro is one of the most unique guys you will find in all of baseball. He has garnered respect both for his ability to hit just about anything, even if it’s on the ground, and for his ability to pump up all-star teams with profanity-laced pre-game speeches.
Ichiro will go down as one of the best hitters to ever play the game of baseball. Hitting 200 hits in one season alone is an impressive feat. Hitting over 200 hits for 9 straight seasons and counting is ridiculous. And though he might not be the best outfield defender on the team (see Franklin Gutierrez), that is not to say he is not an outfield fielding vacuum so large that even David Oreck himself cannot market it (such a versatile allusion). He’s collected a golden glove for every season since he first came here in 2001. Who doesn’t love Ichiro? It should be no surprise that he’s number one on this list.
No. 2: Jake Locker
If Tyrone Willingham was still the coach of the Washington Huskies football team, I am sure Locker would still have been considered on this list. But after taking a huge step forward under the system of Steve Sarkisian, Jake Locker has become the face of Husky football and the face of Husky sports. His No. 10 jersey along with various tee's donning the phrase, "In Locker We Trust," are the usual game day attire for most fans flocking to Husky Stadium. Though Locker has yet to play in a bowl game or compile a winning record, he has been competitive when the rest of the Huskies weren't.
Even if it wasn't the smartest decision, Locker would roll out of the pocket and gain yards on his own when Willingham's offensive system wasn't doing much. Now for the intangibles. Locker has one of the most likable personalities among the Seattle sports scene, only reinforced by his logic-defying 4th year return to Montlake. He is always willing to jump on the air on 950 KJR and answer the tough questions, and doesn't beat around the bush. He has been totally up-front about his involvement with baseball.
Locker will be greatly missed after he leaves the Huskies this next season, but hopefully we can witness a Heisman-trophy worthy season this Fall.
No. 3: Felix Hernandez
It is pretty cool to have a "King" on the Mariners. Though he is struggling right now, every die-hard Mariners fan patiently waits for "Felix Day" to come around. He's young, he's dominant, and he's got some swagger. When the Mariners absolutely sucked, Felix was the light at the end of the tunnel. 2009 was a coming-out party for King Felix and clearly established him as one of the most dominant pitchers in major league baseball. Hernandez finished with a 19-5 record and a 2.49 ERA, ending second behind Grienke in Cy Young voting.
While last year's overall performance was amazing, Felix has done some things that are downright ridiculous. Like that one time he hit a grand slam off of Johan Santana. Yes, he hit a grand slam off of Johan Santana. And on June 3rd, 2010, Felix Hernandez struck out four batters in one inning. Wait isn't there three outs? How is that even possible? For the King, anything is possible.
No. 4: Kasey Keller
Admittedly, I am not the biggest Sounders FC fan, but when I do think of the Sounders, the first player that comes to mind is Kasey Keller. The towering and balding goalie is adored by thousands of fans at every Sounders FC match. Along with that, Keller is a local product hailing from Olympia, and attended North Thurston High School. His list of soccer credentials is impressive: Honda Player of the Year in 1999 and 2005, U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year: 1997, 1999, and 2005.
Keller has turned down several offers from European clubs since joining the Sounders FC to prevent making his family move again. It's pretty cool to have probably the best goalkeeper to ever come out of the United States play goalie for the Sounders.
No. 5 Matt Hasselbeck
Continuing the trend of popular bald athletes in Seattle is none other than Seahawks starting quarterback, Matt Hasselbeck. Hasselbeck led the Seahawks to an astonishing five straight playoff appearances from 2003 to 2008. In his 2005 season, he was instrumental in the Seahawks' run to the Super Bowl. These past two seasons Hasselbeck has suffered from both injury and poor play. However, his performance will be critical in these next few seasons if the Seahawks are going to find any success.
Time after time he's said the right things during interviews and he is a regular visitor on both 950 KJR and 710 ESPN. His smile, his tweets, and his Campbell's Chunky Soup commercials make Hasselbeck one of the most well-liked athletes in Seattle.
Honorable Mention: Franklin Gutierrez, Lauren Jackson, Sue Bird, Isaiah Thomas, Lofa Tatupu, Marcus Trufant, Danielle Lawrie
Anyone missing? Anyone that doesn't belong on the list? Give us your feedback in the comments.
