1-Man’s Opinion Column-Friday “People Who Made the NFL Great”
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“Best-Going to the Best Place”
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Tomorrow will be a special day for a group of men, who brought us special times in the NFL.
It’s Hall of Fame Day in Canton, Ohio, a time to salute great individual accomplishments, for men who made teams great.
The modern day best warrior goes in. The gunslinger of the Green Bay Packers. Brett Favre, the wild-armed quarterback, who led the Green and Gold to great times. The record setter. The wild-eyed thrower, who wound up with 508-career touchdowns, who fought back from painkiller addictions and injuries, to win a Super Bowl, win MVP honors, and set record after record. Courageous, fiery, flamboyant and a fine teammate.
Tony Dungy served so many so well, as a player, then an assistant under Chuck Noll in Pittsburgh and Denny Green in Minnesota. He rebuilt Tampa Bay, and took woeful Indianapolis to a Super Bowl title. A man of faith, and football, and a friend to so many.
Marvin Harrison was so quiet as a star in the NFL, you hardly knew him. But somebody had to catch all those passes Peyton Manning threw, and he, teaming with Reggie Wayne, were the stars at the other end of all those TD passes. Brilliant on the field, reclusive off it. Special player, special teammate.
Orlando Pace, said little, accomplished a lot. He played the not-so sexy position of left tackle, sometimes in obscurity, sometimes in the shadow of the Rams great quarterback Kurt Warner, and the running back Marshall Faulk, and those receivers, who made up the ‘Greatest Show on Turf”.
Kevin Green will never be mistaken for Lawrence Taylor, or Deacon Jones, who were the architects of the quarterback sacks. But Green, workmanlike, was a big time performer, who seldom got recognition. He just go to the quarterback, and did it well, for the Rams and Steelers.
Kenny Stabler was the rambler-gambler leader of the outlaw Oakland Raiders. He personified all Al Davis ever wanted on the field, flashy, fearless and the fuel that made the Raiders fire go on offense. He didn’t need to throw for 4,000-yards, and 30-TDs in a season. Just make the plays with all the other star players the Raiders surrounded him with. He was the epitome of a Raider, beard, eye patch and all.
Dick Stanfel was part of very good Lions teams and not so good Redskins teams. But for every Bobby Layne or Sonny Jurgensen on a roster, there had to be unsung heroes, and Stanfel was one of them in the 50s and 60s in the old days NFL.
Owners come in all sizes and shapes and personalities. From George Halas to Jerry Jones, lots of guys have had lots of success. None so much as the modern day 49ers, led by Eddie DeBartolo. 5-Super Bowl rings, drafting and developing people many thought would never cut it, from Joe Montana,undersized at Notre Dame, to Mississippi Valley State’s Jerry Rice. Eddie D was brash, brazen, and brilliant. He was the player’s best friend, ran as classy an organization as ever known, and delivered us the greatness of Bill Walsh amongst others.
A quality group as we’ve ever seen go in together. These 8-made the NFL very special, and now their special day in Canton, where their names will be remembered forever on the Hall of Fame busts.
Enjoy writing all your football columns while you still can, Lee. Because this will be the Chargers last season here.
— no political backing, (including the Mayor)
— less than 50% voter approval on any stadium issue
— politics, back-stabbing, infighting, lawsuits, and strife. A major emphasis on the word “lawsuits,” you know.
The Chargers will not put up with this bull crap and the stadium would not be ready for 7 or more years, even if everything finally worked out. THEY ARE MOVING. Yes, they are.
THANKS.