Can you tell the story of the National Football League without ______?? Were you among the best at your position for a 5 year period?? What historic feats did you perform during your career?? Feats…not one… feats! It goes beyond just the numbers…. its not The Hall of Accounting. Its the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Rarely do you hear from me on who should be a 1st ballot selection for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, I just get excited to see that player or coach to get in. Until now. There isn’t a world where Bill Belichick and his 6 Super Bowls and 333 victories, just short of Don Shula’s 347, should be in Canton the second he was up. I waxed philosophically just a few articles ago why I thought the Buffalo Bills should have hired him. Its abysmal to have media members who vote enact a vendetta against a player or coach who earned their way to cementing their legacies in the PFHoF.
No one anywhere appreciates the PFHoF as I do as I have written letters and articles here advocating for players and coaches. What bothers me is now we’re going to have media members pay back Belichick because he was caustic in press conferences. This isn’t about your personal feelings, this is about honoring the integrity of The Hall and you’re a steward to ensure those deserving make it. Especially when it comes to coaches who are more advanced in age retirement wise vs players. He is 73 years of age and tomorrow is not promised.
You want the Hall of Famer to be able to enjoy the honor among family, teammates and furthermore to be ambassadors of the game. I watched the late Kevin Greene addressing an All America High School team and saw how those players eyes wide and quiet enough to hear a pin drop. You knew they understood they were listening to greatness. In a world devoid of this due to immediate and empty social media type popularity we need more to inspire others to aspire to be the best they can be.
Those who had the greatest careers and deserve to be in on the 1st ballot earned that right. A competitor wants to be the best and have that one up on their contemporaries. To have that stripped away by some writer who was jealous of your success and voting against you to get some revenge is horrible. Are there prejudices that are rearing their head as well?
I thought this when Terrell Owens was passed over when he was up to make the PFHOF on a first ballot in 2017. I applaud him for standing up but held indifference when he decided not to attend the 2018 ceremony and had his own at University of Tennessee Chatanooga. I owe T.O. an apology as I thought he should have attended the festivities in Canton. In the weeks leading up to the ceremony I rememeber having a back and forth with his former receivers Coach Ray Sherman and 49er teammate Derrick Deese on my old Facebook page that went on for several days. Not going in on the 1st ballot cut T.O. deep.
I was invited to attend the enshrinement ceremonies and went to everything. The Gold Jacket Dinner, Enshrinement Ceremony, Jerry Kramer’s party the day of Enshrinement, and the Sunday Round Table Discussion with the enshrinees. On social media I heard so much venom from white fans and I worried it would carry over to the events. I applaud then President David Baker as every time he addressed the audience he made sure to mention Terrell Owens respecfully and when there were murmurs in the audience (Gold Jacket on Thursday) he reiterated “he is a Hall of Famer and we respect his decision and he’s welcome here!” and set the tone the rest of the weekend. I got the chance to thank him for that at the end of the ceremony.
That Saturday getting ready for the Enshrinement Ceremony I watched TO’s ceremony online at his alma mater and it was bittersweet. He should have been in Canton but due to voters who were holding a grudge didn’t vote him in on 1st ballot.
Pro Football Hall of Fame President David Baker
Its time to reorganize the Pro Football Hall of Fame voting. We need some new blood in the arena and some independent voices need to be included who love this game and not leave it to just sportswriters. I, The Chancellor of Football would like a Hall of Fame vote.
Too many old timers are holding grudges, forming subcommittees negotiating “vote for my guy and I’ll vote for yours.” They’re also campaigning against players and coaches which is an embarrassment for Canton.
In 2016 I can remember Kenny Stabler being selected posthumously who should have been in years before. There wasn’t a dry eye in that Gold Jacket arena when his grandson came up to to the stage to accept his HOF crest. Think to Steve McMichael’s enshrinement at home in Chicago. Or former Bengal Reggie Williams today expressing the angst and disappointment his teammate Ken “The Rattler” Riley felt on being overlooked by Canton for many years. He was another voted in posthumously.
Lets stop playing games when legacies are at stake. Make an exception and put Belichick in!!
Kiss the rings.
When I think of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, I think of a treasured museum for everyone who ever played the game, at ANY level, could appreciate. The ongoing history to the greatest sport there is and the telling of that story. Don’t tell me that Emmitt Smith is the greatest if you can’t tell me who Jim Brown was, or OJ Simpson, Ernie Nevers, or who Steve Van Buren was. Someone saying he didn’t see Bronko Nagurski or Red Grange isn’t enough. There are books, the Taylor Blitz Times or more important this incredible museum housing all this history. That’s what makes this building significant.
With it’s enshrinees and special wings to memorable moments, the 92 year history of the NFL, the 10 years of the AFL, and early football pioneers before the NFL, come to life. This is where fathers get to teach sons moments in history… Like the famous “wristband” of Baltimore Colt running back Tom Matte from the 1960s. When injuries to the Colts quarterbacks pressed Matte into service, Don Shula supplied him with a “wristband” with the play calls on it for him to remember. That is how he got through the game as a fill in quarterback.
This is why it is important the players, coaches, innovators, owners and their stories should be here to be told. Its for us to relive moments and future generations to learn how things came to be. The special men who were the embodiment of the very spirit of football.
Last would be one where the fans would have a vote. A write in candidate with a specific number of write in votes by the fans and former players. That number to be determined and the fans (who are the paying customers) would have a little say. Number to be determined later by a committee.
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