Easley HoF Finalist

[NorthHawk]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... committee/

It's about time. I hope he makes it.

[burrrton]

About dmn time. Fingers crossed for him.

[c_hawkbob]

About dmn time. Fingers crossed for him.

Hear, hear!

[I-5]

It's going to be a tough sell nationally for two reasons: the length of his career, and the lack of overall success of those teams. Having said that, Easley is easily one of the most dominant and feared players ever at his position. But we all know that in Seattle.

[burrrton]

It's going to be a tough sell nationally for two reasons: the length of his career, and the lack of overall success of those teams. Having said that, Easley is easily one of the most dominant and feared players ever at his position. But we all know that in Seattle.

Yup, and yup.

[Hawk Sista]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300000 ... r-finalist

Too bad I don't get a vote. He is the reason I am a Seahawk Fan!

[burrrton]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000685511/article/seahawks-kenny-easley-named-hof-senior-finalist

Too bad I don't get a vote. He is the reason I am a Seahawk Fan!

Big one of mine, too- had that poster on my bedroom wall...

[I-5]

When it comes to all-time Seahawks highlights, there are no better ones than Easley's and Tez's, or at least they're right up there with Marshawn's and Russell Wilson's. Those 4 are the best highlight reels for me...so far.

[HumanCockroach]

About Damn time!

[Hawktawk]

I wonder if the overall success and acceptance of the Hawks is helping some of the old school guys get a look. Its awesomeness either way. Easley was a freak show.

[savvyman]

Easley was like Lawrence Taylor - a single person who could neutralize an entire offense.

Good luck on the HOF - he deserves it. I believe that HOF Ronnie Lott once said that Easley was the greatest DB he ever saw.


http://articles.latimes.com/1985-12-13/sports/sp-16915_1_kenny-easley


>>>>>Kenny Easley Hits With So Much Relish as a Safety for the Seahawks That He Might Be Called a Hotdog--Except He's Too Explosive for That : HE'S STRICTLY DYN-O-MITE
December 13, 1985|RICHARD HOFFER | Times Staff Writer



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KIRKLAND, Wash. — There is a frightening relish with which Kenny Easley explains dynamite pigskin , the mayhem of choice among the young men of Chesapeake, Va.

"Dynamite pigskin," he says, his eyes lighting up for the first time this day. "Rough-and-tumble football. What you do, you get all the kids in the community, whoever wants to play, and no one chooses sides, anything like that. You just get the football, which is the pigskin, and whoever touches it, the rest of the guys just hit you, cream you.

"And so once you get tackled, you have to throw the ball up in the air. That's the piece of dynamite. You never want to hold it, because if you hold it, you're gonna get blasted.

"We never played organized football. Just played this for hours, beating each other up. A lot of fun. Never stopped. A nonstop game. No clock, no signs, no play-calling, none of that stuff. Just played for hours."

Easley's eyes, guarded just a moment ago, now are full of contentment. About dynamite pigskin, he is asked: Who wins?

He seems surprised. "Nobody wins," he says. "You just keep going, dragging injured guys off, until all but the last couple of guys are left. Nobody wins. You just survive it."

There are some people in the National Football League who would contend that Kenny Easley, the Seattle Seahawks' strong safety and arguably the best defensive player in the league, never really graduated from dynamite pigskin.

He is in his fifth pro season and he went to the Pro Bowl after the last three. He was a consensus All-American after his last three seasons at UCLA. Yet, as he prepares for Sunday's game with the Raiders, bad ankle notwithstanding, there is concern that Easley, this rogue defensive back, is still very much playing his own game.

And, some say, it's not always pretty.

The talk began after last year's AFC playoff game, in which Easley, who had just been named the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year, sent Miami receivers Mark Duper and Bruce Hardy to the sidelines with bell-ringing tackles.

It continued this season when Cincinnati receiver Mike Martin, failing to yield the pigskin even out of bounds, got blasted--somewhat gratuitously, it was thought in some quarters.

One magazine called Easley "the cheapest of cheap-shot artists." Seattle reporters noted the violence, as well, and the hometown columnists admonished him to employ his talent in less homicidal ways.

