This past week's Hall of Fame class introduction was an even bigger thrill than normal for Houstonians, as finally, after years and years of waiting, Robert Brazile, the prototype edge rusher of his time, the erstwhile "Dr.Doom," was selected for enshrinement, thanks to a nomination by the veteran's committee and rubber stamp approval by the Hall of Fame selection committee.
I have a few thoughts on Brazile's induction, as we relive the weekend and, briefly, the career of one of the all-time great linebackers and gentlemen in football history...
4. Social media can be awesome
Through the years, the extent of announcing a Hall of Fame class was a press release and then some highlight packages on SportsCenter. Now, thanks to Twitter and the ability to shoot video on one's phone, we can see what the exact moment looks like when Robert Brazile is informed by Hall of Fame president David Baker that his long wait is over...
If the room didn't get a little bit dusty while you watched that video, then you, my friend, have no soul!The moment when former Oilers linebacker Robert Brazile gets the word he's in the Pro Football Hall of Fame from @ProFootballHOF President/Executive Director David Baker: pic.twitter.com/1pENuiKvBv
— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) February 4, 2018
3. What the hell took so long?
Brazile was a transcendent player throughout the late '70s and early '80s, deemed "Lawrence Taylor before Lawrence Taylor" by teammates and coaches. Even Taylor himself said that without Dr. Doom there might not be an "L.T.", as Brazile's athleticism and sheer brute force allowed Bum Phillips to move to a 3-4 defense to take advantage of those attributes. Brazile was named Defensive Rookie of the Year in
2. Luv Ya Blue
Brazile's induction gives the Luv Ya Blue Oilers four Hall of Famers, as Dr. Doom joins Curley Culp, Elvin Bethea and Earl Campbell in Canton. The news of Brazile's induction, along with the invoking of Culp's name, allows us to relive one of the most lopsided trades in the history of team sports, as the Oilers traded defensive end John Matuszak to Kansas City for Culp and the first round pick that would become Brazile. Matuszak for two Hall of Famers — yes, lopsided.
1. Oilers' history in... Nashville?
Brazile's induction also reminds us that, for some reason, the history of the Oilers' franchise now resides in Nashville.
Look, I KNOW the reason why that is — when Bud Adams moved the team, he moved EVERYTHING, including the history of the team, which is why icons like Earl Campbell are immortalized on the facade of the stadium in a city in which they never played. I wish there were some accommodation that the Titans and Texans could come to in order to bring the history of the Oilers back to Houston as an adjunct to the Texans and not the Titans, the way that the Browns were able to retain their history after Art Modell moved the franchise to Baltimore. There is a generation of old Oiler players who are essentially NFL-homeless, and likely missing out on some earning opportunities because their legacies are in a city where they mean zilch. Right now, nobody benefits from the Oilers' historyFormer Oilers linebacker Robert Brazile elected to @ProFootballHOF Hall of Fame
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) February 4, 2018
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