San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
‘Dr. Doom’ gets due: After 34 years, Robert Brazile is home.
CANTON, Ohio — Outside linebacker Robert Brazile gave a fist pump of approval Saturday night when his bust was unveiled in Canton, Ohio, where he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Brazile, “Dr. Doom,” was presented by his father, Robert Sr., 86. His mother, Ola Mae, also 86, was in front of the stage cheering for her oldest son.
On a clear and warm night at Tom Benson Stadium, Brazile was enshrined with six more members of the Class of 2018: Ray Lewis, Randy Moss, Brian Urlacher, Brian Dawkins, Jerry Kramer and Bobby Beathard.
Terrell Owens boycotted the induction and choose to give his acceptance speech Saturday afternoon at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where he played college football.
Brazile said last week he had practiced his speech every day for the past few months. He was the first to the podium Saturday night.
“When I told my wife, Brenda, that I didn’t know how to start this speech, she looked at me and said, ‘I don’t think starting the speech will be your problem,’” Brazile said.
With family members, friends and teammates applauding from their seats in Brazile’s section, he made what probably was the last acceptance speech by an Oiler.
Brazile paid tribute to Oilers who preceded him into the Hall of Fame, including Earl Campbell, Ken Houston, Elvin Bethea, Curley Culp, Mike Munchak, Warren Moon and Bruce Matthews.
Brazile, a first-round pick in 1975 and a proud member of the Luv Ya Blue Oilers, came to Houston the same year as coach Bum Phillips. Brazile wore the belt buckle that Phillips, who died in 2013, gave him to wear at his induction.
After not missing a start during his 10-year career (197584), earning Pro Bowl recognition seven times and being voted first-team All-Pro five times, Brazile waited 34 years after his retirement to be elected into the Hall of Fame.
Brazile reminisced about growing up in Alabama,
“Where my mother was my first coach.”
He also talked about competing with his brothers for bath water and putting electrical tape on the back of his home-made jerseys with numbers and names of his favorite linebackers, Dick Butkus and Willie Lanier.
Brazile played at Jackson State, where he became teammates and best friends with running back Walter Payton, also a first-round pick enshrined in the Hall of Fame.
“At that time, Walter was bringing scouts from all over to our practices,” he said. “This turned out to be great for Walter and me because we were making history — two firstround draft picks from a Historically Black College or University.
“We got phone calls that we had been drafted by the NFL. The ‘75 NFL draft phone call was important because it brought me in contact with Bud Adams and his family. It gave me a second father, Bum Phillips.
“And, after all these years, I’m finally home.”