It has been nine years, but based on the tone of his voice, Seahawks defensive end Cassius Marsh still isn’t over it, not entirely.
“We got snubbed,” Marsh said.
The snub in question happened in 2008 when Marsh was a junior at Oaks Christian High School. The Lions went undefeated that year, including a blowout victory over Paul Richardson’s Junipero Serra High, but they were left out of the CIF Division III Championship game, a game played at the stadium currently known as the StubHub Center.
“We were undefeated, we smashed Serra, who won the championship the next year,” Marsh said.
A snub meant that Marsh missed out on a chance to play in the StubHub Center while in high school, but now he and the rest of the Seahawks will get a chance to play there when they open preseason play Sunday. The SubHub Center has long been the home of Major League Soccer’s L.A. Galaxy, but it is now also serving as the temporary home of the relocated Los Angeles Chargers.
For a few seasons, the pitch will become a gridiron on fall Sundays; clocks will count down from 15, not up to 45; uniforms will replace kits; and offside will be signaled with a thrown flag, not one being raised by a linesman. But while football at the NFL level is new for the StubHub Center, it’s not entirely foreign for several Seahawks.
Richardson’s team won a championship there a year after losing to Marsh’s snubbed Lions, with Richardson scoring a touchdown in a close victory over Marin Catholic.
“For a high school game it was really cool,” Richardson said. “It’ll be fun to play there again. A lot of our team’s from Cali, so it’ll be like we’re at home.”
Having recruited in Los Angeles for the better part of a decade, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll is also very familiar with the StubHub Center, and thinks a packed, smaller stadium will make for a good game-day experience.
“I’ve been there quite a bit; it’s a beautiful stadium,” Carroll said. “It’s going to be interesting. It will be overflowing I’m sure, which is great. It is a good place to watch a game.”
Richard Sherman’s Dominguez High School squad also played at StubHub—then the Home Depot Center—in 2005, claiming the CIF Southern Sectional Division III championship.
“My last high school game was there,” Sherman said. “We won the championship against Sherman Oaks Norte Dame. Me and Jeron Johnson—and a lot of other players obviously. It’s a fun stadium to play in. Pretty small for an (NFL) stadium.”
As Sherman points out, one of the most interesting elements of the Chargers playing at the StubHub Center is it's tiny, by NFL standards, capacity. Even with extra seats added for NFL games, capacity will still max out at about 30,000, well under half of CenturyLink Field’s capacity, and about a third of that of some of the NFL’s biggest stadiums.
“The field is great,” Sherman said. “They take care of the ground, so if you’ve got 100 and 53 1/3 (yards) you’re going to be good out there.”
Sherman borrowed a line from Russell Wilson referencing the field dimensions, and the Seahawks quarterback also has no problem with the idea of playing in an undersized stadium.
“You know, I would play football on the concrete if I could,” said Wilson, who has worked out at the StubHub center in past offseasons. “I don’t care where we play at. As long as there’s some white lines and (markers) telling me what’s a first down, what’s the end zone, I’m good… I used to train there all the time, so yeah, it’s exciting.”
Center Justin Britt echoed that happy-to-play-anywhere sentiment: “I’d be fine playing in a parking lot. As long as we’re playing football, it doesn’t matter where we’re playing.”
Preseason games don’t always move the needle for casual fans, but a first look at the NFL in a soccer stadium should add an interesting element to the Seahawks opener. And in addition to roster hopefuls trying to win jobs, we know at least one Seahawk who will be extra motivated for his first game at the StubHub Center.
“I never got to play over there,” Marsh said. “But I should have.”
Take a look back through history at the Seahawks' matchups against the Chargers as the two teams ready to face off to open the 2017 preseason.
