Hall of Fame Talk … Wednesday Cup O’Chiefs

Now that Derrick Thomas is enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the question I hear most often from long-time Chiefs fans is why is Otis Taylor not in the Hall of Fame?

Or, why is Johnny Robinson not in the Hall of Fame? Ed Budde and Jim Tyrer … why do they not have busts in Canton?

I’m sure these questions will come again after the news on Tuesday that the seniors committee of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Board of Selectors has voted and placed the names of Dick LeBeau (top) and Floyd Little (bottom) into the group of finalists for election with the Class of 2010.

This vote was not induction into the Hall. It means that LeBeau and Little will get the chance to be considered and voted on when the entire Board of Selectors gets together on the day before the next Super Bowl.

Since the Hall added a second seniors slot in 2005, eight of the 10 nominees have been voted in. Since the seniors position was created in 1972, there have been 41 men chosen, including four who have been named twice. That total of 41 includes LeBeau and Little.

First, let me hit some points of reference involving the Hall of Fame and the senior candidates. It will make everything easier to understand:

• A player is eligible for the Hall five years after his final season of play. He then has 20 years to be voted in. If not, he then joins the seniors group.
• Every year, Hall voters narrow an opening list that now numbers over 100 names to 15 finalists. Added to that group are the senior candidates. When the voting is held the day before the Super Bowl each year, the senior candidates are considered separately. Each one has to receive 80 percent of the vote to receive Hall induction. Both could be voted in, only one may receive induction, or both could be turned down.
• Making the group of finalists is called “getting into the room” and indicates that the player’s credentials were discussed by the entire voting committee, which now numbers 44 people.
• The seniors committee is made up of nine people from that group of 44; each year five of those nine are selected to vote that year. Through the mail, a vote is taken to reduce the final list of seniors to 17. Then the committee members meet in Canton to decide on two of the 17.

OK, that’s the heavy stuff. Let me say that I think the committee scored big with moving LeBeau and Little into the voting pool. They are perfect examples of what the senior nominees are supposed to be about. LeBeau and Little never made the list of finalists when they were first eligible for Hall induction. LeBeau was eligible starting in 1978 and Little in 1981.

And these guys certainly qualify as players to be discussed. LeBeau spent 14 years as a cornerback with the Detroit Lions, intercepting 62 passes and returning three for TDs. When he retired, his INTs ranked him third in NFL history; he’s now seventh. His total remains a Detroit team record and he was voted to three Pro Bowls. This nomination doesn’t include his remarkable coaching career; he’s the defensive coordinator of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Little was a five-time Pro Bowler for the Broncos, totaling over 12,000 all-purpose yards during his nine-year career. He ran for 6,323 yards and 43 TDs. He caught 215 passes for 2,418 yards and nine TDs. Little returned punts and kickoffs for 3,416 yards. In 1971, he won the NFL’s rushing crown with 1,133 yards.

Now the question of why not Taylor, Robinson, Budde or Tyrer? I can tell you this: both Taylor and Robinson have been among the last group of seniors candidates considered in recent years. This week, Otis reached the final five.

But the odds currently are against any of those Chiefs finding their way through the voting process. First, both Hank Stram and Emmitt Thomas found their place in Canton through the seniors process. In this decade, only one other team had two seniors go into the Hall: Dallas with Rayfield Wright and Bob Hayes.

Just consider the franchises of the American Football League. Little is the first senior candidate from Denver. Oakland had John Madden (2006), Miami had Nick Buoniconti (2001) and Buffalo had Billy Shaw (1999). The Jets, Patriots, Bengals, Oilers and Chargers have not had senior candidates.

Consider that when the league’s merged in 1970, there were 26 franchises. Every one of those teams thinks it has three or four players that have been bypassed over the years. Do the math: that’s over 100 potential seniors in the pool. Any player who finished his career before 1984 falls into the seniors group.

The Chiefs were lucky to get two in the span of six years.

Taylor certainly qualifies for what the seniors spot is supposed to be about; in the 20 years of eligibility he was never once a finalist. Robinson made the final 15 in six different years (1980-81-82-83-85-86). Tyrer was a finalist once (1981). Like Otis, Budde never reached the finals.

I can’t answer to what happened before I joined the Board of Selectors for voting in the class of 1997. But I can tell you that induction into the Hall is a tough road for all but a few select players. To even be considered is an honor. The line between great and very good is so thin, it’s hard to quantify.

No question that Taylor/Robinson/Budde/Tyrer are all worthy of consideration based on their careers. They were all on at least two championship teams. They all made multiple appearances in the Pro Bowl or AFL All-Star Game. They were all considered among the best players at their position during their careers. Robinson, Budde and Tyrer were all members of the All-Time AFL team as voted by the Hall of Fame selectors.

