Talk of Fame Network’s Clark Judge, who is himself a Hall of Fame voter and writer with a longstanding interest in head coaches, believes a Lions head coach who won multiple NFL titles deserves a better look at getting into Canton. Changes approved last Friday to Hall of Fame bylaws granting coaches their own category for induction consideration over the next four years mean that retired coaches are not restricted to competing head-to-head against former players for one of the usual limited Modern-Era nominee spots in an incoming Hall of Fame selection process.
Canton overlooked former @Lions & @steelers coach Buddy Parker for its Centennial Class. It has no excuses not to induct him now: https://t.co/L6C5hus7qA @MikeOHaraNFL @NFL_Journal @NFL_Journal @cdwillis83 @KenCrippen @FootballHistory @Profhofcantonf @FHDude @davebirkett
— clark v judge jr (@clarkjudgeTOF) August 12, 2020
According to Judge from last week: “Under the new guidelines, in addition to five modern-era inductees the Hall will elect no more than one senior, one contributor and one coach per year from 2021-24. Then, after four years, that process will be revisited.”
Week 6, 1956#49ers #OnePride #Lions Intros
— Old Time Football (@Ol_TimeFootball) January 21, 2020
Coach Buddy Parker
Bill Stits
Leon Hart
Bobby Layne pic.twitter.com/ZHEa7gtz3m
While coaches are still ineligible for the permanent “Contributor” category, the change reported by Judge gets around the limitation on the Senior (players whose active careers have been over for more than 25 years) and Contributor (recognized for reasons other than playing or coaching) processes excluding coaches.
Only two slots for coaches in Centennial Slate Hall of Fame filled by Bill Cowher and Jimmy Johnson and announced on network TV. That means Buddy Parker, who won two NFL championships with the Detroit Lions in the 1950s, will not get in. He was a finalist.
— Mike O'Hara (@MikeOHaraNFL) January 13, 2020
Younger fans may not recognize the name, but Buddy Parker led the Lions to back-to-back championships in 1952 and 1953, and held the distinction of most dramatic preseason resignation in Detroit for more than four decades. Alex Karras made it into the Hall this year on expanded rules meant to rectify obvious slights; one of the most successful coaches in the franchise’s history, maybe it’s time for Buddy Parker to get his shot?
And now, on to the rest of today’s Notes:
- Even with five opt-outs, there are over 100 officials on the league’s current roster:
NFL will be a tad shorthanded with officials this year. Obviously, they'll find replacements for these handful of opt-outs. https://t.co/HdTy5ZJPzW
— Pride of Detroit (@PrideOfDetroit) August 14, 2020
- Included in the media session with Marvin Jones Jr. yesterday on Zoom was his tale of taking a plane to Oregon to pick up a new dog for his family. Kyle Meinke from MLive, who asked the question, has the full story.
- Sad news here:
Herb Orvis, a first-round pick of the Lions in 1972, has died according to @BrendanSavage. Orvis played for Detroit from 1972-77, spent his later years in Flint. More on his life: https://t.co/XRF19eJAoe
— kyle meinke (@kmeinke) August 14, 2020
- ESPN’s Michael Rothstein detailed several factors in favor of Kenny Golladay making another jump up the statistical charts during 2020 into the upper-echelon of wide receiver ballers.
- Much of the Detroit Free Press is now only available to subscribers, but if you happen to be one this seems like it would be a cool story to read (subscription required):
'Why am I not doing more?': Lions RBs coach Kyle Caskey and his wife, Kayla, are doing so much right now to help the local community. Give this a read on why they started their foundation, and if you can, help them make a difference by donating https://t.co/vsAD71VZz0 via @freep
— Dave Birkett (@davebirkett) August 14, 2020