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Latest Hall of Fame class deserving but incomplete
Posted: Friday August 3, 2007 11:44AM; Updated: Friday August 3, 2007 12:15PM
In a 12-year career with the Bills, five-time Pro Bowler Thurman Thomas rushed for at least 1,000 yards in eight straight seasons.
Can you believe the Hall of Fame game is actually here? Well I can't but Sam P. of Ambler, Pa., has no problem with that phenomenon and he asks the following: "What did you really think of this year's H of F class of Gene Hickerson, Michael Irvin, Bruce Matthews, Charlie Sanders, Thurman Thomas and Roger Wehrli? Are you upset that anyone didn't make it?"
I'm upset that Clark Shaughnessy was not one of the Seniors candidates. I lobbied hard for him, was assured by members of the Seniors Committee that he'd be one of their guys, and then got stiffed. I should be used to it. I mean Hickerson and Sanders certainly are more deserving than the guy who brought in the modern T-formation with flankers and man in motion, a formation that's lasted for 67 years, wouldn't you think? Sure, I voted for the two Seniors. If you don't vote for them and clear the decks, you won't have room for your own guys in subsequent years.
Irvin got my vote. I didn't vote for him the year before. Then I sat down and analyzed myself (the psychiatric term for this is "screwing up your own head") and realized that I hadn't voted for him because I couldn't stand him on ESPN TV. The Advice to Selectors brochure is quite clear on this point. "Selectors shall not stiff a guy because of airwaves trash." Given this mandate, and concentrating more on his ability on the field, he became a yea vote.
Matthews was chalk, based on his 42 years or something hitched up to the Oilers-Titans-whatevers plow. I couldn't be heartless enough not to vote for him. I have always been a very strong Thurman Thomas man. And as for Roger Wehrli, well, I would have laid about 12-1 odds that he wouldn't make it when the enshrinement meeting started, but he gradually started picking up steam, and he became an emotional choice. It was a great pick of a guy who was underrated and unknown for much of his career. I not only voted for him, I gave a little speech on his behalf.
I've already mentioned that Shaughnessy never even made it to the room. For the umpteenth time, another guy I lobbied hard for, Bob Kuechenberg, got turned away. Same for Cliff Harris, whom I'll work hard for next season, along with Kooch. As for Joe Klecko, whom I believe belongs there as much as any defensive lineman, past or present, I don't know what they have against him. He can't even clear the preliminary balloting.
Still with the Hall, Steve of Charlotte, N.C., wants to know if I see Marshall Faulk, Curtis Martin and Jerome Bettis as first ballot Hall of Famers? Faulk, possibly. Martin, yes, because there will be a lot of sentiment attached. He's really a terrific guy. Bettis, no. Down the line, maybe.
Dan of Colorado Springs asks whom I feel is the most overrated, undeserving member of the Hall. His candidate is Joe Namath, based on his overall statistics. I don't agree. There's another category for consideration called, How Did He Change The Game? Namath brought credence to an entire league, the AFL, and helped every wage-earner on those teams. Plus he was a master of the two-minute offense, and he rose to the heights when the stakes were highest. I think that in this case you've got to overlook lifetime stats. Most undeserving member? Doak Walker, HB-DB, Detroit Lions.
Doug of New York brings up something I hear every year at this time. The Broncos, who have been to six Super Bowls, have only one Hall of Famer? Is this fair? Is this just? "What about Gradishar, Mecklenburg, Zimmerman, Little and Davis?" he asks. And I could add Alzado and Jackson and my personal choices, Richie, Tombstone, Jackson. Great players all, but not the greatest, except for Jackson. But when Terrell Davis comes up this January, you're going to see some real action. The anti faction will say his career was too short. The pro faction, of which I will be a member, will argue quality over quantity. And thank you for what you wrote.
From Hugh of Italy: How do I rate the H of F chances for the following: Priest Holmes (if his career ended today), Corey Dillon, Isaac Bruce. Dillon, no, on numbers. He'll have to wait for the guys ahead of him. Holmes, no, even more so. Bruce has the best chance of the three. He's No. 7 in all-time receptions, and still counting. He'll have to worry about Torry Holt on his own team.
