Jon Richter, son of Rams great Les Richter, defends Hall of Fame policy amid Junior Seau controversy
A lot of people got upset last week about a report that Junior Seau's family would not be able to speak at his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Aug. 8.
Jon Richter is not among those incensed. And his opinion counts more than most.
The Hall's policy has been in place since 2010, and it calls for a video presentation for inductees who are enshrined posthumously, rather than speeches. It "provides for an expanded presenting video [longer than the videos of living inductees]," the Hall said in a statement last Friday, "followed by the traditional unveiling of the bronzed bust and no additional comments made from the podium."
The first inductee under the new policy was Jon Richter's father, Les. He was one of the best linebackers in the long history of the Rams organization, and later went on to serve as head of operations for NASCAR. The eight-time Pro Bowler and U.S. Army veteran died in 2010 and became a part of the 2011 class.
"I presented my father in the video," said Jon Richter, 54, who lives in Riverside, Calif., where his father lived the last years of his life. "I was probably interviewed for an hour, hour and a half. They parsed it down to 12-15 minutes. I was fully aware that I wasn't going to give a speech."
Richter said the Hall was "very upfront" about the policy and "I was never given the impression by the Hall of Fame that I was going to be able to do that." He went further, saying he felt the policy was appropriate considering the living members could speak for themselves and "I was doing it as a third party." He said even if he were to give a speech, "presenting it in a video was what I would have said anyway."
One notable difference between Richter's situation and the Seau family's is that Richter said he "had no aspirations" about making a speech. The Seaus said they were led to believe daughter Sydney could speak at her father's ceremony, according to a statement by the family's lawyer:
"Unfortunately, the Hall of Fame is unwilling to reverse its decision despite communicating to the family earlier this year that Sydney would be able to speak at the ceremony. Contrary to the most recent statement by the Hall of Fame, the family does not support the current policy that prevents family members from delivering live remarks on behalf of deceased inductees.
"However, the Seau family does not want this issue to become a distraction to Junior's accomplishments and legacy or those of the other inductees."
Although Richter understands the wish to speak on behalf of a loved one, he also understands the reasons to keep the current policy.
"If they were to make an exception, then what's the criteria for making an exception in future cases?" he said. "The enshrinement is an honor, and it's bestowed on very few. To muddy it up because you don't agree with the policies of the Hall …"
"I cannot speak any higher of how we were treated while we were there," Richter continued. "They had to cut [the time] down. The introductions were becoming 45-minute speeches by themselves. They had to shorten it into a show that people would want to buy tickets and sit through it."
Length of speeches has also been an issue. The new policy was enacted after both Chiefs general manager Carl Peterson and Derrion Thomas spoke on behalf of the late Derrick Thomas. Richter said the length of the video was fine with him as well, and that had he given a speech, it would have been only 15 minutes or so.
And what if the Hall decides to go back to the old way?
"That would be the Hall's call," Richter said. "Whatever the Hall decides is completely the Hall's decision. It wouldn't affect me. We've already been there."
