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Jason Taylor - First Ballot Hall of Famer


MDZip

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JT Sun Sentinel Interview and Article

 

Even now, on the edge of his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, people can’t grasp his lack of stereotypical girth. He’s often congratulated for losing weight in retirement rather than becoming the fattened ex-athlete.“I weigh a pound more than when I played,” he says, now 42. If it’s a surprise he’s 242 pounds, his career path to Saturday’s enshrinement in Canton, Ohio, is pockmarked by unconventional surprise. He conquered a childhood of poverty without his biological father. He didn’t play football until a high school junior. He received one college scholarship offer — and only after his high school coach begged an Akron assistant to watch him play basketball....Novak will be in Canton on Saturday. So will more than 100 players from Taylor’s Akron teams.

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I hope plenty of you did stay up for the 3rd Quarter to see Jason's career profile, and interview.  

 

Of course, someone should have told Tafoya that it's not Ak-RON.  Especially when she said it right to Jason.  Like my wife said to me, "Hasn't she probably heard the name of LeBron's hometown spoken about 1,000,000 times during her time as a sports reporter"?

 

Just during that short segment, I think they mentioned the U of A maybe 4 times?  Including that it's "just down the road" from the HOF?  A nice bit of free publicity.  Very touching that Jason said that being a HOF Father was something that he wanted to be noted for.   

 

I also thought it was kinda cool that at least 2 of the inductees said that they'd be presented by their wives.  As Kurt Warner put it, "she's the only one that's been with me through all of this".  I just think it's great when anyone who has a career with very unusual demands recognizes their spouses who sacrificed so much of their own lives to support them for so many years.   I think I'd probably do the same if I ever got inducted to any business HOF.   I'm sure someone will make a comment that the ladies benefit from the money, but in many cases (like Kurt's) there were plenty of tough times where things weren't going so well.  

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5 hours ago, skip-zip said:

Unfortunate for him that this story breaks on the weekend that he is going to get inducted.

 

http://www.miamiherald.com/entertainment/ent-columns-blogs/jose-lambiet/article165207992.html

 

Looks like he's going to come up with 3.4 large. Hopefully he comes up with a new gig that pays him well.

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There is a thread on Facebook about JT. It showed highlights from his NFL career. Damn, I forgot how quick he was off the edge. He was like a CB blitzing off the edge with his speed.

 

I remember after JT left that Dwayne LeFall, came in and many thought he was the next JT. Good player, but.......

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I was lucky enough to go to the Gold Jacket Dinner Friday evening.  Thanks to MDZip for arranging the whole thing.  It was great to see him and to meet his parents.  Also nice to meet Zippyfan34, Zips Voice and his son.

 

ZipsWin! and I had a couple of beers at Canton Brewing before the event.  If you are in the area, you might want to check it out.  Very cool place, especially the basement Speakeasy.

 

When we arrived at the Canton Civic Center, it was patently obvious that this was no low key shindig.  This was a gala.  The cocktail hour was quite a scene with 4000 people mingling.  We sat down and had a nice dinner.  There were a few announcements over the P.A. but mostly just dining.  At the end of our meal, the inductees came through our area on their way to the arena.  As Jason rounded the corner, we started our "Let's Go Zips" chant, which he seemed to get a kick out of.  He seemed to glad to see me!

 

We went into the arena and watched the same show you were all able to see on the NFL Network.  I must say, the HOF Alumni that streamed in was rather overwhelming.  What a large group of talent in one place. It's too bad more of them couldn't have made it.

 

It was a great once in a lifetime experience for me.  So glad I went.  Once again, thanks to MDZip.

 

IMG952017080495185215.jpg

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First off, thanks so much to MDZip for getting this to happen, and for letting us meet his wonderful Mom and Dad.  I enjoyed talking to his Father about football.  And it was great to put faces to K92, ZipsWin! and Zippyfan34.  Next off - what a freakin' wonderful time!  This was an amazing awe-inspiring evening.  As K92 said, as we arrived, I was expecting a little more intimate gathering, as our ticket had a seating chart on it with like 100 tables of 8, so I thought....NO!  we were in ONE room of many, and after dinner we were escorted into the main auditorium and there were all the dignitary tables on the floor level and mezzanine and we all filled into the seating area.  The dais was at least 30 feet off the floor, and we were then part of the show.  Once again to echo K92, I was overwhelmed as each of about 120 current Gold Jackets were announced and they came to the floor....Jim Bron, Troy Aikman, Paul Warfield, Jerome Bettis, Curly Culp (our host!), Emmit Smith, Roger Staubach, Tony Dungy, and on and on and on.  We even got to hear Warren Buffett sing!!  (I am not kidding!)

Zippyfan34 said I had to post this so I will....

 

 

I was the lucky winner at our table of the center piece!!

image.png

 

 

 

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But I've got to say, and I hope there's more than a few of us out there that have these experiences....What made the whole evening was sharing it with my son, who was at my side at the tailgates and in the Rubber Bowl for all of JT's games, and sat beside me for this wonderful evening....I'm tearing up writing this, so....for now...GO ZIPS!

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As others have said it was a great time and thanks MDZip for putting it together.  Here is the video of Jason getting introduced (although I think the announcer messed up his name).  As he got closer to the table we started the chant and you could tell he got a kick out of it.

 

Let's Go Zips chant gold jacket dinner

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On 8/3/2017 at 7:28 PM, LZIp said:

 

 

 

I'm not much of an NFL fan and don't know much about Jason Taylor, but he is one impressive dude!  He seems like what we dream that all our players will become.   

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