Padecky: Former Raiders great Cliff Branch, waits, hopes for call to Pro Football Hall of Fame

Wide receiver Cliff Branch played 14 years in the NFL. Played in 205 games, counting playoffs. Branch never had one surgery. Branch, though, may have had his fingernails clipped once or twice.

And that’s not the most interesting thing about the former Raider.

Pittsburgh’s Mel Blount, the 1975 Defensive Player of the Year, a first-ballot Hall of Famer, greatest cornerback in NFL history, was benched in the second half of the 1974 AFC title game because Blount couldn’t stop Branch, who caught nine passes for 186 yards.

That’s pretty interesting but that’s not the most interesting thing about the former Raider.

While the Raiders would be standing on the sideline during the playing of the National Anthem, Branch would turn to coach John Madden and say, “I’m going to have a big day today. I’m going to burn their defensive back.”

“Cliff,” Madden responded, “you don’t even know who their defensive backs are!”

That’s a cute story but, still, his confidence is still not the most interesting thing about the former Raider.

This is:

Branch has more receptions and yards receiving than Paul Warfield and Bob Hayes. Branch has more touchdown catches than Charlie Joiner and John Stallworth. Branch has more touchdowns than Ozzie Newsome. Branch has more catches, receptions and touchdowns than Lynn Swann.

Every person named in the preceding paragraph is in Pro Football’s Hall of Fame.

Except Branch.

How does Canton ignore Branch? How do you ignore the streaking comet? How do you ignore the speed of light when in the 1970s a football offense was a punch in the mouth, a run here, there, everywhere? How does it ignore this simple fact: After Branch’s retirement in 1985, Al Davis spent the rest of his days trying to find another Cliff Branch, and never did?

These questions will have a year to find an answer. Branch is not on the Hall of Fame ballot this year for the first time in six years. He’ll be back again next year as a senior candidate. Which will work either in his favor or against him.

Some of it Branch is rather helpless to defend.

“The Ghost of Al Davis still hovers,” Branch said.

The Raiders could move to Bangladesh and the opinion that so many have of the late Raiders owner would move with them. Al did such a good job of putting his imprint on his team that nothing, even the passage of time, would wash it away.

“A lot of writers didn’t like the way Al did things,” Branch said. “But Al always did it his way.”

Without apology. With a smirk. For those who still can’t help but fill up a spittoon at just the mention of his name, they conveniently whine about this number: 12.

A dozen Raiders are in the Hall of Fame who played on at least one Super Bowl winner with the team. A dozen Pittsburgh Steelers who are in the Hall of Fame played on at least one Super Bowl winner.

Manufactured Whine: The Steelers were the The Team of the Decade. The Raiders weren’t so how can they have the same number of Canton residents as the Steelers? Yes, that’s petty and that’s politics and that how - as another example - Kevin Durant at this writing is not in the starting lineup for the Western Conference at the NBA’s All-Star Game.

Politics is not reserved just for those slinging mud in government. Ask anyone if they have ever been exposed to “office politics” and the answer will begin with a roll of the eyes. It is no different in sports.

Perception carries a lot of tonnage in the NFL so think of the perception of trying to compare in the NFL of the ’70s and the NFL of today. Raiders Hall of Famer Fred Biletnikoff provides a classic example.

When Biletnikoff retired in 1978 with 589 career catches, Freddie was fourth all-time in receptions. Today? Freddie is 73rd. The NFL poobahs saw what the fans wanted. They wanted big numbers and they wanted them quick.

So make defensive backs defensive - look but don’t touch that receiver. Fans want scoring and they don’t want a 12-play, 80-yard drive.

This is the era of Instant Gratification. Don’t make me wait five minutes for the next end-zone dance.

“So how many yards, Cliff, do you think you’d catch with these rules?”

I think I saw Branch drool. Then he spoke. “A thousand (in a season). Easy.”

The definition of a Hall of Famer in any sport begins with a simple premise: Would that player be great in any era? Period. It truly is the only judgement that matters. The rest is, groan, politics.

No wonder Branch’s eyes glowed when he brought up the concept of speed, the ultimate weapon in any sport. Can’t hit what you can’t catch. Speed simplifies: Can’t block a shot or hit that fastball if it’s too fast to catch.

“Tyreek Hill,” Branch said. He’s the burner for the Kansas City Chiefs. Branch has a soft spot for burners since he was close to being The Original.

“Andy Reid (Kansas City’s coach), look what he does with Hill,” said Branch, 70, but still fit at 178 pounds, eight pounds over his playing weight. It was with both wonder and awe that Branch spoke. Awe, for how Hill is used, going everywhere except backward. And wonder what he would have done if he was the free-roaming chess piece.

Of course now we could be entering the Feel Sorry For Me part of the Cliff Branch story. Branch won’t have any of that. He lost his Fountaingrove home in the 2017 Tubbs fire and he didn’t complain then and he won’t now. He’s a man of speed and it’s time to move on.

So last week Branch flew with Jim Plunkett and Jerry Robinson to Las Vegas to participate in the ground-breaking ceremonies of the new Raider stadium there. Branch will move to Vegas in January of next year and then wait - it says here with unflinching certainty - for his Hall of Fame announcement. Meanwhile Branch’s schedule is full up with what could be called The Cliff Branch Appearance Tour.

Sunday Branch will be at Friar Tuck’s in Cotati, watching the AFC and NFC title games with other former NFL players, signing memorabilia with some of the proceeds going to a charity run by former NFL defensive back Honor Jackson.

Branch is at similar functions for Walmart with a Safeway gig of the same type coming soon. All the while Branch has a simple tape playing over and over in his mind.

“Stay alive so you can enjoy going to the Hall of Fame,” John Madden once told Branch. “It’ll come.”

And thus we may have the most interesting part of the Cliff Branch story. The man built his legend on running past people. Now, he waits. And waits and waits. For something so much the antithesis of who he is. He waits for something to catch him.

To comment write bobpadecky@gmail.com.