Hall of Fame Weekend … The Nitschke Luncheon

From North Canton, Ohio

OK, I’m no Hank Young, but there was the picture of the day standing right in front of me in living color.

So I pulled out the phone and snapped a shot of two remaining members of the American Football League’s Foolish Club as they talked on Friday.

That’s Ralph Wilson on the left, owner of the Buffalo Bills. That’s Bud Adams on the right, owner of the Houston Oilers now Tennessee Titans. The man who should have been standing with them was the late Lamar Hunt.

Wilson and Adams were attending the one of the highlights of the Hall of Fame weekend in Canton. It’s the Friday lunch where all returning members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame gather and welcome this year’s induction class.

Only Hall of Fame members, the Hall’s board of selectors, Hall officials and those people presenting inductees are allowed to attend. It’s called the Nitschke Luncheon because the late Packers LB Ray Nitschke used to run the lunch and serve as a master of ceremonies. These days, those duties usually fall to the great pass rusher Deacon Jones and others.

It’s one of the greatest events I’ve had the pleasure of being part of in over 30 years of covering the game. This Friday at North Canton’s Fieldcrest School was my third Nitschke Luncheon and the sights and sounds are always amazing.

What’s said there remains there, that’s part of the code, but generally the event is to prepare the incoming class for the emotions they’ll go through when they stand on the stage at Fawcett Stadium on Saturday evening.

But I can reveal some of the sights. There was a group of four people standing together … John Madden, Willie Lanier, Troy Aikman and Marv Levy all laughing at a story Madden just told. Len Dawson and Dan Dierdorf sat next to each other kibitzing as all the Hall of Famers gathered for a picture. Standing together for the picture were groupings like Dave Casper, Jack Youngblood and Bob Griese. And over there were Bobby Bell, Jan Stenerud and Emmitt Thomas, standing together again. Old Packers Willie Davis and Bart Starr stood with a more recent member of the Packers, James Lofton.

Once the team picture was taken, the group enjoyed some refreshments and the pairings are always interesting to see. Roger Staubach, Rod Woodson and Darrell Green were deep in conversation. Later, Woodson was asking someone to take a picture as he stood with Franco Harris.

There was a Buffalo huddle with Bruce Smith, Thurman Thomas, Jim Kelly and Ted Cotrell all enjoying a laugh. Out on the sidewalk under a shade tree Lynn Swann talked with Tony Dorsett and his son. Larry Wilson hung back under another tree, pulling on a cigarette.

Starr and Frank Gifford talking in the corner, and Forrest Gregg, Don Maynard and Raymond Berry all went in and grabbed seats for lunch together.

It was left to Willie Lanier to play the role of the sheep herder and as he tried to get everyone inside and seated so the lunch could begin. “Players don’t listen any better now than they did when they played,” Lanier said with a laugh.

Finally, he rounded up the group and they went inside for lunch, fellowship, some stories, some lies and experiences that you can’t buy.

Priceless? That’s the Nitschke Luncheon.