The ESPN.com report regarding the Bill Belichick Hall of Fame snub includes an important nugget regarding one of his long-time rivals.
Hall of Famer and former Bills and Colts G.M. Bill Polian, a top rival to the Patriots in the 2000s and current Hall of Fame voter, reportedly told some voters he believed Beichick should “wait a year” as punishment for the original Spygate scandal.
ESPN’s story does not include a comment from Polian; the given explanation was that he did not “immediately respond” to a request for comment. The four-hour old story has not been updated, as of this posting, to include a comment from Polian, a former ESPN employee.
Polian did provide a comment to another outlet. He told Matt Verderame of SI.com, regarding whether Polian influenced the anti-Belichick vote: “That’s totally and categorically untrue. I voted for him.”
And, as a politician once told me, you can only trust the people who say they didn’t vote for you.
Regarding Belichick, at least 11 of the 50 voters opposed his enshrinement. Which is stunning, given his accomplishments. And which should disqualify those individuals from voting again.
But we don’t know who they are, and won’t know unless they disclose their votes — or the Hall of Fame does.
Either way, why is it a secret? Anyone who has a vote should be willing to stand behind it.
