DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum Hof inductions

anybody watching, i hope so. Charlie sanders speech was amazing a really good speech, really really good one.

Gene Hickerson is being inducted right now.

King

I'm all choked up watching Bobby Mitchell, Leroy Kelly & Jim Brown wheel Gene out there.

I only pray that God gave Gene the lucidity to enjoy the moment.

That was the most emotional moment I've ever seen at a HOF induction ... I cried like a baby. God bless you, Gene ... still leading the way for HOF running backs ...

I was hoping to get somewhere that I could see the ceremony but was unable. Just knowing that he was so well represented by his friends warms my heart.

Other than seeing Gene Hickerson in a HOF jacket, that Michael Irvin speech is one of the greatest things i've seen or heard.

God Bless You Michael

I caught the last few.... Michael Irvin's speech really surprised me, he let it all out and I thought he had alot of good things to say.. despite the problems and issues he's had I cant help but like the guy after that..

was a great presentation, Irving's speech was amazing as well a lot of great moments.

It was an amazing and, at the same time, a bittersweet moment to see Bobby Mitchell, Leroy Kelly and Jim Brown wheel Gene Hickerson to the front of the stage. All the years Gene was doing the blocking for these men and now they're were doing the blocking for him as they carefully brought him forward - what a moment.

And wow, I think Bruce and Clay Matthews are drinking water from the fountain of youth. These guys looked amazing --- especially Clay. He could probably strap on his helmet and play a hell of a game right now.

In case some people missed it, this is Irvin's speech:

Following is the transcript of former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Irvin's enshrinement speech at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio Saturday night:

PRESENTER JERRY JONES

Hey, man, that will fire you up there. What an honor to be here with you, to be right here on this historic ground with these champions, these champions sitting here behind us.

You know, it is unique what can be the makeup of a championship team. A championship team can have a catalyst. They can have a spark, someone that can put a fire in another person's heart.

The Dallas Cowboys of the 1990s were champions. They were in three Super Bowls and won them in four years' time. Ladies and gentlemen, I'm here to tell you tonight that the heartbeat, the heart and the soul of those championship teams, was Michael Irvin. Michael came to Dallas with a self proclaimed nickname, the Playmaker.

Now, at first many people didn't understand why this young guy would brand himself with such a bold nickname. But we begin to figure it out real, real soon.

When it was third and long, opposition coaches knew exactly where Troy Aikman was throwing the ball. The defensive backs knew exactly where Aikman was going with the ball. Everybody in the stadium knew where the ball was going, but they couldn't stop it.

Troy Aikman often said the greatest thing about Michael Irvin is you could throw him the ball when he was covered or you could throw him the ball when it was open, and the results were usually the same almost all the time. It was either a completion and most of the time it was for a first down.

Now, when you've got a quarterback that has that kind of confidence in your receiver, you can have some offense. That's how you earn the name Playmaker, and that's how you keep it.

His performance always improved as the level of competition increased. He routinely had his best games against Deion Sanders, Darrell Green, Rod Woodson, Aeneas Williams. And his numbers increased as that long season went along and we got closer to the playoffs. From the regular season to the playoffs, from the playoffs to the Super Bowl, that was Michael Irvin's best days.

At the pinnacle of his career in 1995, he had 11 100 yard receiving games, a mark that is still an NFL record today. But the Dallas Cowboys' offenses really weren't designed for the receiver to get big stats. They really weren't designed for Troy, the quarterback, to really rack 'em up in statistics.

The teams were designed to win championships, and what that meant was take what the defense gave you. Now, with the backdrop of all of that, the fact that one team could produce the NFL's greatest all time rushing leader in Emmitt Smith, the fact that last year the first opportunity that he had a chance to be honored with these men, Troy Aikman came into the NFL Hall of Fame.

And the fact tonight that Michael Irvin is going to go in the Hall of Fame, it just shows you the team concept and shows you the balance that was there. The player that epitomized it more than anyone on the team, the player that taught it, the player embellished it, that was Michael Irvin and his leadership.

You can't get to Canton, Ohio without exceptional talent. But athletic ability alone was only a part of Michael's gifts. His hard work is legendary. In two a days, the grind of all of it. When you'd be on the field in the morning and in the afternoon, someone would look around and find, Where is Michael? He'd be down on the field with pads on in the hot sun getting some more in.

His passion, his competitiveness were really possibly his greatest gifts he shared them with his teammates on a daily bases. He practiced every day with the determination of a rookie that was hanging by a thread to make the team, and that's the way this great player approached it.

