Sunday February 6th, 2005 - Page Updated At 1:10AM
By:
Q. Smyth
Senior
Editor For WagerOnFootball.com -
Your Source For Sport
Books Review
Marino, Young highlight
Class of 2005
From NFL.com wire reports
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Feb. 5, 2005) --
Dan Marino and Steve Young made it a great day for
quarterbacks when both were elected to the Pro Football
Hall of Fame.
Marino, the most prolific passer in NFL history,
and Young, whose accuracy and speed made him one of
football's most versatile QBs, were joined Saturday
by Benny Friedman, an early-era quarterback, and Fritz
Pollard.
Each received at least 80 percent of the votes from
the panel of sports writers and broadcasters.
Friedman and Pollard were nominated by the senior
committee and chosen by the full panel.
Induction ceremonies will be Aug. 7 in Canton, Ohio.
"It's an incredible honor," Marino said.
"It's humbling to think of growing up wanting
to be a professional football player.
"Let's overrun Canton with Dolphins fans. I
invite you all to Canton and to have some fun."
When Marino left the Miami Dolphins after the 1999
season, he had NFL bests of 4,967 completions, 8,358
passes, 61,361 yards and 420 touchdowns. His record
of 48 TD passes in a season was recently broken by
Peyton Manning.
Although he never won a Super Bowl, Marino was the
1984 league MVP, made three All-Pro teams and nine
Pro Bowls. When he retired, he owned 21 NFL marks,
including most seasons with 3,000 yards or more passing
(13); most yards passing in one season (5,084 in '84,
the only year he won a conference championship); and
most games with 300 yards or more passing (63).
Young, the first modern-era left-handed quarterback
elected, won the 1995 Super Bowl with San Francisco
and was the league's most valuable player in 1992
and '94. A clever runner with a strong arm and great
field vision, Young made seven Pro Bowls and was a
three-time All-Pro. He held the highest passer rating
in league history (96.8) when he retired in '99. He
also set the highest single-season rating of 112.8,
which Manning also broke this season.
"Not many Hall of Famers come out of Greenwich,
Conn.," Young said with a chuckle. "I took
a unique road, starting with being left-handed. I
had a college coach, LaVell Edwards, who took a chance
on a wild, crazy left-handed running quarterback from
Connecticut."
Pollard not only was the first black head coach in
the NFL, in 1921, but a superb player, too. A running
back, he led the Akron Pros to the fledgling league's
1920 championship with an undefeated record.
He later organized the Chicago Brown Bombers, an
independent team of black players that barnstormed
the country from 1927-33.
Friedman played for four teams from 1927-34 and was
one of the early NFL's great quarterbacks. A contemporary
of Red Grange, he also was a strong draw at the box
office. Giants owner Tim Mara purchased the Detroit
Wolverines, for whom Friedman played in 1928, not
only to get him in New York's lineup but to fill the
stands.
"We both appreciate and honor the people who
played in another era," Young said, speaking
for Marino, as well. "You're talking about having
a passion for the game. We're here on the backs of
so many other players.
"This is important Fritz Pollard and what he
meant for the game. There's a foundation there we
are able to join arms with."
Michael Irvin and Harry Carson, the other two finalists,
did not get the required votes for induction.
Reviewed Sportsbooks Ratings Guide
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