At the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction in August, they announced that, as a part of the NFL's centennial, there would be a special 20-member class this year. In addition to the standard five modern-era players who will be voted on the day before the Super Bowl as usual, they're going to induct 10 seniors, three contributors and two coaches. And today, they announced the 38 finalists for those 15 spots.
When they first announced the expanded class, I unveiled the 10 senior players I would select if I was the one choosing (which I'm not). Well, the screening committee didn't agree with me. Of my 10, only two, Roger Craig and Drew Pearson made the cut. So they're obviously both on my revised list. But, since I did so bad the first time, I have to try this again.
I like the inclusion of so many players from the early days, who I obviously don't know much about. You've gotta figure that they'll include at least one or two players from the 1920s or 30s to represent those early days of pro football. I also like that there's a good number of wide receivers and safeties, two oft-neglected positions in Canton. So, with all that in mind, here are the eight senior players I've got joining Craig and Pearson in the Hall of Fame's Centennial Class...
Ox Emerson, Guard (1931-37 Lions, 1938 Brooklyn Dodgers): He played eight years and was First Team All-Pro six times. He was on the 1930s All-Decade Team, is on the Lions' all-time team, and won a championship with Detroit in 1935. The most ridiculous stat I saw about Emerson, though, is this--the 1936 Lions rushed for 2,885 yards in a 12-game season (that's 240 yards per game!).
LaVern Dilweg, End (1926 Milwaukee Badgers, 1927-34 Packers): Evidently Don Hutson wasn't the first great Packers wide receiver! In fact, Dilweg is one of only two players on the 1920s All-Decade Team not already in the Hall of Fame. He was a five-time All-Pro and won three consecutive titles with the Packers (1929-31) while playing football in the morning and practicing law in the afternoon.
Donnie Shell, Safety (1974-87 Steelers): If they're going to put another member of the Steel Curtain in the Hall of Fame, my choice would still be L.C. Greenwood and his gold shoes. But Donnie Shell deserves to be in Canton, too. It says a lot that he was a finalist for the 100th Anniversary Team despite not being in the Hall of Fame. With all the big names and big personalities on that defense, Shell got lost in the shuffle a little bit. But he had 51 interceptions, went to five straight Pro Bowls and, of course, won four Super Bowl rings. He also played 14 years at safety!
Mac Speedie, End (1946-52 Browns): Frankly, I didn't realize Mac Speedie wasn't already in the Hall of Fame like Browns teammates Otto Graham, Marion Motley and Dante Lavelli. Because he should be. He was probably the best wide receiver in AAFC history. He led the league in receptions three years in a row and is the AAFC's all-time leader in both catches and receiving yards. Speedie was named to the 1940s All-Decade Team despite not playing in the NFL until 1950!
Randy Gradishar, Linebacker (1974-83 Broncos): Gradishar finished sixth in Heisman voting as a senior at Ohio State. That has nothing to do with his NFL career, but it's still cool, considering how rare it is for a defensive player to finish that high. Anyway, there's a lot of sentiment for Gradishar to be in the Hall of Fame. He was the best player on Denver's "Orange Crush" defense and is considered the Broncos' best defensive player ever (at least until Von Miller came along). The 1978 Defensive Player of the Year, Gradishar was a six-time All-Pro.
Cliff Branch, Wide Receiver (1972-85 Raiders): Sadly, if Branch is inducted, he won't be there to give a speech. He passed away in August. He wasn't as good as Fred Biletnikoff, but he was just as integral to the Raiders' three Super Bowl championship teams. His 501 career catches don't seem like a lot today, but his 73 receptions and 1,289 receiving yards in the playoffs were NFL records until Jerry Rice broke them. If Ken Stabler's a Hall of Famer, so is Cliff Branch.
Ed Sprinkle, Defensive End/Linebacker (1944-55 Bears): George Halas called him "the greatest pass rusher I've ever seen." That's enough for me. Sprinkle started off as a two-way player before being converted to a defensive specialist. He was the first defensive player to gain mainstream notoriety and was on the 1940s All-Decade Team.
Duke Slater, Tackle (1922 Milwaukee Badgers, 1922-25 Rock Island Independents, 1926-31 Cardinals): There weren't many black players in the NFL in the 1920s. Fritz Pollard and Duke Slater. That's about it. But Slater's career deserves to be recognized not just because it's Jackie Robinson-esque. He's also considered the greatest lineman of his era and was a five-time All-Pro...while dealing with the racist sentiment of the time.
They're also going to induct two coaches, and the list of finalists is stacked. We've got three familiar names from the 90s (Bill Cowher, Mike Holmgren, Jimmy Johnson), a two-time Super Bowl winner (Tom Flores), coaches that took two teams to Super Bowls (Dick Vermeil, Dan Reeves), a frequent finalist who revolutionized the passing game (Don Coryell) and a two-time NFL champion in the 1950s (Buddy Parker).
It's tough to go with only two from that list, but I'll say Don Coryell and Bill Cowher. It's time for Coryell to finally get the recognition he deserves. And Cowher had the unenviable task of replacing Chuck Noll, but kept that Steelers train rolling for 15 years.
Three contributors will complete the Centennial Class. This field is stacked, too, but I'm gonna go with Paul Tagliabue as my first choice. Tagliabue is obviously known for his 17 years as commissioner, where he helped turn the NFL into the behemoth it is today. In a tough call over Art Modell, I'm going with Bud Adams, the original owner of the Oilers/Titans franchise and part of the "Foolish Club" that founded the AFL. Speaking of founding a league, I can think of no better tribute in the NFL's Centennial than inducting Ralph Hay into the Hall of Fame. After all, it was his car dealership in Canton where the league was established, and his Canton Bulldogs won the first championship.
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