Padecky: Making the case for Ken Stabler in the Hall of Fame

For the past 26 years, Frank Cooney has been pounding the drum. I’m loud and I’m proud and I’ll keep beating it until logic and common sense take over. Kenny Stabler belongs in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Ain’t a discussion I should be having, it’s so obvious, but Snake taught me as long as there’s a tick left on the game clock, keep pushing it downfield.

Since 1989, Cooney has been a voting member of the Hall of Fame Selection Committee as well as a voter for the NFL’s Seniors. Stabler is a Senior finalist for election this year. This is Stabler’s fourth time he has advanced this far. Three more than necessary, is Cooney’s view.

“It’s ludicrous,” said Cooney, 68, now a resident of Grass Valley who spent a large portion of his life in Novato. It’s so ludicrous, Cooney felt, he called me for support. Why? Well, Stabler and I have a history. Back in 1979 I was thrown in jail while trying to interview Stabler in Alabama for the Sacramento Bee. When Cooney makes his Stabler pitch to the voting electorate on Super Bowl Saturday, he thinks it’ll be a huge selling point if he can say to the committee that Padecky believes Stabler belongs in Canton. Yes, I know, I know, Frank is desperate.

“No,” I said at the outset. “Stabler wasn’t great long enough.”

And thus the Cooney Floodgates opened up. In this presidential election year Cooney is running his own political campaign that could rival - at least in commitment and enthusiasm - any of the Republican and Democrat talking heads. Cooney has 26 years bottled up inside of him and it all came out in a torrent of factual recitation soaked in the verve of assuredness.

“Yes, he had five sensational years but he had 15 years in the league with just one losing season,” said Cooney, clearing his throat, getting warmed up. “Stabler led three teams (Raiders, Oilers, Saints) to their best record at the time. When Stabler retired he had the third best winning percentage (96-41-1, .661) among modern-era quarterbacks.”

Dallas’ Roger Staubach is at 85-29, .746. Pittsburgh’s Terry Bradshaw is 107-51, .677. When Stabler died last year, more than 31 years after retirement, his .661 winning percentage was seventh best among modern-era quarterbacks.

“All those above him are either in the Hall of Fame or still playing and will be in the Hall of Fame,” said Cooney, assuming correctly to eventual election of three actives: Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Ben Roethlisberger.

“But those interceptions,” I said.

In his last four seasons,?Stabler threw 42 touchdown passes but was intercepted 74 times. First impressions are important but last impressions can be just as indelible.

“That’s the question that was asked of me in 2003 when Kenny was a finalist and I didn’t answer it very well,” Cooney said. Numbers are numbers and reputations prosper or diminish because of them.

“When Stabler was with Houston those three years,” Cooney said, “they ran an ‘I’ formation (a run-oriented offense). Earl Campbell and Dave Casper both pleaded to Bum Phillips that the Oilers needed to open up the offense. Didn’t happen.”

Just to play devil’s advocate: “But if you’re a Hall of Fame quarterback, Frank, if you’re that good, wouldn’t the coach take advantage of your Hall of Fame talents?”

“Remember, the Oilers didn’t have a lot of talent at the time on offense,” Cooney said.

Without question Raiders boss Al Davis made life miserable for Stabler. Davis wanted his quarterback to throw 60 yards. Ideally on every play. Stabler was a short passer, laser-accurate, but no safety played him 30 yards deep. When the Raiders “slumped” to 9-7 in both 1978 and 1979, Davis pointed the public finger at Stabler.

If a player got on the wrong side of Al - see Marcus Allen for further details - Davis would pin him to the wall with damaging innuendo. When it came to sliming players, Al had the Hall of Fame grease gun. And he was not afraid to use it.

“Stabler met with Davis in Al’s office in 2009,” Cooney said. “Al told Kenny, ‘I’m the reason you’re not in the Hall of Fame.’?”

Stabler was kicked out of Oakland, the imprint of Davis’ boot-print firmly planted on his backside. Even though Stabler led Houston and New Orleans to their best season records at the time, Lefty never escaped Davis’ middle finger. Ending his career by throwing 32 more picks than touchdowns just added to the impression.

Such numbers obscured other numbers. Stabler was the only quarterback to lead a team to five consecutive conference championships. Stabler became the fastest quarterback to win 100 games (100-50). Along with Staubach and Bradshaw, Stabler was voted to the 1970s All-Decade team. Every quarterback, before or since, to receive that honor is in the Hall of Fame or will be.

“Snake Stabler was the best quarterback in the ’70s, not me,” Bradshaw told Cooney. “Ken Stabler was better than me.”

Oh yes, nine quarterbacks in Canton threw more interceptions than touchdowns.

“I got to know Joe (Montana) and Kenny real well,” said Cooney, a San Francisco Examiner reporter who covered the Raiders the last five years they were in Oakland before Davis moved them to Los Angeles. “They were amazingly similar, cool, calm under pressure.”

So, Frank said, whaddya think? As a voter for baseball’s Hall of Fame, I place a lot of credibility in my inner voice and the questions it poses.

Joe Namath and Bob Griese are in the Hall of Fame. Would I pick them over Stabler in a two-minute drill?

Not a chance.

Did I ever sneak out for a hamburger when Stabler was under center?

Not a chance.

Is my memory of him fuzzy?

Not a chance.

Twelve Raiders from his era have made the Hall of Fame. That doesn’t help his chances. But when you list those 12 in order of importance, where’s Stabler’s name? After Al’s, it’s a tie for second place with Gene Upshaw, Art Shell and Stabler.

So this is what I told Cooney. He will present the following to the other 45 voters next week.

“I don’t think from a personal level that I can extricate myself from my experience in Gulf Shores, nor do I think many people would. Tell the guys it would not bother me if Stabler is elected. There is enough evidence that if it came to me, I would probably say yes.”

Ken Stabler was great long enough.

To contact Bob Padecky email him at bobpadecky@gmail.com.