Editor’s Note: Broncos’ Vice President of Corporate Communications Jim Saccomano is in Canton, Ohio, this weekend as part of the team’s contingent for Floyd Little’s enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Throughout the weekend, Saccomano will be phoning in some thoughts and observations on Little’s big weekend.
Saccomano arrived in Canton on Thursday afternoon with just enough time to stop at his hotel to throw on a tie before heading over to the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Trustees Reception.
The Trustees Reception brought together the six new inductees — Russ Grimm, Rickey Jackson, Dick LeBeau, John Randle, Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith, in addition to Little — and their families, along with the families of about 80 living Hall of Famers and select NFL figures.
Saccomano described the scene as a window into an exclusive club, “like a post-Oscars dinner where someone like me is sometimes lucky enough to go.”
Looking around the room, Saccomano saw many acquaintances from his time in the NFL, including offensive lineman Dan Dierdorff and safety Yale Lary.
One old friend was long-time Cowboys’ Director of Public Relations Rich Dalrymple, who is there celebrating Emmitt Smith’s induction. Saccomano particularly enjoyed catching up with Willie Brown, a former All-AFL cornerback with the Broncos who made his biggest impact with the Oakland Raiders.
Even the mayor of Canton was there.
Of course, Saccomano also got a chance to catch up with the two Broncos whose enshrinement ceremonies he’s already attended (Gary Zimmerman and John Elway) and Little, whose wife, daughter and son were also in attendance.
The event features open seating, so you’re never quite sure who might end up at your table.
Saccomano dined with Hall of Fame defensive end Willie Davis and several longtime Hall of Fame voting writers — Ira Miller, Art Spander and Howard Balzer.
“It’s one of those things that’s almost surreal,” Saccomano said. “It’s a who’s who.”
One of the interesting things that struck Saccomano, who is attending his sixth Hall of Fame enshrinement weekend, was the history of football represented at the dinner.
There were modern stars, such as Smith and Rice, but also 88-year-old Charley Trippi, a former star who, as Saccomano notes, likely has stories about the days of Bronko Nagurski and George Halas, — and everything in between.
Saccomano is looking forward to the induction dinner tonight where Little and the other new Hall of Famers will be honored and receive their famous gold jackets.
Saccomano will be there, too.
The Broncos’ Vice President of Corporate Communications expects to see plenty more old faces and make more memories as the weekend continues.
But as a start to his time in Canton, Saccomano said he couldn’t have asked for anything more.
“It was a really great night in Canton that served as the unofficial kick-off of football’s most celebratory weekend,” Saccomano said.
- Eric Detweiler, DenverBroncos.com
Tags: canton, Floyd Little, Hall of Fame, Jim Saccomano
Well deserved Mr.Little. Hope this becomes a catalysis to the other deserving Broncos. Congratulations!
Go Broncos!!!…….. To the Hall of Fame.
Go Broncos!!!
HUGE congrats to Little… its about time!! So deserving of this honor. Hope there are many more to come for the Broncos, who have become sooooooo underrated on so many levels.
Keep the faith Broncos Country…
GO BRONCOS in 2010!!!!
TY Floyd for representing the Broncos and Yourself in such a classy manner and always giving what you had on the field.
Josh Barett picked up by the pats according to MaxDenvver tweets
Congrats, Floyd Little, saw an hour footage of your 1969 and 1970 seasons this morning, and it was a treat, glad the NFL Network rendered you hommage that way, those two seasons were so much better than the records show, in one game you ran over 160 yards for the most yards gained in one of those two seasons by any backs, it was great, enjoy your day.
And you also won the NFL leading rusher title one of those two years, I believe it was 1970, with nearly 1,000 yards, it was a great way for me to celebrate your week-end, re-living these seasons.
CONGRATS AND HOPEFULLY MORE BRONCOS TO COME!!!
Congratulations Floyd Little! I was just a young kid, but My Dad would sit my brothers and myself down to watch you in the early ’70s when we were at Petersen Air Field in Colorado Springs. Great memories of you running for daylight. You were our role model as kids. Thank you for being someone we looked up to and admired.
This is an honor that’s been a long time coming and well deserved.
Once again Congratulations and we’ll see you on Sept 26th for the Hall of Fame Ring Ceremony at Invesco.
Since I was born in ’70,I didn’t get to watch the Franchise play,but have seen a lot of film on him,and he was a great player and well deserving of the HOF,way to go Little,it’s about time you were recognized bro!
To the most deserving Bronco ever. You were a Bronco when the name Bronco could of been a singger to some crude joke. Mr. Little you have been my hero since I watched you run the field for Denver like you did. God Bless you and your desire. Never give up. Look they gave a gold jacket to a Bronco. No Joke.
Respect,
Steve a Pueblo, fan