These westwords begin with Bill Belichick’s fall from grace but will turn into a local story. I promise.

The former New England Patriots coach with eight Super Bowl rings didn’t get enough votes for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. You can blame the snub on piety or score-settling or his prickly personality or taking gamesmanship too far or the girlfriend one third his age.

NFL security once caught one of his video assistants taping New York Jets’ defensive signals from the sidelines. That was a no-no.

NFL security found that his team was using a slightly deflated football so the quarterback could get a better grip. Shame, shame.

The age issue is 24 and 73. What that has to do with recognition for winning 333 NFL games, I don’t know, but it was supposedly conversation among some voters.

Robert Kraft, owner of the Patriots, doesn’t particularly like Bill but has declared him to be “the greatest coach of all time, unequivocally deserving to be a unanimous first-ballot honoree.”

Big names Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski, Patrick Mahomes, Jimmy Johnson and Bill Parcells were in the crowd that expressed shock at the shortcoming. Some used more colorful words.

I say Mr. Kraft should look to the future and hire a sculptor to get going on a statue. Belichick directed six winning Supers with the Patriots and Brady, the quarterback. Bill won two in his younger days running the defense for the New York Giants.

I also say Bill Belichick isn’t the first to endure a hall-of-fame delay for past transgressions or personality flaws. Old Vol Doug Atkins finished his 17-year pro football career in 1969. Thirteen years later, the pro hall of fame let him in.

To verify honor deserved, Doug was later selected to the NFL’s 100th anniversary all-time team.

We’re talking about one of the greatest ever to play the game, better as a pro than as a Tennessee Volunteer. Even though he took a few plays off now and then, even though he was once fired by Robert R. Neyland, Doug was a good enough all-American to be the No. 1 pick for a Southeastern Conference quarter-century team.

There are some old stories, some I can share, about Doug’s behavior in the NFL. The Cleveland Browns traded him to the Chicago Bears for a draft choice. According to Pat Summerall, coach Paul Brown simply dumped Doug for burping too loud in a team meeting.

In Chicago, Atkins maintained his reputation of being rebellious of authority. He and owner-coach George Halas were constant foes in the fight over salary. There were other little problems.

Atkins was ordered one day by an assistant coach to run laps for inattention in practice. It was really sweaty weather. As added punishment, Doug was told to “Wear your helmet.”

When the coach next saw Atkins, he was jogging half-speed wearing only his helmet. He had left his pads, uniform and underwear in a pile. He was nude except for his hard hat, socks and shoes.

Atkins, through the years, was not particularly kind, courteous or cooperative with certain (most) sportswriters who happened to vote on annual NFL honors.

I thought Doug in retirement might never receive the recognition he richly deserved. I appointed myself chairman of the “Let Doug In” committee. I called two old sports editor friends, Edwin Pope in Miami and John Steadman in Baltimore, and asked them to ask other voters to reconsider their Atkins animosity.

The humble grass-roots campaign worked wonders. Two months later I got a call confirming Doug’s forthcoming election. I explained to Doug what had happened and asked him not to say anything else ugly about writers.

I gave him two phone numbers, the News-Sentinel and our home, and asked him to give me a call when he was officially notified of the honor.

I waited.

One morning in the Knoxville Journal was an Associated Press story, localized by Ben Byrd, about Doug Atkins being chosen for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

More than a little ticked off, I called Doug and asked what happened. He said he didn’t do it, he was told not to tell anybody. I asked if he remembered how he got the votes for the hall of fame?

“I was told specifically not to talk with sportswriters.”

“Doug, the other guys are sportswriters. I am your friend.”

“OK, I’ll talk to you.”

“Too late, I don’t want to talk with you NOW.”

“Are you upset with me?”

“Not yes but HELL yes. All I wanted from those phone calls I made was you in the hall of fame and me writing the story.”

I survived the disappointment. Eventually I even got over it. Eventually Doug heard I was taking my undefeated Little League team on a camping trip. He called. He had two big tents he wanted to give me so the boys and their dads would have more room.

I accepted and said thank you. Given a choice, I preferred to be on good terms with Doug Atkins. He was one big dude, 6-8 and 267 . And, he was famous. He was in the hall of fame.

Marvin West welcomes comments or questions from readers. His address is marvinwest75@gmail.com