Aikman told me yesterday that Michael would never let the team have a bad practice. If there was a lull, he would create something between the defense and the offense. He'd get some stuff going just so that team could practice and get better for what they had to face Sunday.

Maybe that's the quality that separates the good players from the great players, the Hall of Fame players. Or maybe it's just the natural instinct of a man who had 16 brothers and sisters and knew that nothing in life was going to be given to him.

In the locker room, he was a teammate first, a competitor second, and a superstar third. His leadership style not only transcended the cliques in the locker room, but his leadership style on our team and our organization went from the locker room and the equipment room all the way to the boardroom. It permeated it.

I don't know that we'll see again a professional football player with a combination of his strength and his skills as an athlete on the field and his unbelievable people skills. Smart, resourceful, communication, charm, the kind of charisma and tremendous will with the strength to get the respect of the team. He had his faults. But in a unique way, that only Michael Irvin could pull off.

His fallibility by the people who followed him, by the people who were looking at him, his fallibility gave them strength because they knew, too, how fallible they were, and they wanted to see somebody that could go down and come up stronger and try to get better when they got on their feet. That's what Michael Irvin brought to the Dallas Cowboys and his locker room.

He learned his game from his older brothers in Fort Lauderdale. He had a great high school he played for, St. Thomas High School. He became a star at the University of Miami, drafted by Gil Brandt and Tex Schramm. He was nurtured by coach Tom Landry. He was coached in college and embellished when he got to pro football by one of the greatest coaches, Jimmy Johnson.

He spent his entire career in the loving embrace of the Dallas Cowboys. His journey reaches a destination tonight here in Canton, and it was a longer journey than most, with a lot of bumps in the road. He got knocked down for the last time at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. But tonight he'll get up again and he'll take his place among the immortals of this great game.

Michael Irvin, he's a friend. If you're in my shoes, you feel like he's a son. He's an inspirational and natural born leader. He's a loving father and husband. He's a wonderful brother and son. He's a Dallas Cowboy.

And tonight, forever more, he's a member of the professional football Hall of Fame. It's with pride that I present to you Michael Irvin. C'mon up here.

MICHAEL IRVIN

Thank you. Father, I'd like to thank you for allowing us all to travel here safely, thank you in advance for the same in allowing us to travel home.

Father, thank you for the man that you sent me to help me in Bishop T.D. Jakes, my spiritual father. I ask you now to put your arms around my Hall of Fame classmate Gene Hickerson and his family. Father, hold them tight and love them right. In Jesus' name, I pray, amen.

Thank you.

I want to send a special love to all the people in Dallas, Texas, special love to all the Dallas Cowboy fans all over the world. Special love goes to my hometown of South Florida and all the Miami Hurricane fans, St. Thomas Aquinas fans.

I want to send love to every fan everywhere because you hear so often that people say, Oh, these are the guys that built the game. No. It's your hunger and your love for the game, your love for what we do that make this game what it is. I thank you for loving the game like we love it.

Jerry, those were kind words. Thank you. You know, when I first met Jerry he had just purchased the Dallas Cowboys. He had a bit of a concerned look on his face. I said to him, I said, We will have fun and we will win Super Bowls. You see, I knew Jerry had put all he had into purchasing the Cowboys. That's the way I see Jerry. He's a man that's willing to give all he has and all he wants to bring the Cowboy family Super Bowls.

Jerry, I appreciate your commitment to family, the Dallas Cowboy family and your own family. He has a beautiful wife, Jean. I tell her this. I just love her to death. Her spirit exudes beauty. Her mannerisms exude class. She's one of a kind. Jean, I do love you.

They have beautiful kids, daughter Charlotte, son Steven and Jerry, Jr. Each have played a role in my life and I thank all of them.

A heartfelt thank you to the selection committee, especially Rick Gosselin and Charean Williams. Charean is the first woman to have a seat on the selection committee. Charean, congratulations to you.

These gentlemen behind me, these men, they inspired me to become the player that I became. As I spent this week with these gentlemen that I've admired growing up, I kept thinking about how gifted they are. Man, they're gifted to run and cut, gifted to throw and catch, gifted to run through blocks and make great tackles.

And then I met their wives and their families and I realized that it's not only about the gift God gave us, but equally important is the help that God gave us. It's the people that God put in place to support us on our journey. So I will try to put the credit in the right place tonight and share with you my help and my journey.

