Seahawks Descend, NFL Readies Claws

The good ship Seahawk finally landed in Southern California on Monday, only to be greeted by a warning shot fired across its bow by the NFL.

Only hours after the Seahawks opened a conditioning camp at the Anaheim facility formerly known as Rams Park, Commissioner Paul Tagliabue ordered Seahawk President David Behring and other team officials to come to New York to explain their actions on Friday.

The league is opposing the Seahawks’ attempt to move from Seattle to Los Angeles, a move team officials claim was triggered by unsafe conditions of the Seattle Kingdome.

“The Kingdome safety issues raised by the Seahawks have no relationship to the club’s ability to conduct training programs in its Kirkland [Wash.] facilities,” said Tagliabue in a prepared statement. “Rather, the purpose of the Seahawks practicing in Southern California seems to be preemptive and supportive [of the planned move].”

Tagliabue said he wants to hear from Seahawk officials “why they believe the players cannot work out at their year-around facility in Kirkland.”

That, in turn, inspired a statement from William Temko, attorney for Seahawk owner Ken Behring, David’s father.

“The coaching staff and other team executives concluded that it was in the best interest of the team, from a football perspective, to have the team conduct these off-season workouts away from the media circus that would inevitably occur at the Kirkland facility,” Temko said. “Moreover, the team moved its workout equipment down to Southern California only after expressly advising the courts in Washington state of their plans.”

Temko said Seahawk officials are fully prepared to explain their actions to Tagliabue.

“Many other teams in the league conduct off-season and in-season activities of far greater significance outside of the cities in which they play their home games,” Temko added.

Tagliabue, citing conduct detrimental to the league, could fine the Seahawks up to $500,000.

That possibility has already caused the team to change its plans for taking part in next month’s college draft. The Seahawks had originally decided to conduct the draft from the Anaheim facility, taking another step toward establishing roots here.

Instead, the Seahawks will now operate from their headquarters in Kirkland, to not further offend the league while their intended move continues through the legal system in Washington.

Seahawk Coach Dennis Erickson said it’s simply a matter of practicality.

“All the scouts are there,” he explained. “All our stuff is up there. We can do a better job of preparing up there.”

The question now is whether the Seahawks will do anything here if it means going toe to toe with the league.

Monday’s camp, planned as the start of a 16-week, voluntary conditioning period involving weights and strengthening exercises, drew 30 players.

In all, as many as 50 players are expected to come through Anaheim at some point.

The team is also planning a mini-camp in Anaheim the week after the draft. The location of that camp could be determined by the meeting Friday in Tagliabue’s office.

“Not knowing is tough,” conceded Erickson when asked about coaching in the midst of such uncertainty. “But all we can worry about is focusing on the season. We don’t have any control over anything else.”

Running back Chris Warren, one of the players on hand for Monday’s session, is planning to spend the next 10 weeks in a hotel while he works out in Anaheim.

After that?

“Right now, when people ask me who I play for, I say the Seahawks,” he said. “But I don’t say what city I play in.”

Defensive back Carlton Gray played his college football up the freeway at UCLA.

“I kind of like being back home,” Gray said. “But it’s not like the players have any say-so anyway. I just try not to get in the middle of everything.”

Warren figures there are three good reasons to make the move. “This is a bigger market, nicer weather and, of course, playing on grass,” he said.