Pro Football Hall of Fame: From Camden To Canton

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Growing up in a little town like Camden, South Carolina loving the Dallas Cowboys you don’t even imagine that one day you’ll make it to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Yesterday, that bucket list moment happened for me.

As I rode on the shuttle bus to the hallowed halls of football heaven, I had goosebumps and my arms and legs. You try to guess what the feeling will be like once you get there, but you can’t. When the moment comes, it’s overwhelming but outstanding at the same time. The anticipation aspect is no more because the dream is now a reality.

As I pulled out my phone to start taking pictures, and some may not believe this, I could feel the energy from outside the actual building where all the bronze busts live in immortality. However, once you get your all-day wristband upon entering, it goes to a different level.

Once you walked in and go to the left there’s a mural of all-time greats like Peyton Manning, Ray Lewis, Jerry Rice, Lawrence Taylor, Walter Payton, etc. It sets the tone for the entire experience.

For myself, it was like being in an alternate universe. The echoes of Pat Summerall, John Madden, Al Michaels, and others making their legendary calls during some of the greatest games in the history of football rung in my head. The images of seeing players like Emmitt Smith, Reggie White, Deacon Jones, and Joe Montana making plays came to mind.

As amazing as the actual exhibit is there’s nothing that compares to seeing the actual Hall of Fame busts. All the players that have gone into the Hall of Fame, whether you were alive to see them go in or not, are right there in front of you. It’s like having a conversation with over 300 men at the same time and they’re blessing you with their knowledge of the game and what it was that got them there.

It can’t put into words what it was like for a football junkie like myself to be in the room. After 30 years of watching the Hall of Fame ceremony, I was face-to-face with the greatest players ever. It put into perspective why I do what I do as a writer. It was for experiences like I had on August 5. The hard work is always worth it for moments like that. Staying up late to research and get articles done, not going out to enjoy the nightlife, and secluding myself to grind as much as I can is what got me there and I’ll never stop doing it.

Then there was the actual pRO fOOTBALL Hall of Fame Game between the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers. Arguably the two biggest bases in the NFL didn’t disappoint as the energy inside Tom Benson Stadium was electric. The Cowboys would end up on the losing end 16-3.

The Cowboys did some good things. Second and third round corners Kelvin Joseph and Nahshon Wright played well. Wright in particular showed poise after giving up a big play. He kept battling and put bad reps behind him. Sixth-round nose tackle Quinton Bohanna is a space-eater and got into the backfield quite a bit. Running back Rico Dowdle ran very well getting over five yards per rush. He hit holes quickly and showed good vision, always important when playing running back.

Micah Parsons, albeit in limited action, looked as advertised. His speed and ability to diagnose plays are incredible and was credited with three tackles (all solo) and a fumble recovery.

Garrett Gilbert looked the best out of the backup quarterbacks going nine out of 13 for 104 yards. Ben Dinucci didn’t help his case to make the roster by going seven for 17 and throwing an interception. The Cowboys should consider bringing a veteran in to push Gilbert and create some competition.

Now, it’s on to Week 2 of the preseason. The Cowboys will play the Arizona Cardinals next and it’ll be interesting to see if one of these backups quarterbacks can secure the role, if the offense can generate some points and if the team’s new defensive philosophy can continue to improve.