Seahawks Await Biggest Win Favorable Stadium Vote Allows Erickson ‘To Have Some Stability’

Dennis Erickson mixed football analogies - what else did you expect? - with humor in describing the seemingly favorable outcome of Tuesday’s vote on a new Seahawks football stadium.

“We finally got the lead in the fourth quarter,” the Seahawks head coach said. Translation: Late vote tallies showed the yeas were overtaking the nays.

“We went to the 2-minute offense and scored some points,” he said. Translation: Paul Allen sure has a big billfold.

“All of a sudden we hit (receiver Joey) Galloway and he’s going 75 yards for the lead,” he said. Translation: Paul Allen sure has a big billfold.

“I don’t want anything to do with politics. I’ll leave that to Tim Shelton,” he said, referring to the West Side representative adamantly opposed to a new stadium. Translation: Neener, neener, neener.

“Sometimes out of sight, out of mind. When you’re that far away, that has a tendency to happen,” he said, regarding Spokane’s heavy anti-stadium vote. Translation: Thanks for nuthin’, Spokane.

Nonetheless, Erickson was a happy man Wednesday, though cautious not to claim victory because all the votes had yet to be counted.

More importantly, Erickson felt like a football coach again. Just a football coach.

“It feels good to have some stability,” he said. “It gives myself and my coaches the opportunity to go out and coach and do the things we were hired for. There’s always been something (distracting) here or there. As long as we know we’ll be in the Northwest, we can concentrate on football things.”

The Hawks open training camp in Cheney on July 15. With the vote seemingly going the Seahawks’ way, Erickson was asked if the team will hold future camps in Cheney.

“We’d like to,” he said. “We’ll see how it works this year and see if it’s a real plus for us. If it is, we’ll probably spend a lot of time in Cheney.”

Noting Spokane’s lack of support for the stadium measure, defensive end Michael Sinclair joked: “It will be pretty quiet (in Cheney) because a lot of those folks won’t come down and see us.”

Quarterback John Friesz likes the possibilities of an Allen ownership.

“Everything in his life he’s done he’s been really successful at,” Friesz said.

Cheney holds the next key in a string of positives that have unfurled for the franchise, Erickson said.

“We’re improved,” he said, alluding to free-agent signings and the drafting of Shawn Springs and Walter Jones. “The biggest thing is what happens July 15 when we come together. We’ve got to develop chemistry. It’s such a key in winning games. That’s part of the reason we’re going back to Cheney.”

The Seahawks haven’t had a winning season since 1990 and haven’t been to the playoffs since 1988. Since going 7-9 last season, they’ve brought in 11 free agents.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo