Lance Alworth on Johnny Robinson

[KChiefs1]

Along with Otis Taylor...both belong in the HOF.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2977...6804584396490/

[Rain Man]

It's shocking that he's not in. I think there's reluctance to put half of a starting defense in, and I can understand that. But come on, 50+ interceptions in a running era?

[KChiefs1]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

It's shocking that he's not in. I think there's reluctance to put half of a starting defense in, and I can understand that. But come on, 50+ interceptions in a running era?

I think that’s the problem for both Johnny Robinson & Otis Taylor.


Example:
I think you could ask any old-time Chiefs fan back in 1972 this question:

Which duo makes the HOF?

A. Johnny Robinson/Otis Taylor
B. Emmitt Thomas/Curley Culp

99% would have answered A.

[milkman]

Originally Posted by KChiefs1

I think that’s the problem for both Johnny Robinson & Otis Taylor.


Example:
I think you could ask any old-time Chiefs fan back in 1972 this question:

Which duo makes the HOF?

A. Johnny Robinson/Otis Taylor
B. Emmitt Thomas/Curley Culp

99% would have answered A.

Not sure that's true.

Thomas was a shutdown corner with an amazing ability to bait QBs into bad decisions, while Culp was just an absolute badass beast in the trenches.

They all deserve the HoF, but having watched them, I'd have to go with B.

[Rain Man]

I'd probably go with Option A from those two pairs. I might rank Thomas very slightly ahead of Robinson, but I'd rank Otis notably ahead of Culp. No offense to Culp, he was great, but I think part of his argument was that he was a groundbreaker as the first nose tackle of the modern era.

Otis wasn't a groundbreaker in that sense, but he was easily running in the same pack as guys like Don Maynard and Lance Alworth, and he was 100 times the receiver that Biletnikoff was. If justice was served, Biletnikoff would be kicked out of the hall and his spot would be given to Otis.

[KChiefs1]

http://talesfromtheamericanfootballl...gn-the-latest/

http://talesfromtheamericanfootballl...hnny-robinson/

http://talesfromtheamericanfootballl...hnny-robinson/

Johnny Robinson HoF Campaign – The Latest


It has been a while since I sent out an update on our campaign to get Chiefs’ legend Johnny Robinson inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. We started off earlier this year with a simple petition that was placed on our website. We encourage everyone to not only sign the petition, but also to share it with your contacts lists, message boards and fans groups. We need to get this petition in front of as many eyeballs as possible:

JOHNNY ROBINSON PETITION

To date we have nearly 1,200 signatures on the petition. I feel that we need a minimum of 5,000 when we turn over the results to members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Senior Committee on August 1, so please SIGN and SHARE!

We have also been collecting quotes of support from Johnny’t teammates, opponents and football authors & historians. A few recent highlights would be:

Johnny Robinson was fantastic. There’s no doubt about it. When you watched him against the receivers on your team, and saw the respect they afforded him, you quickly understood how great a player he was. – Bob Talamini, Oilers, Raiders & Jets Guard 1960-1968

Johnny Robinson, as one of the great defensive backs in pro football history, deserves a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It’s not just because of his remarkable interception record, picking off 57 passes in 10 years as a safety, but also his uncanny intelligence as the air-traffic controller on the great Chiefs’ defense of the ’60s and early ’70s. Blessed with agility, grit, instincts and composure, he was one of the defining players of his era, justly earning his spot on the All-Time AFL team. All that’s left is his much-deserved bust next to his peers in Canton. – Michael MacCambridge, author of AMERICA’S GAME

Without reservation I highly recommend Johnny Robinson for induction into the Hall of Fame. His character and football ability are top drawer. – Harvey Frommer, Author, WHEN IT WAS JUST A GAME

autographed 1966 topps johnny robinson
#074 – Johnny Robinson
Lastly, we have been reaching out to the LSU alumni, Louisiana media, Kansas City Chiefs, Missouri media, LSU and Chiefs message boards, posting on Twitter and Facebook, and making any and all possible connections. Sadly, we lost a huge supporter recently when Billy Cannon passed away. Billy and Johnny were nearly lifelong friends, and Billy was just about to dive into the campaign when he unexpectedly passed away.

We have two months to go yet, and while we have made great strides, we still have a long way to go. If you are so inclined, please lend a hand. I can be contacted via email at todd@talesfromtheamericanfootballleague.com, and would love to receive emails of support and ideas of how to continue the campaign. It is my deepest hope that we are successful in helping to get Johnny Robinson inducted this year, and that will open the eyes of the voting committee to all of the men of the AFL who have been overlooked for so long – Arbanas, Flores, Budde, Sweeney, Tyrer, Hill, Taylor, Hennigan and on and on…

Thanks for being an AFL fan and reader of Tales from the AFL!

Todd Tobias


Todd Tobias's interest in the American Football League began in 1998, when he wrote my master's thesis about Sid Gillman. He created this site to educate and entertain football fans with the stories of the American Football League, 1960-1969. You can follow Todd and get more AFL history on Twitter @TalesfromtheAFL.

