HOF Class of 2010 worth its wait for gold

Just about every era and corner of the NFL rang the bell that closed Wall Street on Friday afternoon. Then they rang in the night in Canton.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame welcomed its newest members — Dick LeBeau, Russ Grimm, Rickey Jackson, Floyd Little, John Randle, Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith — by presenting them with their NFL Alumni gold jackets Friday night at the Enshrinees Dinner in Memorial Civic Center.

The gold jacket presentation is the first of three symbolic icons presented to inductees. Their bronze busts were unveiled Saturday and they will later receive Hall of Fame rings.

“Once you get your jacket, then you realize what this is all about,” said Rice, regarded as the greatest receiver in NFL history. “All the talk today has been about respecting the Hall, and I respect the Hall.”

Friday’s initial celebration was a long-winded affair that was about a hour longer than planned. ESPN personality Chris Berman received the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award. If you didn’t think Berman could ... go ... all ... the ... way, think again. His speech went back to the womb of his career and lasted for more than 22 minutes. Most Hall of Famer acceptance speeches are shorter.

Berman recalled his first trip to Canton in 1981.

“You had me at hello,” told the crowd of more than 4,000 who snagged one of the toughest tickets in town.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell gave Canton and the Hall of Fame another glowing review. Hall Executive Director Stephen Perry said Hall of Fame’s relationship with the NFL is “as strong as it’s ever been.”

“A young man in Canton said thank you for keeping the Pro Football Hall of Fame here in Canton,” Goodell said. “I want to tell you it’s not about me, it’s about you all. You’re the people who make this special.

“The Pro Football Hall of Fame belongs here in Canton, and we thank you for that.”

‘LEBEAU, CUT YOUR HAIR’

These greats represent six decades of record-breaking and history-making NFL experiences. LeBeau, alone, has more than 50 years of service between playing and coaching in the NFL.

While Rice and Smith — the NFL’s all-time leading receiver and rushing, respectively — were showered with much of the adoration, no one may have been more grateful than LeBeau and Little. Both were elected by the senior committee.

The Rooney family sent every person in the Steelers organization to Canton for the induction of LeBeau. He is going in as a Detroit defensive back, but he’s currently the Steelers defensive coordinator and has painted a coaching career worthy of Hall of Fame consideration.

“This means everything in the world to me,” said LeBeau, whose credentials as an assistant coach might have made him a viable contributor candidate. “What could you ever ask for? You would never ask for this, let alone more. I’m trying to comprehend what a tremendous honor this is.

“The most flattering thing that’s ever happened to me in my life is that. They’re bringing the whole organization. How cool is that?”

Cut by the — ahem — Browns during training camp his rookie year in 1959, LeBeau went on to play 14 seasons with Detroit. He played on Woody Hayes’ national championship team at Ohio State in 1957. There wasn’t anyone on center stage Friday night at the Civic Dinner more Ohio than LeBeau. What would Hayes say today?

“He’d probably say, “LeBeau, cut your hair,’” LeBeau said.

LeBeau seemed genuinely touched and awestruck on stage Friday night.

“I can’t quite comprehend what’s going on yet. I know I’m here in Canton, so something must be going on,” LeBeau said.

“As I look around, 99.9 percent of the (Hall of Famers here) I either played against or coached against,” LeBeau said. “There’s not a whole lot of people on the planet who can say that. ... Then every few minutes I look at these great players and I stop and say, ‘Wait a minute, I’m going to be one of them.’ It’s pretty neat.”