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http://blogs.mercurynews.com/49ers/...ly-five-rings-but-advice-for-next-generation/
Charles Haley heads to Hall of Fame with not only five rings but advice for next generation
Posted on July 23, 2015 by Cam Inman
Once a defensive menace for the 49ers and Dallas Cowboys, Charles Haley says his upcoming enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame offers “a new beginning” and an outlet to help others.
“I have a platform to stand on issues I care about, to raise money for kids and for mental illness,” Haley said Thursday on a media conference call. “I have so many things I want to do.”
Haley, diagnosed in 2002 as being bipolar, has taken a proactive approach with the 49ers and Cowboys in mentoring younger players. In May, he spoke to the 49ers rookie class about his successes and troubles.
Said Haley: “As far as the rookies, and I know they probably got mad, but I said, ‘Why don’t you all act like the white guys? You never see them in the paper getting high or hitting people. Why don’t you act like that?’ They all looked at me crazy.”
It should be noted that fullback Bruce Miller, who is white, had been charged days earlier by Santa Clara County prosecutors with misdemeanor vandalism for throwing his then-fiancee’s phone in an argument; Miller later resolved the case by pleading no contest to disturbing the peace.
“I just did it for the shock value of it,” Haley said of his May speech. “… The hardest thing is these guys, they have an attention span of a 5-year-old. I’m not the most gentle and kind person to sit there and deal with that crap. I’m a little more confrontational. I think I got my point across.”
Haley emphasized that young players need positive role models, and for his initial years with the 49ers, those were Ronnie Lott, Joe Montana, Keena Turner, Eric Wright, Michael Carter and Dwaine Board.
“You’ve got to have people that stand for something, until you’re able to lead yourself,” Haley added.
Haley has counselled not only young players but also 49ers outside linebacker Aldon Smith, who in 2011 eclipsed Haley’s record for most sacks by a 49ers rookie. Smith had 14 sacks in 2011 and 19 ½ in 2012, but he missed five games in 2013 while in substance-abuse treatment and he was suspended the first nine games last season.
Haley hailed Smith as a “really good kid” who is a talented and instinctive player. “He’s just got to stay on the field,” Haley added. “He can’t allow other people to push him in the wrong direction. The bad part about Aldon is that nobody is going to give him the benefit of the doubt if something happens, because of his past.
“That’s what I keep telling him, that my past haunted me. I had to sit down and make a change, and put my energy into playing football and not to those people that tried to hurt me.”
Haley recognized that his off-the-field behavior was far from exemplary. His Hall of Fame credentials, meanwhile, all bolstered by his NFL-record five Super Bowl rings, 100 1/2 career sacks and five Pro Bowls.
The 49ers became so tired of Haley’s bizarre behavior that they dealt him in 1992 to the rival Cowboys. Haley immediately resented the 49ers.
“It was a ton of bad blood from my standpoint,” Haley recalled. “When I left California, I left California. I didn’t talk to anybody there or whatever. I was just mad at the world. I didn’t look at my side of the road. I pointed my finger at everybody I thought betrayed me.”
Haley eventually made amends with the franchise, and Thursday he expressed his devotion to former coach Bill Walsh and former owner Eddie DeBartolo, the later of whom will present Haley in Canton, Ohio.
“I started going to (DeBartolo’s) charity events after 10 or 12 years and we started that dialogue and conversation. I realized why I love the guy,” Haley said. “He’s a very passionate guy. The only thing he knows how to do is treat us all like family. He treated the best of us to the worst of us like we were his kids. He gave us the best of everything.”
Haley has said he would have had Walsh present him in Canton had the coach not passed away in 2007. “He was the shoulder I cried on a lot,” Haley said of Walsh. “He would call me when I was playing and when I was done, and ask me what do I need, how can he help me. Bill called me a few days before he died and he was still asking me, ‘Charles what can I do for you, how can I help you?’ ”
Now, with five fingers adorned by Super Bowl rings, Haley is finally heading to the Hall of Fame, six years after he retired following a brief encore with the 49ers in 1998-99. Haley is the only player to win five Super Bowl rings, claiming his first two with the 49ers in 1988 and ’89, and then winning his next three after being traded in 1992 to the Dallas Cowboys.
Haley won’t be wearing all five of his Super Bowl rings at his Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement next month.
“I don’t think that’s what it’s about,” Haley said. “I don’t think it’s about me shaming the guys on stage that don’t have any, or me trying to impress people with that.
“My thing is I love the game of football. I love the guys that sacrifice their body, family and everything to become one of the greatest players to ever play in the NFL. I have no time to sit there and make myself bigger than I am. I’m just honored to be there.”
Haley was elected Jan. 31 into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Former Raiders wide receiver Tim Brown also will be enshrined Aug. 8, along with Jerome Bettis, Junior Seau, Will Shields, Bill Polian, Ron Wolf and Mick Tingelhoff.
