Episode 313 - Contributor Profile of Dick Haley

0:00And that's the end of the first half, as the team said to the locker room, the Spartans lead the Bulldogs by a score. You guys stink. Jeez, Coach, we're only down a couple of points. No, I mean, you guys really smell. You need to hit the showers. And here, I got every one of you new bars of soap from the Sterling soap company. Each bar is artisan crafted using natural ingredients and essential oils. They also have shaved soaps, cologne, beard, balm, and a whole lot more. Now get in there. But Coach, we have another half to play. I don't care. I can't stand to be around you a few minutes later. All right, bring it in tight. You guys are still playing terrible, but you're smelling great out there. Now listen, you're going to need to stock up for the rest of the season. We got a lot of tough games left. So go to sterlingsoap.com after the game. That's STIRL-I-N-G-Sope.com. You got that? Yes, Coach? Great. SterlingSope.com on three. One, two, three. SterlingSope.com. Welcome to the official football learning academy podcast.

1:10I'm your host Ken Krippen, and I'm the founder and lead instructor at the football learning academy in online school teaching pro football history. To learn more about the football learning academy, go to our website at www.football-learning-academy.com. Not only will you find links to our social media channels and a listing of all podcast episodes, but you'll find other fascinating interviews and classes. And an important note, portion of all proceeds generated at the football learning academy could help retired players in need. That website again is www.football-learning-academy.com. Today we focus on Dick Hailey, longtime scout and personnel person in the NFL, and we'll get to him in a minute. To learn more about travel using contributors in pro football history, visit our historical scattering reports class where we discuss the greats in pro football history and something that we'll continually expand over time. Check it out at the football learning academy website www.football-learningacademy.com.

2:13Let's get to our profile of Dick Hailey. Dick Hailey was born October 2nd, 1937 in Midway, Pennsylvania. He played football all four years in high school, then played two years at the University of Pittsburgh. He was selected by Washington Redskins in the ninth round of the 1959 NFL Draft. He spent two years with Washington, then had stints with the Minnesota Vikings and Pittsburgh Steelers. It was there where he started his scouting career. He worked part-time with the Steelers as a scout, then joined Blesdo as an area scout. When Art Rooney Jr. was elevated to Vice President of the team, Hailey was hired back to be their director of player personnel. In 1992, Hailey left the Steelers to become the director of player personnel with the New York Jets. He stayed with the team until 2008 when he became player analyst for the Miami Dolphins, very reunited with Bill Parcells, who he had worked with at the Jets. Hailey passed away March 10th, 2023. Throughout Hailey's career, he made an impact.

3:14For example, he was the one that fought for the Steelers to draft linebacker Jack Lambert. He also helped draft Hall of Famous Lin-Swan, Mike Webster, John Stallworth. He was widely regarded in the football community and helped run the national scouting combine. Why is he not remembered as much as he should? He never looked to take credit and didn't want the attention. He learned that under Jack Butler while with Blesdo. According to Butler, quote, Scouts should be like CIA agents. They should get the necessary information, but not their names or pictures in the paper. End quote. We go into much more detail on Hailey's career in my upcoming book on the early history of pro football scouting, so stay tuned for its release. Thank you for listening to our profile of Dick Hailey. To learn more about the football learning academy, go to our website at www.football-learning-cademy.com. Not only will you find links to our social media channels and a listing of all podcast episodes, but you'll find other fascinating interviews and classes.

4:15That important note, the portion of all proceeds generated at the football learning academy go to help retire players in need. That website again is www.football-learning-cademy.com. Thank you for listening. Welcome to the place where history's proud from great iron glory to the hardwood stars. From the racetrack heat to Olympic bars, it's the voices, the stories, the moments you missed, told by fans and pros who live for this.

5:18Hook and Famic, the sports history network, where the past comes alive podcasts and blogs that keep the flame high, from babe to Brady Alley to the dome, if it's history in sports, then this is the home. It's historynetwork.com, the headquarters of sports, yes to you.