Paul Tagliabue endorses Kemp for the Hall of Fame

[Beerball]

Tagliabue's endorsement of Kemp. He expressed it in a letter to Joe Horrigan, an executive of the hall, and Horrigan forwarded it to the nine members of the hall's senior selection committee

 

Sorry if this has been posted...

 

Kemp linkage

 

More Kemp news...he, Mario Cuomo & others willing to pay up to 1 billion for sports team...group is one of three finalists for Cubs.

 

Have they called Ralph?

[Just Jack]

Interesting notes from the 2nd article....

 

But buying the Buffalo Bills is not an option. The group is open to investments in most sports, but the National Football League is unique among professional leagues in forbidding publicly traded corporations from owning its teams.

That means that Bills fans can’t count on Kemp’s company to keep the Bills in Buffalo if owner Ralph Wilson or his heirs should decide to sell.

 

...

 

But the NFL’s ownership rules have always required its teams to be owned by individuals, with one person as the controlling owner with a stake of at least 30 percent. There can be up to 24 partners and they can form a private corporation. But it can’t be a publicly traded corporation, and its purpose must be to operate the team.

 

...

 

The company completed its initial public offering in January, selling $10 “units,” each consisting of one share of common stock and one “warrant” to buy another share of stock at an exercise price of $7 per share. For now, only the “units” are trading on the American Stock Exchange under the ticker HMR, closing Friday at $9.45.

 

I might just buy 10 "units".

[Beerball]

Interesting notes from the 2nd article....

 

But the NFL’s ownership rules have always required its teams to be owned by individuals, with one person as the controlling owner with a stake of at least 30 percent. There can be up to 24 partners and they can form a private corporation. But it can’t be a publicly traded corporation, and its purpose must be to operate the team.

 

I might just buy 10 "units".

Yeah, but we've got the commish in our back pocket. What's good for GB is good for Buff.

[Lori]

Personally, I don't have a problem with Tagliabue -- now a private citizen, not the NFL commissioner -- offering such a recommendation, but Magee makes the correct point later on in his column: Hall of Fame enshrinement is supposed to be based solely on a player's ON-field performance. Kemp should be judged on his football career, not his political one.

[KRC]

Not unusual. He can send a letter to Horrigan to nominate someone, just like the rest of us. Any person can nominate any player for HOF induction. Tags is no longer a commissioner, so he is allowed to be biased. Personally, I do not think that Kemp deserves to be in the HOF.

[Chandler#81]

We've had 'Kemp for the Hall' debates here a few times. I'm of the opine that he deserves it. He QB'ed in 5 title games (IIRC), winning 2 -WITH US! He was the AFL Players Union Rep and a respected voice of the upstart league. He has enough stats and All-Star game appearances for consideration, given that other AFL QB's with better stats (some less) are already in.

 

IMO, the writer has a vanity issue.

 

I hope it happens! (but he better go in as a Bill only!!!!!!!)

[Beerball]

Not unusual. He can send a letter to Horrigan to nominate someone, just like the rest of us. Any person can nominate any player for HOF induction. Tags is no longer a commissioner, so he is allowed to be biased. Personally, I do not think that Kemp deserves to be in the HOF.

Wonder why he saw fit to write the article then?

 

No argument here on whether Kemp deserves enshrinement.

[KRC]

Wonder why he saw fit to write the article then?

 

Publicity. He has the name recognition and can get his opinion out there. The more he can try to get people on board, the better chance he has of getting Kemp inducted. The problem he has is that the seniors committee is looking for new information to prove his worthiness. Obviously, they did not feel that he was worthy in the past. A new argument needs to be brought forth in order for the committee to reconsider him. The only thing new is that a former NFL commissioner is now on his side. I am not sure that is enough to sway the committee.

 

Of course, they put Marshall Goldberg up last year, so I do not have much faith in the committee.

[Lori]

Of course, they put Marshall Goldberg up last year, so I do not have much faith in the committee.

Extremely good point.

[Beerball]

Publicity. He has the name recognition and can get his opinion out there. The more he can try to get people on board, the better chance he has of getting Kemp inducted. The problem he has is that the seniors committee is looking for new information to prove his worthiness. Obviously, they did not feel that he was worthy in the past. A new argument needs to be brought forth in order for the committee to reconsider him. The only thing new is that a former NFL commissioner is now on his side. I am not sure that is enough to sway the committee.

 

Of course, they put Marshall Goldberg up last year, so I do not have much faith in the committee.

Actually I was wondering why Magee was a bit bent about Tags letter. At least that's the feeling I got reading the article. Kind of 'how dare you'...course I was wrong once in 1978 so it is possible...

[Lori]

Actually I was wondering why Magee was a bit bent about Tags letter. At least that's the feeling I got reading the article. Kind of 'how dare you'...course I was wrong once in 1978 so it is possible...

I think he thinks Tagliabooo, as former commish, should keep his nose out of it; looks like he's also questioning Horrigan including the letter in the info he mailed. Again, I don't see the problem with either act. If the voters want to consider Tag's opinion, they will. If not, they won't. And considering the fact that PT was supposedly a slam-dunk first-ballot enshrinee who's still waiting to get in, they may not pay any attention at all.

[KRC]

Actually I was wondering why Magee was a bit bent about Tags letter. At least that's the feeling I got reading the article. Kind of 'how dare you'...course I was wrong once in 1978 so it is possible...

 

I think Magee was more bent about it becoming public than anything else. Keep in mind that most, if not all, of the members of the selection committee are members of the PFWA. The PFWA fights to make sure the teams do not keep secrets and that they open things up for public consumption via the media. These same members make sure that the HOF selection process is kept secret and is not available for public consumption. They are hypocrites. Their lack of knowledge of football history would be exposed if people actually knew how little they know.[/rant]

 

The bit about Horrigan sending the letters is an indication that the Hall supports their candidacies has no merit, IMO. Anything that gets sent to the Hall is forwarded to the selectors. Horrigan is a Buffalo guy, so he obviously has a lot of knowledge of Kemp. If asked, he is more than willing to give opinions. However, that does not mean that he speaks fr the Hall. I give my opinions on worthiness of candidates, but that does not mean that I speak for the PFRA unless I specifically say so.

[KRC]

I think he thinks Tagliabooo, as former commish, should keep his nose out of it; looks like he's also questioning Horrigan including the letter in the info he mailed. Again, I don't see the problem with either act. If the voters want to consider Tag's opinion, they will. If not, they won't. And considering the fact that PT was supposedly a slam-dunk first-ballot enshrinee who's still waiting to get in, they may not pay any attention at all.

 

I think that Tags is going to have to wait another few years. It looks like Goodell needed to clean up some stuff from Tags' administration, so they are waiting to see how much needs to be done. He is still a lock to get in as all commissioners are guaranteed induction, but they will make him wait a little longer.