And nobody wants that.

The Giants’ fearsome twosome said Thursday they have no doubt Strahan will be one of the names called from the 17 finalists.

“Is that even a question if he’s going to get in?” Umenyiora said from the Super Bowl festivities in New Orleans. “He better get in or there’s going to be some furniture moving.”

MORE SUPER COVERAGE: CBS Baltimore | CBS San Francisco

Tuck said if his former teammate isn’t called “it’ll be a black-gloom day for the NFL.”

“I don’t see how he’s not a shoo-in for a first-ballot Hall of Famer,” Tuck said.

Strahan retired after New York’s 2007 championship season with 141.5 career sacks, including his record-setting total of 22.5 in 2001. Umenyiora said Strahan was “the greatest defensive end I’ve ever seen play, no question.”

“The way he played year in and year out, longevity, 15-year career, winning the Super Bowl,” said Umenyiora. “He’s one of the greatest defensive players — not just defensive ends — to ever play. To this day I’ve never seen a guy play the way he played. He was literally beating offensive linemen up. It was truly amazing to see.”

The Giants could celebrate times two on Saturday with former head coach Bill Parcells again among the finalists.

“The opportunity is there,” wrote CBSNewYork.com’s Ernie Palladino. “It’s time for the voters to give Parcells his due.”

The selection committee can pick between four and seven new members, with a maximum of five from the 15 modern-era nominees. Finalists need a minimum positive vote of 80 percent for election.

Super Bowl XLVII will be broadcast on CBS, with kickoff set for 6:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Strahan’s a no-doubter. But what about Tuna? Be heard in the comments!

The late Art Modell, who owned the Cleveland Browns and then moved them to Baltimore to become the Ravens, and Ed DeBartolo Jr., of the San Francisco 49ers, could enter the hall on Saturday. They are among 15 modern-day finalists, of which as many as five can be elected.

Modell bought the Browns in 1961 and took them to Baltimore in 1996. He was president of the NFL under then-Commissioner Pete Rozelle from 1967-69 and played an instrumental role in negotiating television contracts for the league. Modell contributed to the creation of Monday night football, too.

“That is always one of those situations that you really try to stay out of, because you don’t know how they vote,” Ravens star linebacker Ray Lewis said. “You can only tell them about the man who I knew myself: a true legend in his own way, a real visionary who changed thousands and thousands of lives. For the impact he’s had on this business and what he’s done for so many in this business, for me – I am a little biased – I would say, `Why wouldn’t he be in the Hall of Fame?’”

DeBartolo purchased the 49ers in 1977. Soon, they were winning championships: five Super Bowls in as many tries.

During DeBartolo’s tenure, the team made 16 playoff appearances, won 13 division titles and played in 10 conference championship games.

[worldnow id=8211163 width=435 height=270 type=video]

But he also was suspended the 1999 season by the NFL after being found guilty of failing to report a bribe by a government official, a felony. He divested ownership of the 49ers to family members.

“I’m hoping Eddie gets into the hall because any time you can accomplish winning five Super Bowls and what he brought to the game of football, he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame,” said Jerry Rice, the most accomplished receiver in NFL history and a HOF enshrinee. “I think this society’s supposed to be about forgiveness and stuff like that. It’s time for Eddie DeBartolo to get into the hall.”

(Copyright 2013 CBS San Francisco.

Eight time Pro-bowl and eight time All-Pro Center Kevin Mawae talks about his career in the NFL. Also Kevin talks about being the President of the Players Association.

Former NFL Placekicker Morten Anderson about his career and the possibility of entering the Hall of Fame.

Five time Pro-Bowl and 1991 MVP Thurman Thomas talks the running game in the NFL today, as well the Ravens versus 49ers Superbowl.

• First off, I certainly do not blame Ozzie for following Art to Baltimore.  No one should have expected him to remain jobless or turn down a tremendous offer.  He is not the villain here.
• What did he honestly think would come of publishing this piece in a Cleveland newspaper?  All is forgiven and we would finally see Art Modell differently?  No.  He is still a rat bastard that is the Judas of Cleveland history.  I thought he was an asshole when he was alive; just because he is deceased does not change my opinion of him.
• Next.  No, you are no longer a Cleveland Brown, Ozzie.  You can say you are a part of the Browns history, but you are not a Cleveland Brown.  You are a Baltimore Raven.  Your entire job is to make a AFC North Division rival the best team possible and to beat the Browns.  You are not a Cleveland Brown.  This is as if LeBron James said he is and always will be a Cleveland Cavalier.  Neither of you are.
• How would you feel if you were a Ravens fan if one of your executives said he is and always will be a Cleveland Brown?  I wouldn’t be too happy, myself.
• Ozzie, your credibility on this matter is void after cashing numerous checks from the man after your life in Cleveland.  You’re biased and you are not going to sway anyone’s opinion.
• Lastly, fuck Art Modell.  GO BROWNS!!!

So there you have my quick rant expressing just one Cleveland fan’s opinion.

@Andy_CTOWN

One of the greatest offensive tackles to play the game, Anthony Munoz looks back at his meetings with the Steelers, and admits he was happy to face them after the Steel Curtain was past its prime.

The former Bengal great doesn’t know what to make of the Ray Lewis situation, and he wonders how anyone can still not consider Joe Flacco an elite quarterback.

[audio_link url="http://cbspittsburgh.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/anthonymunoz013013.mp3" name="Pro Football Hall of Famer Anthony Munoz" artist="Vinnie & Cook"]

Former Patriot and Raider Michael Haynes was one of the best cornerbacks of the late 1970s and 1980s, and he looks at how defending the passing game has changed since his playing days.

Michael also credits Steeler Hall of Famer Mel Blount for helping to put him on the right path to Canton, and previews how he would have tried to shut down Randy Moss.

[audio_link url="http://cbspittsburgh.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/michaelhaynes013013.mp3" name="Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Haynes" artist="Vinnie & Cook"]

Voting will take place this weekend in New Orleans and it’s expected to be a close call as to whether or not he will be elected to football’s sacred hall which resides 45 minutes down I-77 in Canton, Ohio.

Modell passed away Sept. 6, 2012. His death revived his candidacy – for a posthumous induction.

Although he was among those instrumental in bringing former NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle and the TV networks together, Modell’s true NFL legacy isn’t television, Monday Night Football or even helping with the AFL-NFL merger.

Not by a long shot.

The moment that then Maryland governor Parris Glendening stood in front of a crowd on a bright sunny day in downtown Baltimore on Nov. 6, 1995, held up a stack of papers and declared, “We have a signed contract at hand, the Browns are indeed coming to Baltimore,” all bets were off.

What took place in secret on private jet parked on a runway and then at that podium in the fall of 1995 transcended the NFL and reverberated throughout the NBA, NHL and MLB.

“Frankly, it came down to a simple proposition, I had no choice,” Modell claimed.

The edict was set for cities and states nationwide.

You will build it, pay for it or we will move.

If the Browns could leave Cleveland, no team is sacred or safe.

And so a building boom of brand new stadiums, ballparks and arenas commenced around the country.

To this day, teams continue to get new taxpayer funded homes or they move.

Seattle lost the Super Sonics to Oklahoma City but appear to be getting them back by stealing the Kings from Sacramento. Meanwhile NHL franchises have been moving like a merry go round.

Major League Baseball has been fortunate in avoiding recent relocation of teams because of a bevy of brand new ballparks.

Since the Browns became the Baltimore Ravens following the 1995 season, 16 brand new NFL only stadiums opened (excluding expansion to Carolina and Jacksonville in 1996 and Houston in 2002).

5 other NFL stadiums have been completely renovated, 2 more are in line for renovations (Rams and Bills) and the Vikings and 49ers have new stadiums under construction.

The Panthers have put Charlotte and North Carolina on notice that they want their stadium renovated. The Atlanta Falcons want the Georgia Dome, which opened in 1992 and has been upgraded several times, replaced.

Miami, which was just bilked by the Marlins for a new ballpark which could end up costing over $1 billion to finance, is being pressured by the Dolphins to redo Sun Life Stadium. The NFL is holding a sledgehammer over the team and city to get it done before receiving another Super Bowl in South Florida.

The Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers still have unresolved stadium issues but all of the stadium ‘concerns’ will be resolved because the NFL has the ultimate bargaining chip to hold over all 5 cities – Los Angeles.

The relocation of the Raiders back to Oakland and the Rams to St. Louis left L.A. without pro football since 1995 but was the best thing to happen to the NFL besides Modell’s despicable defection.