They are worthy of consideration for induction. I hope their opportunity comes and comes soon.

NEW FACES IN THE HOUSE

You’ve got to hand it to the newest Chiefs, offensive linemen Ikechuku Ndukwe and Andy Alleman; at least they had a sense of humor about their abrupt change in zip codes. They joined the team for practice on Tuesday after the trade with Miami that went down on Monday. They came to Kansas City for an undisclosed 2010 selection in the NFL Draft.

“Andy and I were joking about it,” Ndukwe said of the compensation received by the Dolphins. “We thought it was maybe a pack of Chiclets and an old fingernail clipper. It doesn’t matter. We’re here and we’re happy to be here.”

Working with the second and third offensive line groups, Alleman worked at right guard and Ndukwe at right tackle. That’s where they will stay in the immediate future according to head coach Todd Haley.

Both will get a chance with the Chiefs. In their first Kansas City practice Tuesday, Ndukwe worked at right tackle, Alleman at right guard.

Coach Todd Haley said those are the positions where both players will continue to work and that they would play there in Saturday night’s preseason against Seattle at Arrowhead Stadium.

“I think that’s where we’ll start,” said Haley. “That was the plan when we had an opportunity to get these days. We were excited about the chance to get them on our team and for those positions specifically. They will do just what we talked about yesterday: they will bring competition to the right tackle and right guard spots.”

Both players worked at guard last season, but Ndukwe said he’s been working at right tackle during the Dolphins training camp and pre-season. Alleman has played both guard spots, as well as taking some snaps at center.

Haley expects both players to be ready to play Seattle this Saturday at Arrowhead Stadium.

“I would think that’s the goal; we will definitely try to get them in there,” said Haley. “I would expect these guys to integrate in fairly quickly. The program’s not going to be a lot different (than Miami). I know a lot of those people down there, lot of those coaches. I know the way the practices go and they’ll get that pretty quick. System-wise, terminology is a little different but still a lot of the same thought process. I worked with Coach (Dan) Henning for four years, so we think a lot of the same way. Again, some of the terminology will be a little different but these are both smart guys that I think should have a chance to pick it up fairly quickly.”

SIGNINGS, INJURIES & MOVEMENT AROUND THE LEAGUE

• BEARS – signed LB Darrell McClover; released G Tyler Reed and TE Fontel Mines.
• BENGALS – signed DT Langston Moore.
• BRONCOS – acquired OL Russ Hochstein in a trade with the Patriots for a 2010 draft choice.
• BROWNS – signed DL Brian Schaefering, DB Tra Battle, OL Corey Hilliard and TE Nate Jackson; released OT George Foster, TE John Madsen, WR Paul Raymond and DL Melila Purcell
• CHARGERS – released CB Cletis Gordon.
• EAGLES – signed TE Tony Curtis (Chiefs) and LB Curtis Gatewood (Chiefs/Lions); released QB Adam DiMichele and WR Shaheer McBride.
• FALCONS – released LB Edmond Miles.
• JAGUARS – signed WR/TE Ernest Wilford (Dolphins); released DT Jonathan Lewis.
• LIONS – released WR Eric Fowler; placed WR Kenneth Harris on injured-reserve list; claimed DT Orion Martin on waivers (Dolphins).
• PACKERS – released C/G Duke Preston and placed TE Devin Frischknecht on injured reserve.
• PATRIOTS – traded OL Russ Hochstein to the Broncos for a 2010 draft choice; signed third-round draft choice LB Tyrone McKenzie (he’s out for season with a knee injury); released S Tank Williams.
• RAIDERS – released CB Ricky Manning, Jr.
• SAINTS – kicker Garrett Hartley suspended for the first four games of the ‘09 season by the NFL for testing positive for a banned substance.
• SEAHAWKS — claimed C/G Brian De La Puente on waivers (Chiefs); released OL Grey Ruegamer and RB T.J. Duckett.
• TEXANS – released FB Boomer Grigsby.

FROM THE PAGES OF CHIEFS HISTORY

On August 26, 1978 the Chiefs lost a pre-season game to the St. Louis Cardinals 12-7 at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs only score came on a one-yard run by RB MacArthur Lane. TE Walter White had 2 catches for 42 yards. RB Tony Reed had five carries for 60 yards, including a 33-yard run. LB Whitney Paul grabbed an interception.

On August 26, 1999 the Chiefs lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars 31-6 in a pre-season game at Alltel Stadium. The Jaguars jumped to a 24-0 lead at half-time thanks to a pair of TD runs by RB Fred Taylor, one that went for 86 yards. Jacksonville K Mike Hollis added a 50-yard field goal. The Chiefs only score came on a five-yard TD pass from QB Warren Moon to WR Kirby Dar Dar. RB Rashan Shehee caught five passes in the game for 43 yards.