[KChiefs1]

People forget how how good he was & what a great guy he was.

http://talesfromtheamericanfootballl...fs-jerry-mays/

[KChiefs1]

http://talesfromtheamericanfootballl...n-otis-taylor/

A Hall of Fame Comparison – OTIS TAYLOR

Todd Tobias (788 Posts)
There is a feeling among AFL fans that the American Football League players are consistently overlooked for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In truth there are many players, the bulk of whose careers were spent in the AFL, that deserve serious consideration, if not outright induction. In an effort to spark some discussion regarding their hall of fame worthiness, I will occasionally compare AFL players to their NFL (and Hall of Fame) counterparts. The short biographies on the NFL players have been taken directly from the Pro Football Hall of Fame website.

Today’s comparison is between Otis Taylor of the Kansas City Chiefs and two HoF receivers, Bob Hayes and Paul Warfield.

autographed 1967 topps otis taylor
#073 – Otis Taylor
Otis Taylor, Jr. – Chiefs 4th round draft choice in 1965… Two-time All-Pro, three-time All-Star/Pro Bowl member… Two-time AFL champion (1966 & 1969) and Super Bowl IV champion… Arguably first of the large, strong, powerful receivers… Had 410 career receptions for 7,306 yards (17.8 avg.) and 57 touchdowns…

Robert Lee “Bob” Hayes – Selected as a future pick by Cowboys, seventh round, 1964 NFL Draft. . .Also drafted as future choice by Denver (AFL). . .Won a pair of gold medals in the 1964 Olympic Games earning him the title “World’s Fastest Human”. . .Four times was named first- or second-team All-NFL. . .. Three times led the Cowboys in receptions. . . Career stats include 7,414 receiving yards and 71 TDs. . .

Paul Dryden Warfield – Drafted by both Browns, Bills, 1964. . . Cleveland fixture before 1970 trade to Miami. . .Key element in Dolphins offenses. . . Mere presence on field forced defensive adjustments. . . Fast, super-smooth, precise pattern runner, sure-handed, excellent blocker. . .Caught 427 passes for 8,565 yards, 85 touchdowns. . .Had sensational 20.1-yard per catch average. . .All-NFL six years. . Named to eight Pro Bowls. . .

Here is yet another outstanding Kansas City Chiefs player from the late 1960s, which may or may not work in Taylor’s favor for hall of fame consideration. At 6′-3″ and 215 lbs., Otis Taylor brought a rare combination of size, strength and speed to the Chiefs offense. Taylor also excelled in both pre- and post-merger competition, which should make his accomplishments more attractive to HoF voters. His career numbers are certainly within HoF ranges, but those who saw Taylor play say that his dominance cannot be expressed simply with statistics. Take, for example, the SI article of November 15, 1971, which is subtitled, “Otis Taylor of the Kansas City Chiefs (89) has no peer at receiving a football—left-handed, right-handed or with his hands behind his back.” And yet Taylor has received no call from Canton. In fact, quarterback Len Dawson is the only offensive player from those great Chiefs teams that has a HoF bust. It seems to me that like other AFL stars, Otis Taylor has not received his due from the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Thoughts?

[old_geezer]

Originally Posted by milkman

Not sure that's true.

Thomas was a shutdown corner with an amazing ability to bait QBs into bad decisions, while Culp was just an absolute badass beast in the trenches.

They all deserve the HoF, but having watched them, I'd have to go with B.

One of the few times I disagree with you. I do agree that they all deserve to be in but it is an absolute crime that Robinson/Taylor are not in. Group A for me.

[KChiefs1]

[gblowfish]

I saw all of these guys play. The greatest receivers in the AFL were Bambi, Bilitnikoff, Maynard, and Otis Taylor. No contest. Taylor was Michael Irvin before Michael Irvin. And defensively, Johnny Robinson was John Lynch before John Lynch. Robinson came out of LSU as a running back and was converted to safety. There was a safety for the St. Louis Cardinals who's in the HOF named Larry Wilson. Robinson was just as good, probably better, and just as tough. He played Super Bowl IV with broken ribs.

[gblowfish]

If Otis Taylor dies before he's selected, it will be criminal. Like what baseball did to Buck O'Neil.

[KChiefs1]

Originally Posted by gblowfish

If Otis Taylor dies before he's selected, it will be criminal. Like what baseball did to Buck O'Neil.

Disgusts me every time I think about it.

[oldman]

Originally Posted by gblowfish

I saw all of these guys play. The greatest receivers in the AFL were Bambi, Bilitnikoff, Maynard, and Otis Taylor. No contest. Taylor was Michael Irvin before Michael Irvin. And defensively, Johnny Robinson was John Lynch before John Lynch. Robinson came out of LSU as a running back and was converted to safety. There was a safety for the St. Louis Cardinals who's in the HOF named Larry Wilson. Robinson was just as good, probably better, and just as tough. He played Super Bowl IV with broken ribs.

I agree, Johnny was not only a great in coverage,but he was a hard hitter and caused more than a few fumbles. However, if it has to be a choice between Robinson and OT, I have to go with OT. Both should have been in the HoF before now.