All their best: The Seattle Times all-time Seahawks team

The greatest season ever has produced some of the greatest players in the 30-year history of the Seahawks.

Alexander. Jones. Hutchinson. Tobeck.

They join the likes of Krieg, Green, Kennedy, Largent and the late Dave Brown on the Seattle Times' all-time Seahawks team.

Thirty years of professional football is not long by some cities' standards, and this team has not had a lot of history. Or at least that fans would want to remember.

But 1984 and 2005 were two very historic and memorable seasons in Seahawks lore, and 11 players from the 1984 team plus four from the 2005 squad make up 15 of the 27 spots on the all-time team roster.

As this year's Seahawks start what this city hopes to be a run to the Super Bowl, it's worth a look at what some will agree with and some will dispute as the greatest collection of Seahawks in franchise history.

"Any time you put your heart and soul and blood and sweat into something and part of an organization, it's an honor when you get any kind of recognition like that," all-time center Robbie Tobeck said.

There's no disputing the selection of players like Ring of Honor members Steve Largent (also an NFL Hall of Famer), Dave Brown, Jacob Green and Kenny Easley.

From today's team, six-time Pro Bowler Walter Jones is the clear choice at one tackle spot. The same can be said about defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy, an eight-time Pro Bowler and former NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

"I'll leave it up to you all to say that kind of stuff," Jones said, referring to those who selected this all-time team. "The guys just try to go out there and do their job. Usually they don't get that recognition until they're done playing and then you can look back and say that."

Tobeck, a Pro Bowl alternate this year, got the nod over Blair Bush. Jones, left guard Steve Hutchinson and running back Shaun Alexander are also 2005 Seahawks on the team.

Alexander, this year's NFL Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year, is the Seahawks' all-time leading rusher and was chosen over such Pro Bowlers from the past as Curt Warner and Chris Warren.

Tobeck made a case for current quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, a two-time Pro Bowler, but three-time selection Dave Krieg was picked in a close call. Similarly, fullback Mack Strong has been a stalwart for years and made the Pro Bowl for the first time this season, but John L. Williams has two Pro Bowls and better numbers though his career was shorter.

"I think it's fitting that you have a number of guys off this team," Tobeck said. "There's been a lot of great players here through the years. You look at how well this team's done, it's our third year in a row being in the playoffs and the record we had this year. Have we had great running backs here before? Yes. But look at what he [Alexander] has done. Walter, perhaps the best lineman ever. We've had great quarterbacks like Warren Moon here, but Hasselbeck's in his second Pro Bowl and he's the guy."

Krieg thinks highly of Hasselbeck and sees a little of himself in the Seahawks' field general.

"I'm sure there's debate at a lot of positions," Krieg said. "He's a leader, he's fiery, he can run and make plays."

The 1984 team was 12-4 and the last Seahawks team to win a playoff game. The 2005 team, mostly the offense, has been to the playoffs the past two seasons and lost.

"We had to quickly do it when [former coach] Chuck [Knox] got there," Krieg said. "This team has had the opportunity to be in a couple of playoff games. They've experienced this. They know what it takes. Even though they lost, it's something they can still learn from."

Before he said anything, however, Krieg wanted to make sure Brown, a Pro Bowler and All-Pro at cornerback in 1984 who died of an apparent heart attack Tuesday, was on the team.

"I think it's important for the kids nowadays to remember the players who came before them, especially a guy like Dave Brown," Krieg said.

What about Shawn Springs at the other cornerback, who is coming back to his original team this weekend for the playoff game between Washington and the Seahawks?

"He's a very smart player," Hasselbeck said. "If you ask a lot of the guys here, they learned a great deal from him. Some of the DBs (defensive backs), I'm sure some of the wide receivers. I know the quarterbacks and Shawn talked all the time about offense, about defense, about schemes."

The debate will go on as to who are the best Seahawks ever as the years go by. But the here and now of a 13-3 team is what's on everyone's mind, and it's hard to argue that these aren't the best times to be a Seahawk.

"Hopefully that's the case," Tobeck said. "I know this team's played in the championship game before and there's been a lot of great Seahawks teams and players. Not to take anything away from them."