December 31, 2024 • 48 mins
Hired six months before the first Seahawks game, Sandy Gregory has made a lasting impact on the team. Steve Raible and Jim Zorn sit down with Sandy and discuss her experience working 42 years with the Seahawks. Today’s Show: Journey to Seattle (05:03), Community impact with United Way (08:54), The wrong Steve story (10:25), Giving back to former players in need (14:12), Sonics Legends Fund (18:06) , Relationship with Gary Wright (27:26), Working Super Bowls (29:41), World Football League (33:43), Keeper of Seahawks memorabilia (37:15), Seahawks signature wall (43:05).
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
You're listening to Seahawks Stories, taking you behind the scenes
with your favorite Seahawks.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Setbacks behind Zorn, who's back to pass as time looks
for the left sideline, throws a pom down there, he's
got a man in Frontie makes the grab a travel
at the thirty down of the twenty.
Speaker 3 (00:14):
They'll never get him.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
He scores touched.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Down Seahawks powered by Seahawks Dot Com.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
And Zorn later in perfectly a Rabel who goes in
to score on an eighty yard pass and run play.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
Now here's your host, the voice of the Seahawks, Steve
Rabel and Seahawks Legend Jim Zorn.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Broadcasting from the Seahawks Podcast Studio, presented by Sony, an
official partner of the Seattle Seahawks. Welcome everybody back to
Seahawks Stories along with z Man Jim Zorn. I'm Steve Rabel.
Great to be back with you. We haven't had an
opportunity the last few weeks, between illnesses and travel and
all manner of things. But here we are back. And
(00:54):
speaking of travel, you're just back into this into this country.
Speaker 4 (00:58):
I had the chance to travel with Steve Largent and
Marshall Falk, who was two Hall of Famers, to get
Mo and Tody Yes, and then to Honduras in Central America,
And we got back just a couple of days ago,
and we visited troops and we got tours of the
(01:20):
bases and kind of opportunities to see how things work.
And we were treated very well. And there was some
great weather down.
Speaker 5 (01:32):
There too, a little better than here probably.
Speaker 4 (01:34):
And I absolutely knew that people were clamoring to have
us back with our podcasts just so exciting, you know.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
Oh yeah, by the way, is that's something that the
NFL Players Association or Legends community puts together this or
the league puts this together.
Speaker 4 (01:51):
It's really through NFL Entertainment, and they do a nice job.
Because the troops are there, there's they can't you know,
some of them can't leave, so they give them an
opportunity to see. You know, there's a lot of football
fans there, and I would say there's a lot of
you know, varied fans when it comes to who they like,
(02:13):
where they're from, what they grew up with, and stuff
like that, and you get to hear all the stories.
But more importantly, they really appreciate the NFL showing up.
Eric Kennedy, who's the Seahawks equipment manager, has donated with
for me. I brought down some NFL football's leave them
(02:36):
with the commanders. They love it. We sign them that
we take pictures. We get treated better than, you know,
than deserved. I'm sure.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
I'm certain of that, except for Marshall Fluk. For him,
I expect he would be treated very well. Steve, I
think we danced the jig. I got bit by a dog.
Very good not but it was an actual It was
with demonstration, and there was a demonstration.
Speaker 4 (03:01):
Thank you for clarifying man working.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
Yes, it wasn't just a wild, rabid dog I'm running across.
Speaker 4 (03:06):
It was a serious dog that is trained by the military. Yeah,
And so we got a demonstration to see how they work,
and part of it was real life.
Speaker 5 (03:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
And I saw for all of you listening out there,
I saw the pictures Jim had on his phone and
he had a protective big jacket on so that the
dog can't bite through the gym.
Speaker 5 (03:28):
He can just get to that.
Speaker 3 (03:29):
And then probably when you got up off the ground,
was he a nice little puppy and you could pat
him on the head and.
Speaker 4 (03:33):
He was that one. It was like you just he
was doing his job, and you know, it was amazing.
What they what they want they're playing basically what they
want is their kong, that little toy, a little dog toy.
They don't play for. They don't do it for food.
They do it for that toy. And when that dog
after they got him off me, uh, they gave him
(03:56):
his cong he just calmed right down, very good. Yeah,
this is what I wanted.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
Well, that's the way they're taught. This is a good
way to get into our guests today here on Seahawks stories,
because when we got here Pale in nineteen seventy six,
Sandy Gregory was already here up in the pr office.
Speaker 5 (04:15):
The community it became community.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
Outreaching a lot of other things, but it started out
as the public relations office. And one of the major
things that they did, aside from getting out the story
of the Seahawks being a brand new franchise in Seattle,
was they made sure that all of us or as
many of us players that wanted to, got involved in
community activities as early as possible. And so, without further ado,
(04:41):
Sandy Gregory, who has been here since nineteen seventy six,
there are a few of us who are still kind
of around the organization that have been Jim, You've been
away for a while at times coaching, obviously as a
head coach and an assistant elsewhere. But Sandy and I
have been here in Seattle the whole time. And this
will be and I I hate to date you, but
knowing that you started when you were twelve, this will
(05:04):
be next year, the fiftieth anniversary of the franchise. What
does that mean, Sandy, that you've been around here long
enough to see fifty years of this team.
Speaker 6 (05:11):
First of all, when I came here, I wasn't even
sure I was gonna say, you know, I came from
California and Sonny and I remember Don Anderson's the one
that brought me up here, and I'm like, but when
it rains up there, and He's like, if you don't
like it, you can always go back. And then here
I am fifty years later. I guess I love it
up here. I like having seasons. I love the history
(05:33):
of the team and still keeping in touch with a
lot of the players and trying to help him with
some of the things that they're doing in the community.
Speaker 4 (05:40):
You know that Sandy Gregory was here before our first
head football coach, yes before Jack Pottero was even hired,
So she knows all the skeletal things that have gone
on in Seattle.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
They were starting to build out the franchise departments. The
Don Anderson that you mentioned was our very first PR director,
and Gary Wright, who we hope to have on the
program here in the next couple of weeks, was his
assistant at the time, and you were the assistant to
both of them. Gary ultimately became not only the head
of PR, but then a vice president and then with
(06:15):
the Sounders and just has been an amazing force in
Seattle sports for these fifty years that he's been here
as well. So we'll talk to Gary at some point
as well. But do you remember those of course you do.
But those early days when it was a bunch of
us young guys, and there was a concerted effort right
to get us out in the community, figure out who
(06:38):
the groups are so that the city can meet these players.
Speaker 6 (06:41):
Absolutely over the years it's changed a lot more with
social media, guys are saying what they're doing. Back then,
a lot of people didn't know what we were doing
in the community. I remember talking to a sports writer
once and he always wanted to cover the Captain's Blitz
when we go to the hospitals around Christmas time, and
the editor wouldn't let him do it. It was a
(07:03):
good story, and they wanted, you know, football stories, not
hospital visits stories.
Speaker 7 (07:08):
So you just.
Speaker 6 (07:09):
Didn't know what all the guys were doing in the community.
A lot of it was done quietly, but it's continued.
Speaker 4 (07:15):
And yeah, Sandy, was your job the same then as
it was as you came up, except for the social media.
I mean, did you have the same goals in mind
or how did you grow with the job? What really
changed as you continued year after year throughout the So.
Speaker 6 (07:32):
When I first started, I was really pr I would
literally type the release each week. I'd have to type
the roster, you know, their height, weight, all that stuff,
their birthdays on the roster, and then run it off
on this machine. It was crazy. So Mike Keller was
doing a lot of the community stuff. He started the
(07:52):
Captain's Blitz and things like that, so he was really
doing a lot of the community things. I can't remember
exactly when I took over, but we didn't have a
community department.
Speaker 7 (08:03):
It just it wasn't there.
Speaker 6 (08:05):
And then eventually when they did, it was part of
the pr Department, but it's changed a lot over the years.
I think a lot of it was when we were
going to move to California and we made we let
people know what we were doing in the community. Then,
because we needed people to vote for the stadium for
the referendum, it was really important for people to understand
(08:27):
if we don't pass this, we're leaving town and we
can't help these charities anymore. So then we started publicizing
what we were doing a little bit more.
Speaker 3 (08:35):
You know, I remember this, and there's a lot of
things obviously that I don't remember, just because of where
we are today in our lives, but I remember this specifically.
We sat in an early meeting on a like a
Wednesday morning, early in the season in nineteen seventy six,
and I remember Norm Evans, our tackle offensive tackle, standing
(09:00):
up and he said something to the effect that, guys,
when I was in Miami and he was there for
the undefeated Miami Dolphins team of nineteen seven, who's still
the only team undefeated untied through an entire season and
including winning the Super Bowl, and Norma's still here with
us in the community. God bless him. He's just a
(09:21):
wonderful man. But I remember him standing up in the
meeting saying, this is so and so I think it's
I think it was Tom Jaffa was the name that
I remember, but from United Way, and he said, we
are going to be big in the United Way on
this team. He said, I was in Miami, I know
the important impact that United Way has in a community,
and so get ready because this is what we're going
(09:43):
to do. I remember that because so much of what
we did in those early days, to your point, Sandy,
came from sort of the bottom up. It was guys
being invited to cub Scout meetings and schools and United
Way and all that as opposed to something that came
down from on high.
Speaker 5 (10:01):
They just said you will do this. That wasn't the case.
Speaker 6 (10:04):
I totally agree with you. The guys were out in
the community doing stuff all the time, but nobody knew
about it except the organizations you were helping. But there
wasn't a way for them to push it out there
and tell people.
Speaker 7 (10:16):
Yeah, and they're still doing it today.
Speaker 5 (10:18):
They are, they are.
Speaker 3 (10:20):
I remember one that did come through the office, This
one just dawne on me. Don Anderson came up to
me one day and he said, hey, Special Olympics having
their big event down at Fort Lewis. They still haven't
all these years later. They're big spring track meets and
what have you. They'd love you to come down and
be a hugger and all that stuff. I had done
(10:41):
a couple of appearances for Special Olympics. This was like
nineteen seventy eight or something, and so I said great,
and so went down there and was kind of standing
there and the events had just started and there were
a lot of people who look like officials and all.
So I saw that I found a guy that looked
like he was the most official official. Looked up to
him and I said, hey there, and he said, yes,
(11:02):
how are you? And I said good, I'm I'm Steve Rabel.
I'm here from the Seahawks and you guys wanted to
put me to work and I'm looking forward to it.
And he kind of looked on his face and he
paused and he said, oh, we were hoping for Steve Largent.
Speaker 7 (11:14):
Oh no, true true story.
Speaker 3 (11:18):
So I ended up staying the rest of that day
and came back years after that. They were wonderful, a
wonderful organization, But again it was one of those It
wasn't kind of official, so you weren't really sure who
was going to show up, and so you got the
other Steve Yes, oh my god.
Speaker 5 (11:33):
But that's all right.
Speaker 4 (11:34):
They were grateful but not that but not great, but
not as grateful.
Speaker 5 (11:37):
As they would have been.
Speaker 4 (11:39):
Sandy Yoda, do you remember any unusual things that happened
when you that that just stick in your memory of
player player relations with the community, or certain aspects of that.
