Post by Motorcity on Aug 9, 2004 16:48:29 GMT -5
Elway, Sanders, Eller and Brown enter Hall of Fame
- CANTON, Ohio (AP) Imagine John Elway and Barry Sanders in the same backfield.
They could.
On Sunday, they shared the same stage as two of the four inductees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. They joined Carl Eller and Bob Brown in bringing the Hall's membership to 225.
The resourceful Elway and the slippery Sanders also thought about how much they could have done as teammates.
``Now you're trying to get me excited,'' said Sanders, who never won a championship _ his biggest regret. ``That's something that I've thought often about and wondered about. When you look at my 10 years, the teams that won Super Bowls usually had a dynamic, great quarterback like Joe Montana, Steve Young, Troy Aikman and, of course, John Elway.
``If I had John Elway, we would've won the Super Bowl every year I played.''
Elway seconds the notion.
``I'll call him the best ever to play the game,'' Elway said. ``You never knew if he was going to make your jaw drop with a 2-yard loss, or an 80-yard gain. Even though we played in the same league, I was one of his fans.''
Many of the fans at the ceremony in Fawcett Stadium were decked out in Broncos orange or blue jerseys with the No. 7 on them. Elway surveyed them, heard the cheers, and offered a tribute.
``To all the Broncos fans out there, thank you for everything,'' said Elway, the first Bronco inducted. ``And a final Mile High Salute is for every one of you out there.''
He also saluted team owner Pat Bowlen and all of his former teammates.
``This one is for Pat and for every Broncos fan out there,'' Elway said. ``For every guy who ever stepped on the field with me, I accept this honor today on behalf of all of you. Thanks for protecting me, catching my passes, defending our goal line, sharing our highs and lows. And thanks for not losing confidence in me when I lined up for a snap as a rookie behind the left guard.''
After guiding Denver to its second straight NFL title following the 1998 season _ it was his fifth Super Bowl appearance _ Elway had more victories (148) than any quarterback in history. He engineered 47 game-winning or tying drives in the fourth quarter or overtime. He threw for 51,407 yards, more than 30 miles, and 300 touchdowns.
Sanders was just as dominant on the ground as Elway was through the air. Using dekes and jukes that seemed to defy physics, he rushed for more than 1,000 yards in all 10 of his seasons with the Detroit Lions. Sanders had 76 100-yard rushing performances, 15,269 yards rushing overall and five 1,500-yard seasons.
But at 31, he walked away from the game in 1999, well within reach of Walter Payton's career rushing mark that Emmitt Smith now owns. On Sunday, Sanders became the third-youngest Hall of Fame inductee, behind Gale Sayers and Jim Brown.
``I do know I missed out on playing in a Super Bowl,'' Sanders said. ``I'll always regret that, but I do feel like I had a fulfilling career.''
Introduced by his father, William, as ``the third-best running back who ever lived,'' _ behind Brown and, according to the senior Sanders, himself _ Barry credited his dad for ``the great lesson that allowed him to be a great player.''
``He said 'Son play the game the way it is supposed to be played,''' Sanders recalled. ``'Don't be afraid to make mistakes. Go out and play the way you are capable of.'''
While both Elway and Sanders made a mockery of defenses throughout their record-setting careers, Brown was one of the premier blockers of his era. Eller was a star defensive end with the Purple People Eaters in Minnesota. Each had to wait more than two decades to get into the Hall.
``I wish I could have played with Bob Brown, and I am glad I didn't have to play against Carl Eller,'' Elway said.
Brown, a native of nearby Cleveland, made five All-Pro teams and six Pro Bowls playing for the Eagles, Rams and Raiders. A ferocious run blocker and pass protector, Brown was nicknamed ``Boomer'' for his hits.
``I brought the need to be the best (and) an uncompromising work ethic,'' he said. ``I'm proud and privileged to have my name mentioned with such offensive linemen as Art Shell, Gene Upshaw, Jim Otto and Ron Mix. Better has not been born yet.''
Then turning to the other Hall members, he added: ``I am thrilled and eager to embrace you, my band of brothers.''
Eller retired in 1979 after 16 NFL seasons. A five-time All-Pro who played in six Pro Bowls and four Super Bowls, he made a habit of recovering fumbles, grabbing 23 in his career.
Eller, an admitted former substance abuser who became a drug counselor in Minneapolis, stressed the importance of education and of serving as a role model in his strong speech.
``I want to use this platform to help young African-American males to participate fully in this society,'' he said. ``I want their direction to be headed to the great universities of our nation, not to the prison and jail cells. They must know they are part of the establishment, not separate from it.
``I haven't given up on you. ... Be the winners.''
