The Haggar Gold Jacket Report

Hall of Famers Published on : 1/21/2012

The haggar Gold Jacket Report is a weekly update on recent news surrounding the very select group of men who’ve earned a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback JOE NAMATH has never been one to mince words or hide his feelings when it comes to the franchise he guided for 11 seasons. “Broadway” Joe held true to form last week when he came to the defense of current New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez.

The Jets finished 2011 with a disappointing 8-8 season with much of the blame and criticism surrounding Sanchez. Some anonymous reports were calling him lazy.

But Namath scoffed, and explained, “That to me was a stretch … all I can say is ‘Wow.’ The one thing about Mark that has been consistent is his work ethic. Another thing, you’ve never heard him go against his teammates ever and he’s had plenty of opportunities. He’s been admirably professional that way.”

Join us at the Hall of Fame for a special preview of HBO’s new documentary that debuts on Jan. 28.

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Speaking of Super Bowl winning Hall of Fame quarterbacks … ROGER STAUBACH spoke out this week. He was at an event to honor the Cowboys’ Super Bowl VI championship team earlier this week and shared that he believes North Texas will get another shot at hosting a Super Bowl at Cowboys Stadium. Staubach, who was the chairman for the Super Bowl XLV Host committee thinks that the severe ice storm that hit the region will not hurt North Texas’s bid for the title game in the future.

"I think we'll definitely get another one here," Staubach stated. "I don't know when … The process has changed a little bit, but we'll get another one here. It turned out to be a great venue.”

Super Bowl XLVI will be held in Indianapolis, Ind. this year on Feb. 5. Super Bowl XLVII will move south to the bayou in New Orleans, La. in 2013, and then head to New York in 2014 for Super Bowl XLVIII. After that, it's up in the air.

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Since we are on the subject, Super Bowl XLVI is right around the corner. And while the Indianapolis Colts will not be playing in the game, the franchise’s former wide receiver RAYMOND BERRY, one of 11 long-time Colts inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, will be honored by the National Football League. At the conclusion of the game Berry will carry the Vince Lombardi Trophy to the stage and deliver it to Commissioner Roger Goodell who will then present it to the winning team.

Berry was an integral part of the Colts team that won back-to-back NFL titles in 1958 and 1959. He is the fifth Hall of Famer to be honored since the NFL expanded the trophy ceremony in 2006. The other Hall of Famers who have participated in the trophy presentation at past Super Bowls include Roger Staubach, Len Dawson, Joe Namath, Don Shula and Bart Starr (left).

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Another one of the 11 Colts with a bronze bust in the Hall of Fame Gallery inside the Pro Football Hall of Fame is Head Coach WEEB EWBANK. Sadly, Lucy Ewbank, widow of coach Ewbank passed away Monday, Jan. 16, 2012 in Oxford, Ohio. She was 105.

Lucy, born July 9, 1906 in Knightstown, Ind. and Weeb were high school sweethearts and married June 23, 1926, in Richmond, Ind. She was a very active and social person. Her daughter Luanne Spencely told the Dayton Daily News that, “she didn’t sit at home and twiddle her thumbs. The people who worked there (The Knolls of Oxford, retirement community) couldn’t believe how often we’d come in and sign her out to go somewhere. It was just like college living.”

Following Weeb’s death in 1998, Lucy was kind enough to donate several significant items to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. They included, among other things, game films and the movie projectors that the Hall of Fame coach used to prepare for games.

Mrs. Ewbank is survived by her daughters; Luanne, Nancy (Charles) Winner, Jan Hudson; 8 grandchildren, 22 great grandchildren and 6 great great grandchildren.

Links related to this story:

Ask Joe

The man who runs the Hall of Fame’s selection process answered questions posted on the Hall’s Facebook page.

VIDEO: Next stop: Indy

The Vince Lombardi Trophy was removed from exhibit Monday Jan. 16th and is en route to be awarded to the champions of Super Bowl XLVI.