Other reporters across the country picked up on it, and before you knew it, his interception totals--he has averaged six a year and had 10 last year--were no longer the subject of discussion. His abilities to stuff the running game, the way good linebackers do it, and nullify the passing game, the way good free safeties do it, were overlooked. The subject was now Easley's intimidation, the make-my-day flair he brought to the game. Dynamite pigskin, made even more explosive in the nuclear age of the NFL.

To tell the truth, Easley had somewhat cultivated that image. For the Seahawks' highlight film, he once stared into the camera and said, "Let's face it, I'm vicious." He liked being known for his aggressive and physical brand of football. "Any player on the defensive side of the ball would like that said of him," he said.

His colleagues backed that up, celebrating his runaway-train style. Said then-teammate Reggie McKenzie: "He's one of the most vicious tacklers ever. He comes up and shaves a man's butt."

Isn't that the idea? As his position coach, Ralph Hawkins, told his detractors, "That's the game. If they don't want that, they'd play two-hand touch, below the waist."

But the image got out of hand. Easley knew it had gotten out of hand when his mother called from Chesapeake. "She was, uh, excited and upset," he said. "It was the kind of thing, 'I didn't raise my boy to behave like this.' It took awhile to calm her down."

So, Easley decided to go easy with that image and refused to talk to the media, not so much because he blamed them, but he just wanted to give this all a chance to die down.

"As far as being violent, I'm not playing the game to hurt anyone physically or put them out of commission," he said in only one of two sitdown interviews he has given this season. "I don't think anyone wants to be remembered like Jack Tatum, a fine football player who will always be associated with (the paralyzing of) Darryl Stingley."

It would be a pity if Easley, 26, is not remembered as one of the greatest defensive backs of his time, the kind of guy you fear, but for all the right reasons. Denver Coach Dan Reeves once said: "You have to know where Kenny Easley is on every play. If you don't, you're in all kinds of trouble."

That is the high praise Easley prefers.<<<<<<<<

[obiken]

Kenny was my favorite Hawk but its not going to happen, not enough time in the league. I really really hope I am wrong.

[Zorn76]

Think positive, Obi, lol.
You skepticism is understood on one level but, all bias aside, he does deserve to be enshrined in Canton.

The HOF has made allowances for others who many thought would never get in, and they should do so here.

[obiken]

Think positive, Obi, lol.
You skepticism is understood on one level but, all bias aside, he does deserve to be enshrined in Canton.

The HOF has made allowances for others who many thought would never get in, and they should do so here.

I agree, Elway put it best, you had guys that could cover as good, and guys that could hit almost as well, but no one did both better in my life time than Kenny Easley.

[HumanCockroach]

Easley belongs in the hall. Shouldn't have taken this long. If Polamalu is a hall of famer ( he will be) Easley was a no brainer.

It's unfortunate that a teams national profile affects inclusion, but it does. If Seattle's mid 80's teams were as successful as the current team, Easley wouldn't have had to wait, hell, guys like Brown and Green wouldn't have either, honestly, Kreig and Warner might have been a consideration for the veterans committee..

[Hawk Sista]

Kenny was my favorite Hawk but its not going to happen, not enough time in the league. I really really hope I am wrong.

I heard John Clayton say on the radio today that he is likely in since he's made it this far. Only three times in the last 25 years have they voted against someone recommended by the senior committee. I'm not one to know much about it, but that sounded positive to me.

[RiverDog]

Obi has an excellent point. There's absolutely no doubt that Easley is HOF quality as he was arguably one of the top 2 or 3 defensive players during his era, but unless there's some good examples of HOF'ers with 7-8 years in the league, I wouldn't get my hopes up. I don't know of any off hand, at least not in the post merger era.

I view the Easley dilemma a little like Edgar Martinez's potential baseball HOF candidacy (being a DH). I want to see both get admitted but I understand the reasoning of the HOF committees if they don't get in.

[HumanCockroach]

Several hall of famers with 7 ( or less) years in the league ( Gale Sayers is the most recognizable but several others).

Talking about a player that was all pro 4 years straight and a pro bowl player 6 times, defensive player of the year, rookie defensive player of the year, AFC defensive player...