Speaker 6 (11:54):
I can think of, Uh, Mike Tice was doing an
appearance for us, and it was I'm gonna say, Federal
Way to comb or something. And very reliable guy. I
mean when he says he's going to do what, he's
going to be there. And the next day after the event,
I get a phone call and it said that he
didn't show up, and I'm like, no, I mean, that's
(12:14):
not Mike. So I called him. He had two flat
tires on the way to the event. This is before
cell phones, so he couldn't call anybody and say I'm
not going to be there, right and yeah, and so
that was, yeah, that was unusual.
Speaker 4 (12:28):
Okay, yeah, that would be unusual. You never know about
those things.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
Going on now and just to show you what being
in this community has meant to all of us over
the years. Mike Tice, who now resides outside the city,
but lived.
Speaker 5 (12:41):
Here in the area for so long.
Speaker 3 (12:42):
After he came back from he coached as well coach
to Minnesota Vikings as head coach who the Seahawks play
coming up. But he has continued to have an event
out here at golf tournament for years and years to
raise money. And there's a number of guys like that
because you, Sandy, you work on all of them just
about as a volunteer yourself. But there are a lot
(13:04):
of golf tournaments and charity events that former players still
have here well.
Speaker 6 (13:09):
Jacob Green thirty seven years thirty seven, he lives in Texas.
This will be your thirty seven raising money for Fred Hutch.
Mike Tice raises money for Boys and Girls Club. He's
been doing it for a long time. Randa Morris lives here,
but he's been doing his tournament. I think this is
going to be your eighteen that he's done his golf tournament.
(13:30):
Kenny easily has one here, Lonzo Mitz has one, David
Kertman has one. Over in Shelanne. These guys are amazing.
How they still give back to the community pretty special.
Speaker 4 (13:43):
Yeah, and you've done a lot of things. What's amazing
to me. Sandy is gone, but she's not gone because
you're still concerned about former athletes. Maybe not the athletes
that are current on the team, definitely the former athletes.
They explained some of those things that you have been
(14:04):
passionate about. Even after the Seahawks, after your Seahawks experience,
you're still involved with the Seahawks indirectly.
Speaker 6 (14:13):
So I think the one thing that I'm really proud
of that I was able to get going while I
was still with the Seahawks was we're talking probably twelve
thirteen years ago, a former player called me and said
his teammate had had a health condition and even though
he had a job, he had no health insurance.
Speaker 7 (14:31):
And what can we do to help him?
Speaker 6 (14:33):
So the Seahawks helped, but I also wrote I probably
wrote to you guys and said that this player needed
some help with his medical bills, and we raised about
ten thousand dollars and sent the money to the player.
And then about a year later, another player contacted me
directly and he said that he had been diagnosed with
(14:53):
a terminal illness and same thing. He had a job,
but he had no health insurance and he wasn't looking
for many. We found out there was a golf tournament
that was going to benefit him and help him with
his medical expenses.
Speaker 7 (15:07):
Those two things made.
Speaker 6 (15:08):
Me realize that here's two good guys with jobs with
families and they need a little bit of help. How
many other guys are out there that also could use
a little bit of help. So I knew the history
of the Players Find Money. When Jack Buttera was with us,
he'd give it back to the players at the end
of the year and you guys would have a party.
And then Chuck Knox came in and said, no, you
(15:31):
don't have a party with fine money, and he started
giving it to different charities. But I didn't know what
happened with the find Money now, so I found out
and it was just going to the bottom line. So
I put a proposal together, and I said, why don't
we take the current players Find Many and use it
to help our former guys that need a little bit
of help.
Speaker 7 (15:48):
So that's been going on.
Speaker 6 (15:49):
We did our first grant in twenty thirteen and I'm
still on that board here, and we still help the
guys with.
Speaker 7 (15:55):
That really important.
Speaker 6 (15:57):
It means so much to these guys, hard for them
to ask for help.
Speaker 7 (16:01):
Everything's confidential.
Speaker 4 (16:03):
Do you search those guys out or do they actually
have to initiate that that first call or that first
like how because I know that you've you sort It's
not that you sneak around, but you keep your ears open.
Speaker 7 (16:16):
I know that, Yeah, I do.
Speaker 6 (16:19):
I used to send out newsletters to the guys, and
this information would be in the newsletters and there'd be
a little form that they'd.
Speaker 7 (16:26):
Have to fill out online.
Speaker 6 (16:27):
It was we had a private website for the players,
and so guys could look at that and hopefully read
it and submit an application, a very simple application. We
didn't we don't make them jump through hoops, but some
of its word of mouth. Miguy will know about his
teammate or somebody that needs help. I had one player
call me last year and he had talked to another player,
(16:50):
and that player said, you need to call Sandy. You
need to call Sandy because he needed help with something.
But it took him a whole year. He couldn't, he
didn't want to call, and he finally did and we
took care of it.
Speaker 7 (17:02):
It happened.
Speaker 4 (17:02):
When you think of players today, they they have foundations.
They actually do volunteer a lot. Back then, the contracts
were the sales salary contracts were a lot different.
Speaker 7 (17:20):
Do you both have summer jobs?
Speaker 4 (17:22):
Yeah? I work part time. I worked on the Saint
Michelle winery in the offseason, you know what I mean.
I worked at Eddie Bauer for a while, so we
did different things. And nowadays you don't necessarily have to.
You can can be interested in all kinds of stuff,
but you you know that those players that call you
(17:47):
really are really are in me. And also you have
extended your reach towards other pro teams as well, can you.
I don't know what you can offer there, but that
I think that's interesting as well.
Speaker 7 (18:03):
Thank you. Yes.
Speaker 6 (18:06):
In uh February of twenty twenty, I had worked at USC.
I think you guys know that before I came up here.
That's where I met Don Anderson. In February of twenty twenty,
one of the players I knew from USC, Gus Williams,
a Sonic player, had a severe stroke, I mean severe
stroke and there was a gofund me and so I
(18:27):
was helping him a little bit on my own. And
then a year later, Slick Watts also had a severe stroke,
and it was so similar to the Seahawks. Here's two players,
good players that you know, not only did things brought
us memories on the court, but they were out in
the community doing things, and they needed They both had
gofundmes and needed a little bit of help with their
(18:48):
medical expenses. So I went to Todd Leiwicki at the
Krack End because I had heard him talking multiple times
in the media that he didn't want to get ahead
of the commissioner in talking about bringing basketball back to Seattle.
So I didn't want to get ahead of Todd and
do anything sonics related without his permission. So I met
with him, and when I finished my little spiel, he goes.
Speaker 7 (19:10):
I love this.
Speaker 6 (19:11):
Here's what we're going to do. Very Todd just amazing. Yeah,
Todd's awesome. And so there was going to be a
basketball game. It was going to be the Clippers versus
an Israeli team, and he said, we're going to have
a reception before that game. We're going to invite the
right people and we're going to make fifty thousand dollars.
And I'm like okay, and that was like not even
(19:33):
a month away, and I still had to set up
a fund of foundation, you know, and a nonprofit.
Speaker 7 (19:38):
So we got it all done.
Speaker 6 (19:39):
It was completed the day before the event, and we
raised about ninety thousand dollars at that event and help. Yeah,
and we've done for three years now, so you know,
Todd's been amazing. And we've helped Gusts and Slick with
some of their medical expenses. They're both very limited mobility
and very limited speech. And then we helped a third
(20:02):
Sonic player that also had a medical condition. He wanted
to remain anonymous, but he had a medical condition and
had to quit his job, and he just asked if
we could cover his rent. We did it for six months,
so helped get back on his feet.
Speaker 3 (20:17):
First of all, it's an amazing story about what you
and and folks like you, but you in particular, have
done over the years. And I think it's also a
lesson for those who are listening that, yes, as Jim said,
guys today they make a lot of money, they have foundations,
what have you, but they also have families and they
want to help their families and all that, so it's
(20:38):
not like the money is unless you're a big, big
star and you're making millions and millions and millions of dollars,
which frankly most of the guys don't. But they all
can make a pretty good living. But for folks who
don't know this is a somewhat recent occurrence. TV money
has continued to drive the NFL, and so as TV
(21:00):
money has gotten better, player salaries have gotten better. Back
in the day, it wasn't quite that way. And so
when you hear a story of a player who needs help,
you might think, well, what did they do to They
squander everything?
Speaker 5 (21:12):
They know? Not at all.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
They raised a family, They did the best that they
could do, but it didn't go very far.
Speaker 5 (21:20):
In those days. We didn't have a four to one
k for instance.
Speaker 3 (21:26):
You know, we get a pension from the league, but
that all started in eighty two or eighty five with
a couple of those strikes. And while we're talking about finances,
and I beg you guys forgive me, but I have
a little piece of business to do here because this
NFL season, feel every play, every hit, every moment with
the Sony one thousand x five noise canceling headphones. Jim
(21:49):
is writing all this down the official headphones of your
Seattle Seahawks. With premium noise cancelation. You're in the zone,
no distractions, just pure football. Whether you're in the living
room or on the go, You'll never miss a beat
with Sony headphone raves.
Speaker 5 (22:04):
When I hear you do that, do you get, you
get kind of?
Speaker 4 (22:08):
I'm so excited because that just means that this program
is so meaningful.
Speaker 3 (22:13):
Could you have imagined in nineteen seventy seven that you
and I'd be sitting here and Sandy would be saying
and I'd be reading a Sony head Phones commercial.
Speaker 4 (22:23):
It didn't take me long, not that, but I have
seen you in a fluffy tuxedo with a bow tie
that looked like you were.
Speaker 3 (22:30):
Going somewhere style of tuxes. Back with all those with
all those telethons.
Speaker 4 (22:37):
You invited You invited me to come down at what
two o'clock in the morning when you were really idn't.
Speaker 5 (22:43):
When I was still playing.
Speaker 3 (22:44):
I was one of the hosts of the Variety Club
telethon overnight. They couldn't get anybody else to stay up
from two in the morning until seven in the morning.
But heck, for me, that's a chance to learn. It's like,
you know, being at practice every day you get a chance.
You're in front of the camera. You don't have a script.
Speaker 4 (23:00):
Go and as a as a player or your teammate,
I would say, what are you doing? You know, what
are you doing? It's two o'clock in the morning, you
have a tuxedo that oh you know, and then you're
and then uh, it didn't take long to know that
that's where you were on your way. I mean I
could see you had a real command of what you
(23:22):
were trying to accomplish. And you've made it into a
whole different career with all kinds of accolades and and
earned well rightly so.
Speaker 3 (23:34):
As the great sports writer in this area, Claire Farnsworth
once said, uh, talking about all the great Seahawks is
Steve Raybell Well as a receiver, he was a better commentator.
So I thought, okay, that's that's fair.
Speaker 5 (23:47):
I'll find that. But this is about this is about saying.
Speaker 4 (23:51):
Sandy, with all the comings and goings of coaches and
players where they're just uh, some frantic gets and not
gets and stuff like that, for you, the successes and
failures were there or have you always got things done,
because that's the way I see you. I see her
(24:13):
as the person that's always gotten things done, even though
maybe some guys couldn't do it. She was searching out
the guy that could do it.
Speaker 6 (24:22):
I think what I did is I tried to keep
a list of what guys liked. I'd read newspaper articles
and things. So if a guy maybe his maybe it's
a health issue, maybe his dad had diabetes, or someone
played the saxophone, or someone played like the drums, exactly
the variety shows that we used to do. But you
(24:43):
find out what the guys like, and then you try
and put him in the right position so that they're
doing something that they enjoy or that touches their heart.
