By Scott M. Johnson
Herald Writer
KIRKLAND – Jeff Feagles beamed with pride Thursday, which was to be expected after a record-setting performance.
“We got 11,” the Seattle Seahawks’ punter said with a mischievous grin. “We set an NFL record. I would feel confident to put our numbers up against anyone else in the league.”
No one in the league office could have confirmed it, but Feagles believes the annual “free turkey” prank went over like never before. Eleven Seahawks rookies fell for the ruse Wednesday after finding fliers in their lockers promising a free turkey at a local market.
The longtime prank has been a staple at Seahawks headquarters for years.
“I think we have a bunch of cheap rookies,” Feagles said. “This year’s group is a little cheaper than in the past. Anything for free.”
First-round picks Koren Robinson and Steve Hutchinson were not among the victims – which might have something to do with the combined signing bonus of more than $8 million they received in July. But 11 of the other 12 rookies on the roster weren’t so perceptive.
“I didn’t know it was April 1st,” said Floyd “Pork Chop” Womack, a 330-pound rookie offensive lineman from Mississippi State. “If I’d have known it was April Fools’, I’d have never gone up there (to the store). I thought it was Thanksgiving, a day to be thankful for, and I come to find out it was all a big prank.
“It was all in fun. I laughed at it.”
Similar pranks take place throughout the NFL, and it has gone on in Seattle since 1991. Defensive end Michael Sinclair was a rookie that year, but said he didn’t fall for it.
“Back then, veterans didn’t talk to the rookies,” Sinclair said. “Then all the sudden Joe Nash and Jacob Green start asking me if I picked up my turkey yet. They asked me three times, and I’m like, ‘You didn’t talk to me all year, and then all the sudden you want to make sure I got a free turkey?’ Nah, I wasn’t falling for that.”
The prank has gained such momentum that lately the veterans have added a video camera to the mix, with the resulting tape to be shown at next Monday’s film meeting. The embarrassed rookies aren’t exactly eager to watch, but some of the veterans can’t wait – especially the ones who got burned last year.
“I couldn’t wait” for this year’s prank, said linebacker Isaiah Kacyvenski, an especially gullible participant as a rookie last November. “Me and my fiance, both. I took her with me last year.”
Broken Arrow: The Kansas City Chiefs never lost more than three games in a season at Arrowhead Stadium during the entire decade of the 1990s. They’ve already lost four times there this season – in four tries.
So the Seahawks won’t be at their typical disadvantage Sunday when they travel to Kansas City.
“It’s tough to play there, whether those guys are 2-7 or 7-2,” Sinclair said. “Those guys in the past have played exceptionally well there. I’m sure it will be the same scenario on Sunday.”
The Chiefs came into this season having won almost 60 percent of their games all-time at Arrowhead, and went unbeaten there in 1995 and ‘97.
“It is a tough place to play, not only because of the crowd but also the history we have here and the noise level,” Chiefs quarterback Trent Green said. “It is frustrating that we haven’t been able to get it done.”
Sunday marks the final time the Seahawks will visit Kansas City until 2006.
Quick slants: Defensive end Lamar King (strained calf) was downgraded to doubtful on the team’s injury report, and is expected to be replaced by John Hilliard in the starting lineup Sunday. … King was the only defensive starter not to practice Thursday. All 11 members of the starting defense have only played together in one game this season.
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