Seahawks Insider - Shaun Alexander statement

Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

Posted by Darrin Beene @ 04:22:19 pm

A statement by Shaun Alexander:

We received the news from the Seahawks’ front office today that I have been released. While it really isn’t a surprise, this news marks a major transition in my life. I started my NFL career in Seattle and hoped I could remain with the team through the rest of my days as a player. That said, things change.

I will be playing for another NFL team this fall, and doing everything I can to contribute. I am healthy, energized and looking forward to beginning the next chapter of my NFL career.

I want to thank the Seahawks and Coach Holmgren for all they have done for me and my family over the years. I have nothing but respect and affection for the Seahawks staff, my teammates and the organization. I wish them the best.

I especially want to thank the Seahawks fans. You made me feel proud every time I stepped on the field as a Seahawk. I look forward to hopefully returning to Qwest Field one day to play against the Seahawks, and the daunting task of facing the 12th Man —Seahawks fans are among the best.

Finally, Valerie and I want everyone to know that Seattle is home for us, and it will remain so no matter where I play next. We have made far too many wonderful friends to say goodbye. My family will remain in the Seattle area, and when my days in the NFL do eventually come to an end, I plan to retire here. Our hearts are woven into the fabric of this community, we are blessed to be part of it, and we enjoy contributing to it in every way we can.

Thank you, Seattle. You have become a part of me and you will forever remain in my heart.

----

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Categories: Answers to your questions • 38 comments

COMMENTS:

Comment by pabuwal @ 16:30 - Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

A class act and one of the greatest Seahawks of all time!

Comment by bassnw @ 16:32 - Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

Our long National nightmare is over.....a great day to be a Seahawk fan!! A heavy weight is off our teams shoulders and it's on to the future. Good Luck and Goodbye Shaun.

Comment by aaronmh @ 16:33 - Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

Agreed. Hopefully the SA-haters have finally had their fill - but no matter what you say about him, you have to admit he's a class act all the way. You'll be missed Sean. Go Hawks!!

Comment by bassnw @ 16:37 - Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

A class act? Are you kidding me? The most selfish, egocentric, arrogant piece of crap to ever wear a Hawk uniform.

Comment by derekyoung @ 16:40 - Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

Classy exit Shaun. I'm sure there will be plenty of applause for you no matter which uniform you return in. Best of luck.

Comment by we want the ball and we're gonna score @ 16:42 - Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

i agree with bassnw completely. he can go try to pad his stats elsewhere, cause that's about all that he has cared about over the years... (stabbed in the back comment ring a bell?)

Comment by douglasdad @ 16:43 - Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

Definitely a class act and a true Seahawk legend. It didn't help losing Hutchinson but the burst was gone.

Thanks for all the memory SA! I'll never forget 2005...

GO HAWKS!

Comment by JosefK @ 16:53 - Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

Thank you Shaun. The Seahawks managemnet have greatly, hopefully not gravely, erred today.

Seattle's loss will be some other football team & community's gain. Enuf said.

Comment by antediluvian @ 16:56 - Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

Very classy move on his part....and those of you who are too bitter to see it....I feel sorry for you. Yeah, it was time for the Hawks and SA to part ways. But look around the league at Chad Johnson, PacMan Jones, etc. or even other former Hawks (Jeramy Stevens, Koren Robinson, etc.), and you can see that SA is still a class act as a person.

He was the best RB ever to put on a Hawks uni....and he will hold that distinction for some time to come.

But releasing him was most definitely the right thing to do.

Comment by snydro22 @ 17:07 - Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

I wish you the best, Shaun..

Comment by CDN_C_Hawk @ 17:12 - Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

I wish all the best for SA. He provided many thrills for Seahawk fans from the beginning, good and bad. I believe we all feel undistructable, in our youth, but once we hit 30.....the mind starts thinking of years ahead and we are more aware of our bodies..SA is out of those kamakasi 20's, and is looking to a healthy retirement. Hopefully there is a team, wanting a RB with glass knees.
I do appreciate the class and loyalty to the Emerald City, a guy that see Seattle as right next door to heaven, can't be all that bad, in my eyes.

all the best Shaun

Comment by BobbyK @ 17:15 - Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

I can't decide if my best memory was the Raiders game early in his career or the Vikings game where he had 483 TDs in the first half.

