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Thurman Thomas

bernie

By bernie
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bernie

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Hall of Fame voting secondary for Thurman Thomas Associated Press

 

 

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Thurman Thomas stood at his father-in-law's hospital bedside, whispering the best words of encouragement he could muster.

 

"I said, 'Hey, you can't quit on me now because we have one more thing to do,"' the former Buffalo Bills star running back said this week. "'We have to go to the Hall of Fame."'

 

Perhaps Bob Mariacher was listening.

 

“ This has really taken the Hall of Fame off my mind. I've spent more time praying for my father-in-law to get well. ”

— Thurman Thomas

 

He woke from a coma Tuesday at a Buffalo hospital after a weeklong bout with encephalitis, a potentially life-threatening brain inflammation. And Mariacher has a good chance of being well enough for a transfer out of intensive care by the end of this week.

 

That's important to Thomas, a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame who couldn't imagine being inducted without his father-in-law around.

 

"I've grown to love him very, very much," Thomas said. "And it would be special if he can be there."

 

Mariacher won't be healthy enough to travel to Miami on Feb. 3, when the 2007 Hall of Fame class will be announced a day before the Super Bowl. But if all goes well in his recovery, and Thomas -- a finalist for the second consecutive year -- is selected, there's a good chance Mariacher would attend the induction ceremonies in Canton, Ohio, in August.

 

"This has really taken the Hall of Fame off my mind," said Thomas, who left his wife, Patti, behind in Buffalo while he returned home to Orlando, Fla., because his three daughters needed to go back to school. "I've spent more time praying for my father-in-law to get well."

 

Thomas' chances of being inducted this year are strong.

 

Out of 17 finalists, he is the lone running back and his numbers are solid. Thomas' 16,532 career yards from scrimmage ranks eighth in the NFL and his 12,074 career yards rushing ranks 12th. He was part of a Bills team that won an unmatched four consecutive AFC titles in the early 1990s, and a team that already features three Hall of Famers -- coach Marv Levy, quarterback Jim Kelly and receiver James Lofton.

 

And Thomas, who retired in 2000 after one year with Miami, just missed out from being a first-ballot selection last year, edged out by a star-studded class that included Troy Aikman, Reggie White, Warren Moon and John Madden.

 

Kelly was disappointed Thomas wasn't voted in last year.

 

"Without a doubt, he is the best all-purpose back in the history of the NFL," Kelly said. "The big reason I made it into the Pro Football Hall of Fame was because No. 34 was behind me. ... He needs to join the elite because Thurman Thomas was an elite and special player."

 

With receiver Andre Reed also among the finalists, there's a chance two players from the Bills' 1990s teams will be selected for induction.

 

Kelly said Reed, a first-time finalist, is as deserving as Thomas because he was among the most prolific receivers of his time. Reed ranks fifth with 951 career receptions, eighth with 13,198 yards receiving and 10th with 87 touchdowns -- all better than two other finalist receivers, Art Monk and Michael Irvin.

 

Thomas said he felt more anxious last year in the weeks leading up to the vote.

 

"I guess, I'm kind of more relaxed and just taking it day by day," said Thomas, who plans to travel to Miami next week. "Yeah, my hopes are up. But if I don't get in, I'm not going to change anything."

 

Patti Thomas thinks she knows why her husband is more grounded this year.

 

"We know Thurman deserves this and it's going to be a great thing," she said. "But I just know that all he wants is my dad to be better. I just think that's way on top of his list."

 

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press

ganesh All Pro

ganesh

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If Michael"it wasnt my crack pipe Irvin gets in before Thurman and Andre I will boycott the NFL for 1 year.

 

I think Thomas is a lock here, considering there are not many (if any) super-super-stars in this class.

 

Reed is going to be tough to get it ahead of Irvin and Art Monk. Irvin made game changing plays on their way to 3 super bowls. If both Lynn Swann and Stallworth who put 1/2 the #s that Irvin or Reed put up are in the hall because of their spectacular plays in the superbowls, I definitely think Michael makes it this year, leaving Monk and Reed behind....

obie_wan Veteran

obie_wan

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I think Thomas is a lock here, considering there are not many (if any) super-super-stars in this class.

 

Reed is going to be tough to get it ahead of Irvin and Art Monk. Irvin made game changing plays on their way to 3 super bowls. If both Lynn Swann and Stallworth who put 1/2 the #s that Irvin or Reed put up are in the hall because of their spectacular plays in the superbowls, I definitely think Michael makes it this year, leaving Monk and Reed behind....

 

Irvin put up a fraction of teh numbers of Reed- but did get 3 rings.

 

Even though Reed put up better numbers in his Super Bowl apprearances.

 

But Irvin got a lot of pub for his crack activities and his outright stupidity on national TV every week- so he is the front runner for entry into the Hall.

 

goota love those Hall voters

Ennjay RFA

Ennjay

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But Irvin got a lot of pub for . . . his outright stupidity on national TV every week . . .

 

goota love those Hall voters

 

The writers take care of these guys. I still have no idea why Howie Long is in the HOF.

Max997 All Pro

Max997

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Thurman should get in this year and should have been a first ballot HOF even with the class that was elected. Thomas should have gone in before Moon but Moon is a QB and they always get treated differently

 

WR is one of the tougher positions to get inducted into the Hall for some reason. Reed should be there and should def get in before Irvin

ganesh All Pro

ganesh

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The writers take care of these guys. I still have no idea why Howie Long is in the HOF.

 

Because he did the smart thing to get a TV gig and be in the public eye....I think the same was with the guy from the old St. Louis Cardinals, who was on MNF, and now on CBS.

tennesseeboy Veteran

tennesseeboy

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I'm not sure about Reed. God he made some bonehead plays in the playoffs and clutch games, including drops in the first Superbowl, dumb penalties. On the other hand he had some unbelievable games. All in all...I don't think he's hall of fame material. I know I'm in the minority here on this, but I just don't see him in that caliber. Best receiver the Bills ever had, but not in the running for HOF.

ganesh All Pro

ganesh

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I'm not sure about Reed. God he made some bonehead plays in the playoffs and clutch games, including drops in the first Superbowl, dumb penalties. On the other hand he had some unbelievable games. All in all...I don't think he's hall of fame material. I know I'm in the minority here on this, but I just don't see him in that caliber. Best receiver the Bills ever had, but not in the running for HOF.

 

What did Stallworth and Lynn Swann have consistently that Andre Reed did not.

tennesseeboy Veteran

tennesseeboy

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Interesting that Dr. Z. indicated he was voting for Dr. Z

 

"Ditto Thurman Thomas, the engine that ran the Bills' K-Gun run-and-shoot offense and got them into four Super Bowls.

 

"You'll notice," Jim Kelly used to say, "they call it the run-and-shoot, with run first, not the other way around. Thurman is the guy who makes it go."

 

Looking at the auperbowl just solidifies my feeling that TT deserves to be in the HOF.

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