Letter to Patriots Hall of Fame Selection Committee on Julius Adams

[Actual Pats Fan]

I am calling to verify their direct address prior to sending it.

New England Patriots – My Blog

I will post a copy of my letter for you when I send it.

My impression is, the more of us do this, the greater the chance we will be heard and taken into consideration.

Thanks for your time.

 

[jmt57]

Julius Adams played so long ago, he has no chance of entrance in a popular vote by the fans. His only possible entry is through the Senior Committee. Thus far three players have gained entrance via this method: Jon Morris in 2011, Houston Antwine in 2015, and Leon Gray in 2019. Antwine and Gray were sadly unable to enjoy that recognition, being honored posthumously.

Selection Process and Committee | The Patriots Hall of Fame

www.patriotshalloffame.com

Periodically, a Senior Committee – made up of the 10 most senior members of the selection committee – gathers to consider any player that has been retired 25 or more years who also has been a previous finalist, but not been selected by the fan voting.​

The rule above means that the only way Adams has a chance of even being considered is to be nominated for the fan vote first. The fact that he will finish a distant third is irrelevant; we need to generate enough support for him to make it to the final three, and then continue that momentum to the next Senior Committee meeting (presumably within the next 12-15 months).

Getting Adams on that ballot is the first step. Unfortunately he will also need to gain more votes from the Senior Committee than Bill Parcells, a daunting task considering how much the sports media loved Tuna's personality and propensity to give them plenty of quotes for their columns. This group has nominated Tuna four times; only Mike Vrabel (five) has been nominated more often without winning.

The number of those that currently qualify as a Senior candidate are limited to Parcells, Ron Burton, Chuck Fairbanks and Fred Marion.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

Julius Adams played so long ago, he has no chance of entrance in a popular vote by the fans.

Dude! Ray Clayborn was voted in only four years ago. I happily caught up with him when he came up to be inducted.

I think you, and a lot of others, would be surprised at the popularity of Julius along with Francis, Fairbanks, Tatupu and Stingley among Pats fan voters.

That Adams belongs is blindingly obvious to anyone paying any attention. Included in my letter I am referencing this quote from his son Keith:

“Dad’s favorite mementos were the team pictures, not the individual awards or accolades.”

The Jewel had one Pro Bowl honor, tying him with inductees Sam Cunningham, Troy Brown and Tedy Bruschi; and which puts him ahead of Kevin Faulk, Rodney Harrison and Steve Grogan, who had none as Pats.

 

[jmt57]

Dude! Ray Clayborn was voted in only four years ago. I happily caught up with him when he came up to be inducted.

I think you, and a lot of others, would be surprised at the popularity of Julius along with Francis, Fairbanks, Tatupu and Stingley among Pats fan voters.

That Adams belongs is blindingly obvious to anyone paying any attention. Included in my letter I am referencing this quote from his son Keith:

“Dad’s favorite mementos were the team pictures, not the individual awards or accolades.”

The Jewel had one Pro Bowl honor, tying him with inductees Sam Cunningham, Troy Brown and Tedy Bruschi; and which puts him ahead of Kevin Faulk, Rodney Harrison and Steve Grogan, who had none as Pats.

That wasn't meant to be a dis on Julius; quite the opposite and apology if that is how it came across.

He absolutely deserves to in. It is just that players are voted in by the public, and most voters never saw him play. Recency bias makes it a mountain of an obstacle to overcome, going against former players that were on multiple championship teams.

Back to the topic... First step is to get him into the Final Three. Mike Vrabel is overdue, and Vince Wilfork is eligible this year. Jerod Mayo, Wes Welker, Randy Moss and Corey Dillon are possibilities, and they could give Parcells another chance. I would love to see Julius get in, but it won't be easy.

 

[captain stone]

When does online voting begin?

 

[DarrylS]

Wonder why Darryl Stingley never gets any consideration.

Do agree that Julius deserves a spot.. he was a successful DE for 16 years when the Pats were an afterthought for most NE fans.. during his tenure the Pats were 117 wins and 122 losses (lots of ups and downs), they went to the playoffs the Super Bowl in 1986.. against the Chicago Bears.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

Wonder why Darryl Stingley never gets any consideration.

