Art should have been put in Hall long ago

By Chris Cluff  |   Thursday, August 02, 2007  |  Comments( 18 )

Washington Redskins
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As Michael Irvin prepares to go into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his third year of eligibility, it leaves a great many people scratching their heads over how he got in so quickly while another great receiver figuratively sits on the Hall's steps, still not allowed in 12 years after he retired from the NFL.

Art Monk's absence from the Hall of Fame is the greatest standing omission by the 40 media members who comprise the Hall's Board of Selectors. It is such a miscarriage of their duty that their failure has spawned a movement called "The Art Monk Hall of Fame Campaign."

Monk has been among the finalists for the last three years, but he continues to be shut out in the final vote. And the selection of Irvin was a major slight by the Hall voters.

Many voters undoubtedly were swayed by two things in choosing Irvin over Monk: (1) Irvin's career yard-per-catch average of 15.9 was higher than Monk's 13.5; (2) Irvin has remained in the media limelight since he was forced to retire following the 1999 season, while Monk has not been nearly as visible.

Len Shapiro, a Hall voter from the Washington Post who continues to lobby on Monk's behalf, explained in a Q&A earlier this year why Monk has yet to get the vote: "There are a few people in the room who believe he did not have signature catches in big games, that he was not the Redskins' big-play go-to guy."

Joe Gibbs, who coaches the Redskins now and coached Monk back then, recently told reporters that Monk's numbers suffered because of how the Redskins used him.

"Because Art was an inside receiver, he caught a lot of balls inside. So almost everything he caught was inside, where he would take some hard hits," Gibbs said. "I think that should go to his credit, but what some [Hall of Fame voters] do is downplay it because his average-per-catch wasn't as high."

Monk still had superior numbers. Over 16 seasons, he caught 940 passes for 12,721 yards and 68 touchdowns. He went to three Pro Bowls, won three Super Bowls and was named to the all-decade team of the 1980s. Monk also was the first receiver to surpass 900 catches and retired with three NFL records in his possession. His 940 catches still rank sixth all-time, 11 behind Andre Reed, who also should have been enshrined before Irvin.

And while Irvin was the main focus of Dallas' passing attack, Monk put up his numbers in an offense that also featured Gary Clark and Ricky Sanders.

Even Irvin himself said Monk should be in.

When a reporter from a Louisiana paper last year asked him who isn't in the Hall who should be, Irvin said: "Art Monk comes to mind right away. At the time he retired, he was the all-time leader in the league in receptions. There are no definite parameters for what it is, no certain number of catches or yardage. The reality for me is this: ... When you catch a lot of passes and win Super Bowls, you should be a lock."

Ronnie Lott, a Hall of Fame defensive back who played against Monk throughout the '80s and was his teammate with the New York Jets in 1994, told the Westchester Journal News in 2002 that Monk deserves the Hall of Fame more than anyone currently eligible.

"You have a Hall of Fame for all it represents," Lott said. "I know he represents all that it's about. Integrity, love and passion for the game, community, what he gave back. Look how he conducted himself. Nobody I know deserves it more."

"If he doesn't get in," Lott said, "it doesn't make sense."

Shapiro said he continues to try to talk some sense into the other voters, "and I can tell you I believe we're making progress in getting him elected."

There could be no better time than the next time as former Washington cornerback Darrell Green becomes eligible in 2008. It could be a nice makeup call by voters if they were to induct Monk with one of his former teammates.

Meanwhile, fans, former players and coaches are outraged at the receiver's absence from the Hall.

"It feels good that people in the community feel that way, but it's out of my control," Monk told the Carroll County (Md.) Times earlier this month. "The voters, obviously, haven't felt that way yet. It really doesn't matter to me. If it happens, it happens."

Original Washington Redskins insight, courtesy of RealFootball365.com
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About Chris Cluff

Chris Cluff spent 10 years as an editor and sportswriter for The Seattle Times. He was a key figure in the newspaper's coverage of the Seahawks, particularly during their Super Bowl run in 2005. He also has written two books on the Seahawks: "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Heart-Pounding,...
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