Speaker 7 (24:50):
So you try.
Speaker 6 (24:51):
I still have the list today of you know, who
likes to play video games and the different health issues
and things like that, and so you can put the
guys where you know where their best. Sometimes you need
to send two guys out at one time too. The
guys aren't comfortable doing it, so they go out in
pairs or something.
Speaker 7 (25:11):
You just have to try and make it work.
Speaker 4 (25:13):
How did you get people to agree to have rapes
instead of larger and yeah, that was really.
Speaker 7 (25:19):
You just say Steve. I guess Steve.
Speaker 4 (25:22):
Is coming great.
Speaker 3 (25:23):
Yeah, and then the huge disappointment on children's face, on
the faces when they see it's not the Steve that they.
Speaker 4 (25:31):
Didn't He didn't make Steve where number eighty. He didn't
make Ravees wear number eighty when he.
Speaker 7 (25:35):
Showed up three eighty three. Yeah.
Speaker 6 (25:38):
But you know, think about how many of our guys
still live here. I think it's pretty amazing when you
think about how many guys stayed in the area and
are still doing things in the community here.
Speaker 7 (25:47):
Pretty special.
Speaker 3 (25:48):
And I mean guys who came in seventy six or
seventy seven and we're only here for a year or two.
It's one thing if you had an entire career here,
you know, you had your playing career here, came back
and had a coaching career here. I've been here since
and a number of us were here for a long time.
But some guys were here a year or two as
players and they stayed, So.
Speaker 5 (26:08):
I think it said something.
Speaker 3 (26:09):
In fact, I did a charity event just yesterday with Zoe.
Speaker 5 (26:13):
You mentioned him.
Speaker 3 (26:14):
Alonzo Mitz, former defensive tackles for the Seahawks, one of
the toughest guys The story about Zoe having his entire
upper bridge just basically knocked out of his mouth during
a game and continued to play is one that if
you want to know toughness, that's this guy. And yet
he is such a such a kind hearted, good person for.
Speaker 5 (26:32):
All he does.
Speaker 3 (26:34):
But you you know, you are in these situations and
and you suddenly say, wow, I love it up here.
Speaker 5 (26:42):
He's from Florida.
Speaker 3 (26:43):
He played a couple of seasons, maybe three seasons, and
yet he sayed and he has continued to contribute to
the to the area.
Speaker 4 (26:50):
You know, when Sandy was describing having to make the
roster list, and I can imagine you think about the
early days on how that roster changed, and you must
have been every every day putting a new list together.
You know, with that printing It wasn't even a computer printer.
Speaker 6 (27:11):
Oh no, no computers, right, And then we had a
machine that would take the press release and it would
fold it and stuff it in the envelope for you.
Speaker 7 (27:19):
And I mean we mailed all that stuff out. It
was crazy.
Speaker 5 (27:22):
Yeah, the lost my train of thought.
Speaker 4 (27:28):
Well, I wanted to say with so explain the relationship
you had with Gary, because it was really I mean
you were focused on the players trying to I'm sure
Gary relied on you. How did you work with Gary Wright,
because he did he take over for Don Anderson did.
Speaker 6 (27:45):
Okay, So when I was at USC, I was there
for five seasons, and then this new league started, the
World Football League, and Don Anderson took a job with
the league office and asked me to go with him,
and that's when he hired Gary. So Gary just with
the World Football League. Well then a year and a
half later, the World Football League folded and but the
NFL was expanding two new teams, Tampa Bay and Seattle,
(28:09):
and Don had a really good feel about he interviewed
with both. But he had a really good feel about
the Seattle team because he I guess he met with
the Nordstrom family and just right, and we thought he'd
go to Tampa Bay because John McKay was the head
coach at USC who ended up being the coach down
at Tampa Bay. So the three of us were with
the World Football League, and then the Seahawks job opened
(28:31):
and he invited Gary and I to come with him,
and so that's when all three of us came up
here to Seattle.
Speaker 7 (28:37):
So Don there was a coaching change, and.
Speaker 6 (28:44):
Yeah, and Don was kind of let go and he
started his own PR firm, and then Gary and then Gary,
yeah stepped up. And so Gary is or he's amazing,
absolutely amazing. The Pro Football Hall of Fame honored him
a couple of years ago with the the new Awards
of Excellence that they're doing pretty special.
Speaker 4 (29:04):
So Sandy describe because her talent, as we know, kind
of runs along along line. And the other area of
your expertise was Super Bowls. Oh, yes, right, yes, and
you and Gary where you were hired to actually take
(29:25):
charge of and I don't exactly know what it is,
but I'd like you to explain to our massive audience
what you had to do or how did that begin,
and what you and Gary did during Super Bowl weeks.
Speaker 6 (29:40):
Well, I was fortunate enough to work twenty six Super Bowls.
One when I was still at USC because there was
a game I think it was Super Bowl Sevenikes say
the memorials Super Bowls.
Speaker 4 (29:51):
Explain that too, Do what explain? You said? You've got
to work work.
Speaker 6 (29:56):
Okay, So at the time when I was at SC,
I had a second job helping with the scoreboard at
the coliseum. Yeah, and so that was what I did.
I was working in the scoreboard during the Super Bowl game.
But then nineteen eighty eight was the next time the
Super Bowl was in San Diego and Gary was heading
(30:18):
up the media center, which is unbelievable. I mean, there's
people from all over the world that come in, media
from everywhere, and so basically you have an area that's
set up where you're putting out press releases daily, They're
getting quotes from the players and all that, and you
have tables set up with all these press releases available,
there's interviews going on. You're just taking care of the
(30:40):
media in any way you can. So my job was
pretty much setting up the office I guess office manager,
making sure that we'd get there early and we'd have
desks for the people that need a desk. We'd have
the staplers, the scotch tape, set up mailboxes and all
that so that we could communicate. It was just making
sure everything was running as well as could be. End
(31:00):
up putting a manual together of the different jobs and
things like that and what each job entailed.
Speaker 4 (31:06):
So that was nineteen eighty eight. I had nineteen eighty eight.
It didn't have anything to do with the Seahawks.
Speaker 6 (31:10):
Everything to do with the Seahawks, it was working with
the league office.
Speaker 4 (31:14):
Then after that, yeah, so and.
Speaker 6 (31:15):
Then next year was in Miami. So those two years
I paid my own way, and after that the NFL
started hiring and they paid for me to come, which
was really nice. And so you got the airfare and
the hotel and everything, and I mean, you're you're seeing
these amazing cities and you're going out to dinner every night,
and I think the best part of it is you're
meeting people from other teams that you you can now
(31:39):
call on when you need something. A guy from I
don't know if you guys are going to remember this,
but a couple of years ago, the Amtrak train that
was just starting out.
Speaker 7 (31:48):
And was going to Portland and it flipped DuPont.
Speaker 6 (31:51):
Yes, there was one of the kids that was on
that that train. He was paralyzed and he was at
Chill Dren's Hospital, and I got a couple of players
and I went with him. It was kJ and I
can't remember who all was with us, Mike Morgan, Lofa,
and we went to visit him and everything in his
room was Jaguars, Naxonville, Jaguars. He was a huge Jaguars fan.
(32:15):
So I got a hold of the guy down there
and he sent an autographed helmet of is it Leonard Fournette? Okay,
so yeah, and he sent an autographed real helmet of
Leonard Fournette to the kid. So just having someone with
other teams that can help you it really.
Speaker 7 (32:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (32:33):
Do you think that's what the Super Bowls did for you?
Was it connected you with all the other teams in
the NFL?
Speaker 6 (32:39):
Yeah, because they've stopped now having guys advanced games anymore.
The guys used to come in here a week ahead
of time and do things. All that's changed, you know,
technology because of technology absolutely, And even when we first started,
we'd have there'd be PR meetings. I think the first
PR meetings I went to were in Dallas and we
(33:00):
got to go to South Fork and all these cool things.
But you got to meet the other guys in community.
The first time I went to these meetings, they let
us have breakout sessions.
Speaker 7 (33:10):
The community people. We didn't get to you know, we.
Speaker 6 (33:13):
Do breakout sessions, but you got to meet the people
and share ideas and the lady in charge then at
the NFL, Beth Call it. And she used to say,
if somebody is doing something good in their community, is
deal it. I mean take it and work it. I
mean there's share ideas and do it. So that's what
we all did. It was pretty cool.
Speaker 3 (33:34):
A reminder that broadcasting from the Seahawks Podcast Studio presented
by Sony, an official partner of the Seattle Seahawks. One
point I need to make right away when you mentioned
that you and Don at first when you left USC
went to the World Football League and I think it
was Portland, was it not?
Speaker 4 (33:51):
Oh no, it was the California Sun, well.
Speaker 7 (33:54):
The league office.
Speaker 6 (33:54):
To begin with, we were in Newport Beach, and then
the next year they moved to New York and we
were the Southern California Orange.
Speaker 5 (34:01):
Wasn't there a Portland team at that time?
Speaker 7 (34:04):
There was?
Speaker 3 (34:05):
And the reason why I remember this, my first pair
of shoulder pads with the Seahawks were from the Portland team.
They were a pair of used shoulder pads. Went in
and they were these kind of big, boxy looking shoulder pads,
and I.
Speaker 5 (34:20):
Was just, you know, mine was too good for you.
Speaker 3 (34:22):
Now where you go, somebody else sweated in these for
an entire season.
Speaker 4 (34:27):
Go for it the best, We provided the best equipments.
Speaker 7 (34:31):
It was a Portland storm.
Speaker 4 (34:32):
Yes, Portland sandy.
Speaker 5 (34:35):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (34:36):
What was it like then? You had all these uh
since nineteen eighty eight. Really you were going to super
Bowl after super Bowl and then all of a sudden
we get to go. When I was a coach here
with Mike holmgrin two thousand and six, what was that
like as you had all that experience, because I remember
you telling us what to do and how to do
(34:58):
it and all that kind of stuff and what the
op were.
Speaker 6 (35:00):
Well, I think the whole message then was take the
pressure off the players. There's going to be everybody's going
to reach out to them that they're going to want tickets,
they're going to want something, and take that pressure off
of them, and to work with the wives. Let them
handle a lot of that. So we would meet with
the wives and tell them the same thing. Let them
play the game. It's really important. This is an opportunity
(35:21):
of a lifetime. And so we did everything we could
so that the players could just do what they needed
to do and make it as normal as we could.
Speaker 4 (35:30):
But you didn't go along with us. You had to
go before correct and very huge set.
Speaker 7 (35:36):
Up yeah, we did.
Speaker 6 (35:37):
We set up we put gifts in everybody's rooms and
things like that. You don't remember that, or we did.
I can't remember what it was. But we had gifts
in all the rooms, and we had all the meeting rooms.
We made sure everything was set up when the players came.
That was actually, Oh, it's a lot of fun.
Speaker 3 (35:51):
Yeah, the first time like that, it's pretty spectacular. We
were outside of Detroit as I or someplace Dearborn somewhere
it was in Dearborn, yeah, but perfectly fine. Facility had
lots of beating room and all that, and it was cold,
and it was cold and got colder as as but
happily the game was inside. Unhappily the way it ended,
(36:14):
but still.