"If you ever want some wine from Italy, I can hook you up," he says. You bet I want some wine from Italy. I'll even pay for it. But how can you hook me up when I don't even have your e-mail address, your phone number, date of birth, mother's maiden name, favorite color, flower and Babaresco?
Andrew, one more Hall of Fame question and I'm going to start screaming. The what? The soccer, make that futbol, buffs are up in arms because of what I wrote last week? The question you sent me represents at least 25 with similar views? Oh boy, let me find it. Here it is.
From Ryan of Pittsburgh: "Please, as a football writer, do not try to offer commentary on futbol. Your analysis only comes across as incomplete and biased."
Ryan, this is flatly unfair. Never in my life have I written anything derogatory about soccer, which I love. I have mentioned, though, that when the World Cup comes on, I'll watch every minute of every game, if I can. I haven't tried to analyze it, either, except to offer opinions, such as I think that Zidane, a magnificent athlete, got a royal screwing in the World Cup final. I think I also mentioned that 47 years ago I covered the International Soccer League on a regular basis.
What I wrote last week, though, is that the NFL doesn't have to feel threatened by games that draw 15,000 fans to Toyota Park in Brookfield, Ill. I'm sorry if this offends you and your gang of followers. Let me amend this, please. The NFL is really upset that MLS beat them to Toyota Park, which was going to be a regular circus maximus for them this year. How's that?
Moving on to Bill Walsh. From Plano, Texas ... no name, just Plano, Texas, and after a while you'll see why ... comes this contradictory viewpoint:
"While I feel that Walsh was one of the best two or three coaches ever in the NFL, I also will never forgive him for his running up the score (55-10) on the Broncos in the Super Bowl. I remember how he continued to throw the ball downfield when the game was well at hand. It was so bad, Dennis Smith took matters into his own hands and waylaid Jerry Rice and a couple of other 49ers late in the game. I think that Rice probably came to the sideline and said, 'Cool it before someone gets hurt.' To me, this was a classless act, and as far as I was concerned, I lost all respect for him as a coach. To this day I wish the Broncos would have the chance to run the score up on a Bill Walsh coached team."
Only one thing wrong with your diatribe, Mr. Plano. George Seifert was the coach. Walsh had retired before the season. No wonder you didn't attach your name to this thing.
Charles of Atlanta mentions a brief airport meeting with Walsh, who spent some time with him. "I was awestruck with his kindness to a complete stranger," he writes.
David of Canton, Mich., (and thank you), wonders who the next Walsh will be. That's a funny question because, honest to goodness, I had Walsh pegged for a good one when he was still a Cincinnati assistant. Maybe it was because he was so open and helpful to someone like me, and what he said just made so much sense. I think Bill Belichick shows some real ingenuity the way he juggles his personnel, but he's present tense, not future. Eric Mangini is very innovative, but that's no secret. Ditto Sean Payton on the offensive side of the ball. I think the two Ryans, Rob and Rex, are going to make good head coaches some day. But as far as that burst of real creativity that you're looking for, sorry but it doesn't jump out at me. Wait a minute. I just thought of something. How about Chris Peterson, head coach of Boise State?
A very nice tribute both to Walsh and the piece I did on him from Michael of NYC. All I can say is thanks.
Mike of Greensboro, N.C., praises Walsh for his innovative use of "situational" players. "I seem to remember him getting flak for acquiring Fred Dean to rush the passer on third downs because, therefore, Dean wasn't a "real" player," he writes. "Is that true?"
Not only untrue but it's very seldom that you find one sentence with three things wrong with it, as this one is. Niners fans celebrated when he got Dean, a terrific Charger who'd already been to two Pro Bowls. He was a base player, not a situational rusher. I don't know where you got that not a "real" player nonsense from. Also, Walsh didn't use situational subs any more than other people did.
From Bob of Bedford, N.H.:Could Walsh's little description of coaches who feel their skills waning be applied to Bill Parcells and his abandonment of the Patriots? Hometown bias, Bob. I know you were sad to see the Tuna leave, but take it like a man and don't attach greedy motives to it.
