Responding to a Critic of Art Monk

by Skin Patrol on Feb 5, 2007 4:41 PM EST in Redskins Analysis

I'll have trouble responding to Michael David Smith's NO vote for Art Monk since I've eaten half my keyboard. But I'll try anyways:

But I'm not convinced. Through most of his career, Monk wasn't even the first option in his team's passing game, and when you can say that about a receiver, you're not talking about a Hall of Famer. He gets a vote of NO.

False.

I don't know how MDS is measuring "first option in passing game" but I'd say that Receptions does a pretty decent job of capturing the level of involvement a receiver has in the passing game. Of Art Monk's 13 years as a Washington Redskin, he led the team in receptions 7 times. Two of the remaining six he was injured and missed significant time, and he didn't finish below 2nd on the team until his last year in D.C. As 7 of 13 qualifies as a majority, I think it is safe to say that MDS simply has this wrong; in a majority of his seasons in Washington, Art Monk was the number one option in the passing game.

Presumably once Michael David Smith recognizes the err in the above reasoning, he will recant his No Vote.

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'First option' is worst argument ever

Easily countered with: Then explain John Stallworth.

I agree with you SP. Monk got hosed. I really thought he was going to get in last year. I think that was his last real shot. Irvin's election is an insult to everyone in the HoF.

Over at Pats Pulpit, I wrote that guys like Monk and Andre Reed don't have friends in high places like Irvin does. It's a sad, pathetic state of affairs when Troy Aikman and others can effectively keep Monk out by lobbying for Irvin.

Irvin would have had more chances. Monk will not. Next year, Cris Carter will be eligible, and you're not going to see two or more receivers getting elected every year -- or maybe ever.

Personally, I probably would have voted for Reed before Monk, but I always felt Monk belonged. And that Irvin certainly does not.

Monk was more than numbers. Numbers are for baseball guys. Football is different.

I empathize, because years down the road, I'm going to be infuriated as all the Patriots with three rings get passed over. Do you think Troy Brown, New England's all-time leading receiver who was key to all three championships playing offense, defense and special teams will get in? He won't, but what more could you want from a football player?

(I bet no one brings up that "first option" crud when Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne are on the ballot.)

Sorry. This is supposed to be a 'Skins blog. I get carried away some times.

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by tommasse on Feb 5, 2007 8:35 PM EST reply actions

Thanks for the support

Someone at the HoF committee needs to acknowledge that the "1st option" business wasn't a distraction when Lynn Swann and John Stallworth made the hall of fame. Logically they couldn't both be the Steelers' "first option".

And Art Monk, the alleged 2nd option for the Washington Redskins, has more receptions than both Swann and Stallworth combined. I mean Lynn Swann never even had a 1,000 yard receiving year. Stallworth's biggest year was 80 receptions, in 1984 (the same year "2nd option" Art Monk had 106, a record).

But 80 receptions? Monk had 86 when he was playing "behind" Ricky Sander and Gary Clark in 1989 -- more than either of them that year.

Flustered.

Go Register. Or else.

by Skin Patrol on Feb 6, 2007 9:50 AM EST up reply actions

You're right...

the Steelers first option was HoF running back Franco Harris.

by TexSkins on Feb 6, 2007 12:47 PM EST up reply actions

I'm glad SP is staying on this story

tommasse, no apology required. Football is football. 'Redskins' is more of a guideline than a rule around here.

All these arguments against Art are bullshit, and it's because, as we have all beaten to death, that Art Monk had no media presence, and as such when these shitheads are considering who to let into the HoF, they only have Art's numbers to consider and not pleasant memories of how Art did their work for them by being flamboyant and auto-generating content. He did his work and went home at the end of the day.

The bottom line is that Art was the greatest receiver in the history of the league when he retired. That he has been eclipsed by the greatest ever, Jerry Rice, even as the rules (see also: chuck rule) have made it easier since Art retired to be a receiver, should matter not.

=====Curly R: The Redskins Blog=====

by thatguyben on Feb 5, 2007 10:40 PM EST reply actions