PHOENIX — Tim Brown is once again a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, now for the sixth time since he became eligible in 2010. Once again, the former Raiders wide receiver great is hoping it will finally be his turn to get the call to Canton when the latest class for 2015 is announced Saturday.
"It's hard to be oblivious to things that are going on, because it's too big to say 'I'm not going to think about it or worry about it," said Brown, who talked to Sporting News as a representative for Sony's new Xperia Z2 tablet.
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"It's too big of an event in your life. You just have to manage your expectations and those of the people around you. If you can find a way to do that, it makes it go a little smoother so whatever happens, you keep going on."
There's a notion that it will keep getting more difficult for Brown to get in the Hall, as modern receivers keep putting up more prolific numbers in pass-happier schemes than when Brown played for the Raiders, between 1998 and 2002. Brown thinks that won't be the case.
"What I don't understand is, is how what we did has been diminished by what the guys are doing today," Brown said. "You would think it would be tougher for those guys to get into the Hall of Fame. Back in our day, we only had to throw the ball 22, 23, 25 times a game. Now they're throwing 45 times a game. It's harder for the guys today because everyone's going to have incredible numbers."
Brown had numbers to stack up against anyone who ever played. He's fourth in both career receptions and receiving yardage with 1,094 and 14,394, respectively. He had 100 receiving touchdowns and was very durable, going to nine Pro Bowls in his 16 seasons. He should be in.
Brown thinks NFL fans and observers, many of them fantasy football players, are just more aware of statistics than they were back then.
"Nowadays, it's about the numbers," Brown said. "It's not whether you win a game or what your effect was on the game. That's the unfortunate part that has happened. I would have friends who got mad at me, too, when I scored a touchdown, because they wanted Tyrone Wheatley to score a touchdown. That's just one of the things you had to deal with. It's just a sign of the times."
Brown has become patient, learning from other contemporaries who had to wait their turn for Canton. Former Bills great Andre Reed got in after eight tries in the 2014 class.
"Andre Reed, a good friend of mine, I watched him go through this for years," he said. "From that standpoint, you understand it's something you have to grin and bear. You just pray that your time is coming up, and you can put the process behind you."
As for his chances of getting in with the 2015 class, Brown likes them.
"I do feel good because I'm the old guy in the group now," he said. "If they put a receiver in, hopefully they'll put the old guy in. From that sense, it would make sense so they can deal with the younger receivers who have been coming through the league."
Brown starred in a day before the NFL''s current technology. He can only imagine how much his life as a football player would have been easier if had something as cool as the Xperia he now owns during his playing days.
"It's been an incredible piece of equipment for me," Brown said. "This would have been great to have instead of all the papers. It would have been amazing to show coaches what exactly what I'm seeing instead of telling them, 'Hey, look at this'. It shows you where the game is evolving, and where it will keep evolving."
