Jul 2nd, 2010
We are going to make a case for a guy being in the Pro Football Hall of Fame even though he has never started an NFL game, never scored a point, is on the field for only a handful of plays every game and is probably unknown to most of you.
Here are several types of snapper, but the long snapper is not shown here
How can that be, you may well ask.
Well, let’s assume for a moment that induction in the Hall of Fame is based on being one of the best players at his position for a long time. There is little argument that our mystery many is one of the best at the position he plays, and he’s been one of the best for nearly two decades.
He’s seventh in games played among all active NFL players, and if Junior Seau retires as expected, if Brett Favre retires as suspected, and if Matt Stover retires because nobody wants him, our hero will move up to the No. 4 spot. By the end of this season, our man should be among the top 20 alltime in NFL games played, and his contract carries him through the 2011 season, which should nearly put him in the top 10.
Now, how can you be in that company and not at least be in the Hall of Fame discussion?
Plus he’s a Bay Area guy, having graduated from San Mateo High School and Cal. And perhaps his biggest claim to stardom is that he dated Pamela Anderson for a couple years.
OK, presumably you are drooling with anticipation, so we will divulge the identity of our mystery man:
It is none other than David Binn, who is entering his 18th season as the San Diego Chargers long snapper.
Now you may question whether any long snapper deserves to be in the hallowed ground of Canton, Ohio. But if William Roy “Link” Lyman can be in the Pro Football Hall of fame, why not Binn?
And we’re betting the Linkster never made $1.1 million, which is what Binn will be raking in 2011, the final year of his current contract.
“So, Mr. Binn, how did you make your first million?”
“Well, you see I fire a football back between my legs without looking, and I do it about a half dozen times every Sunday afternoon for 16 or 17 weeks a year. Oh, occasionally I do it on Monday evenings, too.”
(Pause)
(More pause)
“No, c’mon, really, how did you make your money?”
So we’re just rooting for Binn to stay around for another few seasons.
He’s just 38 years old now, and he’s just two years removed from his brush with real fame, as you can see from this video: David Binn on a typical date.
Binn is one of 39 former Cal players currently on NFL rosters. USC, wth 53, is the only Pac-10 team with more. Alabama has fewer ex-players on NFL rosters than Cal at the moment. Of course, about a third of those guys will be out of the NFL by the time opening days rolls around, but we expect Binn to be one who sticks.
Check out this video for a brief look at Binn’s work. In the first replay, you can see the back of his right leg for an instant. Now that’s fame. How can you keep him out of the Hall?
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Link Lyman didn't get into the HOF as a deep snapper, you idiot. He was the premier DT of his era.