I wanted to wrap up my reflections on the latest class of players and coaches elected to the College Football Hall of Fame with some additional coverage of last week's press conference in New York City.
Fourteen players were elected to the Hall including one each from the three Florida-based powers including Deion Sanders from Florida State and Russell Maryland of Miami. With the Florida schools now recognized as national power programs--something that was not true back when Florida inductee Carlos Alvarez played wide receiver for the Gators from 1969 through 1971--their numbers will increase over time. And it is interesting in how the voting works in that Alvarez was helped by his brilliant academic work and subsequently impressive law career, while Sanders, for one, had to be so brilliant as a player that voters overlooked his infamous stoppage of his academic pursuit mid-year when he had reached eligibility for FSU's bowl game. I am not sure if Sanders has subsequently returned to school to get his degree, although I would bet that he did so. As for Maryland, his induction was meant to reward him for his excellent play on the field during the brilliant run by the Canes in the late 1980s, early '90s and, I guess, for his being one of the team's "good guys." Maryland played the "lovable bear of a man" role perfectly at the press conference, getting laughs by recounting his humble beginnings with Miami and for thinking the call from the Hall was a joke by former teammate Cortez Kennedy.
The Big Ten has always been a dominant force with electors, thanks in part to the large numbers of Big Ten grads peppering foundation chapters throughout the Midwest and sunnier places down South. And so three graduates of Big Ten schools, Sandy Stephens of Minnesota, Gene Washington of Michigan State and Eddie George of Ohio State were elected while one of two coaches, Lloyd Carr of Michigan, earned a spot. That that group is not an overwhelming one--sure George is a former Heisman winner but he is getting in before many stars from the 1980s and early '90s--is more proof that it helps to be a Big Ten grad.
That may change a bit when the Hall moves to Atlanta. While I am not accusing the Foundation of fixing anything, it will help attendance to start including more players from the Deep South. In addition to the three Florida players mentioned, Jake Scott of Georgia and Alabama's Marty Lyons are also heading to the Hall--all in time for next fall's enshrinement festivities in...Atlanta.
Hopefully there will be some love that weekend for the others to be enshrined, Doug English of Texas, Bill Enyart as a rare Oregon State inductee, Will Shields of Nebraska (to help welcome them to the Big Ten!), Darryl Talley of West Virginia, Clendon Thomas of OU and Rob Waldrop of Arizona. The other coach elected in was Fisher DeBerry of Air Force. The National Football Foundation always treats its people right and all of the former players and coaches will all feel welcome at the induction ceremonies in New York in December and then at the Enshrinement Festival.
