Jake's Finally in the Hall, but How?

Upon hearing the news that legendary Bulldog defensive back-punt returner-man of mystery Jake Scott had finally been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, my initial thought was that it was about time.  My second: Hell must have just frozen over for many believed, including perhaps the great Scott himself, that because of the powers that be, he would never be headed to the Hall.

As I mentioned in a post of mine just over a year ago following Scott's nomination for the 2010 class, my intrigue with the man began when I was a youngster.  As we drove by the Georgia Coliseum one day, my father pointed and told me of the Bulldog football player that drove his motorcycle up one end of the arena and back down the other.  I was instantly captivated.  

My interest continued to heighten just a few years ago after reading Dave Hyde's sensational piece on the fascinating yet evasive Scott, whose life, history, and even whereabouts seemed to be surrounded by mystery.

The true mystery is why it took so long for arguably the greatest defensive player ever at Georgia to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.  

The reason is the same as to why there are many other deserving players not included, yet Coach Jim Donnan, who was at Division I-AA Marshall for just six seasons and had a sub-par five years at Georgia, was inducted less than a decade after his coaching career ended.  

The reason is also the same as to why the first criterion of Hall of Fame eligibility is "FIRST AND FOREMOST, A PLAYER MUST HAVE RECEIVED MAJOR FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICA RECOGNITION," yet inductees like Archie Manning and our own Fran Tarkenton were never first-team All-Americans as chosen by a major selector.

Simply put, the reason is political, and as mentioned in my post from March 2010, there can be a lot of politics involved when the National Football Foundation's (NFF) Honors Court actually selects the class.

So, how did Jake Scott finally get chosen this year by the Honors Court when he should have been inducted decades ago?  Why this particular class and not last year when Scott was also nominated?  What was the difference? 

I spoke with a contact of mine, who works closely with the NFF, and he said (off the record) that the Honors Court, with some nudging from a higher up (I won't mention the name) at the College Football Hall of Fame, "is trying to undo some of the earlier committee oversights and left-offs such as Billy Cannon, Gene Washington [of Michigan State], Ed Dyas (just before he died), and Jake Scott."

Although as many as three decades late, I guess the most important thing is not how, but the fact that Scott is now in the Hall of Fame where he belongs, even if undeservingly left out in the past.

Of course, from what we know of Jake Scott, he could probably care less...

CHECK OUT out Jake Scott's 90-yard punt return vs. Tennessee in 1968 (beginning of video clip)

CHECK OUT out a Scott interception vs. Tennessee in '68 (towards end of clip)