Letter to Peter King
Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2005 11:01 am
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?
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?
