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| As It Turns
Out, Swann Did Plenty |
| BY MARTY MYERS THE SUNDAY TIMES |
August 05, 2001 |
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| It took 14 years of patience,
frustrating years of wondering if he could he have done more. Did he do enough? Would
Pittsburgh's punishing ground game be too much to overcome for a receiver with marginal
career numbers by comparison. |
Would his 336
career catches and 51 touchdowns be enough? For Lynn Swann, the hero of Super Bowl X and
the owner of four Super Bowl rings, the answer came as a resounding "yes" when
the induction Class of 2001 was announced for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
After years of waiting, he planned to make the very most of every second.
"I'm not savoring the moment, I'm sucking it dry," Swann said at Saturday
morning's pre-induction press conference. "I'm trying to inhale as much as I can.
"I can't go on that stage and accept that (Hall of Fame) jacket one more time. I felt
like Sally Field: 'They like me. They like me.' I'm sucking it all in and holding it in as
long as I can. I guarantee you I'm hanging on to the moment."
SHINING MOMENT
Swann's greatest game came at the expense of Dallas Cowboys cornerback Mark Washington,
who drew the coverage assignment during Super Bowl X.
"He had great coverage all day," Swann said. There wasn't a single catch in
Super Bowl X that Mark Washington wasn't draped on my back.
"But my ability to make the catch in those circumstances was the difference."
PROUD CITY AGAIN
Swann was proud to point out that the attention of Pittsburgh would be split on two fronts
this weekend. While Swann was inducted into the Football Hall of Fame on Saturday, former
Pirates second baseman Bill Mazeroski will be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of
Fame today in Cooperstown, N.Y.
Mazeroski was a defensive wizard at second base, but will forever be remembered for his
home run off New York Yankees pitcher Ralph Terry in the bottom of the ninth inning of
Game Seven to win the 1960 World Series.
SPLIT DECISION
Two inductees weighed in on the tragedy that claimed the life of Minnesota Vikings
offensive lineman Korey Stringer this week.
Nick Buoniconti thinks players do too much weight training and is against a year-round
training regimen.
"It's a lot of stress on bodies to lift 500 pounds," Buoniconti said.
"These guys lift buildings. Something has to give.
"As long as these guys continue to do this, you are going to see more of it. I think
you are going to see training for these mammoth, mammoth, mammoth men is going to
change."
Former Minnesota Viking Ron Yary was torn between the elation of his induction and the
events at Vikings training camp.
But he thinks today's weight training is an essential part of the game, citing his own
success after beginning a lifting regimen.
"When you are squatting 425 pounds, carrying a 275-poujnd player on your back feels
like nothing," Yary said.
Scranton's Mike Munchak, now the offensive line coach for the Tennessee Titans,
understands the pendulum has swung in favor of 320-pound offensive linemen, but doesn't
necessarily think that was a factor in Stringer's death.
"It's just an unfortunate thing to happen," Munchak said. "The weight
programs are so good now. When I played, we didn't lift weights. Everyone wants to get
bigger, stronger, better.
"People think you have to be 6-foot-6, 325 pounds to be a good player in this league.
That's not true."
Munchak made his point with one of his own.
"Brett Hopkins, my left tackle, is the shortest tackle and probably the lightest in
football and he's probably one of the best tackles," Munchak said. Center Mark
Stepnowski weighs in at about 255 pounds.
"So there are examples of guys who can do it," Munchak said. "The
perception is, the mentality is that you can't be 6-foot-2 and be a left tackle like
Hopkins is."
FAME CAN BE FLEETING
Induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame does not mean instant notoriety.
A young girl walking through the Hall passed the bust of former Oakland Raiders defensive
end Howie Long. She turned to her father and asked: "Is that the guy in the
commercials with Teri Hatcher?"
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| İScranton Times
Tribune 2001 |
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