Do agree that Julius deserves a spot.. he was a successful DE for 16 years when the Pats were an afterthought for most NE fans.. during his tenure the Pats were 117 wins and 122 losses (lots of ups and downs), they went to the playoffs the Super Bowl in 1986.. against the Chicago Bears.

Four losing seasons in his first five years, then only one more after that. Five losing records in 16 years.

 

[DarrylS]

Four losing seasons in his first five years, then only one more after that. Five losing records in 16 years.

Not sure what you are contesting there were lots of "ups and downs" during that time period..

 

[jmt57]

Not sure what you are contesting there were lots of "ups and downs" during that time period..

Most of his career was with Fairbanks, Erhardt, Meyer and Berry. One losing season from '76 to '87; how many franchises today can say that about their current team?

The Fairbanks rebuild took longer than it does today since there was no free agency and no salary cap, resulting in a couple losing seasons early on. This was also an era when 11-3 only got you in as the lone wild card, and 10-4 or 9-5 wasn't good enough to get into the playoffs.

Adams played after Holovak and Rush coached, and before Rod Rust and **** MacPherson; could it be those were some of the down years you are referring to?

The downs were in Adams' first two seasons (John Mazur), two seasons of the Fairbanks rebuild, and Erhardt's final year as HC.

Were they as successful as the Kraft/Belichick/Brady years? Of course not; nobody in the history of the NFL will ever match that.

Were they as awful as the narrative fed to us by the national and local sports media would have you believe, from the mid 70s to late 80s? No - but unfortunately that repetitive talking point has the collective NFL fanbase believing that almost every Patriot season from 1960 to 1995 (or 2000) was bad.

 

[Joker]

I remember years where the only reason I watched the Pats every Sunday was to watch Julius. Recency bias is a real by product of the ADHD generation

 

[Pape]

Most of his career was with Fairbanks, Erhardt, Meyer and Berry. One losing season from '76 to '87; how many franchises today can say that about their current team?

The Fairbanks rebuild took longer than it does today since there was no free agency and no salary cap, resulting in a couple losing seasons early on. This was also an era when 11-3 only got you in as the lone wild card, and 10-4 or 9-5 wasn't good enough to get into the playoffs.

Adams played after Holovak and Rush coached, and before Rod Rust and **** MacPherson; could it be those were some of the down years you are referring to?

The downs were in Adams' first two seasons (John Mazur), two seasons of the Fairbanks rebuild, and Erhardt's final year as HC.

Were they as successful as the Kraft/Belichick/Brady years? Of course not; nobody in the history of the NFL will ever match that.

Were they as awful as the narrative fed to us by the national and local sports media would have you believe, from the mid 70s to late 80s? No - but unfortunately that repetitive talking point has the collective NFL fanbase believing that almost every Patriot season from 1960 to 1995 (or 2000) was bad.

yeah, well, heres the thing... when you have 5x as many last place finishes vs 1st place finishes in a 20 year span ( '70-'90 ) the good seasons tend to be categorized as blips...

 

[p8ryts]

Julius Adams, Chuck Fairbanks next two old timers on my list

 

[jmt57]

Done.

And based on longevity, remaining a Patriot for his entire career and consistency alone, I do believe 85 is worthy of enshrinement.

I can't help but believe that some people may assume that any 1960-1999 player deserving of the Pats HoF is already in, and anybody from that time frame that is not already in, must not deserve the honor. To me that would explain the delay for Houston Antwine; it was as if the committee put in five players from the sixties (Buoniconti, Cappelletti, Dee, Hunt and Parilli) in the 2nd and 3rd year of the Hall's existence, and was for all intents done with anyone from the entire decade at that point. Jim Nance was a huge oversight not fixed for 16 years, and it took even longer before strong grassroots efforts got Antwine in via the Senior committee, and Raymond Clayborn in via the regular vote.

Now that it will be twenty years since the Pats first super bowl victory, players from the seventies, eighties, perhaps even nineties will face the same dilemma. "If he was that good then why isn't he already in?" will be the refrain, unfortunately.

