"Bullet" Bob finally a Hall of Famer (officially)

It's been long overdue, but today "Bullet" Bob Hayes was selected as part of the 2009 class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Hayes was a seniors finalists and the last time he made it as a finalist was in 2004 in Houston.

“We played together in the college all-star game,” former Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach said in a telephone interview. “We were all good athletes, and we were all fast people, and then there was Bob Hayes. But he was not just fast; he was a football player. No one could guard him.”

“I wish he was there,” Staubach said. “We have great faith, so we still believe he knows what’s going on.”

Hayes, the "world's fastest man" and Olympic gold medalist, was difficult (if not impossible) to cover man-to-man.

In a statement, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said, "This is a deserving honor for one of the Cowboys' most and truly gifted stars. We all know he changed the game on the field, but he also brought a unique star quality to the NFL that helped make professional football the most popular sport in the world."

Hayes, who averaged 20 yards/reception for his career, had 371 catches for 7414 yards and 71 TDs (which is a Cowboys record).

The other 5 inductees are Bruce Smith and Rod Woodson (both in on their first ballot) and Derrick Thomas, Ralph Wilson and Randall McDaniel.