PORTLAND, Ore. — With the Seattle Seahawks just 10 days away from the Super Bowl and the Portland Trail Blazers among the top teams in the NBA’s Western Conference, Paul Allen was happy to talk about the success of his teams.
Allen, who normally shies away from the spotlight, volunteered his thoughts during halftime of Portland’s game against the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night.
The Seahawks will play the Denver Broncos at the Meadowlands a week from Sunday. Meanwhile, his Blazers are seeing surprising success, sitting in third place in the West at 32-11 after rallying for a 110-105 win over the Nuggets.
Allen, the billionaire co-founder of Microsoft who has a house near Kona Pier, is obviously pleased.
“It’s been an incredible year for the Seahawks,” he said. “The support of the fans has been amazing. Then, just the way the team has come together, the way the defense has played, the way our offense has been able to make timely plays like they did in the NFC championship, Russell Wilson’s performance in his second year.
“All that has carried us to the Super Bowl and it’s been an amazing experience for the fans and for me as an owner.”
He was probably his most animated when he spoke of raising Seattle’s 12th Man flag before the NFC championship victory over the San Francisco 49ers last weekend.
“When you get that kind of positive feedback, it makes you feel good about what you’ve been able to help the team accomplish,” he said.
Allen, who bought the Seahawks in 1997, is going to his second Super Bowl: The Seahawks lost to Pittsburgh 21-10 in 2006.
He was asked his take on cornerback Richard Sherman’s postgame rant in the aftermath of the victory over the Niners on Sunday. Sherman apologized after the emotionally charged on-field interview for taking attention away from the performances of his teammates.
“When you sit down and talk to Richard, he’s a very engaging, intelligent, good-hearted guy,” Allen said. “All of us realize, if you’re going to the Super Bowl, everything gets magnified. You have to keep that in your mind. “
Allen purchased the Trail Blazers in 1988 but he’s never been to an NBA championship with the team. Portland’s only title came in 1977.
Wearing a Blazers cap, Allen said he was encouraged by the direction the team has taken under general manager Neil Olshey and coach Terry Stotts.
“To have the record that we have at this point, halfway through the season, is very, very encouraging,” he said. “But we still have a ways to go.”
He would not talk about a possible contract extension with forward LaMarcus Aldridge, who scored a career-high 44 point and added 13 rebounds in the victory over the Nuggets. Aldridge is having a career season with an average of 24.7 points and 11.6 rebounds a game.
“As you guys know, at the appropriate time we’ll consider all those options,” he said, adding that extensions are usually dealt with at the end of the season.
Sherman fined $7,875 for taunting
NEW YORK — Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman was fined $7,875 for unsportsmanlike conduct/taunting in the final minute of the NFC championship game against San Francisco.
Sherman’s fine was confirmed by the league Friday.
Sherman was flagged after he made a choking gesture toward the San Francisco bench that he said was directed at quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Sherman had just deflected a pass intended for Michael Crabtree in the end zone that was intercepted by linebacker Malcolm Smith and clinched Seattle’s 23-17 victory.
Sherman ran over, and after tapping Crabtree on the backside, extended his hand for a handshake. Crabtree then shoved Sherman in the face. The All-Pro cornerback then made the choking gesture.
Sherman was the only player fined in the game.
NYC cops to keep close eye on Super Bowl fans
NEW YORK — New York City police are blanketing midtown Manhattan with temporary surveillance cameras as one of many security measures being taken to protect visitors for the Super Bowl.
The cameras will supplement a network of permanent surveillance cameras that provide live feeds to monitors at an NYPD command center. Officers there watch for possible terror threats and other suspicious activity.
Hundreds of extra uniformed and plainclothes officers also will be assigned to protect “Super Bowl Boulevard,” a 13-block street fair along Broadway that’s expected to draw large crowds.
In New Jersey, up to 700 state troopers will patrol in and around MetLife Stadium on game day. The NFL has committed another 3,000 private security officers to the event.
FBI analysts are also monitoring the latest intelligence to detect any specific threats against the Super Bowl.
By wire sources