Having the 2nd largest TV market vacant with a pair of stadium plans on standby has been the catalyst for getting new stadiums built.

That is Modell’s legacy and what he should be remembered for – ensuring that billionaires have the construction or remodeling of their facilities funded by it’s fans through taxes and be virtually free of charge for them to use.

Regardless of the local politics involved, Modell’s lies, deceit and poor business practices have been well documented and are undeniable.

Modell was so incompetent as an owner that even after he ripped the heart out of northeast Ohio by stealing the Browns so he could get a brand new sweetheart stadium lease in Baltimore, he still had to sell the Ravens because he went broke – again.

That alone makes him not hall of fame worthy as an owner.

But if the voters consider holding loyal fans and municipalities hostage as worthy of the ultimate honor, then Modell is definitely a hall of famer.

In fact he should be the head of the class since it’s now the NFL’s business model.

The only city where he should be honored is Baltimore where the team that he used to own and was forced to sell will appear in it’s second Super Bowl since leaving Cleveland in shambles.

Not Canton.

Follow @RuiterWrongFAN

It’s that time of the year again as the NFL takes a one week break until the biggest game of the season and one of the biggest sporting events of the year. As the league takes a break from playing there are still plenty of events to look forward to. One of these events is the announcement of the new Hall of Fame Class that will enter Canton. The Pro Football Hall of Fame is not the same tight knit group as some of the hall of fames in the big leagues. It has recently become one of the more open hall of fames with close to five players entering the hall almost every year. For many this means that more than the best are getting in to the hall reducing the lore of the honour. Last year did nothing to stop this pattern though as the Pro Football Hall of Fame would induct one of the least worthy classes in its history. Many of the players who made it into the hall were very good players but considering the players they beat the majority of them did not deserve that honour. Dermontti Dawson, Chris Doleman, Cortez Kennedy, Curtis Martin, and Willie Roaf were all inducted into the hall of fame last year. The entire class was not overly impressive and when nominees like Tim Brown, Jerome Bettis, Andre Reed, Bill Parcells, and Cris Carter were all overlooked the class looked that much worse. Now the Hall enters another year with another class that seems to be loaded with more talent than most other classes. This year there will be plenty of talent looking to make the hall all with the credentials to be added to the busts in Canton. Not all of them will make it in though as there are more than enough   great players to fill this year’s hall of fame class. With so many potential candidates to enter the hall this year here are a few stories to watch for as the Pro Football Hall of Fame elects their 2013 class.

The 2012 Snubs

2012 was a strange year for the Football Hall of Fame as they would elect a number of questionable players. Yes all of them were good players but they were not the best of the best in league at their positions. That is what the hall of fame should be as it should be all about as only the best players and those who made the biggest impact on the game should be in the hall of fame. This is what made the exclusion of Jerome Bettis and Bill Parcells so strange in 2012. Jerome Bettis would retire as the sixth leading rusher in the history of the NFL but more importantly would have a major impact on the league. He would defy all odds as a man who looked like a linebacker with the feet of a wide receiver playing running back. Meanwhile Bill Parcells would represent the top coaching finalist as a longtime member of the NFL. Parcells is widely considered one of the best coaches in the history of the NFL with a 172-130-1 record and a larger than life personality. Both of these finalists from last year have had a major impact on the game and yet both were passed up in their first year of eligibility. Maybe both did not deserve a first ballot election but at least one should already be in while the other should have gone in the year after. This year they are both back on the finalist ballot and if neither are elected they may be close to entering the long list of biggest snubs in hall of fame history.

Battle of the Builders

The Pro Football Hall of Fame is not only limited to those who stepped on the field as it also honours those who made their impact in the boxes of the stadiums. The builder category is always a more difficult one to judge as they do not have records or statistics to judge them. Instead the builders are judged solely on the impact of their roles on the NFL as a whole. This year there are two builders who will be up for election into the hall of fame and they will be judged on the roles they have played as owners in the NFL. Eddie DeBartolo Jr. is one of the most successful owners in the history of the NFL. From 1977 he has owned the San Francisco 49ers and has been such an instrumental part to one of the most successful franchises in the NFL that he has been asked to introduce multiple players into the hall. He will be up against the most polarizing owners of the past few decades. In Baltimore Art Modell is the savior as he brought football back to Baltimore in 1996 after the team left for Indianapolis in 1983. In Cleveland he is a villain who stole football from one of the original cities of the NFL moving the Cleveland Browns to Baltimore in 1996. Both of these builders will not get into the hall this year and with Modell passing away at the beginning of the year he may get the votes. Either way one of these two should enter the hall as both have made their impact on the league.

The First Ballots

The biggest debate in almost every single year of the hall of fame is the inclusion of first ballot hall of famers. The first ballot distinction in the hall of fame is one of the most sacred of distinctions in the NFL. Making it to the hall of fame is a tremendous honour in itself as it makes you one of the best players in NFL history. One step above making it into the hall of fame is to make it into the hall of fame without any question. Players generally do not get the recognition they deserve only a few years after they retire. That means that those players who are elected to the hall of fame in their first year of eligibility have something special. It is an exclusive club that is reserved for the players that you watch and immediately know where they will end up after they retire. This year there will be four players who have a chance to join that group of the first ballot hall of famers. Jonathan Ogden and Larry Allen are two very good offensive lineman with a shot but being offensive lineman is not the easiest way to get in on the first ballot. The two best chances will be two defensive lineman in Warren Sapp and Michael Strahan. Sapp was a loud mouth defensive tackle who disturbed plenty of run games while Strahan was the constantly smiling defensive end who still holds the record for most sacks in a single season. Two of the biggest personalities with plenty of statistics behind them will be the two best shots at becoming first ballot hall of famers.

Receivers Remain

Skill players are generally the most celebrated athletes in the NFL as they are the ones who get the stats. The skill players include wide receivers and for the last three years there have been three receivers who have not received their due. Andre Reed, Time Brown, and Cris Carter have all sat on the outside looking in for a long time. All three will never make it in together on the same ballot as multiple players in the same position rarely make it in together. These three receivers are also not necessarily first ballot hall of famers but they did make their impact on the NFL. Andre Reed was the top offensive weapon on a team that would make the Super Bowl four years in a row. He was Buffalo’s biggest player and was a great receiver in a period where the Bills were the best team in the AFC. Cris Carter is one of the top receivers to ever step foot on the NFL field. He would be that player who only caught touchdowns and with 130 touchdowns in his career he will once again be hoping to get that call. Time Brown was one of the most versatile players of his time with over 19,000 all-purpose yards. He would be consistent throughout his time and when the best wide receivers are mention inevitably his name comes up. All three of these receivers have been waiting to get in and as the year move on it seems more likely that none of them will get in. At least one of these receivers would already be in the hall and if they are all denied again all three will continue to be debated for years to come.

2013 Hall of Fame Finalists:
Larry Allen, G/T (Dallas Cowboys)
Jerome Bettis, RB (Pittsburgh Steelers)
Tim Brown, WR (Oakland Raiders)
Cris Carter, WR (Minnesota Vikings)
Curley Cup, DT (Kansas City Chiefs)
Edward DeBartolo Jr., Owner (San Francisco 49ers)
Kevin Greene, LB (Los Angeles Rams)
Charles Haley, DE/LB (San Francisco 49ers)
Art Modell, Owner (Cleveland Browns/Baltimore Ravens)
Jonathan Ogden, T (Baltimore Ravens)
Bill Parcells, Head Coach (New York Giants)
Andre Reed, WR (Buffalo Bills)
Dave Robinson, LB (Green Bay Packers)
Warren Sapp, DT (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Will Shields, G (Kansas City Chiefs)
Michael Strahan, DE (New York Giants)
Aeneas Williams, CB/S (Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals)

Modell is one of 15 finalists for the 2013 Hall of Fame Class.  Modell will forever be known in Cleveland as the owner who moved the Cleveland Browns to Baltimore, a move that still stings many Browns fans to this day.

Modell became active in NFL leadership, serving as NFL President and even helped lure TV contracts, including bringing NFL Football to Monday nights.

Modell’s fate rests with the 46-member media panel of Hall of Fame Selectors. He died on September 6, 2012.

Vote in our below webpoll.

[audio_link url="http://cbscleveland.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/garceu.mp3" artist="Kiley & Booms" name="Scott Garceau 1/28/13" config_file="config.xml"]

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January 24, 2013 at 04:36 p.m.