I thank God for the help of my father Walter Irvin, whom I lost at the age of 17. He was my hero and he loved, I'm telling you, he loved the Dallas Cowboys. I woke up this morning smiling knowing that my father had not be here in the flesh but that he is in heaven watching and celebrating with his all time favorite coach, Coach Tom Landry.

Also Tex Schamm, Derrick Shepard and Mark Tuinei. Those guys, we think about them here, we feel them here. They will always be with us.

Before my father made his journey to heaven I sat with him. His final words to me were, Promise me you will take care of your mother. She's a good woman. As you've heard, my mother raised 17 children, most of whom are here tonight. There were challenges. But she would never complain. She always walked around the house and said, God has promised me that my latter days will be better than my former days. My mom and my Aunt Fanny, her oldest sister, they are part of my travel squad now.

As we travel, all they want is a nice room and an open tab on room service. When my workday is done I get to come by their room and we tell stories and we laugh and we have fun. We always end the night with them telling me, Baby, this is what God meant when he said, Our latter days will be better than our former days.

I can't tell you how it makes me feel to know that God uses me to deliver His promise. I love you, mom. I love you, Aunt Fanny.

For better or for worse, those are the vows we take before God in marriage. It's easy to live with the for better, but rarely can you find someone who sticks around and endures the for worse. Sandy, my beautiful wife, I have worked tirelessly, baby, to give you the for better. But I also gave you the for worse, and you didn't deserve it. You didn't deserve it.

But through it all I experienced the depth of your love and I thank God for you. I love the mother that you are, the wife that you are, I love the way that you take care of our family, our daughters Myesha and Chelsea, and our sons Michael and Elijah. I thank you from a place that I can't mention, I can't even express, baby, for keeping our family together. I love you so much.

My football family, as Jerry told you, began at St. Thomas Aquinas High School under the wise tutelage of a great coach named George Smith. George Smith dedicated 37 years to that great program. He's a great man. I thank all the people at St. Thomas for believing in a young man like me.

And then I went on to the University of Miami. I think most of y'all know how I feel about the U. Yeah, the U. You better believe it. After that I was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys where I played and worked with some of the best to ever be around this game. For example, Emmitt Smith. Emmitt Smith is the all time leading rusher.

The great thing about that, his rookie year he said to me he was going to become the all time leading rusher. I doubted him like I think everybody would have. But what an inspiration to be in a room and see a man set a goal so high and then be persistent, be dedicated, and accomplish that which he set out to accomplish. Emmitt, you're an inspiration to so many.

The third part and the third member The Triplets is Troy Aikman. My quarterback, our leader. Troy Aikman led us to three Super Bowls. When I said "led," I mean led, to three Super Bowls. He's the winningest quarterback in the decade of the '90s. If you talk to him and you ask him what's his most memorable game, he will tell you that '94 NFC Championship game that everybody's talking about.

It's a game we were down by 21 and we lost, but we never gave up. That's the mark of a true leader. All he wants is for each player to give all he has all the time. That's Troy Aikman.

That game is one of my most memorable games for all those reasons, but it had a little something extra for me. We were down 21. Troy came to that huddle with those big blue eyes and he looked up and he said, Hey, I'm coming to you no matter what. Whew, let me tell you. As a wide receiver, that's all I ever wanted to hear. Just come to me no matter what. And he did, he did. He came to me no matter what.

But, Troy, you've always come to me no matter what, and I'm not just talking about on the football field. For that, you have a special place in my heart. You always will no matter what. I love you, Troy. I love you deeply.

As The Triplets, we received most of the press, the credit. But we were surrounded with some great guys, great players, talented guys. Guys like Darren Woodson, Dallas Cowboys all time leading tackle. My Cowboy counterpart Jay Novacek, what a great tight end he is. Daryl Johnston, the unsung hero, Moose. Larry Allen and Eric Williams are two of the better linemen, if not the best linemen, to ever play this game. The big fella, Nate Newton. Jim Jeffcoat. And one of the best cornerbacks and the finest athlete I've ever been around, that's Deion Sanders, Prime Time.

So, so many more.

You can't accomplish what we've accomplished with just great players. You also need great coaches. And we had that. We had guys like Norv Turner, Dave Wannstedt, Dave Campo. My position coach, coach Hubbard Alexander, who is my heart. Coach, you took me as a young man out of high school, and I know I gave you a lot of mess through the years. Thank you for being there, Coach. And our head coach, he had always be my head coach, that's Jimmy Johnson.