 

[Pape]

I can't help but believe that some people may assume that any 1960-1999 player deserving of the Pats HoF is already in, and anybody from that time frame that is not already in, must not deserve the honor. To me that would explain the delay for Houston Antwine; it was as if the committee put in five players from the sixties (Buoniconti, Cappelletti, Dee, Hunt and Parilli) in the 2nd and 3rd year of the Hall's existence, and was for all intents done with anyone from the entire decade at that point. Jim Nance was a huge oversight not fixed for 16 years, and it took even longer before strong grassroots efforts got Antwine in via the Senior committee, and Raymond Clayborn in via the regular vote.

Now that it will be twenty years since the Pats first super bowl victory, players from the seventies, eighties, perhaps even nineties will face the same dilemma. "If he was that good then why isn't he already in?" will be the refrain, unfortunately.

There is absolutely a recency bias, and the guys who won early on in the Patriots first few title runs are beloved here... its well deserved...

Until I did the Pi graphic, I too was woefully unaware of the quality of some of the early era Patriot teams... So not only was it fun putting it together (still working it lol... 901 players, 1707 digits of pi to date) it was very educational, and really helped me learn the early Patriots history / Patriot players...

A lot of fans, even long term fans don't have that historical perspective... Thats why your On This Day thread is what I consider the best thread on these boards... It would be great to have unfettered access to those old games so people could maybe learn this histories of their teams

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

The perception of the Patriots as also-rans during the 70's is absolutely spot on.

Were the Portland Trail Blazers also-rans during the 70's? That doesn't seem to be the perception.

The Patriots - and the Denver Broncos - were less than also rans the first six years of the decade - '70-'75 - but undeniably very competitive after that.

Insulting the committee - even by pointing out simple facts like failing to induct Nance or Antwine before they died, or the ridiculous repeated nomination of Parcells - will not help the cause.

But I do plan to mention that if Walt Coleman decides to ignore the rules in the Snow Bowl, and then Troy Brown's career is ended twenty months later in the 2003 preseason, we are looking at zero titles won this very day.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

Were they as awful as the narrative fed to us by the national and local sports media would have you believe, from the mid 70s to late 80s? No - but unfortunately that repetitive talking point has the collective NFL fanbase believing that almost every Patriot season from 1960 to 1995 (or 2000) was bad.

To this very day they specifically state as fact that we sucked from 1960-2000. A "laughingstock".

Hatred and resentment of Boston, New England, the other successful local pro teams, and disdain of the Patriots, including that we inherited ALL of the anti-AFL bias when the merger was consummated.

Kraft didn't help when he kind of understandably made it all about himself when he bought the team, but not at all understandably destroyed the team logo and uniforms.

Uh, I digress...

 

[1960Pats]

What can we as fans do about this problem?

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

What can we as fans do about this problem?

Well we certainly have fallen into the many traps associated with it.

Defensiveness. And 'Hate Us Cuz They Ain't Us' braggadocio. Yes, we're good. Yes, they're sore losers. But replacing media propaganda with the facts is more involved. Many people do not take sports seriously. Many people who do are more interested in rooting for their team than knowing anything about facts - Bill Nye The Anti-Science Guy.

Simply, all the Patriots bashing all these generations has been a bunch of B.S [I don't mean Bay State]. There are lots worse owners than Billy Sullivan.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

I don't know what the **** you're talking about in that whole "fear" line.

The diatribe against the Patriots stretches so long in time, and is so embedded in popular culture that dismantling it inevitably exposes the fact that almost everyone has been dead wrong for generations. People instinctively resist that. Any given day today you will find postings by media which are purely prejudiced against the Patriots. And they are accepted by the vast majority of the population.

 

[jmt57]

What can we as fans do about this problem?

I'm in the midst of a move to a new home right now, but once I get settled in I can attempt to put together a contact list (email, twitter, etc) of those that are on the Pats HoF nominating committee, in order for everyone here to let them know how they feel. That holds true for anyone other than Julius Adams as well of course, being regardless of the person each individual likes/dislikes for induction.