Aldon Smith set a San Francisco 49ers record with 19.5 sacks in 2012. You wouldn’t think he needs many tips.

Smith, however, hasn’t had a sack since Dec. 9. So he listened when Charles Haley had a few suggestions for him before last week’s NFC Championship Game.

“He gave me tips in our first five seconds of talking,” Smith told Comcast SportsNet Bay Area on Wednesday. “It was legit. He said, ‘You need to turn your foot like this and start rushing like that.’ And I was like, ‘All right.’ ”

The 49ers coaches added up eight hits and 10 pressures on Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan for Smith. Haley, who is a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, just might know what he’s talking about.

“You can tell he played football and was a great player,” Smith said. “He was really intense. You can tell it’s still inside of him. He has a lot of things that made him successful, and he wants to share his knowledge.”

The last thing the Baltimore Ravens want on Super Bowl Sunday is Smith finding his groove. Baltimore allowed 38 sacks during the regular season — the 13th most of 32 teams. Joe Flacco isn’t a threat with his feet, so pass protection will be an even bigger priority against a dangerous 49ers front seven.

from:  http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000130653/article/aldon-smith-benefits-from-charles-haleys-sack-tips

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Aldon Smith was born on September 25th, 1989 according to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aldon_Smith

September 25th, 1989

9 + 25 +1+9+8+9 = 61 = his life lesson = Strategy.  Planning.  Having a back-up plan.  Elusive.  Pursuit.  Sneaking through pass protection.

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September 25th, 1989

September 25th

9 + 25 +2+0+1+2 = 39 = his personal year (from September 25th, 2012 to September 24th, 2013) = Dream come true.

39 year + 1 (January) = 40 = his personal month (from January 25th, 2013 to February 24th, 2013) = Doing his part.  Harbaugh brothers.  Harbowl.

40 month + 3 (3rd of the month on Sunday February 3rd, 2013) = 43 = his personal day = Congratulations.  Celebrating.

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Sex Numerology available at:

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learn numerology from numerologist to the world, Ed Peterson:

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predictions for the year 2013 are at:

http://predictionsyear2013.com/

(Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

CBS sports columnist Clark Judge joins the Scott Garceau Show and discusses the up coming Superbowl between the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers. Clark Judge breaks down the Baltimore offense vs the San Francisco defense.

LISTEN: 

Clark talks about how Colin  Kaepernick’s inexperience could play a factor in the outcome of the Superbowl. Clark gives us his picks for the inductee’s into the Football Hall of Fame, as well as his take on Bill Callahan.

The 49-45 upset of UCLA put [[_]] and Edgerrin James on the map. Miami return to prominence happend that day.

Since Miami had been down for years following NCAA sanctions, this was the first national glimpse of this immense talent. What followed in the April draft 4 months later added more pressure. Everyone forgets the Indianapolis Colts had drafted Marshall Faulk to resurrect the franchise in 1994 and had just drafted Peyton Manning in the previous year. Having traded Faulk away, it was a forgone conclusion they needed a running back in the #4 spot and Heisman winner Ricky Williams from Texas was there for the taking. General Manager Bill Polian opted to take Edgerrin James instead and it was this move that solidified the franchise. Some experts doubted James calling him a one game wonder.

Going into the 1999 NFL season Edgerrin had a lot to live up to. Could he consistently show the power and speed he displayed to a nation when he dismantled UCLA in that landmark game?? How in the world did he get selected ahead of a Heisman winner who just rushed for 2,124 yards and 28 TDs and was considered a can’t miss NFL superstar by pundits and coaches?? If that weren’t enough, Faulk had been a 1,000 yard rusher 4 times in 5 years including 1,319 yards rushing and 908 yards receiving in 1998. Marshall caught 86 passes and had scored 10 touchdowns in a Pro Bowl season and a rookie that wasn’t Ricky Williams was supposed to top that?? The Colts had been 3-13 in 1998 and now Edgerrin is going to be paired with a second year QB that threw 28 interceptions as a rookie?? No way….

Edgerrin James99

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In leading the NFL in rushing with 1,553 yards and scoring 17 TDs he laid to rest the competition with Ricky Williams who gained 884 and only 2 touchdowns in an injury plagued year. In the video you just heard that he had a rookie year better than 5 of the 6 who had been rookie rushing champions. First include Hall of Fame member Earl Campbell who gained 1,450 yards in his initial campaign. He also outrushed Hall of Fame member Jim Brown in his. Now someone will scoff Brown played in a shorter season and he did, but his 942 yards in 12 games comes out to 78.5 per game. Far fewer than the 97 yards per game James accumulated while helping the Colts go 13-3 and win their first AFC East division championship since 1987.

James in contemplation before the 2005 AFC Divisional Playoff against Pittsburgh.

For an encore he became the first back since Eric Dickerson to start his career with back to back rushing titles in 2000. In his greatest season he ran for 1,709 yards with 13 TDs while catching 63 passes for 594 yards and another 5 scores. If you’re keeping score at home that is 4,444 yards from scrimmage and 35 touchdowns in just 2 years. The only back that could compete with that was Marshall Faulk who had gone on to power The Greatest Show on Turf Rams.

In 2001 James suffered a devastating knee injury and missed 10 games which sank the Super Bowl aspirations of the Colts. In the following season he only rushed for 989 yards and 2 touchdowns. His average had dropped from 4.4 in the previous 3 years to 3.6 and the whispers around the league were he’d never be the same. Not only did he bounce back, over the next 5 seasons he topped 1,000 yards rushing including 2 with over 1,500 yards in 2004 & 2005. Five seasons with over 1,000 yards rushing after reconstructive knee surgery…what was there left to accomplish??

Unfortunately the Colts regular season successes didn’t equal playoff success. The ’99 season ended when Indianapolis was upset 19-13  by the eventual AFC Champion Tennessee Titans. Post season losses to the Jets, Patriots, and finally the Steelers in 2005 kept James from winning it all with Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison. The three had been the face of the team for 7 years together and his contract was up. The salary they would have to bring him back as a free agent would have crippled the franchise. Yet Colts owner Jim Irsay thought so much of James and his contribution to the organization that when the Colts did win it all in 2006, he presented him with a Colts Super Bowl ring even though he now played for the Arizona Cardinals. A classy move.

A triumphant James walks off the field after winning the NFC Championship.

What looked like the swan song for James turned out to be false, he had one more surprise for critics that claimed he had lost a step. In 2007 he teamed with Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald on an improbable run to Super Bowl XLIII the very next year. Most of the publicity went to Warner since he was a reclamation project that arose like Lazarus, yet they don’t make it without James’ 1,222 yards rushing and 7 touchdowns.The combination of James on the ground, Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald downfield proved too much as the 9-7 Cardinals soared through the playoffs. They beat Atlanta, Carolina, and finally the Philadelphia Eagles 32-25 in the NFC Championship. Only to lose the Super Bowl on a last second touchdown to the Steelers 27-23 in one of the best games ever.

However every good thing must come to an end and James had led an incredible football life. Think about his accomplishments and what can be attributed to him. How many recruits chose to go to Miami after watching his exploits against UCLA that day when all other teams were not playing?? Miami had received the Death Penalty and had been down for four years after dominating college football for a decade. His performance announced the return of Hurricane football. In the next three years after his 1999 graduation, Miami won the Sugar Bowl and played in two straight national championships winning one in 2001. How many running backs went to The [[_]] because of his influence?? Clinton Portis, Willis McGahee, and Frank Gore came right after him. It was alleged he even donated $250,000 to the school at one time.

How about his low-key personality and league wide respect he garnered while he played with the Colts?? He was one of the first superstars that wore dreadlocks and coming from Miami he broke many stigmas that are unfairly attached to Hurricanes from a nation wide perspective. He was never in trouble away from the field and was thought of so highly he was given a Super Bowl ring for the team he no longer played for. Think about that for a second. All of this in the era of the “ME” athlete. When was the last time you heard of such things in the era of free agency?? Did the San Francisco 49ers give Joe Montana a Super Bowl ring when they won in 1994 after Joe left in 1993?? Give that some thought…

James and Colts Owner Jim Irsay at the Ring of Honor Ceremony.

