Listening to B&C this morning - they were discussing this years possible inductees to the Hall of Fame (names discussed: Bruce Smith, Rod Woodsen, Shannon Sharpe, Andre Reed, Cris Carter...). Boomer said Bruce Smith was a shoe in. And he wouldn't vote for any D-Linemen mentioned. Then he said, "for the life of me, how is Joe Klecko's name not included. He belongs in the HOF.". He said what we've all been thinking, that JK name wise is never on the tongue of any voter, even though he was a NT, DT & DE and had a solid 7-8yrs. nice to hear him say that about JK.
Agreed. The Jets did the right thing by retiring his number anyway. The Sack Exchange got a lot of press back in the day, it's not like he played under the radar, although Gastineau grabbed a lot of the thunder back then. Still, people knew who Klecko was, he made the Pro Bowl at all three positions, the first to ever do that, back when the voting was real and not a popularity contest.
Joe K was one of the best DL we ever had.When he played a game he went all out and than some.I only wish we could install his heart and dedication to the game in our DL.
Jets never get recognized for anything positive. In his time, he was a dominant force, at his position. He should be a shoe in.
Klecko's off the field problems and run ins with the law after he retired have removed him from consideration for the HOF. Otherwise, he would be in.
I heard that too. It was awesome to hear Boomer say it. Someone needs to start getting Klecko some support to get in.
Klecko was great, but let's be real for a second. Bruce Smith and Bob Kuechenberg are both more deserving.
No one is suggesting that they aren't deserving to be in the HOF. But to say more deserving...ugh...Klecko deserves to be in the HOF period.
But no one has argued that. You're arguing against nobody. Those two players belong in the HOF. So does Joe Klecko. Smith And Kuechenberg deserve it more than Klecko does, but the HOF is the HOF, they don't rank the players who go in.
I always thought the HOF was about having an exceptional career, I thought those things were what made someone a "shoe in" such as Farve because he holds every single record. I don't see how it's even a question that someone making the pro bowl in 3 different positions doesn't put them right up there. I mean hypothetically lets say Ed reed made the pro bowl at FS SS and CB everyone would be sayin shoe in hall of fame. So why doesn't Klecko get any love?? The Jets curse runs that deep? ats_suck:
Perjury related to insurance fraud. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE7DD1039F933A25757C0A965958260
I think the fact that Dermontti Dawson is a finalist is great news for Kevin Mawae although after the way he left the Jets I wonder if he'd go in as a Jet. He seems like the kind of guy to say fuck the Jets I'm going in as a Titan or Seahawk. That being said once Mawae retires Woody needs to do the right thing and bring him back to make amends for the Mangini regime. I would think retiring his number would be a tad extreme but he was the best OL we've had in some time. As for Klecko I can't figure out for the life of me how he nor Winston Hill aren't in the HOF. Just a bias towards the Jets and in Hill's case the AFL.
I personally feel that Dawson AND Mawae should be in the HOF but neither of them should be there before Mick Tinglehoff from Minnesota in the 60s and 70s
Regarding Bruce Smith, I always perceived him as a dirty player and recall many late hits on the QB and several attempts to hit knees of OL.
Bruce Smith yes Kuechenberg? You don't get in for being a guard on great teams and playing for a long time. Hill and Klecko both were far more dominating than Kuechenberg and his 2 all pro's in 14 years on an OL that was nationally known by every one.
If they made the HOF committee watch SB 3 Hill would be a lock. He was the best player on the field that day against at the time what was considered the best D line in football history.