We worked hard. We had the best, and I'm telling you the very best, and I'm willing to take an argument with anybody on this, strength and conditioning coach in the world. His name is Mike Warsick. He has six Super Bowl rings. Six, people. Twice he has won three Super Bowls in four years, once with us and now with the New England Patriots. So if anybody wants to take an argument, I am a debater. I am here and ready.

Mike Warsick, you are, man, the very best. You put me back together from that knee injury. As we always tell each other when we say good bye, MissPaw (phonetic), which means may God hold you till we see each other again.

I also walked on campus at the University of Miami the same day with our PR director, Rich Dalrymple. I know some of you are saying it's fitting that you are tight with the PR director, Michael. But Rich has been a great friend. When I walk in his office now Rich has a picture of us. He has pictures of us at the University of Miami with this nice beautiful black hair, and then he has pictures of us now when he's all gray.

He says to me all the time, You see these gray hairs? I say, Yeah. He says, You gave them to me. I tell him, I say, Well, you see those four championship rings you have? I gave them to you, too.

I have experienced all this game has to offer on the football field, the losing, going 3 13, even 1 15. In my second season the career threatening knee injury, thinking I would never play this game that I love again. And even in 1999, the career ending neck injury. That which football players fear the most.

But I've also had some beautiful victories. We won three Super Bowls in four years. I can't tell you what that feels like. And we did it with guys that we loved to play with and guys that we loved. Folks, I'm telling you, that's the true essence of a football family, and that's exactly what we are not was what we are. I love all of those guys that I played with.

Since retiring I have developed a deeper awareness and understanding for this game. First as a fan and then as an analyst. That is why I've learned it's so much more than merely a game. Thanks to ESPN. Thank you, ESPN, for giving me the opportunity to travel to NFL stadiums throughout this country, visiting with fans, and seeing this game from a completely different perspective.

The movie, Remember the Titans, is my favorite movie, staring Denzel Washington. I love the way in this movie the game of football brings those boys together, it unites those boys on that football field. It unites a whole town, black, white, old, young, rich and poor. It happens every year around this time in NFL locker rooms and NFL stadiums. So don't tell me it's just a game.

My favorite day was Monday, September the 25th, 2006. New Orleans, Louisiana, site of the Superdome. I watched our people who had suffered so grievously through Hurricane Katrina fill a stadium hours before a game and stay hours after the game. I witnessed those fans as they looked for each other, hugged one another and just be thankful to be in that stadium.

You see the game flexed its greatest muscle that day: the ability to heal. I experienced a football game that contributed to the healing of a city. So don't tell me it's just a game.

You know the Bible speaks of a healing place. It's called a threshing floor. The threshing floor is where you take your greatest fear and you pray for help from your great God. I want to share something with you today. I have two sons. Michael, he's 10, and Elijah, he's 8. Michael and Elijah, could you guys stand up for me. That's my heart right there. That's my heart. When I am on that threshing floor, I pray. I say, God, I have my struggles and I made some bad decisions, but whatever you do, whatever you do, don't let me mess this up.

I say, Please, help me raise them for some young lady so that they can be a better husband than I. Help me raise them for their kids so that they could be a better father than I. And I tell you guys to always do the right thing so you can be a better role model than dad. I sat right here where you are last year and I watched the Class of 2006: Troy Aikman, Warren Moon, Harry Carson, Rayfield Wright, John Madden, and the late great Reggie White represented by his wife Sara White. And I said, Wow, that's what a Hall of Famer is.

Certainly I am not that. I doubted I would ever have the chance to stand before you today. So when I returned home, I spoke with Michael and Elijah . I said, That's how you do it, son. You do it like they did it. Michael asked, he said, Dad, do you ever think we will be there? And I didn't know how to answer that. And it returned me to that threshing floor. This time I was voiceless, but my heart cried out. God, why must I go through so many peaks and valleys?

I wanted to stand in front of my boys and say, Do it like your dad, like any proud dad would want to. Why must I go through so much?

At that moment a voice came over me and said, Look up, get up, and don't ever give up. You tell everyone or anyone that has ever doubted, thought they did not measure up or wanted to quit, you tell them to look up, get up and don't ever give up.

Thank you and may God bless you.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/halloffame07/news/story?id=2961687

Yes, Michael praying for Gene and his family was what won me over in his speech...he has come a long way from his early days.