He completed his career with seven 1,000 yard seasons in his career.  Finishing with 12,246 yards 80TDs, to go along with 443 receptions 3,364 yards and another 11 TDs. Up until his arrival in 1999 the Indianapolis Colts hadn’t won their division in 12 years. Afterward they won it 5 times during his tenure. In Arizona, the Cardinals had not played for the NFL championship since 1947 until James arrived. 1947??? That is 60 years!! He was voted All Pro four times and led the league in rushing twice. In a Hoosier Dome that once had Eric Dickerson and Marshall Faulk as tenants, it’s James who is the franchise’s all time leading rusher with 9,226 yards and 64 touchdowns. He’s also been inducted into the ring of honor for both the Miami Hurricanes and the Indianapolis Colts.

For induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, I present to you, from The [[_]], Edgerrin James!!

Thanks for reading and please share the article.

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With the recent announcement of the 2013 Pro Football Hall of Fame finalists, Redskins fans could only shake their heads at the obvious omission of former “Hog,” left tackle Joe Jacoby.

Despite leading his offensive line to four Super Bowls (winning three), with four Pro Bowl nods and two All-Pro selections, Jacoby has been snubbed since his retirement in 1993. He was one-of-27 semifinalists announce in November, but must now wait until next year for this just deserts.

According to Pro-Football-Reference.com, Jacoby’s career performance is comparable to the likes of Willie Anderson, Jeff Saturday, Flozell Adams and Stan Jones; several of which have been or are expected to be inducted into Canton.

The only difference between these players and Jacoby, are his three Super Bowl rings with three different starting quarterbacks.

Redskins Historian Mike Richman helps put his career in perspective, as the man on the outside looking in at his rightful place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

By Mike Richman

The Redskins Historian

It was the opening day of training camp in July 1981 at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pa., when first-year Redskins head coach Joe Gibbs looked at another new arrival, 6-7, 300-pound Joe Jacoby, and automatically mistook him for a defensive lineman.

Offensive line coach Joe Bugel had helped recruit Jacoby, an undrafted rookie free agent out of Louisville.

“I must have spent 20 minutes telling him about the great chance he had to make the team as a defensive tackle,” Gibbs said. “He never said a word to me, never corrected me. We already had so many offensive line prospects. I walked out of my office and yelled for Joe Bugel.

“I said, ‘For cripes sake, Joe, why do we need another offensive lineman? You’ve got 18 of them already. We can’t coach that many. If we’ve signed him, can we get out of it?’”

It’s a good thing the Redskins did not give up on Jacoby, for he developed into one of the top offensive linemen in team history.

He played every position but center during his 13-year career (1981-93) in Washington, but left tackle is where he made the greatest impact.

He was the premiere NFL player at that position during the 1980s, earning four straight trips to the Pro Bowl (1983-86). He played in 170 games, one of the top marks in team history, and started 146.

Jacoby has been nominated for entry into the Pro Football Hall of Fame several times and was named one of the 70 Greatest Redskins in 2002 to honor the franchise’s 70-year anniversary.

He will likely be best remembered as a key member of “The Hogs,” the Redskins’ famed offensive line of the Gibbs era that was instrumental in the franchise’s four trips to the Super Bowl, three of which resulted in NFL championships.

“Jake was one of the best things that ever happened to us,” said Gibbs, who coached Jacoby for 12 of his 13 seasons. “Shows you what I know about a prospect.”

Jacoby said it was an honor playing for the Redskins during their years of dominance in the 1980s and early ‘90s.

“It was a very special group, a very special time,” he said. “When you look back on it, it was so special because you see the way things have gone with the Redskins since those years. The players and coaches that went through there–we may not see each other on a day-to-day basis anymore, but when we do get together we re-live some of the great times we had when we were playing.”

Jacoby embodied mental toughness as a player. Case in point: he refused to give up on himself despite going undrafted in 1981 after a successful college career at Louisville, where the left tackle co-captained the Cardinals as a senior and led them to the Independence Bowl.

Redskins general manager Bobby Beathard and Joe Bugel both gave Jacoby a tryout and, impressed by the player no other team wanted, signed him as a free agent.

After convincing the coaching staff of his natural talents at left tackle, he assumed the starting spot at that position midway through the 1981 season.

According to Jacoby, Beathard just had an uncanny knack for finding those “diamond in the rough” players who dotted the Redskins’ roster during the Gibbs era.

“Certain scouts and people who go out looking at talent just have a certain knack,” Jacoby said. “It doesn’t mean [Beathard] was always right. But he was more right than wrong in finding talent. He would go to obscure places and look for players and find them.”

Jacoby also had strong praise for Bugel, calling him a great motivator and an expert at teaching techniques to offensive linemen.

Bugel also had an imagination that enabled him to coin the team “Hogs,” which he used largely to create a camaraderie and identity on an offensive line with a blue collar, hard-nosed image.

The nickname was conceived before the 1982 season, when the line consisted of Jacoby, left guard Russ Grimm, center Jeff Bostic, right guard Mark May, right tackle George Starke and tight ends Don Warren and Rick ‘Doc’ Walker.

“Bugel wanted to keep us all together, keep that sort of college atmosphere,” Jacoby said. “We had to wear a ‘Hogs’ tee-shirt one day a week, and we were fined if we didn’t wear it. The money went into a pool for a party at the end of the year.

“That’s how he built camaraderie among us on the line. His comment was, ‘For the next six months, you two [on the left side of the line] are married. Know each other better than you would your wife.’

“That’s how he related to the players. We performed great as a team because we knew each other so well.”

“The Hogs” became a household term in the Washington area, as the Redskins romped through the league for the next decade.

Jacoby, meanwhile, used his mammoth size to establish himself as arguably the best run blocker of the 1980s, as he battled such defensive stars as Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor, Cowboys linemen Randy White, Harvey Martin and Jim Jeffcoat and Eagles linemen Clyde Simmons and Reggie White.

Jacoby helped open holes for 240-pound John Riggins, the most prolific runner in Redskins history.

Jacoby was also the first offensive tackle not to take a three-point stance in obvious passing situations, an innovation criticized by many before it became standard practice.

Throughout his career, Jacoby was able to overcome injuries to the elbows, hips, neck, hands and knees. But midway through the 1993 season, an undetermined number of bulging disks in his back sidelined him for good.

He officially retired in July 1994 to own a car dealership in Warrenton, Va.

“To say I coached Joe Jacoby is one of the thrills of my coaching career,” said former Redskins offensive line coach Jim Hanifan. “Everyone can see the size and strength that made him a great football player, but what I’ll remember most about Jake is a heart that is as big as the man himself. Few players every played the game the way Joe Jacoby played it.”

Mike Richman is a Redskins Historian and author of The Redskins Encyclopedia and the Washington Redskins Football Vault. You can follow Mike on Facebook, Twitter, or by visiting his website.

The most comparable NFL teams to the Bernie’s Yankees were the San Francisco 49ers of the 1980s and ’90s, the Pittsburgh Steelers of the 1970s and the Green Bay Packers of the 1960s.

I’ll leave the 49ers out of this consideration for a couple reasons:

1. Their titles were more spread out, four titles in nine years, five titles in 14 years. With a wider spread of years, they had more turnover of players. In fact, they have two quarterbacks from that era, Joe Montana and Steve Young, in the Hall of Fame.
2. More of their players remain in Hall of Fame consideration. Charles Haley is a finalist this year. Maybe Roger Craig, John Taylor, Ken Norton or Randy Cross will make it someday, too. So it’s harder to say how many 49ers will eventually make it to Canton. (Montana, Young, Jerry Rice, Ronnie Lott,  and Fred Dean are already in the Hall of Fame, along with Coach Bill Walsh and three players who made most of their case for the Hall of Fame with other teams, Deion Sanders, Rickey Jackson and Richard Dent).

Instead, we’ll examine the Steelers and Packers. The Yankees won four championships in five years (and made two more World Series in the next three years). The Steelers won four championships in six years. The Packers won five championships in seven years (and played for the title the year before winning their first championship). So all three teams won at least four championships over six years. These were some of the greatest dynasties in sports history.

Here are the Steelers from that era in the Hall of Fame: Mel Blount, Terry Bradshaw, Joe Greene, Jack Ham, Franco Harris, Jack Lambert, John Stallworth, Lynn Swann, Mike Webster (plus Coach Chuck Noll). That’s nine players, or 41 percent of the 22 starters (with only one full-time placekicker and no full-time punters in the Hall of Fame, we don’t need to count them). That’s close to a complete list, but some people still are campaigning for L.C. Greenwood.