This is a hysteric, make that a historic occasion. Ma femme, la flamboyante rousse, as e-mail veteran Yves Poisson from Montreal calls her, has graciously agreed to select and present the E-mailer of the Week award. And her selectee is Gilles Paul of Lafayette, Calif. First he writes some nice things. Then he says, "We almost met once in the early '90's in Candlestick after a Giants-49ers game. You damn near ran me over at the end of the game. I recognized you and hollered at you, but it was obvious you were trying to get your story in." He ends with more nice things, imagine. Linda had this to say:
"Oh my God, another hit and run. Thank you, Gilles, for maintaining good spirits instead of yelling for a cop."
Here's another Gilles, this one from Paris: "If you were to draw up a play from scratch, which one would it be and which team would you have execute it, past or present?" The behind the back Statue of Liberty play with which Boise State beat Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl last January.
Steve of Georgetown, Ontario, wonders whether or not it would be easier for an NFL official to fix a game than an NBA official. I think so. All you'd need would be some weird interference calls, since no one understands the way officials interpret them now anyway. And I thank you for your friendliness.
John of Round Rock, Texas, feeds me a quote from last week's Philadelphia Inquirer that has my head spinning a bit. It's from punter Sav Rocca about the training camp he went through, preparing for an Australian Rules Football League season:
"You got put with a police force and trained with them. You'd work on your mental toughness and not necessarily the techniques of the game. They'd have guys holding a pole in the rain three or four hours after midnight, so they were sleep-deprived."
John wants my comment. Does Sav have a chance to make the team? My answer to Part 2 is that it depends on how well he punts. Whew, that was easy. Now for the tough one. Well, if the police force he trained with was anything like that big fat Garfield, N.J., cop who gave me a seat belt ticket recently, then I guess it would be like training for the hot dog contest at Nathan's. You say no? These were serious torturers? Holding a pole in the rain? I'm trying to get my mind around this, but it's just not coming. It all sounds pretty loony, but Bear Bryant ran a torture camp when he was at Texas A&M ... remember the story of his Junction Babies ...? And it seemed to work. I think it works even better if you have good players. How'd that team do, by the way?
Latest Hall of Fame class deserving but incomplete
Posted: Friday August 3, 2007 11:44AM; Updated: Friday August 3, 2007 12:15PM
Can you believe the Hall of Fame game is actually here? Well I can't but Sam P. of Ambler, Pa., has no problem with that phenomenon and he asks the following: "What did you really think of this year's H of F class of Gene Hickerson, Michael Irvin, Bruce Matthews, Charlie Sanders, Thurman Thomas and Roger Wehrli? Are you upset that anyone didn't make it?"
I'm upset that Clark Shaughnessy was not one of the Seniors candidates. I lobbied hard for him, was assured by members of the Seniors Committee that he'd be one of their guys, and then got stiffed. I should be used to it. I mean Hickerson and Sanders certainly are more deserving than the guy who brought in the modern T-formation with flankers and man in motion, a formation that's lasted for 67 years, wouldn't you think? Sure, I voted for the two Seniors. If you don't vote for them and clear the decks, you won't have room for your own guys in subsequent years.
Irvin got my vote. I didn't vote for him the year before. Then I sat down and analyzed myself (the psychiatric term for this is "screwing up your own head") and realized that I hadn't voted for him because I couldn't stand him on ESPN TV. The Advice to Selectors brochure is quite clear on this point. "Selectors shall not stiff a guy because of airwaves trash." Given this mandate, and concentrating more on his ability on the field, he became a yea vote.
Matthews was chalk, based on his 42 years or something hitched up to the Oilers-Titans-whatevers plow. I couldn't be heartless enough not to vote for him. I have always been a very strong Thurman Thomas man. And as for Roger Wehrli, well, I would have laid about 12-1 odds that he wouldn't make it when the enshrinement meeting started, but he gradually started picking up steam, and he became an emotional choice. It was a great pick of a guy who was underrated and unknown for much of his career. I not only voted for him, I gave a little speech on his behalf.
