Talking Trash

Recent remarks concerning the possible move or sale of the Seahawks:

“The Behrings indicated their desire to stay in Seattle. They said the team is not for sale, they have no interest in moving.”

- King County Executive Gary Locke, after a meeting Nov. 6, 1995, with Seahawks owners Ken and David Behring.

“We don’t want to leave. We are going to do everything to work with the county and with business leaders to try to work this out.”

- Ken Behring, Nov. 6, 1995.

“It’s very competitive out there, and even if you work very hard with people, you usually don’t get what you want the first time you walk in the door.”

- House Speaker Clyde Ballard, discussing the prospects for legislative approval for raising money for Kingdome improvements, Nov. 6, 1995.

“We’ve been breaking our backs to come up with new ideas and different ways to work out the problem, and every time we come up with something, we get nothing in response. It seems like we’re bumping our heads against the wall, like the message is, really, that they would prefer we just went away.”

- Ken Behring, Nov. 26, 1995.

“Moving is the last thing you want to do, the very last thing. Art Modell (the owner of the Cleveland Browns, who announced a move to Baltimore) is going to be tied up in lawsuits for years. When teams move, there’s litigation, anger, distrust, all of that. Believe me, the last thing I want to do is move this team. I want to stay here in a building that will allow us to compete financially in the NFL.” Ken Behring, Nov. 26, 1995.

“We’re trying, that’s all I can say. Our relationship is good.”

- Ken Behring, characterizing talks with King County officials on Kingdome improvements, Dec. 18, 1995.