Art Monk: Hall of Famer minus the "Hoop-la"

This Christmas, Lindsay, Briley, my Mom and I drove back to my hometown of Cumberland, Maryland to celebrate the holidays with my family. It was a very productive Christmas us. I am not sure what we did but somehow we impressed Santa. I bought Lindsay the 3rd Season of "The OC," and the first 2 seasons of "Party of Five," along with some books and other little things she loves. As for Briley, we need to build an addition just for all of the toys she got. Man, they light up, they spin, they make noises, they vibrate they do everything, especially cause Daddy to step on them and fall down! And as for me, there was no coal in my stocking! I got the 9th season of the Simpsons, the 1st "24," the 7th "West Wing," a new putter, a pull cart for my clubs, a Veritek jersey to wear to Yankee Stadium, a Santana Moss lithograph, the newest U2 album (a must buy!) and many other things to make my Christmas a "Very Merry" one. However it was in Maryland where my cousin/brother and fellow Redskins enthusiast got me a gift that he knew would get me worked up. I remember opening the present. I then remember hearing Dave say to everyone, "Watch this!" I unwrapped the box I then removed the 7 pounds of newspaper protecting the gift. There was so much paper in there it would have made a "tree-hugger" weep. I remove the paper and I see a framed photo, then another, then another. Before my eyes was a piece of Burgundy and Gold memoribilia that ANY real Redskins fan would covet. Dave, Crystal (His wife) and TJ (their 3 year old) got me individual autographs of "The Posse." Right now if you are saying aloud who is "the Posse?" It's OK, I'll forgive you this time. "The Posse" was one of the NFL's most prolific wide reciever trios EVER! Ricky Sanders, Gary Clark and Art Monk terrorized defenses from the mid 80's until the early 90's. It was beautiful. Ricky Sanders was your slot reciever. Gary Clark was your "burner." Art Monk was your dependable "possession reciever." Those 3 could kill you. Between them and that intimadating "Counter Trey" of the first Joe Gibbs regime. The Washington Redskins were one of the elite offensive teams. This gift is very special to me because this is the time period where I stopped watching Mr. Rogers and "Trollie" and I started watching Redskins running back George Rogers and the monsterous Joe Jacoby. (I am in no way comparing Joe Jacoby to "Trollie!") As the night ended and we watched the Eagles and Cowboys play, I began to form blueprints in my head. Where will I place these autographs? Where in my office will these masterpieces flourish into the centerpiece of my "testostorone palace?" However my thought was interrupted. I began thinking that Art Monk was not enshrined in Canton, Ohio. The classiest and greatest reciever in Redskins history is not in the Hall of Fame. Then the tornado that is my mind, cycloned back to last summer .....

I remembering watching SportsCenter. The lead story was that this years candidates for the Pro Football Hall of Fame were announced. Steve Young, Troy Aikman and then I heard it. It still brings shivers down my spine. The name: Michael Irvin.
To be totally honest with you, I was mad. I was playing out the scenario in my head. Michael "I swear it's not mine," "I swear I have glaucoma" Irvin being inducted into the Hall before Art Monk. It's bad enough Irvin was/is a Cowboy. It's bad enough he was part of the most dominant trio of the 90's. It's bad enough the Cowboys ruled the mid 90's. It's bad enough that Irvin does not mind shameless self promotion. Did I mention it's bad enough Irvin was/is a Cowboy? But C'mon people Michael Irvin before Art Monk, are you serious? To my child-like delight, "the Playmaker" failed to gain enough votes for induction. Though, this sparked a thought in mind. Until Art gets into the Hall, I will have to wrestle with this every year! However, I should not have to go through this battle of good vs. evil. Art Monk is a Hall of Fame caliber player without a doubt. Even if those voting on this seem to have the intellectual capacity of those guys who dress up like rejects from a KISS concert at every Raiders game.

I will prove to you that Art Monk deserves to be the next wide reciever to have his Burgundy and Gold #81 in Canton, Ohio.

The following is a statistical list of noteable "modern day" HALL OF FAME wide recievers as well as Art Monk.

Receptions:
ART MONK 940
Steve Largent 819
James Lofton 764
Fred Biletnikoff 589
John Stallworth 537
Lynn Swann 336

Receiving Yards:
James Lofton 14,004
Steve Largent 13,089
ART MONK 12,721
Fred Biletnikoff 8,974
John Stallworth 8,723
Lynn Swann 5,462

Touchdowns:
Steve largent 100
Fred Bilenikoff 76
James Lofton 75
ART MONK 68
John Stallworth 63
Lynn Swann 51

Art's career statistics are far better than those of Pittsburgh teammates, John Stallworth and Lynn Swann. Many will argue that if Stallworth and Swann were not on the same team their stats would explode. This may be true. However during his career Art had to share footballs with Charlie Brown (not the 10 year old with thinning hair!), Gary Clark and Ricky Sanders.
How impressive would his stats of been if Art was the "main attraction?" However Art would attribute those 3 rings he wears today, to his teammates. Can you say "Class Act?"


He wasn't flashy. He never danced. He played the game of football exactly how it is supposed to be played. Art Monk was "Mr. Dependable" for the Washington Redskins. Along with Clark and Sanders, Monk was a key part of the most elite offensive machine of the 1980's as well as 1990 and 1991.

Maybe Irvin will get in first, but he shouldn't. Irvin was surrounded by names such as Aikman, Emmitt, Novacek and Moose Johnston. Art was surrounded by his Posse and names like Mark Rypien, Doug Williams, George Rogers, Timmy Smith and Donnie Warren. Advantage Irvin. Maybe Art should have danced. Maybe he should have show boated. Maybe he should have coined himself a nice nickname. Maybe he should have grabbed every microphone around and told us about how good he really is. And maybe he should have talked in the third person. But that wouldn't have worked, we would have reminded him that he is a Washington Redskin ..... not a Cowboy.

Art, when you finally get in, everything will be right in the football universe!