What would you rather have? Someone that plays 7 years, is the best in the game every single one of them at his position, or one that plays 10 years with 4 great seasons and is horrible the other six? What Easley did CHANGED not only the games he played in, but how other teams filled the position, utilized the players in that position. In essence he changed the NFL.

There is no Kam without a Kenny...

[RiverDog]

Several hall of famers with 7 ( or less) years in the league ( Gale Sayers is the most recognizable but several others).

Talking about a player that was all pro 4 years straight and a pro bowl player 6 times, defensive player of the year, rookie defensive player of the year, AFC defensive player...

What would you rather have? Someone that plays 7 years, is the best in the game every single one of them at his position, or one that plays 10 years with 4 great seasons and is horrible the other six? What Easley did CHANGED not only the games he played in, but how other teams filled the position, utilized the players in that position. In essence he changed the NFL.

There is no Kam without a Kenny...

I'm not arguing against Easley and you need not convince me of his qualifications. I've agreed with everything that's been said about him and have added some of my own tributes. He was a great player, a bona fide HOF talent. I'm simply evaluating his chances.

Sayers is pre-merger. With more players, more teams, more games, the HOF is raising the qualifications bar, so unless there's a player or two that has relatively recently been inducted, I can understand a justification of keeping him out based on his short career. That doesn't mean I agree with it if they don't let him in, only that I can understand the rationale. It's a much different situation than our other 3 HOF players, ie Largent, Tez, and Walt, who IMO were all no brainer candidates.

[c_hawkbob]

Well his chances are great now!

The Old-guy committee and the "contributors" committee (GM's, coaches, broadcasters, all them non-players) take turns getting 1 or 2 nominations every year. Easely is the Old-guy committee's only nomination this year (there will be two contributor nominations) so his only competition is; he gets in, or there is no Senior player at all this year. When was the last time you saw that happen?

He's in, trust me.

[RiverDog]

When was the last time you saw that happen?

When was the last time you saw a player with 7 years in the league get in?

I'm not trying to rain on this pre HOF party, but as Yogi once said, it ain't over until it's over.

[c_hawkbob]

So you really think there will just not be a senior committee player this year?

Sorry but no way the NFL just omits that portion of their carefully crafted program for the Hall, it's become too big a selling point to the TV audience.

[RiverDog]

So you really think there will just not be a senior committee player this year?

Sorry but no way the NFL just omits that portion of their carefully crafted program for the Hall, it's become too big a selling point to the TV audience.

I didn't say that. All I'm saying is that I think it's a little premature to be declaring Easley as a near certainty to be inducted. I understand what you're saying about the senior committee's recommendation carrying a lot of weight, but there's still a lot of weight behind the argument against his induction, ie a 7 year career. They'd be breaking virtually new ground by admitting someone with such a short (time wise) resume.

[c_hawkbob]

I didn't say that. All I'm saying is that I think it's a little premature to be declaring Easley as a near certainty to be inducted. I understand what you're saying about the senior committee's recommendation carrying a lot of weight, but there's still a lot of weight behind the argument against his induction, ie a 7 year career. They'd be breaking virtually new ground by admitting someone with such a short (time wise) resume.

I know you "didn't say that" but those are the only two options: either Easely gets in as the Senior Committee representative or there is no Senior Committee representative this year. There is no door #3.

[HumanCockroach]

To answer your question Bob, the last year without a senior selection was 1975... Odds are he's in.

[Hawktawk]

Easley belongs in the Hall. I have a hard time finding his highlights online to show my 21 year old son. He cant believe we had a safety as good or better than the ones we have now.


As for the bias against the franchise I actually believe that the popularity and success of the Hawks in the last decade along with the growing national fan base makes it more likely that more Hawks greats will get a second or third look from the HOF.

[c_hawkbob]

To answer your question Bob, the least year without a senior selection was 1975... Odds are he's in.

And the HOF Presentation and Game weren't near the TV production then that they are now. In fact I can't even remember if either were even televised back then ...

[Hawk Sista]

Trust me, too..... and the experts who have participated in the actual process.... HE IS IN!!!

