Munch a week away

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/sports/982479
July 28, 2001, 6:39PM

Munchak goes into NFL Hall of Fame on Saturday
By JOHN McCLAIN
Copyright 2001 Houston Chronicle

On Dec. 21, 1989, Oilers guard Mike Munchak was voted to the Pro Bowl for the fifth time in his eight-year career. After practice that day, Munchak's teammates congratulated him and talked about how valuable he was to a team that had clinched a third consecutive playoff berth.

Offensive tackle Bruce Davis, who played next to Munchak, made what turned out to be one of the most accurate predictions in NFL history.

"Munch is going to be in the Hall of Fame," Davis said. "I figure they're bronzing his statue right now. They're going to rename the highway between Canton and Scranton Highway 63 in his honor."

There is no highway that runs between Canton, Ohio, home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and Scranton, Pa., Munchak's hometown.

But Munchak's No. 63 -- one of four jerseys retired by Oilers/Titans owner Bud Adams in the franchise's 42-year history -- will be displayed at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

In January, Munchak was voted into what its members call "football's most exclusive fraternity," and 12 years after Davis made his prophetic comment, Munchak even has a street named after him -- 63 Mike Munchak Way that fronts the new consolidated $64 million Scranton High School.

"When they came up with that idea of naming the street in front of the new high school after me, I thought, `Geez, are they sure they want to do this?' " Munchak said proudly but still with a touch of embarrassment. "Now my name's on the letterhead at the new high school that's across the street from Memorial Stadium, where I played.

"Obviously, kids that go to high school in Scranton today don't know who I am, but they (city and school officials) said they want kids to know that, `Hey, he's one of us. He followed his dream and reached his goals and you can, too.' It's such a neat deal for me."

Munchak, who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on Saturday, is the most famous athlete to come from Scranton, a city of 80,000 in northeast Pennsylvania. He has been the favorite son of a football-crazy town whose fans have followed his career since he starred at Central High School and Penn State before the Oilers made him their No. 1 pick in 1982.

"That town got so caught up in my career, and I've really appreciated it," he said. "It's unbelievable how many people from Scranton want to go to Canton. I can't wait to see how many are there."

Munchak played his entire 12-year career (1982-93) with the Oilers. After he retired, he joined the organization as an assistant offensive line coach. After three seasons, he was named the offensive line coach for the Titans. Just as he was as a player, Munchak now is regarded as one of the best assistant coaches in the NFL.

"I've also got a lot of people coming from Houston -- friends, neighbors, business associates and former teammates and coaches," he said. "Actually, there's a nice mix of family and friends from Scranton, Penn State, Houston and Nashville. Everyone's so fired up about it and happy for me."

With the exception of his wife, Marci; daughters Alex, 14, and Juli, 13; and parents, Mike Sr. and Paula, no one is more excited for Munchak than Titans guard Bruce Matthews. Munchak and Matthews were teammates for 11 years, and they've been best friends going on 19 years.

Not surprisingly, Munchak asked Matthews to present him in Canton.

"Bruce may be more excited about this than I am, and I'm real excited," Munchak said.

On Jan. 27, the day before Super Bowl XXXV, the 32-member selection committee voted on the Class of 2001. Matthews had been in Tampa, Fla., the night before accepting the Bart Starr Award from Athletes in Action. On the day Munchak made the Hall of Fame, Matthews was in Orlando accepting the offensive lineman of the year award from the NFL Alumni Association.

"Bruce had three of his kids with him, and I think he went to Disney World while he was there, so he didn't find out about it until he called home and Carrie told him," Munchak said. "He called me on Sunday, and he was just ecstatic.

"I remember the first thing he said to me was, `Well, this means you'll be adding H.O.F. to your autograph.' I didn't know what he meant, but I soon found out."

When members of the Hall of Fame sign autographs, they put H.O.F and the year they were inducted after their name.

"It was great to be able to add that to my signature, but it was something I had to get used to," Munchak said with his usual humility.

And how did Matthews know?

"I was signing autographs in Orlando with Anthony Munoz, Bart Starr and Lee Roy Selmon at the NFL alumni dinner," Matthews said. "They're in the Hall of Fame. I was at the end of the table, and when each ball got to me, I saw they signed H.O.F and their class year after their name. Next to that, my No. 74 looked kind of cheesy."

While Matthews was in Florida signing autographs and accepting awards, Munchak was preparing for his oldest daughter's YMCA basketball game on the morning the results of the voting were announced.

"During the season, Alex said we'd be going to the Super Bowl or Hawaii," Munchak said. "I had told my family the team losing the AFC Championship Game would send its staff to coach in the Pro Bowl.

"When we lost to the Ravens in the second round, I told Alex we wouldn't be going to either one. She said, `Yes, we will. You're going to make the Hall of Fame, so we're going to go to Hawaii.' I tried to explain to her that the Pro Bowl was a great honor, but this was the Hall of Fame and she shouldn't get her hopes up. She said, `Oh, dad. You know how you are. But we're still going to Hawaii.' And she was right."

