Quote:<div>Junior Seau’s induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame was always going to be awkward, a chance to celebrate a marquee player known for his bone-crushing career while not dwelling on his controversial death tied to it.
When his induction was announced at the Super Bowl, his family rejoiced and started thinking about what to say at the ceremony in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 8. Seau had told them if he ever made it, he wanted his daughter, Sydney, to introduce him.
But the Hall of Fame does not plan to let Sydney or anyone else speak on his behalf. Instead, it will only show a video that will commemorate his career, while avoiding questions about his suicide in 2012 and the subsequent diagnosis of traumatic brain injury that doctors said they believed was brought on by hits to his head. Nor will the video mention the lawsuit that Seau’s family has filed against the N.F.L., which is trying to curb injuries in active players and address brain disease in thousands of retired ones.
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http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/25/sports...-nytsports
Sad that his family cant be a part of this but to a point I do understand the NFL wants to cover their backsides as well as they can...then again this could still blow up in their face...
It never really occurred to me as a question but it seems relevant now; to what extent is the HOF influenced by the NFL, on an organizational level? I´m pretty sure the HOF is an independent organization but I have no idea if they take donations from the NFL or if the NFL has some kind of say over how they run the place.
Quote:It never really occurred to me as a question but it seems relevant now; to what extent is the HOF influenced by the NFL, on an organizational level? I´m pretty sure the HOF is an independent organization but I have no idea if they take donations from the NFL or if the NFL has some kind of say over how they run the place.
I have no doubt the NFL essentially controls the HoF.
Just for context. This has been the policy since 2011. It is not a newly introduced policy.
Quote:Just for context. This has been the policy since 2011. It is not a newly introduced policy.
That's the very definition of a newly introduced policy.
2011 wasn't decades ago, and it doesn't have to have been introduced last spring to qualify for being "new."
Quote:That's the very definition of a newly introduced policy.
2011 wasn't decades ago, and it doesn't have to have been introduced last spring to qualify for being "new."
Did you really need to try and argue this?
Quote:Did you really need to try and argue this?
There is no argument. It's common sense.
You take issue with common sense?
Quote:That's the very definition of a newly introduced policy.
2011 wasn't decades ago, and it doesn't have to have been introduced last spring to qualify for being "new."
I was only trying to show that it was introduced four years ago and not just put in place this year to prevent Seau's family from speaking out against the NFL. Without this information it clearly looks that way.
Maybe the HOF did make this change four years ago to prevent this type of thing from happening but in that case they were way out in front of the curve on the whole issue. So no it is not a new policy just like a 2011 Chevy pickup is not a newly introduced vehicle.
For the record I think it should be the families choice whether to speak or have a video played. The living HOF's get to babble on about nonsense for extended amounts of time. A great player like Junior Seau deserves for his family to speak on his behalf if they so choose.
Regardless of policy or controversial subject matter. It was Seau's wish, the man's WISH that his daughter speak for him or introduce him at the Hall of Fame. Shame on the NFL and shame on the committe for not supporting this man's legacy and wish. I understand he wasn't perfect. I understand his death was controversial with many speculating that the safety of the game and brain injuries may have caused some abnormalities within his brain. But that's besides the point.
This is why the NFL continues to lose it's integrity and respect. Outside of Jacksonville and the team here and watching the games every Sunday, Monday, and Thursday night. I don't care for what they've done. Own up to your flaws. Don't hide them. Stand up and say and acknowledge that things weren't perfect and that we will continue to strive to improve the game and protect our players and above all, it's families.
It's just wrong. Period. Even if you want to avoid lawsuits. Look, anything thrown at them in Court isn't going to cripple them or hinder them profitablity wise. They wouldn't even sneeze at some of these settlements. The NFL takes in dollars and profits by the billions. It's been an organization now for over 100 years. You'll be fine if you have to take some shots in the public and own up to a few short comings here and there. In my opinion, this doesn't help them. This just hinders them. Regardless of policy. Honor the man's wish.
If Baseball can survive gambling and steroids. If the Olympics can survive steroids. If Soccer can survive in house betting and rigged referee penalities. Then surely the NFL can continue to survive after taking a few punches on the chin....
Quote:Regardless of policy or controversial subject matter. It was Seau's wish, the man's WISH that his daughter speak for him or introduce him at the Hall of Fame. Shame on the NFL and shame on the committe for not supporting this man's legacy and wish. I understand he wasn't perfect. I understand his death was controversial with many speculating that the safety of the game and brain injuries may have caused some abnormalities within his brain. But that's besides the point.
This is why the NFL continues to lose it's integrity and respect. Outside of Jacksonville and the team here and watching the games every Sunday, Monday, and Thursday night. I don't care for what they've done. Own up to your flaws. Don't hide them. Stand up and say and acknowledge that things weren't perfect and that we will continue to strive to improve the game and protect our players and above all, it's families.
It's just wrong. Period. Even if you want to avoid lawsuits. Look, anything thrown at them in Court isn't going to cripple them or hinder them profitablity wise. They wouldn't even sneeze at some of these settlements. The NFL takes in dollars and profits by the billions. It's been an organization now for over 100 years. You'll be fine if you have to take some shots in the public and own up to a few short comings here and there. In my opinion, this doesn't help them. This just hinders them. Regardless of policy. Honor the man's wish.
If Baseball can survive gambling and steroids. If the Olympics can survive steroids. If Soccer can survive in house betting and rigged referee penalities. Then surely the NFL can continue to survive after taking a few punches on the chin....
The NFL has been around since prior to 1915? :blink:
That being said, I'm sure that there is some format that the NFLHOF wants to stick to. I'm not saying that I agree with it, I'm just saying that that's what they do.
I don't think it's damage control. I think there's pending litigation in this instance that makes this situation fairly unique. I think it's also the case of the league wanting to celebrate the life and career of one of the all time greats during his induction ceremony. They don't want that marred by what is a controversial issue in the modern NFL.
Good read.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/10/sports....html?_r=0
Mick Tingelhoff clearly did not want to deliver such a message on Saturday night. And maybe he never wanted to. A former Minnesota Vikings center, Tingelhoff has had memory problems and is a plaintiff in the class-action suit filed by more than 5,000 former players against the league. A settlement approved by a federal judge is under appeal.
Rather than give the speech that he intended, Tingelhoff stood to the side of the podium to let a former teammate, quarterback Fran Tarkenton, offer remarks through tears.
Sadly, we may see more tears and surrogates speak for inductees in the future.
And if they are dead, the Hall should not block anyone from speaking for them.
Powerful words.
Epic failure by the NFL, if you had felt that the organization might have been at fault in his suicide in any way why not save face by at least giving his family the honor of speaking on his behalf at his life's achievement award at the sport that he loves so much. Really bad leadership by the commish.
Quote:Epic failure by the NFL, if you had felt that the organization might have been at fault in his suicide in any way why not save face by at least giving his family the honor of speaking on his behalf at his life's achievement award at the sport that he loves so much. Really bad leadership by the commish.
"The commish" does not run the Hall of Fame. It's a separate entity with it's own board, etc. I suspect they will be reviewing their procedures re deceased inductees, but they still have a problem with induction speeches going on and on and on ...