Hog Of Famer
Russ Grimm became the first (possibly last) member of the Hogs to gain entry into the HOF Saturday evening (click here for video.) I’ve been on record before about my feelings for Russ as a player and a coach, so here’s what some of his peers have to say about the 2010 Hall of Famer.
Chris Cooley (recounting a pre-game speech by Gibbs)
Joe Gibbs describing why playing against Pittsburg would be tough in 2006. “Russ Grimm believes in a lot of the same things we do. Tough, physical, smart. Up here, hey, ya gotta have a pair.”
Don Warren
He was a hard-nosed player. He was a fierce, fierce competitor. He wouldn’t let injuries knock him down at all. He was a guy that I saw get punched in the eye, get stitches, and get carted off the field. He had blood rolling down his face, had stitches, and within 10 minutes, you look in the huddle, and he’s right back next to you. He’s a fierce competitor, and just a tough guy.”
Joe Bugel
“The Super Hog has been Russ Grimm,” Bugel said on the day of his retirement. “He has ended up being a heck of a football coach, and I loved coaching him. He was allergic to the weight room, he was allergic to conditioning, but liked him because he had the ugliest body I’ve ever seen, and he was a good football player.”
When you combine those 3 quotes you find a guy who didn’t look pretty playing, played hurt, played smart, played physical, was coachable and “had a pair.” When you form a core group of players like that…you win 3 Super Bowls. Congrats Russ.
You would be doing yourself a disservice if you do not visit the great Russ Grimm stories at the Redskins Blog, D.C. Sports Bog and the Washington Examiner.
Cheers and Hail