Professional Football Researchers Association Forum
PFRA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the history of professional football. Formed in 1979, PFRA members include many of the game's foremost historians and writers.
I found the film they watched - just google this: "NFL Films: Ed Sprinkle-Legendary Linemen" - maybe the testimonials put him over the top
Another thing that search shows - sounds like Pompei is a Bears guy, right? Interesting he seems pretty happy about two of the candidates the board wasn't happy with:
"When Don Pierson and I wrote the Chicago Bears Centennial Scrapbook, we were asked to rate the top 100 players in Bears history. We ranked Covert 13th, ahead of 14 Hall of Famers at the time. We rated Sprinkle 25th, ahead of seven Hall of Famers at the time. In retrospect, we probably had Sprinkle too low."
I would have to think Harris’s election does not bode well for Chuck Howley. In addition to his MVP in SB V, he had an interception and fumble recovery in SB VI. He was a big part of their success from 66-72.
JohnTurney wrote:Some info I've gotten, taken it for what it's worth
essentially, Carmichael a "skill set" winner over Pearson. He again "changed the game"
because Eagles had ppor un game and he was "one of first" to run fades to the corner
thus "being a pioneer" because teams didn't do that in goalline, (call that 10-yards and
in) mot good teams with good running game would usually pound it in, not risk a pass
in those situations. Eagles could run it in (Sullivan Montgomery, I guess) sp they'd use
the "weapon" that no one had seen before.
So, yeah.
he's tall. Got it.
I was surprised that Carmichael made it in over Cliff Branch and Drew Pearson. They all played in the same eras, and Branch and Pearson had a lot of postseason moments and impressive postseason statistics. The only thing I remember Carmichael doing in the postseason is negating Philly's early TD in SB XV with his illegal motion penalty. Dick Coury was very upset.
Last edited by Bryan on Thu Jan 16, 2020 11:49 am, edited 1 time in total.
TanksAndSpartans wrote:I found the film they watched - just google this: "NFL Films: Ed Sprinkle-Legendary Linemen" - maybe the testimonials put him over the top
Maybe Sprinkle's enshrinement is similar to Joe Guyon's...testimonials, embellished stories, vague hard data. An old DE from that era who impressed me on film is Bob Reinhard, but he was an AAFC guy who played only one year in the NFL (1950 Rams). From what little I've seen, Sprinkle never really stood out. A better version of Jack Zilly, that's about it. I can stomach Jimbo Covert getting in, because he was probably a guy whose play was better than the honors he received. Ed Sprinkle is more like a Hardy Brown 'folk hero' than a DE that offenses said "we gotta gameplan against this guy". JMO.
Not to be a homer but whether or not Lewellen made it in was kind of my gauge for how serious the committee took this whole "centennial slate". I really thought it was intended to look back and honor the old guys from before the charter class of 1963 who may have faced a backlog all these years. As stated in that article, knowledgeable people feel Lewellen deserves to be in the discussion for greatest Packer of ALL TIME, let alone Hall of Fame worthy. The only knock that appears to be against him? He played in the pre-stat era, and nowadays the NFL loves to focus on its modern history (Super Bowl era).
So agreed, this whole centennial slate wasn't what I thought it'd be and it's a little disappointing. I'm sure once David Baker started appearing on TV the warning signs began going off for you guys. Selecting players from the 1920-30's doesn't generate the same buzz that selecting modern candidates does. Or brings the same amount of crowds to Canton in August.
That said, congrats to everyone who did make it in. I know Ron Wolf has long mentioned Bobby Dillon as the top Packer not in the Hall of Fame who was most deserving (even ahead of Kramer), so it's cool to see him finally get in.
Oszuscik wrote:
Verne Lewellen's case for the Hall of Fame:
.
Chris Willis, who is one of top historians of that era names him as the de facto MVP in 1929 and 30 and on his All-Time pre-WWII team. That was enough for me.
Even if Lewellen and Diweg were Packers, both, IMO more worthy than Dillon (though Dillon is fine with me, it's about picking the best first)
TanksAndSpartans wrote:I found the film they watched - just google this: "NFL Films: Ed Sprinkle-Legendary Linemen" - maybe the testimonials put him over the top
Another thing that search shows - sounds like Pompei is a Bears guy, right? Interesting he seems pretty happy about two of the candidates the board wasn't happy with:
"When Don Pierson and I wrote the Chicago Bears Centennial Scrapbook, we were asked to rate the top 100 players in Bears history. We ranked Covert 13th, ahead of 14 Hall of Famers at the time. We rated Sprinkle 25th, ahead of seven Hall of Famers at the time. In retrospect, we probably had Sprinkle too low."
Had to be the testimonials. Pompei is the Bears guy and he does not like to be questioned.
Speaking of testimonials. On the Jimbo Covert front, was told Bill Belichick's endorsement went something like "Covert did the best job on Lawrence Taylor" or "as good as anyone did versus LT" person who told be was not in room, but was told by someone in the room.
So, take it for what it is worth, maybe it will end of on the record and we can know for sure, but it's second-hand info as of now, but does make some sense that is could have gone down like that.
TanksAndSpartans wrote:I found the film they watched - just google this: "NFL Films: Ed Sprinkle-Legendary Linemen" - maybe the testimonials put him over the top
Another thing that search shows - sounds like Pompei is a Bears guy, right? Interesting he seems pretty happy about two of the candidates the board wasn't happy with:
"When Don Pierson and I wrote the Chicago Bears Centennial Scrapbook, we were asked to rate the top 100 players in Bears history. We ranked Covert 13th, ahead of 14 Hall of Famers at the time. We rated Sprinkle 25th, ahead of seven Hall of Famers at the time. In retrospect, we probably had Sprinkle too low."
Had to be the testimonials. Pompei is the Bears guy and he does not like to be questioned.
TanksAndSpartans wrote:I found the film they watched - just google this: "NFL Films: Ed Sprinkle-Legendary Linemen" - maybe the testimonials put him over the top
Another thing that search shows - sounds like Pompei is a Bears guy, right? Interesting he seems pretty happy about two of the candidates the board wasn't happy with:
"When Don Pierson and I wrote the Chicago Bears Centennial Scrapbook, we were asked to rate the top 100 players in Bears history. We ranked Covert 13th, ahead of 14 Hall of Famers at the time. We rated Sprinkle 25th, ahead of seven Hall of Famers at the time. In retrospect, we probably had Sprinkle too low."
Had to be the testimonials. Pompei is the Bears guy and he does not like to be questioned.
