Letter to Peter King

[Nasty Hoggoneus]

Dear Mr. King,

Art Monk is one of the unique and special players in NFL history. His HOF denial is unjust, insulting, and downright silly.

Research project:
a) find out how many of those 8 yard hooks were first downs.
b) find out how many passes Art dropped
c) find out how many HOF receivers were the go to guy on three Super Bowl champions.

How can a guy like Charlie Joiner, who despite playing two more seasons than Monk (18 to 16) caught 190 less balls (940 to 750) and had three less touchdowns (68 to 65) be deserving if Art is not? his 2.7 more yards per catch (13.5 to 16.2)? If yards per catch is so important, then why not
Henry Ellard (814 rec, 16.9ypc, 65tds)? Then again, Marvin Harrison has a career 13.3ypc (though 83tds), think he'll make the HOF? though now that we're talking tds, what about Andre Rison (84 tds)?

Are durability, toughness and consistency not factors either? Lynn Swann played 8 yrs and caught 336 balls, 16.3ypc, 51tds. Art played twice as long and caught 604 more balls. He also was the first to go 183 games with a catch (not to mention first to 900 receptions and first to catch 106 in a season). Did I mention he caught most of his balls OVER THE MIDDLE?

Did you know on the Redskins 50th anniversary Art Monk was voted by fans as the GREATEST PLAYER IN TEAM HISTORY?

Let's talk about character (quotes from an old Richard Justice article titled "The Quiet Hero")

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sp ... es/167.htm):

"In terms of character, he was one of the best guys I've ever been around," Redskins coach Joe Gibbs said. "He was a role model for the youth, he was tough, he was smart and he had more talent than anyone. He made hard things look easy."

Let's talk about leadership and respect:

"When he did speak, people listened. In 1990, when the Redskins were 6-5 and struggling to make the playoffs, Monk asked Gibbs for permission to call a players-only meeting the night before a home game against Miami. The Redskins had missed the playoffs two straight years and now were watching their season slip away after losses to Dallas and Philadelphia. Monk apparently sensed that the time was right to say something.

Words came slowly and evenly. Monk reminded his teammates that the Redskins were in danger of missing the playoffs a third straight season. He said that they had enough good players but for some reason were losing close games.He said he was re-dedicating himself to football and suggested others might do the same. He said it was time to put up or shut up.

Some of his younger teammates had heard him say barely two words. Now, here he was challenging the entire squad.

"If he was in a real good mood, he might nod to you," wide receiver Gary Clark said. "I thought he hated me the first couple of years I was around, and then I discovered that was just the way Art is. I remember one game he got real carried away. I think he said, `Let's go' about twice. Art is the only player who can walk into a room and get absolute respect from everyone in that room."

Monk took charge of the Redskins that night, helping to pull them together at a time when they were unraveling. The Redskins credit that meeting - and the weekly ones that followed, with Monk talking less - with a lot of the good things that happened the next two seasons. "

Surely you could reconsider your vote against Art. Will you?

[thaiphoon]

Very nice !!

[stwasm]

Well said!

[Redskin in Canada]

This is a very serious topic for some of us in this board. Please see the Art Monk thread:

http://www.the-hogs.net/forum/viewtopic. ... 589f4c61ac

There have been many other posts and threads where the same arguments plus many others have been put to Peter King and his colleagues at SI. Several members of this board have -acted- to press for this noble cause. No other fan more than TCWest has been active in several ways to support Art Monk.

Several of us have arrived at different conclusions in relation as to why they do this to him, -and- what to do in the future. All of these approaches are valid in my view but mine is probably one of the most radical.

I do not believe that Peter King and Paul Zimmerman (aka, Dr Z) are honest and fair journalists. To be honest and fair, they would have to look at the facts as you did. The history and record of Art Monk surpasses by much the history and record of other receivers -already- enshrined in the HOF. To Peter and Paul, this issue has become a matter of pride and ego. They will oppose Art just not to be proven wrong even if they forgot the reasons why they opposed him the first time around.

Some people feel that things can change through rational persuasion. Perhaps they are right. I beg to differ. Irrational behaviour can not be corrected through carefully thought out reasoning. The only language these people can understand is a kick in their pockets. That is why several of us in this board have encouraged as many people as possible to DUMP their SI subscriptions and encourage others to do the same.

This unfair and irrational attitude by Peter King and Paul Zimmerman is the undelying reason for my signature below.

Welcome to the board.

[ATV]

Hopefully this will get more recognition from King than my last message to Zimmerman (which was none). Consider closer attention to capitlizations. Unfortunately these guys just don't care about the facts. Jealously is a wickedly powerful compulsion. You make good points about Joiner, and with Swann,....that's just sick. What a joke. The HOF has become nothing more than a popularity contest.

[BernieSki]

Great stuff! I have never seen it put that way before. It does seem kind of silly that Swann is in and Monk is not.

[Redskin in Canada]

Please read through this small sample of threads:

http://www.the-hogs.net/forum/viewtopic. ... e6d38f25e1

http://www.the-hogs.net/forum/viewtopic. ... e6d38f25e1

http://www.the-hogs.net/forum/viewtopic. ... e6d38f25e1

http://www.the-hogs.net/forum/viewtopic. ... e6d38f25e1

http://www.the-hogs.net/forum/viewtopic. ... e6d38f25e1

There are more threads in this website -alone- if you do a search.

[SKINZ_DOMIN8]

Greatness isn't appreciated anymore, only players that like to "talk" a big game. If Irvin gets in to the Hall of Fame before Monk then there will be "repercussions."

[Nasty Hoggoneus]

For the record, I read the Sporting News. Only time I open SI is to either look at half nude models or wipe my ass.

[Gibbs' Hog]

For the record, I read the Sporting News. Only time I open SI is to either look at half nude models or wipe my ass.

Uhhh,

For the record, I use Sporting News to clean my dog's rear end. Remember this?


http://www.sportingnews.com/experts/paul-attner/20050421.html

Their fans are unhappy, period, not necessarily with Joe Gibbs but with the state of the Redskins...

[DeathByLinebacker#56]

You tell him man!!!

[OCSkins]

King is a Giants homer, he'll never vote Monk in, and he'll never shut up about it. His arguments are incredibly ridiculous-"Monk didn't make teams plan for him" Monk, Rice, and Largent were all guys who played hard and got where they were because of hard work. Why is Lofton in the HOF and Monk can't get in in?

[JDC]

I am really going to lose it if Monk doesn't get in next year.