Speaker 7 (36:15):
In all those terrible towels. Yeah, boy, it was everywhere.
Speaker 5 (36:19):
If we learned from that one.
Speaker 4 (36:20):
Did you feel like we like you prepared, like we
were prepared, because I don't think we were prepared for
the towel that was the first name that was Well
I walked in there as a coach. Yeah, I was thinking,
wait a.
Speaker 6 (36:35):
Minute, Pittsburgh is to Detroit and they because there's usually
when you get a hotel room it's for four. You
have to get four nights, and so our fans I
think they just you know, they sold their tickets, made
the money and because I know our section was a
lot of Pittsburgh people in it.
Speaker 4 (36:50):
Yeah, well, congratulations for all that that whole you know,
your career, uh, you know, the botto of your career
has just been amazing.
Speaker 7 (37:02):
We'll think about Japan. We went to Japan.
Speaker 6 (37:05):
I went twice because I went with the cheerleaders, which
was kind of cool. They went over kind of a
promotional thing, and then.
Speaker 7 (37:11):
Went with the team. And yeah, just yeah, I've been
really fortunate.
Speaker 3 (37:15):
You also have been the keeper, the keeper of the goods,
the keeper of the boxes and boxes, the treasure trove
of the Seattle Seahawks, and all of us who are
former players have stuff.
Speaker 5 (37:29):
Kind of what does she do?
Speaker 4 (37:31):
What does she have?
Speaker 3 (37:32):
Not much because most of what I had I kept
and I've got it, including my original T shirt and
athletics supporter I think in a mesh bag.
Speaker 5 (37:41):
All good, But that's probably more than you.
Speaker 3 (37:43):
Want to know, and I trust me, I've stopped using
them last year. But it's all the other stuff that
starts in seventy six that says Seahawks something that's a
logoed item or something that just says, here's how the
Seahawks have grown. You've had access to this. Plus you've
saved so much stuff, and we could fill a section
(38:04):
of the louver with what you have. And I think
what a lot of us could add to that.
Speaker 5 (38:08):
Right.
Speaker 6 (38:08):
Yeah, you know, I told you I worked the twenty
six Super Bowls. You get a lot of stuff from those,
a lot not just the programs, but there's you know,
T shirts and wine glasses and all, I mean.
Speaker 4 (38:21):
Tennis shoes. I have Super Bowl ten, so much stuff. Yeah.
Speaker 6 (38:23):
So I took this stuff that wasn't Seahawks and I
shipped it to the Pro Football Hall of Fame because
I feel it's going to live on.
Speaker 7 (38:30):
And I thought that was a pretty cool thing.
Speaker 6 (38:33):
Even when I worked at USC and did that Super
Bowl seven, what they did is they gave us our
lunch in a little suitcase. It was a tiny, little
red and black suitcase. It zipped up, and I'm like,
what am I ever going to do with this? So
I sent it to the Hall of Fame. I kind
of like the idea that it's going to be there.
Speaker 4 (38:49):
Where do you have? Are there things today that create
some memories and would and fans in our community would
like to see some of the history of the Seahawks.
I mean, you have some really, I know, I know
what you have of. You have one pair of and
these uh these are broom ball shoes. They're tennis shoes
(39:13):
that have sponge and holes in them. Their their white
top canvas shoes with an orange sponge sort of bottom
on them. And they were supposed to be used when
the field was frozen. And I remember when we went
to Minnesota the game, you know, our entry, you know
when when Pete Gross was uh yeah, in seventy six
(39:35):
against Minnesota. The ground when you when you came out
of the dugout the ground that it was grass, It
was pure grass. The sun was out. I thought, oh,
this is awesome. You walk out there and it was
painted dirt and it number ones and it was frozen solid.
So I tried those shoes on them. They were the worst,
you know, but I kept them and I gave them
(39:56):
the sandy and just just those shoes all alone or
worth really looking at going.
Speaker 6 (40:04):
Still, Well, what I did is I think I wrote
that story down because it's so unique, like what these
are and where they came from. But this is all
what's in the Seahawks storage unit in Kent. So there's
a whole there's a cant warehouse and it's for the
pro Shop, so it's where they keep a lot of
their goods. But they gave us a little corner of
it that's fenced off and in there is shelves with I.
Speaker 7 (40:28):
Can't even tell you how much stuff is in there.
Speaker 6 (40:30):
I saved when they changed the carpet in this vMac,
I saved some of the squares of the carpeting. I mean,
you never know. So there's just all kinds of stuff
in there, but a lot of stuff. I started a
bin with my home. Grin has a bin. I think
there's a Chuck Knox bin. I did Ring of Honor bins,
so there's a gym Zorn bin can easily beIN than
(40:53):
Steve Largent bin. Yeah, there's all kinds. All the team
photos on wood, they're all back there.
Speaker 4 (40:59):
There's so I have a chunk of the Kingdome, yes, yes,
you know, I have got blue paint on it. I
don't know what it's from, but I.
Speaker 6 (41:06):
Got a chunk I have that at home that they
gave that to me at home, But did you.
Speaker 5 (41:10):
Get a seat? They didn't save a seat out of
the Kingdom?
Speaker 6 (41:13):
I know, but I found someone that had the bottom
and I had contacted him, and then I don't think
they're gone.
Speaker 4 (41:22):
I mean, did you and Gary make up some of
the awards that were given the special recognitions that either
for coaches, for players or honoring people who volunteer. Did
you and Gary make some of those up?
Speaker 6 (41:41):
I don't know, because I know, like there's a Seahawker
of the Year and things like that.
Speaker 7 (41:46):
The NFL has a lot of those awards.
Speaker 6 (41:49):
The one thing I did mention tomorrow after I was retired,
but I told him there was something I wanted to
do that I wasn't able to get done before I retired,
and that was a Legend of the Year. And I
mentioned to him at a game, and then on Monday
morning he emailed me saying, can you give me more
information on what you're talking about? So I sent him
an email with what I was thinking and how we
(42:10):
should recognize a legend that was still doing great things
in the community. And I also put in there that
I suggested Nacoby Green should get the first one with
all he had done with Fred Hutch and so there's
still continuing that. I know, Jermaine Curse won at this
past year and Randall got it last year, and yeah, good,
I'm really happy about that one because I think that's
(42:32):
pretty cool to recognize the players are doing things.
Speaker 5 (42:36):
After all your.
Speaker 3 (42:37):
Years of being a part of the Seahawks, is there
one one thing that you look back and say, this
might be the best thing I ever did in my career,
and it may have nothing to do with football, Oh,
but this was I'm really proud of this moment, or
(42:58):
I'm proud of the people that was associated with in
doing this.
Speaker 4 (43:04):
Well.
Speaker 6 (43:04):
Boy, I know that there's a couple of things that
I really liked that I did hear, and one is
the wall downstairs with.
Speaker 7 (43:10):
The plaques and the players. Yeah.
Speaker 6 (43:12):
I remember when we unveiled that. It was Legends weekend
and everybody was in the IPF, and then after practice
we took everybody out into the hallway and kind of
unveiled it and let the guy see it and all
the selfies and things that were going on. But I'll
never forget Nsbie Glass. He was wiping away tears and
(43:32):
I thought, oh my gosh, Yeah, he saw his name
and I've actually I took a picture that I've helped
them update it a couple of times, and I've taken
pictures of the sections, and I've sent it to a
couple of guys that have ever seen it because they
don't live here.
Speaker 7 (43:49):
I've sent him their name, Edwin had me send him.
Speaker 4 (43:52):
So I think that's really cool.
Speaker 7 (43:54):
Yes, I like that one.
Speaker 3 (43:55):
This wall is for those of the IPF indoor practice
facility here at the Virginia Mason Athletic Facility. But there's
a wall and it of course it's expanding down the
length of the facility because we keep adding players. But
if you played for a year, if you played for
on the on the active roster, there you go. Then
(44:17):
you had a plaque I don't know what four three
inches like the bricks, five inches like the size of
a brand with your signature on it. And Sandy of
course had to learn how to have a you know,
expropriate everybody's signature signed for those signatures on pictures for
everybody that wanted to them of z Man And.
Speaker 5 (44:38):
But it is so cool to walk up there if
you and to know that.
Speaker 3 (44:43):
So from that date seventy six through for me eighty
one that your name isn't up every time, but it's
that first year and so and it keeps growing, and
the new kids who were here, they come back after
their first season, look up and see their name on there,
and that's really that's really regardless of everything else that
football is today, those kinds of things really mean.
Speaker 7 (45:05):
You're not forgotten, not at all. You're a part of.
Speaker 3 (45:07):
Part of this organization, and it says so on the wall,
and that's what's really cool.
Speaker 4 (45:12):
I think that's pretty cool. And I also think for Sandy,
her passion is getting this this a museum going so
that people can come and see it, and that may
be in the future for her. So I think she's
going to have if we had her on again and
that happened, she would she might say that is one
(45:34):
of the accomplishments. And then I would say, and I'm
going to put this out to you because I know
that we all appreciate is the care that you take
for other players, for past players and even players that
have been involved in Northwest sports pro sports. You do
a great job of continuing to care for that. And
(45:54):
I can sense your passion for that for those causes
with it's.
Speaker 6 (46:00):
These guys do so much in the community. Look at
what you guys do alone. I mean, my goodness, Pebble Beach,
you know, with the Navy seal, I mean, and you're
at every event.
Speaker 7 (46:10):
I am seeing it and even like last.
Speaker 6 (46:13):
Minute helped me out with my Sonics Legends fund the
day before, I would called.
Speaker 3 (46:16):
You because you get to see and there are so
many other great people.
Speaker 5 (46:20):
Who came to that naked Millan came.
Speaker 7 (46:22):
Yes, and David Wilkins and everybody.
Speaker 4 (46:25):
I know they're getting a little tired of him want
like blue and green eminems and stuff like that in
his green room and things of that nature. But you
know right.
Speaker 6 (46:35):
Now, but what you guys do in the community, that's
what it is all is kind of a little payback
in a way, because you guys are out there at
every school function, at hospitals visiting kids. You're a military basis,
senior citizen centers. I mean, you're yeah, all these golf
tournaments and these charity events.
Speaker 4 (46:54):
Well we've learned from the best that's on how to
how to say yes to those kinds.
Speaker 3 (47:00):
Exactly, and quite frankly, it comes down to your leadership.
Gary don going all the way back and through all
of those who were in positions today.
Speaker 5 (47:09):
But it also is that logo that's in the wall
on the wall right here in our studio.
Speaker 3 (47:13):
It's that Seahawk logo because we've all been a part
of this, you know, the three of us now almost
fifty years. So that's that's the reason we're all here.
That's the reason that Sandy Gregory had to be a
part of this podcast. Sandy, we appreciate it as always.
I know you were a little nervous when you sat
down and you look like a pro.
Speaker 5 (47:34):
It might come for Jim maybe not so much, but
you the pro.
Speaker 4 (47:39):
As always, we just hope it wasn't underwhelming for you.
That's experience.
Speaker 5 (47:43):
That's right, that's right.
Speaker 3 (47:44):
And oh, by the way, Broadcasting from the Seahawks Podcast Studio,
presented by Sony and official partner of the Seattle Seahawks.
