Former Bears defensive end Richard Dent is hopeful Saturday will end a long wait.

Dent could learn he's been selected for enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He has been a finalist for the honor six of the last seven years, which is why he's prepared to wait even longer if the selection committee passes him up again.

"It's all about the amount of time," Dent said on "The Waddle & Silvy Show on WMVP-AM 1000. "Sooner or later, it has to come around. If it takes place tomorrow, great. If not, you have to go forward the next time.

"It would mean a lot. It definitely would mean a lot to the people who were in my life. For me, it's about telling a whole bunch of people thanks."

Dent spent 11 seasons with the Bears and was named Super Bowl XX MVP. He would join Walter Payton, Dan Hampton and Mike Singletary as members of the '85 Bears enshrined in Canton. Coach Mike Ditka also is a member.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2010 to be announced at 4 p.m. Chicago time on the NFL Network

Dent denied hall again

FORT LAUDERDALE -- Having had to wait eight rounds before the Bears drafted him out of Tennessee State back in 1983, Richard Dent knows something about patience.

But it was tested again Saturday.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame denied Dent entry into the class of 2010, the sixth time in the last seven years he had been a finalist only to get the disappointing news.

If offensive linemen were as effective at keeping Dent away as the Hall of Fame's 44-member selection board, this wouldn't be so frustrating for the man they call "The Colonel."

The new class includes 49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice, Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith, Redskins offensive lineman Russ Grimm, Vikings defensive tackle John Randle and Saints outside linebacker Rickey Jackson. Dick LeBeau and Floyd Little went in as veterans.

Photo: Bears' Richard Dent hovers over Indianapolis Colts quarterback Mike Pagel in 1985. (Tribune file photo)

But to see the final five names this year include defensive players with lesser credentials such as Saints linebacker Rickey Jackson and Vikings defensive end John Randle has to make Dent wonder if he ever will make it. Randle finished his career with the same number of sacks as Dent - 137.5. Jackson was a terrific player but, in fairness, not considered as dominant at his position as Dent.

When Dent retired, he was third all-time in career sacks. Research by Aaron Schatz of Football Outsiders revealed that in 150 starts, Dent averaged 0.92 sacks per start. Only one defensive end in the modern era had a higher rate -- Fred Dean with 1.14 sacks per start. Dent's ratio was higher than top contemporary sack men Reggie White (0.87), Bruce Smith (0.75) and Michael Strahan (0.69).

He also made eight interceptions in his career - tied for most by a modern-era defensive lineman - broke up 60 passes and forced 38 fumbles.

There are only three players off the Bears Super Bowl XX champions: Walter Payton, Mike Singletary and Dan Hampton. Dent was favored to become the fourth given how much support he had garnered in 2009 when he had made the cut to the final 10. Dent made the final 10 again this year before being stymied.

Mongo thinks HOFC are "jackasses" for not voting Dent in
At least one ex-Bear was livid about Richard Dent's most-recent denial from the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Defensive tackle Steve "Mongo" McMichael, who played on the same defensive line as Dent for the 1985 Super Bowl champion Bears, voiced his displeasure with the decision prior to Thursday's Comcast SportsNet Sports Awards.

"If the guys voting about who's in the Hall of Fame think Rickey Jackson and John Randle meant more on the field than Richard Dent, then they're jackasses and I don't care what their vote is anymore,'' McMichael told the Tribune. "Their opinion means nothing to me if they think Richard is not worthy.''

As the Tribune's Dan Pompei pointed out, the Bears won 72 percent of the time when Dent recorded a sack. When he did not have a sack, they won only 39 percent of the time.

"On any team Richard would have been on - and not because he played with me and (Dan) Hampton on that defensive line - he would have been their star right end,'' McMichael said.