patfitz Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 I was listening to a couple of our local sports DJ's discussing AFL stars that were not among the chosen NFL HOE'ers. Among those mentioned were Jack Kemp. Let me say that Jack Kemp was my first Bills hero I remember coming of age listening to the radio when Kemp led the Bills to the championship years. Yes I also remember that Kemp was among the leaders for losing yards while scrambling, a poor man;s Fran T. and also was infamous for his fumbles and INT's. Yet Kemp was a team leader and despite his lack of impressive statistics should be remembered equally among the more universally recognized AFL heroes like Broadway Joe Nameth. It has always been a shame that some of the most accomlished AFL'ers have had to take a second seat to their NFL counterparts of the day. As the 50'th anniversary of the Bills and the AFL is here let/s give credit where credit is due. I'll take the AFL superstars of the 60's over their NFL counterparts in an offensive vs. defensive struggle for the ages even without Broadway Joe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SACTOBILLSFAN Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 It's the pro football hall of fame not the NFL hall of fame so the AFL guys shod definitely be considered Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chandler#81 Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 I couldn't agree more, Patfitz. By the mid-60's, the talent levels had so evened out that the 'established league' had no choice but to consider a merger. TV contracts and wooing great college talent quickly brought the AFL to equality. Â I hope this splashy NFL year of celebrating the AFL extrapolates into more deserving AFLer's in the Hall. It's not like the NFL ever did anything to celebrate anniversary's of the merge with the AAFL, though they're richer for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Original Byrd Man Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 I was listening to a couple of our local sports DJ's discussing AFL stars that were not among the chosen NFL HOE'ers. Among those mentioned were Jack Kemp. Let me say that Jack Kemp was my first Bills hero I remember coming of age listening to the radio when Kemp led the Bills to the championship years. Yes I also remember that Kemp was among the leaders for losing yards while scrambling, a poor man;s Fran T. and also was infamous for his fumbles and INT's. Yet Kemp was a team leader and despite his lack of impressive statistics should be remembered equally among the more universally recognized AFL heroes like Broadway Joe Nameth. It has always been a shame that some of the most accomlished AFL'ers have had to take a second seat to their NFL counterparts of the day. As the 50'th anniversary of the Bills and the AFL is here let/s give credit where credit is due. I'll take the AFL superstars of the 60's over their NFL counterparts in an offensive vs. defensive struggle for the ages even without Broadway Joe. I whole heartedly agree. I was astounded by the lack of AFL stars in the HOF. The players that did make it for the most part "legitimized" their careers by 1 or 2 years after the merger. To call it the profootball HOF is a misnomer. What they really mean is the NFL HOF. It is truly sad to see the accomplishments of so many greats unrecognized because of the arrogance of the writers that covered the NFL and refused to give credit where it is due. I can only hope they will rectify this injustice in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tennesseeboy Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 Early Bills that I would nominate? Cookie Gilchrist, Tom Sestak, Mike Stratton, Pete Gogolak, Butch Byrd and George Saimes. Gilchrist, Sestak Stratton and Gogolak for certain and the others were definitely worthy of consideration. At the next level of consideration I'd put Ernie Warlick who was a vastly under rated tight end. Is Lance Alworth in the hall of fame? Gino Cappelletti and Babe Parilli are two patriots who jump out as early stars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haven Moses Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 Kemp's numbers aren't a heck of a lot different from Joe Namath's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Philster Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 Sestak is the first one who needs to get in...Billy Shaw is still the only player in the HOF who spent his entire career in the AFL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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