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Some sort of vast Art Monk Conspiracy

washogskinz

By washogskinz
in 2005 Archives Forum

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washogskinz

washogskinz

Posted
Posted

Fellow members of the vast Art Monk Conspiracy, we have been discovered!!! Houston Chronicle sportswriter and pro football hall of fame selector John McClain is on to us!!!

This from Gil Lebreton of the Forth Worth Star Telegraph:

"Until the last two years, I thought the `Cowboy conspiracy' theory was like the "X-Files," an aberration," said selector and veteran pro football writer John McClain of the "Houston Chronicle". "But now there must be extra terrestrials, because as much as I hate to admit it, how can any Cowboys fan believe differently?"

One conspiracy theory making the rounds Saturday was that a Washington contingent organized the vote against Irvin, because the Redskins' favorite-son candidate, receiver Art Monk, didn't make the six-man finals. No Monk, no Irvin, in other words.

I just don't believe that. There are two selectors from "The Washington Post", Len Shapiro and Michael Wilbon. The latter is also a colleague of Irvin at ESPN. Shapiro said he gladly voted for Michael.

The full article is here:

Gil Lebreton | Irvin's omission from Hall of Fame has smell of conspiracy

By GIL LEBRETON

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Was it something, maybe, that Michael Irvin said?

Was it the fur coat and sunglasses that he wore to court? Was it that haircut - and 2-inch gash - he gave to teammate Everett McIver in Wichita Falls?

Or was it just spite or petty politics that kept the latest worthy Cowboy from the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday?

I'm guessing it was trap door No. 3, because I'm all out of logical explanations.

The most prolific, most successful wide receiver in Cowboys' history was denied his rightful reward Saturday. And a former teammate probably summed it up best.

"I think it's bull---_," said James Washington, the ex-Cowboys safety who now works for Fox Sports Radio.

"I think it's bull---_ , and you can write that."

We get the picture. But do the Hall of Fame voters?

The process is an elaborate one. Nominees must be voted upon to advance to a field of 15 finalists, then to 10 even-more-final finalists, followed by another vote that pares the field to six. At that point, a final "yea or nay" vote determines who gets in.

It means that at least eight of the 39 Hall of Fame selectors Saturday didn't want Irvin in.

Some voters say that after all those votes and all the previous weeding out, they routinely vote yes for all six final candidates. Obviously, there are some voters who don't.

And therein lies the problem with the pettily flawed Pro Football Hall of Fame selection process. The 39 selectors have been granted the privilege of bestowing pro football's highest honor.

Some of them, however, plainly see their mission as keeping people out.

But why Irvin? Why the Cowboys?

Of the 12 final candidates over the past two years, only four have been denied election into the Hall of Fame. Three are former Cowboys.

Something is prompting a handful of selectors to purposefully omit Cowboys on their final ballots. It almost sounds like a conspiracy.

"Until the last two years, I thought the `Cowboy conspiracy' theory was like the "X-Files," an aberration," said selector and veteran pro football writer John McClain of the "Houston Chronicle". "But now there must be extra terrestrials, because as much as I hate to admit it, how can any Cowboys fan believe differently?"

One conspiracy theory making the rounds Saturday was that a Washington contingent organized the vote against Irvin, because the Redskins' favorite-son candidate, receiver Art Monk, didn't make the six-man finals. No Monk, no Irvin, in other words.

I just don't believe that. There are two selectors from "The Washington Post", Len Shapiro and Michael Wilbon. The latter is also a colleague of Irvin at ESPN. Shapiro said he gladly voted for Michael.

Washington, who was nicknamed "Drive By" when he played with Irvin from 1990-94, said the Monk-Irvin argument isn't even valid.

"You're talking about a guy who changed the way you play the game, a guy who changed the way that teams drafted cornerbacks," Washington said, taking a break from his radio duties. "You'd double-cover Michael, and he'd still be making plays.

"We didn't double Art Monk."

OK, Washington is a little biased. Irvin's credentials are still rock-solid. Of the 17 wide receivers already in the Hall of Fame, only two had more receptions than Irvin's 750. Only three gained more yards.