Even if you hate Shaun, as it seems some do here, you can't deny that those two games were fun if you were a Seahawks fan.

Comment by CYRREEN @ 17:25 - Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

Thanks for everything Shaun, and good luck.

Comment by rynehawk @ 17:35 - Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

Thanks Shaun for all the great years.

An unfortunate reality in today's football world; the Seahawks made the right decision in the end. I hope Shaun finds a home somewhere and relives his glory as he rides off into the sunset.

Comment by dlport @ 17:43 - Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

Go read the words of guys like Chad Johnson and then be critical of Alexander. Yeah, he did not run as hard we liked all the time, and he was terrible at pass-blocking. But he stayed out of trouble, never complained when management let Hutch go, and issued a classy statement when he is cleary disappointed about being released. In the realm of star athletes, and NFL egos, this was a class move.

Comment by jonpaulc @ 17:49 - Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

Classy exit Shaun, you will be missed.

Definitly one of the greatest RB's of all time, how can anyone consider Shaun soft (must be listing to Rod Woodson who never had to try and tackle Shaun) when he had 15 or more TD's in 5 straight seasons (no other back has accomplished that) plus on 3rd and 4th and short for the majority of the time picked it up in the trenches, like to see you couch potatos go out there with a spraind knee and gain over 700 yards in an NFL season, most of you would sit on your couches collecting workmams comp.

Thanks for the memories and best of luck for the future.

Comment by Tomahawker @ 17:50 - Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

Shaun - you are a class act. Thank you for all the good you did for us. I was really looking forward to seeing that 10,000 mark happen in Seattle, this season.

Ring of Honor, for certain.

I wish you well,

Tom Spindler (Tomahawker)
President, Mat-Su Sea Hawkers

Comment by montanahawkfan @ 17:51 - Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

To Shaun and Tim Ruskell:

Please sign Shaun to another contract - the day before retirement! What a class act and never a complaint when the naysayers were the toughest.

Comment by klm008 @ 17:55 - Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

You in Palmer Tomahawker? A horrible, horrible day for the Hawks today. Rocky and Shaun, what could be worse?

Comment by BigPurpleDawg @ 18:23 - Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

SHAUN; US TRUE SEATTLE FANS LOVE YOU. Good luck Shaun; you will be missed. forever BLUE.

Comment by Ray @ 18:37 - Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

BigPurpleDawg: How dare you! How dare you say something stupid like "US TRUE SEATTLE FANS LOVE YOU". Like I somehow can't be a TRUE SEATTLE FAN if I don't love a guy that fell down at the sight of an approaching DB and tripped over yardage markers, or that whined about being stabbed in the back after having fumbled twice in a game, just because he was denied the opportunity to set a personal record?

God bless the man, but I feel that I can be a TRUE SEATTLE FAN and not love him. I don't hate him by any means, but I think you're getting carried away with the emotion of the moment.

Comment by sherminator @ 19:14 - Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

(stand up) CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!

Comment by seahawk44 @ 19:29 - Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

Seattle Vs New England(with Shaun Alexander).....Superbowl XLIII

hmmm

Comment by jmpac @ 19:51 - Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

Number 37 to the Rafters of Qwest field!

Comment by BigPurpleDawg @ 19:59 - Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

Ray ,remember the good plays[to many to list to remind a uh true seattle fan like yourself] This isnt about you or me its about MR. ALEXANDER. He deserves kind words from the TRUE BLUE. GOOD LUCK SHAUN WE TRUE SEATTLE FANS WILL MISS YOU.

Comment by seafanalways @ 20:04 - Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

SA, you are and always have been a class act. I wish miss seein ya play for the Hawks every Sunday. Good luck with the rest of your career.

For morons like bassnw who cant understand that SA is the best RB seattle has ever had, well thats just it, you guys are morons. Maybe if you losers didnt jump on the bandwagon back in 05, you might have a little more admiration or respect for one of the seahawk all time greats...

Comment by OtbBaby @ 20:07 - Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

Good luck Shaun, We will miss you. It was the right move letting Shaun go but I will always luv and respect him for what he accomplished for the "Hawks".

