Art Monk

Art Monk, the NFL's all-time reception leader, signed a free-agent contract with the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday and might play against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. Club sources said Monk will be paid about $50,000 for the Eagles' final four games. Monk, 37, said he's not in it for the money. "I love the game," said Monk, whose 934 career catches are 29 more than Jerry Rice.

Hal Bedsole, an All-American receiver for USC's 1962 national championship team, will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Bedsole was announced Tuesday as part of a 14-player, three-coach Hall of Fame class that will be honored at a Dec. 4 dinner in New York City. “It's kind of like being struck by lightning,” Bedsole said. “You think about [the possibility] about once every 10 years and then you go back to your life. I'm very honored because there were some great players who also were considered.” At 6-feet-5 and 221 pounds, Bedsole played from 1961 to 1963 and caught 82 passes for 1,717 yards and 20 touchdowns.

After a long workout last month in the stifling heat of Ashburn, Va., most of the Washington Redskins dragged themselves slowly over to the bench and lined up at the water coolers. Most--but not Art Monk. Heading the other way, Monk, the Redskins' senior wide receiver, walked briskly up to the referee who had been brought in for the day to discuss the NFL's new rules.

PHOENIX -- Like the two old friends they are, Darrell Green and Art Monk chatted about the latest news in their lives: making the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Never mind that thousands of people were listening to the conference call after Saturday's announcement. This was simply two former Washington Redskins sharing verbal hugs after receiving the sport's highest honor.

When Art Monk talks, the Washington Redskins listen. They certainly did when he called a team meeting the night before a game late last year when the team was struggling. "I think that fired up the whole team," tight end Ron Middleton said. "That was a big inspiration to me. The guy doesn't talk much, but when he has something to say, it's profound."

I can give you Super Bowl XXVI in two words. Ho. And hum. Stop me if you've heard this before--but the National Football Conference outclassed the junior conference Sunday for the eighth time in a row. One more and they get permanent possession of it to hang on their den wall. Forget the final score. Buffalo didn't get in this game till it was as long gone as the Titanic.

Every year, usually beginning in the spring, literature arrives at my office trumpeting the virtues of candidates for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I don't recall getting a single leaflet or fax or handout lobbying for Art Monk, who is up for election Saturday morning. And it's perfectly appropriate that there's no campaign for Monk, considering he never lobbied for himself and spoke only when it was necessary -- and sometimes not even then.

During the first quarter of Super Bowl XXVI, the Washington Redskins' Art Monk caught a touchdown pass in the end zone, putting his team ahead, 6-0. It didn't count. They have this little machine up in the far reaches of the stadium. It's a little snitch. It has no resiliency. It caught the action. It revealed that Art Monk's big toe on one foot was on the out-of-bounds line! Big infraction! No touchdown!

The mission was to get Art Monk's NFL receptions record out of the way, preferably Monday night, the better to concentrate on playing the Philadelphia Eagles next week. The Washington Redskins were single-minded about it. "We padded those last three plays for him," said Redskin Coach Joe Gibbs after Monk caught three passes in a row in a fourth-quarter drive.

Art Monk has 791 receptions and 10,847 yards and, before he's done, is virtually assured of being the most-prolific pass catcher in NFL history. Still, a string of dazzling numbers can't begin to explain his success, for he certainly isn't the fastest, strongest or biggest wide receiver in pro football. Yet there's little argument about his worth. Around the NFL, he's considered the prototypical professional and a graceful, seemingly ageless receiver.

Every year, usually beginning in the spring, literature arrives at my office trumpeting the virtues of candidates for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I don't recall getting a single leaflet or fax or handout lobbying for Art Monk, who is up for election Saturday morning. And it's perfectly appropriate that there's no campaign for Monk, considering he never lobbied for himself and spoke only when it was necessary -- and sometimes not even then.

An off-game by Steve Young didn't stop the San Francisco 49ers from dominating the St. Louis Rams again. Young had his first multi-interception game in nearly two years but still had three touchdown passes and and Darnell Walker had two first-half interceptions that led to scores as the 49ers defeated the Rams for the 16th consecutive time, 28-10, Sunday. "They made the plays when they had to. We made none," Ram cornerback Todd Lyght said.

Art Monk, the NFL's all-time reception leader, signed a free-agent contract with the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday and might play against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. Club sources said Monk will be paid about $50,000 for the Eagles' final four games. Monk, 37, said he's not in it for the money. "I love the game," said Monk, whose 934 career catches are 29 more than Jerry Rice.

Art Monk, usually a man of few words, spoke volumes with his actions Friday. In a rare public display of discontent, the Washington Redskins veteran wide receiver was a no-show when the team opened its annual weekend minicamp. It was no surprise that linebacker Wilber Marshall, who's irate about his franchise player designation, was the only other player on the 87-man roster to miss the opening of camp.

The mission was to get Art Monk's NFL receptions record out of the way, preferably Monday night, the better to concentrate on playing the Philadelphia Eagles next week. The Washington Redskins were single-minded about it. "We padded those last three plays for him," said Redskin Coach Joe Gibbs after Monk caught three passes in a row in a fourth-quarter drive.

After a long workout last month in the stifling heat of Ashburn, Va., most of the Washington Redskins dragged themselves slowly over to the bench and lined up at the water coolers. Most--but not Art Monk. Heading the other way, Monk, the Redskins' senior wide receiver, walked briskly up to the referee who had been brought in for the day to discuss the NFL's new rules.

Hal Bedsole, an All-American receiver for USC's 1962 national championship team, will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Bedsole was announced Tuesday as part of a 14-player, three-coach Hall of Fame class that will be honored at a Dec. 4 dinner in New York City. “It's kind of like being struck by lightning,” Bedsole said. “You think about [the possibility] about once every 10 years and then you go back to your life. I'm very honored because there were some great players who also were considered.” At 6-feet-5 and 221 pounds, Bedsole played from 1961 to 1963 and caught 82 passes for 1,717 yards and 20 touchdowns.

An off-game by Steve Young didn't stop the San Francisco 49ers from dominating the St. Louis Rams again. Young had his first multi-interception game in nearly two years but still had three touchdown passes and and Darnell Walker had two first-half interceptions that led to scores as the 49ers defeated the Rams for the 16th consecutive time, 28-10, Sunday. "They made the plays when they had to. We made none," Ram cornerback Todd Lyght said.

During the first quarter of Super Bowl XXVI, the Washington Redskins' Art Monk caught a touchdown pass in the end zone, putting his team ahead, 6-0. It didn't count. They have this little machine up in the far reaches of the stadium. It's a little snitch. It has no resiliency. It caught the action. It revealed that Art Monk's big toe on one foot was on the out-of-bounds line! Big infraction! No touchdown!

I can give you Super Bowl XXVI in two words. Ho. And hum. Stop me if you've heard this before--but the National Football Conference outclassed the junior conference Sunday for the eighth time in a row. One more and they get permanent possession of it to hang on their den wall. Forget the final score. Buffalo didn't get in this game till it was as long gone as the Titanic.