Speaker 5 (47:51):
This has been Seahawks Stories.
Speaker 3 (47:54):
With yours truly and Jim Zorn and today's guest Sandy Gregory.
Speaker 5 (47:57):
We will see you next time.
Speaker 4 (48:00):
Thanks San
You're listening to Seahawks Stories, taking you behind the scenes
with your favorite Seahawks.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Setbacks behind Zorn, who's back to pass as time looks
for the left sideline, throws a pom down there, he's
got a man in Frontie makes the grab a travel
at the thirty down of the twenty.
Speaker 3 (00:14):
They'll never get him.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
He scores touched.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Down Seahawks powered by Seahawks Dot Com.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
And Zorn later in perfectly a Rabel who goes in
to score on an eighty yard pass and run play.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
Now here's your host, the voice of the Seahawks, Steve
Rabel and Seahawks Legend Jim Zorn.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Broadcasting from the Seahawks Podcast Studio, presented by Sony, an
official partner of the Seattle Seahawks. Welcome everybody back to
Seahawks Stories along with z Man Jim Zorn. I'm Steve Rabel.
Great to be back with you. We haven't had an
opportunity the last few weeks, between illnesses and travel and
all manner of things. But here we are back. And
(00:54):
speaking of travel, you're just back into this into this country.
Speaker 4 (00:58):
I had the chance to travel with Steve Largent and
Marshall Falk, who was two Hall of Famers, to get
Mo and Tody Yes, and then to Honduras in Central America,
And we got back just a couple of days ago,
and we visited troops and we got tours of the
(01:20):
bases and kind of opportunities to see how things work.
And we were treated very well. And there was some
great weather down.
Speaker 5 (01:32):
There too, a little better than here probably.
Speaker 4 (01:34):
And I absolutely knew that people were clamoring to have
us back with our podcasts just so exciting, you know.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
Oh yeah, by the way, is that's something that the
NFL Players Association or Legends community puts together this or
the league puts this together.
Speaker 4 (01:51):
It's really through NFL Entertainment, and they do a nice job.
Because the troops are there, there's they can't you know,
some of them can't leave, so they give them an
opportunity to see. You know, there's a lot of football
fans there, and I would say there's a lot of
you know, varied fans when it comes to who they like,
(02:13):
where they're from, what they grew up with, and stuff
like that, and you get to hear all the stories.
But more importantly, they really appreciate the NFL showing up.
Eric Kennedy, who's the Seahawks equipment manager, has donated with
for me. I brought down some NFL football's leave them
(02:36):
with the commanders. They love it. We sign them that
we take pictures. We get treated better than, you know,
than deserved. I'm sure.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
I'm certain of that, except for Marshall Fluk. For him,
I expect he would be treated very well. Steve, I
think we danced the jig. I got bit by a dog.
Very good not but it was an actual It was
with demonstration, and there was a demonstration.
Speaker 4 (03:01):
Thank you for clarifying man working.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
Yes, it wasn't just a wild, rabid dog I'm running across.
Speaker 4 (03:06):
It was a serious dog that is trained by the military. Yeah,
And so we got a demonstration to see how they work,
and part of it was real life.
Speaker 5 (03:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
And I saw for all of you listening out there,
I saw the pictures Jim had on his phone and
he had a protective big jacket on so that the
dog can't bite through the gym.
Speaker 5 (03:28):
He can just get to that.
Speaker 3 (03:29):
And then probably when you got up off the ground,
was he a nice little puppy and you could pat
him on the head and.
Speaker 4 (03:33):
He was that one. It was like you just he
was doing his job, and you know, it was amazing.
What they what they want they're playing basically what they
want is their kong, that little toy, a little dog toy.
They don't play for. They don't do it for food.
They do it for that toy. And when that dog
after they got him off me, uh, they gave him
(03:56):
his cong he just calmed right down, very good. Yeah,
this is what I wanted.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
Well, that's the way they're taught. This is a good
way to get into our guests today here on Seahawks stories,
because when we got here Pale in nineteen seventy six,
Sandy Gregory was already here up in the pr office.
Speaker 5 (04:15):
The community it became community.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
Outreaching a lot of other things, but it started out
as the public relations office. And one of the major
things that they did, aside from getting out the story
of the Seahawks being a brand new franchise in Seattle,
was they made sure that all of us or as
many of us players that wanted to, got involved in
community activities as early as possible. And so, without further ado,
(04:41):
Sandy Gregory, who has been here since nineteen seventy six,
there are a few of us who are still kind
of around the organization that have been Jim, You've been
away for a while at times coaching, obviously as a
head coach and an assistant elsewhere. But Sandy and I
have been here in Seattle the whole time. And this
will be and I I hate to date you, but
knowing that you started when you were twelve, this will
(05:04):
be next year, the fiftieth anniversary of the franchise. What
does that mean, Sandy, that you've been around here long
enough to see fifty years of this team.
Speaker 6 (05:11):
First of all, when I came here, I wasn't even
sure I was gonna say, you know, I came from
California and Sonny and I remember Don Anderson's the one
that brought me up here, and I'm like, but when
it rains up there, and He's like, if you don't
like it, you can always go back. And then here
I am fifty years later. I guess I love it
up here. I like having seasons. I love the history
(05:33):
of the team and still keeping in touch with a
lot of the players and trying to help him with
some of the things that they're doing in the community.
Speaker 4 (05:40):
You know that Sandy Gregory was here before our first
head football coach, yes before Jack Pottero was even hired,
So she knows all the skeletal things that have gone
on in Seattle.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
They were starting to build out the franchise departments. The
Don Anderson that you mentioned was our very first PR director,
and Gary Wright, who we hope to have on the
program here in the next couple of weeks, was his
assistant at the time, and you were the assistant to
both of them. Gary ultimately became not only the head
of PR, but then a vice president and then with
(06:15):
the Sounders and just has been an amazing force in
Seattle sports for these fifty years that he's been here
as well. So we'll talk to Gary at some point
as well. But do you remember those of course you do.
But those early days when it was a bunch of
us young guys, and there was a concerted effort right
to get us out in the community, figure out who
(06:38):
the groups are so that the city can meet these players.
Speaker 6 (06:41):
Absolutely over the years it's changed a lot more with
social media, guys are saying what they're doing. Back then,
a lot of people didn't know what we were doing
in the community. I remember talking to a sports writer
once and he always wanted to cover the Captain's Blitz
when we go to the hospitals around Christmas time, and
the editor wouldn't let him do it. It was a
(07:03):
good story, and they wanted, you know, football stories, not
hospital visits stories.
Speaker 7 (07:08):
So you just.
Speaker 6 (07:09):
Didn't know what all the guys were doing in the community.
A lot of it was done quietly, but it's continued.
Speaker 4 (07:15):
And yeah, Sandy, was your job the same then as
it was as you came up, except for the social media.
I mean, did you have the same goals in mind
or how did you grow with the job? What really
changed as you continued year after year throughout the So.
Speaker 6 (07:32):
When I first started, I was really pr I would
literally type the release each week. I'd have to type
the roster, you know, their height, weight, all that stuff,
their birthdays on the roster, and then run it off
on this machine. It was crazy. So Mike Keller was
doing a lot of the community stuff. He started the
(07:52):
Captain's Blitz and things like that, so he was really
doing a lot of the community things. I can't remember
exactly when I took over, but we didn't have a
community department.
Speaker 7 (08:03):
It just it wasn't there.
Speaker 6 (08:05):
And then eventually when they did, it was part of
the pr Department, but it's changed a lot over the years.
I think a lot of it was when we were
going to move to California and we made we let
people know what we were doing in the community. Then,
because we needed people to vote for the stadium for
the referendum, it was really important for people to understand
(08:27):
if we don't pass this, we're leaving town and we
can't help these charities anymore. So then we started publicizing
what we were doing a little bit more.
Speaker 3 (08:35):
You know, I remember this, and there's a lot of
things obviously that I don't remember, just because of where
we are today in our lives, but I remember this specifically.
We sat in an early meeting on a like a
Wednesday morning, early in the season in nineteen seventy six,
and I remember Norm Evans, our tackle offensive tackle, standing
(09:00):
up and he said something to the effect that, guys,
when I was in Miami and he was there for
the undefeated Miami Dolphins team of nineteen seven, who's still
the only team undefeated untied through an entire season and
including winning the Super Bowl, and Norma's still here with
us in the community. God bless him. He's just a
(09:21):
wonderful man. But I remember him standing up in the
meeting saying, this is so and so I think it's
I think it was Tom Jaffa was the name that
I remember, but from United Way, and he said, we
are going to be big in the United Way on
this team. He said, I was in Miami, I know
the important impact that United Way has in a community,
and so get ready because this is what we're going
(09:43):
to do. I remember that because so much of what
we did in those early days, to your point, Sandy,
came from sort of the bottom up. It was guys
being invited to cub Scout meetings and schools and United
Way and all that as opposed to something that came
down from on high.
Speaker 5 (10:01):
They just said you will do this. That wasn't the case.
Speaker 6 (10:04):
I totally agree with you. The guys were out in
the community doing stuff all the time, but nobody knew
about it except the organizations you were helping. But there
wasn't a way for them to push it out there
and tell people.
Speaker 7 (10:16):
Yeah, and they're still doing it today.
Speaker 5 (10:18):
They are, they are.
Speaker 3 (10:20):
I remember one that did come through the office, This
one just dawne on me. Don Anderson came up to
me one day and he said, hey, Special Olympics having
their big event down at Fort Lewis. They still haven't
all these years later. They're big spring track meets and
what have you. They'd love you to come down and
be a hugger and all that stuff. I had done
(10:41):
a couple of appearances for Special Olympics. This was like
nineteen seventy eight or something, and so I said great,
and so went down there and was kind of standing
there and the events had just started and there were
a lot of people who look like officials and all.
So I saw that I found a guy that looked
like he was the most official official. Looked up to
him and I said, hey there, and he said, yes,
(11:02):
how are you? And I said good, I'm I'm Steve Rabel.
I'm here from the Seahawks and you guys wanted to
put me to work and I'm looking forward to it.
And he kind of looked on his face and he
paused and he said, oh, we were hoping for Steve Largent.
Speaker 7 (11:14):
Oh no, true true story.
Speaker 3 (11:18):
So I ended up staying the rest of that day
and came back years after that. They were wonderful, a
wonderful organization, But again it was one of those It
wasn't kind of official, so you weren't really sure who
was going to show up, and so you got the
other Steve Yes, oh my god.
Speaker 5 (11:33):
But that's all right.
Speaker 4 (11:34):
They were grateful but not that but not great, but
not as grateful.
Speaker 5 (11:37):
As they would have been.
Speaker 4 (11:39):
Sandy Yoda, do you remember any unusual things that happened
when you that that just stick in your memory of
player player relations with the community, or certain aspects of that.
Speaker 6 (11:54):
I can think of, Uh, Mike Tice was doing an
appearance for us, and it was I'm gonna say, Federal
Way to comb or something. And very reliable guy. I
mean when he says he's going to do what, he's
going to be there. And the next day after the event,
I get a phone call and it said that he
didn't show up, and I'm like, no, I mean, that's
(12:14):
not Mike. So I called him. He had two flat
tires on the way to the event. This is before
cell phones, so he couldn't call anybody and say I'm
not going to be there, right and yeah, and so
that was, yeah, that was unusual.
