Search continues for a Seattle sports hero

Hardcore Seattle sports fans have long debated the real
value of Ichiro. But for the past decade he’s been the
face of the franchise. Even if they’d never been to a
game, most in the city knew Ichiro. And now the help
wanted sign is out for a new hero.

“This city needs somebody to latch on to,” said 710 ESPN’s
Mike Salk.

He reflected on what Ichiro’s loss means to a city short
on big name stars.

“It was not that long ago this city had legitimate stars,
Ken Griffey Jr., Ichiro, Alex Rodriguez, Randy Johnson,
even Matt Hasselback was a household name.”

While big name players bring people to the ballpark,
Ichiro’s star had dimmed in recent years. Coupled with a
decade of mediocrity on the field, the Mariners have seen
an increasing number of empty seats each season.

The closest the city has to a big star right now is M’s
pitcher Felix Hernandez. Despite winning a Cy Young
award and annual acknowledgement as one of baseball’s
best, he’s failed to breakthrough as a local icon in the
way Ichiro did over his decade in Seattle. While it’s
common to see an Ichiro jersey around town, Hernandez
hasn’t attracted a similar status.

“Maybe because he’s a pitcher, maybe because he’s
Venezuelan? I don’t know. There’s a language barrier of
sorts. He hasn’t had that sort of pop,” Salk says.

With the Mariners mired in another last place, losing
season, it’s logical for the city to turn to the Seahawks
for a new hero. But so far, the closest thing is running
back Marshawn Lynch, whose star was tarnished by a recent
DUI arrest. So the search continues.