SHAME ON 'FAME IF TAYLOR IS VOTED IN

MIAMI--Until Lawrence Taylor, deadbeat dad-drug user-tax evader, and
Michael Bauman, misguided Milwaukee Journal Sentinel columnist,
spoke Monday, you could have made the argument that Taylor, the
former New York Giant linebacker, should win election to the Pro
Football Hall of Fame on Saturday.

But such nonsense, such gobbledygook, such defiance, and that was
just Bauman prattling on, one of the 36 voting media members,
claiming Taylor should be allowed into the hallowed hall without objection.

"You have to vote for him because of his playing credentials," said
Bauman, dismissing Taylor's three drug arrests, including one as
recently as October. "Is it some kind of moral failing having a
cocaine problem? It's not like murder." That's why it's not advisable
to wear a Cheesehead for too long.

"If you guys are asking me to apologize or be remorseful for what
I've done, I can't do that," Taylor said in a telephone conference
call with the media here for the Super Bowl.

But what about his arrest in Florida, his arrest in New Jersey, his
pleading guilty to drug charges in South Carolina, probation for
federal income tax evasion, his failure to make support payments for
his children, his testimony before a grand jury investigating
organized crime. . . .

"I won't talk about that," said Taylor, in Florida on location for an
Oliver Stone football movie, "On Any Given Sunday." "First of all,
guys, everyone is just going to assume I'm guilty.

Let the courts decide that. Unless you know the situation, unless you
know the story, unless you know what happens, there's no reason for
me to even talk to you." So what happened? "You got D.A. [district
attorney] on your resume?" Taylor said.

"Guys, I'm not going to go through that." Although he was also
suspended four games in 1988 for a second positive drug test and
admitted in his book that he used cocaine between 1982 and 1985, it's
all in the Hall of Fame bylaws for those who support Taylor and his
unquestioned football talents, including 137 1/2 sacks in 184 games.

Section 3, Item C: "The only criteria for election to the Pro
Football Hall of Fame is a nominee's achievements and contributions
as a player, a coach or contributor in professional football."
Hogwash. "If O.J. Simpson was not in the Hall of Fame right now and
you believed he was a double-murderer, if you weren't going to vote
for him for the Hall of Fame, then you should resign from the
committee," said Sports Illustrated's Peter King, who will cast his
ballot Saturday. "Period. It's that simple." Double hogwash. "If he
has problems now they reflect on him, not on the Hall of Fame or me
as a voter," said Tony Grossi of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, who will

vote. "If he's in the rehab tank the day he's enshrined, so be it.
The guy should be admitted with all his flaws." And so he will be.
The New York Daily News surveyed the 36 eligible voters and received
six no votes with five undecided and the remainder favoring Taylor's
induction. If 35 or 36 voters cast their ballots Saturday morning, it
will take eight negative votes to keep him out. Thirty-four or fewer
voters, and seven no votes will shut him out.

However, the Hall of Fame is required to induct four players every
year--another silly bylaw--and should four of the 15 finalists not
receive the required votes, the four players with the highest vote
total will be inducted.

"I think there is precedent to make a moral judgment about Lawrence
Taylor," said Frank Luksa of the Dallas Morning News, who will not
vote for Taylor. "That precedent is Bob Hayes. Taylor may have
reinvented his position, but Bob Hayes changed the game. Yet there
was a moral judgment made on him because he was arrested, convicted
and jailed for cocaine distribution." Taylor's retort. "Guys, if
you're going to start going by off-the-field things, you might have to
kick out half the people in that Hall of Fame right now." Luksa was
not moved. "I have never knowingly voted for a drug addict to be
inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Some have showed up
afterward, but they got there without my knowledge." Ram running back
Eric Dickerson is considered a sure bet to make it this year, and
former Buffalo coach Marv Levy and Cleveland Brown tight end Ozzie
Newsome should receive considerable attention, still leaving a spot
for Taylor.

Long-time football writer Vito Stellino of the Baltimore Sun--who
delivered the memorable quote after Raider owner Al Davis finally won
induction: "Putting Al Davis into the football Hall of Fame was like
putting John Dillinger into the banking hall of fame,"--thinks it
would be even a greater injustice to keep Taylor out.

"Character has nothing to do with it," Stellino said. "You are voting
for great players." Name one thing, however, that Al Davis did that
was worse than what Taylor has done.

"The guy has done so much damage to the game," Stellino said, "and
besides the guy has been a fool for 15 years." He signed Jeff George,
yes, but he's never been accused of trying to buy $50 of crack
cocaine off an undercover cop.

Jerry Magee of the San Diego Union-Tribune, who will not vote for
Taylor, said, "The people we honor in such a way should be
responsible citizens. I realize my stance is not a popular one, but
if you had a 13-year-old boy how would you explain that the NFL just
voted Lawrence Taylor into the Hall of Fame? "I think Taylor will
eventually get in, perhaps this year, but it wouldn't hurt him to
wait a few years and ruminate over his many past deeds." Will
McDonough of the Boston Globe said, "Anyone who says, 'I think I will
make him wait a year,' is not applying the rules to the Hall of Fame
and has his own deal. There are a lot of guys in the Hall of Fame who
have done worse than this guy." That would make it the Hall of Shame.