Comment by csungrad @ 20:59 - Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

Thanks for the memories, Shaun, and good luck. You were a class act, and the Seahawks wouldn't have been the same without you. I for one will miss number 37.

Comment by freehawk @ 22:08 - Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

Good luck Shaun! What a classy statement, unlike some of the others in the comments above. Let's hope we can find another running back who can gain 1600 yards and get 11 TD's over 2 seasons with a broken foot, sprained knee, a broken wrist and a mess of an offensive line.

Comment by trout_hound @ 22:12 - Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

Shaun,
Three little letters sum up what you meant to the Hawks: MVP. Thanks for all you did for Seattle sports. May the Spirit lead you to a place behind a nasty line that can blow huge holes for you to gallop through. I am a Hawk fan to the core, and I truly hope you win another rushing title and put up 200 yards and four touchdowns on us next time you're in Seattle. You deserve it. God bless.

Comment by IDHawkman @ 22:37 - Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

Absolutely the wrong move at this point. We have JJ and TJ to carry us? Mo has proven he can't do it over the last two years. Now we "HOPE" we get a good RB in the draft. That's a crap shoot at best. JJ has proven he can't be a starter behind an oline that has 3 pro bowlers on it. Sheesh, at this point, I'd love to see SA go to Dallas and take JJ's old spot, win it all and then skip the ROH ceremony when they want to put him there.

But...... SA will have too much class to do that. He'll come back for the ceremony and you watch, some jerks will boo him at that time.

Comment by moo @ 01:04 - Wednesday, April 23rd, 2008

While I think this was the correct move, I hope I don't end up eating those words. S.A. appears to be a class guy & I wish him the best (as long as it doesn't mean beating the Hawks!)

Comment by bassnw @ 04:37 - Wednesday, April 23rd, 2008

All you newbies who proclaim Alexander "our best RB ever" should try and find film of Curt Warner. Watch it, and then shut the hell up.

Comment by JoSCh @ 05:52 - Wednesday, April 23rd, 2008

Curt Warner is better than Shaun Alexander because you're old? That doesn't make any sense at all. Just because something happened 20 years ago vice 3 doesn't make it better.

The guy was a very good running back, but he doesn't have the numbers to keep up with Alexander. Curt Warner is not going to the HoF, Alexander likely is. So you're welcome to your opinion, but I have to recommend you fire up "www.ilovecurtwarnerbutnotinthatwaywellmaybethatway.com", I'm sure its available. And you'll be able to live in your blissful 1983 existence without all of us "damn kids". Good luck with your curmudgenry.

Comment by modernkutuzov @ 08:47 - Wednesday, April 23rd, 2008

I'm not a huge fan of Shaun, and think this is the right move for the Seahawks. However, describing him as "The most selfish, egocentric, arrogant piece of crap to ever wear a Hawk uniform" is completely absurd.

Comment by bitterguy @ 09:54 - Wednesday, April 23rd, 2008

i snickered when he said he felt the love every time he took the field (maybe in 2005 that was true) but that was a classy statement. and for some reason the fact that he's keeping his family in seattle makes me feel good.

i figure he'll make the ring of honor in the next decade, and he deserves to, given his contributions over the years.

Comment by JoeHawk51 @ 10:38 - Wednesday, April 23rd, 2008

Thanks for everything on and off the field Shawn! You deserve a place in the ring of honor and it will be a bonus for us to continue to share our community with your family.

I appologize for some of my fellow blogers who lack perspective and memory. You have earned our repect and I hope you can add to your HOF resume, on a non NFC West team. Either way, good luck and thank you!

Comment by calbuzz @ 17:16 - Wednesday, April 23rd, 2008

Thanks Shaun. Great memories. I remember how every first and goal from the the five in '05 was a gimme TD.

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Frank Hughes took over the Seahawks beat and Seahawks Insider blog in July of 2007. Hughes covered the Sonics for The News Tribune from 1997-2007. Frank also contributes to ESPN.com, KJR-AM radio and Pro Sports Exchange. In 2005, Frank co-authored "Slick Watts's Tales from the Seattle SuperSonics." Frank lives in Seattle with his wife, two sons and yellow lab.

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