Junior Seau's family won't disrupt Hall of Fame ceremonies, says lawyer: Report

The family of the late Junior Seau will not disrupt the Hall of Fame ceremonies on Aug. 8 despite its disagreement with a policy preventing live remarks during a posthumous induction.

Steve Strauss, legal counsel to the Seaus and partner at Cooley LLP, said in an email Monday night that the family "does not want this issue to become a distraction to Junior's accomplishments and legacy or those of the other inductees."

Seau, who killed himself in 2012, will be saluted with a video presentation in which his daughter, Sydney, will speak. But Hall policy does not allow for live speeches during a posthumous induction.

Before his tragic death, Seau told his family that if he was ever inducted to the HoF, the 14-year NFL veteran wanted Sydney to give his induction speech.

"The Seau family appreciates the overwhelming support for Sydney Seau to be able to accept Junior's induction into the Hall of Fame live and in her own words," Strauss said. "Unfortunately, the Hall of Fame is unwilling to reverse its decision despite communicating to the family earlier this year that Sydney would be able to speak at the ceremony. Contrary to the most recent statement by the Hall of Fame, the family does not support the current policy that prevents family members from delivering live remarks on behalf of deceased inductees.

"The Seau family never intended to use the Hall of Fame as a platform to discuss the serious mental health issues facing the NFL today, which are most appropriately addressed in a legal forum," Strauss said. "The Seau family looks forward to celebrating Junior's extraordinary accomplishments at the Hall of Fame."

Hall representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In a statement from Hall executive vice president Joe Horrigan last Friday, a 2010 policy was referenced.

"The policy of the Pro Football Hall of Fame since 2010 regarding individuals enshrined posthumously provides for an expanded presenting video (longer than the videos of living inductees) followed by the traditional unveiling of the bronzed bust and no additional comments made from the podium," Horrigan said.

The 2011 induction used such a format when former Los Angeles Rams star Les Richter was inducted posthumously.

Junior Seau's family won't be allowed to speak at Hall of Fame induction: Report

It’s always a bittersweet moment when a former National Football League player gets inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame posthumously. And when Junior Seau enters the Hall next month, the scenario will be way more bitter than sweet.

Before his tragic death, Seau told his family that if he was ever inducted to the HoF, the 14-year NFL veteran wanted his daughter Sydney to give his induction speech.

However, it doesn't look like she will get a chance.

HoF spokesman Joe Horrigan spokesman told the New York Times that Sydney won't be allowed to speak due to a recent policy change. Under the new policy, deceased inductees are introduced with a video that's put together by NFL Network.

"There was an acceptance speech for deceased players but it got redundant," Horrigan told the Times. "The honor is supposed to be for the individual."

Living inductees are also introduced by a video, but after the video's shown, a presenter comes out on stage and gives what usually ends up being a pretty emotional speech.

Presenters used to come out on stage to introduce deceased inductees, but the HoF changed its policy "a few years ago."

David Baker, executive director of the Hall, told the Times that Seau's suicide and his family's pending lawsuit against the NFL had nothing to do with the decision in this case.

“We’re not the N.F.L., but the Pro Football Hall of Fame,” said Baker. “Our mission is to honor the heroes of the game, and Junior is a hero of the game. We’re going to celebrate his life, not the death and other issues.”

Seau’s video will not mention the lawsuit that Seau’s family has filed against the NFL, although the league has publicized its crusade to curb injuries in active players and address brain disease among its almost 20,000 retired players.

Seau’s video tribute will be five minutes, two minutes longer than for living inductees, Horrigan said. It will include parts of an interview his daughter gave to NFL Network before, she said, she learned that no one would be making a speech.

Odell Beckham's jersey from 'The Catch' on display at Pro Football Hall of Fame (PHOTO)

All it took for Odell Beckham Jr. to make it into the Pro Football Hall of Fame was one catch. Let's clarify that. It was the sensational Giants rookie's jersey that has already made its way to Canton.

On Monday afternoon, the HOF put Beckham's game-worn jersey from the night he made his famous catch against the Cowboys on public display. The wideout's second quarter play instantly sent social media into a frenzy and almost broke the Internet.

Some have called the one-handed grab arguably the greatest catch in NFL history.

All the newfound notoriety from the sensational play hasn't slowed Beckham down. On Sunday against the Titans, he recorded his rookie-record sixth straight game with 90-plus receiving yards, and he has 59 catches for 829 receiving yards and six TDs so far this year.

And it's not a reach to say that the talented receiver might one day have a bronze bust next to that No. 13 jersey.

Here's The Catch to refresh your memory:

Photographer clicked-off that Hall of Fame removed Hernandez photo

An award-winning photograph of Aaron Hernandez — high-stepping into the end zone during a 2010 game against the Green Bay Packers — was removed from the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the fallout from the sordid murder charges against the New England Patriots tight end.

And the photographer who took the picture isn't too happy about it.

“It is disappointing,” Mary Schwalm told the Sporting News. “I was able to say, ‘I have a photo hanging in the Hall of Fame.’ Can I still say that?”

Every year, the HOF asks a panel of photography experts to choose the best NFL photo of the year. The photographer gets an award, and the picture is put on permanent display at the Hall of Fame.

But the award-winning picture of Hernandez scoring a touchdown in 2010 wasn’t displayed permanently after all. The Hall of Fame took the picture down when visitors complained about seeing a picture of an accused murderer.

According to Cleveland.com, the HOF used the public's perception of Hernandez to justify censoring the photo.

“In the spirit of good taste we thought we’d take it down,” said Joe Horrigan, the HOF's vice president of communication and exhibits.

The decision marks the latest move by the league and Patriots to distance themselves from Hernandez, who’s been released by the team and remains in custody without bail.

Schwalm — of the Eagle-Tribune of North Andover, Mass. —  also said she was disappointed the Hall of Fame didn’t tell her it had pulled her photo. She found out on Twitter.

“I’m bummed. I’m disappointed,” Schwalm said.

It's understandable that the NFL wants to distance itself from the disgraced player but can it separate itself from history of the game by leaving a blank space on the wall?

That was Ms. Schwalm's snapshot capturing a moment in a game — not a glorification or visual image of the player's off-the-field character. 

The Hall should never have taken it down.

Sapp delighted he made H.O.F. over 'media darling' Strahan

NFL bad boy Warren Sapp was on his best behavior leading up to the voting for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in recent weeks.  But it didn't take long for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive lineman to sack New York Giants great Michael Strahan once he was selected.

On Wednesday, Sapp took a shot at the popular Strahan on WDAE-AM 620 in Florida (via JoeBucsFan.com), saying there was no question who had a better chance of making it to Canton.

“Say if I rewind this to Saturday at 12 o’ clock, me and you are sitting and I say, it breaks down whatever and whatever and then you have Michael Strahan and me. C’mon, the menace and the media darling," Sapp said. “C’mon. Madness or Good Morning America. I mean, c’mon.”

Sapp did tone it down by saying he "absolutely" had doubt that he'd be a first ballot selection.  Both Sapp and Strahan were in their first year of eligibility for the Hall.

The former Giants defensive end — now co-host of the morning gab fest "Live with Kelly & Michael," was one of the 10 finalists but couldn't crack the last five which included: Sapp, Larry Allen, Cris Carter, Jonathan Ogden and former Giants coach Bill Parcells — who were all voted in by the committee.

Sapp and Strahan were no friends of each other back in their playing days either.  In a lively exchange in 2002, Strahan called Sapp a "jackass" and joked about his physique by saying it looked like he made too many trips to McDonald's.

Sapp responded by calling Strahans's Brett Favre-assisted sack record a "travesty."