Washington Post's Len Shapiro indicates media hatred of Snyder could hurt Monk in HOF

[Art]

I'm breaking this out because I think, by itself, this could be a thread that gets some attention.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/01/AR2007050100754.html

In his article today, Len Shapiro outlines Snyder's media interaction as a negative thing. Something he slips in distresses me, and I would think many of us, and, for the media friends who live here, perhaps even be something they can seed back out to correct.

One of those silly Snyder press releases was sent out the day Art Monk failed to earn enough votes to make the Pro Football Hall of Fame this past February. Snyder was quoted in the release as saying "a good man and legitimate Hall of Famer is being denied entry for reasons we'll never know, by people who secretly vote... This is not right."

Snyder essentially impugned the integrity of the selectors and the secret ballot process (which is formulated by the Hall of Fame and the NFL, by the way), premises that are profoundly offensive, not to mention possibly harmful to Monk's future candidacy.

In slapping Snyder down for impugning the integrity of selectors, Shapiro suggests something Snyder says could cause voters to go against Monk. Obviously, this would suggest Shapiro is either correct, or, HE is making a profoundly offensive comment that impugns the integrity of the selectors by suggesting they would ignore the merits of Monk's career in a vendetta against Snyder.

In all honesty, can anyone actually figure out a more clear reason that Monk is not in the Hall of Fame beyond the media's dislike of Snyder? I'm surprised Shapiro would let us in on the little secret that Snyder's influence can change votes for a player who was gone before Snyder came into the league.

For the Monk crowd, this has to be a rallying point.

Or, am I reading too much into it?

[rictus58]

Other sports writers have said they think the vitriol they receive from redskins FANS is why Monk isn't in the hall.

[kappaluvacee]

I agree with you Art, but it's way too early to start thinking about next year's HOF. I still feel the sting of Monk's snub this year.

[HailSkinz1]

In all honesty, can anyone actually figure out a more clear reason that Monk is not in the Hall of Fame beyond the media's dislike of Snyder? I'm surprised Shapiro would let us in on the little secret that Snyder's influence can change votes for a player who was gone before Snyder came into the league.

Actually yes, and I posted this in a thread when it happened. It's been about one year now.

Tony Kornheiser admitted to Czaban and Andy Pollin that he (Kornheiser) would not vote for Monk nor champion his cause for the Hall of Fame as the "price he (Monk) has to pay" for not talking to the media. I wrote Kornheiser telling him I was boycotting his show (he was on 980 at the time) and he called me by name the next day and told me good-bye (I was told this by two different friends who heard him since I was not listening).

The point though is that Kornheiser talks to other media types, and I'm sure those who vote. Voters often pick the brains of local media types when voting and I'm positive Kornheiser has several voting friends who hold a grudge against Monk for not talking to them, like Kornheiser does.

It's a dispicable stance for someone who proclaims to be a "journalist."

I think this is the reason more than Snyder being the reason. I really think there are a bunch of egotistical journalists who derive great pleasure out of making Monk wait "as the price he has to pay." We always want to blame Peter King, and rightfully so, but Kornheiser is as much to blame, even though he personally does not have a vote, in my opinion.

Monk was held out of the Hall well before Snyder made any statements that they could consider inflamatory. I don't really think Snyder is the reason.

Hail,

H

[Siven]

Other sports writers have said they think the vitriol they receive from redskins FANS is why Monk isn't in the hall.

a good deal of monk supporters send in reasonable reasons why he should be in, however, there are always a couple of dumbasses out there that do stuff like

threaten supporters, call them something racist or offensive, and just give Redskins fans a bad name.

I'm sure, however, they get the same crap from fans of other teams.

[zoony]

I'm surprised Shapiro would let us in on the little secret that Snyder's influence can change votes for a player who was gone before Snyder came into the league.

I don't think Shapiro has any real insider knowledge. It was just another opportunity for him to take a shot at Snyder, at Art Monk's expense (I wonder if Len sent an email to all of the members of the committee asking them to read his article & Snyder's comments? Wouldn't surprise me).

That said, Shapiro's larger point is a decent one. Honey over vinegar. I think this goes back to the leadership discussions we've had on Dan Snyder in the past. how so many people have a natural ability to sell people, and exude Charisma... and then there's Dan Snyder. Our beloved, charismatic owner, who charms everyone he meets.

....

[ejay183]

I remember last year he was not very adept at recieving balls while on one knee. Anyone else remember that???

