courtesy of sf49ers.com
Training camp is in full swing, but this weekend is as good a time as any to take a step back and recognize a great from the past. Fred Dean, former defensive end for the 49ers will be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame today at <b>6pm eastern time</b> in Canton, Ohio.
We've already established his greatness, as he was voted to our All-Time team as the #1 Defensive End. While his career was spent primarily in San Diego, Dean had a big impact in his 4+ seasons with the 49ers, stepping up as a leader on two Super Bowl winning defenses.
To be perfectly honest, Dean's time with the 49ers came before I watched sports, or at least before I knew what I was watching. His last year with the 49ers I was 5 years old and just starting to become the obsessive football fan I am now. As such, rather than talk about Dean, I thought I'd leave it to people who had a chance to watch him in action. So, we'll consider this sort of a Fred Dean Golden Nuggets link dump/open thread. For those of you who have memories of Fred Dean, feel free to share them.
49ers Official Fred Dean HOF page
Pro Football HOF Class of 2008 page - Dean is the first enshrinee listed and it includes links to his Hall of Fame bio, a photo montage, "Notes and Quotes," and career highlights via the NFL Network.
Former Cowboys chief scout Gil Brandt reflects on the amazing talents of Fred Dean from a scout's perspective.
Teammate Dwaine Board and former Falcons left tackle Mike Kenn reflect on Fred Dean
Fred Dean on his transition from San Diego to San Francisco.
As I see more links I'll throw them up, but feel free to contribute any you come across.