From ClevelandBrowns.com:

Teammates make Gene's day magical

Steve King, Staff Writer

08.04.2007

CANTON -- Back in the day, former Browns safety Bobby Franklin held six seasons for a Pro Football Hall of Fame teammate, kicker Lou Groza, taking the wobble and lean out of the ball and making sure it was straight and true.

And on this day, he held up for about six minutes or so another Hall of Fame ex-Brown, offensive guard Gene Hickerson, gently but strongly and reassuringly taking him by the hand Saturday evening at Fawcett Stadium and steadying him as he helped lead him through the doors of the Hall -- finally -- a couple hundred yards away.

Franklin, who played for the Browns from 1960-66, gave a stirring presentation speech for his dear friend with whom he lived when they were young players in Cleveland. Afraid all along that he would become too emotional during the speech, his worse fears were realized.

But it was all good. Very good and very poignant.

"I love Gene Hickerson as if he were my brother, and I would like you all to love him, too," Franklin said.

For this was an indeed as much an emotional event as it was a significant one. The induction ended a 29-year HOF wait for Hickerson, who, during a 15-year Browns career played between 1958-73, made it to six straight Pro Bowls, was named All-NFL five times and was selected to the league's All-Decade team for the 1960s.

He became eligible for the Hall in 1978 after the mandatory five-year wait following his retirement. A finalist three straight years from 1981-83, he never got that far again this year, long after he had fallen under the jurisdiction of the Senior Committee, a sub-group of the HOF's Selection Committee.

At long last, he got into the Hall, along with fellow Senior nominee Charlie Sanders and four modern-day candidates in running back Thurman Thomas, cornerback Roger Wehrli, offensive lineman Bruce Matthews and wide receiver Michael Irvin.

Hickerson is the 16th Brown to get into the HOF, the others being Groza, running backs Jim Brown, Leroy Kelly, Bobby Mitchell and Marion Motley, quarterback Otto Graham, wide receivers Dante Lavelli and Paul Warfield, tight end Ozzie Newsome, offensive tackle Mike McCormack, fellow guard Joe DeLamielleure, center Frank Gatski, defensive end Len Ford, middle guard Bill Willis and head coach/general manager Paul Brown.

But now he is not well and confined to a nursing home in the Cleveland suburb of Rocky River, not far from his longtime home in Avon Lake where he yearly raised a football field-sized garden and personally delivered the harvest to needy. In his honor this summer, his friends put in and tended the garden. In a few weeks -- if they haven't started doing so already -- they'll start making their rounds.

Sadly, Hickerson can no longer do the things he loves to do, the things he wants to do.

And he can't savor the thing he most wanted to do -- get into the Hall of Fame, even though he never admitted it.

That phone call from the HOF kept getting blocked out every year until it was just too late -- "way too long", according to Franklin.

"Normally, Gene would come out here and crack a joke or two and tell you how thrilled he is, but unfortunately, he will not be able to do that," Franklin said.

But a number of Hickerson's former teammates came from all parts of the country to personally show their respect and admiration for No. 66's grand, long-awaited accomplishment. Although he probably doesn't have much grasp of the moment, they knew they had to be there for him.

And for Bob Hickerson, whose voice quivered a number of times as he gave the acceptance speech on behalf of his father.

And for Franklin, to help get him through the night. The man they have long called Wavy couldn't be allowed to waver.

Join hands and help one another. Make sure everyone got to where they needed to go.

Together.

Steady the unsteady. Take the wobble out. Keep the ball -- and the ballplayers -- straight and true.

It was oh, so natural to them. They knew no other way. After all, that's the way they had been taught -- the way they had been coached.

"One of my clients who lives in Indianapolis and is a big Browns fan told me a story," Bob Hickerson said. "After Leroy Kelly had a big game (in 1966), scoring several touchdowns and gaining a lot of yards, he was interviewed by a sports journalist.

"This was the first year after Jim Brown retired. The journalist said to Leroy, 'You've sat the last two years behind Jim Brown and must have learned a lot.'

"Leroy said back to him, 'I did learn a lot. I learned to follow Gene Hickerson.' "

Even on HOF induction day.

At the end of Bob Hickerson's speech, one of the greatest moments in HOF history took place when Brown, Mitchell and Kelly -- the men for whom Gene Hickerson had blocked all those years -- joined together to wheel their ailing former teammate out to center stage. It was finally their turn to do the heavy work-- to clear a path and help him to get where he needed to go, out there to hear the roar of the crowd one more time.

