Editorials / Opinion

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Skittles tossed by both Marshawn Lynch and spectators litter the bow of a Duck boat carrying Lynch and members of the Sea Gals during Wednesday’s parade through Seattle. (GREG GILBERT / THE SEATTLE TIMES)

Seattle did a great job hosting victory celebration

I want to pass on my congratulations to Seattle Police Chief Harry C. Bailey, his officers and staff, and all the law enforcement personnel from around the region who made the Seahawks Super Bowl victory parade such a tremendous success ["Seattle salutes Seahawks, its Super heroes,” Local News, Feb. 6].

Seattle Mayor Ed Murray and City of Seattle staff did an excellent job planning each and every detail of the parade to make sure the 12th Man could celebrate with the Seahawks.

Fourth Avenue is jammed just south of Yesler Way as fans await the Super Bowl champions parade to CenturyLink Field. (ALAN BERNER / THE SEATTLE TIMES).

I’ve received piles of letters and emails the past couple weeks leading up to, during and after the Seahawks Super Bowl win. Far more than for any other topic. The majority of responses I’ve sent on to sports editor Don Shelton because they addressed the team’s performance on the field, which is better left to the Sports section. But there are a number of topics that the Opinion section has addressed, such as Richard Sherman’s rant, the media’s reaction and the Super Bowl parade and its costs. Below are several readers’ responses to the issues that fall under the purview of Opinion:

Thanks for remembering Storm championships

Not to take anything away from the Seahawks’ fantastic Super Bowl win, but I’m glad The Times’ editorial board at least acknowledged the Seattle Storm [“Seahawks rule the NFL roost,” Opinion, Feb. 5]

I personally consider the Storm a major professional team, and the fact the team brought home championships in 2004 and 2010 puts them as the best of the WNBA in those two seasons. That is worthy of mention on any list of Seattle champions. There aren’t many major professional team sports opportunities for women in the area, even with the recent addition of the Seattle Reign soccer team.

Don’t praise uncivil behavior

I am disappointed with your editorial notebook “Seattle needs to do more trash talking like Richard Sherman,” [Opinion, Jan. 24].

While it is not enough that the rest of the country has used Sherman’s diatribe to fill the cyberspace in the two weeks of filler between the NFC Championship and the Super Bowl, the last thing I expected was trash talking in the editorial pages of the newspaper of a city that prides civility; a city whose citizens read more books than any other city in U.S. and loves its coffee.

By eulogizing such behavior, we as a society send a message that what matters is winning, and not how you behave. But then we become disappointed why we as a society have become less civil.

It is unfortunate that Sherman is getting national attention and corporate endorsements not because of what he did on the field, rather off the field. Would Sherman have had the same recognition had he not made those comments in the TV interview.

If not, what message are we sending as a society? That it pays to be uncivil and be called out in the editorial of your local newspaper?

Hyder Ali, Issaquah

Sometimes being nice doesn’t cut it

I have never read such a great editorial. You are so right in saying Seattle is too nice. And you know, there are times when nice doesn’t cut it.

CAPTION THIS: What will the two coaches say to each other on Sunday? Submit your caption predicting their exchange. (Photo from John Lok/The Seattle Times, 2012)

San Francisco may have won the last battle, but the war and its spoils is Seattle’s for the taking. With a win on Sunday against the 49ers in the NFC Championship (kickoff at 3:30 p.m. on FOX), the Seahawks would punch their ticket to Super Bowl XLVIII on Feb. 2. These are two very similar teams, defensive juggernauts that will pound it out over possession. But each has a unique personality, and it could be argued that their styles represent the traits of their head coaches. Sunday will be a battle of temperaments, and emotions may very well boil over. They have in the past.

Remember the famous incident from 2009 when the two were coaches in the former Pac-10, at Stanford University (Harbaugh) and University of Southern California (Carroll)? The two coaches met in the middle of the field after Harbaugh and his Stanford team ran up the score 55-21 against USC, Carroll asking Harbaugh “What’s your deal?” To which the Stanford coach responded, “What’s your deal?”

Fans support teams that support their fans I just read the guest opinion “Are bandwagon fans for real?” [opinion, Oct. 15]. I think the question is: Is this author for real? She says sports fans should support our teams and pack the stadiums through good times and bad, that there’s no excuse for not attending games even…

Government shutdown more than a game John Ariel Murphy makes a clever, but flawed play to draw an analogy between the Seahawks’ loss to the Colts and the Affordable Care Act mis-legislation. [“By same logic, overturn Seahawks’ loss to Colts,” opinion, Oct. 10]. Football is a game. Our freedoms and liberties are for real. You know what…

Violence is unacceptable I am writing in regard to the Seattle Police Department’s decision to send undercover officers dressed as 49er fans to CenturyLink Field. [“Undercover fans on duty,” page one, Sept. 13.] If you and I board a city bus, and I decide for my own reasons to approach you aggressively and threaten you with…

Sent police downtown What’s up with Seattle Police Department (SPD) officers playing dress-up to attend Seahawks games for free? [“Undercover fans on duty,” page one, Sept. 13.] I don’t remember there being a problem with fans in losing years. Are they lining up to get a security gig dressing up as opposing fans at the Mariner’s…

Seahawks: just say no Regarding the possibility of Michael Vick coming to the Seahawks ["Most Seahawks mum on Vick," seattletimes.com, Sports, May 21] –is Seattle really prepared to trade moral values and integrity for a quarterback who was tried and convicted of committing unconscionable and despicable acts against dogs? The Atlanta Falcons said “no way!” Those who…