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sports Diamars 10 augustus 2021

Peyton's Place is Hall of Fame, with Woodson, Megatron

(AP) — Peyton’s Place is Joining Manning in this for the Chiefs in the fourth “I love my mama, man,” Lynch said. “It takes a lot
now in Canton at the Pro year’s class were two other Super Bowl, a Raiders assis- Woodson said, his eyes well- of belief to get to this stage.
Football Hall of Fame. first-time eligibles, defensive tant to John Madden in the ing up. “look no further than However, belief has to be
back Charles Woodson — 11th, and head coach when my mama to know where I nurtured time and time
The only five-time NFL who beat out Manning for the Raiders won the 15th and get it from: the passion, the again. One person can make
MVP and a two-time Super the 1997 Heisman Trophy — 18th games. hard work. It comes from my a difference. I encourage each
Bowl winner who left the and receiver Calvin Johnson. mama.” and every one of you to be
game five years ago with a Also in the class were safety Flores, of Mexican descent, that person.”
slew of passing records was John Lynch, a seven-time long ago became a hero to Woodson was 1998 Defen-
enshrined Sunday night with finalist before getting in; the Latino community, a sive Rookie of the Year with Pearson was a standout re-
other members of the class guard Alan Faneca, a premier symbol of success on and off Oakland and won Defensive ceiver for Dallas from 1973-
of 2021. The stadium rocked blocker for 13 seasons, win- the field. He emphasized the Player of the Year honors 11 83, a three-time All-Pro who
with cheers from fans in ning a Super Bowl with Pitts- importance of passion on the years later as a Packer. He made the NFL’s 1970s All-
Colts blue or Broncos orange burgh and making six All-Pro road to success. also won a Super Bowl with Decade Team. He was the
— the two franchises he took teams; coach Tom Flores, Green Bay. only position player from
to the top — when Manning who led the Raiders to two “You don’t get there alone,” that squad not in the hall.
was introduced. titles; Cowboys wideout he said. “It doesn’t happen Johnson, just 35 — only
Drew Pearson, a 1970s NFL in a vacuum. A lot of people Jim Brown and Gale Say- Pearson, of course, caught
The man who could spend All-Decade player; and Steel- helped me ... Raider Nation ers were younger inductees Roger Staubach’s winning
seemingly endless moments ers super scout Bill Nunn. is everywhere.” — finished his nine-year ca- touchdown pass in a 1975
changing plays at the line reer with 731 receptions for playoff game at Minnesota
then jabbed at the time lim- Manning gave a shoutout to So is Steeler Nation, particu- 11,619 yards and 83 TDs. that is considered the original
its set by the hall because of Tom Brady, who he invited larly this weekend when five He explained how, despite Hail Mary. But he should be
19 acceptance speeches this to the ceremony, noting that members of the organization his seemingly indestructible recognized for 557 catches,
weekend. The 2020 class and it will be 2035 before Brady, were inducted. Faneca over- nickname of Megatron, he including postseason, for
a special centennial class had now 44, will have been re- came bouts with epilepsy to played nearly all of his career nearly 9,000 yards and 56
their enshrinements delayed tired long enough to be en- become one of the premier in pain. touchdowns.
a year by the COVID-19 shrined. offensive linemen in the
pandemic. NFL; he takes daily pills to “I still made up my mind I’d “It’s not about how long it
As for the NFL itself, Man- deal with his condition and be the most dominant receiv- takes to get here,” Pearson
“The 2021 induction class ning urged anyone involved has not had a seizure in about er in the NFL,” said. said, “but more about how
wants to thank those pre- in the league to “ignite the eight years. you wait. My wait was sup-
vious inductees who gave future of the sport. If not, we Lynch, a finalist for seven ported by my faith.”
long-winded acceptance are not doing football justice. “Instinctively I knew I was years before getting the call,
speeches,” said Manning, It is about nurturing football not going to allow anything who won a Super Bowl in The late Nunn was among
who was presented by his to live another day, another to prevent me from fulfilling Tampa Bay and also starred America’s most prominent
father, Archie, himself a Col- year ... The future of this my dream,” he said. “Epi- with Denver for four sea- Black sports journalists before
lege Football Hall of Fame game is ours to shape.” lepsy is part of me, but that sons after 11 with the Bucs. going to work for the Steelers
member. “Forcing us to have does not define me. We are in He was the key to the Tam- and mining the historically
a whopping six minutes to His fellow entrants into the charge of our destiny. pa-2 defense, a “coach on the Black colleges for talent. He
recap our football careers. I hall shape up pretty nicely in field” according to his former was as much a contributor to
want to give a special thanks the pro football pantheon. Woodson, who is from Ohio coach, Tony Dungy, and one the Pittsburgh dynasty as the
to my old rival Ray Lewis for — though he went to Michi- of the surest tackler the NFL players he discovered, which
being here tonight. Ray just Flores, the first man to win gan — began by singing has seen. included Hall of Famers John
finished giving his speech Super Bowls as a player, as- praise for his mother, who Stallworth, Mel Blount and
that he started in 2018.” sistant coach and head coach, presented him. “What a privilege to be in- Donnie Shell.
was a backup quarterback ducted in this brotherhood,”

Rockies say fan wasn't yelling racial slur at Marlins player

(AP) — The Colorado the fan. being handled, I would have after the concert ended about
Rockies said a fan sus- to defer to them.” an hour later. After the game, the Marlins
pected of repeatedly yell- The man’s shouts were flew to San Diego, where
ing a racial slur at Florida picked up by both teams’ The Rockies condemned the Brinson got two hits and they start a series Monday
outfielder Lewis Brinson broadcasts although the Bally suspected conduct in a state- scored twice, and drew a night.
was actually hollering at Sports Florida broadcast was ment released Sunday night. walk in the ninth inning. The
“Dinger,” the club’s pur- clearer than Colorado’s be- 27-year-old Brinson is in The Rockies don’t plan to
ple, polka-dotted dino- cause Rockies broadcaster “The Colorado Rockies are his fifth season in the major make any changes to the
saur mascot. Drew Goodman was talking disgusted at the racial slur leagues. mascot’s name.
at the time. by a fan directed at the Mar-
The team said Monday that lins’ Lewis Brinson during
fans who were seated nearby Nobody on the field, includ- the ninth inning of today’s
contacted the club in defense ing Brinson, reacted to the game,” the team said. “Al-
of the fan after it put out a shouts. though the subject was not
statement saying it was dis- identified prior to the end of
gusted by epithets hurled at After the game, Marlins the game, the Rockies are still
Brinson when he was up in spokesman Jason Latimer investigating this incident.
the ninth inning of Colora- said the team was aware of
do’s 13-8 victory Sunday. the clip. Fans had started to fill the
lower deck of the stadium
The club then contacted the “Neither Lewis, nor any oth- in the late innings, moving
fan, who explained it was just er Marlins on the field or in closer for a postgame concert
a big misunderstanding and the dugout, heard what was that was part of a Faith Day
that he was only trying to get shouted,” he said in a text celebration.
the attention of Dinger, who message to The Associated
was two sections over. Press. “We brought the mat- Team officials weren’t able
ter to the attention of the to debrief ushers in the area
The Rockies did not identify Rockies. How the matter is where the fan shouted until