Kelly just nodded his head approvingly. Mitchell, who left the Browns via a trade after the 1961 season but said he will always consider himself a Cleveland Brown first and foremost, pumped his fist. Brown, who campaigned so hard for Hickerson, just took it all in.

Kay Collier McLaughlin, one of three daughters of the late, great Blanton Collier, the head coach of the Browns for eight years of Hickerson's career, visited the team's training headquarters the other day.

"Daddy always told his players, 'It's amazing what a team can do as long as no one cares who gets the credit,' " she said.

After watching the way his "boys," as he called them, performed so admirably and so unselfishly over the weekend, in general, and Saturday, in particular -- the same way they did back on Dec. 27, 1964 when, under his direction, they pooled their resources and pulled off the greatest team achievement in Browns history by dominating the heavily-favored Baltimore Colts 27-0 in the NFL Championship Game -- somewhere her daddy has to be smiling.

Life lessons -- the ones that last 43 years, at least.


They're the best.

I don't have a personel BROWN"S Jersey but this is the one I"m going to be WEAR'g on9/9 2007
http://www.profootballhof.com/store/item.jsp?item_id=2965
I would be more proud to wear this than anyone else in the last 10 yrs,(Quinn Scwinn) the lineman has to get his due.
....If it wasn't for this guy & Blk & Wht TV I never would of noticed Jim Brown as a toddler
GOD Bless you Gene and your teammates...and
Thanks for The Memories........stole that line from a Clevelander

Gene Hickerson with the HOF RB's he lead the way for; Leroy Kelly, Bobby Mitchell, and Jim Brown.

Following is the transcript of former Cleveland Browns offensive lineman Gene Hickerson's enshrinement ceremony at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio Saturday night:


PRESENTER BOBBY FRANKLIN



First I'd like to congratulate all the Hall of Famers, inductees coming in today. Congratulations.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, friends and family of Gene Hickerson, University of Mississippi teammates, Cleveland Brown teammates, and professional football Hall of Famers.



Hall of Fame Speeches
There were tears and laughter. There were moments of sheer joy and sheer emotion. They were the Class of 2007 Hall of Fame speeches and they were unforgettable. Read what the Hall of Famers and their presenters said on Saturday.

• Gene Hickerson
• Michael Irvin
• Bruce Matthews
• Charlie Sanders
• Thurman Thomas
• Roger Wehrli


I can't begin to tell you what an honor it is for me to stand before you and speak about the Class of 2007 inductee, Gene Hickerson, my teammate and friend of 52 years.

As a teammate of Gene's at both the University of Mississippi and the Browns, I personally, like many of you, have been waiting and hoping for this honor to be bestowed on him for far too long. Gene has been eligible for the Hall since 1979. For many years he was a finalist, but with so many other deserving players he never seemed to make it.

I would like to thank the senior selection committee led by long time NFL writer Don Pierson of the Chicago Tribune for helping to correct this oversight. I would also like to thank Tony Grossi from the Cleveland Plain Dealer for being a champion of Gene Hickerson. He was probably the one that kept his name alive. Without their help, this day might not have come for Gene and the Cleveland Brown fans.

Gene Hickerson will tell you he had the good fortune too have been able to block for some of the greatest running backs the NFL has ever had, like Jim Brown, Bobby Mitchell and Leroy Kelly. No one can argue with that. But if you actually talk to those three Hall of Famers today, they will tell you they were the lucky ones to have had Gene Hickerson leading the way through defensive units geared to stop them.

In Gene's 15 years with the Browns, they had nine seasons with a thousand yards rushing. Gene will also tell you that he would not be here today without the help of many of his offensive line teammates like Dick Schafrath, John Wooten, Jim Ray Smith, Monte Clark, John Morrow and Doug Dieken, just to name a few.

Just like the old days, Gene Hickerson was in front of the Browns' RBs he used to block for -- Leroy Kelley, Bobby Mitchell and Jim Brown.
I recently heard Doug Dieken, a fellow lineman of the 1973 Browns tell a story about Gene. Doug said during the 1973 season, the Browns were playing the Houston Oilers, who had a hot shot 22 year old rookie named John Matuszak. Gene, 38 years old at the time, was lined up across from John for the entire ballgame. At the beginning of the game, John was really talking some trash to Gene, telling the old man what he was going to do to him.

Gene responded by giving him a good lesson in Football 101. Matuszak finished the game without a tackle and sack and was virtually a non factor as Cleveland beat the Oilers 42 13.

