Monk, Green join fans in Hog heaven
CANTON, Ohio - When the mayor of Canton, Ohio, welcomed the crowd to last night's Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony, he said it might as well be "Redskins Day." That led to a raucous cheer from the 16,664, most of whom were wearing burgundy and gold.
If there was an underlying theme to last night's festivities, it was indeed the focus on the 'Skins, which made sense because cornerback Darrell Green and receiver Art Monk were among the six inductees.
Green, who played for the team from 1983-2002, was selected on his first try. It took Monk, a Redskin from 1980-93, eight attempts before he finally broke through.
Because Monk had such a long wait - which has been subject of great debate in D.C. and among Hall voters - one of the most poignant moments of the night came when the crowd gave him a standing ovation for almost three minutes, delaying the start of his speech. Monk twice stepped away from the microphone, soaking in the moment.
"It's about time! It's about time!" the crowd chanted in unison.
Then Monk, known for his deft pass-catching ability on the field and quiet demeanor off it, stepped forward as the final speaker, following Andre Tippett, Emmitt Thomas, Fred Dean, Green, and Gary Zimmerman.
"This is truly an honor and an awesome, awesome moment in my life," he said. "Getting here did not come without controversy. But through it all, I'm here with a greater appreciation for something that not every player is able to achieve, and for the people who stood up for me and spoke out on my behalf . . . The love and support I've received over the last seven, eight years has been overwhelming, and I appreciate it very much."
While Monk acknowledged that he was humbled to be included in the Hall of Fame fraternity, he felt it was important to note that the honor does not define who he is as a person. However, he did acknowledge that he had a great appreciation for being linked with the game's all-time greats.
"By being here, I realize now that it's more than just having a bust made of yourself and wearing a gold jacket," he said.
"When you take the time to look through all the hype and the celebration that comes along with this, you see that it's really all about history, the tradition of the game, and an elite group of athletes who helped make the game what it is today."
As he wrapped up his speech, closing the night, the crowd erupted one final time, before the sea of burgundy and gold headed to the exits.
America's team?
It wasn't all cheers for Redskins fans. Every time the Cowboys were mentioned, the crowd broke out into boos . . . Green, Monk, and Thomas were introduced by their sons; Zimmerman was introduced by Broncos owner Pat Bowlen, while Dean picked former 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo . . . Fawcett Stadium, where the enshrinement ceremony was held, is where Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels played his high school football . . . Dan Dierdorf was the recipient of the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television award . . . With the six inductees last night, there are now 247 members in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
