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© St. Petersburg Times, published August 22, 2002
CANTON, Ohio -- Former Chiefs and Saints coach Hank Stram has been selected by the Pro Football Hall of Fame's seniors committee as a finalist for election in the class of 2003.
As the seniors committee nominee, Stram will join 14 modern-era candidates who will be announced Jan. 25, the day before the Super Bowl.
To be elected, Stram must receive the same 80-percent voting support that is required of all finalists. The Hall's 39-member board of selectors will elect between four and seven new members during the meeting in San Diego.
Stram was an assistant at the University of Miami in 1959 when Lamar Hunt hired him as the first head coach of the Dallas Texans of the new AFL. The Texans moved to Kansas City in 1963 and were renamed the Chiefs.
The young coach was an immediate winner in Dallas and won the 1962 AFL championship. He led Kansas City to two Super Bowl appearances, losing 35-10 to Green Bay in the first Super Bowl in 1967 and beating Minnesota in 1970. The 23-7 victory against the Vikings helped give credibility to the AFL, which was preparing to merge with the NFL.
During the 10-year history of the AFL, Stram's Texans/Chiefs won more games than any other AFL team and he won more championships than any other coach (1962, 1966, 1969).
An innovative coach, Stram developed formations like the moving pocket, which used the talents of his quarterback Len Dawson. He devised a two-tight end offense that provided an extra blocker to help protect his passer. On defense, he made famous his stack defense, with linebackers stacked behind down linemen.
During 17 seasons as coach of the Texans/Chiefs (1960-1974) and the Saints (1976-1977) Stram compiled a 131-97-10 regular-season record and was 5-3 in the postseason. He was named AFL coach of the year in 1968.
With the Saints in 1977, Stram was the losing coach for the Bucs' first win in franchise history. Tampa Bay ended its 0-26 start in the NFL with a 33-14 victory at the Superdome on Dec. 11, and Stram lost his job at the end of that season.
KANSAS CITY -- One day after saying the unsigned Tony Gonzalez couldn't be ready to play the Chiefs' Sept. 8 season opener, coach Dick Vermeil changed his mind and said Wednesday that he expected Gonzalez in uniform that day in Cleveland.
"I think he'll be here," he said. "I don't know when, but I think before the Cleveland game."
The abrupt switch was based on a phone conversation between Vermeil and Gonzalez, the first communication between the two since Gonzalez showed up in San Francisco on Aug. 10 for the preseason opener against the 49ers.
Asked what was said to make him feel optimistic about Gonzalez signing a new contract in the next two weeks, Vermeil replied, "That's a conversation between a head coach and a player. But it was a good conversation. He's a football player, and he knows it and he wants to play. Sooner or later, he'll get his mind squared away and resolved."
Reached at his home in California, Gonzalez said he wouldn't answer questions about his talk with Vermeil or his plans. Before ending the brief conversation, Gonzalez said, "I'll let you know when I'm ready to say something, which will be pretty soon."
Vermeil was making mental calculations regarding how the Chiefs could use Gonzalez against the Browns if he showed up for practice, say, the Monday before the game.
"There are things we can do with him," Vermeil said. "He won't start but there are things we might specifically do with him. We know he's working out, catching the ball and he's in great condition. It's still not like playing football.
"We could also get at least a week exemption (from the NFL) and not count him on the roster."
Gonzalez, the Chiefs' franchise player, will apparently have to settle for the one-year offer of about $3-million if he returns. The Chiefs would lose their franchise tag for the life of the contract if they sign Gonzalez to a long-term deal without him first accepting the one-year deal.
Even then, obstacles remain. President/general manager Carl Peterson has said the team will not sign Gonzalez to a long-term contract unless he ends his pursuit of a professional basketball career.
DALLAS -- Cowboys receiver Raghib Ismail had surgery to remove a herniated disc and fuse the vertebrae surrounding it.
The team said Ismail was doing fine and should be released from the hospital within a couple of days. The surgery was performed by Dr. Drew Dossett, who has performed the same procedure on many professional athletes, including former Cowboys fullback Daryl Johnston.
Ismail, 32, who likely is out for the season, was injured when he awkwardly collided with a teammate last week in practice. Doctors said he should be able to continue his career.
Ismail would have been playing his 10th NFL season, the fourth in Dallas. His past two seasons also were interrupted by injury, including a torn knee ligament in 2000.