“No matter how I felt, that I was maybe already a Hall of Famer, you’re not that until you’re put there,” Haley said. “I know some of my actions and behavior would seem to close a lot of doors. … I just said, ‘ Thank you God for having all these people around me that care for me.’ ”
Charles Haley heads to Hall of Fame with not only five rings but advice for next generation
Posted on July 23, 2015 by Cam Inman
Once a defensive menace for the 49ers and Dallas Cowboys, Charles Haley says his upcoming enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame offers “a new beginning” and an outlet to help others.
“I have a platform to stand on issues I care about, to raise money for kids and for mental illness,” Haley said Thursday on a media conference call. “I have so many things I want to do.”
Haley, diagnosed in 2002 as being bipolar, has taken a proactive approach with the 49ers and Cowboys in mentoring younger players. In May, he spoke to the 49ers rookie class about his successes and troubles.
Said Haley: “As far as the rookies, and I know they probably got mad, but I said, ‘Why don’t you all act like the white guys? You never see them in the paper getting high or hitting people. Why don’t you act like that?’ They all looked at me crazy.”
It should be noted that fullback Bruce Miller, who is white, had been charged days earlier by Santa Clara County prosecutors with misdemeanor vandalism for throwing his then-fiancee’s phone in an argument; Miller later resolved the case by pleading no contest to disturbing the peace.
“I just did it for the shock value of it,” Haley said of his May speech. “… The hardest thing is these guys, they have an attention span of a 5-year-old. I’m not the most gentle and kind person to sit there and deal with that crap. I’m a little more confrontational. I think I got my point across.”
Haley emphasized that young players need positive role models, and for his initial years with the 49ers, those were Ronnie Lott, Joe Montana, Keena Turner, Eric Wright, Michael Carter and Dwaine Board.
“You’ve got to have people that stand for something, until you’re able to lead yourself,” Haley added.
Haley has counselled not only young players but also 49ers outside linebacker Aldon Smith, who in 2011 eclipsed Haley’s record for most sacks by a 49ers rookie. Smith had 14 sacks in 2011 and 19 ½ in 2012, but he missed five games in 2013 while in substance-abuse treatment and he was suspended the first nine games last season.
Haley hailed Smith as a “really good kid” who is a talented and instinctive player. “He’s just got to stay on the field,” Haley added. “He can’t allow other people to push him in the wrong direction. The bad part about Aldon is that nobody is going to give him the benefit of the doubt if something happens, because of his past.
“That’s what I keep telling him, that my past haunted me. I had to sit down and make a change, and put my energy into playing football and not to those people that tried to hurt me.”
Haley recognized that his off-the-field behavior was far from exemplary. His Hall of Fame credentials, meanwhile, all bolstered by his NFL-record five Super Bowl rings, 100 1/2 career sacks and five Pro Bowls.
The 49ers became so tired of Haley’s bizarre behavior that they dealt him in 1992 to the rival Cowboys. Haley immediately resented the 49ers.
“It was a ton of bad blood from my standpoint,” Haley recalled. “When I left California, I left California. I didn’t talk to anybody there or whatever. I was just mad at the world. I didn’t look at my side of the road. I pointed my finger at everybody I thought betrayed me.”
Haley eventually made amends with the franchise, and Thursday he expressed his devotion to former coach Bill Walsh and former owner Eddie DeBartolo, the later of whom will present Haley in Canton, Ohio.
“I started going to (DeBartolo’s) charity events after 10 or 12 years and we started that dialogue and conversation. I realized why I love the guy,” Haley said. “He’s a very passionate guy. The only thing he knows how to do is treat us all like family. He treated the best of us to the worst of us like we were his kids. He gave us the best of everything.”
Haley has said he would have had Walsh present him in Canton had the coach not passed away in 2007. “He was the shoulder I cried on a lot,” Haley said of Walsh. “He would call me when I was playing and when I was done, and ask me what do I need, how can he help me. Bill called me a few days before he died and he was still asking me, ‘Charles what can I do for you, how can I help you?’ ”
Now, with five fingers adorned by Super Bowl rings, Haley is finally heading to the Hall of Fame, six years after he retired following a brief encore with the 49ers in 1998-99. Haley is the only player to win five Super Bowl rings, claiming his first two with the 49ers in 1988 and ’89, and then winning his next three after being traded in 1992 to the Dallas Cowboys.
Haley won’t be wearing all five of his Super Bowl rings at his Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement next month.
“I don’t think that’s what it’s about,” Haley said. “I don’t think it’s about me shaming the guys on stage that don’t have any, or me trying to impress people with that.
“My thing is I love the game of football. I love the guys that sacrifice their body, family and everything to become one of the greatest players to ever play in the NFL. I have no time to sit there and make myself bigger than I am. I’m just honored to be there.”
Haley was elected Jan. 31 into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Former Raiders wide receiver Tim Brown also will be enshrined Aug. 8, along with Jerome Bettis, Junior Seau, Will Shields, Bill Polian, Ron Wolf and Mick Tingelhoff.
“No matter how I felt, that I was maybe already a Hall of Famer, you’re not that until you’re put there,” Haley said. “I know some of my actions and behavior would seem to close a lot of doors. … I just said, ‘ Thank you God for having all these people around me that care for me.’ ”
