DETROIT -- An offensive lineman who played back in the 1950s, Dick Stanfel didnt have a lot of stats floating around to help his Hall of Fame case.What he had was people like Marv Levy who were willing to stand up on his behalf.I realize he played so long ago that a lot of the people that are voting now dont even remember the time, but this guy is so deserving, said Levy, the Hall of Fame former coach of the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs. I remember going back to Hall of Fame meetings where guys like Gino Marchetti and Artie Donovan would tell me he was the best offensive lineman that ever played.Nearly six decades after the end of his playing career, Stanfel is being enshrined posthumously into the Pro Ftball Hall of Fame this week. In a class of inductees headlined by more recent luminaries Brett Favre and Tony Dungy, Stanfel offers a history lesson -- a chance for fans to learn about and appreciate one of the games standouts from the pre-Super Bowl era.Stanfel played seven seasons with Detroit and Washington, leading the Lions to NFL championships in 1952 and 1953. He earned All-Pro honors five times in his relatively short playing career.You hate to use the word technician, but he was, Hall of Famer Mike Ditka said. Dick was a hell of a ftball player.Stanfel would eventually work for Ditka, serving on his staff with the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints as part of a coaching career that spanned 40 years.Stanfel died last year at age 87. Hed come close to making the hall in 1993 and 2012, falling short as a finalist.After dads death, we pretty much had resigned ourselves that he would just be forgotten, Stanfels son Rich said.Instead, Stanfel was selected as a finalist again last August by the seniors committee, a couple of months after his death. He was voted in last February and will be enshrined Saturday in Canton, Ohio, with the rest of his class.Rich Stanfel said the family has been ecstatic that Dick finally made it in.Were really happy to be a part of this, he said. Its been pretty much an amazing ride for us right now.After being drafted by the Lions in 1951, Stanfel missed that season with a knee injury. He recovered from that setback and played the next four years with Detroit.After three seasons with Washington, he ended his playing career at age 31; Redskins coach Joe Kuharich left to go to Notre Dame, and Stanfel went with him as an assistant coach.That type of move would be unusual nowadays -- and the early retirement might have hurt Stanfels Hall of Fame chances -- but Rich Stanfel said the financial ramifications of going from playing to coaching were different then.Im glad dad tk that opportunity, Rich Stanfel said. He might not have gotten another opportunity to coach, and he made an entire career of it.Levy, who was the coach at California from 1960-63, hired Stanfel as a line coach. Stanfel had played at the University of San Francisco and was born in the area.He blew me away with how well he taught, said Levy, who will be Stanfels presenter for his enshrinement. I recall one instance when he wasnt happy with how a guard was pulling and trapping an outside linebacker, so he stepped in -- no pads, no helmet -- to demonstrate, and Ive never seen anybody do it better than he did.By the mid-1980s, Stanfel was with the Bears, coaching their offensive line. He was part of Ditkas staff in 1985 when Chicago dominated the league en route to a Super Bowl title.He was the most consummate line coach Ive ever been around, Ditka said. He was a great teacher, and he related to the guys.Stanfel was on Ditkas staff in New Orleans before retiring from coaching after the 1998 season. He could have easily dropped off the radar as a Hall of Fame candidate after that, but Levy in particular wouldnt let it happen.Marv Levy would always come back to that committee when they asked him, `Who do you think should be in? Rich Stanfel said. And hed always, you know: `First and foremost, Dick Stanfel.Levy insists he wasnt alone in the push to help Stanfel reach the Hall of Fame, an effort that at long last has succeeded.I and so many other current Hall of Famers are really elated that this so-well-deserved honor is finally taking place, Levy said. Ive been among many whove campaigned for him.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Wholesale Bills Jerseys . -- Playing time has been limited for Maxim Tissot this season, so the Montreal Impact defender made the most of his first scoring opportunity on Saturday. Black Bills Jerseys Shop . The formidable trio of Canadian receivers -- individually known as Chris Getzlaf, Rob Bagg and Andy Fantuz -- will share the field at Mosaic Stadium one more time on Sunday. http://www.cheapbillsjerseyselite.com/ . Colin Wilson had two goals and an assist, and Mike Fisher scored a goal and helped set up two others in the Predators 6-4 victory over the Red Wings on Monday night. Authentic Bills Jerseys . Listen to the game live on TSN Radio 1050 at 7pm et. The Raptors traded Rudy Gay, Quincy Acy and Aaron Gray to the Sacramento Kings on Monday, in exchange for Greivis Vasquez, John Salmons, Patrick Patterson and Chuck Hayes. Youth Bills Jerseys . But by the time the game started, the Toronto Raptors forward felt even worse. And, for three quarters, it showed as Gay shot a woeful three-for-13 from the field.India joined the century party before England hit back with two late wickets on a fascinating day in Rajkot. Click on the video above to see the best of the action from the third day of the first Test, as India reached 319-4, though still trailing England by 218 runs.Stuart Broads early strike of Gautam Gambhir (29) lbw in the second over of the day had England optimistic of further breakthroughs, but they were slow to materialise. Instead Murali Vijay (126) and Cheteshwar Pujara (124) combined to frustrate England in a fine partnership of 209 in 67 overs.But just when it lked like the pair would grind the tourists into the dust, Ben Stokes found the edge of Pujaras batt and skipper Alastair Ck held on to a sharp chance at slip.ddddddddddddThat lked like being that for England until their spinners got to work late on - Adil Rashid forcing Vijay to glove to short leg before, in the final over of the day, Amit Mishra departed for a second-ball duck - also caught close in by debutant Haseeb Hameed.Watch extended highlights from day three of the first Test from 2pm and 8pm on Sky Sports 2, with The Verdict following immediately afterwards at 3pm and 9pm. Also See: Scorecard Over-by-over Get Sky Sports Cricket videos ' ' '