Why must Monk "pay the price" for playing the game and worrying about helping the team instead of how his interview went?

[d0ublestr0ker0ll]

I'd say you're reading too much in to it, but these people have way too much power. Most of them can write ridiculous articles, and get away with it because of their cemented high-regard. There isn't any democracy in the board of voters. They stay in power for how long? Is this a regime? It's the Hall of Fame, why do we need to keep the same agenda for decades at a time? Get new people in there that don't have the same bias once in a while, and let the other ones leave gracefully.

A vendetta is EXACTLY what some of these people carry out. Whether it's a collective hatred from fans of certain teams (see Redskins), or the offence taken by a media statement (see Dan Snyder)...these people have skin thinner than Helium. They write something stupid, it's brought to their attention, they fight it with ignorance and let it pass over their heads.

I think these people need to be subjected to debates. If John Clayton and Sean Salisbury can duke it out on T.V., why can't these guys? They aren't the AP, these sports writers have actual opinions...they should be scolded for the stuff they've never had to face up to.

Otherwise, Snyder did the right thing. Nobody should run and hide because of some writers regime that will punish you for counter-acting their words (oh the blasphemy). This HOF voting process is a sham.

[ThePreciating]

Excuse me Len??? So the "honorable" voters will let their hatred of Snyder keep Monk out of the HoF?

Isn't that proof-positive that the integrity of the voting process has been compromised, just like Snyder thought?

[bubba9497]

if any voter's personal feelings for Snyder influences his vote in the slightest, he has proved Snyder is correct

and should be kick off the committee

[ntotoro]

if any voter's personal feelings for Snyder influences his vote in the slightest, he has proved Snyder is correct

and should be kick off the committee

I'll go farther to say any voter's personal feeling toward Monk having influence on his vote should be kicked off the committee.

Monk was being blackballed well before Snyder bought the team.

[HailSkinz1]

Why must Monk "pay the price" for playing the game and worrying about helping the team instead of how his interview went?

Because many of the voters are egotistical jerks and they like the fact that they now can get back at him.

The "price he has to pay" is a direct quote from Kornheiser.

Here's the thread from last year. It was actually started by Thiebear (he says it was on WMAL, but it was really WTEM):

http://www.extremeskins.com/forums/showthread.php?t=145880&highlight=Kornheiser

Hail,

H

[flexxskins]

If nothing else, Shapiro's article exposes just how flawed/silly the entire voting process for the induction into the HOF is.

[Dirk Diggler]

A year or 2 ago, Don Banks said in so many words that the reason Art Monk would not get into the HOF is because of Dan Snyder. I believe Banks is a voter too. Between Z, Peter K (who leads the anti-Monk charge), and Banks comments that revealed just how bias the voters really are, I decided to boycott CNNSI at that moment in time. The rest of you should follow.

[ouvan59]

In slapping Snyder down for impugning the integrity of selectors, Shapiro suggests something Snyder says could cause voters to go against Monk. Obviously, this would suggest Shapiro is either correct, or, HE is making a profoundly offensive comment that impugns the integrity of the selectors by suggesting they would ignore the merits of Monk's career in a vendetta against Snyder.

Ahhh, the irony.

And for what it is worth, Snyder's statement was offensive but that doesn't mean he is wrong. Peter King has made a ton of money by making the rounds every year on Art Monk. He had a tangible monetary incentive to keep him out because he made money doing it. It is no coincidence that the second he signed his big fat TV deal that all of a sudden he flipped his stance on Art Monk. If he was just a sportswriter it wouldn't be a big deal but since he is part of the selection committee it is beyond sleazy.

Unfortunately for Snyder being right isn't enough. For a man with as much business savvy as he has he should know better than to fight the media. No matter how right you are you can't win because they always have the last word.

[redman]

Snyder certainly can't help Monk, but I don't know that I'm quite ready to replace global warming with Dan Snyder as an explanation for all the world's ills.

[E-Dog Night]

I've stated in a number of posts on this board that I believe Snyder's reputation has had some negative influence on a certain percentage of HOF voters not voting for Monk. But in reading the article, I don't think Shapiro was saying that, but rather that Snyder's innuendo-laden press release didn't help Monk's future chances.

And he has a point. It's not as if the Anti-Monk faction is going to think "Oh golly, Danny sure did call me out on that one. I had better change my vote next year, lest I fall in the path of Snyder's ire again". It's much more likely that this group - and possibly some one the fence who finally voted for Monk this year after previously casting negative votes - will be incensed to the point of retaliation.

