By GREGG BELL
AP Sports Writer

RENTON, Wash.(AP) -- No one in Seattle will ever confuse T.J.
Houshmandzadeh with Steve Largent.

The outspoken Houshmandzadeh is "shocked" with the fuss being
made in his first Seahawks season over his angry gestures and
comments about not getting the ball enough, in a city where
people are used to their star receivers being quiet yet ultra
productive - like Largent. Seattle's Hall of Famer was so
understated he wouldn't even spike the ball following any of his
101 career touchdowns.

Declaring "I like myself, man, I really do," Houshmandzadeh said
Friday he's been hearing all week from those inside and outside
Seahawks headquarters, from former teammates in Cincinnati, even
from his two daughters at home.

Last weekend in Dallas, he angrily gestured toward Matt
Hasselbeck to throw the ball with more loft immediately after he
tried to zing a ball to the tightly guarded receiver near the
Cowboys' goal line in the first quarter.

The discussion between the two players continued at the bench.
Both made gestures but did not appear to be arguing so much as
explaining themselves.

Then in the third quarter, Houshmandzadeh was seen angrily
shouting on the sidelines following the end of another
possession in Seattle's eventual blowout loss.

The day ended with the NFL's leading receiver the previous three
seasons, before he signed a $40 million, five-year contract with
Seattle last spring, owning just 35 receptions in seven games-
and with Seattle (2-5) absorbing consecutive losses of 20-plus
points for the first time since 2001.

"From what he told me, it didn't affect him, it didn't bother
him," Houshmandzadeh said of Hasselbeck. "But I guess other
people felt otherwise."

Coach Jim Mora and offensive coordinator Greg Knapp both said
they've talked to Houshmandzadeh this week, and that all is
well.

"Man, I've been doing that my whole career. Guys from Cincinnati
texted me and told me they were surprised it took me until Game
7 to do it," Houshmandzadeh said of his stomping and griping.

"Whether I was right or wrong - which, you know, (I was)
probably wrong - it was just the competitor in me. I didn't mean
no harm by it. I was just upset by the course of the game, which
I would hope everybody is. People express themselves
differently, obviously, but it never got this much attention
before.

"I'm shocked."

Houshmandzadeh said he felt compelled to approach his three-time
Pro Bowl passer this week and tell Hasselbeck: "Br', if I've got
a problem with you I will tell you.'

"That's just how I am. I don't send subliminal messages. If I've
got a problem with Matt, I will tell Matt. And I didn't have a
problem with Matt, at the time. I just wanted the ball. We were
losing the game, and it was a big third down. Had we completed
it, I would have been fine."

Monday, Hasselbeck said of Houshmandzadeh's fire: "That's kind
of his demeanor. There's no issue there. The issue is, we have
to complete more passes."

Hasselbeck made a point of mentioning he nominated
Houshmandzadeh to be the team's player representative for this
season.

Houshmandzadeh sought comfort this week in those who know him
best. He talked for an hour on Tuesday with Carson Palmer.
Houshmandzadeh said his old Bengals quarterback never had a
problem with his antics because Palmer "knew me, knew I was a
team guy."

Wednesday, he commiserated with Bengals receiver and friend Chad
Ochocinco.

Asked to assess his season, Houshmandzadeh quickly replied, "Oh,
terrible."

"People lie. Numbers don't. As of right now, I'm not doing
anything. I don't know why it is like that. ... I like myself
man, I really do. I feel like I'm always open. And there's times
that I'm not open, and I'm supposed to feel like I'm open.

Yes, Houshmandzadeh thinks he should get the ball on every pass
play.

"You watch the tape, you'll see the same thing I'm seeing," he
said. "That's why I'm optimistic.

"Hey, there's games left. I've just got to build Matt's trust
and confidence with me."

This receiver who may be more than the usually staid Seahawks
bargained for also had an opinion on his team cutting Edgerrin
James, the league's fading active leading rusher who was hugely
popular with his new teammates. The move came Tuesday, two days
after Mora told his players if he had to fire guys to turn the
season around he would.

"It was a shock what happened, the guys who were released,
especially 'Edge' because he's just a good dude, you know what
I'm saying?" Houshmandzadeh said. "Teams should just have him in
the locker room - even if he can't play, so they think. Just
have him in the locker room because he's cool. I mean, he's good
for (the) team.

"That's my opinion, and I think that the opinion of a lot of
guys. But we've just got to just play."