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Denver Native (Carol)
01-31-2010, 08:42 AM
http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_14303460

Former Broncos running back wants to be in Pro Football Hall of Fame but he realizes time is no longer his ally

FEDERAL WAY, Wash. — Older than Broncomania, too deep in debt to retire and feeling the chill of mortality on the back of his neck, Floyd Little cannot stop running. There is a do-or-die election to win.

Nearly 35 years after he dashed 66 yards for a touchdown, turning snow flurries that danced in the Colorado sky to tears raining down his cheeks in his the final game at old Mile High Stadium, the first true superstar in Broncos history finally gets his first real crack at being voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. There is precious Little time remaining in his lifelong campaign, and the player who wore No. 44 for Denver knows the score.

"The Hall of Fame won't call twice. I've got to own this. Right now. There won't be another chance for me," said Little, his words popping with passion.

He must earn approval from 80 percent of the selection committee voters, who will gather Saturday and debate the merits of Little for his sport's greatest individual honor.

"Do you know the average life expectancy of an NFL player? It's 58. And you're talking to a 67-year-old man. So I'm already on borrowed time. I don't have that many years left on this earth. I don't want to go in the Hall posthumously. No, sir. That's not for me. I need to be alive to enjoy the celebration with family and friends. Forget posthumously. If I'm not here to enjoy it, give the honor to somebody who's still breathing."

With a clenched-fist fury that constantly rages just beneath the surface, Little refuses to give up on a dream long denied. The long run goes on forever. He keeps pushing the pile with the same intensity that once saved the NFL from deserting Denver and still makes a powerful man in the White House smile.

Vice President Joe Biden began law school at Syracuse in 1965, the same year Little outdid legendary Orange running back Jim Brown and Heisman Trophy winner Ernie Davis to become the first running back in school history to rush for 1,000 yards in a single season.

In memory, our snapshots of youthful glory never fade. At a family funeral Jan. 12, the vice president of the United States paused from saying final goodbyes to his late 92-year-old mother to pose a heartfelt question at Roger Harrison, a time-tested friend from college days at Syracuse.

Biden needed to know: "What are the chances Floyd Little gets in the Hall of Fame?"

Economy hits Little hard

As a feisty yellow sun tried to chase the gray gloom from a winter afternoon, a sleek Ford Thunderbird with vanity license plates that identified its driver as "FDL 44" rolled to a stop outside an abandoned building on five lonely acres. On this corner of the Seattle suburbs, the pain of a recession that has pushed the national unemployment rate above 10 percent can be found loitering, in absolutely no hurry to get up and leave.

The rock-hard shoulders of Little emerged from the Thunderbird. A running back who zigged and zagged for 6,323 rushing yards in a Broncos uniform walked a hard, straight line across an empty parking lot where 300 shiny new vehicles once invited buyers to kick the tires. Nothing here now except ghosts. Little exhaled slowly to calm his emotions, then turned a key in the door of a shuttered Ford store he proudly operated for 20 years.

"I'm just another statistic of a bad economy. I'm one of the faces of what happened to the American auto industry," said Little, former owner of one of the more than 2,000 U.S. car dealerships that have gone belly- up since 2008.

"Twenty great years. Gone. I'm not mad. I'm not angry. I saw it coming, but I didn't get out in time. But know what's tough? Knowing all the people who worked here. I saw them get married, raise their kids. Many stayed with me to the bitter end. A lot of them can't find jobs."

As the sound of his shoes clicking on the tile floor echoed in a dealership where silver-and-blue balloons still hang more forlornly than balloons ever should, Little nodded at the motto painted on the wall of the main showroom: It's a matter of pride.

Not so long ago, before a padlock began rusting on the fence to the dealership's back lot, this piece of real estate was appraised at $5 million. Little, however, carries $2 million in debt on the property. "I can't even get an offer from a buyer," he said. "My retirement is locked up right here."