One hopes that the HOF voters would have more professional integrity than that, but I suspect that sportswriters are just as susceptible to personal bias as the average person, if not more so.

[cphil006]

so... how were Monk's chances been before Snyder was on the committee?

thought so.

Monk has been snubbed before Snyder was even in the league.

Monk was snubbed before Snyder was on the committee.

Maybe this will HELP Monk's chances by putting a microscope on the committee because they will have to make public the reason he is not in the hall of fame is because he didn't grant them an interview or draw attention to himself...

[skinsfan44]

Excuse me Len??? So the "honorable" voters will let their hatred of Snyder keep Monk out of the HoF?

Isn't that proof-positive that the integrity of the voting process has been compromised, just like Snyder thought?

Exactly.

Why is it that when Irvin was voted in, the voters said that his OFF-THE-FIELD problems (arrests, drug use) had NO influence on their voting, but yet the same voters say that Monk did not grant interviews (which is OFF-THE-FIELD), yet that is what a lot of them are going by in NOT voting for Monk.

Now, with the voters hatred for Snyder should that be a viable reason to keep Monk out too, which is OFF-THE-FIELD???

Can you say "Double Standard"???

[Dirk Diggler]

You guys are really gonna see how F'd up this thing is when Darrell Green doesn't get in next year. He'll get in eventually but the media is going to make him squirm for a few years just to spite Snyder. Guarantee it.

[Skin Patrol]

If Dan Snyder's point is that the "reasons we'll never know" are personal and thus unreasonable, then his possible influence on the process proves the point. Art Monk's career and potential induction in the Hall of Fame shouldn't be based off what Dan Snyder says to anyone about anything. If it is then we are right to question the integrity of the process.

Len is one of the good guys so I don't think it behooves us to hang him out to dry here. He might be revealing a flaw in the process that fans should know about, so that we can properly evaluate the product the HoF Selectors produce: if Dan Snyder's press releases influence that decision then we're right not to give a flying **** about said product.

[Dirk Diggler]

so... how were Monk's chances been before Snyder was on the committee?

thought so.

Monk has been snubbed before Snyder was even in the league.

I believe Monk wasn't eligible until 1999 or 2000. Even Skins fans knew he wouldn't be a first ballot HOF.

[Morneblade]

I'm breaking this out because I think, by itself, this could be a thread that gets some attention.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/01/AR2007050100754.html

In his article today, Len Shapiro outlines Snyder's media interaction as a negative thing. Something he slips in distresses me, and I would think many of us, and, for the media friends who live here, perhaps even be something they can seed back out to correct.

In slapping Snyder down for impugning the integrity of selectors, Shapiro suggests something Snyder says could cause voters to go against Monk. Obviously, this would suggest Shapiro is either correct, or, HE is making a profoundly offensive comment that impugns the integrity of the selectors by suggesting they would ignore the merits of Monk's career in a vendetta against Snyder.

In all honesty, can anyone actually figure out a more clear reason that Monk is not in the Hall of Fame beyond the media's dislike of Snyder? I'm surprised Shapiro would let us in on the little secret that Snyder's influence can change votes for a player who was gone before Snyder came into the league.

For the Monk crowd, this has to be a rallying point.

Or, am I reading too much into it?

We've been butting heads over stuff recently Art, but Im in complete agreement with you on this one. I for one think that because Monk was quiet and didnt give alot of interviews in his playing days, certain members of the media got offended and have carried that to his induction process. And I could see certain members that have been offended by Snyder using that against Monk. And to me that would say alot about how bad and flawed the process is.

[redman]

You guys are really gonna see how F'd up this thing is when Darrell Green doesn't get in next year. He'll get in eventually but the media is going to make him squirm for a few years just to spite Snyder. Guarantee it.

I doubt this greatly. Green seems to have universal respect among voters, even among the ones who have historically disputed Monk's credentials.

[#98QBKiller]

Other sports writers have said they think the vitriol they receive from redskins FANS is why Monk isn't in the hall.

I think this has a lot to do with it and it could also be more of an issue of stubbornness than anything, a case of mediocre sports journalists "sticking to their guns" because they are scared to answer the criticism of why Monk wasn't put in an earlier year, when they finally (hypothetically) break down and vote him in.

Also, was Monk eligible for the HOF before or during the Snyder era? Just curious.