I've already mentioned that Shaughnessy never even made it to the room. For the umpteenth time, another guy I lobbied hard for, Bob Kuechenberg, got turned away. Same for Cliff Harris, whom I'll work hard for next season, along with Kooch. As for Joe Klecko, whom I believe belongs there as much as any defensive lineman, past or present, I don't know what they have against him. He can't even clear the preliminary balloting.
Still with the Hall, Steve of Charlotte, N.C., wants to know if I see Marshall Faulk, Curtis Martin and Jerome Bettis as first ballot Hall of Famers? Faulk, possibly. Martin, yes, because there will be a lot of sentiment attached. He's really a terrific guy. Bettis, no. Down the line, maybe.
Dan of Colorado Springs asks whom I feel is the most overrated, undeserving member of the Hall. His candidate is Joe Namath, based on his overall statistics. I don't agree. There's another category for consideration called, How Did He Change The Game? Namath brought credence to an entire league, the AFL, and helped every wage-earner on those teams. Plus he was a master of the two-minute offense, and he rose to the heights when the stakes were highest. I think that in this case you've got to overlook lifetime stats. Most undeserving member? Doak Walker, HB-DB, Detroit Lions.
Doug of New York brings up something I hear every year at this time. The Broncos, who have been to six Super Bowls, have only one Hall of Famer? Is this fair? Is this just? "What about Gradishar, Mecklenburg, Zimmerman, Little and Davis?" he asks. And I could add Alzado and Jackson and my personal choices, Richie, Tombstone, Jackson. Great players all, but not the greatest, except for Jackson. But when Terrell Davis comes up this January, you're going to see some real action. The anti faction will say his career was too short. The pro faction, of which I will be a member, will argue quality over quantity. And thank you for what you wrote.
From Hugh of Italy: How do I rate the H of F chances for the following: Priest Holmes (if his career ended today), Corey Dillon, Isaac Bruce. Dillon, no, on numbers. He'll have to wait for the guys ahead of him. Holmes, no, even more so. Bruce has the best chance of the three. He's No. 7 in all-time receptions, and still counting. He'll have to worry about Torry Holt on his own team.
"If you ever want some wine from Italy, I can hook you up," he says. You bet I want some wine from Italy. I'll even pay for it. But how can you hook me up when I don't even have your e-mail address, your phone number, date of birth, mother's maiden name, favorite color, flower and Babaresco?
Andrew, one more Hall of Fame question and I'm going to start screaming. The what? The soccer, make that futbol, buffs are up in arms because of what I wrote last week? The question you sent me represents at least 25 with similar views? Oh boy, let me find it. Here it is.
From Ryan of Pittsburgh: "Please, as a football writer, do not try to offer commentary on futbol. Your analysis only comes across as incomplete and biased."
Ryan, this is flatly unfair. Never in my life have I written anything derogatory about soccer, which I love. I have mentioned, though, that when the World Cup comes on, I'll watch every minute of every game, if I can. I haven't tried to analyze it, either, except to offer opinions, such as I think that Zidane, a magnificent athlete, got a royal screwing in the World Cup final. I think I also mentioned that 47 years ago I covered the International Soccer League on a regular basis.
What I wrote last week, though, is that the NFL doesn't have to feel threatened by games that draw 15,000 fans to Toyota Park in Brookfield, Ill. I'm sorry if this offends you and your gang of followers. Let me amend this, please. The NFL is really upset that MLS beat them to Toyota Park, which was going to be a regular circus maximus for them this year. How's that?
Moving on to Bill Walsh. From Plano, Texas ... no name, just Plano, Texas, and after a while you'll see why ... comes this contradictory viewpoint:
"While I feel that Walsh was one of the best two or three coaches ever in the NFL, I also will never forgive him for his running up the score (55-10) on the Broncos in the Super Bowl. I remember how he continued to throw the ball downfield when the game was well at hand. It was so bad, Dennis Smith took matters into his own hands and waylaid Jerry Rice and a couple of other 49ers late in the game. I think that Rice probably came to the sideline and said, 'Cool it before someone gets hurt.' To me, this was a classless act, and as far as I was concerned, I lost all respect for him as a coach. To this day I wish the Broncos would have the chance to run the score up on a Bill Walsh coached team."
