LHarris owned

I believe LHarris537 invented the single wing, so Zimmerman has no business questioning his opinion on football matters.

 

that was Pop Warner actually.
And no way does Davis deserve the Hall, but it woulda been at least a little more classy to have ripped on LH about that, than taking him on personally.

 

Dr Z definitely was a selector. He's written about his votes, and how he intends to vote, and some of the discussion in the room, without naming names. He was getting heat for that. Did he get kicked off?

 

He wasn't on the list, and I know King had been. I didn't know Z was,
but it sounds like he would get kicked off for doing something like that.

 

Me and Z

Well, I return from a visit to Folly Beach and to HAVEPSL and it seems that some reply is in order after the small stir created by my message to Doctor Z, Paul Zimmerman of Sports Illustrated.

First, a few good words about Z. He has long been a highly-regarded pro football sportswriter, both in daily and magazine formats. His writing might never be classified as great, but is greatly enhanced by his knowledge of the game, his meticulous attention to detail and his long list of NFL contacts, assimilated over many years. His dedication and perseverance make him deserving to sit among outstanding NFL scribes who came before, gents like Tex Maule, Dave Brady and William Wallace.

However, everyone has faults -- hell, SI's Maule predicted the Landry Cowboys would win the whole thing for a hundred straight years before they finally broke through -- and Z is no different than the rest of us. In the twilight of his tremendous career, he frequently lapses into Winespeak, which is fine with those of us who also are disciples of Bacchus, but irritates the hell out of others.

I was particularly miffed at a mistake he committed some weeks ago when he was attempting to make a point regarding outstanding running backs and plans for the Super Bowl. He included the Baltimore Colts' great Lenny Moore in the list for 1969, the year Joe Namath and friends changed the NFL forever. Paul apparently forgot that Lenny, a key factor in the Colts' NFL championships in 1958 and 1959 and the Comeback Player of the Year in 1964, retired after the 1967 season and never played in a Super Bowl.

Perhaps Z has apologized for that blunder in a subsequent column which I missed. If so I, too, apologize. But the error did give me a chance to throw one more haiku compliment to the great Moore, who carried a bunch of nicknames, one after the Soviet space missile of the early 60s:

"Sputnik" dared to soar
where few others have ever flown but
not in sixty-nine

Anyway, it's all fun and games and in this country we still have a choice. If you don't like Irvin or Berman or Theismann or Zimmerman or me, all you have to do is hit the remote or the "next message" button and send us all into the ether. Thin skin should be banned on all message boards, no matter their genesis.

I do appreciate the support and the barbs. I'm still receptive enough to say thanks to both.

 

z was born in 1932.

 

Found the Moore article:

My E-mailer of the Week is Chris Sullivan of San Diego because of the original concept he has introduced. He waxes poetic over the dazzling moves of his hometown guy, LaDainian Tomlinson. He was in awe of Barry Sanders. He calls runners such as these "skilled" runners. But he poses the question of whether or not you really want a "skilled runner" to lead your team to the Super Bowl, or would you rather have a good, solid, scheme-oriented guy?

OK, he's given me a research project, but what the hell, I've been on vacation and I need a little hard work to get me back in the groove. I'll go down the list of every team that's appeared in the Super Bowl and try to determine how many of them were led by, oh, I don't like that "skilled runner" term. Let's say "rare runners," who put their own unique spin on the operation. This is subjective, of course, but don't worry, I'll be very selective. In chronological order, here are my Rare Super Bowl runners, and if a great runner is not listed, it's because I feel that for all his greatness he was basically a scheme guy, not a freak talent:

1969, SB III: Lenny Moore, Colts
2000, SB XXXIV, Marshall Faulk, Rams

And that's it. And you could even argue the Moore choice, since he really wasn't that much outside the scheme. You know something, Mr. Sullivan, I think you've raised a Rare point here. You're one of my better E-mailer of the Week Award winners.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/dr_z/06/08/mailbag/1.html

And of course:

From 1963 to 1965, Lenny scored touchdowns in 18 consecutive games, an NFL-record. When Moore retired following the 1967 season, he left behind some amazing statistics, 12,451 combined net yards, 5174 yards rushing, 363 pass receptions, and 113 touchdowns.

http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?player_id=155

 

Was Walter Payton not considered a "rare" talent? I was too young to pay close attention.

 

I don't believe he played in a Super Bowl. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

86, the issue with letting the Fridge score the TD instead of Walter