Little, who played for the Broncos from 1967-75, is from an NFL era in which pride mattered more than money. Why? Well, to tell the truth, nobody got filthy rich. As the No. 6 pick in the draft's opening round, Little's signing bonus with Denver was $10,000. And he grossed $78,000 in salary, but only if you combine all the paychecks from his first three seasons in the league.

"I used to cash my checks from the Broncos at 7-11. Got two Slurpees and the rest in twenties," said Little, laughing at the way things were back when the Fu Manchu of quarterback Joe Namath and coach Tom Landry's fedora dominated the game's look.

"But you know what ticks me off? People try to tell me now that an annual salary of $25,000 was a lot of money 30 years ago. Well, (Seahawks running back) Shaun Alexander, a guy who couldn't carry my jock strap, signed a $62 million contract in 2006. Even with inflation, you know the relevancy between $25,000 and $62 million? None. There is no relevancy."

So how does an athlete never paid six figures fill the long run between his final touchdown and his last breath? He rolls out of bed every morning and goes to work, working up a fierce sweat.

"Meet me at the gym," Little demanded, when asked where to find him these days.

Sure enough, there was a charter member of the Broncos' Ring of Fame among the soccer moms and weekend warriors at the health club on a recent morning, attacking the weight room the way he once tore through the Oakland Raiders defense.

In nine seasons with the Broncos, Little lugged the rock 2,041 times on handoffs, pass receptions and kick returns. Tacklers experienced the same overwhelming emotion when the 5-foot-10, 195-pound Little churned through the hole on cartoonishly bowed legs like the Tasmanian Devil. "Dread," reported Hall of Fame linebacker Nick Buoniconti.

I discovered that same dread when taking a seat under the shoulder press, after a man old enough to be a grandfather had ripped off three sets of 10 repetitions.

"Don't let me hurt you," said Little, chuckling as he moved to the biceps curls machine.

This must be how Wile E. Coyote feels, right before getting squashed by a boulder.

Broncos first star: Little

Enter any sports bar in Denver on a football Sunday. Poll the population on the most essential player to wear a Broncos uniform and the same two words would be repeatedly uttered: John Elway.

Great choice. But the best answer? No. Broncomania only bloomed after Little saved the franchise from dying.

"Without Floyd Little, there would be no Denver Broncos. Either they don't get picked up by the NFL in the merger, or they move to Alabama and become the Birmingham Broncos," said Tom Mackie, the co-author when Little penned his 2006 autobiography.

Although Little played in 126 games for the Broncos, not a single one was in the playoffs. Back in those days, the team stunk, losing more than 60 percent of the time.

Nobody took defeat harder than Little. His nickname was "Old Folks." His competitive fire burned so hot, teammates thought he was nuts. Losses made him fighting mad.

"I was a bad guy." Little said. "I would physically attack teammates in the locker room to the point where nobody wanted to dress next to me. I was unstable. When we lost, I got angry and would lose it."

In the garage of his home, not far from the work bench where a publicity photograph signed by Oprah Winfrey hangs next to tubes of caulk, Little pulled out a piece of art from the late Ernie Barnes. The glass of the frame is cracked, but Little loves the stark, black-and-white drawing of a football player slumped on the bench, shoulders slouched, ego crushed. The piece is titled: "To Know Defeat."

"That's me," said Floyd, gently cradling the image of a vanquished warrior. "I've been in that same position hundreds of times. All the games we lost in Denver . . ."

So imagine this scene: 'Folks' standing alone in the showers after another Broncos loss, too distraught to open his angry eyes, letting the water and soap cascade down his sullen face.

"And the soap kept coming and coming," because some practical joker thought it would be funny to sneak up and squirt a steady stream of shampoo on the balding head of the veteran running back, recalled Billy Thompson, the Denver safety who cherished Little as a mentor.

The humor of the prank, however, escaped Little. As showering Broncos scattered across a slippery floor, he searched frantically for the offender. He promptly convicted teammate Jon Keyworth, knocking him silly.

There was just one problem. Keyworth was innocent.

