Jonathan Ogden’s speech Saturday night was like Jonathan Ogden the man.
Classy. Powerful. Memorable.
Ogden was the first of seven inductees to speak at the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction in Canton, Ohio. He hit a home run batting leadoff.
Several times during his speech, Ogden was interrupted by applause from the contingent of Ravens fans in the crowd. Ogden didn’t cry, but his emotion was obvious. He thanked a host of people, to his parents, to former coaches, to college administrators at UCLA.
Early in life, Ogden learned to make the most of his opportunities.
“I was blessed with tremendous God-given talent, yes, but talent isn’t enough,” Ogden said. “A lot of people have talent, but they don’t always live up to it. For me, it’s always been about trying to maximize every little bit you have. If you strive for perfection, maybe, just maybe you can become great.”
Ogden did exactly that, becoming one of the greatest left tackles in NFL history. In his 12-year career, he made the Pro Bowl 11 times, and was named first-team All-Pro 10 times. Ogden was the first draft pick in Ravens history, setting the perfect foundation for a winning franchise.
Among those in the audience watching Ogden’s speech Saturday were Ray Lewis, former Ravens coach Brian Billick, and Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti. Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome started the proceedings by presenting Ogden. Newsome and Ogden unveiled Ogden’s Hall of Fame bust, and an Ogden highlight film featuring comments from Newsome was played before Ogden’s speech.
“He was unbelievable, the type of athleticism he had,’’ Newsome said.
“He had the feet of a defensive back.” Ogden’s speech lasted about 14 minutes. But for him, the memories of Saturday night will last a lifetime.
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