Irvin also won three Super Bowls, which is exactly two more than Steve Young did as a starting quarterback. Young was voted in Saturday.

But don't get me started on Young, who's white and relatively discreet, and has never been indicted by a grand jury on cocaine charges.

Those who were at the five-hour-plus selection meeting, though, said Irvin's off-field problems never came up for discussion.

"Irvin is going to get into the Hall of Fame," McClain predicted, "but to do to him and to Harry Carson today what we did last year to Rayfield Wright and Bob Hayes, it is tortuous."

There are 193 players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Only five played most of their careers with the Cowboys.

Five.

By contrast there are now eight former Miami Dolphins, seven Minnesota Vikings and seven Kansas City Chiefs. The Oakland Raiders, who have won three fewer Super Bowls than the Cowboys, who moved twice and who once sued the league for antitrust violations, have 12 in the Hall of Fame. The Pittsburgh Steelers have 17 - 12 members from their Super Bowl teams of the `70s.

It doesn't add up.

The Cowboys won three Super Bowls in the 1990s. To leave out the heart and soul of those teams, Michael Irvin, makes it more a Hall of Sham than a Hall of Fame.

There's only one word to describe it. Just ask James Washington.

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brandies

brandies

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The point is that this is a church and state conflict. King is state; Monk is church. Look at their names and you will know what I mean. I think this is a indication that that midevil, prepolitical state people, are taking over the hall of fame, not to mention the country, though they are no better than the church people. Sorry, evidence is evidence!

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DjTj

DjTj

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Originally posted by brandies

The point is that this is a church and state conflict. King is state; Monk is church. Look at their names and you will know what I mean. I think this is a indication that that midevil, prepolitical state people, are taking over the hall of fame, not to mention the country, though they are no better than the church people. Sorry, evidence is evidence!

:laugh: ... that's the most rational explanation for keeping Monk out that I've ever heard.

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scruffylookin

scruffylookin

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When they're reduced to using James "I couldn't cover a wideout if my life depended on it" Washington as an advocate for Irvin you know they're in trouble.

Irvin didn't change anything. Art Monk and Jerry Rice paved the way for the big receiver. Irvin came into the league one year after Tim Brown and at the same time as Sterling Sharpe. Irvin was a product of Art Monk and Jerry Rice.

But it figures that some ***hole named "Drive By" will back the leader of the "White House" gang.

How Bout them Cowboys!!:puke:

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gridironmike

gridironmike

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I just came across the same article at the PFRA. What a hoot!

Change this comment "The Cowboys won three Super Bowls in the 1990s. To leave out the heart and soul of those teams, Michael Irvin, makes it more a Hall of Sham than a Hall of Fame." to this "The Redskins won three Super Bowls in the 1980s and 1990s. To leave out the heart and soul of those teams, Art Monk, makes it more a Hall of Sham than a Hall of Fame." and it makes sense to me.

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FBChick

FBChick

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Posted
Originally posted by gridironmike

I just came across the same article at the PFRA. What a hoot!

Change this comment "The Cowboys won three Super Bowls in the 1990s. To leave out the heart and soul of those teams, Michael Irvin, makes it more a Hall of Sham than a Hall of Fame." to this "The Redskins won three Super Bowls in the 1980s and 1990s. To leave out the heart and soul of those teams, Art Monk, makes it more a Hall of Sham than a Hall of Fame." and it makes sense to me.

I noticed that too!

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Henry

Henry

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Posted
OK, Washington is a little biased. Irvin's credentials are still rock-solid. Of the 17 wide receivers already in the Hall of Fame, only two had more receptions than Irvin's 750. Only three gained more yards.

Of the 17 wide receivers already in the Hall of Fame, NONE had more receptions than Monk's 940. Only two gained more yards.

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Rocky21

Rocky21

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Posted
Originally posted by Jay Master Jay

I have no doubt that Art Monk will be in the HOF one day. We all might be retired in 2020 but it will happen. Just like the 2 guys that went in with Young and Marino. We dont know who they are but they got in. Monk will be one of those players that gets in when he's 65 years old.

I agree and it couldn't be more wrong. It's been 4 years too long already. I despise Peter Queen, Rick Gosselin and Dr. Zzzzzzz.

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