Rox catcher Goodman 'super proud' of Super Bowl MVP Walker

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman put Arlington High School in suburban Memphis, Tenn., on the map by making his first All-Star Game.

Last Sunday, Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III put Arlington at the center of the successful-athlete-producing universe by earning Super Bowl LX MVP honors in Seattle’s 29-13 victory over the New England Patriots.

Goodman was a wide receiver and punter when he teamed with Walker, who was a year behind him in school.

Well, Goodman said he was a spectator as much as a teammate.

“Playing with him was awesome,” Goodman said. “You could see how much more athletic he was than everybody else. I didn’t have to do much. I missed some blocks here and there, and he’d just break the tackle.”

Goodman couldn’t get Walker out for baseball, but the two text periodically and “I’m super proud of him.”

At 43-119 last year, the Rockies were the opposite of the Seahawks or any championship team, but Goodman is excited about the early steps in Colorado’s new direction.

“A lot of things that happened last year were because of a lack of experience,” Goodman said. “Even for me, catching for that first full season, it was like that. We had one of the youngest teams in the league last year.

“The changes we have made are a big step forward. Even early in camp, some of the things I’ve seen in action during bullpen sessions and things we’re doing as a team and as a pitching staff are refreshing.”