Speaker 4 (12:28):
Okay, yeah, that would be unusual. You never know about
those things.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
Going on now and just to show you what being
in this community has meant to all of us over
the years. Mike Tice, who now resides outside the city,
but lived.
Speaker 5 (12:41):
Here in the area for so long.
Speaker 3 (12:42):
After he came back from he coached as well coach
to Minnesota Vikings as head coach who the Seahawks play
coming up. But he has continued to have an event
out here at golf tournament for years and years to
raise money. And there's a number of guys like that
because you, Sandy, you work on all of them just
about as a volunteer yourself. But there are a lot
(13:04):
of golf tournaments and charity events that former players still
have here well.
Speaker 6 (13:09):
Jacob Green thirty seven years thirty seven, he lives in Texas.
This will be your thirty seven raising money for Fred Hutch.
Mike Tice raises money for Boys and Girls Club. He's
been doing it for a long time. Randa Morris lives here,
but he's been doing his tournament. I think this is
going to be your eighteen that he's done his golf tournament.
(13:30):
Kenny easily has one here, Lonzo Mitz has one, David
Kertman has one. Over in Shelanne. These guys are amazing.
How they still give back to the community pretty special.
Speaker 4 (13:43):
Yeah, and you've done a lot of things. What's amazing
to me. Sandy is gone, but she's not gone because
you're still concerned about former athletes. Maybe not the athletes
that are current on the team, definitely the former athletes.
They explained some of those things that you have been
(14:04):
passionate about. Even after the Seahawks, after your Seahawks experience,
you're still involved with the Seahawks indirectly.
Speaker 6 (14:13):
So I think the one thing that I'm really proud
of that I was able to get going while I
was still with the Seahawks was we're talking probably twelve
thirteen years ago, a former player called me and said
his teammate had had a health condition and even though
he had a job, he had no health insurance.
Speaker 7 (14:31):
And what can we do to help him?
Speaker 6 (14:33):
So the Seahawks helped, but I also wrote I probably
wrote to you guys and said that this player needed
some help with his medical bills, and we raised about
ten thousand dollars and sent the money to the player.
And then about a year later, another player contacted me
directly and he said that he had been diagnosed with
(14:53):
a terminal illness and same thing. He had a job,
but he had no health insurance and he wasn't looking
for many. We found out there was a golf tournament
that was going to benefit him and help him with
his medical expenses.
Speaker 7 (15:07):
Those two things made.
Speaker 6 (15:08):
Me realize that here's two good guys with jobs with
families and they need a little bit of help. How
many other guys are out there that also could use
a little bit of help. So I knew the history
of the Players Find Money. When Jack Buttera was with us,
he'd give it back to the players at the end
of the year and you guys would have a party.
And then Chuck Knox came in and said, no, you
(15:31):
don't have a party with fine money, and he started
giving it to different charities. But I didn't know what
happened with the find Money now, so I found out
and it was just going to the bottom line. So
I put a proposal together, and I said, why don't
we take the current players Find Many and use it
to help our former guys that need a little bit
of help.
Speaker 7 (15:48):
So that's been going on.
Speaker 6 (15:49):
We did our first grant in twenty thirteen and I'm
still on that board here, and we still help the
guys with.
Speaker 7 (15:55):
That really important.
Speaker 6 (15:57):
It means so much to these guys, hard for them
to ask for help.
Speaker 7 (16:01):
Everything's confidential.
Speaker 4 (16:03):
Do you search those guys out or do they actually
have to initiate that that first call or that first
like how because I know that you've you sort It's
not that you sneak around, but you keep your ears open.
Speaker 7 (16:16):
I know that, Yeah, I do.
Speaker 6 (16:19):
I used to send out newsletters to the guys, and
this information would be in the newsletters and there'd be
a little form that they'd.
Speaker 7 (16:26):
Have to fill out online.
Speaker 6 (16:27):
It was we had a private website for the players,
and so guys could look at that and hopefully read
it and submit an application, a very simple application. We
didn't we don't make them jump through hoops, but some
of its word of mouth. Miguy will know about his
teammate or somebody that needs help. I had one player
call me last year and he had talked to another player,
(16:50):
and that player said, you need to call Sandy. You
need to call Sandy because he needed help with something.
But it took him a whole year. He couldn't, he
didn't want to call, and he finally did and we
took care of it.
Speaker 7 (17:02):
It happened.
Speaker 4 (17:02):
When you think of players today, they they have foundations.
They actually do volunteer a lot. Back then, the contracts
were the sales salary contracts were a lot different.
Speaker 7 (17:20):
Do you both have summer jobs?
Speaker 4 (17:22):
Yeah? I work part time. I worked on the Saint
Michelle winery in the offseason, you know what I mean.
I worked at Eddie Bauer for a while, so we
did different things. And nowadays you don't necessarily have to.
You can can be interested in all kinds of stuff,
but you you know that those players that call you
(17:47):
really are really are in me. And also you have
extended your reach towards other pro teams as well, can you.
I don't know what you can offer there, but that
I think that's interesting as well.
Speaker 7 (18:03):
Thank you. Yes.
Speaker 6 (18:06):
In uh February of twenty twenty, I had worked at USC.
I think you guys know that before I came up here.
That's where I met Don Anderson. In February of twenty twenty,
one of the players I knew from USC, Gus Williams,
a Sonic player, had a severe stroke, I mean severe
stroke and there was a gofund me and so I
(18:27):
was helping him a little bit on my own. And
then a year later, Slick Watts also had a severe stroke,
and it was so similar to the Seahawks. Here's two players,
good players that you know, not only did things brought
us memories on the court, but they were out in
the community doing things, and they needed They both had
gofundmes and needed a little bit of help with their
(18:48):
medical expenses. So I went to Todd Leiwicki at the
Krack End because I had heard him talking multiple times
in the media that he didn't want to get ahead
of the commissioner in talking about bringing basketball back to Seattle.
So I didn't want to get ahead of Todd and
do anything sonics related without his permission. So I met
with him, and when I finished my little spiel, he goes.
Speaker 7 (19:10):
I love this.
Speaker 6 (19:11):
Here's what we're going to do. Very Todd just amazing. Yeah,
Todd's awesome. And so there was going to be a
basketball game. It was going to be the Clippers versus
an Israeli team, and he said, we're going to have
a reception before that game. We're going to invite the
right people and we're going to make fifty thousand dollars.
And I'm like okay, and that was like not even
(19:33):
a month away, and I still had to set up
a fund of foundation, you know, and a nonprofit.
Speaker 7 (19:38):
So we got it all done.
Speaker 6 (19:39):
It was completed the day before the event, and we
raised about ninety thousand dollars at that event and help. Yeah,
and we've done for three years now, so you know,
Todd's been amazing. And we've helped Gusts and Slick with
some of their medical expenses. They're both very limited mobility
and very limited speech. And then we helped a third
(20:02):
Sonic player that also had a medical condition. He wanted
to remain anonymous, but he had a medical condition and
had to quit his job, and he just asked if
we could cover his rent. We did it for six months,
so helped get back on his feet.
Speaker 3 (20:17):
First of all, it's an amazing story about what you
and and folks like you, but you in particular, have
done over the years. And I think it's also a
lesson for those who are listening that, yes, as Jim said,
guys today they make a lot of money, they have foundations,
what have you, but they also have families and they
want to help their families and all that, so it's
(20:38):
not like the money is unless you're a big, big
star and you're making millions and millions and millions of dollars,
which frankly most of the guys don't. But they all
can make a pretty good living. But for folks who
don't know this is a somewhat recent occurrence. TV money
has continued to drive the NFL, and so as TV
(21:00):
money has gotten better, player salaries have gotten better. Back
in the day, it wasn't quite that way. And so
when you hear a story of a player who needs help,
you might think, well, what did they do to They
squander everything?
Speaker 5 (21:12):
They know? Not at all.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
They raised a family, They did the best that they
could do, but it didn't go very far.
Speaker 5 (21:20):
In those days. We didn't have a four to one
k for instance.
Speaker 3 (21:26):
You know, we get a pension from the league, but
that all started in eighty two or eighty five with
a couple of those strikes. And while we're talking about finances,
and I beg you guys forgive me, but I have
a little piece of business to do here because this
NFL season, feel every play, every hit, every moment with
the Sony one thousand x five noise canceling headphones. Jim
(21:49):
is writing all this down the official headphones of your
Seattle Seahawks. With premium noise cancelation. You're in the zone,
no distractions, just pure football. Whether you're in the living
room or on the go, You'll never miss a beat
with Sony headphone raves.
Speaker 5 (22:04):
When I hear you do that, do you get, you
get kind of?
Speaker 4 (22:08):
I'm so excited because that just means that this program
is so meaningful.
Speaker 3 (22:13):
Could you have imagined in nineteen seventy seven that you
and I'd be sitting here and Sandy would be saying
and I'd be reading a Sony head Phones commercial.
Speaker 4 (22:23):
It didn't take me long, not that, but I have
seen you in a fluffy tuxedo with a bow tie
that looked like you were.
Speaker 3 (22:30):
Going somewhere style of tuxes. Back with all those with
all those telethons.
Speaker 4 (22:37):
You invited You invited me to come down at what
two o'clock in the morning when you were really idn't.
Speaker 5 (22:43):
When I was still playing.
Speaker 3 (22:44):
I was one of the hosts of the Variety Club
telethon overnight. They couldn't get anybody else to stay up
from two in the morning until seven in the morning.
But heck, for me, that's a chance to learn. It's like,
you know, being at practice every day you get a chance.
You're in front of the camera. You don't have a script.
Speaker 4 (23:00):
Go and as a as a player or your teammate,
I would say, what are you doing? You know, what
are you doing? It's two o'clock in the morning, you
have a tuxedo that oh you know, and then you're
and then uh, it didn't take long to know that
that's where you were on your way. I mean I
could see you had a real command of what you
(23:22):
were trying to accomplish. And you've made it into a
whole different career with all kinds of accolades and and
earned well rightly so.
Speaker 3 (23:34):
As the great sports writer in this area, Claire Farnsworth
once said, uh, talking about all the great Seahawks is
Steve Raybell Well as a receiver, he was a better commentator.
So I thought, okay, that's that's fair.
Speaker 5 (23:47):
I'll find that. But this is about this is about saying.
Speaker 4 (23:51):
Sandy, with all the comings and goings of coaches and
players where they're just uh, some frantic gets and not
gets and stuff like that, for you, the successes and
failures were there or have you always got things done,
because that's the way I see you. I see her
(24:13):
as the person that's always gotten things done, even though
maybe some guys couldn't do it. She was searching out
the guy that could do it.
Speaker 6 (24:22):
I think what I did is I tried to keep
a list of what guys liked. I'd read newspaper articles
and things. So if a guy maybe his maybe it's
a health issue, maybe his dad had diabetes, or someone
played the saxophone, or someone played like the drums, exactly
the variety shows that we used to do. But you
(24:43):
find out what the guys like, and then you try
and put him in the right position so that they're
doing something that they enjoy or that touches their heart.
Speaker 7 (24:50):
So you try.