Only one thing wrong with your diatribe, Mr. Plano. George Seifert was the coach. Walsh had retired before the season. No wonder you didn't attach your name to this thing.
Charles of Atlanta mentions a brief airport meeting with Walsh, who spent some time with him. "I was awestruck with his kindness to a complete stranger," he writes.
David of Canton, Mich., (and thank you), wonders who the next Walsh will be. That's a funny question because, honest to goodness, I had Walsh pegged for a good one when he was still a Cincinnati assistant. Maybe it was because he was so open and helpful to someone like me, and what he said just made so much sense. I think Bill Belichick shows some real ingenuity the way he juggles his personnel, but he's present tense, not future. Eric Mangini is very innovative, but that's no secret. Ditto Sean Payton on the offensive side of the ball. I think the two Ryans, Rob and Rex, are going to make good head coaches some day. But as far as that burst of real creativity that you're looking for, sorry but it doesn't jump out at me. Wait a minute. I just thought of something. How about Chris Peterson, head coach of Boise State?
A very nice tribute both to Walsh and the piece I did on him from Michael of NYC. All I can say is thanks.
Mike of Greensboro, N.C., praises Walsh for his innovative use of "situational" players. "I seem to remember him getting flak for acquiring Fred Dean to rush the passer on third downs because, therefore, Dean wasn't a "real" player," he writes. "Is that true?"
Not only untrue but it's very seldom that you find one sentence with three things wrong with it, as this one is. Niners fans celebrated when he got Dean, a terrific Charger who'd already been to two Pro Bowls. He was a base player, not a situational rusher. I don't know where you got that not a "real" player nonsense from. Also, Walsh didn't use situational subs any more than other people did.
From Bob of Bedford, N.H.:Could Walsh's little description of coaches who feel their skills waning be applied to Bill Parcells and his abandonment of the Patriots? Hometown bias, Bob. I know you were sad to see the Tuna leave, but take it like a man and don't attach greedy motives to it.
This is a hysteric, make that a historic occasion. Ma femme, la flamboyante rousse, as e-mail veteran Yves Poisson from Montreal calls her, has graciously agreed to select and present the E-mailer of the Week award. And her selectee is Gilles Paul of Lafayette, Calif. First he writes some nice things. Then he says, "We almost met once in the early '90's in Candlestick after a Giants-49ers game. You damn near ran me over at the end of the game. I recognized you and hollered at you, but it was obvious you were trying to get your story in." He ends with more nice things, imagine. Linda had this to say:
"Oh my God, another hit and run. Thank you, Gilles, for maintaining good spirits instead of yelling for a cop."
Here's another Gilles, this one from Paris: "If you were to draw up a play from scratch, which one would it be and which team would you have execute it, past or present?" The behind the back Statue of Liberty play with which Boise State beat Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl last January.
Steve of Georgetown, Ontario, wonders whether or not it would be easier for an NFL official to fix a game than an NBA official. I think so. All you'd need would be some weird interference calls, since no one understands the way officials interpret them now anyway. And I thank you for your friendliness.
John of Round Rock, Texas, feeds me a quote from last week's Philadelphia Inquirer that has my head spinning a bit. It's from punter Sav Rocca about the training camp he went through, preparing for an Australian Rules Football League season:
"You got put with a police force and trained with them. You'd work on your mental toughness and not necessarily the techniques of the game. They'd have guys holding a pole in the rain three or four hours after midnight, so they were sleep-deprived."
John wants my comment. Does Sav have a chance to make the team? My answer to Part 2 is that it depends on how well he punts. Whew, that was easy. Now for the tough one. Well, if the police force he trained with was anything like that big fat Garfield, N.J., cop who gave me a seat belt ticket recently, then I guess it would be like training for the hot dog contest at Nathan's. You say no? These were serious torturers? Holding a pole in the rain? I'm trying to get my mind around this, but it's just not coming. It all sounds pretty loony, but Bear Bryant ran a torture camp when he was at Texas A&M ... remember the story of his Junction Babies ...? And it seemed to work. I think it works even better if you have good players. How'd that team do, by the way?
you do................