Gene finished his entire career as a member of the Cleveland Browns, a fact he was extremely proud of. He quietly did his job as well as anyone ever in the NFL. In all circumstances I would be almost to the point of introducing my good friend to you, Gene Hickerson. Gene would then step to the podium, tell you how thrilled he is to receive this honor today, and crack a joke or two.

Unfortunately he won't be doing that, as my friend has become ill in the last year or so and will not be able to speak to you today. Even though he is here, I love Gene Hickerson as if he were my brother. I know his son, Bob, his daughter Nancy, his brother Willie and the remainder of his friends, family and teammates do, too.

Borrowing these words from another Hall of Famer, Gene Hickerson.

In closing, it is my honor to present to you the newest member of the professional football Hall of Fame, only the second member to come from the University of Mississippi, joining Bruiser Kinard, and the 16th Cleveland Brown to be inducted, let's hear it for Bob Hickerson, his son, who will be accepting for his Gene today, No. 66 Gene Hickerson.


BOB HICKERSON, ACCEPTIING ON BEHALF OF HIS FATHER GENE



I'd like to say it's certainly my privilege and honor to say a few words on behalf of Gene Hickerson.

We all wish Gene could be speaking with you, but unfortunately due to his circumstances he's unable to do so.

Gene was very, very pleased when he did receive notification that had been elected into the Hall of Fame. It's a tremendous honor and it's a well deserved crowning achievement of his career.

In my opinion, Gene is actually joining football royalty. I've been around a lot of these players this week and I'm in awe of the great talent and wonderful athletes that he is joining into the Hall of Fame.

Gene had many supporters who had been pulling for him to achieve this honor over the years. I'd like to recognize a select few this evening.

First I wish to extend Gene's gratitude to the voting committee that elected him into the Hall of Fame with a special thank you to Mr. Don Pierson of the Chicago Tribune. It's my understanding that Mr. Pierson stood and spoke for Gene, spoke on his behalf, and I think that held a lot of weight with him actually being elected.

Bobby Franklin recognized Tony Grossi. I also would like to mention him. With the Plain Dealer, he has written many articles over the years to keep Gene's name in front of the public, just keep reminding people that Gene deserves to be here in the Hall of Fame. So our thanks to him.

Also on behalf of Gene, I'd like to extend his thank you to the Cleveland Browns and the Cleveland Browns organization, with a special thank to Mr. Dino Lucarelli. Mr. Lucarelli is the alumni director for the Browns. He's been a very good friend and supporter of Jean for many years. He told Gene, he's told him for years, Gene, when you make it to Canton I'm going to be right there with you. He is. He's actually hosting a reception for him later this evening.

Gene is actually the 16th member of the Cleveland Browns to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. A few of the one of my friends actually said some of the fans have mentioned that they were calling Gene Sweet 16. Well, that might be so, but I believe there's a few defensive backs and you linebackers that probably wouldn't think Gene is that sweet.

Also on his behalf I'd like to extend his gratitude to the many great athletes that he had a privilege of playing with over the years. We're very grateful to Bobby Franklin for agreeing to be his presenter. It's fitting that Bobby is Gene's presenter because he and Bobby have been best of friends for many, many years, back to Ole Miss days.

I'd also like to extend Gene's gratitude to Mr. Jim Houston. Mr. Houston has been very gracious to attend several press events and speak to the media of what it was like playing with Gene over the years, what it was like being a teammate of his.

I'd also like to extend Gene's gratitude to Mr. Doug Deacon and Mr. Dick Schafrath, both who reside in northern Ohio, both who have been very close to Gene. They've been great about visiting Gene, checking on him, see how he's doing, following up on his condition, what have you.

I've got a short story I'd like to tell about Mr. Schafrath. I don't know if any of you know or not, but Mr. Schafrath and Gene were roommates in the early playing days. The other day I was visiting Gene. Mr. Schafrath came in. They had a reputation of being, shall we say, mischievous throughout the years. Mr. Schafrath leaned over to me and said, All of my mischievous ways, all of my bad habits, he said, I learned them all from Gene. I said, That's funny, Dick, he said the same thing about you. That's a true story.

I also wish to express Gene's gratitude to the many, many fans that have been pulling for him over the years. Many people have come up to me, if they associate my name with his, and say, He deserves to be here. He deserves this honor. So I'd like to extend his gratitude.

A special thank you to Mr. Dave Cessick and Mr. Dave Jackabowski. These gentlemen hosted a website that was linked into the members of the voting committee. They did a great deal on lobbying for Gene to get votes to be elected here.

