Three Redskins Seek Hall Votes
'Underrepresented' Super Bowl-Winning Team Appears to Have Support This Year
There is a chance that Darrell Green will make the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. Green had an interception in 19 consecutive seasons.
(By John Mcdonnell -- The Washington Post)
TOOLBOX   Resize Text
 Save/Share +
COMMENT
 Discussion Policy
 CLOSE
Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.
|
Saturday, February 2, 2008; Page E01
PHOENIX, Feb. 1 -- Between the 1982 and 1991 seasons, the Washington Redskins reached four Super Bowls and won three. The franchise's glorious run produced a steady stream of winning teams and memorable players.
What it didn't produce is many Hall of Famers.
That could change Saturday in a convention center meeting room in downtown Phoenix.
Cornerback Darrell Green, wide receiver Art Monk and guard Russ Grimm -- former teammates from the Redskins' Super Bowl days -- are among 17 finalists for enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame this summer.
Green, in his first year of Hall of Fame eligibility, is viewed as a likely first-ballot inductee by many knowledgeable observers. Monk appears to have his best chance in years of being elected. Grimm is thought to be a long shot.
Any of the three elected Saturday during a meeting of the media members who serve as Hall of Fame voters would join the only two representatives of the Redskins' Super Bowl-winning teams now enshrined in Canton, former coach Joe Gibbs and running back John Riggins.
Are those Redskins teams underrepresented in the Hall of Fame? Many of the franchise's most zealous followers seem convinced of it. Green declined to enter the debate this week.
"I tend to like to let other people talk about that stuff," Green said. "To me, if you're good, somebody will tell you. But I do hear that a lot, especially from my family. Oh gosh, don't get my brother-in-law started. But I tend to not speak about those things."
But Green's former coach didn't hold back.
"I've felt strongly about it," Gibbs said in a telephone interview. "I do think we're underrepresented for what those teams did. That team set scoring records and won three Super Bowls, and those guys were a big part of it. Hopefully everyone will realize that, and they'll get recognized for it because they deserve it."
Comparisons to other highly successful teams yield mixed results. The Pittsburgh Steelers teams that won four Super Bowls in the 1970s have a dozen representatives in the Hall of Fame. But the San Francisco 49ers clubs that won four Super Bowls in the 1980s have a comparatively modest four representatives in Canton.
The Dallas Cowboys teams that won three Super Bowls in the 1990s have only two enshrinees, although tailback Emmitt Smith is sure to join quarterback Troy Aikman and wide receiver Michael Irvin when he becomes eligible.