Here are the Packers from that era in the Hall of Fame: Herb Adderley, Willie Davis, Forrest Gregg, Paul Hornung, Henry Jordan, Ray Nitschke, Jim Ringo, Bart Starr, Jim Taylor, Willie Wood, plus legendary Coach Vince Lombardi. That’s 10 of 22, and Dave Robinson is a finalist this year who could make it 50 percent of the starters. And don’t count out Jerry Kramer, a five-time All-Pro who threw maybe the most famous block in NFL history.

Let’s say that the eight daily position players, the designated hitter, the five starters and the bullpen ace are equivalent to the starters on the football team, 15 people playing roles that give you a shot at the Hall of Fame. So if the Baseball Hall of Fame selections worked the way that the Pro Football Hall of Fame does, 40 to 50 percent would mean six to eight Yankees from the 1990s would make the Hall of Fame.

It’s too early to say who will make the Hall of Fame from the Yankees of the 1990s and early 2000s. Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter are slam dunks. Roger Clemens would be automatic if not for the suspicion (despite his perjury acquittal) of using performance-enhancing drugs. Wade Boggs is already in the Hall of Fame, but more for his performance as a Red Sox player (more comparable to Richard Dent, who’s in the Hall of Fame primarily for his play with the Bears, than to any Packers or Steelers). I don’t think he should be counted in a comparison to the Packers and Steelers.

Alex Rodriguez, another automatic Hall of Famer on record who’s tainted by drugs, came along after the championship run that Bernie led. He’s most comparable to Steve Young in the 49ers, but he doesn’t have a Packers or Steelers counterpart. Since we’re looking at the run of four titles in five years, he doesn’t count. Even if we extended through the 2003 World Series, A-Rod didn’t arrive until the next year. Randy Johnson, a sure Hall of Famer, didn’t join the Yankees until 2005.

I’ve already noted that Andy Pettitte and Jorge Posada probably won’t make Cooperstown, but they would be strong contenders if baseball worked like football does, Pettitte probably a stronger contender than Williams, Posada about even with Bernie. David Cone probably won’t make the Hall of Fame, but if baseball honored champions the way football does, his 194 wins, a Cy Young Award, a perfect game and 8-3 post-season record would merit induction.

Bernie would be right up there with Pettitte, Posada and Cone in getting Hall of Fame consideration, and all four would make it to Cooperstown if baseball valued championships the way football does. With a .297 career batting average, 287 homers, 2,336 hits, 1,257 RBI, four Gold Gloves and a batting championship, he’s a little short of Hall of Fame levels for his regular-season career. You can find some people in the Hall with similar numbers or worse, but most with careers like that don’t get in. But his championships and post-season performance would seal the deal if baseball’s hall worked the way football’s does, especially since he was the team leader in the early years of the dynasty, before Jeter gained enough stature and experience to be the leader.

No other players from the Yankees’ dynasty would work into the first six to make the Hall of Fame. Tim Raines probably will make the Hall of Fame someday, but he’ll be there mostly for his play with the Expos and to a lesser extent the White Sox. Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden could have been Hall of Famers if they’d stayed away from recreational drugs, but they would have made the Hall primarily for their play for the Mets. And they didn’t stay away from drugs.

Paul O’Neill, Tino Martinez and David Wells might be comparable to some of the Packers or Steelers in the Hall of Fame, but I don’t think any of them has as strong a Hall of Fame case as Williams.

It’s pretty clear that if the Yankees got six to eight players in the Hall of Fame, Bernie would be one of them.

So let’s compare Bernie to some of the Steelers and Packers in the Hall of Fame. In his 16-year career, Bernie was a five-time All-Star. Here are the numbers of Pro Bowls and years played for Steelers and Packers with five or fewer years in the Pro Bowl:  Stallworth 4, 14; Swann, 3, 9; Blount, 5, 14; Bradshaw, 3, 14. Adderley, 5, 9. Davis, 5, 10; Hornung, 2, 9; Jordan, 4, 13; Starr, 4, 16; Taylor, 5, 10; Nitschke, 1, 15 (that’s an oddity, though; he was selected as an All-Pro seven times. I don’t know why that happened; he was clearly a bigger football star than Williams was in baseball). In terms of All-Star selections, Williams is comparable to more than half of the Steelers and Packers, even if you don’t count Nitschke.

I think all-star selections are a fair comparison, though they aren’t exactly parallel. Football careers tend to be shorter (only Starr matched Williams’ 16-year career in the group above), but football doesn’t have baseball’s rule requiring every team to be represented at the All-Star Game, which sometimes squeezes out a couple deserving players. Three times Bernie was chosen to the All-Star team as a reserve by his own manager, Joe Torre, because the World Series skippers manage the All-Star game. However, baseball’s All-Star Game is played mid-season, so it doesn’t necessarily reflect the number of great seasons a player had, while the Pro Bowl teams are chosen toward the end of the season.

Statistics are a tougher comparison, since baseball has one set of offensive statistics for all players and football has three (rushing, passing and receiving) that cover different players and don’t cover linemen. And tackles and sacks weren’t kept as stats when the Packers and Steelers dynasties played. But Bernie’s rank in baseball history similar the stats of some Packer/Steeler Hall of Famers.

Starr ranks 66th all-time in passing yards, between Tommy Kramer and Charley Johnson on the all-time list. The five players right above him and the five right below him on the list include only one Hall of Famer, Bob Griese, a two-time Super Bowl winner. Bradshaw ranks 49th, right between Ron Jaworski and Ken Stabler (both of whom he beat in post-season games and neither of whom is in the Hall of Fame). The 10 quarterbacks surrounding him include only two Hall of Famers, both Super Bowl champions: Joe Namath and Len Dawson. The two quarterbacks’ rankings are similar (Bradshaw 58th, Starr 79th) among leaders in completions and Starr’s rank is similar (77th) among touchdown leaders. Bradshaw ranks 25th in TD’s, but the retired players immediately above and below, John Brodie and Jim Hart, are not Hall of Famers.

Stallworth ranks 101st all-time in receptions, right between Marty Booker and Haywood Jeffires. The only Hall of Famers within five of him on the all-time receiving list are a tight end, Kellen Winslow, and a player who started out as a running back, Bobby Mitchell. In fact, a full-time running back, Emmitt Smith, is close behind at 108th. Swann doesn’t even crack the top 250 all-time receivers. Stallworth and Swann rank 63rd and 201st in receiving yards and 55th and 100th in receiving touchdowns.

Taylor ranks 36th in career rushing, right between Terry Allen and Earnest Byner on the all-time list. Earl Campbell is the only Hall of Famer within five places of him. Taylor is 15th in rushing touchdowns, clearly in Hall of Fame territory, within five places of Harris, Tony Dorsett, Eric Dickerson and Curtis Martin, as well as Jerome Bettis, who’s a finalist this year and certain to make it eventually. I’ll leave Taylor out of this discussion. He was the second-best running back of his time, behind Jim Brown, and his Hall of Fame case transcends his championships.

Hornung ranks 216th in career rushing yards, with a quarterback, Fran Tarkenton, the only Hall of Famer in the neighborhood. He ranks higher, 66th, in touchdowns, tied with Joe Morris and Wendell Tyler. There isn’t a Hall of Famer in the neighborhood. Hornung was a kicker, too, but he only ranks 87th in career scoring. He’s 140th in career field goals. Still, it’s hard to make comparisons involving Hornung. His kicking, his “Golden Boy” reputation and his gambling suspension make him hard to compare with anyone.

Franco Harris also doesn’t fit in a comparison with Bernie. He was 13th in career rushing yards and tied for 10th in rushing touchdowns.

Blount ranks 12th in career interceptions, tied with four players not in the Hall of Fame but clearly in Hall of Fame territory, with Lem Barney, Emmitt Thomas, Dick LeBeau, Lott, Willie Brown and Darrell Green nearby on the charts. Plus likely Hall of Famers Ed Reed and Charles Woodson. Adderley and Wood are tied at 42nd with three players not in the Hall of Fame — Dave Waymer, Richie Petitbon (who may make it someday) and Dave Grayson. Hall of Famers Yale Lary, Ken Houston and Jimmy Johnson are nearby in the rankings.