"Tom Jackson was the culprit," said Thompson, tattling on the linebacker now famous across the country as a television analyst. "Oh, T.J. did 'fess up eventually, but not for a long time, because we were all scared of 'Folks.' "

When Little retired, he was the seventh-leading rusher in pro football history. He was a hero in the lost time zone. There are baby boomers, dentists, broadcasters and truck drivers alike, their long hair from the '70s now gray, who grew up in Colorado eating Sigman hot dogs because Little once smiled on a billboard and told everybody they were dog-gone good.

At the Democratic National Convention in 2008, a silver-haired Biden told the crowd in Denver's football stadium: "I always dreamed I would be standing in this place. But I was hoping it would be next to my friend Floyd Little."

When Barack Obama was inaugurated as the nation's first African-American president, Little shuffled on freezing toes to bear witness.

When opening the Bible given to him as a farewell gift by the Broncos, Little sits in church and gazes at the all the signatures, including best wishes from Lyle Alzado, dead since 1992. Trophies in Little's basement proclaim him an inductee in hall of fames representing his high school, his college, two states and Jose Cuervo tequila. But the only Hall that truly matters, in Canton, Ohio, has pretended as if Little doesn't exist for more than three decades. Go figure.

As former NFL Players Association president John Mackey, who basically invented the position of tight end, wrote to the selection committee years ago: "If there's no room for Floyd Little in the Hall of Fame, please take me out and put him in."

"The sad thing is John Mackey now has such bad dementia from all the concussions he suffered playing football that he doesn't know how great he was," Little said. "The last time I saw John, he couldn't even remember my name."

Life's a short movie. How did we get here?

Always a fighter

Little insists he was born to run. He believes running was in his genes.

As a boy of 6, Little saw his father die of cancer. Maybe the unending chase for recognition began that day, with a determination to ball his fists and fight anybody whose negative opinion dared doubt his dreams.

"He showed up as a high school sophomore for his first varsity practice carrying a gym bag," said Norm Alderman, who was a center and linebacker for the 1959 Hillhouse High football team in New Haven, Conn. "The reason I remember it was Floyd had written something in Magic Marker on the bag. It said: All-state. I chuckled at first. But once you saw Floyd Little carry the ball, you knew he was going places."

Little is living proof that "football hero" isn't defined by wins and losses alone. What if the Hall of Fame rudely slams the door in his face now? Can Little deal with the pain? Has the anger that stoked his greatness on the field been buried?

"It's in remission. I can't say it's gone," Little said. "If you knock me down once, I can promise that you're going to get another opportunity to do it again, because I'm going to keep getting up. That's 100 percent. I will fight you to the end. You might whip me today. But I'll come back tomorrow and say, 'You wanna go?' And I'll eat you up."

Football ended for Little long ago. But the long run goes on, always another dream to chase with the rising sun.

The secret? Never stop.

Mark Kiszla: 303-954-1053 or mkiszla@denverpost.com
Little's career

1966 The star tailback becomes a three-time All-American at Syracuse, finishing a college career with 2,704 yards rushing and 4,947 total yards, breaking school records set previously by Jim Brown and Ernie Davis.

1967 Becomes the first first-round draft pick signed by the Broncos after he's chosen sixth overall.

1968 After taking over the starting job in his second season, earns first AFL all-star selection. Leads the league in all-purpose yards for a second consecutive season.

1969 Tops the league with 5.0 yards per carry and is named an AFL all-star.

1971 A career year, best in the NFL in rushing yards (1,133) and attempts (284).

1973 Led the Broncos in rushing for a seventh straight season, still a team record.

1975 Finishes a nine-year NFL career as the Broncos' leader in rushing yards, attempts and TDs and now ranks behind only Terrell Davis. And his 12,173 all-purpose yards stood as a team record until Rod Smith broke the mark in 2006. . . . His 6,323 yards rushing ranked seventh all-time in the NFL at the time. . . .He was voted to the Pro Bowl three times.