The first time the newest members of the Hall of Fame get together after they're voted in is at the Pro Bowl.

"I didn't think I'd get in this year even though I was one of 15 finalists," Munchak said. "On the morning of the vote, Marci said, `Oh, is that today?' We were getting ready for Alex's basketball game. I had the television in the kitchen turned on, but I still didn't think I had a real chance.

"When (Hall of Fame executive director) John Bankert came on ESPN live and said my name, I heard `Mike,' and I didn't hear my last name. Marci and the girls came into the room and asked what happened because she knew what I was watching. The phone rang immediately, and it became total bedlam.

"My parents followed it closely every year. They really got their hopes up. It seemed like everyone in Scranton did, too. Probably the best part is that I'm going into the Hall of Fame at a time when my dad can be part of it."

Another thing that makes his induction so special is that Munchak has been in contact with so many former players, coaches and team executives.

"I've had a chance to talk with a lot of guys I hadn't spoken to in years -- guys like Harvey Salem, Dean Steinkuhler, Ed Biles, Bill Walsh, Kim Helton. I could go on and on."

Munchak even heard from former Oilers general manager Ladd Herzeg, who resigned after the 1988 season.

"I got really nice letters from Ladd and (former personnel director and general manager) Mike Holovak," he said. "That meant a lot to me because I wouldn't have been with the Oilers if not for them."

Helton, who coached the Oilers' offensive line from 1987 to 1989, will attend the ceremony. Helton used to call Munchak "Canton" when he coached him.

"The reward for being a great player and a great person should be that your coach is willing to put a guy of Mike's stature in front of them," Helton said about why he used the Canton nickname. "I felt like the other linemen needed to know that I felt like Mike Munchak was one of the better linemen in the history of the game. I felt like someone had to say, `This guy's going to Canton, Ohio -- now go play like him.'

"Munch was every defensive lineman's nightmare, and yet he was one of the classiest guys to ever play the game."

When he was head coach at the University of Houston, Helton tried to hire Munchak to coach his offensive line.

"In football, they say that right after you think you've learned everything, if you listen to your players, you'll learn something else," Helton said. "I learned a lot from Mike. He was coachable. He wasn't offended by my particular style. Some guys try to coach guys that aren't great. I've always tried to make myself say the best player on the team will get coached the hardest."

Munchak wishes another one of his line coaches with the Oilers could make the trip to Canton -- the late Bob Young.

"Bob coached me the longest -- four years (1990-93) -- and I worked under him my first year as a coach," Munchak said. "I know Bob would be thrilled for me.

"I learned a lot from Bob. We had a unique relationship. He played a long time, too. I loved listening to his stories about his days with the Cardinals playing with guys like Dan Dierdorf and Conrad Dobler."

Getting ready for the induction ceremony, the parties, parade, luncheons, dinners and autograph sessions in Canton has been a one-of-a-kind experience, Munchak said.

"This is a neat process to go through, one that I wouldn't trade for anything," he said, "but I won't miss the activity part after it's over because it's almost like planning a wedding."

Munchak has been working on the speech he'll make before a crowd of 15,000 and a national television audience.

"Sure, I'll be nervous," he said. "Nothing can prepare you for it until you actually get there and realize what's in store. A seven-minute talk will seem like seven hours. Standing on the steps of the Hall of Fame in front of all those members who've returned, well, I don't know how it's going to hit me until I step to the podium.

"I'm sure I'll have trouble getting all the words out because it'll be such an emotional moment. But I'm not going to hold anything back. If I get choked up, hey, I won't be able to help it. If it happens, it happens. I may not be the best speaker, and the words may not always be exactly right for the situation, but I'll be speaking from my heart."

Gregg Williams, who coached for the Oilers/Titans for 11 years before he was hired as Buffalo's head coach after last season, wouldn't miss the trip to Canton. Although the Bills are in camp, Williams is going on a charter with many from Buffalo's organization because former Bills coach Marv Levy is also being inducted.

"I'm honored to be able to share such a special occasion with him," Williams said. "I watched Munch play, and I watched him coach, and I learned something from him almost every day.

"He has that outstanding quality of knowing how to do things the right way, on and off the field. After his playing career ended, he transferred that super work ethic to coaching, and that's one reason he's such an outstanding coach."

Titans general manager Floyd Reese has known Munchak since he was hired by the Oilers as linebackers coach in 1986.

"With all his Pro Bowl selections (nine) and playoff appearances (seven), Mike's never changed," Reese said. "And other than signing his name with H.O.F, I haven't seen any difference in him. And I'd be shocked if I did."


Another good thing happens to former Houston Atheletes. The Texans could use a line coach...



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A 50 win season?