[Seahawks4Ever]

Kenny will get in 'cause this is the year for KENNYS! Junior first, now Easley. Easley is going in the way that Edgar will get in, through the veteran's comm.

GO SEAHAWKS!!!!!

[I-5]

I think Easley would have stood out even with the 2014 Seahawks defense...and that's saying something

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quxbCQ4m8Ww

[obiken]

Ken Easley, was graded by NFL scouts that he could play in the NFL at 18 years old. Yes he would be the best on the field, sorry no disrespect to our other guys.

[NorthHawk]

He could run like ET, hit like Kam and had the ball skills (when it was in the air) of Sherm.
That was a lethal combination for WRs and opposing OC's so it's no wonder they had to game plan against him.

[RiverDog]

He could run like ET, hit like Kam and had the ball skills (when it was in the air) of Sherm.
That was a lethal combination for WRs and opposing OC's so it's no wonder they had to game plan against him.

One of my favorite Easley stories is that I heard an opposing QB, I think playing for the Falcons, say on an interview that the first thing he did after breaking the huddle was to see which side of the field Easley was lining up on, and if it happened to be on the same side of the field that the play was called, that he'd audibled away from him.

That interview reminded me of another interview I saw/heard with Jimmy Brown. He said that there was only one player that after the huddle broke, he'd look to see where he was lining up, and that player was Sam Huff.

I have a huge amount of respect for Kenny Easley's ability. I just don't join the others in this forum that feel his acceptance into the HOF is a foregone conclusion. There is one helluva an obstacle for him to overcome in terms of his longevity.

[HumanCockroach]

When you name another RDPOTY, AFC Defensive player of the year, NFL defensive player of the year, 5x all pro, 6x pro bowl player, all decade player, that was the best at his position during a seven year stretch that isn't a HOF inductee I'll share your reservations, not before that though.

Add in there hasn't been a year without a senior players inclusion in 31 years, and Easley happens to be the ONLY player nominated, as well as the fact he's one of two players from that HOF all decade team not already enshrined, and I would say there's a hell of a LOT more reasons he will be in than the other way around....

[c_hawkbob]

I have a huge amount of respect for Kenny Easley's ability. I just don't join the others in this forum that feel his acceptance into the HOF is a foregone conclusion. There is one helluva an obstacle for him to overcome in terms of his longevity.

Then make a call already.

Is he going to get the 80% votes of the selection committee or does the the HOF go without a Senior inductee for the first time since you and I were in school?

This just acting like the voice of reason saying "not so fast" without taking a real stand is too easy.

[burrrton]

Then make a call already.

Is he going to get the 80% votes of the selection committee or does the the HOF go without a Senior inductee for the first time since you and I were in school?

This just acting like the voice of reason saying "not so fast" without taking a real stand is too easy.

Bob hasn't had his coffee yet this morning...

[c_hawkbob]

No rancor intended, just sayin if your going to "yeah but" every time someone states an opinion, come ahead with one of your own.

[monkey]

Easley belongs in the Hall. I have a hard time finding his highlights online to show my 21 year old son. He cant believe we had a safety as good or better than the ones we have now.

Most fans who don't remember him do have a hard time believing that, and I don't blame them, Kam and Earl are unreal.
Yet the truth is, I remember Easley like it was yesterday, and he was in fact BETTER than our current safeties. He hit like Kam, and covered like Earl...in fact, he covered like Sherm!

People forget how truly amazing he was. I sincerely mean this, it's not hyperbole to say this at all, there was only one safety in the history of the NFL who played better than Easley EVER. Ronnie Lott. That's it. And Ronnie Lott has said that Kenny Easley was the best.
The ONLY thing preventing him from being universally thought of as the GOAT or at least one of the best ever, (certainly top three), was his short career.
He really was Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas (LOL, Tyler Locket too! He was a super star returner!) rolled into one amazing player.

[NorthHawk]

The only reasons Lott was considered better was he was on championship teams and he also played CB very well.
Easley was always a Safety when Safety was an undervalued position, hence the overlook early in his HoF eligibility.
I remember having discussions with friends as to who was the better Safety and I think I remember some of the print media were also discussing it for a while.
Should have been in earlier.