East Coast Fan
01-31-2010, 09:21 AM
As a 15 year-old I remember watching that last home game on TV here in Pennsylvania because it was on 'cause it was against the Eagles. I remember the fans carrying him off the field on their shoulders, and him having a great day filling in for an injured Otis Armstrong. Great memories....:salute:

HORSEPOWER 56
01-31-2010, 09:35 AM
I thought the comment about Shawn Alexander not being able to carry his jock strap was hilarious! Floyd will get in this year!

GEM
01-31-2010, 09:36 AM
I think that's the best piece Kiszla's written in years.

titan
01-31-2010, 10:55 AM
I'm as big of fan of Floyd Little as anyone, and he richly deserves the Hall Of Fame. When I read statements like this, though, it is a bit of a stretch:

""Without Floyd Little, there would be no Denver Broncos. Either they don't get picked up by the NFL in the merger, or they move to Alabama and become the Birmingham Broncos," said Tom Mackie, the co-author when Little penned his 2006 autobiography."

What really saved the Broncos was owner Gerald Phipps (in 1965) and an organization called the DOERS which raised enough money for the Bears Stadium expansion after the merger had been agreed to. Longtime Denver broadcaster Larry Zimmer explains it well in his book "Denver Broncos: Colorful Tales of Orange and Blue":

"Bears Stadium was not big enough for the demands of the NFL after the announcement of the merger with the AFL in 1966. Gerald Phipps, who saved the Broncos for Denver in 1965, was the majority owner. He used his political clout to get the Metropolitan Stadium District created. The same legislation called for a bond issue to build a new 20 million dollar stadium near Stapleton Airport. The voters delivered a crushing blow by turning down the stadium bond issue by a two to one margin.

Phipps was keenly disappointed. Rumors were rampant that Commissioner Pete Rozelle and the NFL Owners favored relocating the franchise to Birmingham, Alabama.
A number of volunteer groups were formed to keep the team in Denver. They merged into one organization called the DOERS - Denver Organization to Erect the Right Kind of Stadium. Since a new stadium was out, the effort was to build an addition to Bears Stadium. The group organized collections at civic clubs, schools, and on street corners. ... The plan was to raise 1.8 million, buy Bears Stadium from the Phipps, and give it to the City and County of Denver, which would then pay for the additional 16,000 seats by issuing revenue bonds. The campaign was successful. A deck was added to the west side and the capacity was 50,000 when the 1968 season kicked off. On December 14, 1968 the name of the stadium was officially changed to Mile Hi Stadium."

The sequence of event was thus:

Merger agreed to by the NFL and AFL in 1966
NFL Owners concerned about Denver's small stadium, think about moving the Broncos to Birmingham
First common draft in 1967 between the NFL and AFL - Broncos take Floyd Little with the 6th pick in the first round
August 5, 1967, Broncos become the first ever AFL team to defeat an NFL team after beating the Detroit Lions, 13–7, in a preseason game. Floyd Little has yet to play a down with the team. The city was crazy with excitement due to the merger.
Floyd Little has an ok rookie year, gaining 381 yards over 14 games.
New Stadium Vote fails, DOERS get Bears Stadium expanded to 50,000, allowing Denver to participate in the merger
Broncos open 1968 season in their newly expanded 50,000 seat Bears Stadium
Floyd Little's career and the Broncos popularity really takes off starting in 1968, with the expanded stadium and the anticipation of playing in the NFL

===

I was a 12 year old in 1968, caught up with the excitement of the Broncos and spent $14 of my $25 savings to get season tickets in the South Stands (they had a kids ticket at the time for $2/game). Was Floyd Little a reason I got season tickets? Certainly he was a part of it - he was my favorite Bronco. But there were other reasons - the anticipation of the NFL, other great Broncos (like all pro defensive end Rich Jackson), etc.

Floyd Little was the biggest star of the late 60's, early 70's broncos, and a role model to many Denver area kids including myself. But this thing called Broncomania that I've been around all my life is bigger than any one player. To say Floyd Little alone saved the Broncos doesn't give credit to Gerald Phipps (who saved the team in 1965 before Floyd was even drafted) or the fans who formed the DOERS, who raised the funds to get the stadium expanded to the NFL minimum.