:cheer: :holla: :cheer:
:cheers: :gentleman: :cheers:
- CANTON, Ohio (AP) Imagine John Elway and Barry Sanders in the same backfield.
They could.
On Sunday, they shared the same stage as two of the four inductees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. They joined Carl Eller and Bob Brown in bringing the Hall's membership to 225.
The resourceful Elway and the slippery Sanders also thought about how much they could have done as teammates.
``Now you're trying to get me excited,'' said Sanders, who never won a championship _ his biggest regret. ``That's something that I've thought often about and wondered about. When you look at my 10 years, the teams that won Super Bowls usually had a dynamic, great quarterback like Joe Montana, Steve Young, Troy Aikman and, of course, John Elway.
``If I had John Elway, we would've won the Super Bowl every year I played.''
Elway seconds the notion.
``I'll call him the best ever to play the game,'' Elway said. ``You never knew if he was going to make your jaw drop with a 2-yard loss, or an 80-yard gain. Even though we played in the same league, I was one of his fans.''
Many of the fans at the ceremony in Fawcett Stadium were decked out in Broncos orange or blue jerseys with the No. 7 on them. Elway surveyed them, heard the cheers, and offered a tribute.
``To all the Broncos fans out there, thank you for everything,'' said Elway, the first Bronco inducted. ``And a final Mile High Salute is for every one of you out there.''
He also saluted team owner Pat Bowlen and all of his former teammates.
``This one is for Pat and for every Broncos fan out there,'' Elway said. ``For every guy who ever stepped on the field with me, I accept this honor today on behalf of all of you. Thanks for protecting me, catching my passes, defending our goal line, sharing our highs and lows. And thanks for not losing confidence in me when I lined up for a snap as a rookie behind the left guard.''
After guiding Denver to its second straight NFL title following the 1998 season _ it was his fifth Super Bowl appearance _ Elway had more victories (148) than any quarterback in history. He engineered 47 game-winning or tying drives in the fourth quarter or overtime. He threw for 51,407 yards, more than 30 miles, and 300 touchdowns.
Sanders was just as dominant on the ground as Elway was through the air. Using dekes and jukes that seemed to defy physics, he rushed for more than 1,000 yards in all 10 of his seasons with the Detroit Lions. Sanders had 76 100-yard rushing performances, 15,269 yards rushing overall and five 1,500-yard seasons.
But at 31, he walked away from the game in 1999, well within reach of Walter Payton's career rushing mark that Emmitt Smith now owns. On Sunday, Sanders became the third-youngest Hall of Fame inductee, behind Gale Sayers and Jim Brown.
``I do know I missed out on playing in a Super Bowl,'' Sanders said. ``I'll always regret that, but I do feel like I had a fulfilling career.''
Introduced by his father, William, as ``the third-best running back who ever lived,'' _ behind Brown and, according to the senior Sanders, himself _ Barry credited his dad for ``the great lesson that allowed him to be a great player.''
``He said 'Son play the game the way it is supposed to be played,''' Sanders recalled. ``'Don't be afraid to make mistakes. Go out and play the way you are capable of.'''
While both Elway and Sanders made a mockery of defenses throughout their record-setting careers, Brown was one of the premier blockers of his era. Eller was a star defensive end with the Purple People Eaters in Minnesota. Each had to wait more than two decades to get into the Hall.
``I wish I could have played with Bob Brown, and I am glad I didn't have to play against Carl Eller,'' Elway said.
Brown, a native of nearby Cleveland, made five All-Pro teams and six Pro Bowls playing for the Eagles, Rams and Raiders. A ferocious run blocker and pass protector, Brown was nicknamed ``Boomer'' for his hits.
``I brought the need to be the best (and) an uncompromising work ethic,'' he said. ``I'm proud and privileged to have my name mentioned with such offensive linemen as Art Shell, Gene Upshaw, Jim Otto and Ron Mix. Better has not been born yet.''
Then turning to the other Hall members, he added: ``I am thrilled and eager to embrace you, my band of brothers.''
Eller retired in 1979 after 16 NFL seasons. A five-time All-Pro who played in six Pro Bowls and four Super Bowls, he made a habit of recovering fumbles, grabbing 23 in his career.
Eller, an admitted former substance abuser who became a drug counselor in Minneapolis, stressed the importance of education and of serving as a role model in his strong speech.
``I want to use this platform to help young African-American males to participate fully in this society,'' he said. ``I want their direction to be headed to the great universities of our nation, not to the prison and jail cells. They must know they are part of the establishment, not separate from it.
``I haven't given up on you. ... Be the winners.''
:cheer: :holla: :cheer:
:cheers: :gentleman: :cheers:
