“The Wait Will Be Over; 5 Reasons Why Ken Stabler Will Get Into the Hall of Fame in 2016”

“The Wait Will Be Over; 5 Reasons Why Ken Stabler Will Get Into the Hall of Fame in 2016”

Ken Stabler warming up pre-game.

Please sign Mike Yokum’s petition to get Ken Stabler into the NFL Hall of Fame

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/541/199/738/petition-to-induct-ken-stabler-into-the-pro-football-hall-of-fame/

My achilles heel in life has always been injustice. Unfortunately in my business life especially, I’ve seen a lot of it. Whenever I read the dozen or so news and sports publications every morning, it’s full of stories where some people walked over others to either hurt them, or made money off of them.   It eats at me like acid.

In the sports world most of the injustice is not life or death but it is still wrong. There are good people that don’t get their full justice in sports because of petty squabbles, ridiculous biases or pure old man stubbornness. Sports writers for the most part are one of the leaders in regards to injustice. Injustice is what has happened to Oakland Raider great Ken Stabler.

I still have not heard one person in the media say Ken Stabler is not a hall of famer.  That means something else is going on and that’s why I wrote this article to expose the truth on why the Snake isn’t in the Hall of Fame.

“Part CSI, Part Breaking Bad. The Real Reasons Why Ken Stabler is NOT in the Hall of Fame”

I’ll never forget one Sunday after the Raiders won a rare game with Jamarcus Russell at the helm. Russell had an ok game but the hype machine began. First the ESPN panel raved about all the talent Russell had. Chris Berman said Russell was the most talented QB the Raiders ever had. Raider fans were ripping me to shreds after I said what a bust Russell would be, saying, “see I told you he was going to be good”.

I read people pretty well and I remember watching Denver Broncos great Tom Jackson just listening to all this. His disgust was visible but he didn’t say a word. Finally in between cliches, Chris Berman noticed Jackson wasn’t happy. “You look like you have something to say Tom”.

“Let’s get this straight”, Jackson angrily said.  “Ken Stabler is the most talented Raider QB in their history. He’s their greatest QB and it’s not even close so let’s get that right. You guys are getting way too carried away”. The panel was kind of stunned at Tom being upset but he was right.   And this was from a very vocal rival of the Raiders.

Let me say for a second that writing about athletes and celebrities is hard and fun at the same time.  I have a large twitter and social media following so you know that celebrities, athletes and their families read my articles and they communicate with me often.  Most celebrities and their families and friends have told me they appreciate my honesty and sensitivity and that means a lot.  A few have said they didn’t like what I wrote but they understood.  They realize I’m not into the attention, and that I just want to inform my readers of the truth.

I agree some athletes have serious moral issues.  But some like Ken, are amazing, kind people.  Famous people’s families grieve and hurt just like everyone else and sometimes when we post online we forget that. It’s at night or the times when no one is around that grief captures our spirits like a heavy fog. Most of us know this feeling all too well.  Fan’s are still upset that Kenny is gone so just imagine how Ken Stabler’s family and friends feel.

(My article on the passing of Ken Stabler)

“The Passing Of Legendary Raider Ken Stabler Shocks a Nation”

I’m not a celebrity guy, but the last 2 years through my writing I’ve appreciated my interactions with celebrities, athletes and their families and even though the content wasn’t fun to read on occassion; (or write); I hope it reminds us all on how we should be mindful of what we post online and we are all in this thing called life together.

Getting back to the story, Ken Stabler and his family were too kind and private to complain publicly about the Hall of Fame’s actions. I respect that; but I will complain.

Part of me will always be bitter at the sports writers and the Hall of Fame for letting their petty biases stop Ken from enjoying the HOF while he was alive.   They were wrong and didn’t do the right thing and they should be ashamed at their closed minded arrogance. I wish that they would judge themselves with the same moral compass that some of them seem to use towards players that they don’t vote for.

The NFL and the government hounded Ken for years and they could not find anything on him. When they couldn’t find anything, they took justice into their own hands by not voting Ken into the Hall of Fame. Yes, I said it even though no one else will.  I’m a writer first but the Raider fan in me knows no other way.

I think Ken wasn’t angry about it, but I’m sure he just didn’t get it.   The hypocrisy of sports knows no bounds though. Major League baseball is getting very heavy into the fantasy baseball gambling sites that they support, but Pete Rose still can’t get into the hall of fame…..FOR GAMBLING.

Before I start getting too upset and rant, lets look at the facts which I’m always a big fan of. These are the 5 reasons why Ken Stabler will get into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2016.

1. Outrage:

Not ONE media person, former player or former coach said Ken Stabler was NOT a HOF player. The HOF voters were not ready for the backlash that was seen through out the NFL family on Ken Stabler not being elected into the HOF. From basic news services to social media, fans and football alumni went crazy with negative publicity showing how wrong the voters were. None of the voters said a word.

2. The Negative Reaction From Other Hall of Famers:

You have to remember that NFL Hall of Famer’s rarely if ever talk so vehemently about players that should be in the Hall of Fame. Rarely do you see some of the greats question the Hall of Fame to this level, but after Ken’s passing, dozens of them complained.

“In the sports world it’s a miscarriage of justice to not have Ken Stabler in the NFL Hall of Fame”.

ESPN analyst & Denver Broncos Great Tom Jackson

“Of course Ken Stabler is a Hall of Famer”

Viking great Fran Tarkenton

“For years the Cowboys and Raiders were the most watched teams in the NFL. Once when we played a practice game that didn’t count during training camp, 31,000 people showed up at our facility when we played the Raiders. Ken Stabler and the Raiders carved us up and beat us and we were a Super Bowl caliber team. It was amazing how good he was. From then on I was a fan and followed Ken’s career. Ken’s a Hall of Fame player for sure”.

Roger Staubach, Dallas Cowboys

“If Ken Stabler played in New York he would have been in the Hall of Fame 10 years ago.”

Tom Flores, Former Raider Coach and QB

“There are several Raiders that need to be in the Hall of Fame.   Ken Stabler, Cliff Branch and Lester Hayes”.

Hall of Fame executive Ron Wolf

Add the fact that at the John Stallworth Foundation Golf tournament in Alabama this past June, ALL of the former Pittsburgh Steelers raved about Ken Stabler and the Raiders. All of them said he needs to be in the Hall of Fame. The Raiders and Steelers rivalry was the best in history.

3. Ken Stabler May be the Best Quarterback In the Best Era (history of the all decade team):

Pretty much anyone associated with the NFL says the 1970’s was the greatest era in NFL history. The Steel Curtain, the Doomsday Defense, Purple People Eaters, Orange Crush, The No Name Defense; is just a part of NFL lore in the 1970’s. And those were just the defenses. In an era where defenders could do anything and everything, offenses had to be great to score. The NFL had a huge amount of good quarterbacks and ultra talented teams.   In this era, many feel Stabler was the best quarterback of the 1970’s.

The wars between the Raiders and the Steelers were must see television.   The hitting was like 2 rams banging on each other it was so violent. Amazingly in a Raiders v.s. Steelers game in 1974 (Raiders shut out the future Super Bowl champ Steelers 17-0 in Pittsburgh) there were 24; TWENTY FOUR; future Hall of Fame coaches, players and front office people who were a part of the game. There was no salary cap and teams were beyond talented.   There also wasn’t a 5 yard bump rule.

“They changed the 5 yard bump rule in 1979 because of Raider greats Jack Tatum and George Atkinson”, explained Fran Tarkenton.   “They were so physical and dominating that in 1979 the NFL made a rule that you couldn’t physically touch a receiver after 5 yards. Being a quarterback was so hard during the 1970’s and Ken did it better than anyone”.

NFL All Decade Teams: Quarterbacks

1950’s:

Otto Graham, Norm Van Brocklyn, Bobby Layne

1960’s:

Sonny Jurgensen, Bart Starr, Johnny Unitas

1970’s:

Ken Stabler, Terry Bradshaw, Roger Staubach

1980’s:

Joe Montana, Dan Fouts

1990’s:

John Elway, Brett Favre

2000’s:

Tom Brady, Peyton Manning

Stabler is the only eligible all decade quarterback that is NOT in the HOF.   Terry Bradshaw has recently stated that Ken Stabler was better than he was. Staubach said that the Snake was one of the great quarterbacks of all time.

4. Stats:

I’m not going to give you stats that have been repeated a million times, but Ken’s stat’s rival any quarterback of the 1970’s that is in the HOF. Add the fact that in his first 69 games he was 53 and 16, and that the Raiders were 18-1-1 in the first 20 Monday Night games that they played in; many were lead by the Snake. The Raiders won more games than any other team in the 1970’s and this was considered the greatest era in history with some of the greatest defenses and teams in history. The rules made passing very difficult.

For decades the Raiders and the Cowboys were the most popular teams in the NFL. America’s team against the Outlaws.   They had the highest television ratings of any teams in the NFL for years. The Raiders helped make the NFL very popular by their personality, swagger, flair and success. Ken was the Captain of that ship.

5. The History of HOF Voting by the Senior Selection Committee:

After 5 years of the Senior Selection Committee not nominating the Snake, they now have nominated him for the HOF. In the last 29 times they have nominated a selection, only 3 did not make the HOF. Most feel this is his year.   Kind of ridiculous that he couldn’t even be nominated for 5 years but eventually they did the right thing.

Hall of Fame Induction:

Yes I think in 2016 Ken Stabler will finally find his rightful place in Canton Ohio among the all time greats in the NFL. In Oakland, Alabama and around the country there will be huge smiles with some bitter sweet tears mixed in. Original Raider fans especially are not going away. They will continue to shout out the kindness, greatness, and amazing accomplishments of Raider greats from the past.  They won’t let people forget the great dynasty that was created, and those that were the foundation.   There is a bond that no other professional fan base can understand.  They will do it until they take their last breath. Raider fans passion will be their memory. And the loudest voices of all will be for the great Ken Stabler.