There are many legitimate reasons why Floyd Little deserves the Hall of Fame. And while he was certainly a big part of the Broncos increased popularity in the late 60's, to say he single handedly "saved the team" is a bit of an exaggeration, and a claim I've seen some of Floyd Little detractors dispute. Floyd doesn't need the "saved the Broncos" legend to get into the Hall - what the man did on the field and in the community is enough.

Broncolingus
01-31-2010, 10:56 AM
Great article...

After Floyd makes it this go round, now we can focus on Gradishar...

Denver Native (Carol)
01-31-2010, 01:04 PM
I'm as big of fan of Floyd Little as anyone, and he richly deserves the Hall Of Fame. When I read statements like this, though, it is a bit of a stretch:

""Without Floyd Little, there would be no Denver Broncos. Either they don't get picked up by the NFL in the merger, or they move to Alabama and become the Birmingham Broncos," said Tom Mackie, the co-author when Little penned his 2006 autobiography."

What really saved the Broncos was owner Gerald Phipps (in 1965) and an organization called the DOERS which raised enough money for the Bears Stadium expansion after the merger had been agreed to. Longtime Denver broadcaster Larry Zimmer explains it well in his book "Denver Broncos: Colorful Tales of Orange and Blue":

"Bears Stadium was not big enough for the demands of the NFL after the announcement of the merger with the AFL in 1966. Gerald Phipps, who saved the Broncos for Denver in 1965, was the majority owner. He used his political clout to get the Metropolitan Stadium District created. The same legislation called for a bond issue to build a new 20 million dollar stadium near Stapleton Airport. The voters delivered a crushing blow by turning down the stadium bond issue by a two to one margin.

Phipps was keenly disappointed. Rumors were rampant that Commissioner Pete Rozelle and the NFL Owners favored relocating the franchise to Birmingham, Alabama.
A number of volunteer groups were formed to keep the team in Denver. They merged into one organization called the DOERS - Denver Organization to Erect the Right Kind of Stadium. Since a new stadium was out, the effort was to build an addition to Bears Stadium. The group organized collections at civic clubs, schools, and on street corners. ... The plan was to raise 1.8 million, buy Bears Stadium from the Phipps, and give it to the City and County of Denver, which would then pay for the additional 16,000 seats by issuing revenue bonds. The campaign was successful. A deck was added to the west side and the capacity was 50,000 when the 1968 season kicked off. On December 14, 1968 the name of the stadium was officially changed to Mile Hi Stadium."

The sequence of event was thus:

Merger agreed to by the NFL and AFL in 1966
NFL Owners concerned about Denver's small stadium, think about moving the Broncos to Birmingham
First common draft in 1967 between the NFL and AFL - Broncos take Floyd Little with the 6th pick in the first round
August 5, 1967, Broncos become the first ever AFL team to defeat an NFL team after beating the Detroit Lions, 13–7, in a preseason game. Floyd Little has yet to play a down with the team. The city was crazy with excitement due to the merger.
Floyd Little has an ok rookie year, gaining 381 yards over 14 games.
New Stadium Vote fails, DOERS get Bears Stadium expanded to 50,000, allowing Denver to participate in the merger
Broncos open 1968 season in their newly expanded 50,000 seat Bears Stadium
Floyd Little's career and the Broncos popularity really takes off starting in 1968, with the expanded stadium and the anticipation of playing in the NFL

===

I was a 12 year old in 1968, caught up with the excitement of the Broncos and spent $14 of my $25 savings to get season tickets in the South Stands (they had a kids ticket at the time for $2/game). Was Floyd Little a reason I got season tickets? Certainly he was a part of it - he was my favorite Bronco. But there were other reasons - the anticipation of the NFL, other great Broncos (like all pro defensive end Rich Jackson), etc.