Keep in mind that Bernie Williams is thrown in with all hitters in his statistical rankings, not just with receivers or quarterbacks. He ranks 132nd in hits, nestled between Hall of Famer Barry Larkin and Andres Gallarraga. Two other Hall of Famers, Orlando Cepeda and Billy Herman are within five places, along with likely Hall of Famer Jim Thome. Bernie ranks 252nd in batting average, stuck between Russ Wrightstone and likely Hall of Famer Jeff Bagwell. Within five places are Hall of Famers Cepeda, Al Kaline, High Pockets Kelly and Gabby Hartnett. In homers, Bernie ranks 149th, tied with Bobby Abreu, Garret Anderson, Brian Giles and Bobby Bonilla. Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg is within five places. In RBI, Bernie ranks 125th, right between Edgar Martinez and Derek Jeter (who, of course, will pass him). Within five places are Hall of Famers Pie Traynor, Zack Wheat, Bobby Doerr and Frankie Frisch. In years winning a Gold Glove, Bernie ranks 28th among outfielders, tied with a bunch of players not in the Hall of Fame but one more than Hank Aaron and one less than Tony Gwynn.

Bernie’s career stats are more Hall-of-Fame-like than Stallworth, Swann,and Starr, and comparable to Bradshaw, Adderley and Wood, if you compare them to the people nearby them in career rankings.

Bradshaw led the league in touchdowns twice, but never led in another significant passing category. Starr led three times in completion percentage, but never led in another stat. Stallworth never led his league in any significant statistical category. Swann never led in catches or receiving yards but led once in receiving touchdowns. Wood and Blount each led the league in interceptions once. Adderley never did. Bernie was a batting champion, hitting .339 for the 1998 world champions.

I’m not suggesting that Starr, Bradshaw and these other Packers and Steelers don’t belong in the Hall of Fame. They do. And maybe Robinson, Kramer and Greenwood, too. They belong in the Hall of Fame because championships matter, and these guys were the foundations of the greatest dynasties their sports have known.

And so was Bernie Williams.

His comparison with the Packer and Steeler greats continues as you examine post-season performance. Bradshaw was fifth in career Super Bowl passing yards, third in touchdowns and passer rating and first in yards per pass. Starr won his first three NFL championships before the Super Bowl started, but he’s still second in yards per pass and fifth in passer rating.

Swann is ninth in Super Bowl receptions and second to Rice in receiving yards. Stallworth leads in career yards per catch and they are tied for second in receiving touchdowns.

With two Super Bowl interceptions, Blount is in a 13-way tie for fourth place. Adderley is among 11 players who have returned Super Bowl interceptions for touchdowns.

Williams doesn’t rank as high as some of those players in World Series performance (10th all-time in walks). But he is the all-time post-season leader in RBI and is second (to Manny Ramirez) in home runs and (to Jeter) in hits, doubles, total bases and runs scored and third in walks. Of course, earlier players didn’t have as many rounds of post-season play or as many teams qualifying, but doesn’t being one of the top post-season performers of your generation matter?

The only Steeler or Packer among overall playoff leaders is Stallworth, second to Rice with 12 post-season touchdown catches and first with eight straight post-season games with a touchdown catch.

Starr and Bradshaw each were two-time Super Bowl MVP’s and Swann won one. Bernie was MVP of the 1996 American League Championship Series.

A star player at a key position for an NFL dynasty simply doesn’t get excluded from the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Packers had their quarterback, middle linebacker, two running backs, and two players each from the secondary, offensive an defensive lines in the Hall of Fame. Only the receivers are unrepresented. The Steelers had their quarterback, running back, two wide receivers, two linebackers, and one each from both lines and the secondary. Williams played centerfield and hit cleanup for the most dominant baseball dynasty in the past half-century, but he got bounced from the Hall of Fame ballot in only his second year of eligibility.

While longevity and career totals are perhaps the most important factors in Baseball Hall of Fame selection, contributions to championships are the most important factor in selection to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Beyond the best dynasties, other champions of the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s were loaded with Hall of Famers (we see similar patterns for the ’80s and ’90s, but their players haven’t been eligible as long, so their ranks will grow more). Here are the Hall of Famers on NFL teams that won multiple championships or won one championship and played for others in the years right before or after (the list excludes players who played their best years for other franchises):

• Cleveland Browns of the ’50s and ’60s, 13 players.
• Oakland Raiders of the ’70s, eight.
• Baltimore Colts, ’58-’71, eight.
• Dallas Cowboys of the ’70s, seven.
• Miami Dolphins of the 1970s, six.
• Kansas City Chiefs of ’60s, six.
• Detroit Lions of the ’50s, six.
• New York Giants of the ’50s and early ’60s, five.
• Los Angeles Rams of the ’50s, four.

Bernie would have been even a surer Hall of Famer if baseball selections worked like basketball.

Of course, the top dynasty in NBA history was the Celtics of the 1950s and ’60s, who won 11 titles in 13 years. Players from that dynasty in the Basketball Hall of Fame are Bob Cousy, Bill Russell, Bill Sharman, Frank Ramsey, John Havlicek, Sam Jones, Tom Heinsohn, Clyde Lovellette, K.C. Jones, Bailey Howell and Satch Sanders (elected as a contributor). Setting Sanders aside, that’s 10 Hall of Famers from one dynasty in a sport where you can only start five men. But the Celtics aren’t comparable to this Yankee dynasty. And a 13-year dynasty goes through considerable turnover.

So let’s compare Bernie to the Hall of Famers from a team that won two championships in four years, just half as successful as Bernie’s Yankees: the New York Knicks of the 1970s. The Knicks won NBA titles in 1970 and ’73. And six players from those champs were Hall of Famers: Willis Reed, Walt Frazier, Dave DeBusschere, Jerry Lucas, Bill Bradley and Earl Monroe (Lucas and Monroe played only on the 1973 champions). And that doesn’t include Phil Jackson, elected as a coach. So this is a two-time championship team with all of its 1973 starters and one sub in the Hall of Fame.

Bradley doesn’t make the top 250 in career NBA and ABA scoring. Reed ranks 226th, with Heinsohn the only Hall of Famer nearby. DeBusschere and Lucas are tied for 156th, without a Hall of Famer around them in the standings. Frazier ranks 113th, a few notches ahead of Celtic Hall of Famers Dennis Johnson and Sam Jones. Monroe ranks highest, 72nd, three notches below Magic Johnson and three above Kevin McHale.

In career rebounds, Jerry Lucas ranks 16th, with Hall of Famers Charles Barkley, Hakeem Olajuwon, Bob Pettit and Wes Unseld near him on the charts, along with sure Hall of Famers Shaquille O’Neal, Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan. DeBusschere is in Hall of Fame territory at 42nd, just ahead of Hall of Famer Mel Daniels and three notches behind Bob Lanier. Reed ranks 64th, with no Hall of Famers nearby. Monroe, Frazier and Bradley don’t make the top 250.

In career assists, Frazier ranks 54th, near Hall of Famers Julius Erving and Rick Barry, but without any Hall of Fame guards around. Monroe ranks 129th, three notches away from Hall of Famers Pete Maravich and Elgin Baylor (like Monroe, known more for their scoring). Lucas ranks 238th, with no Hall of Famers around. Reed, Bradley and DeBusschere don’t make the top 250.

In case you weren’t keeping track, Bradley didn’t make the top 250 in any of the key statistics. Now, to be fair, Bradley played only 10 years (that alone would keep him out of baseball’s Hall of Fame), so maybe we should judge his qualifications by per-game averages or shooting percentages. But he didn’t make the top 250 in points or rebounds per game or in field-goal percentage. I finally found him on leader boards at 76th for free throw percentage and 227th in assists per game.

Almost every member of the Knicks has a similar Hall of Fame case to Williams, and Bradley’s case is nowhere near as strong as Williams’. But they were a great team and the Basketball Hall of Fame recognized the team members accordingly.

Other champs also loaded up the Hall of Fame. Two one-time NBA champs from that era placed four players in the Hall of Fame, the 1967 Philadelphia 76ers with Wilt Chamberlain, Billy Cunningham, Hal Greer and Chet Walker (Cunningham is comparable to Williams) and the 1972 Los Angeles Lakers with Elgin Baylor, Chamberlain, Gail Goodrich and Jerry West.

The problem for Bernie is that he played baseball, and championship play is irrelevant in Hall of Fame selection in baseball. Throw out the 1920s and ’30s, which benefited from promiscuous selections by the Old Timers Committee, allowing induction of virtually all borderline players. Since World War II, can you name a player who’s comparable to Lynn Swann, John Stallworth, Bart Starr, Terry Bradshaw, Willis Reed or Bill Bradley — inducted because of his championship play? Don’t answer Bill Mazeroski: He was the best National League second baseman of his time, and the best of his time at any position nearly always makes the Hall of Fame. If the best player of his time at his position had made one of the most famous Super Bowl-winning plays of his time, he wouldn’t have waited 29 years after his retirement to get into Canton.

