Seattle journalist Will Harrison accompanied Kiltman in December 2002, when the Seattle Seahawks Organization and Seahawks VP of Community Outreach Mike Flood presented him with the Hall Of Fans plaque which will be displayed in the NFL Hall Of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

Below is the article that was written about Kiltman and his endless commitment to the Seattle Seahawks, the sport of football, and perhaps most importantly The Fans.

There were several Hall of Fame fans in attendance Sunday. Mr. and Mrs. Seahawk were there cheering Neil on. Mama Blue never misses a game without significant cause. And just for variety, Birdman the Eagles fan was in attendance, decked out in full costume and ready to squawk. Kiltman wasn’t the only fan at the game with unbridled enthusiasm and a questionable fashion sense. But Sunday was his turn on center stage. 

The more you get to know Neil, the more you realize just how much he deserves this honor. Sure, he puts on the face paint and the goofy outfit, but it takes more than outward trappings to be a true, hardcore fan. What sets Neil apart are his efforts on behalf of the team and other Seahawk fans. He is, to quote Everett Herald columnist Larry Henry, truly a “Seahawk ambassador.” 

Name the event, and Neil Hart either helped put it together or at least put in an appearance. Some of Neil’s accomplishments include the annual Seahawks blood drive, a Seahawkers trip to watch the Hawks-Cardinals game in Arizona, the latest SeahawkSal.com Family Reunion, etc. He has an enthusiasm that is contagious, and is always working to bridge the gap between the team and the community as well as bring Seahawk fans together. It worked for me; I met Neil online two years ago and he quickly steered me toward the online communities at Seahawks.Net and later SeahawkSal.com. Were it not for Neil, I wouldn’t have met the great people I’ve encountered through these websites. 

Not all of those people wear funny outfits and face paint, although several do. On one level, it’s easy to see why Neil and his friends dress up for the games: it’s something sports fans have done for generations. But it’s also yet another way of reaching out to the community at large. 

Want proof? Meet up with Neil and the “Flock of Fans” some Sunday morning before the game. You won’t spend five minutes with this crew before somebody comes up with a camera in hand. During the stadium open house last July—which I spent with “The Flock”—we were literally besieged with picture requests from awestruck passersby. People who had just come to see the new stadium suddenly wanted photos to show to their friends and relatives. 

Why do people like Neil Hart dress up in outlandish costumes? Because it’s fun to do, and that kind of fun can be contagious as well. Someone might see Neil on the local news and keep an eye out for him the next time they visit Seahawks Stadium. Maybe a kid attending his first big league football game will want to meet him or get their picture taken with him. And, let’s face it, when your football team is 4-9, you have to take your fun where you can get it. Neil Hart became Kiltman out of a love for his favorite team, but he also did so to share that love and the fun that he has with others. 

What makes a true diehard fan? Devotion to a team is the first, obvious answer. One need only look at Neil on gameday to get a sense of his devotion to the Seattle Seahawks. The second answer is sharing the joy, something that Neil has always excelled at. It’s making somebody’s experience that much better, whether it comes in the form of a goofy picture to show one’s friends, or a few pieces of Kingdome rubble shipped to a Seahawks fan who had never seen the Kingdome before. Neil Hart has worked harder than anybody I’ve ever met to share his Seahawk experience with as many people as possible. It’s that kind of selflessness which earned him the right to enter the Hall of Fame, and it’s that kind of selflessness which, I believe, marks a true fan. 

Then again, maybe it’s all about the kilt!