Bruce Smith campaigns against Tony Boselli’s HOF references

Still oddly salty after more than two decades, Bruce Smith decided to pursue Tony Boselli’s Pro Football Hall of Fame credentials.

Bruce Smith needs a nap.

That’s the only explanation for his cranky and childish Instagram rant against Tony Boselli’s induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Literally out of nowhere, months after Boselli was elected and weeks before he’s officially anchored, Smith decided to belittle his credentials in a show of extreme saltiness.

Bruce Smith disrespected Tony Boselli and the NFL Hall of Fame

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Smith opened his head-scratching testimony against Boselli with a bizarre series of claims.

“A large part of the campaign to induct Tony Boselli into the Hall of Fame seems to center on a single successful performance he had in a playoff game against me in 1996,” Smith wrote.

First and foremost, this is just inaccurate. Sure, Boselli’s performance against Smith has been addressed, but far more often the focus has been what a dominant player he was for most of his career.

He was a three-time All-Pro first teamer and a five-time Pro Bowler for the jaguars. He was the best left tackle in the game for years. That one playoff performance was an example of his exceptional ability, not an isolated one.

Worse, he did not claim that Boselli himself used these imaginary arguments. He was only referring to “Tony’s lawyers” as if their alleged influence gives him the right to attack the man’s credentials himself.

What followed Smith’s tirade was hypocritical and silly.

“HOF is an exclusive fraternity that follows an implicit code of conduct that promotes respect and brotherhood among its members,” Smith wrote. “On occasion, any Hall of Famer could use their credentials to brag about their dominance over another member, but such behavior is deemed inappropriate due to the friction and discord it could create within the group.”

In one sentence, Smith spoke about the HOF members’ code of conduct, brotherhood and respect. Next he tried to belittle Boselli’s accomplishments, claiming that he did not deserve to join the fraternity to which he had already been elected.

“Tony was a formidable opponent during his short career, but I find it difficult to compare the entirety of his work to that of the NFL’s greatest left tackles,” he wrote, arguing that Boselli “benefited” from protecting Mark Brunnel, a agile, left-handed quarterback.

The Hall of Fame did not take Boselli’s candidacy lightly. He waited years past his initial eligibility to get inducted, largely because his career was so short. Injuries forced his retirement after just six seasons. This was a significant obstacle to his fall, but ultimately voters sided with his Excellency over his lack of longevity.

Smith brought up Bruce Armstrong, Richmond Ebb and Will Wilford as other offensive linemen who could be compared to Boselli for the HOF. If he’s that concerned about their candidacy, he might represent them on their merits instead of using their names to despise another professional.

This is all just embarrassing for Smith and the Hall of Fame.