The only Yankee Hall of Famer since World War II who’s at all marginal is Phil Rizzuto. Perhaps championships played a role there. But he was inducted 38 years after he retired. If he hadn’t lost three prime years to World War II, his career stats would easily have been Hall of Fame caliber for a shortstop, and voters made allowances on career stats for several World War II veterans. He was an MVP and clearly one of the three best shortstops of his era. Four shortstops from the 1980s and ’90s are already in the Hall of Fame. Championships were a secondary factor at most.

Baseball’s dismissal of championships in Hall of Fame consideration doesn’t affect just the Yankees. Curt Flood, Sal Bando, Bert Campaneris, Maury Wills, Dave Concepcion and George Foster, and perhaps others, would be sure Hall of Famers if baseball operated like football and basketball.

But of course, the Yankees, having won the most championships, are the team that is most affected by the Baseball Hall of Fame’s devaluing of championships. The Yankees from 1950 to 1964 are baseball’s equivalent of the Celtics dynasty. And, amazingly, even though baseball teams have more players, the Celtics have more Hall of Famers. Yankees from that era in the Hall of Fame are Rizzuto, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra and Whitey Ford. Even if you throw in Enos Slaughter and Johnny Mize, whose best years were in the National League, the Yankees have only seven Hall of Famers in that era, compared to 10 for the Celtics over a shorter dynasty. But really it’s five Hall of Famers who were primarily Yankees.

It’s not just that the Yankees didn’t match the Celtics’ total. They didn’t even have the most Hall of Famers from baseball in that era. They won five straight World Series and nine total series in a 16-year stretch and played in 14 total World Series. Only the Dodgers, with three World Series wins, won more than one other championship in that stretch. The Dodgers had six Hall of Famers from that period: Roy Campanella, Don Drysdale, Sandy Koufax, Pee Wee Reese, Jackie Robinson and Duke Snider.

The Giants, with just one championship in that stretch, also had six Hall of Famers: Orlando Cepeda, Monte Irvin, Juan Marichal, Willie Mays, Willie McCovey and Gaylord Perry. (Perry’s career was just getting started in that stretch, but if you subtract him, they’re still even with the Yankees. And if you insist on counting Slaughter and Mize for the Yankees, you need to count not only Perry but Duke Snider, who joined the Giants late in his career.)

The Cardinals — with one championship during that stretch and one three years later — matched the Yankees’ five Hall of Famers: Lou Brock, Bob Gibson, Stan Musial, Red Schoendienst and Slaughter. The Indians made it to one World Series during that stretch (and were swept by the Giants) but had as many Hall of Famers as the Yankees: Lou Boudreau, Larry Doby, Bob Feller, Bob Lemon and Early Wynn.

The 1961 Yankees are often recognized as the greatest team of all-time, or one of the few in that debate. They had just three Hall of Famers: Berra, Mantle and Ford. That same year, the Chicago Cubs had five Hall of Famers: Richie Ashburn, Ernie Banks, Lou Brock, Ron Santo and Billy Williams. They were seventh place that year and haven’t won a World Series in over a century. The Giants also had more future Hall of Famers that year than the Yankees: Cepeda, Mays, Marichal and McCovey. And the Milwaukee Braves (Hank Aaron, Eddie Mathews, Warren Spahn), Chicago White Sox (Luis Aparicio, Nellie Fox, Early Wynn), Dodgers (Snider, Drysdale, Koufax) and Cardinals (Gibson, Schoendienst and Musial) all matched the Yankees with three Hall of Famers.

Another Yankee team sometimes called the best of all time was the 1927 Murderers’ Row Yankees. As I’ve noted, the Hall of Fame admitted everyone who was close from the 1920s and ’30s. So the ’27 Yankees who are comparable to Williams — Earle Combs, Tony Lazzeri — are in Cooperstown. Those two plus Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Waite Hoyt and Herb Pennock gave the Yankees six Hall of Famers that year.

But even then, championships didn’t count notably in Hall of Fame selections. The Philadelphia A’s had seven Hall of Famers that year. The Cardinals and Giants matched the Yankees with six Hall of Famers that year. The Pirates (whom the Yankees swept in the World Series) were close behind with five. The Yankees of that time won more championships than any of those teams.

These guys I’m talking about (at least since World War II) all belong in the Hall of Fame. I’m not saying they shouldn’t be there, just that several Yankees have been barred because the Baseball Hall of Fame voters don’t value championships the way the football and basketball voters do.

The most obvious Yankee to add to the Hall of Fame would be Roger Maris, whose case I’ve made in three different blog posts. He’s Exhibit 1 for the case of anti-Yankee bias in Hall of Fame voting, a two-time MVP who set one of baseball’s most important records and is way more famous than most of his contemporaries who made it to Cooperstown. But he’s an even better exhibit for the case of championship meaninglessness in Hall of Fame voting, because he won his third championship and played in his sixth and seventh World Series after joining the Cardinals.

Another Yankee from that dynasty who absolutely would be in the Hall of Fame if championships mattered is Allie Reynolds. Like Maris, he should be in anyway. Reynolds only won 20 games once, but he was unique in baseball history. Dennis Eckersley and John Smoltz made their cases for Cooperstown by excelling as starters and relievers, but they switched for whole seasons. Reynolds started and relieved not only within seasons but even within World Series. Again and again.

Reynolds won 20 games (losing only eight) and saved six games (his only six relief appearances of the year) in 1952. And he led the league in ERA with a 2.06 mark and in shutouts with six, finishing second in the MVP voting. Then he added two wins, a loss and a save with a 1.77 ERA in the World Series. The year before, he was 17-8 and had seven saves in 14 relief appearances (and again led the league in shutouts, this time with seven), good for third in the MVP voting. Back to back years, he was first in the league in shutouts and fourth in saves.

In 1953, Reynolds relieved more games (26) than he started (15), winning 13 games and saving 13, third best in the league. He had another good year in 1954, again splitting time between starting and relieving, 18 games each way. He was 13-4 with seven saves. However, during the season, the Yankees’ team bus crashed into an overpass in Philadelphia and Reynolds injured his back. He retired after the season.

His record of 182-107 with 49 saves, with two league strikeout titles, should get him into the Hall of Fame. The win total is low for a starting pitcher, but his uniqueness should offset that.

If championships mattered in baseball voting, Reynolds’ World Series play should put him over the top. He was 7-2 with two shutouts, four saves and an ERA of 2.79 in helping the Yankees to five straight championships (more than any team ever). He won or saved the clinching games in relief in the 1950, ’52 and ’53 World Series. He’s tied for second in career World Series wins and tied for third in career World Series saves. That’s just amazing: A guy with nine World Series starts is third in saves. And he’s all alone at third for career strikeouts. No comparable Super Bowl player or NBA champ who’s been retired long enough to be eligible for Hall of Fame induction has been passed over. But Reynolds has been retired nearly 60 years and he’s not in.

Elston Howard, an MVP playing a key position for a dynasty with strong stats, might also be a Hall of Famer in football or basketball. Maybe a few others from that dynasty: Vic Raschi, Eddie Lopat, Hank Bauer, Bobby Richardson.

From the Yankees of the 1970s, Ron Guidry, Thurman Munson and Graig Nettles would be sure Hall of Famers under football standards. Maybe Willie Randolph.

And for the dynasty of the 1990s, Bernie Williams would certainly make the Hall of Fame if championship contributions mattered. But championships are nearly irrelevant in Baseball Hall of Fame selection.

Note: Stats and facts in this post come from Baseball Reference, Pro Football Reference, Basketball Reference, the Baseball, Pro Football and Basketball Halls of Fame, Wikipedia and a New York Times obituary of Allie Reynolds. I don’t follow hockey closely enough to make a similar comparison to how selection works for the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Strahan, who had 22 1/2 sacks in 2001 and 141 1/2 for his 15-year his career with the New York Giants, is joined by offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden of the Ravens and guard-tackle Larry Allen of the Cowboys and 49ers.

The fourth first-year eligible to make the cut is defensive tackle Warren Sapp of the Buccaneers and Raiders.

Strahan, Ogden and Sapp all won Super Bowls.

