J.R.
1-05-06, 4:52 PM
As first reported by HockeyStation's own J.R.: :nod:
Seahawks' Alexander named NFL MVP
By CLARE FARNSWORTH (clarefarnsworth@seattlepi.com)
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER
KIRKLAND -- Shaun Alexander's latest score: MVP of the National Football League.
Alexander was named the league's most valuable player today, as selected by The Associated Press based on voting of a 50-person panel. He ran away with the award, collecting 19 votes, ending the two-year reign of Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning, who received 13 votes.
Alexander broke the league record by scoring 28 touchdowns this season and also led the NFL in rushing with 1,880 yards as the Seahawks posted a franchise-best 13-3 record.
"I think that is a team goal," Alexander said of winning the award. "The way I always looked at MVPs was it was a player that did really, really good on a really, really good team. That is why I am even more excited about this year, because I have put together some great numbers, but we have a great team."
He had 11 games rushing for 100 yards or more, topped by 173 against Arizona on Nov. 6. He scored 27 TDs on the ground and one as a receiver to break Priest Holmes' record by one.
Alexander became the only player in NFL history with at least 15 TDs in five consecutive seasons and the fourth with consecutive 20-touchdown years.
"It's just like all the things -- the rushing title, the MVP, all those things -- it's exciting to talk about," said the sixth-year pro out of Alabama. "But I don't think it would mean that much until after I retire, because then it would actually hit me what it means.
"Right now, we're on this ride and it's just kind of one of those things; everything is kind of numb to us. It's all exciting. We're already in the second round of the playoffs, we've just got a bunch of cool things that we are really not used to."
Alexander was designated the Seahawks' franchise player before this season and accepted the team's one-year, $6.323 million offer -- with a proviso. The team agreed not to use the same franchise tag on him in 2006.
So either the Seahawks come up with a huge financial package, or the MVP could be scoring touchdowns and gaining yards elsewhere next season.
"It is a business," he said. "The Seahawks have to make their own decisions. I am going to be happy for whatever they do."
Alexander is the first Seahawk to win the award and the first running back voted MVP since Marshall Faulk in 2000.
Trailing Manning in the balloting were New England quarterback Tom Brady with 10 votes, New York Giants running back Tiki Barber with six and Cincinnati quarterback Carson Palmer with two.
Alexander is the fourth Seattle professional athlete to be named MVP. Mariners Ken Griffey Jr. (1997) and Ichiro Suzuki (2001) won the baseball award. The Storm's Lauren Jackson won the WNBA's MVP award in 2003.
Seahawks Kenny Easley (1984) and Cortez Kennedy (1992) were AP NFL defensive players of the year. Mariners Kazuhiro Sasaki (2000) and Ichiro (2001) were American League rookies of the year.From: SeattlePI.com (http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/football/254626_mvp05ww.html).
Please feel free to discuss the NFL's Most Valuable Player Shaun Alexander, a.k.a. the best running back in the league.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/dayart/20050911/450seahawks3.jpg
Seahawks' Alexander named NFL MVP
By CLARE FARNSWORTH (clarefarnsworth@seattlepi.com)
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER
KIRKLAND -- Shaun Alexander's latest score: MVP of the National Football League.
Alexander was named the league's most valuable player today, as selected by The Associated Press based on voting of a 50-person panel. He ran away with the award, collecting 19 votes, ending the two-year reign of Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning, who received 13 votes.
Alexander broke the league record by scoring 28 touchdowns this season and also led the NFL in rushing with 1,880 yards as the Seahawks posted a franchise-best 13-3 record.
"I think that is a team goal," Alexander said of winning the award. "The way I always looked at MVPs was it was a player that did really, really good on a really, really good team. That is why I am even more excited about this year, because I have put together some great numbers, but we have a great team."
He had 11 games rushing for 100 yards or more, topped by 173 against Arizona on Nov. 6. He scored 27 TDs on the ground and one as a receiver to break Priest Holmes' record by one.
Alexander became the only player in NFL history with at least 15 TDs in five consecutive seasons and the fourth with consecutive 20-touchdown years.
"It's just like all the things -- the rushing title, the MVP, all those things -- it's exciting to talk about," said the sixth-year pro out of Alabama. "But I don't think it would mean that much until after I retire, because then it would actually hit me what it means.
"Right now, we're on this ride and it's just kind of one of those things; everything is kind of numb to us. It's all exciting. We're already in the second round of the playoffs, we've just got a bunch of cool things that we are really not used to."
Alexander was designated the Seahawks' franchise player before this season and accepted the team's one-year, $6.323 million offer -- with a proviso. The team agreed not to use the same franchise tag on him in 2006.
So either the Seahawks come up with a huge financial package, or the MVP could be scoring touchdowns and gaining yards elsewhere next season.
"It is a business," he said. "The Seahawks have to make their own decisions. I am going to be happy for whatever they do."
Alexander is the first Seahawk to win the award and the first running back voted MVP since Marshall Faulk in 2000.
Trailing Manning in the balloting were New England quarterback Tom Brady with 10 votes, New York Giants running back Tiki Barber with six and Cincinnati quarterback Carson Palmer with two.
Alexander is the fourth Seattle professional athlete to be named MVP. Mariners Ken Griffey Jr. (1997) and Ichiro Suzuki (2001) won the baseball award. The Storm's Lauren Jackson won the WNBA's MVP award in 2003.
Seahawks Kenny Easley (1984) and Cortez Kennedy (1992) were AP NFL defensive players of the year. Mariners Kazuhiro Sasaki (2000) and Ichiro (2001) were American League rookies of the year.From: SeattlePI.com (http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/football/254626_mvp05ww.html).
Please feel free to discuss the NFL's Most Valuable Player Shaun Alexander, a.k.a. the best running back in the league.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/dayart/20050911/450seahawks3.jpg