DETROIT -- An offensive lineman who played back in the 1950s, Dick Stanfel didnt have a lot of stats floating around to help his Hall of Fame case.What he had was people like Marv Levy who were willing to stand up on his behalf.I realize he played so long ago that a lot of the people that are voting now dont even remember the time, but this guy is so deserving, said Levy, the Hall of Fame former coach of the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs. I remember going back to Hall of Fame meetings where guys like Gino Marchetti and Artie Donovan would tell me he was the best offensive lineman that ever played.Nearly six decades after the end of his playing career, Stanfel is being enshrined posthumously into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this week. In a class of inductees headlined by more recent luminaries Brett Favre and Tony Dungy, Stanfel offers a history lesson -- a chance for fans to learn about and appreciate one of the games standouts from the pre-Super Bowl era.Stanfel played seven seasons with Detroit and Washington, leading the Lions to NFL championships in 1952 and 1953. He earned All-Pro honors five times in his relatively short playing career.You hate to use the word technician, but he was, Hall of Famer Mike Ditka said. Dick was a hell of a football player.Stanfel would eventually work for Ditka, serving on his staff with the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints as part of a coaching career that spanned 40 years.Stanfel died last year at age 87. Hed come close to making the hall in 1993 and 2012, falling short as a finalist.After dads death, we pretty much had resigned ourselves that he would just be forgotten, Stanfels son Rich said.Instead, Stanfel was selected as a finalist again last August by the seniors committee, a couple of months after his death. He was voted in last February and will be enshrined Saturday in Canton, Ohio, with the rest of his class.Rich Stanfel said the family has been ecstatic that Dick finally made it in.Were really happy to be a part of this, he said. Its been pretty much an amazing ride for us right now.After being drafted by the Lions in 1951, Stanfel missed that season with a knee injury. He recovered from that setback and played the next four years with Detroit.After three seasons with Washington, he ended his playing career at age 31; Redskins coach Joe Kuharich left to go to Notre Dame, and Stanfel went with him as an assistant coach.That type of move would be unusual nowadays -- and the early retirement might have hurt Stanfels Hall of Fame chances -- but Rich Stanfel said the financial ramifications of going from playing to coaching were different then.Im glad dad took that opportunity, Rich Stanfel said. He might not have gotten another opportunity to coach, and he made an entire career of it.Levy, who was the coach at California from 1960-63, hired Stanfel as a line coach. Stanfel had played at the University of San Francisco and was born in the area.He blew me away with how well he taught, said Levy, who will be Stanfels presenter for his enshrinement. I recall one instance when he wasnt happy with how a guard was pulling and trapping an outside linebacker, so he stepped in -- no pads, no helmet -- to demonstrate, and Ive never seen anybody do it better than he did.By the mid-1980s, Stanfel was with the Bears, coaching their offensive line. He was part of Ditkas staff in 1985 when Chicago dominated the league en route to a Super Bowl title.He was the most consummate line coach Ive ever been around, Ditka said. He was a great teacher, and he related to the guys.Stanfel was on Ditkas staff in New Orleans before retiring from coaching after the 1998 season. He could have easily dropped off the radar as a Hall of Fame candidate after that, but Levy in particular wouldnt let it happen.Marv Levy would always come back to that committee when they asked him, `Who do you think should be in? Rich Stanfel said. And hed always, you know: `First and foremost, Dick Stanfel.Levy insists he wasnt alone in the push to help Stanfel reach the Hall of Fame, an effort that at long last has succeeded.I and so many other current Hall of Famers are really elated that this so-well-deserved honor is finally taking place, Levy said. Ive been among many whove campaigned for him.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Cheap Air Max 2018 . Dukurs winning time was 1 minute, 45.76 seconds, a quarter-second better than Russias Alexander Tretiakov. Lativas Tomass Dukurs was third, 1.41 seconds off the pace. Jon Montgomery of Eckville, Alta. Black Air Max 2018 Outlet . Inter president Erick Thohir says in a club statement on Wednesday that Vidic is "one of the worlds best defenders and his qualities, international pedigree, and charisma will be an asset. http://www.wholesaleairmaxsale.com/ .C. United of Major League Soccer. 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Cronulla continue to close ranks around under-siege halfback Chad Townsend in a bid to preserve the playmakers confidence.Townsend was benched at a crucial stage in the Sharks NRL semi-final win over Canberra.And he heads into Friday nights preliminary final showdown against North Queensland facing a head-to-head battle with the games best Johnathan Thurston as the player from either side most under pressure.Townsend hasnt spoken publicly since his demotion last week.He declined post-match requests for interviews in Canberra, turned down reporters requests for a chat at the Rugby Leagues Players Association awards on Tuesday night and wasnt made available at a Sharks media day on Sunday.Coach Shane Flanagan said he was unlikely to reprise the shock move of shifting Jack Bird from the centres to halfback in place of Townsend against the Cowboys.Flanagan is confident Townsends confidence hasnt been affected by his semi-final sacking.He is all good, Flanagan said.It was a decision I had to make last week. It wasnt one I made lightly but it worked out OK for us.Chad has trained well. He is a really important part of our team.He gets our fielld position and gets all our calls going.dddddddddddd I am really confident he is going to fight back and you are going to see the real Chad Townsend on Friday.It was a courageous call from Flanagan and the right one considering the Sharks fought back to beat the Raiders.Flanagan said Townsend had accepted his shortcomings.Chad is really honest, he knows he wasnt doing what he was supposed to do, Flanagan said.He was the first one to come in on Monday and basically say I agree with what you do.He came back to us this year a lot more mature player and Im sure he is going to bounce back.Townsends halves partner James Maloney said he would learn the lessons of his game against Canberra.Chad is too good a player to not be ready to go on Friday, Maloney said.He has been a really important part of our team this year and we need him to be good.Hooker Michael Ennis said his combination with Townsend would be crucial against the Cowboys.We need him there Friday night and I know he is looking forward to it, Ennis said. 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