I think the name of the website was elect Gene Hickerson into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. That says it all, doesn't it?

I, also on Gene's behalf, would like to extend his gratitude to some very close friends he has. Mimi and Jimmy Hall, the Hall family. The Hall family have been great friends for Gene over the years. They are like his family. They are like his extended family. They help with his care. They help visit him and take care of him. They've just been wonderful friends of his. I'd like to recognize them.

I also would like to recognize people very dear to me. My wife Eileen, my daughter Caitlin, and my son Clifton who are with us. Also my sister Nancy is with us tonight and her family.

Eileen was instrumental in sending many emails and made many phone calls to ask people to vote for Gene when the time came. I think she was probably the happiest of all when he finally did get the call.

The other day I asked her, I said, Eileen, who is the biggest football fan you know of? She paused for a moment. She said, I am. I said, I can't disagree with that. I believe you. I think you really are.

Lastly I wish to extend Gene's gratitude and my personal thanks to Mr. Steve Perry and Mr. Joe Horrigan, the entire staff of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Due to his condition, there's a lot of uncertainties about the induction ceremony here, how we would handle it. The induction process was not a normal process for him. Their staff has been very supportive and they've been very professional and they tried to put us at ease. No matter what came up, no matter what happened, we had a plan for it. I'd like to extend our thanks to them, as well.

In closing I'd like to share a story with you that someone relayed to me years ago. I had a client in Indiana, his name was Mr. Charles Shaw. Mr. Shaw is a fine gentleman. He was an avid Cleveland Browns fan. He told me that once, after watching a successful Cleveland Browns game in which Hall of Fame running back Leroy Kelly had one of his many outstanding games where he scored several times, gained a lot of yardage, he was being interviewed by a sports journalist. To set the stage, this was the year after Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown retired.

The journalist said, Leroy, you just had an outstanding game. He said, You were able to be a backup to Jim Brown for a few years and watch him play. He said, So you probably learned a lot by watching and observing Jim Brown run the football.

He said that Mr. Kelly paused for a moment and said, I did learn a lot by watching Jim Brown run the ball. He said, I learned to follow Gene Hickerson.

So at this time I would ask all of you to please join me in welcoming Gene, who still is leading the way for Hall of Fame running backs Bobby Mitchell, Jim Brown.


Transcript provided by the Pro Football Hall of Fame

Did you hear Bruce pimpin' for Clay? He said the only thing that wasn't perfect about this moment was that his brother wasn't allready inducted. He talked about how well Clay did everything as opposed to some players doing one thing better. It was pretty cool.

I think people from cleveland tend to overrated Bernie... Im young so I didnt see much of him but I would consider him for the Hall of 'Very Good' ..I just dont see him as an all-time great.. same with Eric Turner. Now Clay Matthews... that might be a different story.

Clay should be in for the sole reason that he was the only player in the league that could consistently bring down Earl Campbell solo.

I kinda thought it was tacky for Bruce to use the induction pulpit to campaign for Clay. Clay should be given consideration on his own merits.

Thanks for posting that. I disliked Irvin for many years and was actually glad he didn't get in when he first had the chance. His speech genuinely moved me. I dislike it when people invoke the name of God. I feel many people are just paying lip service. They do whatever they feel like and think that makes up for it. When Irvin didn't I thought he was being completely honest with his feelings. The part of the speech where he mentions to his kid about how he hopes he does it the right way almost made me breakdown. This guy in my mind is truely repentent and I give him all the credit in the world for straightening out his life.

I also can relate to his comments about his wife. His transgressions towards her may be different than mine towards my wife, but that doesn't make them feel it any less. It is tough to look myself in the mirror at times, as I'm sure he feels that way also. I just can relate to him so much more and think it was very difficult to do what he did, even though it was the right thing.

Quote:

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Father, thank you for the man that you sent me to help me in Bishop T.D. Jakes, my spiritual father. I ask you now to put your arms around my Hall of Fame classmate Gene Hickerson and his family. Father, hold them tight and love them right. In Jesus' name, I pray, amen.

Thank you.

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Class...Micheal...Class...Thank-you.


Wow, that pictures says alot, alot about what football means to Cleveland, what football means to people and mostly, what people mean to people, when some people look at others they see color, when great people look at others they see friends, God blass Gene & his family

Clay DOES deserve to be in the HOF though. Man had one of the best careers by a Linebacker EVER.

I like Bernie, but no
I like Turner a LOT, but he only had mayb 2 or 3 HOF type years.