Post by TheShadow on Jun 24, 2008 4:33:36 GMT -5
bleacherreport.com
by Dan Boone
Is it personal?
Oakland Raiders being denied the Hall of Fame.
Is Al Davis right when he thinks other teams are envious of the Raider's past successes and angry with its battles with the league.
Do other teams' writers who vote for the Hall of Fame hold grudges for past games?
Or are there too many in already?
Thirteen NFL Hall of Famers. And if John Madden pulls out one more of those brutal 1970's AFC Championship Games more likely would be in.
Can't blame him though, those Pittsburgh Steelers and Miami Dolphins were plenty tough.
But then so was the Immaculate Reception.
Tough luck.
Jeff Little made a good case for the old AFL Mad Bomber, Raider Quarterback Daryle Lamonica elsewhere on this site.
The Bomber should merit consideration by the seniors committee. But the senior back log is big and treading tough...Other Oaklanders that merit considerable consideration.
Lester Hayes ought to be in already.
Hayes was a premier player who could dominant opposing wide receivers. He has the stats, the wins, and the awards he just can't seem to land the votes.
Having his teammate and opposite corner Mike Haynes already in doesn't help. Folks figure two corners on the same team no way.
So he sits in his stick um.Ray Guy is punted around every year. Voters just don't want punters in. Sorry Ray what can I say?
Kenny Stabler makes the initial list each year but is also lost in cut down time. Snake made a lot of enemies. Especially reporters.
One Doctor Z of Sports Illustrated says he will cage the Snake for as long as he has a vote.
Seems Snakes cop pals falsely imprisoned a beat reporter in Alabama for a long hot weekend back in the seventies because he wrote something nasty about the Snake.
Rumors also dog the old Raider that he threw some games late in his career...one in particular to the Raiders when he was a Saint in name but not in action.
Nothing was ever proven though.
Even some of those odd Oiler interceptions and fumbles could of just been caused by Snake's shaking hangover hands.
What about the Assassin? Jack Tatum's vicious reputation and crippling hit on Daryl Stingley likely doomed his chances. Not the hit really but the lack of remorse afterwards actually.
But Tatum was a game changer. Five time all-pro and a man feared throughout the NFL.Super productive Tight End Todd Christensen has the numbers just not the votes.
Don't really know why but no one seems to be able to rally enough votes to get Christensen open in the Hall of Fame end zone.Steve Wisniewski has eight Pro Bowls and was all decade in the 90's. Its a crowed field now so its tough for lineman to sneak in.
But he best do it before Larry Allen, Jonathan Ogden, and Will Shields come up.Bill Romanowski's reputation, roids and rages doom his chances though he has the rings.
Same with Lyle Alzado. Alzado had a stellar career but now voters wander how much of its was illegal? Unnatural. An unfair advantage?
No way for Lyle. Nor the very good Rod Martin or the run-stuffing motivator mean Matt Milen.
Both great players the kind teams win championships with. But likely to fall just a little short of the Hall.
What about Tim Brown? Great numbers but the wide receiver slot is loaded.
Henry Ellard and Andre Reed both patiently wait a break.
But with Michael Irvin and Art Monk getting in how many more will go immediately in besides long time Raider Jerry Rice?