Howard Cosell may be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame soon.

Cosell ventured where few others in the sports media had the courage to go.  Cosell entertained his audience as part linguist and part word-smith with a distinctive staccato delivery that demanded the audience's attention.  People who speak out on issues as Cosell did invariably pay a price for their courage.   Cosell had such courage whether its was a discussion of athletes of color in sports, free-agency, illegal drugs in sports, anti-trust laws, player strikes, owners unjustly moving teams, increasing fan violence, or parity in the NFL.  Cosell was an advocate of the fans, and despite pressures from a powerful NFL hierarchy, Cosell maintained his social sense of purpose, and his conservative belief in basic American rights, such as due process and freedom of speech.  One of his most famous and enduring catchphrases was, "I'm just telling it like it is."  Seriously, were people expecting anything less?  He was after all, the one and only - Howard Cosell, an iconic legend of sports-broadcasting and sports-journalism. 

Read it all here:  http://canton-ohio-pro-football-hall-of-fame.blogspot.com/