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By ERNEST HOOPER
© St. Petersburg Times, published January 30, 2000
ATLANTA -- Growing up in western Pennsylvania, Joe Montana crafted backyard dreams that included making game-winning passes and capturing Super Bowl championships.
But it never included enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
"I had won a bunch of Super Bowls by the time I was 9," Montana said. "But the one thing you never really dreamt about, or even fathomed the idea it was possible, was to make it to the Hall of Fame.
"To have come and have this honor bestowed upon me ... goes beyond what words can explain."
Montana headlines a list of five elected to the Hall of Fame during a meeting of the 38-man selection committee Saturday.
San Francisco safety and good friend Ronnie Lott will join Montana for enshrinement on July 29, along with former 49ers linebacker Dave Wilcox, Raiders defensive end Howie Long and Steelers owner Dan Rooney.
For Montana and Lott, who were eligible for the first time, the honor was expected. The two are good friends and Lott is the godfather of Montana's fourth child, Nicholas.
"When I was a kid growing up, my uncle grew up in Canton and I drove by the Hall of Fame, I can't tell you how many times," Montana said. "But it was the furthest thing from my mind. Maybe because it was an ending point. With the tremendous honor also comes a little dirt on the grave. It's truly over. There's no going back now, Ronnie."
Montana, 43, spent 13 of his 15 seasons in San Francisco and was the heart of the 49ers offense, guiding the club to four Super Bowl victories and nine divisional championships. Three times, he was the Most Valuable Player in the Super Bowl.
Lott, 40, played 10 of his 14 seasons with the 49ers and was Montana's defensive counterpart. A fierce hitter, he was elected to 10 Pro Bowls.
His toughness was defined in a 1985 incident in which the tip of his left pinkie was smashed during a game. Lott had the tip cut off and played the next week in a playoff game, typifying the commitment of him and Montana, who once overcame a debilitating back injury to play for the 49ers.
"I'm sitting here thinking about Joe when he was walking down the hall from his back surgery," said Lott, who began to cry. "The commitment we had to each other about trying to get back on the field and play made us fortunate. We just had a lot of warriors on our team."
Long, 40, made his mark as a defensive end in a 3-4 alignment that required him to fend off blocks from centers, guards and tackles. He went to eight Pro Bowls and finished his 13-year career with 84 sacks, including a career-high 13 in 1983.
"I can't put into words the feelings you have when you get that call," said Long, who made it in his second year of eligibility. "I've been on the verge of tears since I left my hotel.
"Somebody asked me this week, would this mean a lot to me, and I said I could die tomorrow and be complete. If you don't give every ounce of what you have, when you're done you will not be able to put your head on your pillow at night and sleep. I sleep well."
Wilcox, 57, was known as "The Intimidator" during his 11 years with the 49ers (1964-74). Nominated by the senior committee, Wilcox was named All-NFL five times and played in seven Pro Bowls. He had been eligible for 21 years.
As a 20-year-old, Rooney began acquiring players for the Pittsburgh team owned by his father, Art, but he had to have coaches sign contracts because he wasn't 21. His entire life has been dedicated to the Steelers and he also has been one of the league's most influential policymakers. The Rooneys follow Tim and Wellington Mara as the Hall's second father-son combination.
St. Louis canceled its final walk-through, heeding the advice of state troopers who said the highways between the team hotel and the Georgia Dome were too treacherous to navigate
Tennessee opted against heading downtown, too. But as luck would have it, the outdoor tent that left teeth chattering during midweek media opportunities made for the perfect walk-through facility. Titans coach Jeff Fisher also said quarterback Steve McNair, who has been battling turf toe, felt better Saturday than he did a week ago before the AFC championship.
Rams coach Dick Vermeil said he was reluctant to cancel his team's final walk-through.
Vermeil said safety Keith Lyle would again be the backup behind Devin Bush. Lyle played in nickel situations in the NFC Championship Game after missing eight games with a bruised nerve.
One offensive player and one defensive player were chosen in each of the five decades covered
Selmon and tight end Kellen Winslow were named players of the 1980s. Selmon played in six Pro Bowls in nine seasons and Winslow played in five during nine seasons with the San Diego Chargers.
NO CHARGES FILED: The scuffle between Frank Middleton and Bush after the NFC Championship Game was nothing more than a shoving match. Prosecutors in St. Louis said they would not file assault charges after reports of an altercation between the Bucs guard and the St. Louis safety in the tunnel to the Trans World Dome locker rooms. Bush and Middleton both gave statements to police and cooperated with the investigation, authorities said.
ANGELO INTERVIEW: Bucs director of player personnel Jerry Angelo interviewed with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the position of vice president of player personnel. The interview was briefly interrupted when Dan Rooney learned of his Hall of Fame election.
HIRING PRACTICES CRITICIZED: Jesse Jackson criticized the NFL for its hiring practices, which he said resulted from "a culture driven by white supremacists."
Jackson told CNN/SI that "there is one standard for choosing coaches in the National Football League and another standard for choosing players."
Jackson has become impatient because few head coaching positions have been offered to minorities.
NFL vice president for communications Joe Browne denounced Jackson's statements.
"NFL teams have only one standard for hiring players, coaches and other football personnel. That standard is whether the individuals, white or black, will help take the teams to the Super Bowl," Browne said.
PATRIOTS: On Bill Belichick's first day as coach, he fired the team's longtime strength coach, Johnny Parker, the Boston Globe reported. Former Jets offensive coordinator Charlie Weis and defensive coach Eric Mangini have agreed to join the Patriots, Belichick said.
VIKINGS: The agent for Jake Reed says the receiver is free to talk to other teams about being traded. The Saint Paul Pioneer Press reported the team will allow the agent to contact teams for which Reed has an interest in playing.
-- Information from other news organizations was used in this report.