Speaker 6 (24:51):
I still have the list today of you know, who
likes to play video games and the different health issues
and things like that, and so you can put the
guys where you know where their best. Sometimes you need
to send two guys out at one time too. The
guys aren't comfortable doing it, so they go out in
pairs or something.
Speaker 7 (25:11):
You just have to try and make it work.
Speaker 4 (25:13):
How did you get people to agree to have rapes
instead of larger and yeah, that was really.
Speaker 7 (25:19):
You just say Steve. I guess Steve.
Speaker 4 (25:22):
Is coming great.
Speaker 3 (25:23):
Yeah, and then the huge disappointment on children's face, on
the faces when they see it's not the Steve that they.
Speaker 4 (25:31):
Didn't He didn't make Steve where number eighty. He didn't
make Ravees wear number eighty when he.
Speaker 7 (25:35):
Showed up three eighty three. Yeah.
Speaker 6 (25:38):
But you know, think about how many of our guys
still live here. I think it's pretty amazing when you
think about how many guys stayed in the area and
are still doing things in the community here.
Speaker 7 (25:47):
Pretty special.
Speaker 3 (25:48):
And I mean guys who came in seventy six or
seventy seven and we're only here for a year or two.
It's one thing if you had an entire career here,
you know, you had your playing career here, came back
and had a coaching career here. I've been here since
and a number of us were here for a long time.
But some guys were here a year or two as
players and they stayed, So.
Speaker 5 (26:08):
I think it said something.
Speaker 3 (26:09):
In fact, I did a charity event just yesterday with Zoe.
Speaker 5 (26:13):
You mentioned him.
Speaker 3 (26:14):
Alonzo Mitz, former defensive tackles for the Seahawks, one of
the toughest guys The story about Zoe having his entire
upper bridge just basically knocked out of his mouth during
a game and continued to play is one that if
you want to know toughness, that's this guy. And yet
he is such a such a kind hearted, good person for.
Speaker 5 (26:32):
All he does.
Speaker 3 (26:34):
But you you know, you are in these situations and
and you suddenly say, wow, I love it up here.
Speaker 5 (26:42):
He's from Florida.
Speaker 3 (26:43):
He played a couple of seasons, maybe three seasons, and
yet he sayed and he has continued to contribute to
the to the area.
Speaker 4 (26:50):
You know, when Sandy was describing having to make the
roster list, and I can imagine you think about the
early days on how that roster changed, and you must
have been every every day putting a new list together.
You know, with that printing It wasn't even a computer printer.
Speaker 6 (27:11):
Oh no, no computers, right, And then we had a
machine that would take the press release and it would
fold it and stuff it in the envelope for you.
Speaker 7 (27:19):
And I mean we mailed all that stuff out. It
was crazy.
Speaker 5 (27:22):
Yeah, the lost my train of thought.
Speaker 4 (27:28):
Well, I wanted to say with so explain the relationship
you had with Gary, because it was really I mean
you were focused on the players trying to I'm sure
Gary relied on you. How did you work with Gary Wright,
because he did he take over for Don Anderson did.
Speaker 6 (27:45):
Okay, So when I was at USC, I was there
for five seasons, and then this new league started, the
World Football League, and Don Anderson took a job with
the league office and asked me to go with him,
and that's when he hired Gary. So Gary just with
the World Football League. Well then a year and a
half later, the World Football League folded and but the
NFL was expanding two new teams, Tampa Bay and Seattle,
(28:09):
and Don had a really good feel about he interviewed
with both. But he had a really good feel about
the Seattle team because he I guess he met with
the Nordstrom family and just right, and we thought he'd
go to Tampa Bay because John McKay was the head
coach at USC who ended up being the coach down
at Tampa Bay. So the three of us were with
the World Football League, and then the Seahawks job opened
(28:31):
and he invited Gary and I to come with him,
and so that's when all three of us came up
here to Seattle.
Speaker 7 (28:37):
So Don there was a coaching change, and.
Speaker 6 (28:44):
Yeah, and Don was kind of let go and he
started his own PR firm, and then Gary and then Gary,
yeah stepped up. And so Gary is or he's amazing,
absolutely amazing. The Pro Football Hall of Fame honored him
a couple of years ago with the the new Awards
of Excellence that they're doing pretty special.
Speaker 4 (29:04):
So Sandy describe because her talent, as we know, kind
of runs along along line. And the other area of
your expertise was Super Bowls. Oh, yes, right, yes, and
you and Gary where you were hired to actually take
(29:25):
charge of and I don't exactly know what it is,
but I'd like you to explain to our massive audience
what you had to do or how did that begin,
and what you and Gary did during Super Bowl weeks.
Speaker 6 (29:40):
Well, I was fortunate enough to work twenty six Super Bowls.
One when I was still at USC because there was
a game I think it was Super Bowl Sevenikes say
the memorials Super Bowls.
Speaker 4 (29:51):
Explain that too, Do what explain? You said? You've got
to work work.
Speaker 6 (29:56):
Okay, So at the time when I was at SC,
I had a second job helping with the scoreboard at
the coliseum. Yeah, and so that was what I did.
I was working in the scoreboard during the Super Bowl game.
But then nineteen eighty eight was the next time the
Super Bowl was in San Diego and Gary was heading
(30:18):
up the media center, which is unbelievable. I mean, there's
people from all over the world that come in, media
from everywhere, and so basically you have an area that's
set up where you're putting out press releases daily, They're
getting quotes from the players and all that, and you
have tables set up with all these press releases available,
there's interviews going on. You're just taking care of the
(30:40):
media in any way you can. So my job was
pretty much setting up the office I guess office manager,
making sure that we'd get there early and we'd have
desks for the people that need a desk. We'd have
the staplers, the scotch tape, set up mailboxes and all
that so that we could communicate. It was just making
sure everything was running as well as could be. End
(31:00):
up putting a manual together of the different jobs and
things like that and what each job entailed.
Speaker 4 (31:06):
So that was nineteen eighty eight. I had nineteen eighty eight.
It didn't have anything to do with the Seahawks.
Speaker 6 (31:10):
Everything to do with the Seahawks, it was working with
the league office.
Speaker 4 (31:14):
Then after that, yeah, so and.
Speaker 6 (31:15):
Then next year was in Miami. So those two years
I paid my own way, and after that the NFL
started hiring and they paid for me to come, which
was really nice. And so you got the airfare and
the hotel and everything, and I mean, you're you're seeing
these amazing cities and you're going out to dinner every night,
and I think the best part of it is you're
meeting people from other teams that you you can now
(31:39):
call on when you need something. A guy from I
don't know if you guys are going to remember this,
but a couple of years ago, the Amtrak train that
was just starting out.
Speaker 7 (31:48):
And was going to Portland and it flipped DuPont.
Speaker 6 (31:51):
Yes, there was one of the kids that was on
that that train. He was paralyzed and he was at
Chill Dren's Hospital, and I got a couple of players
and I went with him. It was kJ and I
can't remember who all was with us, Mike Morgan, Lofa,
and we went to visit him and everything in his
room was Jaguars, Naxonville, Jaguars. He was a huge Jaguars fan.
(32:15):
So I got a hold of the guy down there
and he sent an autographed helmet of is it Leonard Fournette? Okay,
so yeah, and he sent an autographed real helmet of
Leonard Fournette to the kid. So just having someone with
other teams that can help you it really.
Speaker 7 (32:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (32:33):
Do you think that's what the Super Bowls did for you?
Was it connected you with all the other teams in
the NFL?
Speaker 6 (32:39):
Yeah, because they've stopped now having guys advanced games anymore.
The guys used to come in here a week ahead
of time and do things. All that's changed, you know,
technology because of technology absolutely, And even when we first started,
we'd have there'd be PR meetings. I think the first
PR meetings I went to were in Dallas and we
(33:00):
got to go to South Fork and all these cool things.
But you got to meet the other guys in community.
The first time I went to these meetings, they let
us have breakout sessions.
Speaker 7 (33:10):
The community people. We didn't get to you know, we.
Speaker 6 (33:13):
Do breakout sessions, but you got to meet the people
and share ideas and the lady in charge then at
the NFL, Beth Call it. And she used to say,
if somebody is doing something good in their community, is
deal it. I mean take it and work it. I
mean there's share ideas and do it. So that's what
we all did. It was pretty cool.
Speaker 3 (33:34):
A reminder that broadcasting from the Seahawks Podcast Studio presented
by Sony, an official partner of the Seattle Seahawks. One
point I need to make right away when you mentioned
that you and Don at first when you left USC
went to the World Football League and I think it
was Portland, was it not?
Speaker 4 (33:51):
Oh no, it was the California Sun, well.
Speaker 7 (33:54):
The league office.
Speaker 6 (33:54):
To begin with, we were in Newport Beach, and then
the next year they moved to New York and we
were the Southern California Orange.
Speaker 5 (34:01):
Wasn't there a Portland team at that time?
Speaker 7 (34:04):
There was?
Speaker 3 (34:05):
And the reason why I remember this, my first pair
of shoulder pads with the Seahawks were from the Portland team.
They were a pair of used shoulder pads. Went in
and they were these kind of big, boxy looking shoulder pads,
and I.
Speaker 5 (34:20):
Was just, you know, mine was too good for you.
Speaker 3 (34:22):
Now where you go, somebody else sweated in these for
an entire season.
Speaker 4 (34:27):
Go for it the best, We provided the best equipments.
Speaker 7 (34:31):
It was a Portland storm.
Speaker 4 (34:32):
Yes, Portland sandy.
Speaker 5 (34:35):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (34:36):
What was it like then? You had all these uh
since nineteen eighty eight. Really you were going to super
Bowl after super Bowl and then all of a sudden
we get to go. When I was a coach here
with Mike holmgrin two thousand and six, what was that
like as you had all that experience, because I remember
you telling us what to do and how to do
(34:58):
it and all that kind of stuff and what the
op were.
Speaker 6 (35:00):
Well, I think the whole message then was take the
pressure off the players. There's going to be everybody's going
to reach out to them that they're going to want tickets,
they're going to want something, and take that pressure off
of them, and to work with the wives. Let them
handle a lot of that. So we would meet with
the wives and tell them the same thing. Let them
play the game. It's really important. This is an opportunity
(35:21):
of a lifetime. And so we did everything we could
so that the players could just do what they needed
to do and make it as normal as we could.
Speaker 4 (35:30):
But you didn't go along with us. You had to
go before correct and very huge set.
Speaker 7 (35:36):
Up yeah, we did.
Speaker 6 (35:37):
We set up we put gifts in everybody's rooms and
things like that. You don't remember that, or we did.
I can't remember what it was. But we had gifts
in all the rooms, and we had all the meeting rooms.
We made sure everything was set up when the players came.
That was actually, Oh, it's a lot of fun.
Speaker 3 (35:51):
Yeah, the first time like that, it's pretty spectacular. We
were outside of Detroit as I or someplace Dearborn somewhere
it was in Dearborn, yeah, but perfectly fine. Facility had
lots of beating room and all that, and it was cold,
and it was cold and got colder as as but
happily the game was inside. Unhappily the way it ended,
(36:14):
but still.
Speaker 7 (36:15):
In all those terrible towels. Yeah, boy, it was everywhere.
Speaker 5 (36:19):
If we learned from that one.