Floyd Little was the biggest star of the late 60's, early 70's broncos, and a role model to many Denver area kids including myself. But this thing called Broncomania that I've been around all my life is bigger than any one player. To say Floyd Little alone saved the Broncos doesn't give credit to Gerald Phipps (who saved the team in 1965 before Floyd was even drafted) or the fans who formed the DOERS, who raised the funds to get the stadium expanded to the NFL minimum.

There are many legitimate reasons why Floyd Little deserves the Hall of Fame. And while he was certainly a big part of the Broncos increased popularity in the late 60's, to say he single handedly "saved the team" is a bit of an exaggeration, and a claim I've seen some of Floyd Little detractors dispute. Floyd doesn't need the "saved the Broncos" legend to get into the Hall - what the man did on the field and in the community is enough.

Floyd was definitely a major factor in keeping the Broncos in Denver:

http://www.20yardline.com/denver-broncos-articles/current/floyd-little.html

Floyd Little “The Franchise”

Before there was John Elway in Denver, Floyd Little was “The Franchise” for the Denver Broncos. He brought credibility to a struggling team, despite being a lone weapon on offense for much of his career. If it had not been for Little, there probably would not be football in Denver today. “My signing helped rally the people in Denver around the team," he said. "From there we were able to go out through the city and get a charter to solicit and build a bigger and better stadium, which became Mile High Stadium.” Old time Broncos’ fans will always fondly remember the bow-legged, 5-10, 195-pound running back.

http://blog.denverbroncos.com/denverbroncos/44-reasons-to-elect-no-44/

3 - Floyd Little’s impact on the NFL is without equal among Seniors Candidates - he literally “saved the Broncos from extinction,” according to HOFer Stan Jones. The Broncos were planning on relocating to another city in 1967 - Chicago, Birmingham, or elsewhere - before Little became the first #1 pick to ever sign with the team in 1967 (Dick Butkus, Merlin Olsen, Bob Brown, and other famous Broncos #1 picks signed with NFL teams). Floyd’s impact was felt immediately. He was instrumental in getting fans to vote for the expansion of Mile High Stadium that led to a string of sellouts that lasts today. He was named “The Franchise” for his on-field performances and tireless work in Denver communities. As Len Dawson said, “Floyd Little was the Denver Broncos for many, many years.” His efforts kept the Broncos in Denver - today one of the NFL’s marquee teams.

Superchop 7
01-31-2010, 01:35 PM
I think that's the best piece Kiszla's written in years.

__________________________________________________ ______________________________________

Couldn't agree more.

girler
01-31-2010, 03:17 PM
If Little finally gets in this year, my faith in the NFL will be restored. :proud:

If he doesn't, then I will know that politics rules the NFL and the true spirit of football has been lost. :tsk:

Poet
01-31-2010, 11:20 PM
I've had a lot of guy arounds on this site about Bronco HOFers, but Floyd Little should be in the Hall.

KyleOrtonArmySoldier#128
01-31-2010, 11:34 PM
He saved our beloved franchise, let's get a pool together and try to make him rich.

Poet
02-01-2010, 01:56 AM
If Little finally gets in this year, my faith in the NFL will be restored. :proud:

If he doesn't, then I will know that politics rules the NFL and the true spirit of football has been lost. :tsk:

Most teams have some guys that should in the HOF that aren't. However, I grudgingly admit that your team seems to have more than most.

Hearing John Clayton describe how they actually vote makes me pissed off.

Basically if I was a sportswriter in Cincinnati with a vote I'd be like "hey, if you guys vote for <insert Bengal's player name here> I'll vote for <insert player that other voters want in here>."

That's a damn mockery.

Voters forget context of careers. Little's career numbers wouldn't be staggering in today's game. Very few players have numbers from the older days that stand tall today. In other words, punishing Little because he wasn't as good as Jim Brown is retarded because Jim Brown may be the best football player of all time.

It's about context. His 3.9 YPC average is actually pretty bad in a vacuum. However, from what I've gathered about his sitatuion is that his teams were pretty terrible and the tail end and beginning of his career gave him situations that, well sucked.