The hall announced Friday that the other finalists are running back Jerome Bettis; receivers Cris Carter, Tim Brown and Andre Reed; LB-DEs Charles Haley and Kevin Greene; guard Will Shields; defensive back Aeneas Williams; coach Bill Parcells; and former owners Edward DeBartolo Jr. of the 49ers and the late Art Modell of the Browns, who moved to Baltimore in 1996 to become the Ravens.

The two senior nominees are defensive tackle Curley Culp — who played for the Chiefs, Oilers and Lions — and linebacker Dave Robinson of the Packers and Redskins.

Between four and seven new members will be selected Feb. 2, the day before the Super Bowl, in New Orleans.

Bettis played for the Rams and Steelers — he won the 2006 Super Bowl in his final game, something Strahan did in 2008. He’s in his third season of eligibility and was beaten out by fellow running backs Marshall Faulk in 2011 and Curtis Martin in 2012 for the hall.

Carter, Brown and Reed all were in the top 10 in receptions when they retired. Haley won five Super Bowls, two with San Francisco and three with Dallas.

Greene was one of the first hybrid linebacker-end defenders, which best suited his pass-rushing skills.

Shields was an ironman blocker for 14 seasons in Kansas City. Williams was a versatile defensive back who played on the corner and at safety. He had 55 career interceptions and 23 fumble recoveries.
——
(Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Ron Matz has more on the road trip.

Devoted Ravens fans are in the air right now, heading to Denver to root on the purple and black.

Ravens fans are ready to make some noise at Sports Authority Field at Mile High Stadium.

“Going with a group to Denver, Colorado to see the Ravens beat the Broncos,” said Johnny Davis, of Columbia.

About 100 of the faithful proudly wore the purple and black as they left BWI on Friday morning.

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“We’re having a big tailgate tomorrow, in which we’ll meet up with the Denver version of Ravens fans out there. We’ll have about a hundred Ravens fans tailgating tomorrow to cheer our boys on in purple to victory,” said Brian Snyder, Bmore Around Town.

Some 76,000 fans will pack into Mile High. Most will back the Broncos.

But one mile above sea level, Ravens maniacs are ready for prime time, ready for the duel in Denver.

“I’ve never been to a road playoff game, and there’s no better place than Denver. It’s a hard place to win but I think all these fans out there will really bring the Ravens to victory,” said a Ravens fan.

And at William Winchester Elementary School in Carroll County, it was a purple Friday to remember.

In other Ravens news, the Pro Football Hall Of Fame announced their 15 finalists. It includes former Ravens defensive tackle Jonathan Ogden and former Ravens owner Art Modell.

Between four and seven new members will be selected February 2.

Defensive lineman Kevin Greene went from the playing fields of the Metro-East to Auburn University, and when he retired from the pros, was among the all-time NFL leaders in sacks.

Defensive back Aeneas Williams was a member of the 2000 Super Bowl Champion Rams and a perennial Pro Bowler.

Running Back Jerome Bettis won the 2006 Super Bowl with Pittsburgh after a long career with the Rams in both L.A. and Saint Louis.

Other finalists include: Michael Strahan, Jonathan Ogden, Larry Allen, Warren Sapp, Cris Carter, Tim Brown, Andre Reed, Charles Haley, Will Shields, Bill Parcells, Edward DeBartolo Junior, and Art Modell.

Between four and seven will be picked for the Hall on February 2.

The Hall of Fame this morning announced the 15 modern-era finalists who will be considered for election into the Hall when the selection committee meets in New Orleans on Saturday, Feb. 2, the day before Super Bowl XLVII.

This is Parcells’ fourth time as a finalist, meaning final 15, and in this case it may well be that the third time plus one is the charm for the Tuna. Last year he made it to the final 10 during the day-long balloting process but did not advance to the final five, as did Curtis Martin, who was then selected for the Hall a year ago in his second year of eligibility.

Here is the Hall’s list of finalists, which includes the two senior nominees, DT Curley Culp and LB Dave Robinson, announced in August. (Four first-time nominees designated with an (f), two senior committee nominees with an asterisk):

Larry Allen (f) — G/T, 1994-2005 Dallas Cowboys; 2006-07 San Francisco 49ers

Jerome Bettis — RB, 1993-95 Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams; 1996-2005 Pittsburgh Steelers

Tim Brown — WR/KR/PR, 1988-2003 Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders; 2004 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Cris Carter — WR, 1987-89 Philadelphia Eagles; 1990-2001 Minnesota Vikings; 2002 Miami Dolphins

Curley Culp* — DT, 1968-74 Kansas City Chiefs; 1974-80 Houston Oilers; 1980-81 Detroit Lions

Edward DeBartolo Jr. — Owner, 1977-2000 San Francisco 49ers

Kevin Greene — LB/DE, 1985-92 Los Angeles Rams; 1993-95 Pittsburgh Steelers; 1996, ’98-99 Carolina Panthers; 1997 San Francisco 49ers

Charles Haley — DE/LB, 1986-91, ’99 San Francisco 49ers; 1992-96 Dallas Cowboys

Art Modell — Owner, 1961-95 Cleveland Browns; 1996-2011 Baltimore Ravens

Jonathan Ogden (f) — T, 1996-2007 Baltimore Ravens

Bill Parcells — Coach, 1983-90 New York Giants; 1993-96 New England Patriots; 1997-99 New York Jets; 2003-06 Dallas Cowboys

Andre Reed — WR, 1985-99 Buffalo Bills; 2000 Washington Redskins

Dave Robinson* — LB, 1963-72 Green Bay Packers; 1973-74 Washington Redskins

Warren Sapp (f) — DT, 1995-2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers; 2004-07 Oakland Raiders

Will Shields — G, 1993-2006 Kansas City Chiefs

Michael Strahan (f) — DE, 1993-2007 New York Giants

Aeneas Williams — CB/S, 1991-2000 Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals; 2001-04 St. Louis Rams

All Hall of Fame candidates must go through a winnowing process that this year began with 127 nominees, then was reduced to 27 semifinalists. To be elected, a finalist must receive a minimum positive vote of 80 percent.

Bob Sutton Departing?

The Kansas City Star is reporting today that longtime Jets assistant coach Bob Sutton has been hired by new Chiefs coach Andy Reid as the Chiefs’ defensive coordinator. The Jets have not commented on Sutton’s reported departure and the Chiefs have not announced anything regarding the hiring of coordinators yet.

Sutton, the former Army head coach, was with the Jets the past 13 seasons, 10 as linebackers coach and from 2006-08 as Eric Mangini’s defensive coordinator.

Strahan, who had 22½ sacks in 2001 and 141½ for his 15-year career with the Giants, is joined by offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden of the Ravens and guard-tackle Larry Allen of the Cowboys and 49ers.

The fourth first-year eligible to make the cut is defensive tackle Warren Sapp of the Buccaneers and Raiders.

Strahan, Ogden and Sapp all won Super Bowls.

The hall announced Friday that the other finalists are running back Jerome Bettis; receivers Cris Carter, Tim Brown and Andre Reed; LB-DEs Charles Haley and Kevin Greene; guard Will Shields; defensive back Aeneas Williams; coach Bill Parcells; and former owners Edward DeBartolo Jr. of the 49ers and the late Art Modell of the Browns, who moved to Baltimore in 1996 to become the Ravens.

The two senior nominees are defensive tackle Curley Culp — who played for the Chiefs, Oilers and Lions — and linebacker Dave Robinson of the Packers and Redskins.

Between four and seven new members will be selected Feb. 2, the day before the Super Bowl, in New Orleans.

Bettis played for the Rams and Steelers — he won the 2006 Super Bowl in his final game, something Strahan did in 2008. He’s in his third season of eligibility and was beaten out by fellow running backs Marshall Faulk in 2011 and Curtis Martin in 2012 for the Hall.

Carter, Brown and Reed all were in the top 10 in receptions when they retired. Haley won five Super Bowls, two with San Francisco and three with Dallas.

Greene was one of the first hybrid linebacker-end defenders, which best suited his pass-rushing skills.

Shields was an ironman blocker for 14 seasons in Kansas City. Williams was a versatile defensive back who played on the corner and at safety. He had 55 career interceptions and 23 fumble recoveries.

Parcells coached the Giants from 1983 to 1990 and the Jets from 1997-1999. He won Super Bowls XXI and XXV with Big Blue and was the AP NFL Coach of the Year in 1986 and 1994.

Is Strahan a no-doubt first-ballot Hall of Famer? Will Parcells get in this time? Sound off with your thoughts and comments below…

(TM and © Copyright 2013 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)