Speaker 4 (36:20):
Did you feel like we like you prepared, like we
were prepared, because I don't think we were prepared for
the towel that was the first name that was Well
I walked in there as a coach. Yeah, I was thinking,
wait a.
Speaker 6 (36:35):
Minute, Pittsburgh is to Detroit and they because there's usually
when you get a hotel room it's for four. You
have to get four nights, and so our fans I
think they just you know, they sold their tickets, made
the money and because I know our section was a
lot of Pittsburgh people in it.
Speaker 4 (36:50):
Yeah, well, congratulations for all that that whole you know,
your career, uh, you know, the botto of your career
has just been amazing.
Speaker 7 (37:02):
We'll think about Japan. We went to Japan.
Speaker 6 (37:05):
I went twice because I went with the cheerleaders, which
was kind of cool. They went over kind of a
promotional thing, and then.
Speaker 7 (37:11):
Went with the team. And yeah, just yeah, I've been
really fortunate.
Speaker 3 (37:15):
You also have been the keeper, the keeper of the goods,
the keeper of the boxes and boxes, the treasure trove
of the Seattle Seahawks, and all of us who are
former players have stuff.
Speaker 5 (37:29):
Kind of what does she do?
Speaker 4 (37:31):
What does she have?
Speaker 3 (37:32):
Not much because most of what I had I kept
and I've got it, including my original T shirt and
athletics supporter I think in a mesh bag.
Speaker 5 (37:41):
All good, But that's probably more than you.
Speaker 3 (37:43):
Want to know, and I trust me, I've stopped using
them last year. But it's all the other stuff that
starts in seventy six that says Seahawks something that's a
logoed item or something that just says, here's how the
Seahawks have grown. You've had access to this. Plus you've
saved so much stuff, and we could fill a section
(38:04):
of the louver with what you have. And I think
what a lot of us could add to that.
Speaker 5 (38:08):
Right.
Speaker 6 (38:08):
Yeah, you know, I told you I worked the twenty
six Super Bowls. You get a lot of stuff from those,
a lot not just the programs, but there's you know,
T shirts and wine glasses and all, I mean.
Speaker 4 (38:21):
Tennis shoes. I have Super Bowl ten, so much stuff. Yeah.
Speaker 6 (38:23):
So I took this stuff that wasn't Seahawks and I
shipped it to the Pro Football Hall of Fame because
I feel it's going to live on.
Speaker 7 (38:30):
And I thought that was a pretty cool thing.
Speaker 6 (38:33):
Even when I worked at USC and did that Super
Bowl seven, what they did is they gave us our
lunch in a little suitcase. It was a tiny, little
red and black suitcase. It zipped up, and I'm like,
what am I ever going to do with this? So
I sent it to the Hall of Fame. I kind
of like the idea that it's going to be there.
Speaker 4 (38:49):
Where do you have? Are there things today that create
some memories and would and fans in our community would
like to see some of the history of the Seahawks.
I mean, you have some really, I know, I know
what you have of. You have one pair of and
these uh these are broom ball shoes. They're tennis shoes
(39:13):
that have sponge and holes in them. Their their white
top canvas shoes with an orange sponge sort of bottom
on them. And they were supposed to be used when
the field was frozen. And I remember when we went
to Minnesota the game, you know, our entry, you know
when when Pete Gross was uh yeah, in seventy six
(39:35):
against Minnesota. The ground when you when you came out
of the dugout the ground that it was grass, It
was pure grass. The sun was out. I thought, oh,
this is awesome. You walk out there and it was
painted dirt and it number ones and it was frozen solid.
So I tried those shoes on them. They were the worst,
you know, but I kept them and I gave them
(39:56):
the sandy and just just those shoes all alone or
worth really looking at going.
Speaker 6 (40:04):
Still, Well, what I did is I think I wrote
that story down because it's so unique, like what these
are and where they came from. But this is all
what's in the Seahawks storage unit in Kent. So there's
a whole there's a cant warehouse and it's for the
pro Shop, so it's where they keep a lot of
their goods. But they gave us a little corner of
it that's fenced off and in there is shelves with I.
Speaker 7 (40:28):
Can't even tell you how much stuff is in there.
Speaker 6 (40:30):
I saved when they changed the carpet in this vMac,
I saved some of the squares of the carpeting. I mean,
you never know. So there's just all kinds of stuff
in there, but a lot of stuff. I started a
bin with my home. Grin has a bin. I think
there's a Chuck Knox bin. I did Ring of Honor bins,
so there's a gym Zorn bin can easily beIN than
(40:53):
Steve Largent bin. Yeah, there's all kinds. All the team
photos on wood, they're all back there.
Speaker 4 (40:59):
There's so I have a chunk of the Kingdome, yes, yes,
you know, I have got blue paint on it. I
don't know what it's from, but I.
Speaker 6 (41:06):
Got a chunk I have that at home that they
gave that to me at home, But did you.
Speaker 5 (41:10):
Get a seat? They didn't save a seat out of
the Kingdom?
Speaker 6 (41:13):
I know, but I found someone that had the bottom
and I had contacted him, and then I don't think
they're gone.
Speaker 4 (41:22):
I mean, did you and Gary make up some of
the awards that were given the special recognitions that either
for coaches, for players or honoring people who volunteer. Did
you and Gary make some of those up?
Speaker 6 (41:41):
I don't know, because I know, like there's a Seahawker
of the Year and things like that.
Speaker 7 (41:46):
The NFL has a lot of those awards.
Speaker 6 (41:49):
The one thing I did mention tomorrow after I was retired,
but I told him there was something I wanted to
do that I wasn't able to get done before I retired,
and that was a Legend of the Year. And I
mentioned to him at a game, and then on Monday
morning he emailed me saying, can you give me more
information on what you're talking about? So I sent him
an email with what I was thinking and how we
(42:10):
should recognize a legend that was still doing great things
in the community. And I also put in there that
I suggested Nacoby Green should get the first one with
all he had done with Fred Hutch and so there's
still continuing that. I know, Jermaine Curse won at this
past year and Randall got it last year, and yeah, good,
I'm really happy about that one because I think that's
(42:32):
pretty cool to recognize the players are doing things.
Speaker 5 (42:36):
After all your.
Speaker 3 (42:37):
Years of being a part of the Seahawks, is there
one one thing that you look back and say, this
might be the best thing I ever did in my career,
and it may have nothing to do with football, Oh,
but this was I'm really proud of this moment, or
(42:58):
I'm proud of the people that was associated with in
doing this.
Speaker 4 (43:04):
Well.
Speaker 6 (43:04):
Boy, I know that there's a couple of things that
I really liked that I did hear, and one is
the wall downstairs with.
Speaker 7 (43:10):
The plaques and the players. Yeah.
Speaker 6 (43:12):
I remember when we unveiled that. It was Legends weekend
and everybody was in the IPF, and then after practice
we took everybody out into the hallway and kind of
unveiled it and let the guy see it and all
the selfies and things that were going on. But I'll
never forget Nsbie Glass. He was wiping away tears and
(43:32):
I thought, oh my gosh, Yeah, he saw his name
and I've actually I took a picture that I've helped
them update it a couple of times, and I've taken
pictures of the sections, and I've sent it to a
couple of guys that have ever seen it because they
don't live here.
Speaker 7 (43:49):
I've sent him their name, Edwin had me send him.
Speaker 4 (43:52):
So I think that's really cool.
Speaker 7 (43:54):
Yes, I like that one.
Speaker 3 (43:55):
This wall is for those of the IPF indoor practice
facility here at the Virginia Mason Athletic Facility. But there's
a wall and it of course it's expanding down the
length of the facility because we keep adding players. But
if you played for a year, if you played for
on the on the active roster, there you go. Then
(44:17):
you had a plaque I don't know what four three
inches like the bricks, five inches like the size of
a brand with your signature on it. And Sandy of
course had to learn how to have a you know,
expropriate everybody's signature signed for those signatures on pictures for
everybody that wanted to them of z Man And.
Speaker 5 (44:38):
But it is so cool to walk up there if
you and to know that.
Speaker 3 (44:43):
So from that date seventy six through for me eighty
one that your name isn't up every time, but it's
that first year and so and it keeps growing, and
the new kids who were here, they come back after
their first season, look up and see their name on there,
and that's really that's really regardless of everything else that
football is today, those kinds of things really mean.
Speaker 7 (45:05):
You're not forgotten, not at all. You're a part of.
Speaker 3 (45:07):
Part of this organization, and it says so on the wall,
and that's what's really cool.
Speaker 4 (45:12):
I think that's pretty cool. And I also think for Sandy,
her passion is getting this this a museum going so
that people can come and see it, and that may
be in the future for her. So I think she's
going to have if we had her on again and
that happened, she would she might say that is one
(45:34):
of the accomplishments. And then I would say, and I'm
going to put this out to you because I know
that we all appreciate is the care that you take
for other players, for past players and even players that
have been involved in Northwest sports pro sports. You do
a great job of continuing to care for that. And
(45:54):
I can sense your passion for that for those causes
with it's.
Speaker 6 (46:00):
These guys do so much in the community. Look at
what you guys do alone. I mean, my goodness, Pebble Beach,
you know, with the Navy seal, I mean, and you're
at every event.
Speaker 7 (46:10):
I am seeing it and even like last.
Speaker 6 (46:13):
Minute helped me out with my Sonics Legends fund the
day before, I would called.
Speaker 3 (46:16):
You because you get to see and there are so
many other great people.
Speaker 5 (46:20):
Who came to that naked Millan came.
Speaker 7 (46:22):
Yes, and David Wilkins and everybody.
Speaker 4 (46:25):
I know they're getting a little tired of him want
like blue and green eminems and stuff like that in
his green room and things of that nature. But you
know right.
Speaker 6 (46:35):
Now, but what you guys do in the community, that's
what it is all is kind of a little payback
in a way, because you guys are out there at
every school function, at hospitals visiting kids. You're a military basis,
senior citizen centers. I mean, you're yeah, all these golf
tournaments and these charity events.
Speaker 4 (46:54):
Well we've learned from the best that's on how to
how to say yes to those kinds.
Speaker 3 (47:00):
Exactly, and quite frankly, it comes down to your leadership.
Gary don going all the way back and through all
of those who were in positions today.
Speaker 5 (47:09):
But it also is that logo that's in the wall
on the wall right here in our studio.
Speaker 3 (47:13):
It's that Seahawk logo because we've all been a part
of this, you know, the three of us now almost
fifty years. So that's that's the reason we're all here.
That's the reason that Sandy Gregory had to be a
part of this podcast. Sandy, we appreciate it as always.
I know you were a little nervous when you sat
down and you look like a pro.
Speaker 5 (47:34):
It might come for Jim maybe not so much, but
you the pro.
Speaker 4 (47:39):
As always, we just hope it wasn't underwhelming for you.
That's experience.
Speaker 5 (47:43):
That's right, that's right.
Speaker 3 (47:44):
And oh, by the way, Broadcasting from the Seahawks Podcast Studio,
presented by Sony and official partner of the Seattle Seahawks.
Speaker 5 (47:51):
This has been Seahawks Stories.
Speaker 3 (47:54):
With yours truly and Jim Zorn and today's guest Sandy Gregory.
Speaker 5 (47:57):
We will see you next time.
Speaker 4 (48:00):
Thanks San
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