I don't think that he's a top ten RB of all-time. I also know that football's been around long enough that you shouldn't have to be a top ten back of all-time to get into the HOF.

What actually did it for me is his receiving numbers. Again, his numbers today as a receiving RB would be probably just above average, but for his time his numbers were very good. He also played in the era of 14 game seasons.

If I had to give him a serious knock it would be that I typically want my RB to run the ball more than he did, but he rattled off 4 years of 200 plus carries in the middle of his career.

girler
02-01-2010, 10:53 AM
Most teams have some guys that should in the HOF that aren't. However, I grudgingly admit that your team seems to have more than most.

Hearing John Clayton describe how they actually vote makes me pissed off.

Basically if I was a sportswriter in Cincinnati with a vote I'd be like "hey, if you guys vote for <insert Bengal's player name here> I'll vote for <insert player that other voters want in here>."

That's a damn mockery.

Voters forget context of careers. Little's career numbers wouldn't be staggering in today's game. Very few players have numbers from the older days that stand tall today. In other words, punishing Little because he wasn't as good as Jim Brown is retarded because Jim Brown may be the best football player of all time.

It's about context. His 3.9 YPC average is actually pretty bad in a vacuum. However, from what I've gathered about his sitatuion is that his teams were pretty terrible and the tail end and beginning of his career gave him situations that, well sucked.

I don't think that he's a top ten RB of all-time. I also know that football's been around long enough that you shouldn't have to be a top ten back of all-time to get into the HOF.

What actually did it for me is his receiving numbers. Again, his numbers today as a receiving RB would be probably just above average, but for his time his numbers were very good. He also played in the era of 14 game seasons.

If I had to give him a serious knock it would be that I typically want my RB to run the ball more than he did, but he rattled off 4 years of 200 plus carries in the middle of his career.

The way he played ball would put many current players to shame. He didn't do it for the fame or the money, he did it because he was a rough and tumble guy who had love for the game. You don't see many guys go out there anymore and just smile and growl because they have the rock, and they are going to smash it through to the goal line in today's game. I so miss that. :salute:

GEM
02-01-2010, 03:32 PM
Any news from Saturday's meeting?

AlWilsonizKING
02-01-2010, 03:34 PM
Since I was able to remember what a favorite number was, mine has always been 44!! Thanks to Floyd Little.

Here's to him making the hall this year!!!!
:beer::salute:


PEACE!!!

scott.475
02-02-2010, 03:14 PM
About 10 years ago I was in a building in Seattle and saw this lady standing there wearing a Broncos jersey. I am pretty sure this was when Seattle was still in our division and it was VERY unusual to see a Bronco fan out here. I walked up to her and said "Are you from Colorado? Don't see many Bronco jerseys out here". She said "No, but my boyfriend used to play for them." I said "Really? Who was it?" She said "Floyd Little." I said "Really? I did not know he lived out here?" "Yes" she said, "he has a car dealership down in Federal Way, Pacific Coast Ford. If you need a car, ask for Floyd, tell him I sent you, and tell him your a Bronco fan and he will give you a deal." It was a pretty cool chance meeting.

A couple months ago I drove by his dealership and saw it sitting completely empty and hoped he had just moved to a new location, too bad for Floyd on that one, I hope things turn out OK overall for him.

Here is to hoping Floyd gets in the Hall this year!

pnbronco
02-03-2010, 12:33 PM
As former NFL Players Association president John Mackey, who basically invented the position of tight end, wrote to the selection committee years ago: "If there's no room for Floyd Little in the Hall of Fame, please take me out and put him in."

"The sad thing is John Mackey now has such bad dementia from all the concussions he suffered playing football that he doesn't know how great he was," Little said. "The last time I saw John, he couldn't even remember my name."

This is the line that just brought tears to my eyes last night when I heard it on the radio. I had just seen watched the HBO show where they had John on and his dementia is so bad.

If someone of his caliber can petition for Little then what does it say for the Hall of Fame committee. I'm like most and my faith will be restored if they vote Little in. This one wrong that needs to be made right.