TAMPA – For 15 years Lynn Swann waited, hanging even longer than he did over Mark Washington to make that Super Bowl catch of all Super Bowl catches in 1976.
Fifteen years, a spectacular talent and clutch player whose short nine-season career and corresponding shortage of Hall of Fame numbers of catches kept him on the bubble, chilled patiently and, he thought, stoically for the news that yesterday burst his tear sacs like a bubble.
“I tried to intellectualize for the last 14 years what this would mean and how I would respond to it,” said Swann. “I would see guys on the podium (on television every summer from Canton) and had the honor of introducing Franco [Harris] when he was inducted.
“When I saw men crying, I would say ‘oh no, that’s not going to be me.’ But when I heard my name on television today and tried to take a deep breath and say ‘OK,’ “I just started crying. I appreciate this more than you will ever know. I appreciate the fact that while it may have taken 14 years of being nominated before I was selected, the difficulty makes me appreciate the honor even more.”
Swann was an especially tough case for the statistical reasons already stated, plus the human one he wistfully offered from the podium in adding: “I wish John Stallworth was beside me now.”
The guy flanked down the opposite side of the Steeler line from Swann through four Super Bowl victories failed to become the 16th wide-out to gain election despite career yardage better than Hall members Paul Warfield and Bobby Mitchell.
The friends of Ron Yary had to campaign hard for the best tackle of his day, who, by job definition, had no stats to provide a frame of reference for the 36 Hall electors. Three offensive linemen – Yary, Mike Munchak and Jackie Slater – got in yesterday, which you always like to see because there is little glamour in that job and no yardage for potential Hall of Fame runners, throwers and catchers if the guys up front don’t produce at superior levels, too.
But in the end there is no hard criteria at any position, just a feel for how good a player was, how much he helped the players around him win, and ultimately, how difficult it was, in relation to all the others who ever played his position, to accomplish what he did.
It’s supposed to be hard to make the Hall of Fame. If it weren’t, Jeff Lageman would be in it and we wouldn’t care so much about some guys who still aren’t. Or, who still wait to hear the most satisfying words of their already phenomenally successful lives.
Forty-nine NFL players have been elected in their first year of eligibility, and if we had space to show you the list, it would be obvious why. But Joe Namath, Sonny Jurgensen and Kellen Winslow weren’t picked until the third year they made the cutoff of 15. Who would ever suggest they don’t fully belong, or didn’t use a little preliminary rejection to reach a full comprehension of just how good you have to be to get in?
“You want the criteria rigid as possible,” said Youngblood, elected yesterday after 13 years of eligibility, called one of the four best defensive linemen in history by Yary, who waited 15.
“Isn’t it like growing up and maturing?” asked Youngblood. “If we would have been elected the first year, as difficult and disappointing as it was, now, it’s sweeter.”
Of course, that takes nothing away from the honor to Jackie Slater, yesterday’s only selection on his first year of eligibility. Neither should it do anything but build anticipation in Harry Carson, who yesterday made it to the final 10 in this seventh year of eligibility. Marv Levy, Munchak, Yary and Youngblood were top-ten vote getters a year ago, an encouraging sign that Carson, who made nine straight Pro Bowls with the Giants, will yet have his day.
Bill Parcells, nominated like Slater and Art Monk for the first time, joined the company of Bill Walsh and Joe Gibbs, who weren’t elected on their initial try, either.
“I was resigned to it after what was in your paper this week,” Parcells, mad at The Post, told The Post because it ran a story quoting sources suggesting his retirement from coaching might be short-lived. Parcells, who has admitted the door to return is open at least a crack, says he is not upset, but of course is. He wants in badly, and who wouldn’t?
Sources said Parcells failed to make the final 10 following a long debate about his future, leading to a proposal of a 3-year waiting period for coaches. It will be taken to the keepers of The Hall for likely approval. Five years would be better, but three is superior to what there is now, and plenty to make even an angry guy like Parcells cry when his time inevitably comes.