Seattle Kings

[DnBronc]

On the PFRA website, someone posted an article about the Seattle Kings, which was the proposed name of an NFL expansion team in Seattle. I heard about this, but I never knew that they actually had a helmet made up:

Also, here is an article about the proposal:

http://sportspressnw.com/2011/03/wayback-machine-hugh-mcelhenny-the-seattle-kings/

[bterreson]

I've been geeking out like crazy over this article- I was about to post it here, but you beat me to it ('grats).

Long, but really great read.

[Krona]

Awesome article. Sounds like the group got a little over their skis. Although there are a lot of juicy historical logos in there, i think i'm most amazed that the jets/steelers game was sponsored by the washington association of retarded children.

[Old School Fool]

Wow, they got crazy with promotion and stuff, even had a logo and everything but then it went to Tampa Bay?! They had to of been pissed especially since 2 years later, the Bucs would put on the worst season ever in NFL history.

[cubbies06]

Great article with classic pictures that I had no earthly clue existed. Fantastic.....

[omnivore]

Wow, neat story. Had no idea about this at all, but man...they seemed quite close.

[rams80]

Wow, they got crazy with promotion and stuff, even had a logo and everything but then it went to Tampa Bay?! They had to of been pissed especially since 2 years later, the Bucs would put on the worst season ever in NFL history.

Not really. The Seahawks joined that same season.

[kmccarthy27]

Wow, they got crazy with promotion and stuff, even had a logo and everything but then it went to Tampa Bay?! They had to of been pissed especially since 2 years later, the Bucs would put on the worst season ever in NFL history.

Not really. The Seahawks joined that same season.

The color scheme looks like the same one they used in the St Louis Stallions prototypes.

[Gothamite]

Wow, they got crazy with promotion and stuff, even had a logo and everything but then it went to Tampa Bay?!

It didn't really go to Tampa Bay - everyone knew that the NFL was going to expand by two teams that year. And they did: Tampa and Seattle. It just went to the other Seattle group.

Although I'm pretty sure NFL Properties wouldn't have let them use their logo, I love that the mockup helmet has Braisher stripes:

[B-Rich]

Similar to the 1993 expansion (for the 1995 season), two teams were coming in, but they were not announced simultaneously. In 1993, it was Charlotte (Carolina), then a month later, Jacksonville. In 1974, it was Tampa Bay, then Seattle. Both times the delay was due to ownership issues with the second franchise-- in 1974, it was ownership issues with Seattle; in 1993 it was lack of clear ownership on the St. Louis front and multiple ownership candidates on the Baltimore front. Eventually, Jacksonville was chosen primarily due to the straightforward ownership situation with J. Wayne Weaver.

This article is GREAT-- a hidden treasure. I love those old Kings logos and stuff-- never knew they existed. Although kmccarthy27 notes that the color scheme looked like the later St. Louis Stallons, that's just incidental. The real and obvious connection is to the colors of hometown UW in Seattle, where McElhenny played. This would follow the earlier examples of pro teams appropriating ( at least to some degree) state team colors: Chicago-- Illinois, Atlanta - UGA, and the LA Chargers- UCLA.

[badsalad]

I remember this as a kid in Seattle. There was a lot of excitement at the time. The purple/gold combo would have looked a lot like the UW Huskies, who were the biggest sports draw in town back in those days.

One very, very interesting thing would have happened had The Kings actually become Seattle's NFL team: They would now be named after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr! The name "Kings" was chosen because the team would be playing in The King County Domed Stadium (Kingdome). King County was originally named after former Vice President William King, but in 1986 the county changed the designation of it's name to be named after Martin Luther King instead, due to the fact that William King had been a slave owner. Check out the official King County seal - it is an image of MLK. Maybe that image would be on the Seattle Kings helmets now instead of the generic looking crown that was on it. I can't even imagine it. That would be pretty unbelievably cool....almost happened.

[chakfu]

King County was originally named after former Vice President William King, but in 1986 the county changed the designation of it's name to be named after Martin Luther King instead, due to the fact that William King had been a slave owner. Check out the official King County seal - it is an image of MLK. Maybe that image would be on the Seattle Kings helmets now instead of the generic looking crown that was on it. I can't even imagine it. That would be pretty unbelievably cool....almost happened.

Interesting. At first thought, it almost seems silly and revisionist to change the name like that; but why not? It was originally named to honor William King, and now it is officially changed to honor MLK. Seems like a very legitimate and admirable thing to do.

In a way it's like the Devil Rays to Rays change.

Off topic, it's ridiculous that MLK isn't on any US currency. I think he should replace Jackson on the twenty - perhaps this could generate bipartisan support - from the left because of Jackson's brutality against Native Americans, and from the right because Jackson was the father of the Democratic party!

