THE FRONT ROW WITH JASON ELLIOTT: A run, and Show not to be forgot
JASON ELLIOTT/Press Former New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton putts on the 18th hole of The Showcase golf exhibition at The Coeur d'Alene Resort Golf Course on July 30.
JASON ELLIOTT/Press Former NFL placekicker Stephen Hauschka putts in his final shot of The Showcase on July 30 at The Coeur d'Alene Resort Golf Course.
JASON ELLIOTT/Press Former Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald attempts to hit away from the sponsors area of the 18th hole at The Showcase golf exhibition at The Coeur d'Alene Resort Golf Course.
Seattle Seahawks fans won’t soon forget that run in 2013.
Others involved on the field might not either.
From the NFC Divisional round game against the New Orleans Saints, to the NFC Championship against the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl against the Denver Broncos, it was just special.
AS FOR those on the field.
‘It’s magical when you look back at it,” said Stephen Hauschka, who was the placekicker on the Seahawks from 2011 to 2016. “It was so much fun to be a part of it. The success we had and the camaraderie we had. And we felt it with the fans too. It’s been fun to be around Seahawk fans and connect with all those memories.”
According to Hauschka, the noise was as advertised.
“There were times it felt like the stadium was shaking; it was so loud,” Hauschka said. “The NFC Championship against the 49ers was so loud. It was great to be a part of.”
Against San Francisco, Hauschka added the team felt like it needed to prove something.
“San Francisco was the team to beat at that time,” Hauschka said. “We were just getting good enough to beat them after losing to them a few times. Finally, we kind of pulled ahead of them and the rest of the team knew we were ready to win after that.”
Hauschka, along with former New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton and Arizona Cardinal wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald were among the first-time players in The Showcase golf exhibition at The Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course last Saturday.
Hauschka retired from football in 2020.
“I loved coming here,” Hauschka said. “It’s a beautiful place. There’s a lot of Seahawk fans around here from Spokane and Idaho out here. It’s a lot of fun to connect with them and share memories.”
FROM THE first wild-card game in 2010 to the divisional round in 2014, Payton noticed the energy from the fans at then-CenturyLink Field.
“Man, it’s loud there,” Payton said. “It’s a passionate fan base.”
Seattle had won 11 of its first 12 games before beating the Saints on Dec. 2 in a game on Monday Night Football.
“It always seemed like those games against Seattle were important games,” Payton said. “It just seemed like all the games were important, so it meant more each time we came out there.”
Payton added his first time at The Showcase was also top notch.
“The people here have been great,” Payton said. “All the people that turned out for dinner and the concert (Lenny Kravitz), it’s been wonderful. The people have just been wonderful.”
Seattle’s lone loss at home that year was against Fitzgerald and the Arizona Cardinals 17-10.
“It’s the greatest atmosphere in all of football in my opinion,” Fitzgerald said. “There’s nothing like the fourth quarter against the Legion of Boom and the only guys rooting for you are the guys on your team. It brings that continuity and solidarity you need to win games.”
MAYBE MORE important than those wins and losses on the field were the reason the three were in town. The trio participated in The Showcase, a fundraiser for the Community Cancer Fund that involved everything from a silent auction, concerts and other events.
This year, the event has brought in $6.1 million, with final numbers still being counted, raising the total in eight years to $28 million, all of which stays in the local area.
Something that should never be forgotten.
Jason Elliott is a sports writer for The Press. He can be reached by telephone at 208-664-8176, Ext. 2020 or via email at jelliott@cdapress.com. Follow him on Twitter @JECdAPress.
