My family and some friends (just 6 of us) were fortunate enough to spend 4 hours with Shaun Alexander of the Seahawks just days before training camp.  Wow!  What a great dude!  I am usually pretty cynical of people saying a sports star is a role model, but he's the real deal! 

 

He's personable, nice, genuine, interested in giving to the community and making a difference.  He's very spiritual.  He's also funny.  He's a guy you could just hang out with -- and we did! He toaught my kids about temwork, community, having God in your life, not betting it all on being a pro atlthlete but still dream.  He even le tus in on a secret that no one but one other Seahak knows -- Shaun is is going to training camp on time!  He wants a ling-term deal so he can know what city he will live in, but is not going to hurt the team and hold out of camp.

 

We got to meet Shaun because we bought an auction item at a Boys & Girls Club charity event last Fall.  Four hours with Shaun with 6 people.  I thought that was too good to be true -- that it would probably just be luch or something.  But it was truly a half day.

 

It happened on July 23, 2005.  Shaun met us a TGIF in Kirkland, rolling up in a new Range Rover.  He brought a friend, WR Taco Wallace.  Wallace was also a real great guy.  Funny as hell -- trading barbs with Shaun and cracking the kids up.  I was with my son, daughter, and 3 of my son's friends.  It would be a day they ill not soon forget -- if ever.

 

More tomorrow...