All things considered, the Seahawks’ first open training camp at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center was a resounding success.

Around 1,500 fans checked in and parked at the Landing before riding school busses on the short drive to the VMAC to watch the practice Monday morning.

The crowd packed onto a berm running the length of the VMAC’s two outdoor practice fields and also crept around one end of the outdoor complex. All that separated them from the action was a short, metal fence and roughly 20 feet.

New wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh got the loudest cheers, but the crowd was enthusiastic for all of the good plays. The loudest yells came when Houshmandzadeh took a pitch in the backfield from Matt Hasselbeck and heaved a pass towards Nate Burleson. Brian Russell intercepted the pass, but a lasting point was made: Things are different now and trick plays are officially in the cards.

Look for more coverage of training camp, as well as a slideshow from Monday’s practice later this week. And don’t forget to watch Hawk’s Corner, the Renton Reporter’s Seahawks blog for more news and opinions about the team.