Originally published December 26, 2009 at 9:35 PM | Page modified December 26, 2009 at 9:39 PM
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Readers Choice Awards
Results of the Decade of Seattle Sports poll at seattletimes.com
PREV
BRYAN TERRY / AP
Clay Bennett left his mark on Seattle.
DEAN RUTZ / THE SEATTLE TIMES
Marques Tuiasosopo quarterbacked the 2000 Huskies to a Rose Bowl appearance.
JONATHAN DANIEL / GETTY IMAGES
Few Hawks fans had anything nice to say about the Super Bowl XL officials.
DEAN RUTZ / THE SEATTLE TIMES
Lauren Jackson is a two-time MVP.
DEAN RUTZ / THE SEATTLE TIMES
Loud cheers for the Seahawks are a Qwest Field specialty.
STEVE RINGMAN / THE SEATTLE TIMES
The Sonics haven't been forgotten.
Ichiro, as male athlete of the decade, who received 53% to win in this category, was the only choice to garner more than half the votes in a category.
Total votes in the non-scientific surveys: 6,824
The Big Kahuna
Who made the biggest impact — good or bad — in Seattle sports during the past decade?
| Clay Bennett | 40% |
| Ichiro | 18% |
| Mike Holmgren | 12% |
| Paul Allen | 12% |
| Lou Piniella | 6% |
| Lorenzo Romar | 3% |
| Adrian Hanauer | 3% |
| Lauren Jackson | 2% |
| Rick Neuheisel | 2% |
| Matt Hasselbeck | 1% |
Best male athlete
| Ichiro | 53% |
| Brandon Roy | 18% |
| Walter Jones | 12% |
| Tim Lincecum | 6% |
| Marques Tuiasosopo | 4% |
| Shaun Alexander | 4% |
| Apolo Ohno | 3% |
"I was in New York at the start of the 2001 Mariners season, when Ichiro started his career with the M's. In the Oakland A's game when he threw that laser beam to nail the runner trying to go from first to third, I was hooked."
— Jrofc253, Bonney Lake
Best female athlete
| Lauren Jackson | 37% |
| Danielle Lawrie | 25% |
| Sue Bird | 21% |
| Hope Solo | 10% |
| Megan (Quann) Jendrick | 3% |
| Anna Mickelson | 2% |
| Courtney Thompson | 2% |
"Being able to see the best player in the world in Lauren Jackson, right here in our town, is a treat beyond compare. She is a rare talent that, years from now, I'll be able to say I saw play in person, much like Chicago fans talk about being able to watch Michael Jordan."
— wbb fan, Renton
Best coach
| Mike Holmgren | 37% |
| Lou Piniella | 29% |
| Lorenzo Romar | 11% |
| Butch Goncharoff | 8% |
| Nate McMillan | 7% |
| Jim McLaughlin | 5% |
| Anne Donovan | 4% |
Best Huskies team
| 2000 football | 47% |
| 2009 softball | 21% |
| 2005 volleyball | 14% |
| 2005 men's basketball | 9% |
| 2008 women's cross country | 7% |
| 2009 men's crew | 2% |
| 2001 women's crew | 1% |
"The UW women have brought home championships in volleyball, cross country and softball. Each team has shown the phrase 'student-athlete' still has meaning, because they all are solid students as well as outstanding athletes."
— wbb fan, Renton
Best pro team
| 2001 Mariners | 42% |
| 2005 Seahawks | 41% |
| 2004 Storm | 8% |
| 2005 Sonics | 5% |
| 2009 Sounders FC | 4% |
"The night the 2001 Mariners clinched the AL West, barely a week after the Sept. 11 attacks, the team took the field after the game with an enormous American flag. No fanfare, no fake sentimentality, just a moving act of patriotism from the heart of a great team."
— EmeraldCity19, Seattle
Biggest villain, Sonics division
| Clay Bennett | 44% |
| Howard Schultz | 34% |
| David Stern | 13% |
| Greg Nickels | 4% |
| Nick Licata | 2% |
| Citizens for More Important Things | 2% |
| Wally Walker | 1% |
Biggest villain, non-Sonics division
| Super Bowl XL officiating crew | 39% |
| Bill Bavasi | 19% |
| Alex Rodriguez | 11% |
| Rick Neuheisel | 11% |
| Barbara Hedges | 9% |
| Tyrone Willingham | 9% |
| Richie Sexson | 2% |
"How can Todd Turner not be on the list? Worst excuse for an AD ever."
— womens bball, Seattle
Worst move by Bill Bavasi
| 2006 draft (Lincecum) | 29% |
| Erik Bedard trade | 27% |
| Carlos Silva signing | 21% |
| Richie Sexson signing | 16% |
| Carlos Guillen trade | 4% |
| Scott Spiezio signing | 2% |
| Pokey Reese signing | 1% |
Best fan experience
| Seahawks at Qwest Field | 29% |
| Mariners at Safeco Field | 28% |
| UW football at Husky Stadium | 16% |
| Sounders FC at Qwest Field | 15% |
| UW men's basketball at Hec Ed | 5% |
| Hydros on Lake Washington | 4% |
| Storm at KeyArena | 4% |
"How about the Sounders? This year was great for the city, after the Sonics left town, and the two football teams where bad."
— gsnoack, Edmonds
Biggest story of the decade
| 2008: Sonics leave for | Oklahoma City | 42% |
| 2006: Seahawks in Super Bowl | 20% | |
| 2001: M's win 116 games | 19% | |
| 2009: Ken Griffey Jr. returns | 7% | |
| 2009: Sounders FC begin play | 3% |
| De La Salle's 151-game streak | 3% |
| From 2001 Rose Bowl to 0-12 | 3% |
| record with 262 hits | 2% |
| 2004: Storm wins WNBA title | 2% |
| 2009: Huskies cap resurgence with Pac-10 men's basketball title | 0% |
"Bring back the Seattle SuperSonics!"
— seattlelifeny
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