San Diego Charger Charlie Joiner traps a Dan Fouts' pass in the end zone early in the second quarter in Seattle, Nov. 27, 1977. Joiner argued with officials, claiming he had caught the ball. Defending is Seahawk defensive back Dave Brown. (AP Photo/Yarnold)
Seattle Seahawks tight end Brian Peets (88) tries to break away from San Diego Chargers cornerback Willie Buchanon (28) during an NFL game in Seattle, Wash., Sept. 2, 1979. The Chargers defeated the Seahawks 33-16. (AP Photo/NFL Photos)
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Jim Zorn (10) sets to hand off in a 21 - 14 loss to the San Diego Chargers on Dec. 13, 1980 at San Diego Stadium in San Diego. (AP Photo / Al Messerschmidt)
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Jim Zorn t(10) passes in a 24 - 10 loss to the San Diego Chargers on October 4, 1981 at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, California. (AP Photo / Al Messerschmidt)
Seattle Seahawks receiver Steve Largent (80) is brought down by San Diego's Gill Byrd (22) after catching a pass good for 26 yards in the first quarter of their NFL game in Seattle, Sept. 18, 1983. (AP Photo/DE)
Franco Harris (34) who only earlier last week signed with the Seattle Seahawks, carries the ball in the second quarter of the Seattle-San Diego National Football League game in the Kingdome in Seattle, Sept. 9, 1984. (AP Photo/Betty Kumpf)
San Diego Chargers Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Fouts (14) drops back to pass during an NFL game against the Seattle Seahawks in San Diego, Sept. 15,1985. The Seahawks defeated the Chargers 49-35. (AP Photo/NFL Photos)
Seattle Seahawks Hall of Fame wide receiver Steve Largent (80) tries to elude San Diego Chargers defensive back Daniel Hunter (27) during an NFL game in San Diego, Calif., Dec. 14, 1986. The Seahawks defeated the Chargers 34-24. (AP Photo/Damian Strohmeyer)
Seattle Seahawks receiver Steve Largent (80) is double-teamed by San Diego Charger defenders Martin Bayless (44) and Danny Walters (23) during first quarter action in the Kingdome in Seattle, Nov. 22, 1987. Largent gained 29 yards on the pass play. (AP Photo/Barry Sweet)
Quarterback Dave Krieg (17) of the Seattle Seahawks fumbles the football as he is sacked for a 13-yard loss by linebacker Gerald Robinson (98) of the San Diego Chargers during the third quarter of their NFL game in Seattle, Nov. 5, 1990. Seattle recovered the fumble on the play but lost the game to San Diego 31-14. (AP Photo/Duncan Livingston)
Seattle Seahawks linebacker Bob Spitulski (58) is seen in action during an NFL game against the San Diego Chargers Oct. 30, 1994, in San Diego, Calif. (Allen Kee via AP)
Seattle Seahawks defensive end Michael Sinclair (70) is seen in action during an NFL game against the San Diego Chargers Sept. 10, 1995, in San Diego, Calif. (Allen Kee via AP)
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Warren Moon throws a pass against the San Diego Chargers during an NFL football game on November 9, 1997 in San Diego, California. The Seahawks won 37-31. (AP Photo/G. Newman Lowrance)
Seattle Seahawks running back Ahman Green runs for yardage against the San Diego Chargers during an NFL football game on October 25, 1998 in San Diego. The Seahawks won 27-20. (AP Photo/G. Newman Lowrance)
Seattle Seahawks' Derrick Mayes (87) gets a big hug by teammate Sean Dawkins (81) after catching a 14-yard pass from Jon Kitna against the San Diego Chargers for a score in the third quarter in Seattle, Sunday, Dec. 12, 1999. San Diego won the game 19-16. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Shaun Alexander #37 of the Seattle Seahawks runs for yardage during a 25-22 win over the San Diego Chargers during an NFL football game in San Diego on Dec. 30, 2001. (AP Photo/G. Newman Lowrance)
29 DEC 2002: San Diego Chargers LaDainian Tomlinson during a game against Seattle Seahawks at the Qualcomm Stadium Sunday December 29, 2002, in San Deigo, CA. (Photo by Matt A. Brown/Icon Sportswire) (Icon Sportswire via AP Images)
San Diego Chargers' Igor Olshansky (99) and Shawne Merriman (56) work around Seattle Seahawks offensive lineman Walter Jones to sack Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck in the first quarter NFL football action at Qwest Field in Seattle on Sunday, Dec. 24, 2006. (AP Photo/Kevin P. Casey)