[hawk36]

King County was originally named after former Vice President William King, but in 1986 the county changed the designation of it's name to be named after Martin Luther King instead, due to the fact that William King had been a slave owner. Check out the official King County seal - it is an image of MLK. Maybe that image would be on the Seattle Kings helmets now instead of the generic looking crown that was on it. I can't even imagine it. That would be pretty unbelievably cool....almost happened.

Interesting. At first thought, it almost seems silly and revisionist to change the name like that; but why not? It was originally named to honor William King, and now it is officially changed to honor MLK. Seems like a very legitimate and admirable thing to do.

In a way it's like the Devil Rays to Rays change.

Off topic, it's ridiculous that MLK isn't on any US currency. I think he should replace Jackson on the twenty - perhaps this could generate bipartisan support - from the left because of Jackson's brutality against Native Americans, and from the right because Jackson was the father of the Democratic party!

MLK, great man but had little if anything to do with Seattle. Never quite understood the change. Especially since Seattle has one of the lowest African American populations of any major city in the USA.

[illwauk]

I'm pretty sure MLK is considered one of the most important historical figures in American history across the board. King County, Washington being named after him makes at least as much sense as Wisconsin's capitol being named after a president who served before it became a state.

[cubbies06]

Anyone remember the name "Seattle Sockeyes" being considered? I believe a sockeye is a salmon which is indigenous to the area. As I was 11 at the time, the memory could be a tad faded...

[BBTV]

In a way it's like the Devil Rays to Rays change.

Actually it's not really anything at all like that.

MLK, great man but had little if anything to do with Seattle. Never quite understood the change. Especially since Seattle has one of the lowest African American populations of any major city in the USA.

So it's cool to honor a slave owner because not many blacks live in Seattle? Maybe they could have found another local "King" to use as the namesake, but to say it's wrong to honor MLK just because of the demographics of the area is a little off base.

[IceCap]

King County was originally named after former Vice President William King, but in 1986 the county changed the designation of it's name to be named after Martin Luther King instead, due to the fact that William King had been a slave owner. Check out the official King County seal - it is an image of MLK. Maybe that image would be on the Seattle Kings helmets now instead of the generic looking crown that was on it. I can't even imagine it. That would be pretty unbelievably cool....almost happened.

Interesting. At first thought, it almost seems silly and revisionist to change the name like that; but why not? It was originally named to honor William King, and now it is officially changed to honor MLK. Seems like a very legitimate and admirable thing to do.

In a way it's like the Devil Rays to Rays change.

Off topic, it's ridiculous that MLK isn't on any US currency. I think he should replace Jackson on the twenty - perhaps this could generate bipartisan support - from the left because of Jackson's brutality against Native Americans, and from the right because Jackson was the father of the Democratic party!

MLK, great man but had little if anything to do with Seattle. Never quite understood the change. Especially since Seattle has one of the lowest African American populations of any major city in the USA.

The entire state is named after a President who never ventured west of the Mississippi. Naming a county after Martin Luther King's fine.

[Coast2CoastAM2006]

King County was originally named after former Vice President William King, but in 1986 the county changed the designation of it's name to be named after Martin Luther King instead, due to the fact that William King had been a slave owner. Check out the official King County seal - it is an image of MLK. Maybe that image would be on the Seattle Kings helmets now instead of the generic looking crown that was on it. I can't even imagine it. That would be pretty unbelievably cool....almost happened.

Interesting. At first thought, it almost seems silly and revisionist to change the name like that; but why not? It was originally named to honor William King, and now it is officially changed to honor MLK. Seems like a very legitimate and admirable thing to do.

In a way it's like the Devil Rays to Rays change.

Off topic, it's ridiculous that MLK isn't on any US currency. I think he should replace Jackson on the twenty - perhaps this could generate bipartisan support - from the left because of Jackson's brutality against Native Americans, and from the right because Jackson was the father of the Democratic party!

MLK, great man but had little if anything to do with Seattle. Never quite understood the change. Especially since Seattle has one of the lowest African American populations of any major city in the USA.

The entire state is named after a President who never ventured west of the Mississippi. Naming a county after Martin Luther King's fine.

and to add, also owned slaves.

[IceCap]

Well he did have them all freed in his will. It's still a douche move to own slaves in the first place, but that comes off as downright enlightened given the time period.

[sc49erfan15]

Well he did have them all freed in his will. It's still a douche move to own slaves in the first place, but that comes off as downright enlightened given the time period.

Yeah, um...historical perspective, people. What wealthy white man (from south of the Mason-Dixon) didn't own slaves then? Doesn't make it any more right, but it's how it was.